Lost Saint

Hidden beneath Tavern & Grocery, Lost Saint is one of Charlottesville’s best-kept secrets. The speakeasy vibe is intimate and stylish — low lighting, vintage touches, and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. The cocktails are exceptional — creative, balanced, and beautifully presented. The bartenders are true professionals who can craft something unique based on your tastes. Service is always friendly and attentive without being pretentious. Lindsey and Connor were absolutely amazing! Whether you’re on a date or out with friends, this is the perfect spot for a top-tier drink and great conversation. Easily one of the best cocktail bars in town.

Loved this tucked away speak easy! The cocktails were fresh and made to order and so delicious. The vibe was just cool and fun with great music playlist and gorgeous chandelier and cute lights and quirky knick knacks around the room. Definitely recommend for a drink!

An amazing mixology experience. Truly world-class cocktails served in a chic, bespoke environment by friendly bartenders who seem genuinely invested in making sure you enjoy their latest creation. I'll be back any time I'm in Charlottesville Maybe a bit pricey for a college town, but worth it for an elevated experience. The fries were good too.

We stopped by for a cocktail after dinner. Enjoyed both cocktail off the menu and a bartenders choice! Lots of pride & creativity in the cocktails served and it was nice we could order off the menu for upstairs when we were hungry.

Lindsey is amazing - highly recommend sitting at the bar! Haven’t had a bartender this intuitive in years! Ten million stars.

Is it too soon to say this is my spirit home? Probably but between the drinks and apps. This has been my favorite spot in Charlottesville. I got the Burn the Strega (get it, it’s amazing) and the Dirty old Man (?) both were the best and I kinda want to make them at home. And the bison tartare is to die for. Love love love.

Awesome speak easy with great cocktails. My fav watering hole. Nice to have a convo, not clubby/loud, very chillaxed. NEVER close folks.

A speakeasy vibe with architecture that sends you back in time. Loved the espresso martinis, did a walk around the entire floor to see all the antiques, and experienced top notch service!

Speakeasy vibes - check. Great drinks - check. Attentive bartenders and servers - check! Do yourself a favor and check this place out! It's a really cool little spot under Tavern and Grocery and is one out of two places in town with authentic speakeasy vibes. Their cocktails are well balanced and delightful.

Closes at midnight and last call before 11:20pm? We were staying at the hotel next door and wanted a night cap. We were polite - said thanks. 40 minutes seems like enough time to leisurely enjoy a cocktail. But, it's their speakeasy and my Yelp review. Nice fire and overall vibe, though. Drink menu looks good.

Cool place, solid service, amazing feel and interesting drinks. Loved the menu options

I'm so glad we checked out this underground speakeasy during our short trip to Charlottesville! We waited for 5-10 minutes to be seated downstairs (the host was kind and apologized for the wait). Once we got down there, we were very impressed with the vibe - classic underground speakeasy with twinkly lights, a piano, cool light fixtures and brick walls. Our drinks were both pretty good - both were definitely on the sweet side for me, but not undrinkable by any means. Would definitely recommend checking this spot out!

Stopped by on a Friday night for drinks. It wasn't too hard to find, reading the other Yelp reviews helped. It was pretty packed but we were able to get a table in the second room. We got two rounds of drinks and liked all of them! Really liked the speakeasy vibes and innovative cocktails!

Hubby said it was the best old fashioned he's had in Cville!! I loved my drink too as I asked the mixologist to make me one on the sweeter side. It's in the basement of the historic Tavern and Grocery restaurant and I love the feel of this speak easy. We sat in the large room on the side of the bar which feels like it was exposed to the outdoors at one point many years ago so it's so neat looking. Service was great and we loved it!

Expensive, Great Cocktails, Absolutely Worth a Visit The ambience of this place is off the charts. As far as I'm concerned, this is the only speakeasy in Charlottesville, and it's so great that we have one here. You sneak down some stairs in the back of the restaurant and "Voila!" you're in. The walls, lighting, and entire vibe is so satisfying to be in. The bartenders actually know what they're doing, and many have worked in bars for 5-10 years and have some real tricks up their sleeves. The drinks are creative, pleasing to look at, and mouthwateringly delicious. I LOVED my Elvis drink. Who knew that peanut butter, banana, and bacon could all pair so perfectly in a cocktail? I had to knock a point off for three reasons. One, the price, because each drink can cost you around $15-$18 a piece. This is nitpicking, but we couldn't order food that day because we were required to do the "full course meal" to get any food. Bummer! The last reason is that it was so darn hot down there! They have a single fan running, but that heat is a real problem if you ask me! Overall, I'm hoping to go back and bump this place up to a 5-star. Lost Saint is absolutely worth a visit.

Was so wrapped up the lovely atmosphere and delicious hand crafted cocktails that I totally forgot to take a picture of the actual drinks!! It's a little dark and gives off exactly what you would expect with the word speakeasy. The cocktails are very phenomenal, we had a gin and tonic and a pea flower lavender cocktail that were both deliciously flowery and recommend to us by the very helpful staff. Literally came back twice in one week because I had to show more friends this amazing place!!

We really enjoyed our experience here while visiting Charlottesville. The staff was friendly, the drinks were wonderful, and the environment was top-notch!

Really excellent cocktails! The atmosphere is so cool--very quaint and feels like a true speakeasy. I will say last time we tried to come, they said it was such a small place and we couldn't fit! But this time, when we went downstairs, there was actually a good amount of space!! Perfect for a date night or girls night. Will def be back!!

Love this place, very trendy. A real speakeasy back in the day. Stopped by here during a wine tour.

Ambiance was so cool! Loved the speakeasy vibe in the cellar. Drinks were creative & yummy, and the were friendly. We will be back when in the area!

Speakeasy vibes for sure, but not as complicated to find! Make sure you only go down when green light is on, the hostess assisted us. I really liked my tequila cocktail, and my friend got a 'bartender's choice' with whiskey that she enjoyed. My only complaint was that we got sat at the bar near the POS system and 2 waitresses were having a conversation right next to us for almost the entire time we were there.

So far we've only tried this for the "speakeasy" bar underneath the Tavern & Grocery restaurant. As others have noted it's a little tricky to find -- from the main entrance on W. Main Street, look straight back past the hostess stand and you'll see the green light at the stairs to the bar that lets you know whether or not you can go down. (Ask the staff at the hostess stand if you're not sure and they're happy to help.) We sat at the bar and had a couple of excellent cocktails -- something with bourbon for her and the bartender's choice for me. I don't remember what he put in there, but it was tasty, lol. I like that it's also dark enough that you don't have to contend with people taking pictures of their food and cocktails for Instagram. Just go down, have a well made drink, and enjoy the atmosphere!

Speakeasy vibes all around. Lost Saint is hidden in the basement of Tavern and Grocery. Walk straight in, and find the green light with the cryptic 'LS' next to it. Go down the staircase, and BOOM - you have made it to this somewhat hidden gem in C'Ville. The vibes are great for cocktails and apps. The olives are phenomenal, both fried and non-fried. The music when we went was a mix of bluegrass covers of pop songs - so fun! Cocktails were delicious - my Lost Manhattans were excellent. And yes, that was plural :) Overall, a fun spot to grab a drink. Though the space is small, there are bout 3 large tables and 3 hightops, alongside the entire bar seating, so you can fit a good number of folks in there!

I'm giving this a 5 star review because the drinks are superb and the bartender was excellent, best we've ever had. I loved this space so much. Thank you for a beautiful night. But please, do take down the dead animals on the wall. That's my only complaint. Everything else was fantastic.

Think small cozy tavern or wine cellar turned full bougie bar. The place is actually the basement of another restaurant (tavern and grocery) and you have to wait for a literal green light in order to know when to go down in to the bar. Cocktails themselves were pretty good. Pretty strong. Pretty pricey (granted this is a college student with no secure income writing) super chic and bougie and perfect for a small outing with friends Id say what turned me off to this place was the service. It was VERY slow so I'd say grab a drink before you head down or be prepared to wait. There doesn't seem to be a formal system of ordering drinks so its kind of a guessing game. Some people go up to the bar and sometimes a waiter/waitress comes and gets your order... who could really tell

I LOVE this place! Their cocktails are amazing and the bartender I had also made a great off-menu espresso martini. The atmosphere and everything about it is inviting, cozy, and fun. One of my favorite places in Charlottesville.

Tasty and exotic cocktails in a speakeasy atmosphere! Lost Saint is about as close as you'll get to a speakeasy in charlottesville, with a back staircase entrance in the back of Tavern & Grocery. Downstairs, you'll find many of the same cocktails as in Tavern & Grocery, but also the ability to ask for custom cocktails or ''dealer's choice.'' The ambiance is rounded out with dim lighting, candles, exposed brick, mismatched tables and chairs, and exotic decorations from room to room and table to table. Lost Saint is a must for out of town guests!

The place we wanted to go to was closed but we were happy to have stumbled upon Lost Saint! Just down the stairs from Tavern & Grocery is a great cocktail bar. We didn't have a chance to try the food, but all of the drinks were complex, spirit-forward, and delicious!

I love the speak easy vibe and craft cocktails. Definitely our spot when we come to town. We didnt have w reservation but the hostess/owner was so accommodating. Beautiful spot and wonderful staff. Put it on your list

A GEM: The Lost Saint is one of Charlottesville's two speakeasies. Of the two, The Lost Saint takes the cake in innovation, [humorous] creativity, and bartenders who actually can and want to converse with you if you sit at the bar. It majors on personality. If you'd rather socialize/go on a date in a classier setting, then by all means go to Alley Light, but for those who want something a little less stuffy and a little more conversational, the Lost Saint is for you! GETTING IN: You wouldn't know without hearing about it, but the Lost Saint is the basement speakeasy bar inside Tavern and Grocery. Come inside and check with the host/hostess or look to see if the red light is on before you go down. As it's a speakeasy with only 1-2 bartenders, there's sometimes a wait and space is definitely limited (please don't come on graduation weekend with all of your relatives and expect to get in). DRINK MENU: The Lost Saint has an extensive menu of 44 classic cocktails they can make at any time, but the real joy is the rotating seasonal/themed menu. Their first one was "Opening Night," followed hilariously by one related to politics, and for not much longer (Jun 2017) it's "ill-fated New Year's Resolution to workout more"-themed. Or, you can ask the bartenders to make something of their own design (just give them a spirit you like and some other adjectives). As for food, they have some bar food standards (note that it's NOT the same menu as Tavern and Grocery above). BARTENDERS: Most nights, Carrie runs the bar and Colin also slings drinks. Occasionally, Patrick the manager will pop down to help out or chat up customers. If you're someone who's into cocktails and wants to learn or talk about them, this is the place for you. They are eager to share and explain what they're making as they go! PRICE: Be warned, this is a speakeasy making craft cocktails - drinks are $12-$14 (rarely more but if it's something fanciful/weird, like a smoked cocktail, then it's $15-$16). Come for quality over quantity!

Top notch cocktails in a speakeasy setting! Came here with a friend who had heard about it. I had not come across the Lost Saint before, and the novelty of it made it a great experience. I love their twists on classic cocktails. Different enough to give you a taste of something new, but subtle enough to keep the drink familiar. I had their versions of the Manhattan and Old Fashioned and both were excellent. My friend tried their Negroni and their Umami Margherita and was equally impressed. I will definitely be back!

We found this place late at night and weren't sure if it was open. It is in the basement of a restaurant that was closed. Don't let that fool you though. It's just kind of a speak easy type of place. The ambiance is on point and the music was Rolling Stones/Velvet Underground. It feels like you're in a gothic inspired library with dim lights and yummy drinks. The bartender was a gem and drinks were delicious. The only knock is the owner, which is why not the 5 stars. She tended to lurk behind the bar, have a bad attitude and be snotty/judgy to customers. It's hard to explain but it's definitely a "thing" you'll notice if you go. Either way still a good time and good place for yummy drinks.

For Charlottesville, a city without any dedicated bars, this is as close as it gets. Lost Saint is in the basement of Tavern & Grocery. Walk straight in and look for a staircase to the right. Downstairs is seating for about 15 people and an extensive bar that will mix you any cocktail you want. The bar staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and service is hyper-attentive. As a non-cocktail drinker I appreciated that they also had draft beer available. It's a great spot for a date or a drink before/after dinner upstairs or somewhere else on Main Street in Starr Hill. Others have reported that it can be difficult to be seated downstairs during peak hours, but personally I've never had a problem.

This place is incredible- amazing. For the love of god, ask for Nicky. She knows what's up.

Been here a few times and honestly this is my favorite place to get drinks in Cville! Every time I've come in the drinks have been delicious and well made. The on house menus items are super tasty and unique, with amazing presentation and concepts. I personally loved the custom drinks that were made for me. I just gave the bartender certain flavors that I liked and they came up with such amazing creations. The atmosphere is also amazing! I love how small, but not crowded the place is. The decor is super fun too, and they are usually playing excellent music. Since it is quite small and they keep a maximum number they allow in I recommend going in early or else you'll have to wait a while to enter. Such a great speakeasy experience, I highly recommend !

I'm almost reticent to write a review of this bar, due to it's nature as an underground bar, but I can't not recommend it. The atmosphere embraces a past of underground speakeasies, while updating it in a way that keeps it from feeling overly twee as many modern speakeasy-style bars are. The scent of the air of wood and brick is as intoxicating as the drinks on offer, and the dim lighting will have you feeling like you're sharing a secret among friends. The drinks are--as one would expect--a highlight. There's a deep knowledge among the bartenders that extends beyond drink recipes and into cocktail theory. Don't be afraid to ask questions and have them make something for you that doesn't have a name! They'll let you know what they put in it in case you want to get it again.

This place is soo nice. The decorations and how it is a basement but turned into a bar!!! Is just incredible. We had burrata salad, fries must try, and the burger. Everything was delicious

WELL-DONE!! We loved this place, one of our stops through the night and definitely an experience that is needed in your life. The staff at this somewhat hidden speakeasy bar downstairs from a certain restaurant (ssshhhh it's a secret, Tavern & Grocery) here really know their stuff and are extremely creative with their spins on cocktails. If I lived in Charlottesville, I would be here every night if the blue light was on. If the light is on that means there are seats available. This top bar fills up fast, so get in early! Thanks to Lost Saint and all the courteous, knowledgeable staff that helped me end the night with a "Diamondback". We will see you guys again!!

Very cool atmosphere! I felt like I was on an old ship. There's low, warm lighting, an old piano, a beautiful bar, and a fire crackling in the fireplace. Old fashioned was delicious and the bartender also made us a custom cocktail that wasn't on the menu. Salmon tartare was AMAZING and squid ink tagliatelle was quite good too. Would definitely bring out of town guests here for a really special experience!

By far the coolest place I've been in Charlottesville. These bartenders are extremely knowledgeable and skilled. They clearly love their jobs. The service was fantastic and the cocktails were delicious, well worth the price. I look forward to returning for sure.

Great place to grab a cocktail. Located in the basement of the Tavern and Grocery, the bar has a limited selection of beer and wine but offers a wide variety of classic cocktails and a rotating list of 10 signature cocktails. The walls are entirely brick and the music mixes through several easy-listening genres and is played at a modest volume. I would highly recommend stopping by if you prefer a relatively quiet establishment that is not too crowded.

Really fun, beautiful spot, but I can't say the cocktails are really that special. I can't even remember what I ordered - it was that forgettable (& I no I wasn't blackout, I only had 2 drinks). For this price tag, I expect more.

Lost Saint can be easily missed, and is tucked away in the basement of Tavern & Grocery. It definitely fits the speakeasy vibe with its lighting and decor, providing a great "pre-dinner drinks" atmosphere on a Saturday night. Cocktails, while on the pricey side, are unique. I tried their twist on a margarita that had allspice in it, which was yummy and had an interesting flavor. I wouldn't make this my go-to place, but it's definitely nice when I'm in the mood for a fancy cocktail.

I travel to Cville often and I'm really disappointed in the direction of Lost Saint. It used to be this cool cocktail bar where you could get drinks on par with Chicago or New York. Now, the drink list is wholly unimaginative with banal drink names. There seems to be a new staff that is less interested in curating a great experience and more interested in being regular bartenders. #keepthelightoff

GO HERE! Their bartenders are really nice and they have a great selection of cocktails. Their prices are right on for a crafted cocktail selection and they even have funny rotating lists of options. Definitely worth giving some preferences and asking the bartender to make you whatever they want, you'll probably find something new to enjoy!!! P.S. they make a mean seelbach! :)

My best friend was so excited to come here for her bachelorette weekend. We arrived with half of our party of ten and were told they really don't want to let that many people into the bar at once. The host said they could maybe seat five of us in 25 minutes and then the other five of us would have to wait an additional 20 minutes. Meanwhile the capacity at the bar is thirty and they only had about ten people down there at the time. He said we would take away from the other patrons' experiences if we all went in. We jokingly asked if it would be better if we pretended to be separate parties and entered one at a time and he said yeah that might be better. Whaaaat?? So we complained outside and walked away. It's too bad they turned our business away.

Attempted to try this place. Went with a group, ordered drinks upstairs in the tavern first and asked if we could be seated downstairs and we were told the wait was about an hour. No problem- we enjoyed our drinks chatted with several of the employees. The place was dead so we asked again if we could be seated downstairs. The employee we asked disappeared and never answered us. About 20 minutes later we asked again if we might go downstairs. This employee also never got back to us. Finally after being here for at least 1.5 hours we decide to just walk downstairs and take a peek. There were maybe 10 people down there . We expected it to be packed since we had waited so long. There were 3 bartenders working for maybe 10 people. The bartender seemed irritated that we were there and said he could get to us in a little while so we just left. Their loss.

Went here for my first time, because my friend loved it there & wanted to show us. We get there and waited for a bit, which was not bad at all. We wait in line for drinks, and one of the bartenders ask for our ID & some other proof of identification.. which no other place In town does. So were like okay we're about to place our order, well NOPE! we waited for a bit and then she finally made us a drink. Secondly, red haired bartender had an attitude. She looked angry, and kept yelling, "get out my way". Drinks are overpriced as well, your going to pay double than what your used to other places. Loved the crowd, & location. Has a lot of history. If the service is going to be like that next time, I don't think I would return.

I don't normally write Yelp reviews but I feel that the Charlottesville community should know about my experience at Lost Saint. Last weekend a friend and I visited the 'speakeasy' style bar and waited 30 minutes to be seated. That was fine because we had a lovely drink at the Tavern & Grocery bar. The same cannot be said about our experience at Lost Saint. We were seated at the bar, which was adorning some tacky tiki decorations (not sure if this is permanent or not). Ambience aside, our service was truly terrible. We both ordered dirty martinis, which we expected to be well made since we were at a craft cocktail bar. At first the bar tender didn't want to make them and he told us to look at the menu instead. After we said we still wanted martinis he begrudgingly made them slowly. It was not very good. The bartender was exceptionally rude to us even telling us not to return. Trust me, I won't. TLDR; weird ambiance, rude people, bad drinks. Will not return.

We went here with some friends on one of our rare nights out and had a great time. Service was above and beyond, the cocktails were excellent, and I'm definitely ordering the fried olives every time I go back. Perfect place to go for a low key evening with friends, but if, unlike us, you don't need to be at home by 9:30 to relieve your babysitter, it's probably a great place to go nuts at too.

My wife and I were traveling through Charlottesville and she knows I love a tasty adult beverage. She said I'm taking you somewhere I know you'll enjoy. First it was an adventure where it's location is but yelp helped us find our way. The bartender who was also the owner, I believe was the only one working and she was amazing. She could pair you with a delicious handmade cocktail by asking just a few questions. The menu was clearly well thought out and well planned. The service was quick and very personal. I believe I chose the drink that is the bartenders choice and it did not disappoint one bit! I would kill to have something as great as the lost saint in my area but I don't....

I can't say enough about how much I love this place. I'm used to seeing Yelp reviews raving about "the cocktails" at various places, and being disappointed to find that when the reviewers say "the cocktails" they mean cosmos, straight spirits, and vodka-dominant drinks. This is not the case here. The cocktail list is thoughtful and creative, with intelligent use of spirits and amari. The drinks I sampled over two nights were very, very impressive. They have a deep understanding of the balance of the bitter, sweet, and alcoholic (sounds bad, but I just mean base spirits). Every drink I had there was a delight, and they seem to be constantly experimenting. Did I hear that this is the oldest commercial building in C'ville? Don't quote me-- I was compromised due to the insanely good cocktails they were creating. And my daughter was driving, so I felt free to explore their deep, deep repertoire. I am currently trying to plan my next visit to C'ville. Oh, no, dear daughter, it's entirely to visit you! Not to see my new buddies behind the bar at Lost Saint. (sadly, my daughter knows better!)

Amazing. Fantastic beer, top shelf liquor, awesome environment. Ask for recommendations if you don't know what you want.

Love the subdued atmosphere. (If they'd add lounge-y cushioned chairs and loveseats, it would be even better.) Bartenders are obviously knowledgeable, and my drinking companions really liked their drinks. I ordered a Greyhound (for which they chased down a fresh grapefruit for juice), and it was a little more on the sweet side than I prefer. But the staff is very attentive, and I recommend the place.

Horrible. Waited forever to get downstairs, which was a shame because it was virtually empty when we got there. It was our second time there, and we were surprised that the menu hadn't changed since the summer. Nonetheless, we were excited because Emma made us some great drinks during our last visit to Charlottesville. Unfortunately, she left to go elsewhere and clearly the bar has taken a turn for the worst. Tacky decor included. The tall bartender was creepy and the shorter bartender with the mustache was (somehow) worse at making drinks than the tall one. They took shots the whole time and were pretty drunk during our visit. Take your money to Tavola instead.

Super-friendly hidden speakeasy beneath Tavern & Grocery, with phenomenal hand-crafted drinks, a super-friendly staff, and the best chicken sandwich on the planet. Highly recommended.

Great speakeasy bar! You have to enter the restaurant upstairs and ask to go into Lost Saint. If they are not crowded, they will let you in. Definitely worth visiting before eating dinner somewhere. The space is very cool, fun decor. The bartenders are so much fun. Passionate about what they do, very knowledgeable, and great to chat with. The drinks are so creative. If you're a Bud Light kind of person, probably not for you. But, if you're into interesting and tasty craft cocktails, then it's awesome. When we told the that we were visiting for the weekend, they took the time to write down a number of suggestions for restaurants and bars. We tried most of their recommendations and they were spot on. Definitely worth a visit!