Commonwealth Skybar

4.3 (111)

$30 and under

Southern

422 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902

OverviewReviewsDetails

About this restaurant

Innovative
Romantic
Good for special occasions

We are a completely unique Charlottesville restaurant on the downtown mall focusing on Modern Virginian Cuisine from an imaginative culinary team. Chef Reggie Calhoun's menus change seasonally to capture the spirit and the bounty of our local producers.

The Skybar is a breathtaking open air bar that sits above the historic Downtown Mall and offers a full menu as well as award-winning cocktails and a refined selection of beers. Skybar shares Commonwealth's innovative dinner menu, but does not take reservations & operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

Our weekly specials:

Skybar Happy Hour M-Th (3-7) - Drink specials along with a buy one app get one of equal or lesser value for half price.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Southern, Comfort Food, American
Hours of operation
Brunch: Sunday 10am - 3pm Dinner: Monday-Thursday 5pm - 10pm Friday-Saturday 5pm - 11pm
Website
http://www.commonwealthskybar.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Reggie Calhoun
Catering
Private Dining: We have a private dining room that can be set up in any manner of styles to accommodate parties up to 40. More details on the website. For private party inquiries, please contact us at skybarmanager@gmail.com

Location
422 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Neighborhood
Charlottesville
Cross street
5th and Main
Parking details
Parking is available on side streets, some parking meters, and at the Market St and Water St garages. Unfortunately, we do not validate parking.
Public transit
On the UVA trolley line and a block away from the downtown transit center.
Entertainment
Occasional bands and DJs at Skybar.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Spiced Virginia Peanuts* **$6.00
Pork Rinds**$8.00
with Spicy Pork Dip
Smoked Trout Dip$8.00
with Ritz Crackers
Onion Hay Stack*$10.00
with Commonwealth BBQ Sauce & Goat Cheese Ranch
Duo of Ham Biscuits$11.00
Classic, Pineapple Chutney with House Made Mustard
Chef's Choice Cheese Plate* **$25.00
with Seasonal Jams & Crusty Bread
Butternut Squash Bisque*$8.00
with Roasted Squash Seeds
Beet Salad* **
with Goat Cheese, Bacon, Crispy Leeks & Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
- small$9.00
- large$15.00
Bibb Lettuce Salad* **$12.00
with Granny Smith Apple, Virginia Peanuts & Herb Dressing
Roasted Cauliflower* **$10.00
with Cauliflower Puree, Caper & Raisin Vinaigrette
Autumn Empanada$14.00
Short Rib, Cider Habanero Pineapple Sauce & Fall Pico
Ham Hock Meatballs$16.00
with Blistered Field Peas, Ham Hock Jus & Micro Mustard Greens
Crab Cake$14.00
with Caper Crab Salad
Commonwealth Chicken Wings$14.00
with Cracked Pepper Sauce & Goat Cheese Ranch
Fried Virginia Oysters$16.00
with Kim Kim Aioli

Sandwiches

served with house fries

Commonwealth Burger$14.00
with Camembert, Bibb, Dijon Aioli & Caramelized Onions
Bacon Dusted Fried Chicken$12.00
with Bibb, Tomato, Pickle & Goat Cheese Ranch
Fried Oyster Burger$15.00
with Old Bay Mayo, Bibb Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle & Red Onion

Entrees

Daily Pork Cut**
with Broccoli Rabe & Chimichurri
- Market Price
Jerk Chicken Breast$24.00
with Rice & Beans, Plantains & Mango Chutney
Rockfish$28.00
with Chesapeake Broth, Shellfish & Red Pepper Toast
Daily Steak Cut**
with Potato Puree, Pea Tendrils, Crispy Onion & Jus
- Market Price
Vegetarian Butternut Risotto* **$18.00
Vegan Hoppin' John* **$16.00
with Grilled Mushrooms
Seared Scallops Veloute$28.00
with Crispy Speck and Sautéed Green Beans

Sides

Fried Brussels Sprouts* **$9.00
tossed in Sweet and Spicy Aioli
Carolina Gold Rice* **$8.00
Mess of Green Beans**$8.00
with Virginia Ham and Garlic
Cheesy Potato Puree* **$8.00

Desserts

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Tartlet*$10.00
Autumn Maple Custard Crumble*$9.00
Triple Citrus Chess Square with Raspberry Coulis*$8.00
Commonwealth Cheesecake*$9.00

Wines by the Glass

Sparkling: Cremant de Bourgogne, FR$16.00
Sparkling: Thibaut-Janisson, Fizz, VA$15.00
Champagne: Louis Roederer, Brut, FR$15.00
Sancerre: Domaine Crochet '15, FR$13.00
Sauvignon Blanc: Honig '16, Napa CA$12.00
Sauvignon Blanc: Mantanzas Creek '15, CA$10.00
White Bordeaux: Ch. Lestrille '09, FR$10.00
Chardonnay: Barboursville Reserve '16, VA$12.00
Chardonnay: Davis Bynum '14, CA$12.00
White Burgundy: Domaine Denante '15, FR$11.00
Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc: Charles F Wagner 'Conundrum' '15, CA$13.00
Rose of Syrah: George Vernay '16, FR$13.00
Pinot Noir: Erath 'Resplendent' '15, OR$13.00
Pinot Noir: J Pinot Noir '15, CA$12.00
Red Burgundy: Domaine Jeannot '15, FR$12.00
Grenache: La Bastide Saint Dominique '14, FR$12.00
Merlot: Seven Falls Cellars '12, WA$13.00
Bordeaux Blend: Chateau Bujan '14, FR$10.00
Bordeaux Supérior: Chateau Lestrille '12, FR$11.00

Draft Beer

all drafts $6

Basic City: Sixth Lord IPA 5.8%
Blue Mountain Brewery: Full Nelson Pale 5.9%
Bold Rock: India Pressed Apple Cider 4.7%
Devils Backbone: Vienna Lager 4.9%
Firestone Walker: Nitro Merlin Stout 5.5%
Starr Hill: The Love Wheat 4.6%
Three Notch'd: Ghost of the 43rd Pale 5.1%
Three Notch'd: Watermelon Gose 5.1%

Bottled Beer

Bard's: Gluten Free Beer 3.8%$5.00
Ballast Point: Wahoo White 4.3%$6.00
Brooklyn: Lager 5.2%$6.00
Bud Light: 4.2%$4.00
Clausthaler: Non-Alcoholic 0.0%$5.00
Corona: 4.6%$5.00
Founders: All Day IPA 4.7%$6.00
Lagunitas: Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Pale Ale 7.5%$6.00
Michelob Ultra: 4.2%$4.00
Miller High Life: 4.6%$3.00
Miller Light: 4.2%$4.00

Specialty Cocktails

Eclectic Devil$10.00
Jim Beam Devils Cut Bourbon, Ramazotti Amaro, Lemon, Honey
Crimson Valencia$10.00
Four Roses Bourbon, Aperol, Apple Shrub, Lemon, Cider Cube
T & E Gin and Tonic$10.00
Strange Monkey Gin, Earl Gray Tonic, Mint-Honey Syrup, Lemon
Cranberry Negroni$12.00
Cranberry Infused New Amsterdam Gin, Campari, Sweet Vermouth
Jalisco Mule$10.00
Lunazul Blanco Tequila, Crème De Mure, Lime Juice, Ginger Beer
Sailors Muse$10.00
Brugal Añejo Rum, Allspice Liquor, Cinnamon-Vanilla Syrup, Orange Juice, Lime
Pear Root$10.00
Tito's Vodka, Pear-Carrot Shrub, Lemon Foam
Seasonal Sangria
White Wine, Hard Cider, Apple Brandy, Lemon, Pear, Apple
- Glass$9.00
- Pitcher$34.00
The Industry Standard$10.00
Miller High Life, Four Roses Bourbon, Spicy Pickle Brine

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Commonwealth Skybar.

4.3

(111)

4.2Food
4.3Service
4.3Ambience
3.9Value

Noise • Energetic

111 Reviews

GC
GregC Gold
Raleigh29 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 21, 2018
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of my favorite places to enjoy outside seating on a cooler night. Cool place that seems to be business friendly and popular. Food is always solid and the drinks are great. Portions are a little low for the price but always good. See you soon!!!!
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MO
MarciaO
Richmond3 reviews
4.0
Dined on May 13, 2018
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The Commonwealth Skybar was able t o accommodate our large family of 10 for brunch on Mother's Day. We had eaten there before when the weather was not so warm and had been seated on the balcony overlooking the downtown Mall. That was fun and great for people watching. This past Sunday was too warm for that experience but the indoor seating was comfortable. The bar area is lovely with exposed bottles and an entire mirrored wall on one side of the dining room, large windows on the opposite side. The food is very good, not unusual or inspired but a very good all American brief menu.
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CG
ChrisG Gold
Richmond36 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 21, 2018
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great go to spot. Upstairs bar can be fun, and crowded at times.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner Gold
Washington DC2 reviews
4.0
Dined on April 21, 2018
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Good options for those who are vegetarian or gluten-free.
Is this helpful?
CB
ChristopherB Gold
Richmond95 reviews
4.0
Dined on April 20, 2018
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Really doing a great job with the menu. Don't miss the brussels sprouts. Solid mixmasters too.
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P
Piper
Richmond15 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 5, 2018
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Our meals were cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious! Service was attentive but not overbearing.
Is this helpful?
s
stw2dd Gold
South Carolina7 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 1, 2018
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We went here for Easter Brunch with two teenagers. There was a great menu that had something for everyone. Everyone enjoyed their dishes - the Mimosa's and Blood Mary's were great. We got there early and they rearranged seatings so that we didn't have to wait and then they were patient when one of our guests was late. Service was excellent.
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JR
JRCCHO
Richmond68 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 1, 2018
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We enjoyed yet another fantastic brunch at Commonwealth -- their brunch is the best-kept secret in Charlottesville!
Is this helpful?
TD
TimDAngelo
Richmond13 reviews
3.0
Dined on March 11, 2018
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
This is not a “meat and potatoes” restaurant so if you don’t know what camembert and bibb are this place probably isn’t your style. For an appetizer we ordered the chef cheese plate and while it was good it was basically a few slices of toast with three different kinds of very small portion cheeses for $25. Two of us got the bacon dusted chicken sandwich and it was average; definitely no taste of bacon. One got the burger which he said was excellent. Another got the oysters and when that was delivered it was spilled all over her. When it was delivered the second time she said it was good. The manager came over and half heartedly apologized and said he would comp the spilled oyster meal. That spilled meal delayed three other meals that got cold waiting for the redelivery of the spilled oyster meal as we all waited to eat our meals. The ambient noise was so loud that the person sitting furthest away from the end of the table where the server stood could never hear what the server was saying. The food wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t worth a revisit.
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GH
GaryH
Richmond2 reviews
3.0
Dined on February 24, 2018
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The steak had a great taste but was extremely tough. We had to cut it into very small pieces to eat it. We thought maybe it was just ours but watched another customer have the same difficulty as us. Other then that we enjoyed our experience
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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Southern, Comfort Food, American
Hours of operation
Brunch: Sunday 10am - 3pm Dinner: Monday-Thursday 5pm - 10pm Friday-Saturday 5pm - 11pm
Website
http://www.commonwealthskybar.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Reggie Calhoun
Catering
Private Dining: We have a private dining room that can be set up in any manner of styles to accommodate parties up to 40. More details on the website. For private party inquiries, please contact us at skybarmanager@gmail.com

Location
422 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Neighborhood
Charlottesville
Cross street
5th and Main
Parking details
Parking is available on side streets, some parking meters, and at the Market St and Water St garages. Unfortunately, we do not validate parking.
Public transit
On the UVA trolley line and a block away from the downtown transit center.
Entertainment
Occasional bands and DJs at Skybar.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

Commonwealth Skybar

About this restaurant

Not available on OpenTable

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Appetizers

Spiced Virginia Peanuts* **$6.00

Pork Rinds**$8.00

Smoked Trout Dip$8.00

Onion Hay Stack*$10.00

Duo of Ham Biscuits$11.00

Chef's Choice Cheese Plate* **$25.00

Butternut Squash Bisque*$8.00

Beet Salad* **

Bibb Lettuce Salad* **$12.00

Roasted Cauliflower* **$10.00

Autumn Empanada$14.00

Ham Hock Meatballs$16.00

Crab Cake$14.00

Commonwealth Chicken Wings$14.00

Fried Virginia Oysters$16.00

Sandwiches

Commonwealth Burger$14.00

Bacon Dusted Fried Chicken$12.00

Fried Oyster Burger$15.00

Entrees

Daily Pork Cut**

Jerk Chicken Breast$24.00

Rockfish$28.00

Daily Steak Cut**

Vegetarian Butternut Risotto* **$18.00

Vegan Hoppin' John* **$16.00

Seared Scallops Veloute$28.00

Sides

Fried Brussels Sprouts* **$9.00

Carolina Gold Rice* **$8.00

Mess of Green Beans**$8.00

Cheesy Potato Puree* **$8.00

Desserts

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Tartlet*$10.00

Autumn Maple Custard Crumble*$9.00

Triple Citrus Chess Square with Raspberry Coulis*$8.00

Commonwealth Cheesecake*$9.00

Wines by the Glass

Sparkling: Cremant de Bourgogne, FR$16.00

Sparkling: Thibaut-Janisson, Fizz, VA$15.00

Champagne: Louis Roederer, Brut, FR$15.00

Sancerre: Domaine Crochet '15, FR$13.00

Sauvignon Blanc: Honig '16, Napa CA$12.00

Sauvignon Blanc: Mantanzas Creek '15, CA$10.00

White Bordeaux: Ch. Lestrille '09, FR$10.00

Chardonnay: Barboursville Reserve '16, VA$12.00

Chardonnay: Davis Bynum '14, CA$12.00

White Burgundy: Domaine Denante '15, FR$11.00

Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc: Charles F Wagner 'Conundrum' '15, CA$13.00

Rose of Syrah: George Vernay '16, FR$13.00

Pinot Noir: Erath 'Resplendent' '15, OR$13.00

Pinot Noir: J Pinot Noir '15, CA$12.00

Red Burgundy: Domaine Jeannot '15, FR$12.00

Grenache: La Bastide Saint Dominique '14, FR$12.00

Merlot: Seven Falls Cellars '12, WA$13.00

Bordeaux Blend: Chateau Bujan '14, FR$10.00

Bordeaux Supérior: Chateau Lestrille '12, FR$11.00

Draft Beer

Basic City: Sixth Lord IPA 5.8%

Blue Mountain Brewery: Full Nelson Pale 5.9%

Bold Rock: India Pressed Apple Cider 4.7%

Devils Backbone: Vienna Lager 4.9%

Firestone Walker: Nitro Merlin Stout 5.5%

Starr Hill: The Love Wheat 4.6%

Three Notch'd: Ghost of the 43rd Pale 5.1%

Three Notch'd: Watermelon Gose 5.1%

Bottled Beer

Bard's: Gluten Free Beer 3.8%$5.00

Ballast Point: Wahoo White 4.3%$6.00

Brooklyn: Lager 5.2%$6.00

Bud Light: 4.2%$4.00

Clausthaler: Non-Alcoholic 0.0%$5.00

Corona: 4.6%$5.00

Founders: All Day IPA 4.7%$6.00