Good although not enthusiastic service. I'm used to Texas servers who are typically friendly and in your face happy. The creative and delicious food made up for the "I don't want to smile so don't try to make me" service. We arrived at 4:55 p.m. famished after a day at Monticello and then browsing in Charlottesville. The hostess allowed us in but would not seat us in a booth until exactly 5 p.m. Again, I'm used to "Texas friendly" and was a bit surprised at this. Just let us park our butts and bring us some water. It's not like you have a lot to do except read your text messages, chica. The drinks were fantastic and the food was perfect. I could go on and on about the wonderful food but I've slept since my visit so just look at the photos. If I ever visit the area again, Hamilton's would be at the top of my list, and I will take copious notes about the food. read more

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If you read no further, *don't miss* this restaurant. You know that on Yelp! you'll find easy-to-please reviewers (everything is 4 or 5 stars), along with tougher reviewers who are almost impossible to satisfy. On a continuum from easy-to-tough, I fall toward the "tough" end of the scale. Real standards exist for food, wine, and gracious service. Still, I try to be fair because I work in the industry. Running a restaurant is hard. This is the first five-star rating I have given on Yelp! But on Friday, 7/23/2011, Hamilton's in Charlottesville was nearly perfect. Bullet points, followed by detail: - Imaginative vegetarian dishes, plated with meticulous attention - Excellent menu choices, prepared artfully - First-rate compact wine list, with some of the best Virginia selections - Outstanding service, if our server was typical of their entire team Detail: Hostess/Seating: We arrived with no reservation. We saw an open booth, but it was reserved. The hostess suggested a table in an alcove to one side. We appreciated her trying to accommodate our request and the alcove table was fine. It gave us the privacy and room to spread out we were seeking. Server: The name on our receipt is "Jess Snow." If that turns out to be a generic server account, we apologize for not getting our server's name. She was superb; pleasant, knowledgeable, and always available, but never intrusive or overly present. She described the specials intriguingly and pointed out Virginia wines by the glass. She was attentive to the mise en place, replacing tableware, as well as offering a second glass of wine at precisely the right moments. Kudos and big thanks. Menu and Wine List: The range of offerings was fitting for a restaurant of Hamilton's type. We were thrilled to find a large selection of Virginia wines, including Veritas Sauvignon Blanc Reserve--one of our favorites (compliments to Veritas, since we are passionate about Sancerre). Two lunch specials sounded good and turned out to be far better than expected, and our expectations were high. Food Preparation and Quality: "Extraordinary" is the only suitable word. I'd like to think the restaurants I am associated with offer dishes of this quality (but I can't review them). At Hamilton's, my wife ordered the vegetarian special. It was beautifully plated, with finely sliced beets in a Pinot Noir sauce; kale salad with delicate, lightly breaded onion ribbons, topped with half a boiled egg; caprese salad with house-made mozzarella; a pepper stuffed with pimiento cheese; and a quinoa cake on a bed of butter lettuce leaves. My grouper was perfectly prepared, served on a potato gratin, with kalamata olives and porcini mushrooms. The combination effect was taste magic! Dessert and Coffee Service: The only off-perfect part of the meal was our dessert choice. A special tiramisu was offered. The item was good, but we anticipated something more traditional. Lacking a better description, this item was more like an ice cream cake/roll. It was nice; just not what we hoped. That is as much the fault of our expectations, as it is an issue with the restaurant. Aside from that, the espresso was prepared perfectly and the coffee roast / brew done well. In summary: no restaurant achieves perfection every day, but Hamilton's came as close as one possibly can, on the day my wife and I dined with them. Many thanks, Hamilton's, if you follow your Yelp! Reviews. read more

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Went here with my bf and his parents on a Friday night. We parked in the lot up the hill which was $5 I think. Service was good, especially in regards to the bread, which they gave us a lot of when my bf was still hungry. Portion sizes were a bit small depending on what you ordered. I had the arctic char which was definitely tasty, but not super filling, while my bf's mom got the shrimp and grits which was quite large. She did note it was a bit spicy which wasn't apparent from the description. My bf got the steak which was cooked really nicely, but small. Bf's father got the crabcakes and he loved them. Maybe it's the type of place where they expect you to get apps and dessert, but if you don't just keep in mind it's not a big dinner, and a little on the pricier side for Charlottesville. We enjoyed everything though. read more

Not why this place ends up on the recommended restaurants for Charlottesville. Crab chowder was under seasoned and lacked complexity. Like it was made with water instead of seafood stock. Virginia ham biscuit-- ham and filling was good, but biscuit was bland and tough. Scallop was tasty but flabby. Not a good sear. Fish special was okay but, again... under seasoned. Flourless chocolate tart was VERY good though! Sevice was also good. read more

Ambiance was only so so - good for a low key dinner. Food was excellent other than the smoked salmon toast which was a bit dry. Definitely recommend Hamilton's for any foodies. Sitting outside on the mall would be the ideal spot, weather permitting. read more

I'm hesitant to review a place I've visited once and unlikely will ever visit again, but I'm speaking on behalf of the collective. Our entire party's trip to Hamiltons' was a big collective "meh". The setting on the pedestrian mall is its selling point, as it seems to be for most restaurants in central Charlottesville. (Is it just me, or do quite a few of these restaurants receive mediocre reviews?) Sadly, Hamiltons' is one of the best-reviewed...which means it's probably coasting on atmosphere more than most. The service was attentive and helped to compensate for the slow arrival of the food items, so then it leaves us to judge the food itself. Two of us had the lamb special, which was certainly not bad, but exceedingly pricey for the portion size and the overall lack of inspiration. The bed of lentils upon which the lamb rested was cold, making the lamb seem cold as a result. Cooking directions didn't align with results. But it was the well-recommended yet flavorless halibut dish for another guest that put this on the edge. There was only so much lemon and pepper she could sprinkle onto the thing. It simply had no flavor--how do you pull that off with halibut? About the most redeeming thing at our Hamiltons' experience was the gazpacho. Pureed salsa. But tasty pureed salsa. Again...meh. But the people watching (as always is the case at the ped mall) was excellent! Save yourself $130 and sit on a public bench 15 feet away. read more

Enjoyed a beautiful grilled double H farm smoked pork chop with bourbon glaze, fava bean, corn and cowpea Succotash and pickled green tomato. The food gets 5 stars, service was also great. The decor could be updated - but worked. read more

This was the best crab cake I have ever had, the atmosphere was great and service was excellent, go!

We visit Charlottesville regularly but we're in town this weekend after moving our son in for his 1st year @ UVA. After strolling through downtown and Yelping; we decided to give Hamilton's a try. Definitely glad we did as we had a great experience! The service was a little slow at first; seemed they weren't quite ready for the 5pm opening. But they recovered quickly and things progressed nicely from there. Our server (Chris) was great. Professional yet personable and attentive throughout the meal. I started with the blackened scallops with avocado purée. It was excellent. The flavors blended nicely and I was pleasantly surprised. My wife had the Housemade Caesar and it arrived in a generous portion & was delicious as well. The entrees were a little slow arriving but they did not disappoint! My wife enjoyed the Grilled Polyface Farm Chicken Breast with Brie-Basil Pudding. She shared enough of it with me to make me add it to my list of things to try the next time we're there. I had the Housemade Spaghetti with Local Sweet Italian Sausage. It looked great as it was placed on the table and was very good from start to finish. I'm not a fan of eggplant but the fact that it was an ingredient didn't ruin the dish for me. All in all a great dining experience on the fly. We'll definitely be back! read more

We wanted something light to share over dinner and ordered a couple of the smorrebrods and the vegetarian blue plate specials. I also ordered a sweet hard cider. The vinegared cherry and blue cheese smorrebrod was tasty and the smoked salmon one was good. Considering the underlying bread was touted as homemade, we were disappointed at its staleness. We chose the vegetarian blue plate special because it was supposed to include fried green tomatoes. Look as we did, we could only find vinegared tomatoes. Upon my request the waiter brought the fried tomatoes separately. They were cold on the inside and the batter was lackluster. The waiter must have been mistaken about the tomatoes being included in blue plate. Nonetheless, I appreciated his accommodation. The other vegetables on the plate were a ponderously heavy potato salad, a mysterious orange-colored cake and limp, undressed arugula. Our lime-mint granita dessert was chunky and too sour on the top, too sweet at the bottom. read more

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I've been going here off & on for years. Sometimes it's good and sometimes not. It's never superb. It's a bit pretentious. The menu doesn't change much. The ambiance inside is nice and the outside patio in nice weather is lovely. The shrimp and grits entrée is a favorite of many, and it's good. But it's your basic grits with shrimp and some smoke flavor, and you'll leave hungry if that's all you order. The salad with a few fried oysters is ok but I am a stickler for fried oysters and these are just rolled in corn meal, are very dry and have nothing special to speak of. The crab cakes are good and not loaded with filler. The service is good but sometimes I have a feeling the staff are stressed. Anyway, it's popular in Cville but I find it overrated. read more

Never a bad meal, whether for business or pleasure. For lunch, I most often order the blue plate special. It's special, alright! For dinner, the fish is always wonderfully prepared. If there's any special, just trust the kitchen and get it! In addition, service is always attentive, but not overbearing. read more

Area was wonderful - food looks wonderful - Shrimp & Grits had over cooked shrimp, pork belly BLT was ok but did NOT Wow!! Fries where not hot, soggy with little to no flavor One saving element is the pimento cheese hush puppies with fennel pickles....the crunch of the hush puppy, creamy sauce and bite of the fennel pickle. Usually good. read more

Hamiltons' At First and Main - No flavor soggy fries and pork belly did not Wow - New American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Hamilton's was highly recommended and it was clear why. They provided excellent and friendly service from the moment we arrived. They had a beautiful outdoor patio and dining area, which was perfect for people watching and taking in the sights and sounds of Charlottesville. The food was tasty and reasonably priced. Despite a steady stream of guests, we did not feel rush at all. We look forward to our next visit. read more

My Sunday brunch frittata of the day was delicious, and the restaurant has a welcoming open design. I will definitely return to Hamiltons' at First and Main. read more

I was here for a corporate dinner, so I don't know how much it cost, but the food was delicious and the service was great! (even if this might have been because we were in the private room....) I walked past this place a couple of times (in heels and a suit!!!! GEHHHH..... and the stares I got -_- ) though since they don't really have lit signs or anything. I wasn't the only one who had a difficult time finding this place even though it was right on the downtown strip.... Although I must say I had the hardest time out of all of us... Let's ignore my actual eyesight now shall we? The portions are as you can expect from a nicer fine-dining place like this. They're not teeny like some places though, it was definitely filling enough for me. For an appetizer, I had the crispy calamari with harissa and red cabbage slaw. Yummmmm...... Great texture and seasoning. Entree: Rockfish with some sort of interesting sauce. Not bad. I wish I had gone for something other than fish though... Dessert: Kahlua Creme Brulee. Guess what? I love Creme Brulee. and I love Kahlua. This was a match made in heaven. The custard was smooth with a perfect consistency: not too soft, not too firm. The caramelized sugar was generous enough to give a nice crunchy shell. Oh my goodness I could have died and gone to heaven right there.... read more

Hands down one of the best restaurants in Charlottesville. This oldie-but-goodie might be a bit pricey, but each dish I ordered was both really well flavored and executed. The calamari didn't need any sauce or filler; it had the perfect amount of spice, stemming from the peppers, olives, and acidic lemon dressing. They weren't overly fried and were generously portioned. For the entre, I had the homemade pasta bolognese with chorizo and mushrooms, which blew me away. The sauce was hearty, but not too heavy; Hamilton's didn't skimp out on the chorizo-based, which is a typical move out of many fine-dining places. Finally, I had the ice-cream of the day, which was a pistachio-avocado mix. At first, I was hesitant with the avocado, but it gave the dessert a really nice smooth texture and complimented the pistachios really well. As many of the other comments mention, the staff couldn't have been more polite and helpful; they were very attentive and checked up on us regularly. All-in-all, I would highly recommend this restaurant for special occasions, but beware it is a bit higher on the money-register. However, they executed each dish really well and made our entire party fell comfortable and at-home. Well done. read more

Very good brunch and excellent service. Our waiter was outstanding. The chef made a wonderful soup and crab cake. We would return again.

Had the chowder, shrimp and grits, and bolognese. The food was good, but the portions were pretty small. Nothing really special about this place. read more

We stopped into Hamilton's while driving back to Boston between lunch and dinnertime. The bartender/server was disinterested and could not have been less welcoming. We felt like we were an inconvenience. The food was ok but with all the good choices in the area we will not be returning when here when we travel through the area again which is relatively frequent. read more

Scallop appetizer was outstanding. We had the signature Chardonnay marinated shrimp with grits. My companion couldn't appreciate the Smokey savory flavors of the sun-dried tomato garnish, but I found it to be unique and delicious. We tried the squash pie for desert, but the crust was tough and the topping dry and chewy which is why I left off one star. Good local wine and cider selection, and very nice and professional wait staff. read more

Best French toast I've ever had! Drinks were pricey, $8 for those little guys and they weren't very good :/ but the French toast was incredible! Waitress was friendly and attentive. Ambiance was very early 2000's, no real theme. But it's right on the main drag so it was a nice location. read more

Hamiltons' At First and Main - Brioche French Toast with a Bacon Glaze - New American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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We spent the day hitting some local vineyards and Monticello. Both of us were famished and Hamiltons' At First & Main was a great treat to a great date-day. We arrived just as they opened (5:00pm) and the hostess was happy to seat us without a reservation. I don't think they were hurting for business, because the place filled quickly. They have a full bar with signature cocktails, and a robust wine list. Both of us had the grilled pork chops and split a house salad. The dinner was very tasty the pork chop was good (a bit dry) but the accompanying apple and raisin glaze did the trick. FYI it is almost impossible to grill a pork chop and it not be just a little dry. The other very tasty side were the Sweet Potato Chips... oh so thin, light and crunchy. I would call this place upper scale to almost fine dining. I would feel comfortable in jeans and a nice shirt or a suit... comfortable, but not stuffy. Great place and I recommend trying it if you are in town. read more

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Heard this was a good place to stop for a decent dinner. So, coming from out of town on a Weds night, we walked into a completely empty restaurant at 6:30 and were told they were fully booked for the evening. Thinking that was odd, I went on line and sure enough they had room at 6:30, 6:45, 7:00, 7:300 etc... we were dressed nicely, no tshirts or hats, or jeans. I thought about booking a reservation and waking back in but then thought, why would I give them my business after being treated poorly and lied to. Went down the mall to Bizou who welcomed us and had a lovely meal with friendly staff and great wines. Hamiltons really blew it. Go somewhere they appreciate your business. read more

We've had worse food and service, but not at $100 per person. We had a 7:30 pm reservation for 7 on Friday night of UVA graduation; $100 fixed price for 4 courses. We were ignored by the overworked wait staff for long periods and waited interminably between courses. Entrees appeared after 9:30 pm, more than 2 hours in. When served the dishes seemed to have waited as long as we had. Hot dishes were long past that. The highly touted shrimp and grits were over the hill gummy. The salad was sad and wilted past its prime. Lessons learned department: dine here at you're peril and never on graduation weekend. read more

My date and I had supper at Hamilton's last night. It was a very nice experience. The hostess, Hannah, was lovely, and welcoming, and our waiter, Logan, was pleasant, attentive, and competent. It was my dates birthday, so I asked for a cozy corner table, if available. We had the only 'cozy corner' in the restaurant, and it was perfect. My date had the seared scallops, and I the shrimp & grits, all very good, except the shrimp were over cooked. Not a deal breaker, but the only reason I did not offer a five star rating. We will go back! read more

I would DIE for the food here, it's so good, but what really made the experience was the service. The host - I think her name was Sophia - was so sweet and welcoming. We're not used to such friendly interactions right off the bat! It made us feel great from the second we walked in. Our waitstaff treated us so well too, they answered our many questions about the menu and had amazing recommendations, but you really can't go wrong at Hamilton's! Would recommend to anyone :) read more

We tried to eat at this restaurant twice while visiting Charlottesville. The first night we stopped by and were told they were booked. The next day we stopped by when they opened and were told they were booked but we could go to Open Table and put our name on the wait list 90 minutes before which we did. We stopped by at 7:30 and were told they stop seating at 7:45. We lingered in the area and when we saw the waiter breaking down the tables at 7:50 we again checked at the desk and we were brushed off. We found another friendlier place down the street and while waiting for our food there we got a call at 7;59 that they could seat us. What happened to last seating at 7:45? Very disingenuous attitude. read more

We went for brunch and it was superb -no issue with service like others have talked about. I had the chorizo with biscuits, poached eggs, avacado, and jalepeno hollandaise. The eggs were perfect the presentation gorgeous and the flavors just melded together. I also had the sour cream cake with strawberries and balsamic glaze - which was straight up art and tastey art at that. Prices were reasonable and i would definitely go back when I'm in the mood for something boujie (in the best way). read more

Hamiltons' At First and Main - Chorizo biscuits with poached eggs and potatoes - New American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Went here with my family on a Friday afternoon. The environment is great. There is a good amount of outdoor seating and the inside is very cool. The service was excellent. The food was very good, not great. Although I was not blown away, it was still overall a very positive experience and I recommend going here if you're in the area. read more

My favorite restaurant in Charlottesville. Located on the downtown mall and has been there for 23 years!

My first time at Hamilton's for lunch. David, my waiter was great. My pasta meal was good but very skimpy, it looked like .29 cents, very tasty but please fill the bowl. The atmosphere was very relaxing and clean, music very soothing. I would definitely eat here again and hope you get enough food so u don't leave hungry. read more

Opens at 5 for dinner. Great ambience, friendly staff, wide choice of excellent entrees. Tried the crabcakes and was very pleased. Has great server who was very helpful as well as pleasant. Love to try local restaurants and avoid chains like the plague when I travel. Hamilton's is great choice in Charlottesville. read more

I have eaten at Hamilton's many times over the past 15 years. Without exception the food and service have always been superb. Having a choice of eating inside or on the Mall is a plus. Hamilton's is a reliable, up scale place to eat. read more

First time here. Food was good, not amazing but good. Chris, our waiter was in a terrible mood and made the experience less than average.

While the food is very good, it isn't quite worth the high prices. I don't mind paying more for exceptional food, and though I did enjoy the food, it wasn't exceptional. I do however agree that the service is exceptional! Our waitress was attentive and very charismatic. I would definitely go to Hamiltons again, I will just have to deal with the prices. read more

It took more than an hour and a half to get our food and it was not even close to worth the wait. This was at 5:30pm on a Thursday night when it was not even busy. I had the tuna entree, which was uninspired and only mildly flavorful. At that point I ate it simply because I needed the protein for the day. The manager's solution to compensate my group for the abysmal service was free dessert, which no one wanted due to the mediocre dinner. We ended up with the one round of cocktails that they bothered to serve us, half an hour after we ordered them, as compensation. Not even close to the best in Charlottesville. read more

It was Thanksgiving eve. Anticipating that we would be eating, a LOT, the next day on Thanksgiving , my brother decided to make quiche for dinner. My husband wanted to supplement the quiche with some crab and corn bisque. With grace & generosity and with no advance notice, Hamilton's was able to supply us with a delicious soup! We are so grateful to the staff @ Hamilton's for accommodating us. And, the crab and corn chowder was absolutely delicious! We look forward to returning in the near future to further sample their offerings! If the soup is any indication, we're in for a real treat! read more

Great dinner & service. Chicken thick but tender... done well! Amy was a great server!

I had lunch with a friend at Hamiltons At First & Main, and I would recommend it as probably one of the better lunch spots you can visit in Charlottesville, and I am sure for dinner as well. I had the Carolina shrimp and grits, my friend had the fish of the day, both outstanding choices, and while at the smaller lunchable size, I believe they were priced well. The wine we had was also good, and also fairly priced. Service was friendly and outstanding. It's a small restaurant, but the ambience was cozy, unpretentious, and inviting for the casually dressed. There was a good crowd in there for lunch, so clearly Hamiltons' is a favorite in Charlottesville. read more