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The Ridley, Charlottesville, VA

The Ridley

4.0
4
523 Reviews
$30 and under
Regional American (Southern)

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2 people
19:00
Booked 16 times today
  • Great for brunch
  • Good for groups
  • Lively
The Ridley is THE destination for upscale-casual dining and fresh seafood offerings in Charlottesville, Virginia. Located within The Draftsmen boutique hotel, The Ridley combines convenience and accessibility with an unparalleled dining experience. As one of Charlottesville’s Black-owned restaurants, the concept pays homage to Dr. Walter N. Ridley, the first Black student to graduate from The University of Virginia and receive a graduate degree from any major, historically white public university in the South.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Regional American (Southern), Seafood
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 07:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 07:00–00:00
  • Phone number
    (434) 984-8010
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Robert Anglin
  • Area
    Charlottesville
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wine

What 523 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.0
4 based on recent ratings
  • 3.9Food
  • 4Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 3.8Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Charlottesville

    Innovative

  • Charlottesville

    Good for groups

  • Charlottesville

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Ridley offers a diverse menu with standout dishes like "excellent chicken & waffles" and "Eggs Benedict is a must try." Patrons appreciate its "great energy and atmosphere" and attentive staff, though service can be inconsistent. Located in "the heart of Charlottesville," it balances "sophisticated vibes" with casual dining.

523 Reviews
  1. Veronica VIP

    Wilmington99 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Very busy evening. Our server was very busy with large tables. She was good but definitely needed one more server for the number of large tables.

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  2. Ethan

    Richmond1 review

    1.0

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Ordered the $40 ribeye and it came out like it was made in a school cafeteria. About 1/4 inch thick, potatoes were unseasoned, mushroom sauce was like it was straight from a can.

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  3. Samuel VIP

    Washington DC7 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 17 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Good food.....food came out a little slow, but the service was good. Great ambiance.

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  4. qurell

    Richmond11 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The restaurant is a attached to a Hotel. I had French toast and bacon; which was good. My husband had the gumbo which he enjoyed and the shrimp and grits that he did not enjoy as much. My only real complaint is that my glass was dirty. I tried to wipe it off but whatever was on the glass was sticky, the silverware was dirty, the black cloth napkin had lint and hair on it. I ended up asking for plastic utensils, paper napkins and a to-go cup.

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  5. Kristy

    Richmond23 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Service was excellent. Food was good. Not great but tasty!

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  6. Kara

    Baltimore2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server, Lucas, was wonderful! Beautiful restaurant.

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  7. Sarah

    Washington DC9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As always, menu has great variety and food is terrific. Wonderful service from start to finish.

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  8. Evan

    Richmond1 review

    3.0

    Dined on 14 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was excellent, recommend the cornbread appetizer.

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  9. Jill

    Richmond25 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 8 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food. Restaurant week menu had great options and was a good deal. Pretty noisy even for a night that it was not packed. Food took a while, then dessert came when we were still eating our entrees. Parking was a challenge. It was not clear what was public and what was not.

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  10. Bill

    Richmond11 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 8 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Maybe it was the dreary weather but it our latest visit to the Ridley something was off. Service was just fine but the food wasn’t near as good this time as our last visit. We will need to go back again and try to figure it out. Valet parking is inexpensive ($5) to park which is great, the service was really good but something was off.

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FAQs

The Ridley offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (434) 984-8010.

The Ridley is rated 4 stars by 523 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 16 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Ridley

1106 W Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2822

Additional information

  • Area
    Charlottesville
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 07:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 07:00–00:00
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Regional American (Southern), Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Executive Chef
    Robert Anglin
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wine
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