My son picked this place. The place is very small, maybe four tables. It's really a one man…read moreoperation with some help to clear tables. Each meal is cooked by Shaun who is especially nice, friendly, and puts love into each dish he prepares. You can tell. Just take a breath when you walk in and take it in. Service is good, but like I said - its a one man operation so just be patience. The Fried Chicken and Devil Eggs are EXCELLENT. We would go back. Keep up the good job Shaun. Nicely done.

Came here to grab a bite with friends. The inside is very casual. The food was good and the…read moreportions were great for the price. I tried the Babyback Ribs and Fried Chicken Soul Sandwiches. The Babyback Ribs were really good. The ribs are taken off the bone for the soul sandwich and plated on slices of potato rolls. The Fried Chicken was good but not the best I've had in Charlottesville. I would have liked the outside to be crispier. The cornbread that comes with the order was also good. It was not traditional cornbread-- it tasted like carrot cake corn bread. The Mac and Cheese was a little too overcooked for my liking. However, for the meat sandwich and two sides were a large portion and cost 12 dollars which was awesome. Overall, Soul Food Joint is a charming locally owned soul food place downtown. It wasn't the best fried chicken or barbecue that I've had in Charlottesville, however the food was good and the portions were great for the price.

I often enjoy lunch from here. The service is friendly and the food is very good! I like the…read moremeatloaf and collard greens best.

I visited Lynchburg, VA with intentions of supporting excellent businesses who were also…read moreblack-owned. Listen, I was most determined to find food that would make me dance when I ate it! Using a blog post from the town's website, I made my list of places to visit- Home Cookin' wasn't on it. On a whim as we returned to our lodge, I googled "soul food". Behold, Home Cookin' came up, and it was in my area! It was a God deal. In fact, Home Cookin's love-filled soul food inspired a praise dance as I ate it! Sooo good! Plus...Home Cookin's staff was warm and welcoming- like I was their family visiting their home. Their service was quick, but I didn't feel rushed. They even invited me to come back and see them again before I left town. I did! And here's why: I could hardly contain my excitement for the opportunity to enjoy their home cooking again! Sooo good! (Pictured: Well-seasoned baked chicken, green beans that reminded me of my grandma Hattie's, creamy macaroni and cheese that I devoured, and the fried-to-order fish meal I savored on my second visit. Not pictured: Homemade Sprite Pound Cake and Peach Cobbler- both of which I indulged with pleasure!)

What a shining example of Virginia barbecue at its finest! It may be a small establishment, but…read morethat just means they take the time to lovingly craft your quality meal. The delectable smokehouse flavors envelop your mouth with every bite. I got the pulled pork sandwich meal with potato salad while my friend got the brisket sandwich meal with macaroni and cheese. Despite the fact that we were ravenous after hiking up a mountain all day in the rain, we could barely finish our meals! The succulently smoked meat was packed in a fresh, toasted bun and covered in tasty bbq sauce. Even the potato salad had the perfect blend of potatoes, mayo, and relish for a refreshing side. The staff there were also extra friendly with their curbside service despite the lateness of the hour (nearing closing) and the drizzle. Growing up in Texas I take my barbecue seriously, and this place is one I will frequent anytime I'm passing through Front Royal. I don't need mountains to have this mountain top experience!

Excellent barbecue place for take out! I found this through a Google/Yelp search when my husband…read moreand I were in the area for some hiking (visiting from DC). We've been twice now on visits to the mountains. Fantastic ribs and a great selection of side dishes! It's nice that every meal comes with cornbread, so yummy. For us from the city, this is an EXCELLENT value too.

Fell in love with Papa's during our first visit here. We had the shrimp basket and shrimp and…read morecatfish poboy, both served with fries. Everything came out hot and crispy, and both the fish and the shrimp had the lightest touch of batter so the seafood flavor really came through. We ordered extra sides (a steal at $3 each!) of mac and cheese and beans. You could make a meal out of the mac and cheese itself-it is a very generous portion of creamy, cheesy goodness! The standout for me of all the dishes was the baked beans. You have never had beans like this. Trust me. I rarely eat beans because they're often too sweet, but Papa's beans are only slightly sweet and laced with an amazing smokey flavor (they are cooked with smoked brisket). I'm excited to come back and try the collard greens! On top of all the fantastic food, Jamar, the owner and chef, came out to ask us about our meal, which was the highlight of our visit. You will not meet a nicer, more caring restaurant owner! He really cares about his customers and you can tell the food is made with heart. It is truly a family business, with Jamar's mom behind the counter and home cooked recipes on the menu. It is worth the wait to get food this good, so kick back with a beer at one of the tables outside while your food is being prepared with love! 5 stars for food, 10 stars for service. It's like going to someone's home for dinner. Pro Tip: You can't see Papa's from the road if you are on North Delphine. It is on the backside of the mini-market on the corner (you may see the picnic tables on the side-that's where Papa's is!).

This new and unassuming restaurant does southern cooking with a homestyle touch you can taste…read more Currently they are still in the process of opening, but they have started to serve food under a limited menu. My wife and I stopped in and got two chicken sandwiches. All and all these sandwiches alone demonstrated a keen eye for quality. The chicken was tender and the breading has a good flavor. I look forward to this restaurant opening its doors completely. If you are just traveling through the area or are a local. I except this place to become a hometown classic.

This is a local gem! I had the chicken fried steak with Mac and cheese and corn pudding, and my…read morewife had the appetizer sampler to try to the friend chicken, fried mushrooms, and cheese fries. Would absolutely do it again. Our server was incredibly friendly and you can tell the food is made with love. We're hoping more people get to try them at their new location in January 2026!

Help, standing outside smoking cigarettes with their aprons on. Looks pretty tacky to me and very…read moreunsanitary. Aprons come off when you leave your work area to go outside, eat, use the toilet or go on break. It's right on a main traveled road through Orange and it's not allowed in Food Service regulations. I won't recommend.

We came across this hidden gym on a trip to the Shenandoah. This place really reflects what…read moreSouthern Hospitality is all about. The service was top notch. The waitress was very friendly and very accommodating with recommendations for dietary restrictions. The fried chicken is an absolute must.. perfectly fried and crispy and good balance of flavors. We tried a few other things that was pretty average like the open faced turkey sandwich and the salmon and mash potatoes. I would also recommend getting the gravy on the side and eating everything with it... not exactly sure what is in it but keep doing your thing Southern Kitchen. Will definitely be coming through again the next time we are in town.

Horrible. Waitress was drunk and food was bad as well…read more Went on Friday Nov 28 for lunch. We like this place as it is local and has ( had) good food and service. We were seated quickly and we noticed our waitress was Slow on getting to the tables for drinks and after about 10 minutes she came by and got our drinks. Upon her getting close and speaking it was very apparent she was very intoxicated and I remarked that it was sad about her condition. As we waited for our food we watched her interactions with other tables and she had problems remembering what table was which. She delivered food to the wrong tables and dropped other food on the floor trying to deliver it. Her fellow waitresses were actually calling her out in the middle of the dining room telling her to get her act together. When she delivered the food the hamburger steak platter was literally a dry hamburger patty that was old and had a thimble of gravy. the mashed potatoes were instant and had been poorly mixed because the powder was still dry in the middle. The glazed carrots were old soggy and brown ( see the picture) . We never got a bill because she just disappeared completely. We went to pay and the cashier was able to look up the order and we spoke to her about the waitress needing some help and her condition and all she would say is " we will try"

Ordered the catfish combo with yams, rice, and collards. It was AMAZING! Being a Carolina girl in…read morethe DMV, it's been so hard to find good soul food. My Cup Runneth Over is one of my new favorites. Also, shoutout to Beth! The doll that took my order. She was kind, friendly, and gave quality suggestions. I'll be back in a couple of weeks with my bf to try the ribs and mac n cheese.

Wow! The bbq here is spectacular! Today I ordered the half slab of ribs with a side of Mac and…read morecheese and I didn't want to put it down. The ribs are tender and each bite is packed with the flavor. They're slathered with sauce which may be off putting to some. For me, it was that perfectly fine balance between enough and flooded. Oh and the portion size? Amazing! Definitely enough to get full for dinner. Pass out for a minute then finish the rest the next day. The Mac and cheese was great. No, these aren't hand made noodles but the amount of cheese, the seasoning, evening l everything else was done expertly. If you want to save yourself an hour or two of cooking mac and cheese at home, get it here. The atmosphere here is very home cooking. It doesn't feel like it's some massive cookie cutter operation. It's nostalgic. This is what comfort food is supposed to taste like. Eating it made me think about fun times with the family back in Florida. While I made the order online, I was greeted as soon as I walked up to the counter. My order was done exactly when it said it would be done and was made with my additional request. I couldn't it be happier and look forward to many more orders and glad to have this place in the neighborhood.

Please Ignore The Following Reviews:…read more 1. People who have not tried the food. The chicken is not dried out, it is crispy, savory, and delicious. The sides are all excellent. If you arrived late or near closing time, I suggest you come around lunch time. Leaving a negative review because you couldn't or wouldn't eat here is problematic to places that work hard to put out a quality product. 2. People who don't enjoy chicken. Yes, people have told me they don't like Brown's because they don't eat meat. Great. 3. People disgusted with its location. Yes, it's in a gas station. That is part of this location's appeal; it's a genuine hole in the wall. The food tastes great and they wouldn't be allowed to operate if they were dirty, which, in my opinion, they aren't. 4. People irritated at how a manager is speaking to a customer. I get it, this can irritate me, too. But 1 star? Get out of town. I've been going here for years, and the old and new management has been nothing but kind to the people I've seen order. This, along with Wayside Chicken and Mel's Cafe, is some of the absolute best fried chicken in Charlottesville. Best of all, it's affordable! Please support this place, spread the word, and learn what the hype it all about.

Somebody reach out to Michael Stern. His Roadfood review is sorely out of date. The business is…read morestill there, but it's no longer owned by the Brown family. Some other family runs it. The chicken is edible, but not memorable. The pieces are pretty small as well. Not worth a detour.

Running errands and was extremely hangry. Saw a food truck with a smoker off to the side in the…read moreparking lot of 7-11 and decided to give it a go. OMG! I'm so glad I did! I ordered the jerk chicken with black eye peas, mac & cheese, and cornbread. The jerk chicken drumsticks were delicious. The black eye peas had bits of pork (I think) and mac & cheese were amazing. They weren't stingy with portions, I couldn't even finish it all. The food truck fellas were very friendly and even ran out to my truck to give me condiments for my food but didnt need it because the food was that good. They are a new business. I'm all about helping small business owners especially when the food is amazing. Please check them out! I plan on going back this coming weekend.

Mr. B's Soul food was amazing. This was the best Jerk Chicken I have ever had and the ribs were…read moreoutstanding. He makes is own BBQ sauce; out of this world and the portions were generous. I would highly recommend trying his food at his location in Stafford across from CVS and in front of 7/11 gas station/store. Hi struck is clean and well organized and Mr. B is a friendly guy who treats his customers like family. Thank you Mr. B and I will be back for more!

Amazing food! Enjoy the fried fish and the smothered pork chops…read more. Great Service! All welcomed with a smile! Food is prepared in a timely manner. Ambiance is fantastic..,

The food was okay…read more Shrimp & Grits - decent Yams- good Turkey wings - they were cold, and not cooked to my liking I wanted to like this place as there are not many soul food establishments in Woodbridge and it's black owned. However, my experience there left a bad taste in my mouth and it wasn't just from the food. The waitress was phenomenal, friendly and efficient. I visited with my mother and one year old son, there were no high chairs but now worries because I held him and fed him. The waitress was super friendly and engaged with my son, and mentioned to the owner something along the lines of getting a few high chairs in the establishment and the owner commented that it wasn't a baby/child friendly establishment. Now, I get it, everywhere is not- but this place? Interesting as I didn't see lounge listed in the description. I was shocked and offended that it was said within ear range of someone who just spent money in the establishment. I guess "down home" for these folks don't include children. Which is fine, Della Js and Milk and Honey are closer, family friendly and the food is always on point.