Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Charlottesville

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Charlottesville? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Public Fish & Oyster

4.8

4.8 (2760)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Public Fish and Oyster serves only the freshest and responsibly sourced seafood. We believe in the complete dining experience and our knowledgeable staff is eager to provide you with the best dining experience Charlottesville has to offer.

Top review

ValerieVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Food was outstanding - raw oysters, flounder, mussels all wonderful. Excellent wine and beer offerings.

Black Cow Chophouse

4.8

4.8 (594)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Black Cow Chophouse is Charlottesville's spot for steaks, chops, fine wines, modern & classic cocktails and fun times. We feature a huge daily selection of both dry-aged and non dry-aged local and nationally sourced beef, as well as pork, game and lamb cuts. Our beverage program is carefully crafted and our hospitality is second to none. For the budget conscious, visit during our daily happy hour from 4:30 to 6:00 for Charlottesville's best steak deal and discounted drinks.

Top review

Vicky

Dined 4 days ago

Such a good restaurant 😋 Get there early for happy hour specials.

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4.7

4.7 (1565)

$31 to $50

Southern

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Maya is now accepting reservations from 4:30-8:30 every day as well as curbside take out orders during the same hours. Enjoy happy hour at the bar from 4:30-7 or our late night bar Thursday through Saturday.

Please visit our homepage to see our updated selections daily. Please call if you require a reservation over 8 guests or specialized seating requests. Seating preferences will be honored based on volume and staffing.

Located in the center of Charlottesville Virginia’s Midtown, MAYA serves dinner 7 days a week. Our made from scratch menu is prepared daily in honor of the Old Southern Kitchen.

Top review

TimVIP

Dined on Jun 24, 2025

Ted is the best bartender in Charlottesville! Great food great service great atmosphere!

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Popular dish

Pimento Cheese Fritters

4.7

4.7 (1138)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Ten is a modern Japanese tapas style restaurant, centrally located on Charlottesville's Downtown Mall.

Since 2006, Ten has served a variety of both traditional and original cuisine.

Chef Pei Jen Chang sources ingredients from the finest local, regional, and international sea and farm purveyors, and strives to offer fare that will appeal to the gamut of culinary palates.

Our bar menu boasts an extensive wine list, an assortment of imported and local craft beers, as well as one of the largest collections of sake in Virginia. In addition, we offer a unique selection of libations, such as hand-crafted Asian inspired cocktails, assembled using inventive, authentic ingredients, or a 'Sake Flight', which allows for the subtle, intricate flavors of three selected varietals to be experienced.

The meaning of the Japanese word 'Ten' is 'heaven' or 'celebration', and our highest goal is to create an elevated, adventurous, and intimate dining experie

Top review

PaulVIP

Dined on Jun 24, 2025

Ten is one of our favorite restaurants. My son and I went two weeks ago to Ten and, after eating at some other superb restaurants in Cville, my son requested we go to Ten with his family to celebrate his birthday. It was even better the second time because we had four adults and could order more items. Every item was excellent!!

Rapture

4.6

4.6 (237)

$30 and under

Southern

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Rapture features playful, farm-to-table Southern cuisine in a swank-but-cozy atmosphere. We have outdoor dining, billiards tables, and live music several nights a week.

Top review

cindyVIP

Dined on May 17, 2025

Ate outside. Excellent service and very good food.

Mockingbird

4.5

4.5 (19)

$30 and under

Southern

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Mockingbird: Where Southern Charm Meets Virginia Bounty

Located in Charlottesville's Belmont neighborhood, Mockingbird is a destination for those who appreciate Southern cuisine with a modern twist. Chef Melissa Close-Hart, an Alabamian, passionately crafts a menu that highlights Virginia's fresh, seasonal ingredients while honoring Southern flavors.

Step into our beautifully restored 19th-century building and enjoy a lively bar and inviting atmosphere. Sunlight fills the space, showcasing exposed brick walls and elegant wood floors. Choose between cozy indoor seating or vibrant outdoor patio to soak in the neighborhood's charm.

Our menu features Southern classics reimagined with creativity. Start with our signature biscuit basket, served with honey butter, pepper jelly, and apple butter. For appetizers, try the fried green tomatoes with whipped pimento cheese or crispy Double H Farms pork belly. For main course, savor our Southern shrimp and grits, featuring NOLA-style BBQ shrimp.

Top review

Gregory

Dined 5 days ago

First, all menu items were marked GF (gluten-free) and DF (dairy free), and we had no reactions. So that's worth 5 stars. Second, the seasoning could have been better for the shrimp and grits, and the atmosphere was a bit loud.

The Good Sport

4.4

4.4 (113)

$30 and under

Pub

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

The Good Sport delivers classic tavern fare, local craft beer and a sense of familiarity in a warm and relaxed setting – the perfect pre- and post-game spot, or a reprise after a long workday. This gathering place serves up comforting classics, such as Wagyu Brisket Slider with hydro watercress, fresh grated horseradish crème and shaved onion, along with a classic Fried Chicken Sandwich, with kimchi slaw, chili crisp mayo and pickled cucumbers. A large selection of signature cocktails, as well as whiskeys, local wines, and other spirits rounds out the bar experience. Valet parking is available, free for the first two hours with validation. Street parking is also available without a permit after 5pm daily and on the weekends.

Top review

Chris

Dined 5 days ago

Excellent pre theatre spot. Service was courteous and friendly. Welcoming . Food and drinks were excellent.

Emmy Squared Pizza - Charlottesville

4.4

4.4 (7)

$30 and under

Pizzeria

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

Founded on an unconditional love of well-made food, we use only the highest quality ingredients for our famous Detroit-style pizzas. As Emmy Squared has grown, we’ve continued to make fans and receive accolades along the way, including winning Nashville’s Battle of the Burger, being recognized as one of "The Best New Burgers in NYC" (Gothamist) and one of the "20 Best Burgers in NYC" (Infatuation). Besides award-winning pizzas and burgers, you’ll find delectable appetizers, sandwiches, and salads on our extensive menu. We look forward to welcoming you to Emmy Squared Charlottesville and sharing our unique take on American “comfort food.”

Top review

Ann

Dined on May 18, 2025

Emmy is a nice addition to Cville. We will return. Very nice menu choices and love the addition of seasonal specials. The crust was delicious, but I would like to have more sauce next visit and hope that is an option, even if a cost. Thank you!

Birch & Bloom

4.2

4.2 (349)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

We’re captivated by the natural beauty and bounty of Virginia. That’s why our menu is much more than a traditional steakhouse: terrific cuts, of course, complimented by locally caught seafood, sides fresh from the farmers market, and award-winning wine from across the globe. We’re not just for celebrating, and we’re not just a steakhouse: we’re the sophisticated dining experience that every steakhouse wants to be when it grows up. Valet parking is available, free for the first two hours with validation. Street parking is also available without a permit after 5pm daily and on the weekends.

Top review

Yara

Dined on Jun 18, 2025

Love the food, the drinks, staff really professional Amazing Experience !!!

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Charlottesville Restaurant Week

The Bebedero

4.0

4 (109)

$30 and under

Mexican

Charlottesville

About the restaurant

The Bebedero is a Mexican restaurant serving a blend of traditional flavors with contemporary fusions. The eatery has a vibrant and energetic ambience and is adorned with bright hues in a chic modern style. The artistic style interiors and friendly staff members make The Bebedero a wonderful place to enjoy the tasty food with background music and southwestern fashion. The restaurant also offers outdoor seating for a more relaxed environment.

The Bebedero has a full alcohol bar to enjoy food with drinks. Stew de albondigas, del mar stew, chile relleno, snapper a la parrila and pumpkin seed pipianon are known to be some of the popular entrée menu items. The restaurant also has scrumptious appetizers, kids' menu, shared plates and dessert variety.

The Governor's new guidelines require all alcohol service to be suspended at 10pm. You may still sit and dine, but after ten pm no alcoholic beverages can still be on your table.

Top review

Spence

Dined on May 14, 2025

Great live music! Service could’ve been a bit more attentive but food was great as always.

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