FIREFLY Restaurant + Game Room — Restaurant in Charlottesville

My family and I went on a short trip to Charlottesville Va. I have two children with Celiac disease so we were looking forward to visiting the Firefly family restaurant and game room. We had researched this restaurant and viewed their website which included numerous photos. It appeared to be a very nice clean place to eat. However upon our arrival we were shocked. The outside looked unkempt and there were many inappropriate things displayed outside as well as inside. On the website there are photos of a light and airy interior however upon entering the restaurant we were shocked. The interior looked like a bar and not a family restaurant. It was 1 pm and it was sunny outside. We expected the interior to be welcoming , however the color of the walls made it look like it was night time. This did not look like a family restaurant where you would take your children to enjoy a nice family dinner. It looked nothing like the pictures on the website. There were several games on the wall but they looked old and run down. The waitress was very nice and caring, however my children and I were so upset about the appearance inside that we got up and left the restaurant. We did not sample any of the food so I can not leave a review about the food . However In our opinion this is not a suitable restaurant for families with children. We feel this restaurant is for adults and not children. This restaurant is a bar that serves food. It is not a family...

We've been here twice on our visits to Charlottesville because it's such a great stop for our family/friends to meet up and spend some time together - we found this place searching for a spot where we might be able to stay awhile after eating and play some games together and were not disappointed!

Ample seating and games (both arcade and board) are provided for guests, and you can bring your own. (Last time we played an hour of our own DND campaign.)

Pros: -The staff is incredible and friendly. -The food is comfort food - nothing fancy, but the burgers, breakfast BLT, and Tatchos (tater-tot nachos) are forever favorites of my picky eater family. -In addition to comfort food, I can't stress how much I appreciated there being ample gluten-free and Vegan options for all of us with various dietary needs. The menu is easy to read and figure out for allergies, and that made the meal much more stress-free than most places. -Pricing is spot on; it's not the cheapest, but we don't leave feeling gouged, either, for what we get with the quality of the food, the great service, and the atmosphere.

Cons: -None!

We'll be back, and we definitely recommend this stop for anyone passing through or looking to spend some time with family without having to immediately eat and then find...

If I could give 0 stars I would. The restaurant doesn’t seem anything like it does in pictures, and parking was hard to find. The atmosphere was okay, and the food was okay, it was bland in my opinion and small portions for the prices; it was long wait and the food wasn’t hot, it was whether cold or warm; presentation needed work. The kids meals is supposed to be the first to be served and it was the last to arrive. The waiter also had a hard time understanding anything we were saying even tho we spoke clear English. The main issue came when heading out, (we were a decent sized party with separate tabs) we were asked why the tip given wasn’t bigger (that was personally handed to the waiter) and it wasn’t industry standard, as the other half of the party was questioned the same and after they were OUT the restaurant doors was told 20% was GOING to come out, not even a question or was asked permission, JUST TOLD. I understand that tips is how a waiter makes part of their living, but the restaurant should also pay their employees and not expect customers to pay them. Have never experienced such thing. Would...