I live in Los Angeles and dine out frequently. Visiting Charlottesville to see my son who is an athlete at UVA and I wanted to take him to a "nice" dinner after a big competitive day. First of all, I love the speakeasy style "alley" entrance of this restaurant. No signage and you'll walk right by the alley if you're not careful. Very cool. Second, once you're inside, the custom cocktails are amazing and the food is delicious. You order "tapa style" for the table to share and it all comes out as it may. I like that a lot, and it keeps dinner engaging and interesting. I enjoyed the chorizo and chickpea crostini, as well as mushroom crêpe and the beef tenderloin. My son's favorite dish was the pork belly. The simple salad had a tangy vinaigrette and was refreshing. Instead of cauliflower augratin, I was really envisioning a cauliflower scallop (potato) style dish, which I think Chef should consider. I feel if the cauliflower was scalloped and integrated with the cheese and cream in a way that would melt in your mouth, it would be more delectable. this was my second time here and I would come back again and again. I really love this place. Five star experience! read more

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One of my favorite spots for a date night in Charlottesville. It's a small place, but we've been lucky enough to grab a couple of seats at the bar most times we've stopped in. Cocktails are rotating and seasonal, but one of my all time favorites was the peach whiskey sour made with local peaches, and a coconut jasmine (gin?) drink that was the Dealer's Choice option. For a light app, I really enjoy the goat cheese and fennel. The ambiance is cozy and upscale, and the staff is incredibly attentive and knowledgable. read more

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Amazing food, and even better wine selection. Staff is amazing. They have a regular in me. Ambiance is a Speakeasy.. to the point you literally have to go, not in the front door of 108, but down a few feet to the Alley and the first door (unmarked) Its quirky and very cool. read more

The Alley Light - Wine menu - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Amazing meal, got lots of shareable plates and everything was delicious. The bartenders were fantastic even tho we arrived close to closing read more

The Alley Light - Crudo - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Back again, had caviar (insaneeee) and a Dealer's choice cocktail. This place is so cozy for a weeknight treat with friends! Service always phenomenal. read more

The Alley Light - Caviar - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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What a delightful spot for dinner and a drink or just a drink. It's a tad hard to find since it is in an alley, but once you find it, you're in for a very special evening. read more

This place was sooo cute! We were confused at first where the restaurant was but found it through Yelp photos. The restaurant/speak easy is located in an alley with an unmarked door. We found ourselves inside and it was a small but homey place. We didnt have reservations but they were able to seat us at a sitting area by the window. This place serves cocktails and other drinks. We also decided to try their tapas style food! We got the beef tartare which was absolutely mind blowing! Its prob one of the best ones I've had in awhile. I just wished we got more pieces of bread to pair with the meat. We also got the calamari (balsamic reduction was great) bone marrow with escargot (also very good), smoked pork belly two ways (amazing) and the rabbit (which was our least favorite but still had a lot of flavors). Overall our food and the cocktails we got were excellent! Would def. recommend this place to others for some good food and drinks! read more

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We sat at the bar. The drinks were fantastic. The bartender was knowledgeable and made our experience lovely. The tapas were tasty, too.

Ambiance is nice, dark and moody. Service was fantastic Our party really enjoyed the beef tenderloin and the scallops. read more

The Alley Light - Cold pea soup - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

This place is always a 10! We drove 3 hours as a Sunday outing and Alley Light is always our last stop. Service is always perfect and the food is unique. Amazing quality all around. read more

The Alley Light - Sous vide filet - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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I was surprised by a wonderful dinner at this local restaurant. While there we read the story of the chef and her husband and was completely enthralled with their teamwork and the restaurant itself. The food was nothing short of astonishing. We enjoyed the steak tartare, the bone marrow with escargot, The duck confit, and three other dishes. After the incredible meal we met the chef. She and her husband Chris are absolute delights. I cannot say enough about this wonderful venue, the attentive staff, the ambience, and of course, most importantly the food and drink. If there was a way to award them 10 stars, I would. read more

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Huge fans we are now! You actually have to work to find this place. What a hidden gem. The place has charm. Staff are amazing. Make reservations and do not request to sit by the window. Those two tables sit very low to the floor. Not good for this old man. We tried a variety of items. All were good. Service, staff, and the overall experience were excellent and we shall return. Keep up the great work you folks are doing. read more

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The Alley Light popped up on our radar while searching for speakeasy's on our short trip to Charlottesville. We visited the place at around 8:30 on a Saturday and the place was swamped. We got a standing table in 5 mins but since we had to wait 30 mins for a place at the bar. Even though they note down your information for a waitlist on a piece of roughed up paper, their waitlist system was pretty efficient. The drinks selection isn't vast but well curated. They also had a decent selection of mocktails (which isn't usually the case). We ordered the Grapefruit and Guava soda and the 1890 Absinthe Martini. Both hit the spots. The servers were nice and overall the vibe was chill. read more

The Alley Light - Grapefruit and Guava Soda and 1890 Absinthe Martini - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Our first time at the Alley Light. The service was wonderful. They provided suggestions for food and drinks and they did not disappoint. The ambience was very comfortable and a great stop to sit and chat with friends. read more

The Alley Light - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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My first trip to the alley light just involved cocktails and I was immediately sold on the innovative concept. Had to come back for my favorite garden sour cocktail again and try the food was very enamored with every bite. Started out with marinated mushrooms and the were a delight. I'd definitely recommend the hummus (so good I forgot a photo). Moved on to the scallops which were a hit for both myself and plus one. Finished off with the tartare- delish and decadent. I'd highly recommend trying out this gem of a spot. read more

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Charlottesville, who knew you had such amazing speakeasies! We got the chance to stop by Alley Light on a road trip through Cville and it was such an interesting treat. We went on a Monday and assumed it wouldn't be busy but they were fully booked for reservations so we decided to arrive right when they opened at 5 pm. It's really hard to find but that makes it all the more fun - it's tucked away in an alley with no signage just an old wooden door. We walked in and went to the hostess who mentioned they were fully booked but offered us a table as long as we could get in and out in 1.5 hours - no problem at all and we were super grateful to get the chance to try it! We sat at the bar which had a paired down food menu with all of their delicious cocktails. It was cozy, dimly lit and the ambiance was spot on for what you'd want in a speakeasy. We split the tartare, pork terrine, and artichokes au gratin and two of their cocktail specials. Everything was fatty, creamy, and decadent - great for a cold winter day! Already planning my trip back but this time I'll make reservations! read more

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Awesome spot for a cocktail! Espresso martinis were Service at the bar was fantastic. We didn't sit in the main restaurant but it was beautiful and quaint with a speakeasy vibe to it. Can be romantic or a cool spot for friends. Need a reservation for dinner for sure! read more

The Alley Light - Entrance - no signage. The door with the light over it - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Ambiance is excellent. Food and drinks on point too. The waiting game and time estimate to get seated aren't perfect so just be patient and enjoy the vibe when it's your turn. read more

A little tricky to find this place, but you literally go into the alley and it's the place with the light on top. Up a stairwell and voila! It's a great date night spot, pretty spacious and doesn't feel cramped. Nice ambiance. We ordered the beef marrow (comes with 4 escargot on top), beef tartare, salmon tartare (yes - we love tartare!), spiced broccolini (surprisingly good!) and the spicy honey glazed duck breast. My favorites were the tartares and the broccolini. The duck breast was just okay. Great customer service and friendly staff. read more

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This is a great place with excellent food. We were visiting Charlottesville for a week and it was the best meal we had the entire stay. The people, service and atmosphere were amazing. Wish I had a place like this close to home. I highly recommend. Look for the light in the alley and make reservations, you won't be disappointed. read more

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We got lost looking for this place but luckily my friend had given me a hint saying that while there is no restaurant name it was literally the door below the "alleylight" in an alley. haha Great place to go on date. My date asked me to dressed up in a suit jacket and dress shoes. While this is not a requirement (most ppl came in with a t shirt, polo or casual button up), I would say this is one of the more upscale locales in Charlottesville. We got the seafood plate, the special risotto, calamari, and two desserts. Service was excellent when they spilled the dessert on my date they offered to pay the dry cleaning and even took it off the bill for us. Pretty cheap for an "upscale" date and hopefully I get the chance to come again! read more

Need a reservation. We chose not to wait in line. It was fun trying to find it and staff was very kind.

Ambiance was exactly what I was looking for. Quiet nook in an unassuming place with good food and drinks.

Bummer. We had such high hopes for this restaurant experience...the menu reads wonderfully. However, the experience did not live up to the expectations. We came here for dinner on a Wednesday night. They were moderately busy. We were seated right away. Drinks are very good. The bartender actually made me a lovely drink and altered its taste to my likings. My husband enjoyed his drink, as well. Then the bottom fell out. The waiter started out nice, explaining dishes. He never once said that the restaurant was a French Tapas type so regardless of how we ordered, food would come out as prepared. We actually ordered our food, stating that we would like the sweetbreads (listed under "snacks") and risotto as starters and the scallops and tenderloin as entrees. He never corrected us. He informed us that the large entree would take 45 minutes (the tenderloin), and we were fine with this. Thirty minutes later, I got my risotto. It was tasty with a small amount of mushrooms. Twenty five minutes later I got my scallops...large serving and also tasty. We asked about the sweetbreads and were told "they take a while." Now, we were seated at 8pm. At 9:35pm, my husband got his tenderloin. He had specifically ordered medium rare. It was medium at best and one piece was the end piece of the tenderloin (overdone) and the other was a much thinner piece, cut unevenly. We waited about 5-10 min for the waiter to come and he never did. My husband started cutting pieces from the smaller piece because he was starving. (I was long done.) He finally went to the kitchen area and asked to see the waiter. When he finally came to the table, my husband explained that the meat was overcooked and the pieces subpar for the price paid. He had eaten 2/3 of one of the two pieces. (Still no sweetbreads.) The waiter said that he could either keep the meat as served or be charged 1/2 price and he'd take it away since he had eater 2/3 of one of the two pieces. He also said, at going on 2 hrs, the sweetbreads were almost done. My husband said to cancel the sweetbreads and take the steak away. After he took the steak away, my husband and I were discussing what might have happened (he forgot to put in the sweetbreads for order), and the girl pouring water felt the need to eavesdrop on our conversation and interrupted us, stating that he didn't, that they take a long time. (OVER TWO HOURS?) Rude. Poorly planned. Overpriced. Maybe understaffed --since we rarely saw the server after he took our order. We would definitely not recommend this restaurant unless you have more than 2 hours to eat your snacks, don't mind service staff eavesdropping and interrupting your private conversations, like to pay high prices for food not meeting your order and expectations, and appreciate a restaurant using the "tapas excuse" to bring out food whenever they feel like it. read more

A great experience, unique flavors that pair well together. The pork belly was also great read more

The Alley Light - Beet risotto, Garlic Boursin, Pistachio - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I'm not a huge fan of French food, so I ate before I came. But, the gentleman that sat beside me had ordered a small charcuterie board that looked so good that I vowed to visit again to try it. I sat at the bar, and service was quick and efficient. My cocktails were delicious, well balanced, all that jazz. And, the people watching was kinda on-point. Granted, at the bar my back was facing most of the diners, most of the time. Still, the lighting was such that it was nothing for me to simply spin around and stare across the room. I'm definitely going back. Just a matter of when, and if I'll have company. ;) read more

The Alley Light - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

The most unbelievable dining experience I've had in charlottesville and probably beyond as well. We were seated in the wine room, which makes the exclusive restaurant feel even more special. Super romantic for a dinner date for two. Our server Dallas was fun, knowledgeable and engaging. We started with cocktails and then he helped us decide on wines to pair with dinner. We ordered four dishes for two and were stuffed. We ordered three of the weekly specials, and especially loved the escargot risotto and lamb carpaccio. I will be daydreaming about this restaurant for a long long time and cannot wait to return. read more

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Amazing!! The knowledge for spirits, homemade bitters and tonics, and locally sourced mixers and other cocktail additions is superb. Then the cocktails are just well crafted to every detail, served in assortment of antique glass ware that embellishes the sipping. Food is quality impressive - local and well prepared and enough variety for all. Recommend a reservation for seating of a group. The bar is awesome and fills up. The owners/founders are incredible hosts!! read more

Came here on a first date. The food was great. And there's a nice casually elegant atmosphere in the restaurant. The dim lighting and candles inside were quite romantic. And the date went well too if you're wondering. From the consistently served dinner menu, I tried the Carrots and Bone Marrow. The carrots were cooked well and were plated in a nice yogurt and citrusy vinaigrette. It was a nice and refreshing vegetable order to compliment the other dishes that they serve. The Bone Marrow was amazing. Definitely the highlight of my meal. I don't think I've had a dish like it before, but the bone marrow and escargot tasted delicious together. I loved eating it with the bread that they served with the dish. I will have dreams about the Bone Marrow and escargot for a long time. From the weekly special menu, I tried the Spiced Broccolini with Lemon & Garlic and the Meyer Lemon Glazed Cod. The broccolini is nice and garlicky. I ordered it without thinking about what might happen after dinner. When the waitress took our order to the kitchen, I could imagine the forces looking over me screaming "give the boy a chance!". But we ended up eating the entire dish. And thankfully everything turned out fine after dinner and there was no hint of it at all. The Meyer Lemon Glazed Cod was good but not amazing. It was cooked well and tasted great in the truffle beurre blanc. The salsify was average. It didn't stand out to me in the dish, and I would have liked to see it cut a little smaller because the whole root pieces were large. Although everything here is a relatively smaller portion size, I felt that this dish was the only one that was overpriced considering the amount of fish given and the underwhelming salsify. It was not the best fish or cod dish I've ever tasted. And I've had better and more ambitious fish dishes for less. I wouldn't order this dish again considering the other amazing options here, but I'll cut it some slack considering it's a weekly special and it still tasted good. For dessert, we shared the Mr. Rech. The dessert is a large hazelnut macaron covered in hot chocolate sauce. It was a tasty, fun, and surprising cherry on top of a great meal. Overall, The Alley Light is a delicious and unique experience that is also a great spot for date night. read more

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Just went for celebratory drinks with friends and loved the atmosphere, very classy! The drinks aren't ridiculously overpriced but definitely not the cheapest around, about 12-17$ per cocktail. Also they have an option to describe your tastes and the bartender can make you a mystery cocktail! read more

The Alley Light - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Ah Alley Light, our go-to for a nice date night! I admit I almost rolled my eyes the first time here seeing that there was no sign for the restaurant but rather just an "alley light" but over time, I can say that it's kind of charming now. I love the immediate interior. The old menus that are framed around the staircase are so cute. I love all the small details that make it such a cozy and inviting atmosphere to spend time with family and friends. One of my favorite seats is the low armchairs by the window. As for the food, the scallops are my favorite thing on the menu. They are melt-in-your-mouth with excellent, excellent flavor. It's tapas style so we typically order 3-4 dishes. This might not be intentional, but the fact that the dishes take a long time to come out actually adds to the experience of dining there. (I'd like to think it's because the chefs are carefully putting together each dish). There's a lot of downtime just to chat with the people you're with. Plus, I feel like it gives you time to slowly savor each dish. I've had a good time every time I've dined here. I will definitely be back! read more

Love Alley Light. Amazing cocktails, great menu.... Owners are friendly and I always meet interesting people at the bar. Ambience is also one of the reasons I love spending time here. read more

Cute spot with decent service. My husband loved the seafood platter. Overall, okay for me but I had high expectations! read more

The Alley Light - Seafood Board - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Alley Light is a great spot for fine dining and fancy occasions. Their menu is filled with french cuisine and everything we ordered felt like a very fine meal. Some items were even prepared and served in beautiful ways- aka they were plated much nicer than a regular restaurant. I mostly love the ambience of this place with mirrors all around and dim lighting and the fact that you have to find the entrance! Super fun! read more

Took a little weekend trip to Charlottesville. I didn't realize this was gonna be the highlight of the trip. It had almost a speakeasy vibe. The drinks were amazing, I wish I could've tried more lol. The food was excellent. We ended up eating at the bar because the bartenders were so accommodating and nice. It was such a great evening. This is a place I'll visit every time I come back. read more

We stopped in here while passing through Charlottesville and really enjoyed it. Cocktails were great; solid wine list; and fantastic French menu with lots of specials read more

The host squeezed both my friend & I in for just a drink. The atmosphere of this restaurant is incredible and romantic. My only dislike is that there's only one restroom for ALL patrons to utilize.I would definitely come back for dinner to try the food. read more

The Alley Light - Seafood Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

The best restaurant in Charlottesville hands down. The experience from start to finish is amazing-- the service is great and servers are knowledgeable, bartenders make delicious one of a kind drinks, and the food is better than anywhere else in the area. This is an NYC quality restaurant tucked away in Charlottesville. I highly recommend getting the carrots, salmon carpaccio, and radishes and having the bartender make you a drink based off of your preferences. The restaurant is small so make sure to make a reservation. It is an intimate space that is great for date night. read more

Great spot. Make a reservation for sure and order a dealer's choice cocktail. Everything is delicious but the tartare was to die for.

Focused menu of creative and and flavor-full small plates for one or for sharing. Classy and comfortable environment with great cocktails and excellent service. I'm definitely going back :-) read more