Food Review: Downtown Lynchburg Restaurant Serves Classic American Food

In Downtown Lynchburg near the James River is an American restaurant popular among locals. Famous for their burgers and brewed beverages, Bootleggers gives a vibe reminiscent of a 1920’s speakeasy. 

To get to Bootleggers, you have to go down a path that, if not for the signs directing you to the restaurant, feels like you are going the wrong way. But once entering the restaurant, you go from the cold, quiet Commerce Street into a warm, bright, energized dining room.

Bootleggers is a place that is generally regarded as expensive, as their side dishes are sold separately from their entrees. However, the restaurant makes up for this by hosting an atmosphere of light enjoyment, featuring geometric lights above tables, servers bustling around and the loud background noise of conversations coming from all sides. Stepping into this restaurant feels like being invited to a party that the whole town is in on, like pulling up to one of the famous weekend parties in “The Great Gatsby.”

Although I went on a Friday night and the restaurant seemed crowded, the wait time for a table was surprisingly short. I waited for about 15 minutes for my dinner guest to arrive, and once she got there we were seated immediately.

The server who waited on my table was friendly and quick without appearing frazzled. She consistently checked in and did not seem as though she was rushing us to finish the meal. The staff as a whole reflected this too, the hosts and other servers being welcoming and showing a willingness to help.

I ordered a build-your-own cheeseburger and kept it simple on the toppings to focus on the burger patty itself, although I added their garlic aioli sauce. I also went with the parmesan truffle French fries.

The presentation of the burger was plain. It had a wooden stick through the middle to hold it together, but the toppings on the burger were still falling out a bit around the sides. The burger was put on a small plate, making the plate itself look empty because the fries were served separately.

The presentation of the fries looked enticing and made me want to start eating them immediately. They were dusted with a moderate amount of parmesan and seasoning, while the sauces were waiting conveniently in each of the four corners.

The burger was cooked exactly how I ordered it, and the seasoning flavors were strong without being overpowering. The garlic aioli sauce had a slight salty aftertaste at first, but then began melding with the overall taste of the burger and complimenting the meal. 

The taste of the truffle fries lived up to their presentation, quickly becoming addictive. The flavor of the truffle oil elevated the dish, giving it a more elegant taste while bringing out the richness of the parmesan.

The overall experience at Bootleggers exceeded my expectations, from the unique atmosphere to the food that I felt I couldn’t eat enough of. Although Bootleggers can be on the pricier side of dining, the restaurant shows its worth through its sights, sounds and tastes. This Lynchburg dining attraction provides a place perfect for celebrating a milestone, catching up with a friend or simply escaping life’s stress for an evening.