The Ridley

4.2

488 Reviews

$30 and under

Southern

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 28 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for groups
Charming
Great for happy hour

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
Southern, Seafood
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 7:00 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 7:00 am–12:00 am
Phone number
(434) 984-8010
Website
http://www.theridleyva.com/
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Robert Anglin

Location
1106 W Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2822
Neighborhood
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, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Experiences

Thanksgiving Brunch and Dinner Buffets
Nov 28, 2024 only
Come on in on Thanksgiving and let us do the cooking and cleanup! From 7 am - 12 pm we will feature a brunch buffet and from 2 - 9 pm we will feature a Thanksgiving dinner buffet with all your classic holiday dishes.

What 488 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.2

4.2 based on recent ratings

4.2Food
4.2Service
4.3Ambience
4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Charlottesville
Innovative
Charlottesville
Good for groups
Charlottesville
Great for outdoor dining
Charlottesville
Lively
Charlottesville
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Ridley offers a blend of Southern and American cuisine in a chic setting. With dishes like shrimp and grits, fried chicken, and Eggs Benedict, "the food was so good!" Many patrons praise the "friendly service" and "great cocktail" selection. Despite occasional service hiccups, the ambiance and menu variety make it a popular choice for celebrations and brunches.

488 Reviews

L
Lewis
Washington DC
37 reviews
vip
5.0
37 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Pleasant ambience. Food was outstanding as was the service
Is this helpful?
K
Kathleen
New York City
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on November 15, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was very good (as were the drinks) and the service was awesome! Live the vibe too!
Is this helpful?
J
Jon
Toronto
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Great concept! Food was good but not excellent. Waitstaff was trying hard but seemed overwhelmed
Is this helpful?
M
Maureen
Wilmington
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
The food was outstanding. Fried Chicken was crisp and moist. Ribs fell off the bone and the glaze was tangy and sweet. The server was lovely, but stretched thin on this evening. Two large parties took her attention. I would recommend dining here. I will be back for the salmon and shrimp and grits next time!
Is this helpful?
L
Lisa
Atlanta Metro
10 reviews
2.0
10 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Super disappointed at brunch after reading the good reviews here. We went to Sunday brunch. They didn’t have any tea or coffee immediately available, so that took a while. Food took a long time to come out, but we were enjoying our conversations, so it wasn’t a big deal. Three of us got chicken dishes, and everyone’s chicken was over cooked. Honestly, you couldn’t even tell it was chicken, and the gravy was a big brown glob. The good thing was the servers being super nice. I just don’t think I’d go back…at least not for brunch.
Is this helpful?
G
Gail
Washington DC
19 reviews
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on November 8, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food and service were very good. Ambience very nice and noise level was great, meaning you could actually hear the conversation at your table.
Is this helpful?
P
Payton
Charlotte
3 reviews
1.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 1, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
We made a reservation for this place and ended up leaving to go somewhere else before ordering a meal. We got a bottle of wine that tasted cheap- looked it up and it was $6 retail sold to us for $43. It was off the menu and when we got the bill they tried to charge us $61. When we told the wine lady she immediately gaslit us and then proceeded to talk about us within ear shot with staff. This place is a scam and the food around us did not look good, others left with full plates.
Is this helpful?
J
Joshua
Washington DC
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on October 27, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
Service was slow and confused; multiple items were sold out but there was a long delay after we ordered telling us about it. When the mac and cheese appetizer finally came out, it was cold. The rest of the food was excellent but not worth the exceptionally long wait. Servers seemed apologetic and restaurant was busy because of UVA parents weekend, but it still was disappointing
Is this helpful?
T
Tracy
Greater Boston
18 reviews
vip
4.0
18 reviews
Dined on October 26, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Good food, heavy but very tasty. Service was a little slow for a 3/4 full dining room.
Is this helpful?
M
Mindy
Chicago
9 reviews
vip
3.0
9 reviews
Dined on October 26, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Food was okay, typical hotel lobby food. Drinks are ridiculously overpriced. There's no parking. Our server Angelique was very nice
Is this helpful?

FAQs

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

The Ridley is rated 4.2 stars by 488 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 28 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

1106 W Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2822

Additional information

Neighborhood
Charlottesville
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 7:00 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 7:00 am–12:00 am
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
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, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Website
http://www.theridleyva.com/
Phone number
(434) 984-8010

The Ridley

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Experiences

Thanksgiving Brunch and Dinner Buffets

Menu

What 488 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Ridley offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Ridley restaurant rated?

Is The Ridley currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information