The Fitzroy — Restaurant in Charlottesville

What a wonderful surprise on the Downtown Mall. I went to Fitzroy with a larger group from work - the wait staff was very welcoming from the moment we walked in, and seeing that we were a boisterous bunch, our waitress even took the time to learn our names.

The ambiance and great staff will keep you coming back, and the food will get you in the door. The menu is simple but extensive with the chef's take on comfort food. In addition, the menu is clearly marked for food allergies and the kitchen is very accommodating.

I started with the Brats and duck fat potatoes which, honestly, is the best plate of food I've ever had. I followed that with the daily fish, a simply cooked halibut that was amazing, flaky and perfectly seasoned. The corn salad as a side was outstanding, light and refreshing. Topping it off with the bourbon chocolate cake was a pleasant mistake - the cake was amazing, I ate it all, and then needed a nap.

Others in the group tried the fried chicken, kale salad and various sides, and in a party of nine with a range of food preferences, every plate was empty.

Overall, Fitzroy is a special place - amazing food surrounded by dark woods, incredible cocktails and a wait staff any establishment would be lucky to have.

I'd recommend Fitzroy for a quick bite, a nice date, drinks with old friends or basically any...

Edit:

My previous experience at The Fitzroy was less than great, largely the result of an interaction with a host at the end of our meal, and the fact that my credit card had been overcharged (which has since been resolved, and I feel as though it was an honest mistake). It is regrettable that a negative experience at the end of the night can ruin the whole thing - and as a result of this I was extremely frustrated and felt as though my experience was indicative of the whole business.

HOWEVER, after I emailed the restaurant concerning my credit card situation, one of the owners, Rich, reached out to me. It is rare (although it shouldn't be) to have a negative experience handled with such deft and care as he showed. He never once made an excuse, never blamed myself as the guest, nor his staff, never tried to deflect. He was calm, collected, and, well, he simply apologized in the most sincere way. The way he handled the situation leads me to believe that my experience at his restaurant was an anomaly. I have worked for many different people - and there are some owners/managers that make you dread coming to work, and others that make you want to work even harder. I have no doubt that Rich is the latter - and that the issue I experienced is resolved so that future guests will not experience the...

Awesome set up and lively atmosphere. Probably not the most ideal for a romantic dinner/quiet spot. The food was solid, crab, goat cheese & artichoke dip was creamy but could of used a dash of something more, burger was well seasoned on a fluffy bun & the fried chicken sandwich was massive, messy & delicious. Food rating: 4

The service was average. When asking questions the menu the server was vague, not really personable, or paying much attention to us in the corner. Which is not really representative of the service we’ve received in cville - typically everyone’s excited for you to be there & try their food as competition is fierce. The timing of our meal was completely thrown off - we promptly received our app and the meal hit the table 3 mins after. We were eating on a two top that was covered in plates, cramped and it was just pretty obvious that there was no real thought to the timing. Service rating: 3

Could of been an off night for the server. We would go back & would still recommend...