Michael's Bistro & Taphouse

Maddie the bartender is absolutely amazing. Shes attentive, charismatic, social, and all around great at her job. Unfortunately the management seems a bit not up to par...items are never in stock such as certain liquor, no plastic cups or napkins ordered. The staff is a dream though. The lovely bartender made it all worth it by making any drink she could with what was left and being so fun.

Food was pretty good the times I came to Michael's. I liked the turkey sandwich, the meat was tender and paired surprisingly well with the apples for a crisp, warm sandwich. The burger was decent, though basic. Could have used a higher quality meat as well but for the price it was fine. The real standout to me was the pork belly, though I think that's gone now. It had the perfect marbling of the meat, with fat that would just melt in your mouth. None of the dinner options beside that were particularly stunning, but everything I tried was good.

Here's the thing though, Michael's is also my favorite bar on the corner. The drink specials are often interesting and the vibe is great with nice laid back music, rather than the dance hits/remixes other bars on the corner go for. It's a great place to hang out with your friends and get away from the crowds, even on busy nights. As for the drinks, the original zen is fantastic. It's a refreshing drink that tastes a bit like Sprite with some cherry flavoring, but leaves a soothing mint-like aftertaste. The Moscow mule is quite good as well, fairly standard recipe but it's nice. The bartenders are super nice and get you your drinks quickly. Love this bar a lot.

Quiet on a Saturday night with UVA away on Spring Break, good music, food was incredible.

Great food and excellent service. Vegetarian options are plentiful and well executed. Incredible Cuban sandwich and other delights. This place is in central grounds at the University of Virginia so it draws a huge lunch crowd. However these are mostly business lunches and power meetings and not so many students despite the very reasonable prices. Gets a little noisy and has a very steep set of stairs to navigate because this restaurant is located on the top floor. One flight of stairs and you're instantly in a well-appointed restaurant. I plan on going again.

Michael's is a great spot to come for a dinner with chill vibes. Swanky music and good, savory eats. The drink menu is very extensive, with options ranging from tart cocktails to sweet, smooth dessert martinis. A great spot to eat any number of people. The waitstaff is very accommodating to turn tables and serve large groups, and others frequent Michael's to do schoolwork or have a date night. After dinner service ends, the restaurant turns into a more "poppin'" bar with the students flocking to the great drink deals. Tuesday nights are something to not be missed. All in all, a fantastic spot that you can sit at for hours and never want to leave. One of my favorites!