Finally got a chance to see the Quirk hotel and check out The Pink Grouse, which has been on my list for a while. I'll give a quick run down before I dive in. Atmosphere: 5 Menu options: 4 Taste: 4 Portions: 2 Price: $$$ Service: 3 Walking into the Quirk at the holidays is so fun, and much like the Richmond location, the decor was fun and on point. We headed back to the restaurant and started with the Pink Grouse cocktail to continue the good vibes. I would definitely recommend it if you like vodka based cocktails. Let's talk menu. So there were several good options including a vegan and vegetarian, plus they were amenable to holding the blue cheese on the salad (allergy) which I appreciated. They separate it by starters and sharing optional entrees. We decided for 3 of us to go with 3 starters and 2 entrees. Starters: we ordered the bread, cured beef and salad. Y'all there were 3 tiny slices of bread and butter for like $4. Not okay. The cured beef has 5 tiny slices of meat for like $13. Not okay. The salad was the most generous, but still not huge at $14 considering they know it will be shared; I will say it was my favorite of the starters flavor wise and would order it again though. So as you can see, not impressed. Main: we decided on the lentil ragu ($22) and gnocchi with pork ragu ($26). Both were on point. I would happily order either again, probably opting for the lentil out of preference. The portion was okay, though again for calling it shareable I thought it was a bit small. Service: I respect that the server took our request for more time, but she was not attentive or following up on us for refills. I ordered a glass of port for dessert (no go on the dairy meant no options...) and I didn't get it until after my friends had finished their dessert. Not cool. So I guess I'm feeling generous with my score because I was in good company and isn't that half the point of eating out? read more

The Pink Grouse - Charlottesville - Lobby decorations at the Quirk - Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Reserved a table for 8 the day of and they were nice enough to put us in the private room. Service was exceptional and food was great. I didn't realize gratuity was included until I added my own tip, but they were nice enough to take my additional tip off after I realized. We really enjoyed the cheese board and the Q salad was to die for. If I'm ever in the area again, I will definitely be back! read more

We attended for an event and reserved the private room. The atmosphere was great, the service was wonderful and the food was amazing. I highly suggest this spot for date nights, bachelorette dinners, or just because! We had the cheese board, charcuterie board and the scallops for apps. All wonderful. Then we had the steak, specialty pasta, and cassoulet. All amazing. They were very sweet and gifted the bride in our party a dessert. Definitely a must go to, and don't forget to get the pink grouse drink- delicious! read more

The Pink Grouse - Charlottesville - Steak Dish - Bars Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Decent American food. We visited The Pink Grouse for brunch on a Saturday, and there was plenty of seating. The design of the restaurant is clean and modern, and there was no music playing for the first half of our visit. I ordered the smoked trout salad. The salad was plain, but the flavors worked fairly well together. Because the flavors are so simple, it relied heavily on the freshness of the tomatoes which were not in season at the time. Overall, I think The Pink Grouse is a reasonable choice for lunch. read more

Not sure why this place has low reviews but our experience was wonderful. We had a great server, who knew her menu and made great recommendations. All the dishes we tried were great and the drinks were awesome too. We did stay in the hotel, so it was nice to have restaurant downstairs to go to since it was pouring rain outside. I would definitely recommend the grilled peach salad, smoked trout dip, mezzaluna, and the limoncello tartufo -- all of these were my favorites. read more

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We had interesting entrées, appetizers and desserts in a dining room all to ourselves. The octopus appetizer was delicately cooked sou vide, then quickly broiled and spiced, resulting in tender and tasty dish. The halibut fillet was thick, fresh and moist; the duck was nicely done; and the fillet, although ordered medium rare, came less than rare and therefore without much taste. The desserts were fascinating, including crunchy rice pudding, bread pudding with infused fruit, and acorn squash with squash ice cream and cookie crumble. In all, a lovely meal, with attentive service, and a sous chef willing to describe methods of preparation and who was very approachable. Our experience was quite good, and I expect it to improve over time. read more

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Honestly, I went for (re)opening night, which had limited seating to keep guests and staff safe, and I didn't have high expectations. I was all but shocked by how amazing every part of the experience was. From the moment we stepped in the restaurant, the host made us feel welcome, and genuinely excited to have us there. He clearly explained how to get pull up the menu on our phone with a simple QR scan (a COVID precaution) and walked us to our table, which was comfortably distanced apart from other patrons. Our waitstaff was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about everything on the menu. To celebrate the opening, we were welcomed with a tasting of a great sparkling rosé from the local Barboursville Vineyard. Then... the food came. We started with these amazing oysters, not too salty and perfectly balanced with sweet and a little spice. I already knew this was going to be a knockout. For our second course, I had the Turmeric Gemelli and my wife had the Roasted Peach Salad. The gemelli looked a little busy, but truly each flavor shined, unlike anything I've ever had, downright delicious. The Peach Salad was great, but the almond butter that it was served with was out of this world. For our mains, I had genuinely the best steak of my life. Even my wife, who doesn't typically eat red meat, was all but drooling when I insisted she have a bite. She had the bass which was again, unlike anything we'd ever had, and absolutely exquisite. Since we just had one of the best meals of our lives, we couldn't go home without trying a dessert. We had the semifreddo, which I cannot insist enough that you must get when you go. I cannot recommend the Pink Grouse enough. If this is what they were like opening night, I cannot wait to see how they continue to raise the bar in the Charlottesville food scene. read more

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My wife and I visited for our anniversary, and Brandon made it a special evening. He was very attentive and brought us a selection of wonderful desserts on the house: an acai bowl and crème brûlée. The former was just the right amount of tart, and the latter was a coffee-flavored variation that was excellent. The drinks were excellent - I had a New York sour and my wife had a glass of wine. The sour used a Rye from the local Ragged Branch Distillery which was excellent. The short rib was wrapped in a delicious pastry dough. The bluefish was delicate and well-seasoned. The ambiance is quite pretty and we enjoyed watching the open kitchen. Prices are very fair for the nice-sized portions. As we don't often hear this restaurant mentioned by locals, my wife and I regard the Pink Grouse as a hidden gem. read more

I really enjoyed our meal. We all got something different and we all loved our dishes. The scallop appetizer was prepared perfectly. The cheese plate was perfect. The manager and server were so attentive and helpful. The bar was a little slow but they were busy and the server kept us updated as to the status of things as needed. We couldn't have asked for a better night. Will definitely go back! The restaurant isn't huge but it felt warm and cozy. I'd love to go back and sit in the wine room. read more

Came with a girlfriend on a Thursday night. I made a reservations for us on OpenTable and was a bit surprised to see that a $25 fee is charged for canceling a reservation within 24 hours- seems kind of steep especially given COVID protocols. However, that small complaint aside, we enjoyed our meal in a lovely setting. We chose to share two appetizers and two entrees: my favorite being the gnocchi with braised chicken. My friend isn't currently drinking so we sampled some mocktails and the bartender, Rachel, is amazing! Would come back just for her! read more

Whenever I visit Virginia, I stay at the Quirk for several reasons but one of them being their food options. I'm a vegetarian and it can be tough finding meals that are colorful, fun, nutritious and delicious. The Pink Grouse always has options for dietary restrictions. Their menu changes all the time and they always have different vegetarian options that are fresh and exciting. The atmosphere is chic and the servers are phenomenal. The sauce on the cauliflower steak is 'chefs kiss'. read more

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Decided to try this for a special date night during a Charlottesville visit as an Alum. I live in NYC and was thrilled to see what appeared to be a higher end dinner option. OMG was i disappointed. It took 35 minutes to get a drink and during that time I watched the same waitresses walk past my table and not even offer water. My date and I complained as nicely as possible (I wasn't trying to be the rude New Yorker). But even the waitress threw the bartender under the bus. It took so long for our order to get placed and then the food to come, we had time to look up other Yelp reviews. Those that cited the poor service and mediocre food are SPOT ON. This place is beautiful inside but totally overrated. Management needs to fire the bartender, retrain the waitstaff, and tell the chef to spice up the food - everything was bland. I knew it wasn't just me, as we sat there the tables next to us loudly complained. It was ridiculous enough, we almost walked out. read more

Wonderful experience. Found four watering holes in one! The rooftop, the main dining at the Pink Grouse, the lobby bar and eatery, and the Bono? ( whisky bar) The food was excellent and the service professional. read more

Interesting menu, poorly executed. The good: bar tenders know what they are doing, and wine selection is actually pretty good. Staff was lovely and helpful. The bad: Food was either lightly seasoned or not seasoned at all. Ordered: shrimp and grits (grits were under cooked, cardinal sin???) Pork belly: received braised beef cheeks instead on polenta. Both polenta and beef were unsalted entirely. No pork belly ever came. Beef ravioli: pasta was cooked aldente (yay!) But filling and pasta water both had zero salt at all. Bland. Beet salad: yummy and we'll executed. In short, kitchen isn't tasting the food or doesn't care. read more

After a long day of driving, we were looking for an informal, outdoor place to eat we had our dog along which added to the challenge. The Punk Grouse met our needs. The food was great, in fact the chef came out to visit with the dog and chat with us. The serving team seemed a but understaffed (not unusual these days). My only issue was that the server seemed disinterested in us when we did not order wine or a cocktail. If she had told me there was a beer last I may have ordered one. read more

Went for the first time (surely won't be my last time) for Sunday Brunch. Me and my friends we arrived at 10.30 AM, from the time we entered the hotel till we sat down at our table facing an open kitchen (where you can see the chefs preparing our meals) the service was great. Definitely felt southern hospitality of the crew. We ordered Coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice for each of us. We decided to share our meal, I ordered hash of the day which at that time was purple and sweet potato with mushroom and kale, we also added poached egg to pour and added into it. Then my 2 other friends ordered chicken waffle (with bacon mapple dressing), and mushroom spinach omelette. All were delicious. We also did a tour of the space, and really love the place and the artworks they have. Highly recommended to stop by!!!! read more

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Omg everything about this place was amazing. Thank you to restaurant week I never would have known bout this place. I've been to the roof top numerous times but never realized or noticed the restaurant downstairs in the lobby. The color in this place is beautiful. I love the dark blue in half the room. Our waitress was fairly new to the industry but she did amazing. She was very knowledgeable and gave amazing recommendations which I took. I ordered the tomato salad, beef steak and choc mosse. My company had the bone marrow, pork cheeks and choc mosse. The tomato salad with a basil ice cream was amazing and the perfect touch. The steak with the broccolini and the onion and glaze was hands down THE BEST STEAK I've had in Charlottesville. I can't stop talking about it with friends. The dessert was so tasty with the perfect selection of fruit to have, wish there was actually more with every bite. The Bone marrow that I had a taste of was delicious and my first time having bone marrow. Would def get that if I came back. Can't speak on the pork cheek dish as I didn't have it but I'm sure it was amazing just like everything else. I def can't wait to come back and get that steak dish! read more

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Terrible experience for a prefunction happy hour before our daughter's parents' formal. We waited 45 min just to get our drinks. The server forgot our food order and we were there nearly 90 min before getting two appetizers. One of the oysters had a large bug in it and they didn't offer to refund us! They took $5 off our overall bill. Super disappointing for what seemed like a fine dining establishment. read more

I don't like to write negative reviews. This was going to be our "splurge " night. Started out well with cocktails on the rooftop. Then down to the restaurant. Not a posh place at all. In our time there a total of 4 tables served. We had seen two different menus both of which were ok. If you have food issues , as I do, prob don't wNt to go here. Very small menu. Changes often. I will say I checked it from rooftop and again after we ate and it was in no way anything like the actual menu. Clearly if you can't get it on the day you can't be sure. Of course there was very little on the menu I could eat. Waiter was also host. Nice young boy but really out of his comfort zone. We ordered the gazpacho to share as an app . Clearly said to start and to share. Then hubby ordered the barramundi for his entree. I said I'll have the smoked trout app as my main course. He brings us the two main courses but no gazpacho. I said why he said I though you wanted it as an app. So we said no don't bring it now that you be served the entrees , he clearly had no clue. My trout was supposed to come with pears and crispy nopales. No crispy anything and when I asked he said they ran out So I asked for crackers but no so asked for bread Ok finally brought me some nice grilled bread and charged me $4 , wonder how much the nopales I didn't get were? Def needed dessert and both desserts were great. Total bill before tip was $180. We did have three rounds of wine. Very much not the special night we were hoping for. Ps when I do poached pets I core them. Not here they don't. read more

Try this place again if you havent recently. New menu, exquisite food, and best service in Cville. Lovely dining room, very hospitable restauarnt. Inspired menu. Ate here for restaurant week this week 2x. You will not be disappointed. read more

The food is very tasty, but the service is poor. The server brought me my check without me asking for it, without asking me if I wanted dessert, and despite it being early, and me being there for less than one hour in a 3/4 empty restaurant, and after having ordered the most expensive items on the menu. There was absolutely no reason for him to bring me the check at that time. This is poor service, which is a pity because the food is good. I will not return. read more

As we walked in, an acquaintance passed by us and said, "Hope you like waiting a LONG time for everything," She wasn't joking. We were told to wait to sit outside and sat in the middle of the bar to get drinks. We waited a bit to get service then even longer to get our drinks. It was four of us and we ordered easy things like glasses of wine, shots, and beer. Drinks took forever and when we got them, our glasses of wine appeared to be like 3-4 oz pours. For $12 a glass. That's super chintzy. We decided to say something to the manager and instead of him doing anything to help us, he just nodded. Can you get a better manager? Don't waste your time on this place, it's being poorly managed. P.S. This was a Monday night and not during the dinner rush. read more

Very slow, inattentive service at breakfast. Could see prepared plates sitting under lights for 20+ minutes. Food served barely warm. No offer of more coffee, had to request the check 3 times. read more

Mediocre food, lack of service, and overpriced drinks summarizes our dinner. I'm usually one that enjoys leaving glowing reviews when I have great experiences, but The Pink Grouse left my wife and I disappointed on a rare date night without kids. We started off with a charcuterie plate for an appetizer and asked for a little more bread to finish off the cheeses and meats. If you ask for a little more bread at any of the local vineyards or other restaurants in town, it's typically always complementary (especially when paying $22 for a pretty basic charcuterie board). Those 2 slices of bread... $4. Heck, you get free bread at any decent restaurant complimentary before your meal. My Old Fashioned cocktail came in a typical whiskey glass, filled not even half full (with the ice in it), and with a huge single chunk of ice machine ice in it. Had it been pretty stiff or maybe had some pizzaz to it, I might have been ok with the price. Heck even throwing in a ice sphere in to take up the room that the liquid wasn't would have made it a little more palatable. Probably the lousiest cocktail I've ever received in my life. Service was spotty. The young man filling our water was awesome and very attentive. Our waitress seemed to disappear for long periods of time and completely forgot to place our drink order until we reminded the young man as he filled our water (did I mention he was awesome?!). Understandable if she was slammed with a packed restaurant, but the restaurant wasn't even half full. Again, always willing to pay a premium for great service, drinks, and food, but felt like I was ripped off after leaving. Would have loved to grab another drink (despite the price) and desert had the rest of the meal been worth the $150 we ended up spending. My advice: Save your money. Enjoy one of the other incredible restaurants in town. Merigolds, C&O, Tavola... all much better options for the same rough price. Sorry Pink Grouse, you lost our business and referral. read more

I rarely do reviews and typically just vote with my feet if I have a bad experience. But I feel so duped and disappointed, here it goes. If you like food and reasonably competent service skip this place. Generally sub par experience, especially at the price point. The food-- cold. The appetizers came after the drinks. We waited 30 minutes just for our drinks, then sat an hour in the dark waiting for our food. Not even asked if we wanted another round while we waited. So we sat there drinking our warm tap water. Then paid an outrageous amount of money for "oxtail and pork cheek ragout". I got maybe 2 oz of meat (allegedly oxtail) on a mound of supposedly homemade pasta. The only cheek I found was the cheek they have in calling this ragout. No one asked even once how the food was or if we wanted more drinks, though they were very attentive about refilling our room temperature tap water. Nary an ice cube in sight. Very disappointing and we won't be back. If you want to enjoy the nice setting you can probably go sit in the hotel lobby for free. There are so many really good places to eat out in Charlottesville. This is not one of them. What a waste of a beautiful kitchen and dining room. Also, I made a last minute reservation but note that they have an absurd cancellation policy and will charge you $25 a person if you cancel within 48 hours of your reservation. read more

We had dinner on Wednesday night at 6. There were only two tables with guests at the time. It took over an hour to be served any food. After waiting over 20 minutes my husband was told they were out of the appetizer he ordered (mussels). He then ordered Vichyssoise, a cold soup, that was not served for another 30 minutes. We let our waiter know that we were going to a concert and had a time constraint, and still we waited. Finally we were served with just a few minutes to eat before we had to leave. My husband asked for the manager and even that was a wait. He explained the delay and she offered free dessert as compensation - after being told we didn't even have time to eat our dinner! We paid full price for a dinner we had to pack up and eat hours later. The manager said they had a new cook as an explanation. Not acceptable. Though the food was good when we were finally able to eat, we will not be going back anytime soon. read more

We decided to check out the new restaurant in The Quirk hotel in downtown Charlottesville this weekend . My husband and I were one of two tables in the dining room when we went for Breakfast on a Saturday morning. The space itself was pretty with comfortable cushy chairs with a view of the outdoor courtyard. We were greeting by a friendly hostess that sat us at a window table. All good for the first few seconds. The rest went down hill. Next a server asked what we wanted to drink . Several minutes went by and no drinks. We could see our server doing nothing and not getting our drinks. Another server comes up and asks for our drink order. We said we had given it to someone else but still do not have them and gave our drink order again. Another several minutes go by no drinks . A third server asked for our drink orders ! Seriously! We gave our drink order a third time. It took about 30 minutes to get coffee ( however still didn't bring the water and ice we asked for three times) the cup of ice I requested took FIVE requests to the servers to actually get it! It seemed as though they went across town to get a cup of ice it took SO long. It was bizarre ! The servers outnumbered the occupancy of the whopping two table dining space. Not sure how service could be that bad. This horrible service continued through out the whole dining experience. My food was okay , my husband hated his broccoli and cheese omelet. The bill came and they way overcharged us. After explaining we We're charged for three breakfasts and the two of us only ate two breakfasts they removed one but still VERY pricy for a Average tasting breakfast with irritatingly slow and apathetic service . They very much did not seem to care. Then on the way out, going to the bathroom we see a huge picture of obama. I will not comment on my views of him but it just seems really inappropriate to have political stuff hanging in the lobby. The hotel and restaurant should be a space of entertainment and relaxation not political statements. As a society we cannot seem to escape the political divide as it is. Do quests really need to see political stuff on the walls?No thank you!Come on Quirk get it together! You can do a lot better!! read more

I went here on Friday night with 3 other people, and it took ~literally~ an hour and 20 minutes to get our 4 entrees. Which is more frustrating because there were less than 10 entree items to begin with. Once the food came it was amazing, but not worth the unnecessary wait. read more