My first day in Charlottesville, and my first attempt to have lunch. I was nearby and I used Yelp to the rescue to satisfy my midday hunger. I ordered a double cheeseburger and a side of fries. The fries were good but the burger was exceptional! On top of that, the people were very friendly and caring for their customers. I will definitely visit this place over and over again while I will be staying in Charlottesville, and I urge you to pay this place a visit if you crave for a burger. Just a note: if you visit during busy hours you may not find a parking spot (e.g. I couldn't and I had a small car), so you may have to park on the street. If you have a large vehicle, just park on the street directly; it will probably be much more convenient. Thank you guys! You will see me again! A very happy customer. read more

I have never had a better burger in my life. I am from Richmond Virginia and I take a drive once or twice a month to Charlottesville just to get this burger! They have other things as well but the burger is where it's at. Thank you Riverside lunch read more

The burgers here are 5 star no doubt about it. Mom n pop done right. It's like char style steak burgers like at 'Steak N Shake' but about a million times better. If you're from the west coast and love 'In n Out burger' and you're in Virginia and thinking about a burger, this place is where you want to be 100%. It's as good as In n Out but in some ways even better as it's a one off mom n pop op that's been in business for almost 100 years. This is the only place I'll eat a burger in Charlottesville, VA. Even if Gordon Ramsey himself came to my house and cooked me a burger, I'd be like "Thanks Gordon", then I'd chuck the uneaten Gordon burger in the fridge and head out to Riverside Lunch to get the real deal. Of course I'd like... ya know.. give the Gordon burger to the dog later. lol read more

For me, this is the best place to eat burgers in the world. I went to UVA for college and been to Riverside almost 2-3 times every month. I am living in NYC right now and no place ever can compete with Riverside. I am a big burger fan and had tried all the great burger places in NY, I can say that Riverside burgers taste much better than all of them. The fat dropping on my plate is the best part of these burgers. The fries are amazing as well. Definitely go to Riverside at least once if you are in the area. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. Can't wait for this year's Foxfield's - will be visiting Riverside :) read more

Everyone in my family enjoyed their food and the lovely staff who were so friendly! We are not from town but will be back!

God bless America and Riverside and nobody else. Greasiest burgers ever. Onion rings. Ketchup. I hope this place outlasts the continental United States (but not Alaska, nothing will outlast Alaska, except for Putin's disembodied head.) read more

TL;DR - Great food, cheap prices, and amazing service. I would describe this place as a VFW Hall that sells burgers. The food is amazing, and by food I mean the burgers. I don't want to order anything else because then I will miss out on a burger I could have had. They are just the right size and priced just right. All the toppings taste freshly prepared. The basket of fries should be called a bucket there are so many of them. This is just a great local place. On top of that the staff and customers are all very friendly. Being a guests in their town I felt a little awkward walking in to a place that I assumed some would probably prefer to keep among the locals. I could not have been further from the truth. If anything, I felt like I was the rude one as I couldn't say "thank you" to all the helpful staff fast enough. Don't be like me and wait till your 3rd time in Charlottesville to go here. Go on your first trip so you won't spend the rest of your life regretting all those wasted trips before you discovered Riverside Lunch. read more

My rating: 3.5 (not bad, but probably not my first choice if I'm ever in the area again) Overview: A pretty basic, no frills burger joint. After Monticello, I was looking for a good, quick, affordable place to eat and this place popped up pretty high on all accounts. I admit to being a bit underwhelmed when we first pulled into the parking lot and the ambiance inside kind of matches the very low-key exterior. The menu is fairly basic, but you have a lot of choices in what kind of toppings you get. I was curious to try the veggie burger after reading a glowing review of it, but when I inquired what was in the veggie burger and got the response that it was a Boca Burger, it contributed to my feeling of being underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong; I think Boca Burgers are fantastic, but it was just surprising that people could get that excited over a product they can purchase at a grocery store. My friend had a hamburger with a slice of cake for dessert and both of us shared a basket of fries. We both agreed the food was cooked well. The servers were friendly enough. And the price for the food was pretty reasonable. Bottom line: Not bad, but as I said above, if I'm in the area again, I think I might try other places before coming back here. read more

This is authentic diner/drive in type food. Perfectly grilled hamburgers, crispy shoestring fries and onion rings. Sorry, this isn't one of those trendy burger eateries with truffle fries and cabernet marinated onions. Heck, they don't even use real silverware here, it's all paper and plastic. But be warned, there is nothing healthy on the menu and the atmosphere is real dive, not the manufactured dive you find at the trendy places. Expect to see real working folk eating and gabbing. Places like this are a dying breed, I'm glad I got to experience the unhealthy goodness! read more

I confess I love Riverside Lunch. It is perfect at being true to what it is: an old fashioned (est. 1935) burger, fries/onion rings place with a lunch counter. Food is cooked to order and served hot. Servers are friendly and genuine, even when running from table to table at busy times. There is always a mix from toddlers to senior citizens. Sundays are often packed. Love seeing the seniors who have just come from church. I imagine many have been regulars for years. This isn't a novel, flashy place. It's a more basic, comfortable, tried and true establishment with good food. I've been here multiple times with my husband, and separately with my son, and with daughter, and will keep coming back. read more

Whelp, we are from out of town and stood and waited for some kind of direction. Do we seat ourselves, wait to be seated, anything??? Several employees walked by us and never acknowledged our existence. Several people around us also standing. Never a word. One by one we all just left. Might have been great food, certainly smelled great. But I'll never come back to try it. read more

When I lived in Charlottesville, I used to love going to this place with my friends after a long week of classes. You cannot beat their food and prices. The atmosphere is very cool, as well! Can't wait to stop by again next time I'm in the area! read more

We were on our way to West Virginia to do white water rafting and stopped here for lunch. We had a great hamburger french fries and onion rings. Would definitely recommend! read more

This place is AMAZING!!! My husband and I stopped by with our 3 children on the way back from hiking Crabtree Falls. The staff was top notch very friendly, welcoming and wonderful with our children. Delivery of food was fast and food was steaming hot. Cheeseburgers and onion rings were to die for! We will definitely be back! read more

Such a good place for a great burger! Fast service, no nonsense. They know how to make a good onion ring! Can't wait to go back to try some of their pies. I've had their double cheeseburger, fries, onion rings and fried shrimp. Great food for a great price! read more

The best burger in Virginia. Classic flat griddled patties, simple, delicious. Service is fast and solid. Good beer selection at cheap prices. The fries and onion rings and amazing. read more

Awesome, classic Charlottesville spot. Burgers are greasy and delicious.

I've been here so many times and it's always been fantastic I can't believe I have never reviewed it. Someone else said it's like a VFW that serves burgers, they are spot on with that description. No nonsense place with good service, good burgers and my family of 6 can eat for $35 to $40 including drinks, burgers, fries, tax and 20% tip. You won't get a better meal for the same money anywhere read more

Wonderful burgers and sweet tea! The fries and onion rings were great, too. My husband and I ate for less than $20 and it was an easy 10 minute drive from Monticello. If we travel this way again, we will definitely stop in! read more

Riverside Lunch - Half and half basket - Burgers Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

Delicious and ridiculously fast. We really enjoyed this place after a day of wine tasting. Highly recommend

Tried going here with my family for lunch after reading the reviews. We walked in and immediately felt uncomfortable. We sat at door for while with absolutely no staff ever addressing us. We checked but couldn't find a seat yourself sign. Several staff member looked directly at us and walked.right by us but no-one said a word to is. Even our kids felt uncomfortable and asked to leave. Since we also felt awkward and were clearly not going to get any service without grabbing someone and asking to be helped we decided to leave. read more

I've lived here for away too long to not notice this little place in the cut. It's so friendly and the food was pretty great. Never really had a bruger that bad me not wanting to eat anything else. Definitely a place I have to come back to. read more

Riverside Lunch - Burgers Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

We stopped by after our trip to Monticello. Definitely a local spot which is what we always strive for when traveling. We all had the cheeseburgers and shared a basket of onion rings. Everything on the lunch menu was ala cart. Prices were good though. . read more

Always try and find a local place to try when visiting anywhere. Saw the reviews were great for this mom and pop restaurant. We ordered cheeseburgers, a grilled cheese, chicken philly, a basket of fries(seriously plenty for four of us!) and cheese balls. Cheeseburgers were pretty good. Would say a double is about the size of a normal burger, hence the price. Grilled cheese was okay...could use another slice of cheese, chicken philly had good flavor, though the waitress asked if we wanted it plain(yes) and it came loaded with pickled jalapeños, diced tomatoes, and lettuce. Removed all the extras and it was good. Cheese balls were alright. Finished with a slice of carrot and chocolate cake. Both were very good. About $40 for all that and 4 cups of water. Friendly staff, the place stayed busy. Could use a good scrub down though. read more

Came here for lunch after visiting Monticello. The place was very cute and had a lot of that small-town charm. We were a big party and got a lot of things to eat, I had a burger, fries, and we shared mozzarella sticks and their cheese balls. Our waitress was funny and sweet and we enjoyed a nice casual meal here. No frills place but worth a visit if you're in the mood for burgers, etc! read more

Best place on earth!! Best burgers in Virginia. Service is excellent and they have great ice cold craft beer. Pies are to die for!!

Really great hamburgers. They do it all at a grill behind the counter. It's kind of cramped, but the quality of the burger makes up for it. They're the kind of place that does truly fresh ingredients and the super tasty, high-bark, crispy-finish style of burger. Definitely a good local stop if you want an excellent burger. read more

It doesn't look like much on the outside, but it's a great place to eat. You probably won't find it unless you look online, but it's worth the search. I'd describe it as a diner setting, it's setup like a Waffle House where the grill/cooking area is right behind the desk you see when you come in. There burgers are a very similar style to Shake Shack, and they're delicious! The staff is always great and very nice. Being as the buildings so small it works out well because the waitresses can always see what's going on and who needs what. They make you feel very welcomed and at home. It is also very cost friendly. If you're visiting or in town this is definitely a place you want to try for lunch! It's mostly American food, so don't expect some wild experience. If you want a real fresh burger and some good fries/onion rings you gotta try this place out. They have other excellent food as well. Enjoy! read more

C-Ville Weekly brought me here. This is a hidden gem honestly. The burgers are amazing. They are smashed, thin patties. If you know anything about burgers, smashed is close to holy grail. Pricing is excellent, service was fantastic (Lisa is awesome). Will definitely make this a fav spot for a nice burger! read more

Great burgers, really good homemade desserts. Simple, clean and outstanding service can't go wrong here! If your in the area and looking for a quick bite you have to stop in. Eat where the locals do!! read more

I just love this place. It is my favorite hamburger place in Charlottesville. I eat here about once a month. If you are in the mood for a greasy spoon hamburger you got to give this place a try. BTW, only go to the one downtown. The one north of Charlottesville is not operated by the same folks and is not as good. read more

I've had better burgers and service at Chaps Ice cream and grill. They also have a cool video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5z1EvdIrRY read more

Fastest and best service in the area ---- the wait staff is so personable and sweet. It feels like you are a guest at there home. I like to drink beers before I eat my food (rather than at the same time --- it's just better for digestion :) ---- and yes, no beer/liquid is best for digestion), so I have to hold off on ordering ---- Burgers come out within MINUTES (like 3 minutes!) Best beer prices around --- $3.50 for ALL craft bottles ---- everyone else in Cville, PAY ATTENTION ---- THIS IS HOW TO DO IT!!! My only thing is they serve the food on TINY plates -- but I guess you can consider it part of the charm. Great for families! Wish they'd be a late night place, but it's run by people with families --- so I get it. GO THERE, YOU WILL LOVE IT ! read more

One of the best burgers (aside from Mel's) and fried pickles in Charlottesville. Go "all the way" on your burger to load it up right

Staff is good and hence I am giving it two stars. The food is bad. They use frozen patties for veggie burgers.

Gourmet Riverside is not. But I love it so much I felt the need to update my stars to five. Delicious every single time.

I love Riverside. Always has some of the best American food in town. Always has great prices and great customer service. Any time I eat in the waiters and wraitresses are always friendly and helpful. The people at the bar are always good people to chat with when getting to go orders. Always have a great experiance at Riverside. read more

Great food, great prices, a solid choice if you are looking for quick food at a comfortable spot. Will be going back!

Based on the reviews i thought this was a great choice for dinner with my son after a event we went to. I'd say it is your average hometown bar and grill. Not the best food, service or environment. Definitely not the worst. read more

Like everyone else has said - Great burgers, good prices, friendly staff! Try the fried cheese curds if you haven't yet.