C & O

This is such a cool place to eat in downtown Charlottesville. The menu changes fairly regularly, but everything is always delicious. Their homemade bread is amazing, especially with the salted butter. I ordered the duck confit with gnocchi this time and loved it. I wish there had been more of the gnocchi, but still happy I ordered it. The building is beautiful and rustic, it’s a great place for a special occasion (although they don’t offer a free dessert or anything like that, we asked). Friendly staff and very close to the water street parking garage. Be sure to make a reservation.

What a beautiful experience!! Top notch, warm, romantic atmosphere and staff that are always making sure you have what you need in a timely fashion. The food was served fresh, hot and of the highest quality. We were so impressed from the appetizer to the dessert, dry rose’ wine and homemade bread. Such a fine dining experience as we passed through Charlottesville over night. We had the wild stripped bass, scallops, bread, and the dessert!! Just heavenly. Kudos to a well managed and customer satisfaction priority restaurant with the warmest of feels. We will return!!

Extraordinary dinner experience at C&O. The space itself is unique and inviting, a contemporary atmosphere in a historic building. Our server was knowledgeable, warm, and capable. The food was exceptional. We started with the bibb salad and scallops. The salad was fresh and flavorful and more than enough to share. The scallops were perfectly seared. I had the duck confit with ricotta gnocchi and it exceeded my expectations in every way. My friend enjoyed the lamb pastry. Neither of us left a crumb behind! We almost changed our dinner plans at the last minute, considering a more casual experience, but we both felt delighted that we stuck with our original instincts. I highly recommend C & O for a date night, or a night out with friends, family, or anyone who enjoys delicious food.

Beautiful place, very romantic ambiance, very luxurious food. We had the scallops, crab cake, Yukon gold ravioli, fettuccine with lobster, and the steak chinois. The sauces are absolutely amazing and make every bite a party in your mouth. The customer service was excellent. We also had the almond cake and blackberry sundae with caramelized pistachios...very elegant and a great way to finish off our meal. 😋

We came here for a wedding anniversary celebration dinner, and the experience had its highs and lows. Right after we sat down, we were offered complimentary champagne to celebrate—a fantastic touch and a great way to set the mood. Thumbs up for that! For appetizers, we started with a shared salad, and they thoughtfully split it into two plates—another nice touch. Then came the Hamachi Crudo… wow! We’d return just for that dish. Absolutely delicious. Another big thumbs up. Unfortunately, the beef sirloin carpaccio was a total miss—two big thumbs down. The beef was buried under so many toppings that we could barely find it, and when we did, it completely lacked that signature carpaccio taste. The overpowering vinaigrette didn’t help either. In my opinion, this was not carpaccio. We returned the dish, and they removed it from the bill, which was the right move for a restaurant of this caliber. However, no manager came over to check in, which was disappointing. The Steak Chinois was flavorful but way too salty—we couldn’t finish it. We also ordered the Hand-Rolled Fettuccine as an entrée since none of the other main courses stood out to us. While the pasta itself was good, it was, again, overly salty. We ended up taking it home and adding our own noodles to balance the salt. On a positive note, dessert was fantastic! If we return, we’ll definitely ask for low-sodium options. One last thing—parking was a nightmare.

Spent over $500 for 4 people.. I would expect top notch service for this price range. Seems we were forgotten multiple times. Took over a half hour between apps and entree (assuming our food was forgotten to be put in because all the tables around us that came in after us were on dessert when we were still waiting on entrees). Then the guy took over half of my mom’s $75 steak to the back to “box” and never brought it back. I’d go to ivy Inn or Duners over this place.Half the cost, way better service and you don’t have to be cat called by the homeless men at the bus station to get there.

Prepare to be amazed! Every bite was unsurpassed. From the mouthwatering fresh home made bread and imported French butter to the savory steak special. Be sure to save some room for the rhubarb and strawberry custard. I will warn that such culinary excellence comes with a price so be prepared to spend more than your average meal.

This is a cozy place that's great for special occasions. The first floor is more dimly lit, quiet, and romantic, and I wish we would have specified that we wanted a seat there. Instead, we sat upstairs in a larger, and while not unpleasant, awkward room with a few other couples and one large group (8 or 10) who were boisterously celebrating something. They weren't obnoxious, but with the way the room was laid out, we still weren't able to escape from the constant sound of their conversation. Our dinner was very good; it was perfectly cooked and seasoned - but the dessert was out of this world. I dream about that toffee pudding. Overall, we had a really good time and will definitely come back!

We are visiting Charlottesville for a wedding and stumbled upon this restaurant through open table. We could not have been more thrilled with this unique spot. We started with the local little gem salad, perfect delicate flavors. I had the butternut squash ravioli which was incredible. My husband had the veal sweetbreads. I have not seen him that happy over a meal in quite sometime! The ambiance is old mountain cabin meets speakeasy with a perfectly curated playlist set playing quietly in the background. Wonderful experience from start to finish!

KenScale: 7.75/10 Visit: October 2023 Shenandoah National Park in Virginia is one of the top spots in the United States to enjoy fall foliage, and my wife Jun and I had visited the park on a road trip every fall since we moved to the DC area. While we stayed at different places around the park, we had not visited Charlottesville where the University of Virginia is located until this year. When we finalized our plan to stay overnight in Charlottesville in late October last year after driving through the stunning Skyline Drive, I was looking for a restaurant to grab dinner. C&O, which had long been one of the most beloved institutions in the town, appeared in all of the several "where to dine in Charlottesville" lists I had found online. After our dinner at the restaurant, we both agreed that C&O is a solid choice for those visiting Charlottesville. The menu at C&O features classic dishes with French countryside influence. There won't likely to be a dish you hadn't seen before, but that doesn't mean the execution from the kitchen was overall good. We started with skillfully pan roasted scallops with whipped cauliflower, and shared a couple of main dishes in duck confit on top of ricotta gnocchi and grilled lamb chops. Jun, who has high standard when it comes to duck dishes, praised the duck confit as above average, and I thought the lamb chops (which came with mint salsa verde and potato puree) were grilled quite nicely. If you have room for dessert after savory dishes, I highly recommend trying a few at C&O. We both savored the vanilla crème brulee with enthusiasm, and the wild huckleberry sundae with caramelized pistachios was also wonderfully delightful. When we entered the restaurant, Jun and I were surprised to find white tablecloth on dining tables; we just hadn't expected a more formal dining experience, especially given the somewhat modest look of the exterior. If you are looking for a romantic dinner, I recommend asking the staff to be seated at the back of the dining room with candlelit tables. The wine list was another pleasant surprise at C&O where you will find an expansive group of bottles at varying prices from different parts of the world. If you are driving to the restaurant, you can park your car at a public parking garage nearby (the restaurant offers parking validation). While we have yet to fully understand or embrace what life in the Virginia countryside is like, I feel C&O quite adequately captures the culture and ethos of the region with soulful dishes that may not dazzle you like a Michelin star fine dining restaurant does but will nevertheless make you smile with satisfaction.

I found this interesting-looking restaurant online and booked it for my birthday dinner with my mom and her fiancee while we were in town. We arrived at 8:30pm for their last seating (only reservation I could get) and were seated downstairs by the door next to a table of three men drinking wine and being loud. The manager came over and asked if I'd like to move upstairs bc she knew I'd requested a quiet table. That was great. I appreciated that. So we moved upstairs to a much quieter table by the window. It went downhill after that. Our server was french or something and he was rude. It took a LONG time for him to come take our drink orders and when he asked if we wanted wine I said no and my mom ordered a tea. He then asked if we were all OK with water and I said, let me see the drink menu, while I was looking, he simply walked away. He didn't ask my husband or my mom's fiancee what they wanted. We were like, what? My husband went to hunt him down and he came back and I said, just because we hadn't ordered wine didn't mean we didn't want something else to drink. I ordered a tea and they ordered a beer and bourbon. After about 10 minutes I asked him where my tea was and he said "Maybe I would get it". I was pissed, he was rude about it and you could tell he was trying to be a smart ass. I realize bar drinks take a minute - but this was sweet tea and he was clearly catering to all his other tables and ignoring ours. I was pissed and planned to tell him off about how rude he had been from the start and exactly what we had done to offend him when I was trying to have a nice birthday dinner with my mom who I never see. It's pricey to eat here - with entrees around $35-50 each and I don't want to be talked down to or treated badly by servers when I've been nothing but polite. I used to wait tables so I am a generous tipper and try to be mindful of asking for too much or try to give advance notice. The food was actually very good. Everyone enjoyed it. I had the potato encrusted salmon, my mom ordered the halibut, and my husband had their signature steak steak dish and I thought it was the best dish of the night. They have a nice dessert menu and I saw several things I wanted to try but I went with the sticky toffee pudding in the end and it was very good. They put a little candle on it for my birthday. The saving grace was the same manager who helped me in the beginning, she brought us bread when I spoke to her and asked if they were out and had the kitchen heat up a little something else. Our server didn't even try. My husband informed her of the issues we'd had and she was clearly appalled - she handled it very well and ended up comping the entire meal. Rare. Not what we expected at all... It's nice inside with a cool vibe, the food was delicious and the manager was a 10. So, we'd come back again despite the rude server who almost ruined my bday dinner.

C&O is always a big hit for a special occasion or to take out-of-town guests. Service and food are so consistently on point. Thanks!

I was drawn to this restaurant by the Duck Confit dish. When I saw it, I knew it was going to be delicious and it was! The ricotta, the duck, the cracklins, the sauce. It all worked together so well. It was a perfect portion and temperature. Not too hot so you could immediately begin eating. Also mild flavors - not too savory. I loved it. I also had the crème brûlée. Nice hard top and creamy consistency underneath. I could see the vanilla seeds too. Nice fruit pieces on top. The server was really nice too. He let me sample one of the beers before I purchased it and checked in on me throughout my time there. The outside of the restaurant looks like an old house. It has three floors and the bottom floor didn't get much light, but it provided a nice ambiance and also had the bar. Really enjoyed my time here! A must try if you're in Charlottesville!

I'm going to give you a 5, but I came for the Bibb lettuce salad (along with the tartar) and you took the salad off the menu yesterday.... Are you crazy?? Please put it back on the menu immediately!! xoMARK

This was a great anniversary dinner! The ambiance was cozy and not too loud. We were greeted with a complimentary glass of champagne to celebrate. We started with the bread and butter. The bread dense, warm, with a slight sweetness. I tried the arugula salad with fig, candied pecans, and burrata. It was delicious and portioned well. For my entree, I got the duck confit and ricotta gnocchi. I was hesitant to get this since I don't typically order duck, but the waitress promised it was delicious. Sure enough, this was a memorable dish! The duck was so tender and roasted in a sauce that was flavorful and not overly salty. The ricotta gnocchi was a great accompaniment to the dish. My only wish is that there was more- I think there were only 4 or 5 total. My husband tried the crab cake and bolognese. I'm glad he got two dishes because one certainly wouldn't have filled him up. The crab cake was not skimpy on the crab and was paired with a nice sauce. The bolognese pasta was also pretty tasty. We ended the meal with creme brûlée. While it was pretty good, I've had better. We would definitely come back for another dinner.

This place was wonderful. First timer(s). We made reservations weeks ago. We visited this past Saturday @ 5pm right when they opened. Service was impeccable. The appetizer (hand made fettuccine) was excellent. I got the Halibut special. My wife got the Salmon. Both were delicious. Prices are on the high side, but you have to consider where you are. We will definitely visit again.

Came here for my graduation celebration and was lucky to get a reservation at 8:15 on Thursday. We requested a window seat and the table was leaving so we got a window seat after waiting for 15 minutes which wasn't bad. Service was all around really good. We were offered bread and the butter that comes with it is delicious. The starters were our favorite. My boyfriend loved his veal sweetbread and raved about it so much. We've never had anything like it and he was really pleasantly surprised. I really liked my scallops as well. For mains, my boyfriend loved his lamb chops. I got the duck confit and thought it was a bit too salty for my taste. To finish the meal, we got crème brûlée. It was delicious. The top was perfectly crispy and it was smooth and just the right amount of rich.

If you like overpriced, unimaginative, pretentious food served by a haughty waitress, then this is the place for you.

Professionally staffed restaurant. Good food albeit not cheap, ambiance a little too rustic for my tastes, try get a table upstairs the ambiance is a little better-the downstairs corridor is a little weird for seating. Enjoyed the lamb and both the deserts we had.

A wonderful place for a special meal. Everything on the menu is delicious and you can't go wrong. The famed Steak Chinoise is excellent. The veal sweetbreads are so good, I think about the toasted bread all the time. It really leaves a food memory!! The ambiance is cozy & intimate. Such a unique little corner of the universe. I highly recommend this one-of-a-kind star of Charlottesville dining for many decades. A star among stars. Thanks for the memories, C&O - you were a favorite of my dear late husband, William.

From the minute you walk in this place is charming. The wood stove is welcoming & a wonderful aroma. We requested to eat downstairs in the bar area. The waitress was informed about the menu & we all ordered well. Duck confit, halibut, lamb & beef entrees were all equally well prepared. It's a local favorite and definitely get a reservation!

I was very excited to boujee out and try the dishes I have heard so much about. The restaurant is a cute hole-in-the-wall, and I had trouble finding it at first. The appetizers were delightful. My scallops melted in my mouth and had such a freshness to it. However, my main entrée, gnocchi and duck was not the same story. The duck was overly salty and the gnocchi was lacking flavor. I usually finish my meal, but I couldn't finish the duck due to the saltiness of it. For the price of the duck, I had high expectations but was left disappointed.

One of the best long term up scale restaurants in C'ville. Can't wait till they bring back Duck al Orange. Love their sweet breads. Been eating here since 1978, amazing they have kept their high standards. Recommended.

Vibes in the restaurant are pretty cool. It's located in a very old building with some history. The food was decent. We ordered a few things. Some dishes better than others. Our favorite was the scallops

Dined in for an early meal Saturday night, first time here. There wasn't any street parking nearby so parked in a paid lot a few blocks away. We were seated upstairs which I would call a "grandmas house" vibe. Cream colored walls with landscape paintings, white tablecloths and wooden chairs with woven straw seats. I was in the corner beside a large glass window that was parallel to someone's apartment who also had a large glass window. We were maybe 40' from each other? A straight line of sight between the person on his couch and me at the dinner table. Somewhat uncomfortable but not a deal breaker. The menu had a variety of offerings and we settled on the tuna crudo app, halibut for me and salmon for my partner. The tuna was delicious, great use of herbs/olive oil to flavor. The halibut was just ok. It was drenched in a lemon butter sauce, like when you hit the bottom of a ketchup bottle and it empties onto your plate. I scraped off what I could to get a taste of the fish, which was good. There was also what the waiter called a relish on the plate as well but it tasted like a chunky spaghetti sauce. The flavor didn't pair well with the lemon butter, seemed like two opposing tastes. My guy enjoyed his salmon. It was supposed to be potato crusted but only 1/3 of the top of the fish was covered. We skipped dessert as we were pressed for time to get somewhere else. The service was great and made up for the disappointment of my meal. Now that I've dined I would definitely go again but next time ask for any sauces on the side if possible and to sit downstairs where it's a low-lit sexier vibe where you don't run the risk of eating across from someone on their couch. They also have a lower level (basement) dining but not sure what it looks like down there..

The service was great and they took care of us on wife's birthday when a black cow in town took reservation while they were closed the staff at c&o was very accommodating and helped to save the day!! Thank you 08/03/2024

I've been wanting to come to C&O for a while now and finally got to experience it. I went with my family and had a three course meal including crab cake, salmon and sticky toffee pudding as well as champagne. The highlight of the night for me was the crab cake. This was hands down the best crab cake I have ever tried. So much flavor and they did not skimp on the crab meat. I love the sauce and tomato garnish. The sticky toffee cake was my second favorite dish. The flavor was cinnamony, rich and indulgent. The salmon was pretty good but nothing too memorable. The service was fantastic and I love the rustic, sophisticated atmosphere of the restaurant. You'd never notice it upon first glance since it's a bit tucked away. If you go-- try the crab cake and sticky toffee cake and you want be disappointed :)

C&O is a great place that has a large seating area on the top floor and a cozy place in the bottom floor. Many of the dishes are solid and I think it has a great wine menu too. In particular, I would say the duck, scallops, and beer sirloin carpaccio dishes were absolutely on point. The carpaccio has a small salad on top which is a lot more balanced than the tartar dish which was great to split but just a tad bit too much meat. Great service and great food, I would give this a solid 5 for a great Charlottesville experience.

This place is so unique, with great service and absolutely delicious food. It is located in an historical building in a somewhat desolate section of Charlottesville. The restaurant opened in the 1970s as a classic fine dining French restaurant with a dress code. They have since lifted the dress code, and expanded the menu. But the food is still crème de la crème. My wife and I made reservations on a Saturday night. We were seated just a few minutes after our arrival. The hostess was very nice and accommodating. We were seated in an area on the first floor that was outside but at some point was enclosed. It was a very nice and romantic ambience. It was not cold at all. We were very comfortable. For an appetizer, we got the gnocchi and it was perfect. So airy and the flavor was amazing. The entrees are outstanding. We got the lamb and beef entrees. The sauces were phenomenal. The portions were great. The desserts were divine. The wine list was extensive. I highly recommend this place for a romantic date. The menu is a bit pricey, but you will not be disappointed.

Was floored the entire experience at C&O. So elegant and intimate with only about 5 tables total. The staff made us feel like we were special and was very informative in helping us decide. The duck confit gnocchi was a star. The bouillabaisse special had massive chunks of lobster. We were told the steak Chinoise is what they're most known for, but I wasn't overly impressed with it. But overall it was a really nice fine dining experience

Place is pricey but the food is amazing. The staff are also really nice. Cocktails are also superbly prepared. Go and have an amazing meal.

This restaurant was one of the highlights during our trip to Charlottesville. It's very quaint and romantic. The food was beautifully presented and delicious. The staff was very welcoming and attentive. Everything here was top notch. Highly recommend!

This place was absolutely delicious from start to finish. The ambiance is romantic very dim. We sad downstairs we were celebrating a late Valentine's Day. Our server was absolutely amazing!!!! he gave many great recommendations and the first being the scallops. The scallops were cooked perfectly, not fishy, the cauliflower sauce and raisin were the perfect touch. I could have eaten like 5 more plates of those. Second I ordered the New York strip steak and it was cooked medium rare which is perfect. Part of the meat almost dissolves in your mouth and other parts were a little more chewier. I'd def order again. My bf got the roasted halibut which he loved. I ordered the coconut cake for dessert and it was perfect. It was extremely moist and just dissolves in your mouth. 10/10 recommend this place. The service was on point. Our waiter was so sweet, very knowledgeable I wish I knew his name. He was working the night of 2/18 downstairs and was extremely nice and he knows what he did for us and we just can't thank him enough it was an act of kindness for him to do what he did. It was greatly appreciate and he didn't have too.

Nice ambiance, relaxed atmosphere, decent menu, food is good, and prices are reasonable. Great selection of beers! Will definitely go back.

Finally came to check out C&O for this year's restaurant week - and it did not disappoint! Restaurant is small, and seating is limited - but they fully utilize all three levels of the small historic building they are located in. It is January - and cold. I do think the restaurant was not super well insulated - so if you run cold, bring an extra sweater. Service is exceptional. From coat check, to check in, to meal - everything was top notch. Parking is validated in the Market St and Water St garages - bringing the parking fee down to $1! Such a wonderful convenience. Now the food is excellent. To start, I had the beef carpaccio - which I would reorder in an instant. Thin sliced beef with a nice creamy sauce thin layer and dressed with a lovely arugula and parmesan cloud of delight. My main was the duck confit- and it was savory and delicious. It is hearty but not super gamey. My dinner partner got the lamb cassoulet and it was an equally hearty more ragout style. Dessert was a little disappointing for me - I got the sticky toffee pudding and found it underwhleming. The cake was a burnt on the bottom, and the toffee sauce was excessively sweet. Creme Fraiche though was on point. the cheese dish was so tasty - I might consider making that my dessert next time. A great combo of creamy and stinky - the cheese selection was absolute fire. Overall a wonderful dining experience - and we will be back again!

C&O is the staple when you search for the lists of Cville's best restaurants, so it was a no-brainer for us to book a reservation during a few days staying in the area. The restaurant is eclectic with a dark and moody bistro downstairs and an airy, more homey upstairs. I expected people to be dressed a little more tastefully but most guys weren't even wearing collared shirts, it seemed. We went all out and got cocktails, apps, entrees and desserts each and it goes without saying -- everything, everything, everything was delectable. My wife ate the seared tuna and she will never touch raw(ish) fish like that, and here she is trying to take more pieces. I got the steak chinoise and naturally it was incredible with the ginger-tamari bearnaise. I love high dollar steak but compared to the simplicity of a nice filet, it is elevated when you have a steak that you can just mop up plate sauce with. My wife ordered the duck confit app as an entree which is fitting it comes out looking like an entree. That's the one weird thing that stuck out with us - why is this on the app menu? How is this supposed to be shareable? Regardless the ducks fall apart and the ricotta gnocchi are perfect. The cocktails were great. The dessert was great. The server was great. The experience was great. 10/10 will be making a return trip every time.

My wife ordered the scallop appetizer and. the salmon. I had to greens salad with a perfect dressing and the steak frites. It was all wonderfully prepared. The desert of a frozen custard was amazing.

Such good food and such a good deal for restaurant week! Food was delicious, service was good. Definitely recommend making reservations because the restaurant is small. The con, their Diet Coke is not Diet Coke, it's probably a local brand. I do wish restaurants would advise you that it's not actually Diet Coke before putting in the order. I thought the brownie portion of the dessert was a little meh. But the rest of the meal was delicious and I would come back. Would for sure come here on restaurant week.

The ambiance was sublime, the wine perfect. The service was attentive and pleasant throughout. This restaurant is a local favorite and for good reason. Here's the thing: You need to like creamy dishes. Sorry, I mean you need to LOVE creamy dishes. The Steak Chinois is soaking in sauce. The duck breast special was delightful, but glazed to within an inch of its, er, life. We like to see the protein shine through on its own, but here every beef, duck, and (I'm assuming from the menu description) lamb is drenched in a tasty if over-applied sauce. This reminds me of Julia Child's American invasion. Of what we thought French food was 30 years ago. Even the Brussel Sprouts did laps through an aioli sauce. Everything seems to ride atop a bed of puree - be it potato or cauliflower or whatever. The meat was cooked perfectly, the dishes were tasty. But the overwhelming presence of a cream note to nearly everything on the menu (from reading, we only tried two)? Again, if you like saucy dishes, this is your Eden. We would love to come back when the sauce to protein/vegetable is more balanced. We are new to the area, and this approach seems to be working for this gem of a location - but goodness this was rich. Oh, almost forgot. Order the fettuccini with mushrooms appetizer and just call that your entree. You won't be sorry.

Top tier restaurant for decades. We've dine here countless times and it's always been exceptional.

OMG Everything was perfect! Drinks, food, ambience. Have not been there for 30 years when I last lived here. Just moved back to town and was thrilled it was still open. They did not disappoint. So far my favorite restaurant in C'ville!

This is one of my favorites in Charlottesville. I've had a few things here including the duck confit, the seared scallops, and the bread pudding. I've probably had their scallops 5 times at this point and it's (almost) always very good. The butter sauce and raisin-caper combo is perfection. The atmosphere here feels more upscale, with a nice warm fire greeting you during colder months. There's seating for dinner both upstairs and downstairs. It's small place so I'd recommend asking for upstairs seating if possible--you get more room. The waiters here are great--have never had an issue with an inattentive waiter or long waits for apps or between apps and main courses and I've come with party sizes between 4 and 8. The door can be easy to miss if you haven't been before, so be sure to keep a look out for the gallery sign and that'll indicate you're not too far from enjoying a delicious meal here.

This is awesome place with old world charm and décor, a place right out of the 40's or 50's. We arrived a little earlier than our reservations, but they seated us immediately. Our server took our drink order as we cruised through the menu. My wife ordered the Steak Chinoise and I ordered the Prime Ribeye. Both entrée's were excellent, the Ribeye came with a roasted garlic bulb which was awesome to spread out on the Ribeye. Can't say enough about this unique dining experience. Highly recommend.

C & O late night is my favorite meal in Cville!! I love the grilled cheese and tomato soup so much, but as Zhana mentioned it is a big portion and might be better for sharing depending on how hungry you are. Usually I love their burger as well, though sometimes it can be inconsistent-- I've had some that were pretty burnt. They recently changed to their summer burger (lettuce, tomato, jalapeño aioli) which I like less than the winter burger (I think it has cheese and onions/mushrooms) but it is nice that they keep it seasonal. I've had a few of their cocktails and while they are pretty good, you're just as well off ordering your favorite fancy cocktail (dirty gin martini on the rocks for me) because the bartenders are very competent. I like the ambiance in here-- dimly lit and sexy. Makes me feel classier than I am! The food at dinner is also great though definitely more expensive than late nite. The dining room upstairs is nicer than the main floor but I also like the terrace out back. In particular I recommend the steak chinoise which has been on their menu since they opened. The sauce it comes with is super unique and delicious as well! Definitely recommend closing out the meal with the chocolate bread pudding for dessert-- it's to die for! I'm knocking off a star not only because of the inconsistency of the burger but also because I've had a number of times at late nite when the staff is just rude. I get that it sucks to be working so late but I would expect more from such a classy establishment.

A great restaurant that was a first for us on our trip to the area. It's definitely a nicer place- and we felt a little underdressed- but we still had a lovely time. The food and drinks were great, definitely try a cocktail! The service was very attentive, and we really loved the overall vibe!

First visit to C&O. Lots of reviews and praise so thought I'd give it a shot. Restaurant is quaint which is a code word for small both in footprint and menu choices. And it can get noisy. Had a table on the upper level. Tables are spaced adequately but the open ceiling creates a sometimes noisy environment. Appetizer of Shishito Peppers which was good but could have been better without what I believe was garlic aioli. Companion had Salmon and rated it as outstanding. Nice, slightly crispy outside while translucent in the interior. Not over cooked. I had the Steak Chinois. Wasn't blown away. Cut of beef was good and although sliced at presentation, was a bit tough. Still it was cooked as I requested. I felt the sauce atop took away from the meat's taste and it somewhat "buried" the steak. Desert of Sticky Toffee Pudding was served warm. It was good but not something I'd order again. The menu at C&O is, as noted, somewhat small but to be expected given the quality of the food and presentation. Prices are no worse than any other fine dining restaurant. Would I return? Maybe for a special occasion. But even though I might not return, C&O is still a restaurant I'd recommend.

Did not love the experience here. Our waitress was fine, and the old-timey home that shook when the train came by was endearing. But the drinks and food were both really disappointing. The cocktails were really sweet and not unique. Like, if you're only doing the classics, then make them perfect. The arugula salad with warm goat cheese was good--but it's also hard to mess up heating up cheese. The roasted scallops were pretty good too, and I was happy with them, but not the best I've ever had. The duck confit gnocchi was where we were REALLY disappointed. It literally didn't taste like anything at all--how is that even possible?? Like even a bunch of salt would have made it better.

This is an old-school nice place in Cville. It's been open nearly 50 years. There is a dining room, but we were seated (with a reservation) down in the beautiful bar. It's a nice space with a long wooden bar and bottles lining an entire wall but it's SO dark. Be prepared to pull out you phone flashlight to see the menu, which is kind of a mood squasher. The servers were attentive and friendly. The food was very good but not great enough for the cost. My husband's $55 steak was a bit tough. I had a scallop app and a salmon entree. They were solid, but I expected more nuanced flavors. My cocktail was excellent - balanced and chilled. It was a fine experience, but for the price, I'll try someplace else next time.

Snobbiest staff I have ever encountered. Food is really good and bar is great, restaurant space is okay. It's a shame that the staff is so unwelcoming and rather disappointing. Don't waste your time, spend your money and time where you are more appreciated!

Came in here for our anniversary dinner date. Every other place either was packed or wasn't taking early reservations. Luckily C&O had 1 table open that is first come first serve in front of the bar. We rushed over there and to our luck we were able to get sat quickly. We started off with some bread and butter which was pretty good. We ordered 2 appetizers to share which were the butternut squat ravioli and the braised retreat farm lamb. Everything came out great and the lamb was a treat to eat. The butternut squash was amazing too. We got cocktails as well and I did not like mine but the server had no problem with exchanging it for something I enjoyed. The only reason why I left a star out was because we were waiting for our server to come back and offer us dessert but we had to ask someone else. It took awhile for him to come back to us. We ended up getting dessert after all and it was fantastic. We got the chocolate bread pudding and sticky toffee pudding. Outstanding!

At first I was indecisive of what dishes I'd choose, but it didn't matter because everything was delicious and I can't wait to come back once the menu rotates to new flavors! We started with the hamachi crudo and veal sweetbreads- both delicious. The sauce with the sweetbreads was so flavorful! I used the table bread to dip in the remainder- their bread is so good, too! For our main dishes, the steak chinoise and lamb rack were both perfectly cooked with tender flavors. No doggy bag needed. For dessert, the creme brûlée was basic, but good and the pistachio was light and a perfect finisher to the evening.

My #1 priority was to make a reservation here during restaurant week, and I was not disappointed. Everything was absolutely delicious and I can't wait for the opportunity to enjoy more food from here again. Appetizers: we got the yellow fin tuna and the smoked rag mountain trout. I personally enjoyed the trout more; it was so packed with flavor and fit perfectly with the slices of apple and arugula. Perfectly cooked. Entrees: had to get the duck confit and the farm lamb cassoulet. Overall, I will say that these were similar dishes - savory, filling, and strong on the flavors. Nothing was mild or subtle! Dessert: I got the sticky toffee pudding and my husband got the coupe ellery. I loved the pudding - it honestly tasted just like it looks. Super sweet, with amazing heavy caramel flavors. The ellery was the opposite; light and refreshing. I have nothing bad to say!

A proper gastronomic experience; new American and European cuisine. Very well done. Nice atmosphere, polished service. Beautifully presented dishes including duck confit, steak chinoise (unique sauce worth a try; very good); sophisticated desserts Generally good atmosphere. Music just the right level and genre. Not too loud. And we were a table of 6 and we could hear each other without having to yell. Right level of dim lighting but not too dark. Drawbacks: air conditioning was acting up. They turned it on and off throughout the night. When it was on it was too cold (can't they simply adjust it for a comfortable level?). When it was off it became muddy and too warm. Toilet was very dirty and shabby and old, not befitting such an upscale venue. Floor was all wet. Toilet paper, well let's just say I didn't dare use it. That says something about the conditions they are in. Luckily I have my own wipes.

Amazing food for a special occasion. Definitely look out for their set menus for dinner, they're great!

This restaurant is the same as it was thirty years ago. Absolutely amazing. The sweetbreads were as I remembered them...smooth, silky and creamy. The crab cakes were perfect. The scallops were so incredibly tender and the gnocchi were soft pillows of comfort on the palate along with very tender duck confit. The staff is very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. Dining at its finest in a world that's not always so fine.

Decent higher end food and drinks. Weird atmosphere in the dining rooms though, feels like your weird aunt's dining room. Sitting at the downstairs bar is definitely the better option.

Went here for Valentine's Day dinner (w pre fixe menu) and it was fantastic!! I got the lobster tortellini--and I rarely get pasta, but this was so tasty--fish, and chocolate bread pudding for dessert. Also had a glass of sauv blanc. Since that night, my BF and I have repeated over and over how great the restaurant was! Will be back soon!