This place is your quintessential small town diner with the best darn burgers you can get in Charlottesville. The portion size was perfect. It was not too small and did not make me want to go into a food coma right afterwards. I got the bacon cheeseburger with some fixings and it came out to be around $5 which was a great price! The burger itself was very juicy and flavorful. I also ordered the half order of fries and the onion rings. The rings were fantastic! Highly recommend! They were crispy but not oily. The fries however were on the bland side. I never put extra salt in my food but I felt like it was necessary for the fries. So I would recommend sticking to the burgers and the onion rings. Overall, the place was very cute. It is family friendly and has a nice small town feel to it. Additionally, they also have great beer specials! Definitely coming back! read more

Ahhhh, cheap, greasy and fried food. Can't beat it. Stumbled upon this quiet little establishment one day and can't say I was dissatisfied in any way. The food was amazing. It's your typical all-American lunch joint. We will be returning! read more

Riverside Lunch - Burgers Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I recently went here with a friend and had to wait due to it being a busy lunch time. We were the only ones waiting for a table for 5-10 minutes, and then a group of construction workers came in behind us. Within a minute they were greeted by a female waiter, who seemed to be very friendly with them (we were never greeted or acknowledged). As soon as the next table opened up, the group behind us cut us in line and took the table before we even had a chance to take a step. Instead of telling the workers that they were second in line, the waitress sat next to them and their booth and began talking to them. This was very disrespectful and we ended up leaving because of it. I really enjoy the burgers here but I'm not going to take my time and money to a place that only values and respects certain customers. I hope the establishment can do a better job of respecting and welcoming ALL customers, or they will start to drive away their long-term customers. read more

The cheeseburgers and hot dogs were awesome! We were visiting again from Maryland and service, preparation and food were great!!!!

Riverside is so effing delish, it has the best chicken tenders I've ever had IN MY LIFE. AND the best friend pickle coins evaaaaa and..... there's a blow pop at the end. read more

It's an okay diner. I came here on the suggestion of a colleague. He said it's his favorite local lunch spot. I had a bacon cheeseburger and onion rings. The onion rings were regular in my opinion. The burger as well. But it's a local gem I can tell. Friendly service. Okay diner food. read more

I went to Riverside Lunch for my first time today. The fries and burgers alone are great. If you are interested in eating a lot of fries, get a single. To me, the seasoning salt adds more flavor than a million plain fries could have. The basket of fries is the perfect size for my family ( 3 people). The burgers are thin and enjoyable. The burgers are simple. They're not fancy but they're clearly delicious. Even though everything turned out well in the end, my sister's hotdog took about 25 minutes to get served. By then I had finished my burger and my father had barely touched his triple burger. Overall the food is a solid 4. My dad said nothing like this has happened in all the times he has been there. " review by Kitty B. " read more

Riverside is one of my favorite go to places for a burger and onion rings when I'm at work. The desserts are good as well. I enjoy their carrot cake. Overall it's a good place for a quick inexpensive meal. read more

One thing that I love about reviews is that they seldom steer you wrong when it comes to finding excellent places to eat. A good restaurant, is a good restaurant, is a good restaurant. But sometimes, a crummy looking restaurant, serving food meant for an era without cameras on cell phones, is also a good restaurant. That's why I'm happy to confirm that Riverside Lunch is a Rock Solid place to enjoy a simple lunch with big flavor. To their credit, smash burgers, and Philly Cheesesteaks are not the most photogenic items to feature on the old Instagram. Wood-paneled walls are probably expensive to replace, and why serve on an actual plate when styrofoam doesn't require a dishwasher? These are all good points, so why not go to a restaurant with a Budweiser Racing sign hanging above a grill that serves something called a Hot Smoke with a side of Cheese Balls? The reviews don't like, and this place is awesome! I am looking forward to going back and enjoying a cheap beer and a footlong hotdog. read more

Riverside Lunch - Burgers Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Delicious burgers with AMAZING prices, you will feel like you stepped back in time at this diner-style joint.

nice people, good food good burgers and fries with season salt yum yum yum yum yum yummy read more

Burger meat needs some seasoning or even salt. Fries too. Generally a tasteless restaurant that feels like they just warmed up stuff from Sams Club. They also charge for water too. read more

STILL the best Burger in town. I also love the steak and cheese sandwiches. They taste just like Philly. A single order of French fries easily feeds 2 people. This is a wonderful place with posters of different beers all around and a huge banner of NASCAR posted over the lunch counter. Plenty of parking among all the pickup trucks there. You cannot go wrong here. read more

Delicious and quick!! It's a small establishment and when we visited, the inside was full but we were waited on promptly and our food for 5 was out in five minutes! The burgers are delicious and the basket of fries was enough to satisfy 2 adults and 3 kids. We were given refills when our cups were half full. The staff were friendly and I love the diner atmosphere. They had several fresh cakes on the bar, but I was too full to try any. Will definitely go back. read more

Went to the Brew Ridge Trail yesterday, and this spot was a perfect hangover remedy. I got a double cheeseburger, and my wife got a tuna sub. We split onion rings and cheese balls. The burger was perfect! The waitress we had was so friendly. Food was brought out promptly and everything was great. The prices were great, had to tip over 20% read more

I. Love. Riverside. My family comes here all the time! Everyone from the servers to the customers are super friendly. It doesn't feel like you're at a restaurant, it feels more like you're at a family members house for dinner. I definitely recommend the cheeseburger and fries. A small fry can feed 2 and a basket can feed 3... but, You really can't go wrong ordering anything here! Enjoy! read more

Love love love! We came a Friday night and while busy we got a table right away. Service was prompt, food is delicious. We ordered cheeseburgers and fries, onion rings, and the cheese balls. The stand outs were definitely the burgers and fries. Plus the price is low- only $27 for everything plus 2 drinks. I recommend coming here if you're in a mood for some good burgers and comfort food. read more

Friendly service and great food. Easy to get to from 64, found this gem on Yelp and will be back. Good parking, prices are better than any other burger around, fast service. I love local restaurants. Highly recommend. read more

Had planned to go to a 'fancier' place down the road, but my father in law insisted we go to Riverside. I was visiting from Norfolk, so who was I to not take a suggestion from a local? Still, I went concerned about what I was missing out on going into this old, wood paneled building. And brother let me tell you, this place is the truth! I've eaten burgers all over Virginia, the deep south, and DC, and if their double isn't the best burger I've EVER had then I need to retire from eating. And that ain't happening. Great service, great atmosphere, great hotdogs,great onion rings and they even have a veggie burger on the menu. Plus, cake and pie! The only thing I wish, and this place has been around long enough that I know that this will never change, but I wish their fries were crinkle cut instead of shoestring. What they lack in crinkles they make up for in volume, because Riverside piles them onto your table. Also, prices are top notch. read more

My favorite place to eat lunch. Hands down "flat out" the best burgers in Charlottesville. They have the best fries too. Food is served fast and staff is super nice. read more

My favorite smash burger in town, and the seasoning salt and the fries is addictive. I spend way too much money here... because I go so often! It's very affordable. read more

Burgers. Grease. Yum!! This is so much better than all the other burger chains in Charlottesville, and the atmosphere just makes it even better. After receiving some unfriendly stares as we pulled into the truck/SUV-filled parking lot (the area isn't dangerous, but I would not go alone at night), the bright, fluorescent interior with the open kitchen was a welcome sight. I felt like we were in a real, small-town dive; the sight of many locals eating inside reassured us that the burgers would live up to their reputation. The service was friendly, I think it is family-owned so it didn't feel like we were interacting with the robots working at the other burger places. Like the previous poster, go for the burgers; that's all we had and they hit the spot. Greasy, but so tasty and cheap (way better than the tasteless gusburger from the White Spot). I think they offered a decent amount of toppings (the mushrooms and onions are good). The fries weren't anything special but they weren't bad. I did cringe at the lack of gloves being used by the cooks, and the smoking by other restaurant patrons was kind of bothersome. If you're a UVA student or living in Charlottesville, this place is definitely worth visiting at least once just for the experience. read more

Riverside Lunch - mmmm - Burgers Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I've only every been to Charlottesville twice in my life, and in those two times, I've eaten here 3 times! I don't even know where to start, just look at the photos provided, enough said. The burgers are amazing. The cheese melts into the burgers so perfectly, and the way they press the patties down encourages the grease to ooze out. Its beautiful. The buns pick up the grease and the flavor is unreal. There's a large assortment of toppings but they need so little more than maybe some onions. You have to get the basket of fries, too. They're shoestring, maybe a little larger than that, but crispy to perfection and unseasoned. I love that. There's salt on the table and seasoning salt, too, so you can decide how much you want to season and with what. They've got an assortment of beers in the bottle, TV's in each corner, and a ton of character. This is the essential college town burger shop that if you ask anyone that went to school or grew up in that area where to get it burger, they are going to send you here and you won't be disappointed! read more

Really bad disrespectful staff disrespected me in front of my nephew because the cooks girlfriend wanted to order something bit she came after me and when I said something it just got worse. 45 minutes later finally realized the lost our ticket. read more

Burgers were awesome, fried pickles even better! Staff was friendly and stayed on top of refills and needs. Extremely busy and now we know why! Good food and cheap prices ! read more

Riverside Lunch - Burgers Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

After hearing good things about Riverside, some friends and I decided to check it out. I thought the cheeseburger was pretty delicious, especially given the low price. The basket of fries was big enough to share, but just average. To me, Riverside is a better version of Five Guys. The food was delivered very quickly and the staff was friendly. The rest of the menu seemed pretty interesting and inexpensive. I may have to go back and try the $4.95 ribeye steak. For students in Charlottesville, Riverside is a tasty, cheap meal and a good excuse to stray away from the corner. read more

Phenomenal burgers. I hit up my proudly-local Uber driver for a recommendation and he carried on for several minutes extolling the virtues of this burger joint. I was very skeptical, because I tend to regard burgers like pizza: even a bad burger is still a burger. I am not sure what the secret is but the texture, flavor, moisture level - everything about this burger was perfect. At 11 o'clock it was already full of locals. To top it off, it is a great deal as well; I think I paid less than $5. Don't sleep on this spot! read more

Five of us stopped in and all but one had burgers. They were good but not great because they lacked seasoning. The fries were the typical frozen ones you find in any grocery store. None of us liked them. Overall, basic burgers are around 3.15, each topping adds around .75. Flies were everywhere and the interior was small. Service was friendly. read more

Friendly folks, great burgers to order just the way you like them. read more

Riverside Lunch - Fries and onion rings! - Burgers Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Great burger! Love the way the crush them flat. I suggest the double burger. Hot off the grill to your table in seconds. Parking is tight, if you have a large vehicle stay away during busy hours. Best burger in town. read more

The doctor told me I can't go here anymore, but screw him, the burgers are literally to die for. Just the right amount of greasy and super cheap, too. The fries and onion rings are just begging for a chipotle mayo or something, but that's why the Good Lord invented getting things to go. I've never found that the desserts live up to the high standard everything else sets, but maybe that's just me. *shakes fist at the "donut" shop again* read more

Best burger in Charlottesville that's saying something . Very inexpensive as well, the best value in town.

If you like fried food and greasy spoon burger joints where the lack of decor and atmosphere IS the atmosphere and you leave smelling like the food, then this is the place for you. I'm usually an upscale foodie type, but sometimes you just need a greasy bacon cheeseburger and fries. When I'm in that kind of mood, it's the perfect place. read more

Five stars! As a vegetarian, it is rare to find a decent veggie burger these days but Riverside Lunch did not disappoint. The staff was extremely hospitable and friendly. I ordered a veggie burger and shared an onion ring and fries basket with a friend. The food was prepared quickly, the wait staff always had our sodas refilled, and it was an overall relaxing and fun atmosphere. We loved our food and the service. Thanks to Yelp, I found this place! I will definitely be coming back when I visit Charlottesville again. We went on a weekday, so parking was not an issue. If it is busy, there is parking available on the street. read more

visit on 6/12/2011 A good burger, but not amazing. I think the thinly pounded ground beef patties are pretty tasty, I think my preference is for a thicker, juicier burger patty. That said, I think the flavors were definitely there for a solid burger. Price-wise, honestly, I didn't think they were that cheap. A plain hamburger is about 3 bucks. Not too pricey, except that they're on the small side. Fries were definitely nothing to write home about. read more

Rockin burgers, cold beer and even good bbq (says our 21 yo). Great selection of beers, fast service. And if you're a fan of fried pickles, this is the place. read more

This is great example of a local burger joint, doing what they do since 1935. I'm always on the lookout for places like this when I travel; low key, local, and good food at a reasonable price. The reviews pointed to the burgers, although there are a bunch of other options, but I am a big fan of a griddled burger, so that was the only choice for me. We ordered a couple of double cheeseburgers, one with grilled onions, and shared a fry/onion ring combo side. The burgers are terrific for this style, a bit crunchy on the edges from the char that forms on the grill, and nicely melted American cheese. It comes on a standard grocery store white bread bun, but it's simple food, and it was fresh, so it worked. The fries are thin and crispy, the onion rings fairly pedestrian (frozen/fried), but throw some salt on them and they are a fine diner companion to the terrific burger. My glass was never empty; as soon as the level of soft drink was nearing the bottom, our server popped by to refill it; she was spot on; not overly friendly, but really efficient. They also offer a few homemade cakes (on the counter, under those old-fashioned cake domes). We shared a piece of the lemon poundcake; it was moist and delicious. I see a few one star reviews from people who left because no one acknowledged them and they didn't know it was "seat yourself"; this is a local joint; if you have a question, flag a waitress down and ask, or pop your head over the counter and ask. I'm sure they would have been happy to point you in the right direction. If you are looking for a classic roadside mom and pop diner burger, this is your place. read more

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Great burgers, fast service during the workday lunch hours. Limited parking. The food is really greasy but for that "once in awhile" greasy burger - this is the place! The main thing for me is that the service is fast. We went for our lunch break and we had plenty of time to get back to the office. However, parking is limited. read more

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Riverside is basically a Charlottesville institution, and as such, its blasphemy to not give it a 5-star rating on Yelp. But I think its just a bit over-rated. The burgers are cooked on a flat top, and smashed to give the crust on the meat a little crispiness. The meat they use looks like typical grocery store ground beef, skewing toward the very fatty side. Buns are just your typical grocery store bulk buns. The bacon is good and crispy. Lettuce/tomatoes are fresh. The burger is overall good, but very greasy. People keep saying its cheap, but the prices are similar to Five-Guys. The beer is cheap, they have a pretty good bottle/can selection. Fries are great, McDonald's sized and unseasoned so you get to do it yourself. Onion rings are over battered. Both come out of the freezer but are freshly fried. Service is prompt and courteous, but they will look at you funny if you ask questions. Not sure how people can call this the best burger in Cville, but I guess that's a matter of opinion. read more

TREMENDOUS. Ate here for the first time recently on a recent trip back to Cville, and I am so upset I never visited while in school. My husband and I shared a doublecheeseburger with chili, a hot smoke (fried thick hot dog - slightly spicy tasting) with chili, cheese and the regular toppings and a basket of fries. With 2 sodas, I still think we were around the $12 mark. A bargain at twice the price. But the value isn't anywhere near the best part of the meal. The hamburger was just a masterpiece of loose ground beef, soft bun and greasy, cheesy goodness. You'll need a fork for all that falls out of it, but you won't mind the grease dripping down your fingers. The half smoke was also spectacular, though its slightly spiced flavor was a pleasant surprise - a little more spice than you might expect from a hotdog. While it's fried, it's also unlike a Rutt's Hut ripper (of Clifton, NJ fame) - this is much thicker and comes with as many toppings as you'd like -- unlike the barebones spicy mustard from Rutt's Hut. The basket of fries was quite plentiful and more than enough for 2 people - hot, crispy and ready for the Old Bay-esque seasoning available at the table. Nothing super special, but a good compliment to the juicy, greasy goodness of the burger and hotdog. As others have noted, if you don't want a greasy burger, this is not the burger for you. The place is clean, full of TVs and staffed by warm, friendly, helpful and welcoming people. It was a pleasure to discover this place, and we will be back many, many times over. read more