You know, I think back to my days as a wee little Nordic God of Static and I always wonder, what would life have been like without Continental Divide? It would have been a lot different, that’s for sure.
Charlottesville’s own Continental Divide hides at 811 W Main Street, across from the Amtrak parking lot and next to some stores that escape my memory. It really does lurk in the shadows. While it may seem reasonable to look for a sign that reads Continental Divide, you shouldn’t. What kind of restaurant hides their sign for the eager public? They have some serious balls.
Do look for a neon green sign that reads “Get In Here.” What about the food?
Continental Divide does Southwestern Cuisine on the cheap. From reasonable priced $9 fajitas to $11 dollar pork tacos, Continental Divide stays popular because it is one of those few restaurants that has the favored price point for cVillains.
My favorite dish used to be the Cuban Steak which was a perfectly fatty bundle of joy for $12. What ever happened to that, I do not know, but I can remember cutting away half of the weight of that steak (i.e. the gristle) to get to those succulent bites in the middle. Add the Cuban influenced spices and finely mashed potatoes and I was one happy camper. BUT, alas, it no longer exists. 
In spite of my desire for the Cuban Steak, I recommend the fajitas, the pork tacos, the rotating quesadilla, and let’s not forget the nachos. Continental Divide gives you a generous stack of nachos topped with chili and all the other fixings. You will feel full even if you get just an entree.
Don’t expect anything fancy at the place. I think their motto used to be (or still is?) something along the lines of “Sit Down, Shut up, Eat and Get Out” which is a pretty sweet position to be put in as a customer, actually. In fact, if it weren’t for their awesome margaritas this place would be dead silent with shut-up eaters. Oh yes, their margaritas create inebriation before you can ask for your third. Be careful, because you will spend more on drinks than you will on your food. It’s worth it though.
Don’t go on weekend nights; there is always a wait. If there are people out the door, just turn around and find somewhere else. I recommend sitting and eating at the bar. You get drinks quicker. Oh, and there are a ton of fancy tequilas on the menu if anyone is into that kind of stuff.
Enjoy!
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- The Upstairs Restaurant Review
- The Local Restaurant Review
- Aqui Es Mexico Restaurant Review- Go There and Be Enlightened
oh yeah, looove the divide. I almost wish they were on the mall, but then I’d eat there much more often and weigh 4 trillion pounds…
Now that I think of it, it’s probably been a year since I’ve eaten there. Have to rectify that soon. Very soon.
I believe the slogan was “Too crowded, Too noisy, Too bad”, but I could be wrong.
That does sound more reasonable.
The nachos are “Red Hot and Blues,” and they’re my favorite nachos ever– goat cheese! Even the chips are seasoned specially. Chili powder? Paprika? What is it?!
It is the farthest thing from a pile of soggy chips with cheap salsa, queso, and canned beans dumped on top.
I blame The Divide for making me a tequila snob. On my last business trip, I was in a nice southwestern style restaurant that boasted the best margaritas in the city. I asked for my favorite kind of tequila and they didn’t have it. Second favorite? Nope. I think I settled for a high end Sauza in the end.
I go there about one a week and like all the bartenders, but I have to say that I miss Emma, who was there for quite some time. She was great!
By the way, you can buy those chips at almost any store (except Reid’s). They’re called…Red Hot Blues.
folks – the nachos and red hot blues are two different things. Both amazing, and hard to choose between….
Also, isn’t it “too loud, too crowded too smoky, too bad”?
Long live the divide!!!
* They close during graduation weekend when every other restaurant is raking in the cash. They don’t like the hassle!
* They won’t make a table bigger; they can’t. And no pulling up a a chair. Bunch of big booths, unless you get in the front section.
* The pictures are of real cowboys. Multiculti, not John Wayne.
* They had a bunch of weird Tequilas before anybody else did.
Cont. Divide & Durty Nellys are the true pubs of Cville!
I was there once, and the food was good. I just didn’t like waiting 45 minutes to get a table – needless to say there were some people that were not Shutting Up, Eating and Getting Out. If they would have done the way they’re supposed to, our wait would have been 20 minutes, tops.
As with most of my restaurant experiences…food=good, other diners=lame.
The key is to get there before 6:30 PM. No lines, no waiting!
TheUpstart–
This is Emma from Divide. Your comment made my day, I miss all my regulars, too. Even after working there for 6 years, it is still my favorite place to eat. I never get tired of the food, the noise or the ‘ritas. Hope too see you from the other side of the bar sometime!
PS the slogan is actually: “Too Small, Too Noisy, Too Crowded, Too Bad”. Others that the wait staff have toyed with over the years include: “Eat, Drink, Get the Hell out” and “Don’t Touch Me”
PSS Red Hot Blues and Nachos are two separate dishes, the Blues have the blue spiced chips (homemade), goat cheese, jack cheese and green onions, the Nachos are exactly what you expect from “Nachos”, cheese, chili, black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, guac, etc.
Emma – What happened to the Cuban Steak?
when i created that dish for the divide it was because i loved big, juicy rib-eyes. so first i had to find a good source so we could cut our own steaks, thick, about 14 oz. if i remember correctly. it was the orange, garlic, tabasco and worchestshire that really made it sing tho’. sorry it’s gone. nothing as good as a sizzling, rare ribeye w/ all the gristle!
Thor-
I don’t have a good answer for you on that one. Some menu items have been there forever and prob won’t go away (ie: The Blues), but once a year or so, they add a few new dishes and take some away. Every time a dish gets dropped there is minor customer rebellion but eventually you find a new favorite dish and forget all about the Cuban Steak or the Veggie Burrito. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll catch the Cuban on the Special’s List one day:)
Ah, they make their own spiced chips? No wonder my home version doesn’t stack up!
those are great snacks for tequilla and sierra pints. you should be in the room when they are being dusted w/ spices, right after a bath in the deep-fryer – it’s totally overwhelming but Duffy is so used to it i never saw him even sneeze. must be the tequilla
This also confirms my point about restaurants making their own tortilla chips. What timing! But yes I know I was still wrong about how much oil is supposed to be used in dressings.
I’m outing myself here, but…
I’m Emma’s other half, also a long-time employee at CD, 5+ years of full-time, still a (very) part timer. She is right on all counts. Cuban steak went away for reasons unknown, my guess being that ribeye ain’t the cheapest cut of meat to be serving, and our prices are already pretty low, so the margin was pretty slim. I’m not on the business end, though, so that’s all speculation.
Another great shirt we had for a bit was “so good, it’ll make you slap your grandma,” complete with illustration drawn by one of our “unique” prep cooks of said elder abuse. “Too small, too noisy….” will always be on the wall there even when we’re not selling it, if only to point at when CD neophytes bitch about the radio volume.
CD is successful BECAUSE it is small and noisy, BECAUSE of its atmosphere in combination with good, relatively cheap food. The owner’s done a great job of cultivating a particular atmosphere that a lot of people enjoy, and only advertises by word of mouth. I’m told that made for a rough few opening years, but 13+ years later it’s still going strong. The lack of signage tends to protect us from those that might “wander in” to a more visible location, and as the wait on any weekend night demonstrates, we’ve got a loyal clientele and are not hurting for “new business.” Generally, I think new people come in once on friends’ advice, and either love it or hate it. It’s also the kind of place where the owner backs his servers; no shit will be taken and the customer is not always right. This is not to say that we’re rude (as I’ve heard us called on some other cville restaurant sites) but that we’re there to make money and to make the owner money, and some people go out with the expressed intent to bitch about everything. Come in, treat us like real human people, and have a good time, and we’ll reciprocate. Act like an ass and complain about every policy (i.e. smoking, loud music, etc.), and we’ll also reciprocate.
Another plus in my book is that this is one of the last joints in the world where you can smoke (cigs, NOT stinky cigars or cloves) at any table in the place – it’s too small for a non-smoking section. I’m sure some will hate on me for considering that a plus, but hey, it’s America and if you don’t like smoke, you are welcome to eat elsewhere. God knows there’s plenty of choices in this town.
Finally, the comment about paying more for drinks is probably accurate, but I think that’s more of a reflection of the cheap food prices. I think the drink prices are among the most reasonable in town.
Beer – pint drafts for 4 bucks, good selection of micro bottles for 3.50, and schwag from 2.50 to 3.25 (bud, mexican beers).
Margaritas – house is 5.50, you can pay about 7-15 for a better tequila which DOES make a difference, but IMO, you shouldn’t go too overboard if you’re putting tequila in a margarita, you can’t really taste all the nuances that you’re paying for when the marg. mix drowns everything out. If you want to drink really good tequila, man up and drink it neat. no effing lime or salt either.
Liquor drinks – first of all, they’re served in 12 oz glasses, not that crappy little 4-6 oz tumbler you get at most places in town. also, I think the highest priced call liquor is like 6.50, which is FAR cheaper than most places around here. lastly, the large glass tends to mean that you get a bit more booze per drink; I always found it hard as a barkeep to pour just ONE shot in that big ol’ glass.
oh, and the other slogan we batted around for a while was very close to the one in the post:
“eat, drink, get the hell out.”
to give credit where credit is due, we totally stole that idea from some place down in OBX, a pancake house or something that had it on their marquee, but our owner wouldn’t ever let us get it put on a shirt – I guess there is a line that even we won’t cross, lol…
oops just saw that my lovely wife already mentioned that slogan. my bad. ima stop posting now.
Cojo, I was going to rave out you, but I was afraid I’ve be accused of being a plant. We’re BIG fans!
TheUpstart is a plant! I’m guessing a flowering fern, or possibly a succulent, but I could be way off.
Do they still serve the Tuna Tostada? – best tuna dish I’ve had in town. Wow, I’ve gotta get back there, either way.
The Tuna Tostada is still there…ummmm…extra goat, extra glaze, my favorite.
God I love CD. I don’t mind walking into an almost empty restaurant, so I’ll second the suggestion to arrive early and just walk right up to a table. Also, if you’re in line, keep an eye on the bar. As people are seated, bar seats should open up. Save yourself the wait for a booth. Take a bar seat and eat there. The bartenders are wonderful.
I’m a big fan of the enchiladas which are served with rice, beans and their own pumpkin muffin dessert. What? That’s not dessert? Well, after all that food, it sure is for me!
mmmm….frozen sysco pumpkin muffin
are those muffins really sysco?
yes. right outa the pre-mix bucket but you get to keep the nifty buckets which make indestructable storage vats. CD is exactly what it says it is – no rick bayless or susan fenniger, just fresh, low-cost fare and great atmosphere. on the drinks, Duffy has been so generous for so many years with his prices. one trip to Manhattan, DC, Boston, will teach you a lesson. try buying Sauza Family Reserva there for your table and keep your sanity.
Oh, now DON’T tell me that the super cool little muffins aren’t even local! Cojo, please oh please tell me that’s not true!
yeah, the Divide has good food. hot waitresses. those dishwashers are pretty sexy, too.
rachel – quit hyping yourself, you sly dish-dog, you.
thatgrrl, i do believe the muffins come from a frozen dough mix, don’t know if it’s sysco or someone else. they’re awesome, though, so who cares? I know we’re supposed to “eat local,” but in this case I think 2oz of “imported” pumpkin dough is worth the transgression. you’re still supporting a local restaurant, not some nasty applebee’s corporate behemoth.
Cojo: Agreed. And hey, at least they were baked on-premises!
Okay The Divide, I love you but I’m gonna call you out. You don’t make your guac on premise – you buy it in bucket form (or at least you used to three years ago – correct me if this has been rectified). You can do better, and Standard Produce always carries avocados so it’s not like you can’t find the ingredients.
Again, this intervention is only because I love you. (I give you a pass on the muffins because that is one fine mix you guys are using, but the guac has to upgrade.)
Lys, I’m sure it’s a money issue for them.
you’re probanly right – but i would pay for a side of fresh guac if they had it.
I think 2oz of “imported†pumpkin dough is worth the transgression
That’s not what that one girl I met college thought…
/lessons learned
Anti-mayo-ites: I think Chipotle uses it in their guacamole, but I’m not sure, because they keep their avocados out on display prominently, and they make all of their stuff in front of you. OR DO THEY… Can any guac pros weigh in?
Lys, I’d pay for fresh guac too.
yes babygirl, a lot of restos ship it in bulk then adulterate the product further, adding, removing whatever they think is appropriate. it comes in frozen, usually with chunks of peppers, onions thrown in. it’s not for me. it should always be made at your table with ripe avos, tomatoes, lime, i like garlic in mine, cilantro, or forget it. and don’t get conned into paying crazy prices – there are always avocados coming out of the Southern Hemisphere when our Northern versions are done. remember, CD is for those of us that don’t want to spend 30 bucks for tacos, where the quality of the tequilla is never in question, and in my few years at CD, the hot sauce from Duffy’s mom’s garden can never be hot enough for the regulars!
Guac used to be fresh back in the days when I was a prep-cook (more than 5 years ago), but I think I do recall that changed at some point. Yeah, I’m sure it’s a money issue, like most changes that are made in that business. I don’t make those executive decisions, since I’m not the one supporting myself on the profits.
MAYO? in GUAC? Gross. Guac needs garlic, jalapenos, lime juice, tomatillos if you’re feeling fancy (they are tasty) and that’s it, besides the avocados (mmmm… avocados….. fruit with fat ….. arlalaralrlarlarlalrllllll)
dear cojo/cujo , cream, not mayo, right? frozen, never fresh.
As a person with a little inside info here’s the scoop – the guac is made fresh on site –
hence the sometimes big chunk of avocado (i think of it as finding treasure – crackerjack box style)
CD is the best place in town. If it ever closes, I’m going to have to seriously consider moving.
Dear DF,
move away, baby, cause they can’t cut the economy…
i doubt CD will close because of the economy.
/it would be more of a ok, now for something else.
/what do i know?