Duner’s Restaurant

Diner’s continues to be a favorite. I go there weekly. The food continues to be excellent. I wish they would provide more starch options – mashed potatoes seem to be their favorite with every entry’. That said, the food is great! Menu is large but does not change as often as it used to change. But the quality of the food continues to be excellent. I recommend Duner’s.

For our anniversary, we decided to try out Duner’s because we had heard great things and it was a little fancier than our normal go-​to restaurants. We were seated immediately (always a plus) and our waitress was so friendly and it felt like we were definitely her priority. She informed us right away of the specials and also told us that the salmon was almost out (1 left) and a few other things were already out of stock, as well (kind of a bummer). I immediately ordered the salmon because it sounded so delicious! Overall, the service wasn’t bad, so this review is not in reference to the lovely wait staff. The reason for my review being so low is because when I received my salmon, it was WAY overcooked. Normally, I would have been fine with it, but it was to the point where I needed water with every bite. Luckily, there was an amazing sauce on the side, which helped. I would have sent it back, but the issue with that was that I got the last piece of salmon. Unfortunately, this tarnished my view of Duner’s and I don’t know if I would come back. It is very expensive and if I am going to pay that much for a meal, I kind of expect it to be near perfect. I love the feel and the environment of the restaurant, though, and everyone is so friendly and personable. If you are willing to give it a try and spend a little money, It could definitely be worth it.

If you have two to three hours for dinner, then this is a great place for mediocre food! At least an hour to an hour and a half wait for the main course. The included salad is three pieces of limp lettuce drowned in dressing. Impossible to hear anything without shouting.
There is a lot better out there.

Duner’s is a little bit of a drive out of the city down Ivy Road but is a Charlottesville staple. It was highly recommended by several people, so we decided to go there for a nice birthday meal for my boyfriend. It’s a pretty cozy place, and the parking lot was full, so I was a bit worried we weren’t going to be able to get a table. There was only one available when we walked in, so they were able to seat us right away. Just a note, they do not take reservations.
They have white cloth tables, so it feels like you are dining at a fancy place, but the ambiance created is a little bit off. The tables are pretty close together, and they need better lighting or something. I’m one that goes to a place more for the food than the ambiance, so I was okay with it. They served us warm homemade bread with butter while we were pouring over the menu. There were so many great options and the menu changes daily, so I couldn’t plan out what to order ahead of time, and I had a very hard time narrowing down what I wanted!
We ordered a bottle of malbec from Mendoza. The appetizers were the easy part to agree on – we went with fried oysters and fried green tomatoes (a little birthday tradition of ours). The malbec was meh, but the starters were amazing. I loved the aoili that was paired with both dishes, and they complemented each other well. I’m on kind of a fried oyster kick, and these were awesome! Each entrée comes with a side salad, and the dressings are all made in house. I went with the Russian and was slightly disappointed by it. For my main, I finally settled on the tuna. I ordered it chef’s choice, and it was cooked slightly more than I would have preferred it. It was served over tasso, mushroom, potato, and kalmata olive hash. The hash was such an interesting combination of flavors, and the dish itself was super rich. The dish was done really well, but I couldn’t decide if I liked the unique flavors. Now, thinking back to this dish, I actually really, really liked it. My boyfriend ordered the veal scaloppini and was a big fan.
You should definitely check out Duner’s for a nice meal – you can’t go wrong here!

Outstanding… exclusive intimate restaurant only open for dinner on weekends. Food and wine gourmet, local, it was great. It’s a $ 100 for two special dinner place. Get there early… Opened at 5:00, we got there at 530 and was filling up… So, enjoy!

It all works for me. The drive toward the mountains and country, the setting, the quaint and slightly dated interior, the server’s knowledge of the menu, and a menu that seems to have been written by a local writer named Grisham. Each description leaves you wondering how you can forsake this option for another.
This was my first dinner of sweetbreads. Given the choices and the chef’s delivery on them, you are encouraged to take risks, and you never regret them at Duners.
Come early, plan on desert. Sweet memories of a flour-​less chocolate torte cake linger in my culinary distance. Literally 29 years ago — a dinner date in 1986 as a student. If a memory of cake last that long it had to be good.
Going back in the years between has not disappointed.

FABULOUS! I don’t think it gets much better than this folks. The service is wonderful and the food is excellent! Just make sure you get there when they open at 5pm or you most likely will have to wait as they do not take reservations. They also make very good drinks. The apps are all stand out. Some to try are: mussels, calamari, and the pesto flat bread is out of this world! My rockfish was seared perfectly served over mushroom risotto. We all were very pleased with our fish dishes, tuna, salmon, rockfish, and crabcakes. 5 stars!!!

My boyfriend and I went up to Duner’s during a weekend trip to the mountains. Our waitress was nice and our food was wonderful. I had the brisket and my boyfriend had the catfish and they were both delicious. The reason for 4 stars is that I wish the restaurant were less cramped and that they took reservations. But, at the end of the day, it was well worth the close quarters and the wait, and we’ll be sure to return on our next trip!

I have always enjoyed this restaurant. Understated, elegant and always a great meal. I am sorry I no longer live in the area and can no longer dine here as frequently.

Disappointing, to say the least! On the other hand, maybe Duners was having a very bad night.
It has been several years since we been to Duners and we were looking forward to a great meal. We use to receive good value for our money. Not anymore! Prices are at the high end and food quality/​cooking very low. Our fish was over cooked, the steak kind of tough.
Salads were just OK.
Again, maybe just a bad night in the kitchen.

I live up the road and I would have moved here for Duners. They have really great food with an interesting twist. The staff is consistent, which tells me about the company. The owner lives nearby and he lives for his restaurant. I can see why. if I got to eat like that I would never go too far.

We wanted to try this place over 4 years now but always been too hungry to wait for a table for an hour… this time we got there late (8:15pm) we «only» waited 25 mins for our table. It worth every second of wait.
They have a reasonably good wine selection with very reasonable pricing.
The chicken flatbread was a great appetizer for 3.
I had the veal sweetbread with caramelized onion and smoked bacon mashed potato and my date/​husband :) ordered the seared salmon. Both entrees were phenomenal!!!
Bottom line, eat a late afternoon snack before you go to hold you over the long wait. But every second of wait worth it! Promise!!!

We always have a good meal at Duner’s. The reason for only 4 stars is no reservations. Food is wonderful!

We make sure to visit this place every year when we are visiting from California. Great food and wonderful service. Their menu has great options and everything has been fresh! Don’t miss the dessert menu — so good!

I’ve been to Duner’s three times and it’s consistently one of the best meals I’ve had. Most recently, I went last night for my birthday with my boyfriend. We had a great viognier, the gnocchi appetizer, and two entrees. He got the bacon wrapped chicken breast and leg and I got the trout. Both were excellent, but the chicken was particularly good. If you like bacon, you will love that dish. I go back to Duner’s every chance I get!

We tried Duner’s with the baby and the in-​laws and all of that part of the night went well. We came early so as not to disturb the other clientele with our unpredictable faction, but the staff took it in stride and were spot on the whole evening.
The bread was delicious and so far they’ve had the best margarita we’ve tried since we’ve moved to Charlottesville, which is a big plus.
All of our food was good, it’s just that I ordered a soft shell crab and well… the shell wasn’t soft. I don’t know if it was too late in the season, or I just got the «well developed» crab of the night so to speak, but it was not chewable. The rest of our night was nice, and I did really like the basmati rice and summer squash pilaf with the beurre red sauce, so I just picked the shell off and ate around it.
We will definitely go back, and I hope to revise this review soon after another experience.

I want to love Duner’s, I really do. I’ve been there maybe 10 times in the last 2 years, because it’s convenient, and because the very first time I went, I had a pasta dish that knocked my socks off. I’ve been trying, in vain, to recreate that first magical meal.
Duner’s seems to be somewhat hit or miss. The food is never BAD, it just often misses the mark, especially on the main courses. I can’t figure out exactly what the problem is, but my dining partner agrees completely. Often it seems like a dish is missing maybe just one ingredient that could have pulled the rest of the dish together, instead leaving you with something that seems like it should be great, but instead came out just ok.
Also, the salad dressings are often pretty poor. Avoid anything that sounds a little more exotic, and stick with ranch or something else basic. I’ve had a feta-​basil dressing and a green goddess dressing that were just awful.
The best things on the menu are the appetizers, which are consistently excellent. The fried panko oysters and the steamed mussels are excellent. The homemade bread is great. Soups are also good – their gumbo is outstanding.
Also, we had a dessert there recently that was out of this world – Warm apple crisp with pecan streusel topping, whipped cream, and vanilla sauce. Best dessert I’ve ever eaten. Kudos to their pastry chef.
A few other criticisms: they’re going to charge the prices they do, they really need to update the interior of the place. The booths are really old, scarred up, and uncomfortable; the flooring is outdated and grungy, and the bar badly needs to be replaced. At the very least, they need a paint job in there. I hate paying $ 70 plus dollars for a meal for two in an interior that deserves about $ 15. It’s also incredibly crowded in there if you sit at a table and not a booth.
And finally, the service varies wildly. We’ve had nice waitstaff, and borderline rude waitstaff. In general, it’s also slow, so don’t go if you’re in a hurry.

In the middle of my host’s vehement discussion on the differences between regular cow and the tragic, glorious Texan longhorn, I looked up from my plate for the first time that evening. Yes I should have been paying more attention but it always feels so weird to be staring at someone whilst chewing, and so I listened with one ear open and the other senses completely fixated on my food. Much like a potbelly pig does.
Scallops were divine. I had no idea something that came from the butt of a mollusk could taste so good. I’ve been watching Hell’s Kitchen on repeat, and it boggles my mind how badly trained chefs can burn, over-​season, under-​season, and otherwise mutilate a poor little scallop. I would tell you to just come here and order two plates of the scallops and not to share with anyone, no, not even your children, because they’re that delicious. The tomato/​mozz plate was your typical kind of yum (with LOCAL tomatoes — so local, they were planted, plucked, and nurtured from someone’s backyard).
I got the grilled hanger steak. Nice to see that it came slightly bloody in the middle. I wish they gave me more roasted potatoes, though, because those micro-​roasted tubers were awesome. I think someone asked me if they could have half of one, and I was like … you can have the skin? I know, I am dreadful.
Food came fast; wine and water continuously replenished. One thing that did grate a bit on my nerves was that the waitress had no idea of how to gracefully interrupt a conversation with some update on the food. We would be in the middle of something, and she would just lean her head way in and start rambling or stick her arm across someone’s plate to reach the wine. Granted, the table we were seated at was a bit awkward to navigate, but she was so obtrusive! Otherwise, a magnificent dining experience.

Everyone’s favorite restaurant in Charlottesville is not mine. It is a definite 2, not a 3.
I ordered flank steak and when it was delivered to the table it was luke warm, at best. Anyone who knows me knows I like my hot food HOT — who wants cold beef? The waitress took the plate away and ten minutes later served me a «new» dish, which consisted of the same meat, reheated. Not only was I disturbed by this, but the meat was now way overcooked. The flavor was decent, but the chewy factor ruined the dish for me.
What Duner’s does do well is their homemade ranch dressing and brussel sprouts — I was impressed with those items. I had heard the bread was amazing, but, truth be told, it was a muted version of some type of Pillsbury dough.
We decided to order dessert — a brownie coffee-​ice cream sandwich. I am not sure where they put the coffee flavoring, but where that was lacking there was a cup of chocolate syrup to try to make up for it — it was smothered.
All in I would give Duner’s another chance, but my expectations would be much lower. It is likely one of Charlottesville’s best restaurants, but I’m not sure that’s saying much…

Hand’s down our favorite restaurant in Charlottesville. For around $ 60 you can have an excellent meal (complete with appetizer, salad, entrees and beverage) which is a great deal considering the superb quality and imagination of the dishes here. Go early though because there will be a wait!