Hamiltons' At First & Main

4.7

2313 Reviews

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Make a booking

2 people

2 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 9 times today

Good for special occasions
Charming
Neighbourhood gem

Contemporary Fine Dining in Charlottesville, Virginia Located in the heart of Charlottesville’s Downtown district, Hamiltons’ is the perfect spot for a delicious afternoon lunch or a romantic evening dinner. A cheerful, cozy atmosphere and attentive service ensure our guests enjoy an outstanding dining experience, be they Charlottesville natives, out-of-town visitors, or University students and staff. We also feature outdoor patio seating seasonally, providing our guests the opportunity to dine amidst the bustle of the Downtown Mall.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Contemporary American, American
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sun 11:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Wed–Sat 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
Phone number
(434) 295-6649
Website
http://www.hamiltonsrestaurant.com/home.html
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive Chef
Hunter Harding

Location
101 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Area
Charlottesville
Cross Street
1st Street
Parking details
None
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining

Featured in

Popular dishes

Vegetarian Soup of the DayUS$6.00
ask your server or give us a phone call to find out the soup du jour
- CupUS$6.00
- BowlUS$9.00
Blue Crab and Corn ChowderUS$9.00
with bacon and chives
- CupUS$9.00
- BowlUS$12.00
Meadows Pride Farm Lamb MeatballsUS$13.00
in harissa sauce with crumbled feta
Crispy Fried OystersUS$14.00
with a sweet cabbage slaw and Tobasco aioli
P.E.I. MusselsUS$15.00
steamed mussels in a vermouth broth with baguette
Stuffed Shiitake MushroomsUS$13.00
with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, local chèvre, Parmigiano Reggiano and chili oil

Salads

House Salad VinaigretteUS$7.00
with house ginger-soy dressing, cucumbers, and tomatoes
Mixed GreensUS$10.00
with cornmeal-crusted goat cheese, spiced Virginia pecans, sun-dried tomatoes and ancho chili vinaigrette
- HALFUS$10.00
- WHOLEUS$14.00
Fried CalamariUS$19.00
tossed in an herb dressing with marinated tomatoes and olives, pickled pepperoncinis, and arugula

Entrees

Shrimp and GritsUS$31.00
shrimp poached in chardonnay and lemon with Woodson's Mill creamy grits, smoked Roma tomato confit, and fresh arugula
Vegetarian "Blue Plate" SpecialUS$24.00
ask your server for today's special
Fish of the DayUS$31.00
Pan seared Rainbow Trout with Creole wild rice, saffron stewed Hakurei turnips, and an ancho aioli
- Market PriceUS$31.00
Pan-Roasted Jumbo Lump CrabcakesUS$36.00
over herbed basmati rice with sauteed spinach, and remoulade
Wild Mushroom and Herb RavioliUS$30.00
with Italian sausage bolognese and shaved parmesan
Polyface Farm Pan Roasted Chicken BreastUS$32.00
with roasted butternut squash purée, honey glazed brussel sprouts, and a maple vinaigrette
Grilled Local Dry-Aged Beef TenderloinUS$42.00
with New York sharp cheddar and red potato gratin, roasted broccolini, housemade steak sauce and crispy leeks
Grilled Bone-in Pork ChopUS$32.00
with bacon braised green cabbage, crispy parsnip ribbons, and local apple butter

Desserts

Gearharts Fine Chocolate Flourless Chocolate TorteUS$9.00
Pumpkin Pot de CrèmeUS$8.00
with cinnamon streusel
Trio of Granitas in a Brandysnap CupUS$7.00
Mini Local Apple PieUS$9.00
with Caramel Sauce
Local Vanilla Ice CreamUS$6.00

What 2,313 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

Virginia
Contemporary American
Charlottesville
Best Ambience
Charlottesville
Healthy
Charlottesville
Great for outdoor dining
Charlottesville
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Hamiltons' At First & Main delivers "excellent service" and "really good food," making it a go-to for special occasions. Diners rave about the "best crab cakes" and exquisite dishes like the beet carpaccio. While some find noise levels high, the ambience and attentive staff create a "truly exceptional" dining experience.

2,313 Reviews

L
Lliam
Richmond
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food Wonderfully solicitous and attentive service
Is this helpful?
L
Leslie
New York City
28 reviews
vip
5.0
28 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Logan’s a great server. Liked the olive music last night.
Is this helpful?
P
Patricia
Richmond
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Always a special treat for us, we can count on good food, and excellent service. Only drawback is the noise level when the restaurant is really busy. Today's lunch was pleasant as there were fewer diners because of the holiday. We are vegetarians and appreciate having a choice when we go there.
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m
mike
Washington DC
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
First time. Birthday dinner which was noted on reservation and acknowledged by hostess but no bday dessert offered which was surprising. Pork chop was very good but crab cakes, which is a signature dish, was overcooked and actually burnt on the bottom. All in all, a bit disappointing.
Is this helpful?
R
Richard
Richmond
15 reviews
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on 24 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fabulous brunch. Started with ham biscuits followed by fried oysters over a salad of mixed greens with hard boiled egg and avocado. My wife started with a delicious cup of pea soup followed by the frittata of the day. We love Hamiltons because they always have innovate vegetarian dishes for my wife
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E
Erik
Washington DC
18 reviews
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on 23 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had good food and seevice in a space that was lively but not overwhelmingly noisy, and maybe we benefited from being placed in a nook that shielded us from some noisy tables. Overall, a fine experience!
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L
Len
Richmond
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on 23 November 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Good food, good service. My only quibble is with the shrimp and grits: they left the tails on the shrimp. Yes it makes a nice visual presentation, but for any dish where the shrimp are in a sauce, for goodness sake don't leave the tails on. You peeled the shrimp! Go ahead and take the tails off while you're at it! You should only leave the tails on boiled shrimp, or maybe shrimp cocktail.
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A
Audrey
Richmond
30 reviews
5.0
30 reviews
Dined on 22 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fabulous. Never disappoints. Party of four - all had a different meal and all were excellent. Crab, soup, barbeque, Nasi, Goreng. Local apple pie for dessert. Service was perfect. Highly recommend.
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E
Erika
New York City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 20 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food, the service including the ambience were excellent. It's worth a visiit!
Is this helpful?
L
Leisa
Richmond
8 reviews
1.0
8 reviews
Dined on 20 November 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Haven’t been for a while and the fact that we could get lunch reservations the night before should of been the first sign. Food was okay but not what we remember. Will not be back. Something definitely has changed.
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FAQs

Hamiltons' At First & Main offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (434) 295-6649.

Hamiltons' At First & Main is rated 4.7 stars by 2313 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

2 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 9 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Hamiltons' At First & Main

101 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross Street
1st Street
Area
Charlottesville
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sun 11:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Wed–Sat 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Contemporary American, American
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
None
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Hunter Harding
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining

Website
http://www.hamiltonsrestaurant.com/home.html
Phone number
(434) 295-6649

Hamiltons' At First & Main

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

100 Virginia Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

50 Virginia Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Fried Oyster Salad

Shrimp and Grits

Blue Crab and Corn Chowder

Soup, etc.

Vegetarian Soup of the DayUS$6.00

Blue Crab and Corn ChowderUS$9.00

Meadows Pride Farm Lamb MeatballsUS$13.00

Crispy Fried OystersUS$14.00

P.E.I. MusselsUS$15.00

Stuffed Shiitake MushroomsUS$13.00

Salads

House Salad VinaigretteUS$7.00

Mixed GreensUS$10.00

Fried CalamariUS$19.00

Entrees

Shrimp and GritsUS$31.00

Vegetarian "Blue Plate" SpecialUS$24.00

Fish of the DayUS$31.00

Pan-Roasted Jumbo Lump CrabcakesUS$36.00

Wild Mushroom and Herb RavioliUS$30.00

Polyface Farm Pan Roasted Chicken BreastUS$32.00

Grilled Local Dry-Aged Beef TenderloinUS$42.00

Grilled Bone-in Pork ChopUS$32.00

Desserts

Gearharts Fine Chocolate Flourless Chocolate TorteUS$9.00

Pumpkin Pot de CrèmeUS$8.00

Trio of Granitas in a Brandysnap CupUS$7.00

Mini Local Apple PieUS$9.00

Local Vanilla Ice CreamUS$6.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Diners' Choice Awards

Review summary

FAQs

Does Hamiltons' At First & Main offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Hamiltons' At First & Main restaurant rated?

Is Hamiltons' At First & Main currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

100 Virginia Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

50 Virginia Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day