The Local

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Address:
824 Hinton Ave
Charlottesville, VA 22902

Neighborhood:
Charlottesville

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Cuisine:
Contemporary American

Price: $30 and under

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The Local Details

Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Website: http://www.thelocal-cville.com
Phone: (434) 984-9749
Hours of Operation: Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:30pm - 10:00pm, Friday & Saturday: 5:30pm - 11:00pm
Payment Options: AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Contemporary American, Comfort Food
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes

Getting there

Parking: Public Lot

A word from The Local

Come visit and experience The Local! We believe everyone should experience meals that feature delicately prepared fresh local ingredients in a great atmosphere. In our corner of the world, everyone's a Local. EAT, DRINK, & BE LOCAL

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerGood for Groups
Diners' Choice WinnerNeighborhood Gem
Diners' Choice WinnerMost Booked

Diner Reviews

"Came with our kids, one at UVA, one about to start there to celebrate a birthday and admission. Great locally sourced food. Inventive menu. Farily priced. Fun, slightly off-the-beaten track neighborhood, but still close to downtown. Thoughtful, caring service."
Dined on 4/13/2014
"We had reservations for this past Saturday night and when we arrived I was thankful because the entire place was PACKED! Our waitress was great about acknowledging that the food/drinks were taking a long time though. Everything was delicious, but I will say that my Squash dish could have been a bit larger. It was almost like a side item and not an entree. I thought it would come on a bed of quinoa and not just sprinkle it on like a garnish. Thank goodness for the beer or else I wouldn't have been satisfied/full at all."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"We came on a night when there was a big street party going on just across from the restaurant. Must admit we weren't as impressed with it as much as the first time we went. It's an easy place to hang out... but food wasn't as good as we thought it should be for the price. I had the duck breast, and the sauce was a bit overwhelming- hard to taste the duck! Our order was a bit messed up too: We ordered two appetizers to share, salads for everyone, and entrees. The salads and cheese plate came out at the same time, and the other appetizer never showed up. So, instead of enjoying an appetizer, then a salad- they came out at the same time. Hopefully they were just thrown off by the street party..."
Dined on 4/13/2014
"Everything was very tasty. Good size portions and reasonable prices."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"I personally recommended the local to a group of medical students that are new to the area and interested in local dining experiences. I am mortified that I did so. The service was awful. Long story short, our entrees took close to 2 hours to make it to us, despite the fact that we clearly had another event to go to that night. Server was absentee the entire evening. She made an effort to compensate by bringing a complementary app to the table -4 shrimp to a table of 6. It was a joke. Entrees were decent although mine was slightly cold and the duck was apparently quite bland. Overall not unique enough to make me return given the service again. Could not believe manager didn't come by nor did they offer to comp any of our meal."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"We were passing through Charlottesville so I looked for a local farm-to-table restaurant. I booked a reservation online -- good thing we did, it was EXTREMELY crowded, but we were seated right away. The menu had good variety in seasonal foods. The waiter was fairly attentive in taking our order, but it went downhill from there. After about 45 min, he told us the kitchen was backed-up, but we had had no water refills, no bread, no nothing. At about 8:30, our order was lost, but we had our food by 9. The 1/4 chicken that my husband had was dry and had little flavor. The half-portion of mushroom raggot that I had was delicious but extremely small. The roasted beet salad was good. The did comp us dinner but we won't be going back"
Dined on 4/12/2014
"We visit whenever we are in town and always have a good experience. This visit, I ended up under a blinding spotlight, near a woman with a very grating voice, and my salad had no dressing... but I still enjoyed it. They dimmed the lights, exchanged the salad, and somehow after a glass or two from the bar, that woman's voice dimmed. Still, quite a loud restaurant, so though it feels special, it's definitely not the romantic spot it could be."
Dined on 4/11/2014
"I have had some excellent meals at the Local, so I was disappointed that they did not live up to their usual standards. The short ribs and gnocchi have both been long time favorites. This time the short ribs were served differently, but not for the better. The meat was prepared differently and the sauce was not nearly as good as it used to be. They were out of the gnocchi, and it was frustrating that our server didn't tell us this until we ordered. Two of us ordered the mac and cheese with chorizo only to have our server come back and tell us that they were out of chorizo and they were not substituting anything in its place. The dish was still ordered, but ended up being plain and unexciting. I hope this was simply an off night."
Dined on 4/6/2014
"While not a bad place, it is one that one should make certain fits their dining desires - in this case, loud and busy. My wife and I had to lean over to hear each other and that was at 6 pm. The place is smallish and the stream of people coming in and out felt like a train station. Our order came to the table within 2 minutes of ordering. It was so fast the waiter commented on it. How can fresh, well prepared food come from the kitchen that fast? Still, the gnocchi was very good as was the Salmon (though the potato salad was poor). In the end, given the price, the noise and crowds, I like the other options in Charlottesville. But, the food is good. So, if you desire a louder scene, then I would think you will be pleased here."
Dined on 4/5/2014
"I had heard great things about The Local so decided to try it for a birthday celebration with family. It was a very busy night so despite a reservation we waited an hour. I am not sure whether this is customary on busy nights. However, once seated we had a great dinner and our server was very pleasant and attentive. I like the idea of serving local food and also like to support locally owned businesses. I would recommend it to others, although on busy UVa weekends get a reservation and don't be in a rush."
Dined on 4/5/2014
"Cheese plate was great and a great price. Cocktails were good as well. Fried chicken special was overpriced and a bit dry. My biggest issue was the sever. She constantly walked around us to clear tables and talk to other employees while we waited for: drink refills, dessert to go, and the check and was not very friendly to say the least. I am a chef locally and I understand when a server is swamped and doin their best, but this was not the case. This was my second time trying the local and I'm sorry to say I don't think I'll be back. Unfortunately bad service can sometimes outweigh the food."
Dined on 4/1/2014
"Cheese plate was great, but entrees needed some help. I had the duck, which was a new menu item, and there were some technical issues that can be easily remedied. The duck wasn't scored before cooking so the fat didn't render properly. Alas, the outer layer of skin was crispy enough, but was topped with a pile of overly-wet slaw that just made the previously crispy skin a little rubbery. The flavors were all there, but the duck jus' acidity level was a bit too high. My date had the meatloaf, and while it tasted super yummy (just like mom used to make), it was a bit dry."
Dined on 3/31/2014
"Nice place located in an area I would not usually go to being from out of town. Liked the feel of a local place. Only bad part was the seating. Sit downstairs if you can. This area is nice and better suited for a nice dinner. The hostess took us up a rainy outside staircase to get to the upstairs, which really should not have tables for 2. It is way too loud to even hear the person next to you. There servers get slammed upstairs and don't pay enough attention at times and it takes longer to get drinks. i would come back just sit down stairs. Nice beer list and local wine list"
Dined on 3/29/2014
"We were in the area checking out colleges and did a restaurant search on Trip Advisor. They had everything we were looking for and even better they had an amazing wine list. Great food, great service. Must check out!"
Dined on 3/27/2014
"Food was good, service was good. The hostess wanted to seat us outside and we wanted to be inside, so took a while to straighten that out."
Dined on 3/22/2014
"New to area and wanted a good restaurant to take company to. Was all that we expected. Will go back."
Dined on 3/22/2014
"On this particular Tuesday night occasion the comfort level was high--the restaurant was less than full thus the noise level was moderate. The food was as good as usual, particularly the short ribs. The salmon dish was worthy of recommendation as well. The service was as efficient as always, and the prices moderate. In short, The Local is a worth repeated visits."
Dined on 3/11/2014
"Service lacked that evening. Had reservation and arrived early. Sat at bar and waited for time of reservation. Hostess forgot us! We were seated, hostess apologized. However, waiter didn't arrive at table until 10 minutes after we were seated. Maybe just a bad evening for service. However, the food was GREAT! Will return and try again. Beware, restaurant being in neighborhood the parking was very difficult especially with the snow."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"I was confused when we got there because we had to wait in a long line with other people with reservations , just to " check- in". 20 minutes later we were seated. An efficiency expert needs to move their front desk out in front of the restaurant and give the staff a place to walk to the tables that they are trying to serve. Our food was delicious and worth the wait! This place is very popular with the college crowd and had a nice assortment of choices."
Dined on 3/8/2014
"We had dinner with friends (4 ppl total). Atmosphere was neat. Server was super sweet and VERY knowledgeable about the food and drink menu! Everything was great. Salmon was a little dry but still tasted good! Great experience and we will definitely go back:)"
Dined on 3/8/2014
"My daughter and I visited the Local to celebrate her birthday. We both had the Gnocchi Bolognese, which we have had before and it was fabulous, as was the Goat Cheese Salad."
Dined on 3/8/2014
"First time eating at the Local. We did enjoy our meal... not the best we've ever had but I would call it "pretty good". I had the braised beef short ribs. They were tender... a few big fat chunks that appeared to be meat and a really big bone, but the edible portion was good. Flavored really well... It was served on mashed potatoes that were great. The side carrots and pearl onion could have used a little more cooking, but overall a nice dish. My husband had the grill pork chop, very nice, good flavor, cooked perfectly. The shoestring fried sweet potatoes on top were kinda cold, greasy and would be better replaced with something else. Great atmosphere and service. Enjoyed ourselves."
Dined on 3/2/2014
"We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at the Local. Our food was delicious, the layers of flavors in each platter were really savory. We brought our friend from France. He loved it too. Our server was very knowledgable about the menu as well as the wine selection."
Dined on 3/1/2014
"Delicious for any occasion. Great service. Definitely make a reservation because everyone is coming to taste the goodness."
Dined on 3/1/2014
"I am not a vegan but absolutely loved the goat cheese stuffed acorn squash and all of the flavors contributed by quinoa, dried cherries, almond silvers, tomato sauce. My mom had the short ribs which were fall off the bone but lacked a little punch. My fiance had the trout. He cleaned his plate and ravved about the grits it was served over, but acknowledged the fish lacked its own flavor. Restaurant does a booming business and sitting upstairs would help prevent the overflow of people waiting for tables from hovering over your own. We sat in the back right corner which was pleasant but near the kitchen and bar entrance. I felt badly for folks who sat up at the front as they had people in their meal."
Dined on 3/1/2014
"The Local was a great date night spot. Prices were reasonable and the food was delicious. We will definitely be going back!"
Dined on 3/1/2014
"Delicious food and wonderful environment. Always a pleasure to dine at The Local!"
Dined on 2/28/2014
"I would return to this resturant we (6 people) had a nice evening. I personely enjoyed the general layout of the resturant and found the people to be profassional. I was able to taste the crispy duck, meat loaf, short ribs and the lamb and thought all were good but not exceptional and I thought the price was in line with the quality. The resaurant became unpleasently loud as the evening progressed, but it seemed to be an isolated table. Thanks"
Dined on 2/22/2014
"We got there early and went to the bar. We got the shrimp app and some wine. The shrimp were huge. My wine, a red was too warm. The room temp was high and they obviously just let the reds sit at room temp. We were seated right at our reservation time. However, our server took 20 minutes to show up. He would only make 2 more appearances all night, both times we had to flag him. The bacon wrapped meatloaf was fantastic."
Dined on 2/22/2014
"I invited ten of my friends and family members to dine at The Local for a combined birthday and college graduation dinner. The atmosphere, service, and food menu were all excellent. I had eaten there the summer before outside on the patio and enjoyed the downtown area. I grew up three blocks down the street, so it was bittersweet to see how the area has developed into a very busy commerical cornerstone of what used to be in the late 1970's to 80's. We all had a wonderful time and our server was excellent. I recommend The Local to the "locals" and visiting company to Charlottesville. Just excellent!"
Dined on 2/1/2014
"My husband and I had been anxious to try the Local. Had heard and read so many great things about it. The food lived up to out expectations, but the atmosphere left a little to be desired. The food was great and our server was helpful and very friendly. High marks for both. Unfortunately, it was a chilly evening and we were seated on the enclosed deck. While it wasn't freezing outside, the chill on the deck was definitely a distraction. Tables for 2 inside were crammed in very close to one another so the deck seating gave us more room. We did feel a bit rushed. We had barely taken a sip of our cocktail before our first course was delivered and barely finished with our first course before our entrees arrived. Dampened the experience."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"I have eaten at The Local a number of times since it opened - probably more than a dozen. It's always been excellent. My "go-to" item is the Salmon, which has always been excellent. I ordered it this time and it was terrible. It was slightly "fishy" tasting, and honestly was absolutely tasteless. It was really bland. I ended up sharing my husband's meal, which was very good (the veggie pasta special). Our friends had the meatloaf and said it was outstanding. I hope the chef goes back to the old salmon dish. It was MUCH better."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"The food was delicious and reasonable. The service was above average and would have likely been better if the waitress didn't have to walk up and down a flight of stairs to get from the kitchen to our table. It was about 20 degrees when we went, and the swinging door to the outside seemed to bother a lot of the older patrons. It didn't bother me, but it could bother you...I don't know...we've never met. I imagine it is an awesome place to dine in the spring and summer."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"We love The Local. Since moving to the area, we've really gotten into the buy fresh eat local thing, and The Local sure fits the bill! The last time out we were celebrating family that just bought a house and were moving into the area as well. I had the meatloaf (FABULOUS), wife had the Salmon, which she loved. The others in our party had the meatloaf and the Local Burger, all excellent. Our server was friendly and attentive. For a Sunday night, they were wall to wall people. We'll be back."
Dined on 2/16/2014
"We picked The Local on a recommendation from a friend and the restaurant receiving "Best Service" in Cville Magazine. After being seated for 15 minutes, we finally found a bus girl (easily the friendliest employee in the restaurant) to find a server for us. After 25 minutes, we finally had a server and received our drinks. When our waiter arrived, no apology was given. We ordered the pumpkin ravioli which was tasty. When the meals arrived, my girlfriend's Short Ribs were cold and my Pork chop was extremely dry while my mashed potatoes were cold. Spoke to a manager who was more interested in telling us our experience was not a representation of the restaurant than giving us an apology. Would not recommend to anyone."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"We were really looking forward to a great meal to celebrate a special occasion, and everything disappointed. The service was slow, and not particularly attentive. The food was either overcooked, or somewhat bland. The staff didn't seem that knowledgeable. We also received our main courses before one of our appetizers and our wine. And, although I had called ahead to have a dessert and candle arranged for my boyfriend's birthday, they completely forgot and I had to remind them. Sort of seemed like one misstep to the next. Even though it sounds great on paper, it really doesn't deliver."
Dined on 2/8/2014
"Took my wife here for her birthday, and it was really worth the trip. The ambiance is so warm, the whole upper room was comfortable and fun. The food was awesome, we had the cheese plate, the goat cheese salad, the gnocchi bolognese, and the steak frites. Lets do it again!"
Dined on 2/8/2014
"Visiting Charlottesville, this restaurant was a great choice. Young crowd and vibrant, but we were still able to talk and hear each other. Good wine list and selection of VA wines. Enjoyed homemade gnocchi, flank steak and short ribs, all at reasonable prices. Will definitely visit again."
Dined on 2/7/2014
"My girlfriend had been in previously and was disappointed this time around. Sat upstairs on some sort of makeshift dining area. Had to walk upstairs, outside last a junkyard to get there. All food was delivered from the outside. Every time door opened rush of cold air entered dining area. They should consider a double door. Food was ok not great. Burger was average. I at last week at Citizen Burger and it was much better. Waited for ketchup why the fries cooled from that chill air. Why not bring ketchup with the food!"
Dined on 2/7/2014
"I have worked in the restaurant business for 5 years and I have to say I was very sad that our server did NOTHING special to celebrate my husbands birthday.... and I even left a note on the reservation I made on open table. we had a party of 11 adults and the spacing and table setup was absolutely TERRIBLE .. we were practically sitting on top of each other, confusing table settings and drinks, and could not freely move to and from the bathroom without having almost half of the party get up as well because the table was pushed so close to the wall.... Sad to say but I would neither recommend nor go back to this venue for a large group dining experience NOR a birthday celebration. the food was good but expensive for the portion served."
Dined on 2/1/2014

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