What a great place! Yes it might be hard to find but that is part of the charm. I have eaten in restaurants with James Beard award winning chefs and multiple stars but this dinner went beyond my expectations. Yes you need reservations. Yes the place is full but I never felt rushed (like they were anxious to turn the table). What they did to a humble carrot dish left me wanting to be a vegetarian!!! However their beef tartare made be rejoice that I wasn’t!! Micha has to be a magical bartender, don’t hesitate to simply tell the waitstaff your flavor profile and left him work his magic. I must return to Cville if for no other reason than to enjoy another heavenly dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Roy Gbiv
Food was good. Didn’t like the foie gras (it was mixed with veal into this…meatloaf-esque slice…not a fan. It’s a terrine style. Not for me). The bone marrow was the highlight. Very good. The beef tenderloin was not as good as the waiter made it sound. It was a nice two medallions of beef. Nothing to write home about. The leek…pâté thing that came with the beef was interesting. Like good interesting. The drinks were solid but I would hope so for $18 a drink. All in all a meh experience for a decently pricey place. I think this restaurant (supposedly a speak easy style?) is pretending to…aspiring to be more than it is. It’s a good restaurant. And I’d recommend trying them out if you have a couple hundred dollars to burn. But it’s not a MUST try.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Brad Richard
Amazing food and cocktails! Definitely a must
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Tartare
Nancy Davis
Such a fun birthday dinner! Definitely a top 5 favorite! Sat in the “club” chairs near the window which was a nice setting! My drink the Wanda was wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eva Reynolds
I would come back to Charlottesville just to go here again! We stopped in for a nightcap, spent the whole night drooling over the specials menu on the wall, and made a reservation to come back for dinner the next day. Terrific cocktails, outstanding food, and impressive selection of dessert wines and digestifs.
One of the best meals I’ve ever had. The drinks were to die for. The experience was a 10/10 the entire way through. Our server Andrew was amazing and very personable. We will definitely be back!
Robert Hooper
Great small plate experience. We eat here every time we are in the area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Carrots, Bone Marrow with Escargot, Vegetable Board
Hunter Sheldon
One of our favorite spots in Charlottesville. Great jazz ambiance, friendly staff, and excellent food and cocktails. Especially love when we come in and there are new menu items on the board! We'll see you again soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Carrots, Tuna Carpaccio
Alan Kennedy
We went early, 5 PM, and were able to sit at the bar. Had the 2 best Manhattans (Elija Craig Rye) in my life. the bartenders are fun and put on a great show. it is an experience that our party thoroughly enjoyed!
Fantastic all around. Great vibes, and an incredible bar. Highly recommend the dealers choice. Give the bartender some simple parameters and they will whip you up an amazing cocktail.Wheelchair accessibility: Set of stairs to enter the restaurant
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brenda Grabb
An authentic French restaurant just off the Downtown Mall. Great plates to share! Several vegetarian options. Amazing desserts! Call to ask exactly where the entrance is - it’s a little hidden from the street!Vegetarian options: Several items for vegetariansParking: A short walk away
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: French Onion Soup, Soup
Nick Brinen
How do I put this…coming from 14+ years in NYC. This place is the best in C’ville. Screw common house or any other 2nd tier place on the “mall.”Go here. No where else. Best bartenders. Best chefs/menu(s). Best hospitality.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seafood Board, Bone Marrow with Escargot, Marinated Mushrooms, Tuna Carpaccio
Thomas Albert
The restaurant is unique, a speakeasy atmosphere, no name on the door, located in a small alley. So you have to know where you are going in order to find this place.The waiter explains, with some pride that the restaurant is "tapas style". Okay, but in this case tapas style means that one waiter takes your order, another brings the individual plates when they are prepared in the kitchen. And no one follows up to see whether the order is complete. And since you've been warned that the service is "tapas style", when your food doesn't arrive, you're not sure whether there's a problem or that your particular order is taking longer to prepare.Then all of a sudden everyone else has finished eating and your order still has not arrived.Eventually the waiter comes around to ask if we want anything else and I explain that I still haven't received my main course.Mistakes happen, but the reason for the 1 star rating for service was the waiters response was "well I told you that the service was tapas style", again with condescension, no apology. I guess it was my fault for not realizing that tapas style means that you may or may not receive your order.We left, I assume that the tenderloin was delicious, I'll never know.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 1
Amanda J.
the atmosphere is amazing. always great service every time we've been. the food is amazing and the cocktails are delicious.
What a great place! Yes it might be hard to find but that is part of the charm. I have eaten in restaurants with James Beard award winning chefs and multiple stars but this dinner went beyond my expectations. Yes you need reservations. Yes the place is full but I never felt rushed (like they were anxious to turn the table). What they did to a humble carrot dish left me wanting to be a vegetarian!!! However their beef tartare made be rejoice that I wasn’t!! Micha has to be a magical bartender, don’t hesitate to simply tell the waitstaff your flavor profile and left him work his magic. I must return to Cville if for no other reason than to enjoy another heavenly dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was good. Didn’t like the foie gras (it was mixed with veal into this…meatloaf-esque slice…not a fan. It’s a terrine style. Not for me). The bone marrow was the highlight. Very good. The beef tenderloin was not as good as the waiter made it sound. It was a nice two medallions of beef. Nothing to write home about. The leek…pâté thing that came with the beef was interesting. Like good interesting. The drinks were solid but I would hope so for $18 a drink. All in all a meh experience for a decently pricey place. I think this restaurant (supposedly a speak easy style?) is pretending to…aspiring to be more than it is. It’s a good restaurant. And I’d recommend trying them out if you have a couple hundred dollars to burn. But it’s not a MUST try.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Amazing food and cocktails! Definitely a must
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Tartare
Such a fun birthday dinner! Definitely a top 5 favorite! Sat in the “club” chairs near the window which was a nice setting! My drink the Wanda was wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I would come back to Charlottesville just to go here again! We stopped in for a nightcap, spent the whole night drooling over the specials menu on the wall, and made a reservation to come back for dinner the next day. Terrific cocktails, outstanding food, and impressive selection of dessert wines and digestifs.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Rabbit Liver&Foielies Mousse Pistachi Toast Points 9, Beef Tartare
Our favorite restaurant in Charlottesville!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best meals I’ve ever had. The drinks were to die for. The experience was a 10/10 the entire way through. Our server Andrew was amazing and very personable. We will definitely be back!
Great small plate experience. We eat here every time we are in the area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Carrots, Bone Marrow with Escargot, Vegetable Board
One of our favorite spots in Charlottesville. Great jazz ambiance, friendly staff, and excellent food and cocktails. Especially love when we come in and there are new menu items on the board! We'll see you again soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Carrots, Tuna Carpaccio
We went early, 5 PM, and were able to sit at the bar. Had the 2 best Manhattans (Elija Craig Rye) in my life. the bartenders are fun and put on a great show. it is an experience that our party thoroughly enjoyed!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Fantastic all around. Great vibes, and an incredible bar. Highly recommend the dealers choice. Give the bartender some simple parameters and they will whip you up an amazing cocktail.Wheelchair accessibility: Set of stairs to enter the restaurant
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An authentic French restaurant just off the Downtown Mall. Great plates to share! Several vegetarian options. Amazing desserts! Call to ask exactly where the entrance is - it’s a little hidden from the street!Vegetarian options: Several items for vegetariansParking: A short walk away
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: French Onion Soup, Soup
How do I put this…coming from 14+ years in NYC. This place is the best in C’ville. Screw common house or any other 2nd tier place on the “mall.”Go here. No where else. Best bartenders. Best chefs/menu(s). Best hospitality.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seafood Board, Bone Marrow with Escargot, Marinated Mushrooms, Tuna Carpaccio
The restaurant is unique, a speakeasy atmosphere, no name on the door, located in a small alley. So you have to know where you are going in order to find this place.The waiter explains, with some pride that the restaurant is "tapas style". Okay, but in this case tapas style means that one waiter takes your order, another brings the individual plates when they are prepared in the kitchen. And no one follows up to see whether the order is complete. And since you've been warned that the service is "tapas style", when your food doesn't arrive, you're not sure whether there's a problem or that your particular order is taking longer to prepare.Then all of a sudden everyone else has finished eating and your order still has not arrived.Eventually the waiter comes around to ask if we want anything else and I explain that I still haven't received my main course.Mistakes happen, but the reason for the 1 star rating for service was the waiters response was "well I told you that the service was tapas style", again with condescension, no apology. I guess it was my fault for not realizing that tapas style means that you may or may not receive your order.We left, I assume that the tenderloin was delicious, I'll never know.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 1
the atmosphere is amazing. always great service every time we've been. the food is amazing and the cocktails are delicious.