Riverside Lunch

Riverside is one of the best family diners I have had the pleasure eating at. The staff is patient and passionate about their diner. I went one time a few years ago and it too this day is my favorite place to eat dinner out or quick grab while coming home from work. I highly recommend the carrot cake it’s hard to find a good one that is moist, sweet, and they use natural ingredients.

Went on a Saturday afternoon and it was full but not crazy busy. The prices are very reasonable. I got all fried food for my meal and my partner got a burger. The burger was good but I really think the fried foods are the highlights. The cheese balls were so good. They’re pepper jack cheese cubes battered and fried. Also had fried mushrooms which I loved.

You would never expect anything unassuming place like this to be so great. We got there at 10:55 AM and there were already people waiting, which is a great sign. I checked my watch and about 30 minutes after we got seated, the entire place was full. The food was excellent. If I could I would have 4.5 stars for the food because, although delicious, the portions were a tiny bit small. The service was excellent. Even though it was as busy as it was, the waitress was very friendly towards us and even gave us recommendations of things to see around Charlottesville! Prices are very reasonable as well. Would definitely eat here again.

A decent diner in a small town north of Virginia. Food was delicious, satisfying service and reasonable prices. A definite recommendation for anyone staying or driving through a beautiful small town named Charlotsville VA.

The only restaurant that makes you pay a 100% sales tax in the USA! Our $7 burger becomes $14 after tax 💀💀💀 When we asked about the price, the waitress explained, "It is for cabbage and other taxes and fees." Wow, I didn't know that they charge 30 cents for every single leaf of lettuce. We had take-out out couple weeks ago, and this is just a heads up:) The chef was cool, and the food was good too.

This place is a must visit in cville. It's got an old school feel. The staff is fun and engaging and service is awesome. Not to mention the burgers, they are amazing. If you're looking for a classic American Burger and Fries with a down to earth classic local vibe this is the place to go. And they always hook you up with a drink to go😆

Never had a bad meal at Riverside, they’ve got the best smash burgers in town - great sides and wing dings as well!

My mother, God rest her soul, loved this place. She would always want to eat here for lunch. Went in two weeks ago, same quality food and same quality experience. Never change Riverside, thank you for being good to my Mama.

"Flat out" the best burgers around! Order the basket of fries, mozz sticks, and cheeseburger "all the way' and it surely will not disappoint. One of the best deals in cville.

Every time you dine at a restaurant, you roll the dice on food safety, and this place really made it feel like I was gambling. A lady in a table near us exclaimed that she found a mushroom in her corndog. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it made me wonder. All told, they've got great burgers at a reasonable price. I would absolutely stop by here for a quick bite again!

This place is nothing fancy but man the food is good. My bacon cheeseburger was fantastic and the onion rings were delicious, and they gave you so many. The line was out the door by the time we left, so obviously the word is out on this place. Highly recommend!

My absolute favorite burger spot. Patties are done almost like a smash burger. Taste is consistently amazing. Great portion size, great prices, great service. Casual, cute townie vibes. This is one of the only places I'll miss when I leave Charlottesville.

This is officially my new favorite c-ville diner. They have by far, the best smash burgers around. We both got the double cheese burger. It was so satisfying. Our server (Ashley) was super nice and patient with us (first timers here). Her recommendations we went with. We treated ourselves to a piece of carrot cake which was locally made. The beef is sourced locally. Its all about local when you in live in c-ville. They do serve beer here, which is nice to know next time we visit (which we will be shortly). Didn't try this visit. Give it a shot. You'll enjoy this place. Keep doing what your doing!

This bare basics off campus "dive" delivers simple menu basics well done. Our group sampled fried fish, shrimp basket, grilled chicken, onion rings and fries. All properly cooked and served in about 10 minutes- at least on a quiet off season visit. Cold beer was an added bonus!

Waitress was great! Friendly, seemed to care about us. Food was... just ok. Atmosphere... just ok. Cleanliness... so-so. Won't be going back.

Best burgers in town, served by the sassiest elderly women alive who are over your shit and will let you know it. This is such a vibe, and if you grew up in the south, it'll feel like a little slice of home served with a side of fried pickles, which are also incredible.

Great slice of Americana in Charlottesville. Warm cozy feel of a diner and pretty affordable. Two refills are included with fountain drinks. $0.25 for water and burgers come plain unless you add toppings for an additional charge. There's also a credit card fee, but all and all it's great value and darn good food!

What a gem! We stopped at Riverside Lunch and Tammy was our waitress. She was great! Very attentive to our needs, refilled over beverages several times. Food was incredible! I asked her what she recommended and it was the smash burger no doubt. We had cheeseburgers, bacon cheeseburgers and the "wing dings". The burgers were delicious (she was right!) and the wings were so crispy... and huge! We also got fries, onion rings and the cheese balls. We didn't have a single thing to complain about. It was all perfectly made, nice and hot and tasted great. Tammy and the other waitresses that kept checking in us put the icing on the cake! We will definitely be back when we're back in town!

I placed a to go order here on the way home from a road trip & was definitely satisfied. The prices are great, and they're pretty efficient. I got a cheeseburger, mini corn dogs, & a slice or Oreo pie all for under $20. Everything was hot & fresh. The burgers are as great as they say they are. I enjoyed the Oreo cream pie but we thought it'd be better with a little less cream. Overall it's a nice casual & convenient joint, I'd certainly stop by again another time.

My family and I had a late lunch here today and I literally ate the best burger I had in years. I had a bacon cheeseburger with/grilled onions, and fries. My son had the wings and spicy wings. The wings were hot and crispy and flavorful. The spicy wings were legit spicy but not overbearing the fries were a perfect complement to the wings and burger. This eatery is a great cheap eat check it out!

Great, cheap fried food. Our food came out very fast. People are in and out because of how quick the service is. The burgers are yummy and exactly what you expect them to be like. We got the fries and onion rings basket and the onion rings were my favorite part of the meal. Perfectly crispy and the onions stick well to the fried coating. Definitely a popular spot among locals in Charlottesville.

This place DOES NOT DISSAPOINT. I heard raving reviews from some people about this place, and dang it was amazing. This serves your standard American fare (burgers, fries, subs etc.) at very very very reasonable prices. I order a triple cheeseburger with lettuce tomatoes and grill mushrooms for a tad under $9.00. The menu and prices seem very similar to Canipes which I have also heard great things about as well. I would recommend only sticking with the burgers and subs here as the fries just seemed like frozen shoestring fries that were fried. Overall, if I am in the area again, I will be back!

Perfect local place! Burgers were good and wings dings sooooo gooooddddd!!! The fries are salty. Will go back :)

The service was amazing! Servers kept checking in and were sweet. The food was incredibly fried, but worth it! The wings were crispy and well seasoned, and I always go for the 1/2 and 1/2 onion rings and fries basket. They also had good vegetarian options, with a veggie burger and fried mushrooms. Would recommend coming here for home comfort food.

NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE. Full tables with people eating, full kitchen cooking (right in front of the bar) but they have a sign up saying they are "short staffed" and closing early. Not the same as it used to be, reliable and open no matter how much they wanted to go home.... Pathetic customer service for such a long-standing local business.

So, for all practical appearances, Riverside Lunch looks like your typical lunch type eatery. First, the name kind of gives it away. But thr restaurant overall, both exterior and interior, seems to embrace a no-frills type of ambiance. However, what sets Riverside Lunch apart from the sea of mediocrity when thinking about typical lunch type places is their food. Their hamburgers are definitely something that I would recommend and I would definitely recommend adding their fantastic french fries to accompany their hamburgers. Pricing is pretty competitive, as well. Riverside Lunch has definitely been embraced by the community and with the quality and taste of their food offerings, it is easy to see why. Speaking of being embraced by the community, when I was asking a client where he wanted to go for lunch, he chose Riverside Lunch without hesitation and said that I had to try this particular place. Honestly, I am grateful that he did choose to come here because I was introduced to a fantastic place to grab lunch. I would definitely recommend you check out Riverside Lunch. The menu might be simple, but it is simple food done very well. I give this place five stars and again, I definitely would recommend here.

Always opt for the burger here. I got the double cheeseburger with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles and it's definitely my favorite burger in Charlottesville! So cheap yet so flavorful, this burger really hit all of my Anya Taylor Joy-esque cravings. Unlike her character in "The Menu" though, my eyes were NOT too big for my stomach and I practically inhaled the entire thing.

Food is tasty, the greasy type. It has a Neighborhood feel, great service, reasonable prices. One of my favorites.

Just a plain perfectly done hamburger. Perfect fries and good beer selection. One order of fries is enough for two. The hotdogs looked good. GF and I got the same thing, so I guess it is always the same. Like I said, if you like a plat smashed flattop burger, this the place. I would give it 6 stars for be exactly as billed. Go get some!

This place is a complete lottery. Food is pretty good when you can get it. The problem is service. Came at 8:05. The are suppose to close at 8:30. The hostess says they are not taking any more orders. So why do you say you close at 8:30. Very inconsistent service. Need to do better.

A real gem!! Traveling in the area and the Husband picked this place from google or something, and I wasn't in the mood to hijack like I usually do. When we pulled up I was a little skeptical because the place looks like an old bank and I thought maybe they served 'old people food'. Boy am I glad I went along with it!! Service and staff were super friendly, everyone stopped to ask us about our holiday plans and tell us about their turkey dinners :) Food was good, fast and inexpensive - my favorite things! They advertise the coldest beer in town and it's NO JOKE. Go, eat everything, enjoy!

Great place to get greasy food! This place is known for their awesome burgers. Really, there isn't much else to get here other than their fantastic burger. In fact, it's been ranked in the top 10 of Virginia. I enjoyed eating this fantastic burger. Their patties melt in your mouth. I recommend pairing the burger with lettuce even though it costs extra. Looking for something different? Their fries are great for munching on, and a basket of fries can be shared by the entire table and aren't very expensive. The cheese balls are a GEM. I love sharing these with someone. Please make sure they bring out the ranch for your dip. Overall, this is a neat little place where you can get inexpensive, greasy, delicious burgers. The staff is homey and attentive and Riverside Lunch is perfect for a lunch out with friends. Give it a try!

Love a good flavorful fast burger? This is your place. Love perfectly crispy onion rings or hot crispy shoe string fries? This is your place. The place is old, small, plain and simple. They're there for one thing: serve the best burgers in town, impress you with the taste of good food and not worry about unnecessary fluff and frills. They succeed. If what you want is good hot food served by genuine folks-this. Is. Your. Place. Thank me later.

Had a great time here -- it's hard not to at a local institution like this. The burgers are great, smashed super thin on the griddle and cooked until they achieve a lattice crisp. My only suggestion is to ask for a little more salt on the burger, it can take it (the fries would also benefit from the same advice). Do not skip the onion rings. Nice beer list and super friendly service as well.

2 stars -- one for the friendly service, and one for the free candy. I would have added stars for good food and quality ambience, and a 5th for a perfect experience. When we rolled into the parking lot we were confused by the extremely outdated signing, considering the warm reviews Google & Yelp showed us contrasted the negative ones regarding the historic tavern we'd chosen initially but dismissed as seemingly lesser. This was a different kind of "historic", dusty with the grime of backwards eras whose outdated food reflected the ambience. the food was "trash", my partner called it, "trash food packed in plastic single-use trash". Indeed, the burgers were of the cheapest ilk despite the glowing recommendations; my salad's veg bore no flavor. I feel for any humans working there reading my honest criticism -- I never leave negative ones and I hate to shade such nice folk -- but this place was not worth the time and the subpar fodder brought our day down; I kept apologizing to my partner for trusting the Reviews over his suggestion and eating rock hard fries with tasteless frozen protein. Never again. Wish we'd gone to the historic house buffet as a claim of "average" food would beat this place's garbage grade offerings.

I recently went here with a friend and had to wait due to it being a busy lunch time. We were the only ones waiting for a table for 5-10 minutes, and then a group of construction workers came in behind us. Within a minute they were greeted by a female waiter, who seemed to be very friendly with them (we were never greeted or acknowledged). As soon as the next table opened up, the group behind us cut us in line and took the table before we even had a chance to take a step. Instead of telling the workers that they were second in line, the waitress sat next to them and their booth and began talking to them. This was very disrespectful and we ended up leaving because of it. I really enjoy the burgers here but I'm not going to take my time and money to a place that only values and respects certain customers. I hope the establishment can do a better job of respecting and welcoming ALL customers, or they will start to drive away their long-term customers.

Love the burgers, fries, onion rings, pies here. A great place to eat. It's reasonable and the perfect greasy burger. Highly recommend. Take out fries aren't the best. Fried pickles are good too. Enjoy this must see. Cville place

Absolutely delicious and great service every time! The Riverside north is just as good! Chicken Philly is a winner!

Old fashioned burger joint, we go there occasionally for a reasonably priced burger and fries. Servers are friendly and efficient. Nothing fancy, just filling food with a touch of nostalgia for the old time corner restaurant where everyone knew everyone.

Great place! Service was great. We were lucky to get a seat. Had an awesome cheeseburger and fries.

I have to admit they know how to make fries onion rings burgers and even a fish sandwich. Super yummy mmmm

Wonderful little place for the price and service. It was relatively busy for lunch on a Monday in the summer, so you can tell this place knows it's customers . The food was on point. My husband and I both got cheesesteaks, daughters got a hamburger and mini corn dogs and we all shared one basket of fries... enough for all 4 of us! Great food, great service!

I. Love. This. Place! To quote my SO, it's the best burgers he's had in a long while. I love the friendly but no-BS staff. We told them we'd never been there and they pointed us to the menu hanging above the door. We couldn't decide between onion rings and fries so we got a half and half basket ordered for us. I love a place that has regulars that just hang out, just makes for good vibes. If I lived closer I'd definitely try to be one of those regulars! The food and staff have kept this place in my mind (and GPS) often! A common gripe on the East Coast is our lack of In-n-Out burger, but I would argue that their burgers are reminiscent of but also way better than In-n-Out. If you're in the area, I would definitely recommend checking this place out. There's no flashy signs or advertisements, it's almost a little hidden away but 100% worth the visit.

After living near Charlottesville my whole life, I had never visited Riverside Lunch until today. Clearly, I've been missing out. Our server, Sydney, was so kind and attentive from start to finish. Who I assume to be the cook, Rex, delivered our food to us (which was all absolutely delicious and the fried pickles side was HUGE) and had such calm energy and made sure we had everything we needed super quick. Another server, Schuyler, was so sweet when I mentioned her dinosaur tattoo and held a small conversation which is always a wonderful experience when out to eat (in my opinion). I can't wait to come back!

When a food reporter recommends you go to Riverside Lunch, you don't ask questions. I've never felt more American than when stepping into Riverside Lunch. It's a place where you'll find every part of American society from hipsters to the elderly to country folk. Everyone goes to Riverside Lunch. It's timeless. The walls are littered with pictures of awards, news articles, certificates of authenticity, and random photos. There's a long bar filled with older men. The outdoor patio has a few tables. Booths and small tables sprinkle the inside. The staff are friendly and attentive. Your server will take your order within minutes and then boom. Your food has arrived in record time. There's usually an elderly woman roaming around making sure your stay is more than comfortable. The beer menu has national favorites (Blue Moon) and local favorites (Bold Rock hard cider). The menu has as many sides as there are entrees. I recommend ordering any of the burgers. It comes out so tasty and it's less than $4.50! The fries and onion rings are perfectly fried and hot. The oreo cream pie was perfectly southern with lots of cool whip in it. My wife, daughter and I ordered a beer, a hard cider, two burgers, a few sides, chicken, and a slice of pie and it all came to $40 including tax and tip. Best deal in the entire state of Virginia!

Greasy spoon. Low quality beef, sides all made from frozen food, nothing really made in-house except burger. Flavor and freshness not there. This is the most disgusted I've felt after a meal in ten years.

Excellent burgers, fries and onion rings. All of the staff were very friendly. Prices are a great value as well. Wish we had something like this where we live in Maryland.

Cheeseburger was delicious. A half order of fries and onion rings was enough for 3 people. Service was friendly and attentive. Great hole in the wall place!

After actually eating here recently inside at the 50% capacity, I have felt compelled to update my review. That, and because I actually haven't written a review since this whole pandemic started. But now back to Riverside - the service is still friendly and phenomenal. They did indeed take many precautions to help ensure a safe and clean environment. More importantly, the food is still as great as I remembered. Their burgers are some of the most solid classic burgers you'll find in Charlottesville. I also love ordering a side of fried cheese or fried mushrooms, or fried anything - as their fried sides will indeed satisfy your cravings. And when I was about to leave, as they have ALWAYS done when I have eaten there, they ask if you'd like to take your drink to go with a lid to top it all off. I decided to pass the last time around as I already had a lot of sugar that day... You must come here, or at least get some takeout.

If they were a BBQ place, it'd be Riberside Lunch If it was on an oil rig, it'd be Riggerside Lunch If they sold weird stuff from around the world, it'd be Randoside Lunch If the waitress was foaming at the mouth, it'd be Rabidside Lunch And if it was named after what my gf told me to do last night, it'd be Ramitinside Lunch. Sometimes service and customers at this hidden C-Ville gem can be slightly questionable at this location - but it is definitely worth it because Riverside Lunch is one of the culinary highlights of Charlottesville. Dirt cheap delicious burgers that melt in your mouth and are made exactly the right way. Some of the best fast food style burgers I've had lately - so stop by and give him a try if you like homemade delicious burgers. And did you ever ask yourself why Mr Freeze and the Joker were teamed up with the Riddler? It's because they wanted to be at Riddler's-side.

A Charlottesville institution, Riverside lunch serves up delicious burgers and the usual burger joint offerings. Everything is priced so fair that you'll walk out spending maybe $6 person if you've got a group sharing sides etc. Even with having to pay $.20 extra for lettuce and tomato on your sandwich should you desire them, the prices are low. And after all, shouldn't lettuce and tomato cost a few cents more, if you understand how food is grown and distributed and the costs associated? No problem with me. Don't miss their onion rings! Fried to perfection and not too greasy. However the fries I will probably skip next time, not horrible but a bit overcooked, too crunchy. Our toddler son got the 3 piece chicken tenders which were plump and juicy, crispy on the outside, and he gobbled them right up. Everyone in the group of 8 I dined with at lunch enjoyed their meal, even a couple vegetarians were able to leave satisfied (good old grilled cheese and plenty of sides mmm). The place fills up quick around lunch and the parking lot isn't huge so be aware of that. The turnaround time isn't too long though, so the wait shouldn't be exorbitant even when busy. Service was friendly and efficient. Down home feel. They loved our son and gave him a tootsie pop for him before we left:)

The most amazing burgers I've had! They always have the freshest ingredients, the nicest service and the prices are cheap (I paid $5.50 for a cheeseburger with a lot of toppings) compared to the incredible quality that you're getting. I love this place so much that even after I moved to FL I have to come here every time that I visit! I love Riverside!! Thank you for always giving me a wonderful experience every tIme I come, and your food is top notch!!

Delicious burgers and wings, absurdly low prices, and amazing service! Stopped by because of all its great reviews and was not disappointed at all. Our server was super friendly and constantly checked in on us and refilled our water. We were served food within 10 minutes. The spicy wings were fantastic! Each bite was crunchy on the outside yet tender and juicy on the inside. The spice level was perfect, too! Burgers were delicious. The patties were freshly made and squashed flat on the hot grill. It was a tad greasier than I would have liked but still really delicious. Fries were okay. They were skinny skies and didn't taste all that special. Beers are cheap! There are parking spaces but not a whole lot. Great place to grab a cheap, quick meal! Not the healthiest, but definitely delicious.

I didn't know what to expect of the long time Charlottesville staple - Riverside Lunch. Walking in and seeing the vintage wall pictures, wood paneling and restaurant setup made me feel like I was in a hidden gem...that wasn't so hidden. The place was packed with younger and older and they obviously came here to fulfill a craving. I personally chose the Bacon Double Cheeseburger with BBQ sauce and jalepnos. Heeeyyyyyy don't knock it until you've tried it. I liked the burger, it was cooked well (as in good) and the cheese was melted just right. The fries were decent but didn't knock my socks off. They were a little over cooked. The rest of my group liked what they got to eat as well. I can say the prices are ridiculously cheap for the amount of food that you receive. The staff that we interacted with were hilarious, attentive and catered to our needs. We will definitely go back to Riverside Lunch to try other items on the menu. Pro tip, get to Riverside Lunch early (for lunch) because the parking lot gets packed quickly and the seats go faster than the burgers they cook up.

Great place to grab a beer, burger and onion rings. Service was quick and easy. Highly recommend!!

This is food for people who really don't care about diets. Riverside Lunch is a flat-top-grill and they specialize in grilling burgers. Amazingly delicious burgers. I sat at the counter and watched the two dudes preparing them. It's not hard. Round ball of meat, flatten on the grill, cook until done. Put on bun with extras (lettuce, tomato, mayo are extra) and serve. They did make it look easy. Burger was delicious. Melty cheese, hot beef, crisp onion, cool tomato. Yum.

This place serves a "flat out" amazing burger! It's a small Charlottesville staple that has a delicious meal. It's a small place that has a small town feel. Waitresses and waiters seem like people who enjoy their job and are quite friendly. It's not quite the fanciest place and it doesn't have the worlds best food but it's a simple small place for a quick greasy meal. Their burgers are delicious and pressed flat on the grill hence their slogan "flat out the best burger in Charlottesville". Burgers are made to order and reasonably priced. The fries are alright but nothing to write home about. The true show stopper for me and all others I've taken there are the onion rings. These guys know how to actually keep the onion from sliding completely out in one bite. And anyone who loves a good onion ring understands the importance of that. Overall great quick and easy spot. Great meal if you are going to the river and need something yummy that wouldn't break the bank. You can dine in or carry out. Both are fast and I've never called or waited more than ten minute. Know that it's not some glamorous hot spot but a local spot for a friendly meal.

Fantastic diner. Just a ten minute drive from UVa, their location is ideal for college students and for anyone visiting Charlottesville. The service was incredibly fast, and our server was the most friendly I've ever had. On top of that, the food was just amazing. We were able to get a great variety of food at a great price. The portions are more than fair and delicious. I especially loved having Old Bay on the table! This is absolutely a place I'll be returning to soon.