The Ridley

"I went with my husband and sister-in-law which happened to be Charlottesville’s Restaurant Week. The first red flag was the restaurant only having five tables full on a Friday night at 7PM. We sat down and ordered our appetizers, only to have to wait 30 minutes for them to come to the table (this was the only good food the entire night) cornbread and fried green tomatoes. Halfway through eating our appetizers, our entrees were brought. We had the chicken and waffles and the shrimp and grits. The shrimp and grits were stone cold, and the chicken and waffles were both flavorless and barely breaded. We asked for the shrimp and grits to be served at the very least warmed up. The waitress returned with an even colder dish of shrimp and grits. After the entree, we waited another 25 minutes for dessert and another 15 for the bill. I would highly recommend taking your money somewhere else. The ambiance does not match the quality of food and service. The bill was over $130 which is unacceptable for the lackluster experience and food. The best part of the entire night was the incredibly sweet receptionist at the adjoining hotel who comped the valet parking because she felt horrible we spent that much on what most people call it a “so so” restaurant. We should have waited the extra twenty minutes at Texas Roadhouse for a FULLY packed restaurant at 6PM."

"As a couple experiencing our first Thanksgiving dinner without our children, my wife and I looked forward to a special evening at Ridley. Unfortunately, our experience fell far short of expectations. Our first impression was mixed; while the host displayed warmth towards other guests, our interaction felt perfunctory, marred by being handed a visibly dirty menu, which significantly dampened our spirits. Despite asking for a clean one, we were curtly informed that only the Thanksgiving menu was available, contrary to the options given during our Open Table reservation. Expecting an exquisite dining experience, especially for a $200 meal, we were sorely disappointed. The presentation and quality of the Thanksgiving dishes were underwhelming. The turkey resembled uninspired lunch meat, the gravy was thickening unappetizingly, and the sides, including mashed potatoes and green beans, were bland, necessitating extra seasoning. Our experience with the beverages was a rollercoaster - from a poorly made Hot Toddy, which had to be sent back due to forgotten honey, to finally receiving enjoyable drinks. This inconsistency in quality was perplexing for a fine dining establishment. The climax of our letdown was the dessert - a choice between pumpkin and apple pie. Opting for the apple pie, we were disheartened to find it almost frozen in the center. Ridley’s Thanksgiving dinner was a series of missteps in both service and culinary execution. For a special holiday meal, especially at this price point, we expected much more. This experience unfortunately casts a shadow on our special day, leaving us to reconsider future visits."

"Great experience at The Ridley. Super convenient location and really nice employees. I didn’t realize it was part of a hotel at first either. Drinks were great and food was delicious. Loved the crispy brussel sprouts as an appetizer. Prices are pretty standard for a hotel based restaurant. Would definitely go back. Now for my standard comments. Location was clean and felt comfortable with the indoor seating options."

"Do yourself a favor and visit this lovely restaurant in Charlottesville. The service is unmatched. Our server Andrew truly cared about our experience. The recommendations he made for us were spot on. You just try the peach mule, refreshing and tasty with a hint of sweetness, the perfect summer cocktail. We came for restaurant week and could not put our forks down. The food is absolutely amazing – everything we tasted melted in other mouths. Absolutely the best meal we had while in Highly recommend!"