Great place for food and drinks! Upscale casual atmosphere with a sports bar on one side and dining on the other side. It has a bright, modern look. They offer Ralph Sampson branded clothing for sale. Very clean inside and out with a patio. We tried the burgers, which had nice, thick patties. Mashed potatoes were made fresh. We heard the Brussel sprouts were so popular that they were sold out. We will have to try it next time. Service was attentive and friendly. This is a family friendly restaurant. If you aren't a native Virginian, you may not know that Ralph Sampson was a well known basketball player who attended the University of Virginia and was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1984. read more

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The service is fairly quick , but the food really takes center stage. While a touch on the high side for price, the quality comes forward. I had Steak Frites, tender, great cut, seared expertly. Beer selection is good, served cold in beer clean glasses. Now I am trying to figure out why who the guy who is pictured all over the place playing basketball is all about .... :) read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Restaurant Week 2024!! - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

We frequent the Charlottesville area several times a year and have been to Ralph Sampson's American Tap Room a few times since opening in 2022. Initially it was a great place in every way. Unfortunately, the restaurant has gone downhill. Our group was seated near the kitchen entrance and there is a large opening where patrons can see parts of the kitchen. As soon as we sat down, I immediately noticed the floor and the many smashed french fries on the floor just inside the kitchen entrance, clearly visible to customers. The employee standing amongst the filthy floor didn't seem to mind until 30-40 minutes later when he was told to clean the floor up. The food was just average. My bacon cheeseburger was on a soggy bun which ruined the burger for me. The waiter was very nice and relatively attentive; however, he gave people in the small group the incorrect food, but corrected it when reminded. After lunch, as we walked out, a few of us said without prompting, "this place has gone downhill". It's too bad because it is a nice sports bar and good place to watch a game. Hopefully, management will get things corrected and back to where the restaurant was in 2022. read more

It's like applebees. I tried to order kale salad but they ran out. So I ordered wings and Brussels sprouts and wings were dry.

This was our first time stopping and it was pretty good. Nice clean and open layout. The staff was very friendly and attentive. We ordered the deviled eggs and spinach and artichoke dip for apps and they were both pretty yummy. The spinach and artichoke dip was in a small bowl and runny, which is more like queso from a Mexican restaurant, with some spinach and artichokes thrown in. We love queso and we love spinach and artichoke dip, so it was a win. For the main course, my wife went with the impossible burger and I went with the meatloaf. She FORCED me to try her ginormous burger and it was actually pretty darned good. I mean I would never order one for myself, but if those are your thing, this is your place. My meatloaf had great flavor and was not dried out. The potatoes also had a great flavor and the gravy really brought it all together. We will definitely be coming back. read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Deviled Eggs - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Good service and a decent beer and drinks selection. Otherwise basically your typical sports bar. Food is ok, but nothing special. Chicken wings were great. The nachos were not. The chips were soggy from the sauce and there wasn't enough cheese. read more

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This place is overpriced! The food is not as good as his career was. The atmosphere is nice but service not so nice ! We got the Sunday brunch buffet for $35 a person! The chicken was dry and overcooked! The greens were money ! We loved the devil eggs ! The rest was Holliday Express quality! Just not an economical place for brunch! $90 for two and no alcohol! The waitress never came to refill our water glasses! It wasn't bad , just expected better. read more

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I was not charmed by this restaurant. I placed a takeout order and showed up only 10 minutes early to my scheduled pickup time and I didn't receive the order until 30 minutes later. I was not pleased by this at all, however the food was fresh at the very least. I ordered the chicken and waffles and they weren't bad, but certainly not worth the wait. It seemed that the overall feeling I got from the waitstaff was lazy and not really interested in the art of customer service. I doubt I will return here mostly because their menu isn't anything to shake a stick at. read more

Read this review carefully - We decided to try somewhere new in Cville this evening and gave Sampson's restaurant a try. We were very disappointed in the food and service was mediocre. This review will be in order of how it occurred. We came in around 530 pm and it was not busy - maybe 4 other 2-4 top tables in our section. I ordered a medium ribeye, mashed potatoes, and a salad. My wife had a wedge salad with medium-well steak. 1. Took way too long to get drinks. We sat at least 15 minutes before anyone came to get our drink order. 2. My salad was pretty good. The tomatoes were fresh and very nice. The rest of it....not so much. My steak was very overcooked. To be honest, I don't even think this was a ribeye. The menu choices were a flat iron and a ribeye, I'm more inclined to believe this was an overcooked flat iron. It also had no seasoning and minimal salt. My mashed potatoes were dry and scalding hot. This is indicative of being microwaved. Both the steak and mashed potatoes lacked seasoning and salt. 3. My wife's meal was decent. The steak was cooked more like a medium, but was still to her liking. The wedge salad however should have never made it to the plate. It was rotten. 4. I will concede that the customer service wasn't terrible. Especially the manager did her job. She credited my steak meal and gave us a gift card. I doubt we'll be back to use it though as it just was so substandard for the price they're charging and does not even come close being acceptable for the high-end establishment that they seem to purport themselves to be. read more

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Honestly I don't know what is so great about this place, but my friends and other students always recommend this place when talking about lunch plans (probbaly because of the location and proximity to school). You definitely get charged the "Barracks Shopping Center" premium here. I ordered a burger for ~$15 and a Cider of ~$7 (both vastly pricier than other places I have eaten in Cville). On top of that the burger I got was mid at best. Not much else to say about this place, but if it wasn't for the location I probably would not come again. read more

A great before concert place to eat before going to the John Paul Jones Arena. My friend and I go to the John Paul Jones Arena all the time for concerts and shows and are always looking for great places to eat. Delicious Drinks, they even tend to name them after events at the JPJ venue! I believe one of the drinks I got but maybe not pictured was a Two Black Cadillacs which is one of her songs! We saw Carrie Underwood this time and they were playing a lot of country music, especially Carrie Underwood. The staff and waiterss were fantastic! She would come refill our water quite often! I will defiantly be back! read more

I decided to stop here after a basketball game. They were understaffed at the bar. The female bartender was not friendly and didn't listen to what I asked. The burger was overdone and charcoal. I asked for pink in the middle and I had none. The old fashioned was too sweet and no cherry even though the menu said it did. I also asked for no tomato. I could never get anyone's attention. I will never come back here. Not worth it. Too bad, I was disappointed. I'm an alumni and thought this place would have been better. read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Over done burger, tasted like charcoal. And I asked for no tomato (twice). - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Visited for a last minute Mother's Day brunch. I was able to grab a reservation about an hour ahead of our visit. Was excited for the family style brunch where we could order three brunch starters and three brunch favorites. Unfortunately, we were saddened to discover that they had run out of two of our choices: the spinach dip and the yogurt parfait. Therefore, we started with the deviled eggs, cinnamon roll skillet, and Caesar salad. For favorites, we ordered the French toast, spinach and feta omelet and Bourbon street pasta. My mom did have to ask for an order of potatoes that did not have salt, as our original order was extremely salty. We also ordered mimosas. Everything was tasty and the service was good. Would definitely return. read more

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Food is a tad subpar but the ambiance is incredible. In a town with so many great restaurants I cannot give this a 5 star but if youre looking for a beer and a meal for an okay price this place will do. read more

The food is excellent here!! I had the truffle fries with Ralph Sampson Bacon Burger with Egg. I chose to get carry out and the service was very nice and my food was waiting on me exactly as the pick up time assigned and it was still warm and fresh. Given the recent tragedy at UVA, the decor really was extra special to me. Nice restaurant and a huge fan!! They have swag for those interested. read more

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Ok. We've given this place two tries and we won't go back. This place is overpriced Has no flavor The menu sounds good and some of the food looks good but nothing actually tastes good here. The Brussels sprouts have a weird after taste. The bourbon street pasta was halfway decent, but they tried to overcharge me for adding the chicken/sausage. The bbq meatloaf sandwich was incredibly small with "caramelized onions" that were barely-grilled-onions and the "meatloaf" was a burger. Mashed potatoes tasted like boiled water. The kids meals were the best part of dinner. The food did come out pretty quickly though, and it has a great vibe. Still won't go back. read more

In Wahoo country, gotta check out Ralph's house! Nice menu, plenty of options. Service was friendly and attentive. We chose apps tonight because we weren't too hungry. Wings, deviled eggs and chips with spinach artichoke dip. All very good. We also got their bread pudding which was super yummy!! We will definitely go back! read more

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Really nice ambiance and tasty food! Not the "sports" bar we were hoping for, as it's a little more upscale and needs more tvs for that. But the food was great, and service very good. We saw that there was some sort of buffet, but it wasn't available when we went. Will definitely head back to check it out another time. There are so many options when eating in this part of Charlottesville. It's nice to have a place that we know can become a regular place to hang. read more

First time trying this place in Charlottesville. I have heard not great things about the place, but my husband and I wanted to give it a shot. The place was empty when we walked in at 5:45 (granted it was a Monday), and we were immediately sat. The floor was very slippery and felt like oil was on the ground. Our server was friendly, but she was the only one there other than the manager and two bar people. Many Large groups came in and were sat quickly, but there was a weird pause because there is no host stand anywhere nor a host to be found. I'm not sure why there was no staff. The poor server was literally doing everything for 9 tables by the time we left. One table had 8 people! My husband got the cheesesteak and it was good, except for the fried onion fingers not being crispy, they were soggy. I got the mac-n-cheese skillet...Although it had good flavors and the top had good bread crumbs, I wasn't able to keep eating it since it was SWIMMING in oil. I felt like I was eating oil with flavor. I felt sick by the end of the meal and I just couldn't believe how much oil was on the skillet. Each bite tasted like oil and cheese. Our server was great, though I felt bad that she was literally doing everything. My husband and I won't be returning, nor will we be recommending any other Charlottesvillians to come to this place until the food has improved, prices come down (the entree prices were ridiculous), and staff numbers improve. The best part of our meal was seeing Tony Bennett at the bar. I hope his food was better read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Mac-n-Cheese skillet Swimming in oil - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Food was average Stuff was average Nothing stood out other than very nice decor Worth stopping in to try but most likely will find average as well read more

Nice atmosphere! Ordered the fish and chips. The fish was cooked perfectly, nice and flaky, and the breading was light and fluffy. Very pleased! The jalapeño tartar sauce was a nice change. I enjoyed it also. Fries were nice and crunchy. Definitely worth a revisit. read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Ralph's Fish & Chips - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Very very slow. It took over an hour to get our food. We strategically sat at the bar for better service. That plan did not work. When our food arrived it was cold. read more

Came here with a group for happy hour and sat at the bar. The bartender was incredibly nice. The calamari was the BEST I've had in Cville (like I can't stop thinking about it good). We ordered two servings. The spicy hummus and Korean bbq chicken also super tasty. Drinks were on point. Mai tai was delicious and everyone else happy with their drinks as well. Great happy hour drink prices too! Ralph also came over and spoke with our group. He's so nice. He's done a great job and the restaurant is beautiful. I can't wait to go back and have dinner there! We spoke with several servers and everyone was super friendly too. read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Calamari and mai tai - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Typical pub fare offered. Food was very good, and waitstaff was very helpful and accommodating.

Stopped in based on local recommendation while visiting from our of town. Decent drink selection and very friendly staff. Friday early evening was crowded, so be prepared to wait. The food is definitely worth it. I had the Chicken sandwich with Nashville sauce and it was delicious. Save room for dessert, because the cheesecake was a fantastic finish. read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Dropped in after UVa baseball game. We got the Korean BBQ Chicken starter. Amazing! Great flavor, texture and seasoning. It was mild to medium spicy - perfection! We also ordered the Triple Notchd Ralph Juicy IPA. It was a good IPA - not too bitter or overly hoppy. For dinner I got the burger and added a slab of bacon. This bacon is incredible- better than the million dollar bacon at another franchise restaurant. Ordered it medium, but it could have been a little more pink for my liking. But very satisfying. Finally, ordered the brownie for dessert. It was fantastic. Whip cream, caramel, fudge. Warm brownie. Enough said. We had the best server (Jennifer). She was great with recommendations and very helpful. Also very prompt. Which is sometimes rare when a new restaurant goes through opening hiccups. Didn't have any issues here. Also got to meet the man himself! read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Bar area - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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I ordered delivery Item: Bourbon Street Pasta penne pasta, andouille, chicken, peppers, onions, celery, spinach, parmesan, cajun cream sauce Had no andouille unless it was emulsified, no chicken unless it to was emulsified, no onions or celery unless they too were emulsified into the sauce and it was not a cream but a tomato sauce. They did have the pasta with corn and spinach with tomato sauce read more

Love this Burger it's a must try - never disappoints! Excellent Service Nice Decor Outside seating is great and there are always holiday events/ specials, and sports events. This is a staple for Charlottesville and a gem for the UVA community! Chicken Sandwich - Great! Kale ceasar! Big portion - Very Good! read more

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DO NOT COME HERE. Arrived at around 6:30 to an unstaffed host table. Took 5 minutes to get seated and forced to sit outside although there were multiple tables inside that were available. Sat outside, took 10 minutes to get our drink and food order, with sparse attention from the server. After around 45 minutes of waiting for food, we were moved inside after a RAT was found next to our outdoor table. After another 30 minutes, we finally got our food, only to be told that only 75% of our meal was going to be covered, totaling 90 minutes of waiting to get our food. Inexcusable service and cleanliness for a restaurant that prides itself on the Ralph Sampson and UVA brand. Hope this place can get their act together. Seemed understaffed, had kitchen miscommunications, and tables left dirty. read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I was going to leave and honest review but after reading the view Jesse c was exactly my experience Read her review or I'm sorry his review and you will see what I'm talking about. I will like to add there was a group of seven so they automatically added a 20% tip which to be honest I always do and I think that they know the service was so poor that that was all the way they were going to get 20%. My wait time for drinks wasn't as bad as his only because I went up and got them. The place was probably my worst experience I've ever had read more

Average food but a good place to watch sports. At the time of this review, the weekday happy hour is pretty good featuring $4 off glasses of wine and $2 off draft beer. There is plenty of seating with good views of the televisions here. The design of the sports bar prominently features dark wood both for cabinets and the dining tables. I tried the Buffalo wings, calamari, fried cauliflower, and Mac and cheese. The Buffalo wings were not spicy at all and were slightly dried out. The calamari was no better or worse than any other and the sauce was just fine. The fried cauliflower was pretty tasty and served with a dipping sauce that complemented its flavor nicely. The Mac and cheese was one of most bland I've ever had. Overall, I would recommend the Ralph Sampson's American Taproom for watching sports but not for dining in. read more

Lemme start by saying the food was 4 stars. Good food for the most part, don't get the nachos as an appetiser or the cheesesteak as a main because the cheese they used was flavourless nacho cheese, BUT, all the other food ordered was good. Our server was so nice and accommodating as well. NOW- we were in town to watch baseball for the weekend and wanted to come to a SPORTS BAR to watch baseball and eat lunch in between games. We were told the restaurant could only afford the nfl package, they didn't have espn+ or even just regular cable I guess. HOW do you call yourself a sports bar, absurd. But anyways that's my review. Wth ralph. read more

I go to their happy hours, they have great drink and meal deals. I get the smash burger during happy hour it's like $7 and tasty. Brunch their is always hit or miss when it comes to the food. However, it's always a fun time to hang out with friends. read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Chicken Warren's Fine Fried Chicken & Waffles - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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I give good reviews, and constructive reviews. This is a constructive one. This was our first time at American Taproom, and hosted two other guests. Party of 4 at 5:30 on a weekday. Pretty easy. From the time we were seated, it took 10 minutes to have someone take our drink order. And another 15 minutes to get the drinks. All were good, but $15.50 for a Maker's Mark on the rocks is a bit stiff. Dinner order took another 30 minutes. Cuban sandwich was slightly cold, and the cheese was hard, Kale Caesar was mostly romaine, meatloaf sandwich had raw white onions, not caramelized per menu, and only half of the shrimp and grits were consumed. Server stopped by only once immediately after others dropped off the plates. No follow up during the meal to ask about the food quality. Then after we finished, it took another 20 minutes to get the check. Was not asked if we wanted dessert. And during the course of our 2 plus hour dinner, other guests came and went. Have asked management to call me for a full debrief...still waiting. Won't be returning. read more

Solid bar and grill. Upscale. Still, more than I'd like to pay for simple American food. But, if you like ambiance and class, this place will work. read more

Service was great. Super nice and attentive waitress! Food was good, but not great. I had the wings and a salad. I really enjoyed the wings, but the salad was "eh" at best. Probably not a lot of salads ordered here. Beer selection is good with several local taps to choose from. Would come back for bar food and a game on the tv, but not necessarily as a sit down evening dinner. read more

Walked in on a Sunday night. Tables were open and not cleaned off. Stood for a good 5-7 minutes with no one acknowledging us. We walked out. Hopefully it was just a bad night for them. read more

Ralphs Sampson is the best. Happy hour is wonderful during the week 3pm-6pm, and Morgan, the bartender, is the absolutely best! Morgan makes the best cocktails and has a heart of gold read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Morgan is the best! Ralph Sampson has an excellent bartender in Morgan. Morgan is just one of the best reasons to visit Ralph Sampson - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Service and food was amazing! Ralph even came by after the game and visited with a lot of the customers for a while. Chicken sandwich is amazing! read more

Ralph Sampson's American Taproom - Ralph in the house - Sports Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I'd been wanting to try Ralph's place for a while and a friend's recommendation pushed me over the edge. My wife, daughter and myself went for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. The atmosphere is upscale sports bar and the service while a bit uneven was good enough. The staff was friendly and helpful which is saying a lot these days. The food was good but not great and I expected a bit more in terms of good for the prices. Two days later we went to Chili's for lunch and the food there was as good or better for half the price. I'm glad I tried Ralph's, we had a nice lunch but I think there are better options for the price. read more