Maybe you'll get lucky. My husband and I were regulars, however, this place has slipped significantly. Maybe they got new cooks? We are 50-60 yrs and we feel like spring chickens in here. It is an obstacle course of walkers, wheelchairs, and canes. The food use to be pretty good and reasonable $. The food the last few visits is just plain BAD. I might give them one more chance - in a month or so, but 3 strikes and we are finished with them! read more

Cheap and good! Get the spinach pie, calamari, anything off the appetizer menu. Entrees are less inspiring. Coffee mugs and utensils could be cleaner. But if you want a no frills dining experience, then this is your place. read more

My family and I stopped for a meal on the way home tonight. I ordered the stuffed grape leaves, & falafel with fries. My mom ordered a delmonico steak cooked medium well with fries and a Greek salad. My daughter was smart and got them to make her a grilled cheese and fries. When my mom received her order the "steak" was not a "delmonico " steak but a flank steak that was only 1/4"thick and overcooked. They tried to bury the steak with onion rings on top ,fries on the side, and a piece of lettuce, slice of tomato and shredded carrots as a side salad next to the steak. One can only assume the steak was so small the cook had to fill the plate up with something. The Greek salad contained only iceberg lettuce,no romaine. . . My grape leaves were stuffed with some kind of sour, mushy, rice. The dip that was supposed to be the yogurt dip was flavorless. The fries were acceptable for frozen fast food fries,as was my daughter's grilled cheese. My falafel gyro was overcooked and tasted like any mix you might find...very dissapointing! Although our waitress was very polite and apologetic when we asked about 1st the salad then the steak, after which we gave up.... when we left and went to settle the check and was asked if there were any problems....we said that there were problems after which the cashier got defensive. We were told we needed to ask for romaine lettuce (the menu didn't) say that, and we had to pay for extras like that... We used to eat at this restaurant several years ago and it was great. It is not any more, maybe they have new management or owners, I don't know what has changed but the food that used to be homemade isn't! read more

My favorite is their Eggplant Parmesan! I've tried the Chicken Souvlaki, it was also delish! :-)

These ladies run this place with skill, the grap leaves are good and so is the lasagna

Food is very average. Had the Moussaka it left me with terrible heartburn. Calamari was Sysco fresh and over cooked at that. The service was great on a better note! read more

My family had lunch here yesterday. Our experience was really good! We arrived at 12:15 on a weekday afternoon. There was a small wait, which we expected based on the other reviews. After about 10 minutes we were seated at a booth, given menus and placed our drink orders. The atmosphere is just what you expect in a classic diner...seniors hovering over steaming cups of coffee, a middle-aged, bespectacled gent perusing the local paper, construction workers with yellow rain slickers, etc... It is very homey and comfortable - exactly what I want when I want to feel homey and comfortable :) The menu is very diverse. You can order breakfast all day long or you can get traditional "diner" food. The specials yesterday were meatloaf and fish & chips. There is also a very nice selection of Greek food, pasta and pizza. I decided to have the Souvlaki Dinner which includes a small Greek salad, pork souvlaki with tsatsiki sauce and french fries. Let me just stop right here and tell you that my plate was heaping with goodness!!! The pork tenderloin was seasoned perfectly and the portion was enormous - easily 6 or 7 ounces. The pita was seasoned and grilled and WOW - was it tasty!!! The Greek salad was delicious - the best I have ever been served (seriously). It was bursting with flavor from the kalamata olives, quality olive oil, generous feta cheese, red onion, cucumbers, etc... I could not believe that my dinner (Greek salad, souvlaki and french fries) was only $9.99!!!!! I ate what I wanted, gave most of the fries to my husband, boxed up the leftovers and STILL had a whole box full to take home for dinner! My husband and two children had bacon cheeseburgers and a hot steak and cheese sub. They also had fries. They were pleased with their orders. The burgers are big and the toppings are generous (huge rings of purple onions, 3 slices of tomato, several leaves of iceburg lettuce). The fries are steak fries, and my husband prefers those. I thought they were just ok. The fries needed salt (I'm sure their patrons on sodium restricted diets appreciate the light salting) and without ketchup seemed a bit bland to me. My husband did comment that his steak sub could have used some more meat, so if you are expecting a thick meaty sub, you may want to order something else. Flavor-wise though, he said it tasted pretty good. Bottom line - Tiptop is a comfortable place, the food is good, the portions are large, and the price is right!! We will definitely be going back. read more

Tip Top is not the best restaurant in town. But for its price point, prompt service, and flexibility it deserves 5 stars. The food is tasty, the service is quick, and when I go with a large group, they are willing to split the check at the register without ANY problem, which is great. Try the gyro, it's the best of the more traditional Mediterranean wraps. read more

Great menu with something for everyone and all reasonably priced. Quick service and don't forget to try their pizza - it's really good! Epic breakfasts but I wish they had more and better desserts and more baked goods on the menu. read more

This place is a favorite of ours. Good food...Greek, Italian & American items. Pretty good variety. Wait staff friendly. Price is very fair. Souvalaki dinner is one of our favorites. read more

Tip Top is a wonderful place to have brunch! Great food! Great prices, and something that is always very important to me is friendly service!! Such a neat and clean environment. They have it all!! The owner there is an amazing man. He makes sure his employees are on there A+ game!! Highly recommend!! read more

Great diner centrally located. We went for comfort food after spending some time at a nearby hospital and left feeling satisfied. Great Italian and Greek staples. My usual order is the gyro which is always good but tonight I decided to try something different. When I placed my order for the souvlaki platter, the waitress said it was the best thing on the menu. After I tasted it I'm inclined to agree. The seasoning and tenderness of the meat was delicious! The only thing I would change next time is to ask for the salad dressing on the side. It was very tasty but a little too much on the mini salad for me. Overall, fast service, good food at reasonable prices! read more

Good breakfast food!! This place looks like an old dinner outside and inside. We were greeted as soon as we came into the diner and seated right away. The waitress was courteous and attentive. I ordered a meat lover's omelet made with egg whites and Swiss cheese. Some places in the area do not make egg white omelets, so it was great to find a place that prepared the food how you wanted it. When I asked the waitress for s side order of corn beef hash, she asked me if having it cooked until it was hard was okay. No one ever asked me this before. Maybe I don't get out enough, but this was a real nice touch. They really want to prepare the food the way you want it. All of the food was very good, as well as the coffee. There may be places that look newer or more modern, but it will be hard to beat this place for a good tasting breakfast. read more

Delicious food, great service, and big portions. Lots of variety, so if you have picky kids then they will be able to find something. The only thing I was surprised about is that they are Gyro meat isn't on a spit. It comes prepackaged. But I just ordered souvlaki instead, which was great. read more

Fast, friendly and damn near free! When there is a line, there is usually a reason. I'm sure some come because it's basic fare with no fuss, others cause it's cheap eats. Any way you measure it, there's a line. You know for sure nobody waits in line to be mauled by a bear so there's little chance that will happen here. Who knows what is going on in the place down the road! read more

Fantastic place. We have 5 kids and they always have room for us, get the food out quickly, and have great food. Best restaurant on the East side of Charlottesville. read more

Been here a few times and it never disappoints...service is good...the food is fantastic and a good cup of coffee!! Always busy on the weekends but worth a visit anytime! read more

Yelp rating was right, 3 to 4 stars it is a fine diner! we went for lunch up from Va Bch to see some wineries and tours some prez homes and found the Tip Top to be decent in the food and service and a little lacking on the decor and cleanliness side. I had the meatball sub one of the best ones i have had fresh meatball not dry and ample but not overflowing with sauce so i made a mess. Wife had the chef salad looked serviceable and she was pleased we were with my parents mom had the veggie burger she aid was good and looked house made dads turkey sandwich looked like a turkey sandwich. The onion rings are awesome and well worth the extra cost! all in all will keep on the list for the next time were in C ville! read more

Thanks to my son and his girlfriend for recommending this place. What a great Gyro. When I get the opportunity to go back to C-Ville, I will definitely be gong back because the Steak&Cheese looked FANTASTIC!!! Look forward to going back. read more

Old school diner-style, but yummy food! I took the kids for dinner and they enjoyed some spaghetti. I had a fabulous lamb gyro with Greek salad...amazing lamb and pita!! I also appreciate that the restaurant has no TVs...difficult to find these days. read more

Terrific for diner / breakfast food. Fast service even during busy times. The prices are absolutely rock bottom. We will be back many times over...and will never forget to add a short stack! read more

Best pizza you will ever eat! Been here numerous ones.... never had a bad experience! Always great food and service.

I agree with an earlier reviewer. This was no "hidden gem" but was decent and the price was nice. Greek diner. We got two adult and one kids meal. My soulvaka was tasty. Pork soulvaka with four pita triangles, small Greek salad and onion rings. Onion rings were the best thing on the table. Hubby got ziti with what was billed as "Greek style meat sauce" but was in reality a slighty bland spaghetti sauce with barely any ground meat. Tasted fine but needed more spice and meat. Kids spahetti was enough for a five year old but not enough for our ten year old, however the soulvaka was generous enough to share. Homemade rolls were really good...yeasty soft warm and delicious with butter. Atmosphere was classic diner...meaning plain but clean. Would not seek this out, but for the price we were satisfied overall. read more

Excellent food excellent service excellent waitresses always busy quick and friendly service for A very reasonable price. I love this place!

This is my favorite place to eat in Charlottesville. It isn't gourmet, just good homemade food at a reasonable price. The atmosphere is clean and comfortable, but can be a bit noisy when it's busy. I usually get one of the baked pasta dishes. My husband usually gets the gyros. They have several other Greek style dishes,too. They have pizza and burgers, but the baked pasta is so good that I always get it. I wish there were more of these types of locally owned and operated establishments. read more

Good food... good service. Nothing extraordinary but definitely a solid breakfast for the price. I would absolutely repeat and that's the real test for me. I had an omelette and the home fries that were tasty. read more

Great breakfast! Very affordable, excellent services. My husband and I will be going back our bill was just under $16 and we left stuffed. Pancakes are excellent and my husband was pleased with his corn-beef and hash. read more

This is probably the 4th or 5th time I've been to the Tip Top, and today was no exception to the other experiences, which have all been very positive and enjoyable. The food is delicious, the portions are generous, the menu selections are reasonably broad, and the service is friendly. This will continue to be a regular stop for me when my job takes me through these parts. read more

Really delicious basic foods. Hummus is pretty good but order extra pita from the get go. Really good pita. Chicken souvlaki is great. As is the special veggie pizza with fried eggplant. breakfast is very standard. Every so often I'll make my way to pantops to eat at this very popular diner with huge portions but better restaurants with higher prices and better ambiance await downtown. read more

Good food good prices. I had strawberry waffle & he had the eggs with home fries both were good. Went back for lunch fries are very good and sandwich's too. read more

Great little diner! I had the chicken souvlaki and it was mighty tasty :) The menu is diverse too so it will accommodate diverse tastes--definitely recommend! read more

I've eaten here a handful of times within the past year with my father and honestly I don't see what's so great about! The parking lot always looks busy but most of my meals from there have been okay but nothing spectacular. First off I am a big soda drinker..its my "drug" so I usually go through about three glassfuls in one sitting (bad for me I know but I'm addicted and I don't smoke or drink alcohol so this is my bad habit). So I love when a place has free refills which most places do because the soda box things for a soda fountain is not a huge expensive (so I've been told my a former restaurant owner) but here you get ONE free refill then have to pay for the others. To me it comes across as stingy. The fries are just awful I don't know why I don't get something else instead. Ketchup is my favorite condiment or as my father calls it "all purpose sauce" so I don't mind dipping my fries in ketchup cause I do it all the time anyway. Even dipping the fries in ketchup and adding salt they still taste bland!!! They were done enough for my liking but they lacked flavor. Most recently I had the BBQ sandwich platter with the bland fries. I ate most of the sandwich and slaw and all the fries but the BBQ were good. I had a better BBQ sandwich from The Mountain Grill at Carter's Mountain when I was there for the event they have on Thursdays. The pizza is usually pretty decent (I think I've had it twice) and I think I have had the lasagna or manacotti and they were good so it seems the Italian dishes are good. The Italian dishes come with a small salad and a small square roll. I'd like to see a basket of bread but that's just me. | haven't had any breakfast items from here and from what I've read I don't think I ever will. The service has usually been pretty good except once when my father and I ate there the waitress seemed friendlier/more accommodating to some other customers who must be regulars because she knew their names. Compared to them it was almost as if we weren't there. The waitress we've had the past two times has been okay but sometimes will walk right by our table without checking on us one of the times I would have liked to have been checked on because I needed a refill. Actually most the waitresses there seem to be neglectful on refills. I don't know her name but there is a young African-American female hostess/server there who is usually wrapping napkins around silverware who was the best waitress we've had there! Unfortunately we've only had her once :( This place has the old fashion diner look with pretty reasonable prices. I don't eat Greek food so I can't speak on that but their best dishes seems to be the Italian food. I still think the place is overrated but they're doing something right because the parking lot is always busy, read more

Stellar service, food and people. All dishes served with a side of Greek hospitality. I'd come here every day if I could.

Tip Top is exactly that--a great place for any meal but especially breakfast or brunch. That said, their eggplant parm is my favorite menu item. Staff are awesome--they're the real deal, experienced waitstaff who know how to work a diner-style restaurant. The fact that they have so many regulars is testament to the warm and welcoming environment. Even when it's busy (especially weekend mornings) there's usually enough parking. In my opinion, if you haven't been to Tip Top you haven't been to Cville. read more

THE BOMB in everything I like in a cozy restaurant with breakfast, lunch and dinner available. (breakfast is all day) There is no other place in the Charlottesville area like this place to eat. The restaurant has lots of seating (which they need); cute décor; excellent servers; comfortable atmosphere; and tasty food that comes close to homemade. read more

Good stop for breakfast. Usually busy on the weekends but the service is quick.

Good for breakfast. A solid breakfast served all day, attentive wait staff. Nothing in particular stands out about the breakfast menu, they will poach your eggs which earns extra points in my book. Interestingly, the menu also offers Italian and Greek food. read more

Very solid diner. I had steak & eggs.....the steak was surprisingly good. Very well seasoned and nicely cooked, and the potatoes were delicious. I was surprised. I expected very mediocre food but it was quite yummy, and it didn't sit in my stomach all day like a stopwatch. read more

Tip top was the tits! Great food , the biscuits and gravy were great can't wait to stop in again on our way home you guys are the tits!

THE best spot for breakfast in Charlottesville! A Charlottesville staple, and a must have. A weekend breakfast tradition that we look forward to consistently. Blueberry pancakes, omelets, the OJ is delishhh, crispy bacon. We especially enjoy when we have Kim as our waitress, as she is super friendly and attentive! Keep being awesome Tip Top! read more