The Nook
415 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
The Nook Menu
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Address :
415 E Main St
Charlottesville, VA, 22902 - Phone (434) 295-6665
- Website https://www.thenookcville.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Bonnie C.
The Saturday before last found us at the historic Paramount Theatre enjoying a matinee live simulcast of the NY Met opera production of "Aida". So afterwards, we stopped into this cute little retro enclave located in the pedestrian mall to grab a bite. Adorable decor - tiny retro octagonal tiled black & white floor (boy - were those a blast from the past for me!), comfortable wood-backed booths, polished wood bar, & vintage black-&-white photos of old Charlottesville decorating the walls. Menu can best be described - in my opinion - as diner comfort food with some eclectic twists. While they serve breakfast, lunch, & dinner - breakfast is served only until noon on weekdays & until 3 p.m. on weekends; & they are only open until 7 p.m. 7 days a week, so you have to be a fairly early diner to enjoy this place. That said, we were seated immediately (it was only around 5 p.m.) & several other tables were already obviously enjoying their meals. We started off by sharing an appetizer of "Toasted Spinach and Artichoke Ravioli" ($5.95), described as "Breaded Ravioli Stuffed with Spinach, Artichokes and Cheese, Gently Fried and Served with Buttermilk Ranch on the Side". This was very good. While I don't think the ravioli are made in-house, it was one of the few times when you could actually "taste" the different stuffing ingredients in a specialty ravioli. Spinach, artichokes, & what tasted like Romano or Parmesan cheese - you could taste them all inside these 8 or 10 little square breaded pasta pockets. Exterior was slightly chewy, but not in a bad way. And all salad dressings are homemade on the premises, & the flavor & consistency of the Ranch Dressing dipping sauce showed that in no uncertain terms. It was delicious - & neither of us are big Ranch dressing fans. For entrees, I ordered the "Lemon Chicken" ($14.95), described as "Sauteed Chicken Breast with Artichoke Hearts, Fresh Lemon Juice, Garlic, Parsley, and White Wine. Served with Mashed Potatoes, Fresh Green Beans, and Garlic Bread". It was all of the above. Again - you could taste the fresh lemon juice and the white wine - no cheating here. Both the mashed potatoes & green beans were fresh & the chicken breast was a really nice-size portion. My only complaints would be that the "garlic bread" was just garlic butter spread on a soft hamburger-type roll, the green beans - while definitely fresh - were seriously undercooked, & the plate was WAY WAY too small for all the food. It was difficult to eat anything without accidentally pushing something else off the plate onto the table. (Why do so many restaurants do this??) I took about half of my meal home & enjoyed it just as much the following day (especially after cooking those green beans a bit more - lol!!) Hubby had the Dave's Special Chicken Sandwich, which was a breaded boneless chicken breast with a piece of what looked like American Cheese incinerated on top on a soft roll with lettuce, tomato, etc., & sides fo a honey-dijon dipping sauce & a small pile of potato chips. I believe it was $6.95 or something in that ballpark. Hubby said it was okay, but although I didn't taste it, it didn't look like something I'd order again & certainly didn't look "special". I'm thinking fries would have been a nicer accompaniment to a "special" sandwich than a handfull of potato chips, but that may be just personal preference. All in all & bottom line is that we'd definitely dine here again & try other items. Service was attentive & friendly, prices were reasonable for the portion size, & the place is cute.
(3)Liz C.
Great options and delicious food! Country fried steak, Reuben and grilled cheese were favorites at the table. Milkshakes were highly recommended - great breakfast or lunch place!
(4)Juju J.
Large menu (a separate menu for lust macaroni and cheese too!) and something for everyone but overpriced for a diner. It's diner/deli food with good size portions. We came here to grab a late lunch. My friend ordered the crab cake sandwich, which she said was pretty good. I ordered a salad, but they brought me out the wrong one but replaced it. The salad was very meh. The chicken was very bland and they literally charged extra for every little thing when I substituted less expensive items (i.e. replaced the cheese with cucumber). It the end I paid about $15 for a garden salad with chicken and a coke (obscene prices for soft drinks). I would go to any other the nicer places on the mall next time and pay around the same price.
(3)Jenna B.
My Fiance and I went here today. We got seated and then no one came to take our order for 15 minutes. I could see if they were busy, but there was not many people in there and there was 6-7 people who worked there just sitting at the bar talking. After 15 minutes, we got up and walked out..no one said anything. Will never go back. We ended up at Millers and they were awesome!
(1)Leigh Anna T.
Um... so it's a diner... and um... it has food... and um... my Reuben was just so-so... but I'll probably be back because it's a diner on the downtown mall...
(3)j m.
A tired and hungry Sunday evening; many places in the C-Ville ped mall are closed. This looks like a reasonable choice for these visitors in search of some comfort food. The scent of behind-the-scenes personnel drama is strong with this one; the place is half-empty yet the kitchen is "catching up" when we come in. We try waiting at the bar but the bartender is busy elsewhere in the little place. They go ahead and seat us and our server does a great job of masking some sort of chaos going on in the kitchen while taking our orders. Interminable delay punctuated by intermittent yelling from the back. We eventually get our food and it's uniformly, almost hilariously bad, as if whoever made it simply guessed about what to do based upon the menu description. When we send most of it back the server doesn't bat an eye -- but quickly returns with a tray full of comped desserts (all good and fresh out of the fridge). As we work our way through these, the manager appears, streaming sweat and apologies. He's truly (and appropriately) embarrassed and insists on comping the entire meal, rebuffing our attempt to pay for our drinks and salad. This makes it tough to come up with a star rating - overall a really bad experience but mitigated by the staff response. Given that I'm going for the Meh rather than the Eek since the clues indicate that something unusual was afoot; if I was local I might give this place another chance.
(2)Brad S.
They have everything. This is a good average food type place. Nothing amazing, but nothing bad. I would go here again.
(3)Al C.
Country fried steak was perfect. My better half's salmon was good. I'd go again.
(4)Ingrid C.
I really wanted to like The Nook much more than I did. It has a charming outdoor dining space with ample seating and the facade has classic diner charm. Upon looking at the menu, it seemed as if they specialized in classic diner fare, as well, with a few Charlottesville specialties. They had a delicious specials menu, including their supposedly "famed" lump only crabcakes. I ordered the crabcake benedict, with whole butter hollandaise (as opposed to clarified). My boy ordered their special crab and tomato mac and cheese. The two chocolate malted milkshakes we ordered were tasty and plentiful. I usually prefer mine really thick, but a little runny suits other people's tastes. The meals? They were okay, maybe a little better than okay. There wasn't this rich satisfying flavor I craved. It was good, just not amazing, and it should have been pretty amazing with all that fat. The mac and cheese was definitely better than my benedict, but it still could've used more flavor. All and all, I'd try it again, just maybe something off their standard menu.
(3)David R.
My wife and I were in Charlottesville today and like most couples, we couldn't agree on a place to eat. We finally decided on the The Nook, because we are suckers for old style diners that have been around a while. We just assume that a diner that has been around since the 50's must be doing something right. The atmosphere is nice. The place looks like it's been around a while, but in a good way. Photos, from I'm assuming are from the area in the 50's, adorn the walls and the booths are nice and cozy (except the kid hanging off the side of the booth and yelling - people try to put some effort in keeping your kids under control. Not everyone thinks they're adorable). The waitress did an okay job, we've had worse. The food was good. I had the grilled cheese with chili and my wife had the Ruben, which she said was good. The meal and 2 iced teas cost us around $25, not including tip. I thought the Nook was a nice place to eat and would probably go back.
(3)Gwen K.
Reliably average food. I think a lot of stuff comes frozen or canned from SYSCO or somewhere similar (e.g. crinkle cut fries, shredded Mexican cheese blend, perfectly smooth brown gravy). Good omelets. Breakfast ends at noon during the week and at 3 on weekends, which is a little weird (how hard is it to pour some pancake batter on a griddle?). The giant slab of chocolate cake is tasty. Coffee is passable but not good. Basically, I've come to use the Nook as a backup place. Wandering around the Downtown Mall with hungry friends and can't pick a place to go? The Nook will work. Or, if you make plans to meet at Bluegrass on a Monday, like my friends and I did today only to find that Bluegrass is closed Mondays, the Nook will work. Never dreadful, never great, usually under $10.
(3)Patrick K.
Pretty standard diner type food, but classed up a little bit for the C-ville audience. My only complaint is that it's a little pricey for the type of food. That being said, it's one of the cheaper places on the Downtown Mall.
(3)Randulo R.
Very enjoyable, good food, nice people.
(3)Norman P.
A very unexceptional breakfast establishment. The ambiance is nicer than the exterior suggests, and the service was good, overall, but the food was bland. The cheese grits were watery and tasteless. The coffee tasted like dirty dishwater. The breakfast ham was not notable. All in all, an okay place, but nothing special. I think I might even prefer an IHOP.
(3)Luke C.
A standard diner with fairly friendly waiting staff. Attracts the collegiate crowd. Good service, and reasonably priced. Not outstanding though.
(3)Tim N.
Went to The Nook today for a late breakfast. They had breakfast until 3:00 which worked out great with our lazy Sunday schedule. We got seated right away, which was surprising since the restaurant doesn't seat a ton of people, and there's always been a line. I had a Bloody Mary and the Breakfast Club Sandwich. She got the Belgian waffle and coffee. The Club Sandwich was a special and arrived with a medium fried egg, ham, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on their rye bread. The ham was very tasty. I'm not a fan of runny yolks, so the medium egg was good and the extra runnyness mixed with the mayo. Speaking of mayo, there was just too much on my sandwich. If I get it again I'd probably order it without and put it on myself. The Bloody Mary was pretty standard. H. liked her huge waffle and it filled her up. She couldn't finish it (yay, more for me). She thought the coffee tasted a little burnt though. It had probably been sitting on the heat for a while. We've been here about 4 times and have never had a bad experience. It's decent diner food, and the downtown location is good.
(3)Claire W.
Hard to find a restaurant that will satisfy six diners aged 9 - 79, but The Nook did it. New menu from the last time I was there (years ago, under prior management), we went on President's Day. Sadly we got there after 12 noon, or could have ordered off the breakfast menu also. There was something for everyone, and a mimosa and bloody mary for my husband and I (it was a holiday). Service was excellent(although our server's friendly and attentive manner didn't fully match the "goth" look). Food was good, definitely a family favorite.
(4)Laura C.
The wait staff was very friendly, and the food was very good. We had a side of onion rings (the side portion is smaller than the appetizer portion) and they were the best I've ever had, delicious and not at all greasy. We had the crab NookMac and the tuna NookMac, and both were good. they have a creamy sauce that is not too heavy with a mild cheese flavor, and a crunchy topping. I also had the BBQ meatloaf sandwich, and it was excellent. It had a big slab of meatloaf that hung over the edges of the bun, and was really, really good. We'll definitely come back the next time we're in Charlottesville.
(4)Tyler B.
I say not too bad. In all of the mall, The Nook has got the best shade for dining outside. Tall timbers provide. Give it 3.5 for friendly service and quality of my roast beef on rye with horseradish sauce- that was some DAMN fine rye. Damn. Not worthy of 4, well 'cause it ain't that grand. It's diner food, reasonably priced and reliable. You really can't go wrong with consistently good.
(3)Molly F.
The only reason to go to this place is to get a burger, fries, and a milkshake. Don't waste your time on the specials and stick to the sandwiches. I'm not sure why anyone would order crabcakes here. One time I made the mistake of getting lasagna, and it tasted like it had leftover chili from the day before between the layers of pasta. It is nice to sit outside, but there is usually a wait. The place is cute and the waiters are usually nice, but just stick to the basic diner fare.
(3)Michelle B.
Their mocha milkshake transported me to a gentler, kinder place: 1950s mythical Americana in a glass.
(4)Alison P.
The Nook is a pretty nice place. The staff there were all very friendly and helpful. The place has a nice atmosphere, I really liked the booths. The menu had some pretty standard diner food as well as some standards with twists. I definitely recommend the lemon dill chicken salad sandwich--I was really surprised how much I liked it.
(4)Dana C.
Ive eaten here twice--once with family and once with friends. Both times have left me with an unpleasant experience. During one experience, I was given cold mashed potatoes and the other time the server forgot a portion of our order and my mom's omelet was way undercooked. After pointing it out to our waitress (after majority of the party was finished with the meal), she simply offered my mom if she wanted something else but was unwilling to take it off the check. I will not be going back.
(1)Z T.
Great service. Our server/host was wonderful - attentive, great attitude and great recommendations. Food was fantastic. We had the sweet potato hash with eggs and biscuit and the "all the way breakfast." The eggs were fluffy and delicious - and I am very picky about eggs. Fun people watching with the outside seating. Overall pleasant brunch experience.
(4)Dan B.
Took forever to be recognized at the hostess stand. Once seated, the wait staff was pleasant and efficient. Ordered the corned beef hash. Asked for the eggs to be over easy; came over-well with yolks broken and cooked. Wife had omelet, was good. Daughter had peach waffle, was very good. It's a dive, it's ok.
(2)Kyle P.
I had been told they specialize in a home style Mac and cheese so I decided to give it a try. They have a ton of different Mac and cheese variations on the menu and I went with the three meat one. The taste and flavor was very good. My only concern was the serving size was pretty small. My wife ordered the Caesar chicken wrap and thought it was very good.
(4)Anna H.
They have tons of variations of mac and cheese, but it's not good, so not sure why they're pushing it so much. At our table of four, we tried two - chili mac and meatloaf mac - and both were quite bland. Overall, below mediocre. It was sustenance. Service was friendly and prompt.
(2)Dan S.
Really bland food, also the waitress was friendly enough, but had really bad breath which kinda spoiled my appetite.
(1)Lisa G.
This is a charming spot with a lot of nostalgia because of the old building alone. It's a diner with salads, sandwiches and the like on the menu. I had the BLT. Kinda dry. Fries are crinkle cut. Avoid the green beans. They're fresh, but they're not evenly cooked. And they still have the ends on them. They boast having the best shakes in town, but I wasn't blown away by the chocolate. It was good, but not incredible. Really nothing special at all about the food.
(3)Cee N.
Wonderful diner breakfast. Had the Belgium Waffle with pure maple syrup and the waitress was agreeable to adding the Fresh Seasonal Fruit, even though it wasn't listed as a side. Friendly service. My husband asked for bacon and hash browns crispy and they did a great job; great pancake too.
(4)Tom P.
Great breakfast spot for diner food. Especially nice when you can sit outside and enjoy the morning on the mall. Service can be a bit slow.
(4)Julia R.
This was my second time trying The Nook out. I guess the romantic in me thought I should give it another shot. This time I ordered the barbecue meatloaf since it was self described as a speciality. It was the opposite of anything you think about with meatloaf. Barbecue here means burnt on all sides creating a crust all the way around a piece of meatloaf so dry that it was sliced like toast. I didn't complain because the server was nice to my children. I just dipped my hard meatloaf in lots of gravy to try and give it some moisture. Also both times they steam the veggies only barely and the broccoli was nearly raw when served. I guess that's better than mush but really I can't say I recommend this place at all.
(1)Nis-Man P.
Jesus Christ. Friday night and this place was dead. Monotone decor and an ambience equivalent to that of a funeral home. Service was fairly polite but often asked the men to order first rather than the women which was strange. We got the mac and cheese with buffalo chicken. Atrocious: dry noodles, not enough sauce, more flour than cheese (likely powdered cheese) with pieces of something remotely resembling chicken. Kraft does better, sadly. Shake was palatable, tasted like melted ice cream, but nothing compared to Chaps. Will never return. Sorry for the harsh review.
(1)Neil F.
Too long wait for corned beef hash which was promised to be "never" from a can, according to the menu. And, yet, we received barely cooked hash that was, very definitely, from a can. Poor experience unfortunately.
(1)Ashley S.
This place is disgusting.. Stay away. No one wears gloves in the kitchen and food is dropped on the dirty tables/counters and placed back on your plate. They've also had repeat violations for several years on not holding food to proper temps. You're better off going to IHOP or Waffle House. (And not have to pay to park far away and walk)
(1)Angie M.
A bird shat on my food. Nuff said.
(3)Tina K.
Pretty standard diner food. I would give the milkshake four stars, though. They have indoor/outdoor seating, so you can watch lots of people on the downtown mall as you wait for your food. I had the chicken club wrap and it was pretty darn good. My husband's reuben was good, too. You could probably skip the fries and onion rings. They seemed like they were frozen and dumped in oil.
(3)Scott H.
The Nook is a downtown mall staple that has been around, in various forms of ownership, for over 60 years. I used to eat here nearly every weekend when I worked weekend shifts at nearby Charlottesville Broadcasting in the late 90's. It served traditional diner / greasy spoon fare and I always found it to be a bit of a dive. Which is fine, except that several places around town served much better dive/diner food. A few weekends back the wife and I were in town for a football game and looking to grab breakfast Sunday before heading out of town. After seeing INSANE lines at both Bodo's, I decided to head downtown and see if The Nook was still open. Not only was it open, but about as packed as I expected. Still, we were seated and greeted fairly quickly. The first thing that I noticed is that the entire place had received a nice facelift from the last time I had been there. Much cleaner and modern, going for more of an kitschy trendy diner vibe than the traditional southern "comfort food" dive of the past. The menu also reflected this, offering some twists on the typical diner / greasy spoon fare, like roast beef hash. (I later discovered on their website that they changed ownership in 2007, and my guess is that this is when these changes were made) The wife and I ordered drinks and then settled on breakfast - her ordering the breakfast burger, which featured bacon and, of course, a fried egg. (This is C'ville after all!) I opted for the Havarti, Dill, and Plum Tomato Omelet. Both items looked great, and the bite I had of the wife's burger was great. But my omelet left a bit to be desired. It was a little bland, overloaded with tomatoes, and no dill flavor to be found. The dill, it seems, was from typical Havarti-dill sliced cheese, and not fresh dill. And then, with the omelet nearly finished, I took one of the last bites and got a mouthful of paper ... paper that was left on one of the slices of Havarti Dill cheese. A disappointing ending to an otherwise pretty good meal. Still, I'll give them three stars for a couple of reasons. First, once I informed my server about the paper, I was offered something else. Since I had finished 90% of the omelet paper-free, I was full and declined. Without asking, they comped me the omelet. That's good customer service. And my wife's breakfast burger was tasty, and some of the other menu options looked great, as did many of the plates served to other parties. I'll definitely come back to The Nook, and maybe even bump up their rating ... as long as their kitchen staff pays a bit more attention to what they are sending out.
(3)Jon L.
This place is easy to like. You get a great selection for breakfast, lunch & dinner. I've been there several times and had all three meals and you can't go wrong. This recent trip was for lunch and once again, met my expectaions and exceeded them. I had the BBQ meat loaf and James had a salad & fully loaded baked potato. All excellent quality & a great value. You get two mega size slices of meat loaf with a side of potato salad. I could only eat half a slice but that left me with a nice go box for later. Check out the pic for the portion size. Try it, you won't be disappointed.
(4)Ryan J.
If I were a local the mall would be where I would spend my Saturday mornings and the Nook would be a mainstay in my breakfast rotation. Solid and diverse menu, good historical charm, and a great way to get in gear for game day.
(4)Sterling B.
Great food, Great service. Mac and cheese was out of this world good. As an out of towner this was the spot for great home cooking.
(4)Stephanie S W.
Who knew that the day I decide to visit Charlottesville from DC that EVERTHING would be closed... except the Nook. The feel was very 50s diner-esque and they had an impressive mac-n-cheese menu that I'm sad to saw I didn't order from. I had a hot dog (because hey, who doesn't like processed meat) and it was SO good. I substituted the fries for green beans, why not make some part of my meal healthy? It's a nice spot to stop in for a quick lunch and the wait staff are very friendly. I'm only rating them 3 stars, because although the food was good - it was pretty generic and nothing noteworthy that really set it apart.
(3)Lindsey W.
A minimalist diner that was clean comfortable on inviting, with a great location amongst the Historic Downtown shopping center. We were looking for a hot, quality meal at a reasonable price, which is exactly what we found at the Nook. Good selection of American style dishes at a great price.
(5)Matt N.
Very weird. Got seated right away, then got ignored!! Several other parties came in after us and had their order taken. Waited for a time, and then just got up and left. Never experienced anything quite like that. Very strange....
(1)Robert T.
Not a bad brunch overall. The eggs Benedict with crab is quite flavorful. Top it of with hot coffee and a fresh mimosa and you have a great Sunday morning spot. Simplicity, like my review. The gentlemen serving us at the bar was friendly and professional. This is no 5 star restaurant, but you'll always feel welcome. Prices can be a little strange though, like the nearly $4 price tag on a "single side pancake."
(3)Colleen M.
The Mister and I have been here twice now and both times the experience has been exactly what you would expect from a diner. The food is solid diner food. Portions are huge. Waitstaff hovers around 17yrs old, but without attitude and with an above average number of brain cells. Randomly, this place is FREEZING inside during the summer. They say their milkshakes are the best. We passed on them, went to Chap's down the block and I regretted it. Their onion rings are massive and very good. Their chicken tenders are, again, massive and tasty. (This is a theme.) The Mister enjoyed his Philly cheesesteak. Waitress was fairly attentive, although it did feel like our food took awhile to arrive. (We were very hungry, so this might have just been us.) The nice thing about the Nook is that it is reliable. We had some pretty disappointing experiences with food on our C'ville trip and it's good to know we can always pop in here for something familiar and tasty.
(3)Marc M.
Just finished an amazing brunch at The Nook. My girlfriend and I started out with a couple big mimosas that weren't lacking in the champagne department. I ordered the All the Way Breakfast with 2 eggs, homefries, bacon, and an english muffin; my girlfriend got a chocolate chip pancake and link sausage. Everything arrived in less than ten minutes, and it was all delicious. The bacon and homefries were amazing. Seth was a great server. We would definitely recommend this place for breakfast!
(5)Belinda C.
Living in Richmond, Charlottesville has become our quick getaway spot. We love the university area, the downtown mall, local shops, Monticello, driving the countryside, taking wine tours etc. We are typically exploring new venues with every visit. Except when it comes to Sunday breakfast/brunch, we don't mess around. The Nook is our spot of choice b/c it never disappoints. A solid restaurant/diner that always hits the mark for us. This last round the biscuits and gravy knocked my socks off! I have never seen that much pork sausage on a B&G plate! Not to mention, it was delicious. Someone is always floating around with a pot of coffee looking to refresh your cup and entrees come out of the kitchen with lightening speed. Other restaurants may get our money, but The Nook has our heart. :)
(4)Paul S.
My wife and I had breakfast here the 3 mornings that we were in Charlottesville and had something different each time. The food was consistently good.
(4)Scott K.
I visited The Nook for the first time in about 10 years recently and I was happy to be here and surprised to be seated as soon as I arrived. The menu is comprised of burgers, salads, crab cakes, and other regular diner fare. Much of the menu is of breakfast items and I will try them the next visit. Ordered the BBQ meatloaf sandwich with fries and had the chip n' dip appetizer. I have had better onion dips from the grocery store. It needs to be improved a great deal. The meatloaf was just OK. I probably won't order it again. Food C Staff B Decor B Location B Health Inspection Grade - 2 critical violations in last inspection
(3)Chuck L.
Diner. Comfort. Fries. Gravy. Seriously, what more do you need?
(3)S S.
Had breakfast there last week on a Friday morning about 9:30. Place was about half fun. Waitress was good, but talked/moved as if she'd already had a day's supply of Red Bull. My breakfast mate had Scotch eggs. He said they were prepared well and tasty. The Nook serves everything on the menu all day and so I ordered a hamburger. It was a mistake. They advertise 2 patties and I got 2, but they looked like they had been cooked the day (or more) before and had been sitting since then. They were dried up and thin as could be. And they had no taste I didn't send back because I didn't have time to wait for another meal. The lettuce and tomato tasted home grown and were delicious. If it were not for them, it would have been inedible. It's been a couple of years since I've eaten at the Nook. Food was good then. Can only guess what happened between then and now.
(1)Jon W.
Food was decent about average for a diner and reasonably inexpensive. I had the meat loaf sandwich ($6) and a milkshake ($5). Meat loaf sandwich was decently sized but with mediocre flavor and the french fries were good. I ended up dousing it all in ketchup. Milkshake was good sized but fairly plain and unfortunately wasn't very thick-maybe I've just gotten used to the ones served at Cookout but I wasn't impressed. The service was prompt and I enjoyed the opportunity to sit outside on the mall during a beautiful day. I'll be back but more out of boredom than any great desire to eat the food.
(3)Donald P.
I understand that this place is a downtown mall staple. I just wasn't overly impressed with the service, the food or the decor. The service was 2 star at best. We sat at the bar for a weekday lunch. It seemed like we were inconveniencing the waiter. We had to ask for everything - drinks, menus, water, check. The food was ok. They have a big menu to start with and a whole separate menu of gourmet mac and cheeses. I got the Beef Mac n Cheese with the Caesar side salad. My colleague got the turkey rueben. All was ok at best. The Mac n Cheese was bland. The Caesar Salad was soggy. The decor is extremely dated. I guess that is okay for a greasy spoon, but it didn't add to the experience. All in all, everything was OK. It probably will not be my first choice the next time we go out in the area.
(2)Adrienne B.
The milkshakes are delicious. The service and the food quality leave much to be desired.
(1)Caroline C.
Came in for an afternoon drink with my mom. Decided on a mimosa. The drink was pretty good, as a personal preference I don't like orange juice with pulp so that wasn't my favorite. Unfortunately, the gentleman working behind the bar, we think possibly the manager, was INCREDIBLY rude. The servers all seemed nice, the food smelled really good, but this guy was so unpleasant it almost ruined the champagne (almost). All in all, I would probably not sit at the bar again, obviously it's an inconvenience for him to serve his customers.
(3)Katie C.
Good food but it took them close to forty minutes after we finished eating to give us our tickets.
(2)Joy G.
Your average run-of-the-mill greasy spoon with scuffed vinyl floors, dim lighting, bottomless coffee. I had the Simon and Garfunkel specials omelette, with lots of sage and cheese stuffed inside, along with two sausage links on the side and four humongous slices of sourdough bread. What can I say, I'm a breakfast person. I think the whole world would be happier if we mandated that everyone eat a plate of scrambled eggs, hash browns, fruit salad, and (veggie/vegan) bacon and sausage. Maybe a whole lot fatter but definitely a lot happier. Don't underestimate their omelettes - it's a lot of food on the plate. My friend's Messy Jessie (you'll get some chortles when you order that) was okay: I don't usually like meatloaf but this meatloaf was perfectly seasoned, but unfortunately, the waffle fries clearly tasted frozen. We came in before lunch on a Wednesday morning during break, so not that many people around, but it still took some time for all our food to come out. Everything on the menu looked pretty good but for some reason, some of their breakfast-based dishes come with home fries and others don't. I really wanted some potato-y goodness for my omelette but I had to settle for toast.
(3)David C.
Decent.
(3)Lauren B.
This was my first time visiting The Nook. I was visiting in Charlottesville and decided to go The Nook as we were walking along Main St. hoping for a great bite for brunch. We were looking forward to eating outside - as it was such a wonderful day- but so was so many other local patrons. After about 20 minute wait we finally sat down for brunch. The three of us ordered various items. We ordered egg salad sandwich, reuben sandwich and house salad (with turkey/ham pinwheels). I ordered a mimosa - that was not up to par as my tasebuds was hoping for, one of us ordered coffee and the other sweet tea. Service was not excellent and for a saturday brunch , the staff seemed quite overwhelmed. Our waitress was working two other tables outside and made sure to give them item before my table - as it was a group of 7 and we were a mere group of 3. My group and I were quite disappointed in the food. There was not anything fancy or that stood out for each meal but we did enjoy the birds while sitting outside. Maybe if we return to this area, we will try another spot, ,however, this failed to catch our real interest. I would consider giving this place a second chance, however, some of my comrads would disagree- as they felt the prices were a bit steep for a meal that did not fill their bellies. Maybe with bigger portions or that "WOW" factor to bump up the meal, maybe we can return again.
(3)Gary H.
Any place that serves breakfast until 3 already has an extra star from me. My girlfriend and I came here after we found out the Sky Bar across the street wasn't serving brunch at 2:50 on a Sunday. I ordered the basil and tomato omlette and she got the eggs benedict. Service was ridiculously fast. It took 6 minutes for our order to come out (yes, I timed it). The serving sizes were pretty big for the price. The eggs benedict were pretty good, though not our favorite. The omlette was fantastic--especially if you like tomatoes. My overall experience here was great.
(4)Elizabeth F.
I have not been to the Nook in AGES so I was glad to stop in for lunch with some of out of town friends who wanted to walk around the Downtown Mall. I know that the restaurant changed ownership a few years ago. The interior got a bit of a facelift and the new menu is full of kitchy 50s artwork. I had the meatloaf sandwich. The serving was huge but the meatloaf did not have any kind of sauce with it, making it a bit dry for my taste. But the most disappointing was the crinkle cut fries straight out of a Sysco bag and not fried long enough. While the service was fine, it seems to me the new owner (probably not so new) did not keep what worked well under Terry Shotwell. With so many other cool places on the Downtown Mall, there are no shortage of other choices nearby. So you may want to keep walking.
(2)Dave W.
Stopped in for breakfast on Sunday morning, around 8:30 am and just missed the crowd! After reading some of the reviews we were a little hesitant to try the place but we also had many personal recommendations from people we met during numerous wine tastings (maybe we should have been suspicious). Not to worry, the recommendations were right on and we were not disappointed. Our waitperson was extremely attentive and helpful and our meals came out quickly and correct. Carol had Cheesy Potatoes and Eggs and a side order of bacon while I had Chipped Beef on toast (an old childhood favorite). Both choices were excellent and the portions quite large. Definitely a return trip will be on the menu next time we are in C'ville.
(4)Cara F.
While the college students are away this little location serves up home style food with a nice Southern twist. Their bread is delicious and the servings are sure to hold you over past lunch time. Staff is lovely and attentive!
(4)Chris W.
Okay, this is my first post. I've a big fan of Yelp, but I am finally jumping into a tradition of writing after I have a great dining experience. I visited Charlottesville because of my mother being admitted to University of Virginia Medical Center. This would be day five of my trip, and I was a little sick of the food in the hospital cafeteria (not that it's bad, but I was looking for a change). I needed to get away for a moment, and I ventured into the downtown area. That's when I discovered The Nook. After reviewing their menu, I saw of my favorites in comfort food delights, but the three I gravitated to were the boned in Chicken Wings, the Bistro Mac N Cheese, and a mocha milkshake. I wasn't worried about calories during this meal, but I was looking for food to put me into food coma. What I will say about the chicken wings - You have lots of choices in terms of how you have them prepared. I would recommend is trying the dry rub. This is as heart healthy as fried chicken wings can get with a lot flavor! I asked one of the wait staff about the rub, and I was told that there was 22 different seasonings used without any salt added. Sooo good!! The Bistro Mac and Cheese had ham, tomatoes, three different types of cheese, penne pasta, and sprinkled with bread crumbs. Just in case you wanted to soak up all the cheese sauce, they give you some toast too. One of the best Mac N Cheese dishes I've had in a long time. To wash this all down, I had one of their famous milkshakes. I personally think the milkshakes are big enough for two to share, but they are priced just right to be as selfish as you want. If I ever had to visit Charlottesville again, I would choose to return to the Nook.
(5)William K.
I really like the Nook. I think that the owners that run the place do a great job of keeping the service good, the food fresh and the menu with some variance. There are not a lot of great or adventurous breakfast joints in C'ville and this is without a doubt one of my favorite and best in town. The Corned Beef Hash breakfast is one of my personal favorites. The kids love the pancakes that are slight different with a hint of vanilla. The lunch is nice comfort food with gravy fries, meatloaf, burgers, sandwiches, country fried steak and other comfort dishes. There are not a lot of places in town that cater to the comfort food set and I am appreciative of this one. Been here dozens of times, even when it was the previous Nook and it is much better now than it was before. Everything is better, the decor, the food and the service. If you are downtown it is one of the places to go for breakfast or a comforting lunch.
(4)Tash K.
We came for breakfast and they had a little difficulty accommodating a party of 8 outside. Nothing novel on the menu, but the food was yummy.
(3)Adam S.
I really wasn't impressed. The best part were the fans that like spun on the ceiling. It's hard to describe, but they were pretty cool...haha. Went here for lunch with the parents before returning to NC. Upon entering, you're greeted with staff members at the bar taking a break. Nice. A young man brought our drinks that were not full. I pointed this out, to which neither him or our waitress decided to care about. I got a salad, my mom a veggie burger (It was actually flash frozen, not a great thing), and my dad a wrap. My salad was okay, nothing special. Nobody really was wow-ed, we all thought the food was just okay. Service, as I mentioned, was not impressive. Nobody bothered to fill up our drinks when I pointed it out, and nobody seemed genuine. Oh well. So much for a 1950's diner in the heart of Charlottesville. I'd stay away from here and go to Positively 4th for dinner or get some pizza for lunch from Christian's.
(2)Brian K.
Cool spot in downtown Cville - was waiting for a concert and stopped in here for a quick beer and sandwich. I got the Reuben and it was awesome and my friend got the hot ham and cheese. We enjoyed a few beers at the bar and took off - quick service and good hearty food.
(4)Dana E.
Breakfast food was decent, but coffee was very, very weak (worse than your typical diner coffee) and overpriced ($2.25 per cup!). Service was sub-par. Probably won't be back.
(2)Nichole S.
We took a lovely walk through the mall one summer evening and ended up here. I'm so glad we did! The food was delicious and there was a lot of it. My two toddlers loved the kids' menu and were able to split a meal. The Bistro Mac'N'Cheese was AMAZING. I loved the ham and slightly tomato-y sauce. Apparently they have a full mac and cheese menu, but mostly in the fall and winter. My husband had the chicken fried steak, which was also good, though it was a lot of food for one person. He went back for breakfast the next day and said that was excellent as well. I wish we lived in the area so we could visit again!
(4)Nick M.
OVERALL 4/5 Great place to grab breakfast or brunch in Charlottesville. I give them extra points for being one of the only places in town which actually opens in the morning on weekends... and takes credit cards. Does everyone in Charlottesville sleep until noon? FOOD 3/5 The food at the Nook is solid. I've only been for breakfast and brunch and I've never left dissatisfied in any way. Special mention to the crab cake benedict, delicious melt in your mouth crab cake with great benedict sauce. I've also had some omelets with smoked salmon and enjoyed that as well. Coffee is standard. AMBIENCE 3/5 No complaints, clean enough and plenty of seating in booths, tables or at the bar. Being as I was a onetime victim of the garden state, I recognize the interior immediately. You can go here with a group without a problem. This looks and feels like a Jersey dinner, thankfully, minus the awful accent. Not that I really appreciate the Virginia drawl either SERVICE 3/5 It's a diner, you get about what you would expect. Friendly and relatively efficient. I've never had a problem asking for a split bill. What more do you really want?
(4)Jennie H.
I have eaten at the Nook on two occasions. Once when I was in town for the Virginia Film Festival last year, and most recently about a month ago when visiting friends living in Charlottesville. The first time was not memorable. We ate there because we were not familiar with the options on the mall and wanted to get a quick bite before seeing a film. I do recall that the restaurant's credit card machines were down that evening, so the waitress had to run the card manually. No big deal to us, but the waitress seemed utterly freaked out and apologetic. Umm...ok? When in the area recently we were wandering around the mall, again trying to find a fairly cheap and quick bite to eat. We came across the Nook again and figured, "hey, this place. I don't remember much about it, but why not." The weather was pleasant, so we tried to see about outdoor seating. There was a man standing in front of the entrance to the restaurant, blocking the door like a bouncer. Apparently he was a manager of some kind, but we couldn't tell since he was not wearing anything indicating that he worked there. He kind of blew us off and said that outdoor seating would be "a wait," so we opted to sit inside. Our waitress, along with everyone else working seemed to have no idea what they were doing. Our orders were screwed up not once, but twice and they weren't even worth the wait! I got the egg salad sandwich and wasn't expecting it to be great, but I thought it was bizarre that it consisted of egg, mayonnaise and nothing else....it was extremely bland. My boyfriend ordered a ravioli appetizer but was instead given a completely different ravioli entree. Oh yes, and the side of fries I ordered were served in a bowl. Again: Ok?! Once we (barely) finished our food the bouncer/manager came out and said solemnly: "I can remove these plates if they are in your way." Huh? This place sucks. Don't go here unless you want flavorless food that probably won't be what you ordered in the first place!
(2)Glen S.
It has to be good, if I'm going to steal time from a family outing to write this- and this place definitely rates AS one of my FAVORITE places. Every plate was fantastic - and the commitment to quality was evident. I had the pork chops and home made mashed potatoes. The chops were thick, juicy and hot- and of course DELICIOUS. They served this place with home made apple sauce and that threw me for a loop. Man talk about GOOD! My partner had the sausage burger and a side of home made mashed potatoes - which she described as "divine" and "flavorful". I had a bite and almost traded plates. Sweet onions and cheese really brought out the sausage flavor. The pickle on the side was crispy and with a bright fresh flavor. My oldest had the macaroni and cheese with ham and béchamel sauce. EVERYONE loved this. My youngest daughter had the kids hamburger with green beans on the side. She tore up the hamburger with a huge grin on her face and I stole some of her green beans which were fresh steamed and had a wonderful crunch. The service was genuine and polite. I had no problem handing over 20%. As a side note, my kids took each other to the ladies room, and on the way one of the cooks threw them a goofy face to make them smile. It is the little things that make a business friendly to families, these guys really got it right.
(5)Jo W.
Had late breakfast there today. Njoyed the Mess Hall. Freh ingredients. Good price. Will return.
(4)Dave B.
You know when you just want to keep giving somebody a second chance to prove themselves? The Nook is that restaurant for me. I've never been impressed with their food, but after the service I received last time, I'll never go back again. Four of us went there for brunch on a Sunday. Two received their food right away. The other two waited. And waited. And waited. And after asking multiple times, still waited. The kitchen staff either had forgotten to make half our order or the waitress didn't give it to them. Either way, the waitress should have realized something was off when she brought out the first round of food. I've worked in the restaurant business, and that's just a no-no. The food here is okay, but you can do much better in Charlottesville. I recommend trying Bluegrass Grill and Bakery, The Virginian or West Main for a comparably priced Sunday brunch.
(2)Mark A.
Great food! Quick and friendly service. Everyone found something they liked on the menu.
(4)Mike H.
It was a big treat for me to get here a few minutes after it opened one morning, with about an hour to read the paper, have some OJ and take my time with a leisurely breakfast. The Nook did not disappoint. I had one of their specials with lotsa eggs and thick bacon and guac and a bunch of other stuff and wow, it was great. It was a very good value for the price, tasted great and I didn't think about eating again till dinner. It seems like there are a declining number of breakfast diners that serve a full hearty meal before work. Most people (including me) just don't have time in the morning, and the weekends are for shlepping around the house, not going anywhere. So I'm really glad The Nook is around.
(5)Krissy M.
Had a yummy roast beef hash here - enjoyed the outdoor seating and friendly service...the coffee was not very good though.
(3)Jonathan H.
Truck stop server and black nail polish, tucked on top of her packed arms: my dish. Waffles and pancakes: the reason I'm here. Burritos with steak give reason to cheer. I've eaten so much I'm 'bout ready to burst, I've beaten my hunger, now on to my thirst.
(3)Chelsey B.
Cute and fun environment! I love that they offer outdoor dining! Menu is subpar... typical diner food... but good quality!
(2)stephen m.
Service was embarrassingly slow. I had to ask the hostess, after 25 min, for a server. The waitress didn't apologize for the wait and instead asked us for our orders...yeah how about a water... She did put forth some effort the last five minutes... "Oh, I see you have a baby.....is it a boy or girl?". Food was ok... Bring your own coffee. Theirs tastes like tape water.
(2)Valarie G.
Came in to hide from a storm. Milkshakes are not "the best" as advertised but not bad. Though they did take quite a while. Nice atmosphere, but kind of odd situation if you get stuck waiting in the line for the woman's bathroom as you end up standing in the kitchen (where you notice a large sign to the staff that hey have been out of Miller Light for months you (expletives). Wow..nice note to the staff...
(3)Sean D.
Decent diner atmosphere, good greasy food, and a friendly staff would have normally justified a solid 3 or 4 stars but I had a bad experience with one bartender who was dishonest and stole money by hiding the tip in an unitemized check. Here's the story: A group of 7 of us walked in this past Saturday and asked for a table. A table of 6 was open and they refused to add a chair on the end saying it was a fire hazard - fair enough - so we sat at the bar for breakfast. We proceeded to rack up a nice bill with coffees, bloody marys, and our meals so a good tip was coming regardless, but when we finished the bartender/waitress (dark hair, a bit overweight, friendly) gave each couple in the group a bill without providing an itemized check. I didn't think twice about it and was about to pay when my wife noticed that the cash register (directly across from her) had our segment of the check on the screen. On the screen, the total read "36.17" for an eggs Benedict ($10), breakfast burrito (roughly $8), 1 coffee ($2 max), a side of bacon ($3.50) and a bloody marry (5 or 6$), but what caught her eye and mine was the word "gratuity $5-something" - I don't remember the exact amount of change but I'm 100% sure I read the word "gratuity" above the subtotal of $36.17. Doing some simple math, the total should have been around $28 before tax, and with 5% tax it should have been $30 max. But what I believe she did was take the base of roughly $28, added a 20% gratuity (roughly 5.60) and then added the 5% tax to come to a subtotal of $36.17. We proceeded to ask the bartender/waitress if the tip was included. She said something along the lines of "usually it is with a party your size but I didn't include it this time". We weren't comfortable calling her a liar so we waited and flagged down a man who appeared to be the manager and asked again if our tip was included. The man said he'd check but he only walked over to the bartender/waitress and asked her the same question. We watched this entire exchange and heard her say "no". The man then came back over and repeated what she originally said. At this point my wife and I were angry but we were about to drive off to Monticello and decided not to push the issue. Our rational was "it's only $5" and "let's not create a scene." After we left a 20% tip (regretfully) and drove off, I tried to forget about it but obviously haven't. She lied right to our faces and to her manager! If you decide to eat here, make sure you know what you're paying for. There's a least one dishonest employee. By the way, if the owner/manager is reading this, the check number is #3401 from 11/24/12 at 11:55AM.
(1)Flo W.
We were in the mood for a southern breakfast while we were in town, and chose this place because we saw biscuits and sausage gravy on the menu. The food was very tasty, and service was very friendly and speedy. However this place loses stars for questionable sanitary conditions- as I was eating, my view into the kitchen allowed me a glimpse of the young waitstaff eating over the food prep area, then grabbing plates to deliver to tables.
(2)Cat S.
Good food, pleasant service, and they let us order from the breakfast menu when we were seated at 11:58 (2 min until the breakfast menu closed) on a weekday. Sitting outside was a nice opportunity to people-watch as well. :)
(4)Travis M.
They have an outstanding breakfast. Enjoy.
(5)Kaitlin Z.
Desperate for vegan options (plus avoiding our food allergies) while visiting Charlottesville, my mom and I ended up at The Nook. Is the Walnut Veggie Burger vegan, I don't know but I was so hungry I needed to eat. I'm glad I did because that burger was flippin' delicious! We couldn't finish our food - the burger was so filling/huge and it came with a mountain of fries. We had no problems with our server - super friendly and prompt. Next time I visit my brother (Check out his band Beako) I will be back for that burger!
(4)Rebecca E.
If you are craving some yummed-up comfort food, hit the Nook. I've been craving the tuna casserole since I ate there. My bf had the meatloaf and it was better than mom's! Even the peoples' food at the other table looked amazingly good. Oh, and its in a hip part of town. I'm sold - I want to go back to C-ville and chill!
(5)Greg L.
You can tell from the first peek inside this place is a casual and pretty well broken-in diner. It's not going to OMG you. But if you are wanting something that tastes pretty good and will not cost a lot, they got you covered. I have to admit, I didn't think about what I ordered. I was running on "American diner" auto-pilot. But getting away from my typical meatloaf order, I decided to try their country fried steak. The wife ordered their Mac and cheese platter and a side salad. (I.e. yea, you got the picture now...it's a older dinner. Come to think of it, every table had at least one fly assigned to it too.) When our orders came my wife's looked like a pretty awesome Carb overkill. Her side salad was really big too. As for my order, the Beatles would have named mine "the white platter". They had the country style, cream gravy slathered over two nice size pieces of steak and a hearty helping of mashed potatoes. Yep, it was like my meal was using trying to use a cloaking mechanism on that white plate to avoid being eaten. My order also came with a small dish of corn that did pop with color...but not flavor. The corn aside, the truth is, our food was pretty good. I enjoyed making fun of myself, for ordering an All White Meal to throw a curve into my all dark meat life (Yes, I prefer the dark meat). Our waiter was on point. No complaints. I did kinda' wish we had been lucky enough to get a table the waitress with a Mohawk had. After watching all "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" movies, her look was just way too cool not to check out. Her style coupled with such a disarming smile, I'd give her an "I'm a fan!" (Ok I'm getting a little too into my aside.) To sum up: this is an A-OK place to grab a cheap and hearty/filling lunch.
(3)Debra M.
We walked in at 7:50PM, they close at 8 but sat us with no hesitation. The host was very friendly and suggested a few places for us to check out after dinner. I had a garden salad w/grilled chicken & homemade honey mustard dressing. The veggies were fresh, the chicken warm & moist, the dressing was great make with whole grain mustard not yellow mustard. I really enjoyed getting finding a light meal on the menu & I expect that I'll be craving that salad dressing in the future. Hubby tried the lemon chicken and really enjoyed it, he kept saying how good the green beans were. The bill was $30 for the two meals and one Diet Pepsi. Not a bad find for a sleepy summer Monday in Charlottesville.
(4)Terry S.
Ended up here for dinner last night and we both enjoyed it. Good food, good menu variety, good prices, and friendly service. Can't lose with that.
(4)D W.
On the advice of a local, we decided to try The Nook for breakfast. It was a sunny and pleasant morning so we sat outside in their patio area. The inside is classic diner and the outside is... A patio. The coffee was forgettable. Thin & weak. The pancakes were great! The tomato and basil omelet was very good. Our server was friendly and quite attentive during the 45 minutes it took to get our food... So, if coffee isn't a passion and if you have time, give it a try.
(3)Sofia C.
Great breakfast sandwich, eggs ham and bread cover with syrup! Never had that so good..
(4)Baron S.
The food is basically American standard diner fare. The whole place has a feel of dinginess, and the men's restroom ranges from grimy to disgusting. Tonight, our waitress was clearly drunk, stumbling all over the place, stepping on my foot, and gushing every time she passed our table. We never got basic attention, such as refills on our water. Just a bunch of slurred exclamations.
(3)Stephen P.
Best burger in town for the money, in my opinion. A lot of other places compete with each other to see how much they can charge their customers for a burger. The nook's is better and costs about half. I love the quiche here. I have enjoyed everything I've gotten here. They did have a macaroni and cheese deal where they were selling like five different kinds of macaroni, it was not my favorite but it was not worth complaining about. Just like any other restaurant, they are going to do some things better than others. They have great outdoor seating, very friendly staff. They do sell canned beer but they do not have beer on tap. Their coffee is excellent, their breakfast is quite good. I love the old-school diner feel to this place.
(4)Alexandria T.
We've been to The Nook twice for brunch on the weekend. The first time, it was warm out, so we took advantage of their lovely outdoor seating in the middle of the mall. The second time, we dined indoors--I preferred the outdoor seating because the inside is pretty dated and just isn't as nice. On our first visit, we ordered Bloody Marys at the bar and thought we could bring them outside to the patio area to wait for our table. There was some confusion and after trying to head outside, the bartender informed us that we, the customers, were not allowed to carry alcohol outside, but if we were dining outside the server could, and it would be all good. Weird logic and not really a great start to a restaurant we were trying for the first time, but all was forgotten once our meals arrived. I read a bunch of reviews and went with the recommendation for the crab egg Benedict. I'm not normally a huge hollandaise sauce fan, but The Nook does theirs right. It also is a great complement to the crab, and I thoroughly enjoyed the dish. Talking about it now is making my mouth water. I also really enjoyed their homefries. Everyone else seemed to really enjoy their dishes as well! On the second visit, I was in serious need of some greasy food. I ordered the veggie lover wrap with a side of fries. It really hit the spot and was really affordable too. The service was great on both visits. I would definitely go back to The Nook for brunch in the future!
(4)Brittany B.
The service was good, but the food was pretty tasteless. I got broccoli as a side and it had absolutely zero seasoning and wasn't fully cooked. Looked like it could be a cool diner but the food just wasn't awesome.
(2)Janet L.
We came here on a Saturday mog for dinner. It wasn't too crowded and we were seated promptly. The interiors are quite unique and cute and service was good. As for the food, our table of six came to the conclusion that the breakfast food (served all day) is probably better than the dinner food. Meatloaf - your average meatloaf. Lacking in some flavors/a bit bland. The mashed potatoes and gravy were delicious and savory. Country fried steak from what I tried was delicious! The fries were good, they look a bit dry (not your typical grease that comes with fries) but were surprising warm and tasty ! A-okay food plus decent service means you can't go wrong if you're looking for decent breakfast diner-esque food !
(3)Rachel K.
Meh. I ordered an egg burrito. It was dry, lacking in flavor and I had to send it back to ask for more cheese. The plate had no garnish. I was just served a burrito cut in half. Hello presentation! However my friend had the shrimp and grits which was delicious. In retrospect I wish I had gotten that!
(3)John K.
Had a late breakfast meeting there when it was not crowded. Service was very good. I had the pancakes which were very good. Everyone else in my party enjoyed their meals as well. I would definitely go back.
(4)Melissa W.
Mom & I stumbled across The Nook after strolling through the Downtown Mall. It looked so cute from the outside, and a quick glance at the menu had us quite excited. Went inside and the excitement continued. The unique art print of the mall + The Nook on the right hand side as you enter is great. The old timey coat hanger is fab. The fans! Ahhh! Never seen anything like them before. The floor is tiled & feels old-timey. The old photographs of the area hanging all over are cute as well. Being a huge mac & cheese fan, I opted for that. I chose the simple roma tomatoes & basil mac & cheese, while my mom got an omelette. This is sort of where the experience took a turn. My mom wanted to sort of tailor her omelette, nothing crazy, just mushrooms, ham & american. Our waiter (a young guy, seemingly inexperienced) said that he didn't know if they could do that, and my mom, being the easy-going type she is, said - okay, if not, I'll take the Mushroom & Swiss Omelette. We ordered the Kettle Chips & Onion Dip as an appetizer. He brought out the appetizer. It wasn't very good. First of all - we really expected the kettle chips to be homemade. They weren't, and they also weren't very good. Neither was the Onion Dip. I would not recommend it. Then came our meals. He put the Mushroom & Swiss Omelette in front of my mom, saying that they couldn't do what she wanted. Now - that fact aside, I would think it appropriate for him to mention this to her prior to the meal actually coming out ... perhaps when he dropped off the appetizer?? My mom was fine with this, but when we really started thinking about it, it was a little silly. The omelette she got had mushrooms & swiss. She just wanted to swap the cheese to american & add ham, which she would have been more than happy to pay extra for. The menu said nothing about "no substitutions". We actually started wondering whether our waiter even asked the kitchen about this, as he seemed so inexperienced. My mac & cheese was underwhelming. The tomatoes & basil were both very good & flavorful, but the macaroni & cheese itself lacked something major. Tip: A few reviews here say that the portions are small. This is NOT the case, in our meals anyway. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures, but the mac & cheese was big enough for 2 meals, in fact I ate less than 1/2 & gave the rest to a homeless gentleman down the street. My mom's omelette was huge, on par with the size you get in a NYC diner. Prices were not astronomical to us, but for the quality of food we were disappointed in the prices. Ultimately, we loved the atmosphere, and this place could be something great, but we would definitely not return.
(2)Nick H.
Delicious food, cool location, great and attentive service staff. It was really cozy. Fans were on full blast that made it a bit chilly but other than that just a really good ways breakfast joint. Wooden benches are a bit hard to sit on so if that worries you ask for a table, the chairs are padded. I recommend it. You won't be disappointed.
(4)Melissa S.
On a recent trip to Charlottesville we spent a lot of time at the downtown mall, one of the locations we frequented was the Nook. I love breakfast food so I was more than excited to go out for breakfast to start each morning. The nook has a lovely outdoor patio but also indoor seating. When we stopped in there was a wait for outdoor seating but we were able to sit inside right away. The service was quick and friendly and the food was very good. For my meal I had peach and raspberry french toast. The French toast was perfectly made. My only complaint on the topping was that it was a bit too liquidy from the peaches... this did not stop me from eating ALL of it. We enjoyed the meal so much we did breakfast there again the next day.
(4)Emily F.
I enjoy eating here on a casual evening if we are in the area. The food is decent, not spectacular, but staff are nice and I like eating on their outside patio when the weather is nice. It is a nice atmosphere.
(3)Ashley G.
Their food is alright. Serving sizing is a little small. They're expensive and so busy because they're the cheapest joint on the strip. Even then they're still too spendy for their own good. The kitchen looks very dirty. The waitstaff forgot about our table numerous times. Numerous times. Yes, I meant to say that twice. The area outside we were seated at had tons of flies buzzing around while we were eating. Landing on our food. Overall the experience wasn't great but it was what it was. Would I go back? 50/50. If I were in the area and wanted to play hard to get with some wait staff, you bet! If I wanted a cheap burger and comparatively cheap food, sure. Atmosphere and overall experience. No.
(3)Leigh H.
Was in town for Prairie Home Companion, and this place was recommended by the visitor's bureau a few doors down. Had a great meal (including a lovely quiche and side salad) and wonderful service from our waitress, Lucy. If I lived closer, I would definitely frequent!
(4)Ethan P.
BLUF: Very fast service, good food, relatively cheap. The Nook is located in the downtown mall, so you'll have to find parking somewhere nearby and walk to it. That's never been terribly difficult when I've been around downtown Charlottesville. It's a nice, cozy little place. Couldn't have been more than 10 or so booths and the bar there, really. I ended up ordering a large chili cheese mac (my heart had been set on mushroom and artichoke lasagna that I found on the menu at Trip Advisor, but I couldn't find it on the menu in the restaurant, unfortunately). My food came out probably within 4 minutes of me ordering it, which was impressive. There was quite a bit of food, and it was quite good. Initially, they forgot to bring me my toast, and when they did bring it, it was a bit burnt. I wasn't too concerned with it (didn't even realize my meal came with toast, to be honest), but I feel like with something as cheap and simple as toast they probably could have tossed the burned pieces and tried again before bringing it to me. That's really the only "complaint" I have with this place, and it's not at all a reason to avoid it. Definitely a nice little place that's worth checking out.
(4)Stan Y.
Was there for a lunch. The decor inside might have been improved -- the place looks oldish. Asked to replace asparagus with tomatoes in their crab omelette, but they said it was not possible. So, ordered that with asparagus. Nothing special.
(3)Nicolette F.
Pancake House!!! Every time I go on vacation somewhere "rural" I have to go to a pancake house or diner for breakfast. The Nook has a fantastic location! It is located centrally in the Downtown mall (quite convenient if you're staying at the Omni). The food: The first day I had the Pumpkin French Toast which was great. My husband had the Tomato Basil Omelette which he enjoyed as well. The next day, the husband went for the Pumpkin French Toast and I tried their Two Egg Breakfast. Well, that was not impressive. Too crispy bacon and potato wedges deemed as home fries. Just blah. The lesson is to stick to the griddle or egg based dishes! The service: It's a diner. Your waitress will be a little rough around the edges with a smile, but your coffee will stay full.
(3)A H.
Restaurant serves mostly breakfast food. We came for lunch, so I had one of the (too) many variations of Mac n'cheese. It was lacking in salt and any sort of flavor. The pickle chips were fine. Service was good.
(2)Collin S.
Some really good breakfast food here! Came here with a group a week or so ago for a Friday morning breakfast. A few of us were craving some good pancakes, and we decided on The Nook based on the recommendation of someone else. I'm glad that we took that advice. The pancakes here are excellent, and they are huge. I actually ordered the "side" or a la carte pancake order, which was the right amount. Scrambled eggs and bacon were also delicious. Our waitress was very nice, and it looked like the cook was actually a pretty young lady. All in all, I think if I was looking for a good American breakfast in Charlottesville, I would choose this place. Looking forward to coming back and trying some lunch or dinner food on the menu as well. Tip: no grits, I believe...which I think would fit in really well.
(4)Bo Z.
Food was OK, didn't expect high for a 3 star restaurant on yelp anyway, but the service was horrible, and was very very slow. They couldn't even make the order right. The outside looks good, but inside the restaurant, flies were everywhere.
(2)Katsushika H.
there's a correct way to eat a potato chip and there's a wrong way. you'd expect the later to improve with age, not so the case as I sat patiently by myself reading, feverishly enjoying a mud house latté and savoring the mostly bland but filling custom vegetable omelette that I was told had basil in it... all I could do to drown out the open mouth crunching from the elderly aloof sitting two seats over staring blankly into her own book, was to focus on the lovely vintage diner-esque decor, and attempt to get lost in this book and eggy disappointment .. all the while embracing the relentless crunchy chewing onset. she didn't seem to grasp straw sipping technology any better. the really nice and attractive waitress was understanding of the painful situation, at least in my mind, promptly bringing me my check so that I could get the hell out of there.
(3)