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The Southern Inn was decent! We came in close to closing on a Friday night and they seated us immediately with no complaints. We started with the savory cheesecake, which was really more of a cold cheese dip. I was expecting a souffle like item which you would eat with a fork (like a cheesecake) but this was still good! It was delicious on the toasted bread and the tomato jam was good, despite my hesitation. We also got the fried brussel sprouts, which were incredible - perfectly crispy and served with a delicious aioli. I had the salmon club as my entree and kind of expected smoked salmon since it specified a bagel, but it was a cooked piece, which was kind of strange. I almost would have preferred smoked, which would've been easier to eat on a bagel. The entire thing was a little impractical to eat as a sandwich. I did enjoy the slaw, which had a nice vinegary taste. It was definitely the size of a full entree so don't let the "lighter fare" heading throw you off. I would probably come back if I were in the area!
This is a tough one. After a marathon in Lexington, we needed to find some food. We had been recommended Southern Inn as a restaurant that would have food suitable for vegans. It turns out the menu only differentiated vegetarian, so I called and asked if the chef could make any of their dishes vegan. After asking the chef, the person on the phone said they could make an entree out of their side dishes (rice and roasted vegetables). I said okay, that I'd have two. I didn't ask for the price (and honestly, I would have paid regardless at this point because... marathon) but figured it would be in the mid 20s because (1) premium for "vegan" and (2) all of their "special entrees" are in the mid 20s with the exception of the sirloin steak, which is ~$37. I would give the food a fine. The rice was on the oily side, the vegetables were seasoned well enough. Nothing to write home about, good or bad. My parents picked up everyone's food, so I only found out later that each vegan entree was $35. On the one hand, I'm glad we were able to eat with everyone. On the other hand... Just can't believe they thought it was reasonable to charge that for a plate of side dishes. Just... Do better.
Lexington VA was a pit stop on our way back to our home in Lexington, SC. Traveling with our 13 month old grandson and his parents we set our sights on casual dining. Reality check. Most Lexington restaurants are dark the day after Christmas. With the exception of... drum roll... the Southern Inn. We were delighted that we we were "forced" have our second go around at the southern inn. After a short delay, we were seated in the dining/bar area. Our server, Whitney, was pleasant, and took both our drink and food orders together. We shared the fried Brussels sprouts--one their signature Appetizers, in our estimation. Highly recommended. Our entrées included the meatloaf with mash, gravy and roasted vegetables, grilled salmon, roasted duck breast and hamburger with sautéed onions and mushrooms. My burger was a perfectly cooked medium with good bun to meat ratio. Excellent flavor. Fries and and coleslaw sides were nice. Our son in law enjoyed his duck (he didn't share!), and our daughter loved her baked salmon. My wife's meatloaf and her sides were nothing extra. The Southern Inn tries hard and often hits the mark on most of their offerings! Keep up the good work. We will be back!
We're traveling home and needed to stop for breakfast. There was a sign for a Waffle House. We tried that and it was packed. I quickly checked Yelp for some place nearby and found Southern Inn. How lucky for us!! We didn't have reservations since we had no idea we'd be there. They gave us a table and menus. They brought us a basket of muffins. They serve Coke products. We had eggs Benedict, omelette and ribs. Everything was delicious. Jackie was friendly and helpful. There was street parking as well as a sign indicating parking in the rear.
Get the duck breast. You will not regret it! They also have an unprinted children's menu (chicken tenders, mac and cheese, buttered noodles).
We stopped here for lunch while visiting downtown. The inside is what I would describe as modern southern, with lovely modern art decorating the walls, dark wood booths and tables, and glass walls into the kitchen. Our food was impeccable, not something I can say often. The prices are very reasonable, and the service was perfect. The atmosphere is light, airy, and welcoming. This place easily gets 5 stars, and is definitely on our list to for our next visit.
We stopped for a nice lunch. We had the fried chicken and the Blackened Chicken pasta. Both were very good. The chicken had a light breading, but just one piece. The pasta had a good flavor. A touch of salt really helped bring out the flavor. Nice lunch! I would eat here again. The paper straws SUCKED!
This is a great place. Fresh food! Best Penne Pasta Chicken I've ever eaten. The hamburger done so delicious. The pimento green tomatoes to perfection. Compliments to the fantastic friendly server K.P. She was so diligent and extremely attentive. Amazing staff. This restaurant is fabulous. Definitely Recommend!!!!!! I am so impressed! Haven't had this kind of amazing food in a long time. Thank you all. Fabulous!
We stopped at Lexington Virginia, walking around the town and decided to eat at the Southern Inn Restaurant . This is a cozy place, friendly staff and a nice menu, moderately priced. We had the spring roll appetizer and entrees of southern fried chicken breast and calves liver. Both entrees came with mixed veges and mashed potato but I was able to sub my potato for the roasted brussel sprouts . The spring rolls were delicious in a delicate sweet sauce. My calves liver was superb, extremely tender with a brown gravy with caramelized onions and bacon . The southern fried chicken breast was also tender and flavorful. The green beans as part of the mixed veges were a bit to crunchy for us . The roasted brussel sprouts also the same but all with good flavor along with the yellow squash. The atmosphere was cozy and comfortable. What a nice find for us.
My favorite restaurant in Lexington! I've eaten there three times in as many years and everything I order is always outstanding! Here are photos from my dinner there tonight
Food and service were exceptional. We found this place while searching for a place to eat. Not disappointed in the slightest! Will be back here when we visit VA again!
I'd give this a five star if not for the noise, but I went on a Saturday evening. I made reservations online and was promptly seated and waited upon. The service was efficient and courteous by my server (Kaycee?). I had questions and requested recommendations which she gladly gave. The food was great, and I highly recommend this place if you visit Lexington, VA! Parking is a challenge in downtown Lexington, but they have a lot behind the restaurant which is in walking distance of the Virginia Military Institute as well as Washington and Lee University. If I'd worn noise-canceling headphones I would have rate this 5 star
6 years ago
We were driving through Lexington and decided to stop for a quick takeout lunch. Southern Inn was the perfect place for us because they offer family meals that are hot and ready to eat! There is also a ready to bake option for those eating at home. They also kindly provided us sets of utensils and paper plates for our meal. We got two family meals: Pork carnitas and blackened chicken penne pasta. The pork carnitas meal came with tortilla, rice, lettuce, pico, cheese, sour cream and carnitas. The pork was perfectly cooked- extremely flavorful and juicy. The meal for 2 came with 6 tortillas. The portion sizes are good for the price. The blackened chicken penne pasta was AMAZING! So flavorful and filled with delicious blackened chicken. The pasta came with a salad. This pasta dish for 2 was on the pricier side ($40). Both meals were delicious. The complimentary tomato basil bread was also great! read more
10 months ago
We're doing a quick get away weekend from NOVA (and COVID-19!) to visit this sweet little Virginia country town and staying across the street so we thought we'd try this restaurant out. Don't let the "vintage" neon sign fool you - it's not your usual diner food, but rather, upscale, modern food! Food (5/5): I had the "fall margarita" and it was full of amazing fall flavors (cider, cinnamon). I loved the sugar/cinnamon rim on the glass! For appetizer we got the "fried pimento cheese" appetizer- Our waiter suggested this appetizer (it was between this and the spring rolls) and it was fantastic! Their was a small cornbread cake with two little round pucks of fried pimento cheese atop dollops of sweet red pepper jelly. I loved the little addition of honeycomb. For dinner- I copied other yelp reviewers and got the "half loaf" - a dinner ($17) that had a small portion of meatloaf and a piece of fried chicken with mashed potatoes and sautéed veggies (green beans, mushrooms and zucchini). Hubby and I split it and it was delicious! I don't even like most meatloaf and this was amazing - it was baked with a piece of bacon on top! The fried chicken was a boneless breast that was juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside - perfectly seasoned. As a treat at the end, they gave us some fresh baked cookies! All were delicious! Atmosphere/COVID: (5/5): On a Monday night this was not crowded and we felt safe there. All the staff was wearing masks. Service (5/5): Our waiter, Omar, was great- he was kind and efficient and delivered the food quickly. read more
The Southern Inn was decent! We came in close to closing on a Friday night and they seated us immediately with no complaints. We started with the savory cheesecake, which was really more of a cold cheese dip. I was expecting a souffle like item which you would eat with a fork (like a cheesecake) but this was still good! It was delicious on the toasted bread and the tomato jam was good, despite my hesitation. We also got the fried brussel sprouts, which were incredible - perfectly crispy and served with a delicious aioli. I had the salmon club as my entree and kind of expected smoked salmon since it specified a bagel, but it was a cooked piece, which was kind of strange. I almost would have preferred smoked, which would've been easier to eat on a bagel. The entire thing was a little impractical to eat as a sandwich. I did enjoy the slaw, which had a nice vinegary taste. It was definitely the size of a full entree so don't let the "lighter fare" heading throw you off. I would probably come back if I were in the area! read more
This is a tough one. After a marathon in Lexington, we needed to find some food. We had been recommended Southern Inn as a restaurant that would have food suitable for vegans. It turns out the menu only differentiated vegetarian, so I called and asked if the chef could make any of their dishes vegan. After asking the chef, the person on the phone said they could make an entree out of their side dishes (rice and roasted vegetables). I said okay, that I'd have two. I didn't ask for the price (and honestly, I would have paid regardless at this point because... marathon) but figured it would be in the mid 20s because (1) premium for "vegan" and (2) all of their "special entrees" are in the mid 20s with the exception of the sirloin steak, which is ~$37. I would give the food a fine. The rice was on the oily side, the vegetables were seasoned well enough. Nothing to write home about, good or bad. My parents picked up everyone's food, so I only found out later that each vegan entree was $35. On the one hand, I'm glad we were able to eat with everyone. On the other hand... Just can't believe they thought it was reasonable to charge that for a plate of side dishes. Just... Do better. read more
Lexington VA was a pit stop on our way back to our home in Lexington, SC. Traveling with our 13 month old grandson and his parents we set our sights on casual dining. Reality check. Most Lexington restaurants are dark the day after Christmas. With the exception of... drum roll... the Southern Inn. We were delighted that we we were "forced" have our second go around at the southern inn. After a short delay, we were seated in the dining/bar area. Our server, Whitney, was pleasant, and took both our drink and food orders together. We shared the fried Brussels sprouts--one their signature Appetizers, in our estimation. Highly recommended. Our entrées included the meatloaf with mash, gravy and roasted vegetables, grilled salmon, roasted duck breast and hamburger with sautéed onions and mushrooms. My burger was a perfectly cooked medium with good bun to meat ratio. Excellent flavor. Fries and and coleslaw sides were nice. Our son in law enjoyed his duck (he didn't share!), and our daughter loved her baked salmon. My wife's meatloaf and her sides were nothing extra. The Southern Inn tries hard and often hits the mark on most of their offerings! Keep up the good work. We will be back! read more
5 years ago
We're traveling home and needed to stop for breakfast. There was a sign for a Waffle House. We tried that and it was packed. I quickly checked Yelp for some place nearby and found Southern Inn. How lucky for us!! We didn't have reservations since we had no idea we'd be there. They gave us a table and menus. They brought us a basket of muffins. They serve Coke products. We had eggs Benedict, omelette and ribs. Everything was delicious. Jackie was friendly and helpful. There was street parking as well as a sign indicating parking in the rear. read more
3 years ago
Get the duck breast. You will not regret it! They also have an unprinted children's menu (chicken tenders, mac and cheese, buttered noodles). read more
We stopped here for lunch while visiting downtown. The inside is what I would describe as modern southern, with lovely modern art decorating the walls, dark wood booths and tables, and glass walls into the kitchen. Our food was impeccable, not something I can say often. The prices are very reasonable, and the service was perfect. The atmosphere is light, airy, and welcoming. This place easily gets 5 stars, and is definitely on our list to for our next visit. read more
We stopped for a nice lunch. We had the fried chicken and the Blackened Chicken pasta. Both were very good. The chicken had a light breading, but just one piece. The pasta had a good flavor. A touch of salt really helped bring out the flavor. Nice lunch! I would eat here again. The paper straws SUCKED! read more
6 years ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
This is a great place. Fresh food! Best Penne Pasta Chicken I've ever eaten. The hamburger done so delicious. The pimento green tomatoes to perfection. Compliments to the fantastic friendly server K.P. She was so diligent and extremely attentive. Amazing staff. This restaurant is fabulous. Definitely Recommend!!!!!! I am so impressed! Haven't had this kind of amazing food in a long time. Thank you all. Fabulous! read more
We stopped at Lexington Virginia, walking around the town and decided to eat at the Southern Inn Restaurant . This is a cozy place, friendly staff and a nice menu, moderately priced. We had the spring roll appetizer and entrees of southern fried chicken breast and calves liver. Both entrees came with mixed veges and mashed potato but I was able to sub my potato for the roasted brussel sprouts . The spring rolls were delicious in a delicate sweet sauce. My calves liver was superb, extremely tender with a brown gravy with caramelized onions and bacon . The southern fried chicken breast was also tender and flavorful. The green beans as part of the mixed veges were a bit to crunchy for us . The roasted brussel sprouts also the same but all with good flavor along with the yellow squash. The atmosphere was cozy and comfortable. What a nice find for us. read more
4 years ago
My favorite restaurant in Lexington! I've eaten there three times in as many years and everything I order is always outstanding! Here are photos from my dinner there tonight read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
4 years ago
Food and service were exceptional. We found this place while searching for a place to eat. Not disappointed in the slightest! Will be back here when we visit VA again! read more
I'd give this a five star if not for the noise, but I went on a Saturday evening. I made reservations online and was promptly seated and waited upon. The service was efficient and courteous by my server (Kaycee?). I had questions and requested recommendations which she gladly gave. The food was great, and I highly recommend this place if you visit Lexington, VA! Parking is a challenge in downtown Lexington, but they have a lot behind the restaurant which is in walking distance of the Virginia Military Institute as well as Washington and Lee University. If I'd worn noise-canceling headphones I would have rate this 5 star read more
With its history and commitment to sourcing locally where possible, I had high hopes for the Southern Inn but unfortunately left feeling underwhelmed. Met a friend for lunch here as we were both passing through and I must say, the temporary space for the Southern Inn is surprisingly cozy especially when you consider it's tucked away in the back of a strip mall that houses stores like Advanced Auto Parts. Service here was equally warm and attentive plus they take online reservations via OpenTable. The letdown for me here was the food. I was really craving some good fried chicken but Southern Inn's version felt almost too timid to to be Southern. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/JWWQhme8rPkpibA0c6-nEg?select=pyJfaDsFa7sUZGZ9tbUpKw) The batter was under-seasoned and felt too refined for its own good. The chicken looked like it was steaming beneath the crust which made the crust soggy on the underside. The biggest turnoff was that the chicken lacked any flavor whatsoever. Salt and pepper your meat before coating it please. I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed the garlic mash that came with the mediocre chicken. If you like butter, than you will love this mash. The vegetable medley of carrots, butternut squash, and broccoli was a nice counter-points to the rich mash. My friend had the Reuben sandwich (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/JWWQhme8rPkpibA0c6-nEg?select=m9nmItwfG3Em0HhPps58bg) and it was good. The homemade potato chips were a nice touch. All in all, the Southern Inn is not necessarily a bad place all things considered but if you are looking for something great, I have a feeling it might be hit or miss here. read more
Stopped here enroute to N Carolina for a Friday lunch. I've heard so many good things about historic Lexington so today was the day to check it out for myself. Yelp showed this as the top rated restaurant and the most reviews with 28. This is what I call 'upscale' Southern. Nice dining room, big kitchen, well decorated with lots of cool and original art. I got a window seat looking out over Main St on an overcast March day. Lot's of people walking by...some peering in...like maybe the place had been recently been through some construction. My waitress, Heidi said she had just moved from Waynesboro and had been working there just a few months...she said she followed her boyfriend to Lexington and really liked it so far. She told me the owner's brother owned a farm and they got all their beef fresh and all organic. There were several specials, Chesapeake Oysters, Fried Chicken and Meat Loaf but she sold me on the five bean soup for an appetizer. The way she described their hamburger, i couldn't say...no. It was all good! Heidi also told me they had their own on site bakery and baked all their bread and buns fresh. She was so right...the comp bread basket was delicious. The burger was exceptionally good, thick and tasty served with a side of fries. I will put this place in my GPS and will def be back for more. Lexington, I like you...quaint, historic and flush with character. A nice Southern experience for sure. Say hi to Heidi! read more
Delicious!! We were pleasantly surprised when visiting town. Service was awesome, even during the covid pandemic. Food was of very high quality, honestly very surprising for a small town. Fish tacos were to die for! Burger and blackened chicken penne pasta were both very well prepared as well. Pecan pie and pumpkin bread pudding to finish off a great meal! Definitely recommend and would go back if ever back in the area. read more
I figured Lexington for one of Virginia's ritzy little college towns and thought it might have some nice dining options. So on the short side of a long day of driving I was in need of some fine fooding. Southern Inn did not disappoint. Clean, formal dining space. Well attired attendants. Waitress very knowledgeable about the restaurant and menu. Speaking of, what a great menu for a small town eatery. Features some seasonal dishes with some American classics. Most appreciated were the desserts. So often restaurants just get stupid when it comes to dessert. I had the bourbon BBQ pork loin. There's not a lot I haven't seen done to pork loin, and some of it I have seen done to pork loin, I wish I hadn't. This was something new, and something quite good. The BBQ was terrific. Spicy, fun, rich. I substituted regular potatoes for the mashed sweet potatoes. No problems. Wife had the pan seared scallops and pasta. Very good. Also impressed with the winter cobbler dessert. Naturally sweet, understated, ample portion. Very reasonable prices for the quality. Even the restrooms are nice. One recommendation; scallop dish was too salty. Maybe a little heavy on the butter? Need to scale it back. A small infraction to an otherwise top notch performance. Southern Inn is as good as anything I've had in DC. Highly recommended. read more
I eat here every time I'm in town. There are limited "good" dining options in Lexington but Southern Inn is a place I can count on for a comforting and delicious meal. We dropped in on a very busy Saturday night without a reservation so there was a little bit of a wait. We got seated upstairs which they use for private parties and/or when they're really busy downstairs. I've tried several items on the menu in the past including the meatloaf, the salmon, etc. They're all very good and nicely portioned. This time, I was just craving a burger. For $15, I got a REALLY good burger (the patty is made from local beef). You can choose two things to add to the burger and I went with sauteed mushrooms and Havarti cheese (included in the cost). The other options are bacon, cheddar, etc. The burger was big and juicy. The fries were decent -- hot and crispy. The coleslaw was a nice touch because it was vinegar-based instead of mayo. YUM. My friend had the fried chicken dinner which I've had before, also. It is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, even in a white-meat piece. For $16, it came with mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley of sauteed yellow squash, green beans, etc. So good. The service is great, too -- the kind of Southern hospitality you would expect from such a charming small town. Parking is free in the back. read more
5 years ago
Excellent dinner tonight: maple bourbon glazed salmon and blackened chicken penne pasta. Two of the best meals we've had in a long time, preceded by delicious Manhattans and followed by an amazing rocky road brownie dessert. Ambiance and service were great - we will definitely be back! read more
8 years ago
We drove 8 hours and found a true gem at table 30 at the Southern Inn restaurant in Lexington, VA. Our perfect meal of Fried Chicken along with desserts of Summer Berry Shortcake and Pecan Pie couldn't be more beautiful or tastier. George Huger lost his restaurant to a fire only to come back better. His superb team of Ashley, Scotti, Jenni and Tyler work like a symphony in motion. We can understand what it took for George to recreate his restaurant out of ashes as we are from Santa Rosa, CA where over 8,000 homes and businesses were lost in fires October of 2017. Bravo to a great restaurant and the Best in Lexington Virginia. Laura and Ed read more
8 years ago
We're on a road trip, so while in the South, we wanted Southern cookin'. Really, this is not the place for that kind of fare, with only one entree that fits the bill (fried chicken), so that's what we ordered, along with the very Southern appetizer, Fried Pimento & cornbread. All were good. The Perfect Margarita came "straight up" -- neither frozen nor with ice, so I added ice to mine to keep it cold. Really good-- but you will pay through the nose to have it go down your throat! read more
5 years ago
What an awesome restaurant to have a wonderful meal while traveling up I-81 or down I-64! The quaint town of Lexington is a site to see! At the Southern Inn, we were greeted with a warm southern smile. Since we did not have a reservation we were seated at the bar...what a treat! The bartender was very attentive and friendly. Her drink amd food recommendations were just perfect! She recommended the strawberinni vodka martini which did not disappoint. The pimento cheese and fried green tomato appetizer was delicious. The friend chicken breast dinner with smashed red potatoes and fresh vegetable medley was prepared to perfection. My husband has the pork tenderloin with blueberries and corn and Vidalia onion salad. read more
No wait on a Thursday evening around 8pm. Service was fine, though this is quite a bit of a fancy spot and not your casual dinner. THE COST: $75 total for 1 beer, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts. Pretty pricey. LIGHTER FARE * Butternut squash risotto napoleon ($17) - 2.5 stars The risotto was dry and flavorless, minus the slices of squash layered on top. The flavor came mostly from the salad. SIGNATURES * Southern Inn Fried Chicken ($16) - 3.5 stars Overhyped. Chicken was moist but by far not the best I've had. The mashed potatoes were good, sautéed cauliflower/broccoli bland. DESSERT * Hummingbird bread pudding (bananas & pineapple. $7.5) - 3 stars Interesting tropical dessert, not your traditional bread pudding as it's still a self-contained piece of bread. Poppy seed ice cream was great, as was the crispy corn cigar. * Southern Pecan Pie ($7.5) - 3 stars Homemade marshmallows were great. Pecan pie was mostly sugary filling & didn't have enough actual pecans. read more
9 years ago
My boyfriend and I went to Lexington for a romantic weekend getaway. After a 4 hour drive, we arrived at Lexington and decided to stop by the Southern Inn Restaurant for a quick dinner. It was a Friday night, and I had a reservation for 9:30 PM, but we arrived earlier than expected, and they were able to sit us right away. This restaurant located in the heart of Lexington is absolutely beautiful! It is fancy and cozy and they had a huge window facing the kitchen! I have worked in many restaurants before, but I had never seen a display quite like this one! Once seated, we were greeted promptly by a friendly server. We ordered a Devils Backbone Vienna Lager (local beer) and it was delicious! For food I had the Blackened Chicken Penne Pasta, and my boyfriend had the Meatloaf. My pasta was okay, nothing extraordinary, but my boyfriend fell in love with his meatloaf at first bite! It was savory and rich in flavor, and brought him back to his childhood days. During dinner, we had about 4 servers check in with us, but at least we were always cared for and had everything we needed. We will definitely go back to Southern Inn Restaurant next time we're in town. read more
5 years ago
This place is awesome. Their fried chicken is excellent. I also recommend their desert drinks, specially The Girl Scout and the chocolate drink (it was too good, don't remember the exact name). read more
From the friendly staff to delish food, the Southern Inn affords you an opportunity to relax and enjoy time with your family and friends. It is popular with the locals and with the campus students of Washington & Lee and VMI so make sure to make reservations. Parking is located behind the restaurant and also on street. read more
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More info about Southern Inn
37 S Main St
Lexington, VA 24450
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(540) 463-3612
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http://www.southerninn.com
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