Flew to Charlottesville, Va from California, visiting my father. I had dinner at The Ridley this past weekend and had a wonderful time. Food was amazing. Lamb chops were cooked perfectly, the cornbread was so moist and flavorful, and the grits were the best I've ever had. Service was attentive and genuine. Angela, our server, was the best. I recommend The Ridley to everyone. Alexa R. read more

I was recently on a work trip and needed dinner but didn't feel like driving so I ended up at The Ridley - and I am happy I did! I ordered shrimp tacos and they were AMAZING! The sauces on them were phenomenal - I can't even describe the taste! Would definitely get them again if I was from the area! read more

The Ridley - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Was very excited about this dinner and could not have been more disappointed. The entrees were bland and unispired, specifically the Mahi and rack of lamb. I told Twanda (nice manager who came by check on us) I would give them another chance but it will be awhile. The deviled eggs were very good and the one ray of sunshine during an otherwise subpar meal. read more

We sat at bar and had some drinks. Nice atmosphere and bartenders were friendly. We had an order of chicken wings, which were good as well. I would come back to eat dinner here sometime. We will be back read more

The Ridley - Wings with a dirty martini. - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

We had a family gathering there. All the way through was great .. from making the reservation to ending the evening. We were greeted and welcomed by management. The wait staff was excellent, the food was delicious and plentiful. Several family members commented on what a great choice it was. I can't wait to visit again. Easy 5 stars ! read more

Saturday night was busy! Service was a tad bit slow but it wasn't bad. The waitress apologized and you could see she was working really hard. Bourbon street pasta: it was okay. I feel like it needed to be thicker and needed some salt. The chicken was dry. read more

The Ridley - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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We came for Saturday brunch on Mother's Day weekend. I was looking forward to having Southern food, as there's not much in my part of Southern California. Niece ordered the shrimp and grits. It was a good-sized portion that she needed a doggy bag to enjoy the next day. I got a cup of gumbo and the cinnamon roll. Both were excellent. The host was welcoming, and our server was pleasant. She obligingly took our photo several times, so I had my choice of the best shot. The place was light and airy, with the room open to the street. It was a nice day, so we had the best of both worlds: indoor seating, but a patio-like ambiance. We didn't realize that we could have had our parking validated for the valet, so we parked quite a distance away. read more

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Had a delicious experience at The Ridley! Stayed at a nearby hotel and decided just to walk over to this restaurant. I opted to sit outside and people watch as I enjoyed my fabulous kid free supper. Started with a purple royal gin fizz drink which was refreshing and perfect to sip while sitting and people watching. My meal was delivered hot and honestly is one of the top 5 meals of my life. The chicken was perfectly cooked and along with the gravy and the biscuit under it, was just scrumptious. The "sides" of the corn chowder, sweet potatoes and collards were just perfect with this meal. I ended it with a lava cake because, no meal is complete without dessert. I will be craving this entire meal for many months to come!! Service was very kind! They were understaffed at first but you couldn't tell but how quick they were and kind. The restaurant is nice and opens up to outside which gives it a great vibe. read more

The Ridley - Purple Royal Gin Fizz - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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THE BIG: Located in the Draftsman hotel in Charlottesville. It's close by the University of Virginia. Spacious indoor seating and a few tables outside next to the street. Valet parking only. THE BLACK AND WHITE: We stayed at the Draftsman and naturally the best place to grab food was The Ridley downstairs. It's African American owned and has that southern charm associated with the restaurant. Some of the food items we got were the grilled chicken sandwich, homestyle breakfast, veggie omelet, and shrimp & grits. My favorite was probably the grilled chicken sandwich. It was a nicely cooked chicken and a healthy heaping of avocado on top. Next would be the shrimp & grits. It was a bit heavy, and I was eating some uncooked grits, but the flavors were amazing. THE FINAL BAMBOO: Great food, however on the higher end. You can expect menu items to be from $20-$30. Good place for southern comfort food. read more

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So we came to Charlottesville on a last minute type trip and I wanted to experience a good brunch while in town. I saw the rich history behind the owner and decided I wanted to support a black owned restaurant. It was really beautiful on the inside. I enjoyed the diverse music. The best part was that the food was really good. I got the shrimp and grits and my mother got the breakfast platter. I think that was the name of it. The shrimp and grits were very flavorful and was more than enough to eat. My mother said she enjoyed the sausage and eggs also. I would highly recommend this beautiful restaurant to anyone visiting the area. read more

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Food was mostly delicious. Deviled eggs were just ok, a bit tasteless. Thec cornbread was amazing - dinner spoiler! I had a burger and it was seasoned and cooked perfectly. Very juicy. My husband had Cajun pasta and chicken which he enjoyed. The service was pleasant but getting water refills was challenging. When they did refill, they only refilled the person who asked, didn't top off the other water so we were constantly trying to get refills. The ambiance is nice. Not too busy on a Sunday night. read more

I love when the richness of the origin story of a restaurant matches the delectable dishes that come out of the kitchen. This black owned restaurant located in Charlottesville, VA was named after Walter Ridley who was the first to receive an academic doctoral degree from the University of Virginia. As part of the Thompson Restaurant Group was familiar with the aesthetic and I was excited to experience the menu at this establishment. My order consisted of: - Pineapple Lime Martini - Crispy Brussel Sprouts - Gumbo - Collard Greens Everything was beyond delicious and I would definitely comeback to order everything I ate again. read more

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I ordered a meal I had it delivered by Uber eats. When it was delivered, it was opened and tempered with The restaurant made no efforts in securing the food. The food was tampered with buy the Uber driver. Poor food safety by the restaurant The restaurant offered me food I do not trust them after this. It's beyond shameful to tamper with someone's food after a great tip was given. There's no helpline for Uber eats They will get you And so will the restaurant if you'd like to take a chance with a restaurant that does not secure their food for deliveries read more

Amazing wings, great beer on tap, and superb service!! The bartender Bella especially was so kind and attentive! I WILL be coming back

The service was great. One server negotiated all the tables with a big smile and checked in with the tables to make sure the food was delicious. We had shrimp and grits which was delicious. Grits seasoned well and the shrimps were large. Lamb kabobs were also delicious, although a little smaller than other places. Definitely coming back. read more

Nice decor. It's located in The Draftsman. Valet parking available. Came here for brunch with the family during family weekend at UVA. Reservation suggested, Service was a little slow likely because they were packed. We weren't in a rush and enjoyed our brunch. We'll be back. read more

I had the best shrimp tacos at the Ridley. Not only were they absolutely delicious. There was plenty of them. Each taco had lots of shrimp not just other things to stuff them and they were perfectly cooked. The service was excellent and so was the ambience. read more

We stayed at the draftsman's hotel and had a due entrance. The decor was modern and warm. I enjoyed the staff's hospitality. The food was fantastic. It came prompt and hot. A staple for Charlottesville! read more

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The food was very ordinary; probably the least impressive dining experience Ive encountered in a very, very long time. Its difficult to say anything positive about the food, and our waitress was well-intentioned but ultimately did not do very good job at all. This is one of those cases of "I was staying at the Hotel" so thought for convenience Id try the attached restaurant (which, I've generally had good success doing--and I'm not very fussy when it's this scenario). read more

Burger of all time. The onions were impeccable and I was obsessed with these sauce on it. Will definitely need to get my burger cooked medium next time and not medium rare but... phenomenal taste. Pricey but, in my opinion, worth it. read more

The Ridley - Steakhouse Burger - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

A lot could improve here. Food is mediocre. Service was spotty. Bar was not clean, even though not busy. read more

Nine of us for Mother's Day and it was perfect! Brussel sprouts were incredible! Everyone loved their order and our server was perfect! Great place to dine. read more

The service here has been TERRIBLE every time I've been there. Dirty tables. Waitresses walking by and never offering to clean table or take our order. Worst I've ever experienced. read more

Very sweet server and excellent food. Fast service despite being a very crowded Friday night read more

The Ridley - Salmon on salad - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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We took a drive over to Charlottesville for some quick shopping and a movie. We wanted to try a new spot (to us). We chose the Ridley and met Shelley! She was awesome with her personality, attentiveness and recommendations! We took her up on her recommendations and loved the cornbread, shrimp and grits, and fried chicken with smashed sweet potatos!! All was sooooo good! She connected with us almost immediately and helped us have a wonderful dining experience!! Check them out!! read more

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I still think the Ridley is a good restaurant choice in cville - the food has been slightly inconsistent the few times I've been (same with the service) so knocking off a star. If you're in, ask for Angela - she's the best server they have! read more

Had dinner here and tried the restaurant week menu-- three courses for $35. I thought the deal was great! The food wasn't the best I've ever had but I thought it was good for the price. The inside of the restaurant is spacious and similar to a lot of newer hotel restaurants/ bars. For the first course, I tried the Fried Green Tomatoes. These were tasty and I would get these again. For the second course, I ordered the Bourbon Street Pasta with Blackened Salmon. The pasta was overcooked, but the blackened salmon was perfectly cooked. For the third course, the Creme Brulee was good, but I wasn't a fan of the cinnamon they added to it. I appreciate that the Ridley is Black-owned and pays homage to Dr. Walter Ridley, the first Black student to graduate from UVA. I'm interested in coming back to try the other dishes on the menu. read more

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First off, just want to say we had great service here. Our waiter was attentive and gave us wonderful wine and appetizer suggestions. The skillet cornbread and Brussels sprouts were delicious. However, I ordered the salmon with white beans for the main course, and it was unfortunately disappointing. The salmon was and beans were alright, but lacked flavor. The peas seemed undercooked and almost crispy? I also got a cheesecake for dessert to share, and it was nothing special, and not quite as rich as I would typically expect for cheesecake. I did appreciate how it wasn't too sweet. Overall would give them more of 2.5 - extremely pricy for the lack of quality. read more

The Ridley - Seared Salmon - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Ordered the Poy boy and Nashville hot per the waitresses recommendation and both were tasty. Both not too big, decent portions. The Nashville chicken sandwich had a little sweetness to it. They make their ranch in house so you gotta have it to dip your fries in. It's a really nice vibe, a lot of sunlight inside, great place to get friends together for brunch. They have a bar with a couple tvs that's separate from the main dining area too if you want to catch a game and have a beer or cocktail. Also several outdoor tables, perfect if the weather is nice. read more

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Today's service was exceptional, I ended up making 2 trips for brunch and late night dessert. Molly, the host, made sure to seat me and remembered me when I came later that night! Any brunch server, Gail - was a delight to talk to. My dessert server, Karina, had my lava cake out quickly and it was delicious. 10/10 recommend the avocado toast and lava cake at this location. read more

This place is over priced for what you get. $20 for a plain Ceasars Salad. We got there before dinner rush and it took a very long time to be served. Service was mediocre at best. Very loud atmosphere We ate there because we traveled all day and didn't want to drive anywhere. BAD MISTAKE!!! read more

We've eaten several times at the Ridley and can recommend it as a reliable restaurant inside the Draftsman. The seasonal cocktails change, but the rest of the menu is consistent each time we visit. The deviled eggs are worth trying! And the Brussels sprouts are a little spicy, in a good way. read more

The Ridley - Seasonal cocktail menu in December - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

First off our server David was amazing! I got their martini but with gin and for the second one he made me a pomegranate martini that was so good I could have gotten 10 of them! I also had their deviled eggs that had candied bacon on top so of course they were amazing and a great little bite to have while sipping on cocktails. Def glad we stopped in before heading up to our room for the night. read more

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I've been to many restaurants across the country, and unfortunately, this was by far one of the worst brunch experiences I have ever had. It took over 20 minutes from the time our group sat down to place an order. Our waiter was constantly nowhere to be found and it took forever to get his attention for anything. A table next to ours received their food before us despite the fact that they arrived after us. By the time our food eventually came, it was extremely cold and tasted like it had been sitting out for a while -- which wouldn't be a surprise since our waiter seemed to forget about our table altogether. And if that all wasn't enough, after we got our receipt (once we managed to get our waiter's attention), we realized that we were charged for TWO sandwiches despite only ordering one. Attaching the photo of our receipt here for proof since the restaurant refuses to answer their phone -- again, not a shocker. To top it all off, the delayed (lack of) service almost made us late for my friend's out-of-town departure. Unless you are desperate for food and have no other options, do not come here. I cannot stress this enough. read more

The Ridley - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Being one of the newest restaurant / bars in town has its pros and cons. TR has large interior and exterior dining, which are in relatively good condition, however, it lacks character. The FOH Team handled the entire male clientele with ease. Food is surprisingly good, but doesn't set itself apart from the competition. Ok, but not wow. read more

Ordered the deviled eggs, oysters, and shrimp and grits. Deviled eggs 3/10 Oyster Rockefeller 8/10. They would've been a 10/10 if they didn't arrive to the table cold. Shrimp and Grits 10/10. This dish was so good. Very flavorful with the slightest hint of spice. I absolutely loved it! read more

The Ridley - Shrimp and Grits - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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The experience began by waiting for 10 + minutes for someone to acknowledge us. I watched as the servers whispered about who was going to wait on us. Charlotte was chosen and she had an attitude the entire time. The food was horrible and slow to arrive. The cornbread was blah. The deviled eggs were also blah. Our entrees were supposed to be "blackened", but arrived burned, instead. Wr ended up getting them removed from the bill, but the process was difficult and they made it seem like we were the problem. We should have just eaten inedible food and liked it. Our server was upset that we complained about it. The service should have been better. We observed them all goofing off, in a group, instead of waiting on people. I would warn people not to go here. The food and service are awful. Marriott should have them removed. It is a black eye for the company. I expect so much more. read more

Service is awful. Same experience in the bar that others have noted. The bartender fees act as if they are God's gift to you IF you get them to taken your order. If you are at a high top they won't come to you. Then they got my drink wrong but wouldn't acknowledge it. It's especially bad if you are an invisible woman over 60 and not a cute UVA student. Too expensive; too arrogant read more

Ambiance was great but the food was slacking. Started off with the Espresso Martini w/chocolate coca puffs on top, however it didn't come with the topping. Ordered the fried green tomatoes appetizer, the breading was thicker than the tomato so the tomatoes weren't cooked. Lastly the Mac and cheese didn't have any cheese but had a major helping of bread crumbs on top. Very disappointing food experience. read more

We were staying at the hotel and tried it for dinner, it was underwhelming. The service was slow, the drinks watery, and the food just uninteresting. The acoustics in the bar and restaurant are also terrible with people's voices amplifying in the cavernous space. our serrver told us when it gets loud they just turn up the music...not great. There are so many more unique and interesting places you eat, trust me, skip this one. read more