Small town charm meets big city cuisine, in a rustic, vintage building. Service was outstanding, as were the drinks and food. The hardest part was choosing a drink from the aptly named, southern inspired menu. Should I have the Hell in a Handbasket, Mama's Switch, or a That'll do Pig? You can't go wrong. Sized were much larger than expected and priced far below similar type restaurants we have patronized in larger towns. For dinner, I had the filet, medium rare, and it was perfectly seasoned and cooked. That shouldn't make a restaurant stand out, but based on recent experiences, it was a delight. Dessert was a hot bread pudding accompanied by vanilla ice cream. Superb. Stop by this gem of a place if you are in the area. Lots of cute shops nearby, too. read more

Southern On Main - Drink menu. - Southern Near Me - Elkin, North Carolina

2026 June 17, 18:03; Elkin NC Parking - 2 Downtown street parking is hit and miss. Location - 4 Prime location for walking downtown Decor/Ambiance - 3 rustic Customer Service - 4 much improved Pricing - 2 / 3 based on surrounding it is pricey, especially in this economy. However, the food is very good. Food Flavor - Presentation - Product Variety - 2 few selections. However, the selections seem targeted to offer a spectrum of flavors. Restrooms - Cleanliness- 4 very clean and orderly Seating- 3 limited,, but may be adequate depending on the evening. Time To Order - 4 quick to take our orders Time To Food Arrival - 3 average Conceal Carry Allowed - no signage This is a return for us. Time to see what has improved and if there are any areas that have slipped. The service has improved and I found it to be very pleasant and professional. The food flavors are still well prepared and Amazing! read more

Southern On Main - The Amazing prime rib with french style green beans and potatoes - Southern Near Me - Elkin, North Carolina

It was a decent visit. Service fine, no issues The atmosphere was fine as well, except there were a lot of flies, which I didn't love The fried green tomatoes were so so (3/5) The shrimp and grits were good (4/5) The peanut butter pie was also good (4/5) read more

Live in the area been there a bunch of times can em back hoping the food gets better it's not expensive and some people might find it good but your in the south use bone in chicken and fry 1 big piece, your chicken was dry dry and the breading fell off and if you in the south and have a good recipe it doesn't fall off. Bar tenders as always are great not their fault the cooks aren't good. Basic inside of a local restaurant...has cool features but could use some sprucing up read more

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Love, love , love the food in this place. The service during our most recent visit was sadly lacking.

After abandoning another local restaurant nearby, we followed Yelp reviews to Southern on Main. Talk about a redeeming experience! We were greeted professionally, sat in a comfortable booth. Our server arrived almost immediately. She was knowledgeable and efficient. We ordered drinks which she prepared and returned to the table with in just a few minutes. We ordered appetizers and dinner. Everything was exceptional. We followed it up with bread pudding for dessert which I highly recommend. A first class five star experience! read more

Southern On Main - Southern Near Me - Elkin, North Carolina

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This is one of my favorite places to eat when visiting Elkin. They have some of the best Shrimp and grits that I've ever had!! And the fried green tomatoes are mouth watering. I've never had a single thing here that I didn't like! The service is always so wonderful. I highly recommend this place if you're in the area! read more

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Food,Service and Ambiance were outstanding. Pecan crusted trout and Ahi tuna were absolutely excellent. Highly recommend to all!

we were sold this place as the best restaurant in a wide area. It just wasn't. there were flies buzzing around inside. The food was just ok . The shrimp and grits was way too saucy and not too flavorful. The service was decent though! Honestly - I don't want to go back. read more

We were exploring the area and decided to stop in for a late lunch on Saturday afternoon about 3:30pm. My wife has wanted to try Southern on Main for quite some time, and today was the day. We called when we were a few minutes out to confirm their menu since it was later in the afternoon. The person who answered the phone stated they serve the lunch menu until 4pm. We were able to find street parking pretty easily and stepped inside. The building is on the end of a block on the historic Main Street in Elkin. We've walked past several times before when visiting the area. We also noted they have a great outdoor patio area, which is sandwiched between the two multi-level buildings and looks very quaint and cozy. We were greeted immediately by the young man at the hostess station and while there were a good amount of occupied tables, he prepped a table for us and we were immediately seated. The interior is also charming and we noticed that in addition to the outdoor patio area, they also have an outdoor area that is protected by walls which allow the area to be comfortable in the cooler months. When we were seated, we were also provided menus. Our server, Joy stopped in within a couple of minutes and welcomed us. She also took our drink orders and we asked her for some of her favorite items on the menu. When she returned we decided to order the grilled fresh mozzarella over marinara with house crostini appetizer and my wife also ordered a small beet salad with the hot bacon dressing, which Joy also recommended. My wife made the decision to have the Shrimp & Grits and I was deciding between the meatloaf, Shepherd's Pie and the burger. With Joy's help I ultimately decided on the Shepherd's Pie since I really enjoy it and do not get to have it often. Our appetizer and salad arrived rather quickly and we really enjoyed both quite a lot. My wife commented that the beet salad was delicious and she thought they were very generous with the ingredients. She also really enjoyed the hot bacon dressing, it was a first to have a hot dressing on a salad. Our meals arrived while we were still enjoying our appetizers, and we were once again really impressed, we thought the servings were generous and commented the prices are extremely reasonable. My wife really, really enjoyed her Shrimp & Grits and I can easily say that I loved the Shepherd's Pie, it really hit the spot and had a lot of large chunks of ground beef. Joy stopped in and checked on us periodically and we felt very well taken care of. We told her just how much we enjoyed each and every bite and thanked her again for her spot on recommendations. She brought by the dessert menu and it looked equally delicious with options such as bread pudding, the famous Surry County Sonker, available in both blueberry and apple, a brownie, and more. While it was REALLY tempting, we were too full. We will definitely remember to save room for dessert the next time we stop in. We agreed, Southern on Main is hands down somewhere we need to stop when traveling in the area. We are already looking forward to our next visit. read more

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This continues to be one of our favorite "go to" restaurants in Elkin. The waitstaff is always friendly and welcoming. I love the way they preserved the interior making it a visually appealing and comfortable ambiance. The food selection is good and we've enjoyed each entree we've tried over the past several years. While you may not always get a parking spot near the restaurant there is a free parking lot just across the street and we've always been able to get a spot there. read more

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The best restaurant in the area - hands down. Any time we are in the area this is our go to and we have tried them all (or most). Seating can get filled pretty quickly so be prepared to wait but the wait never seems that long. We have tried alot of what is on the menu and settled on a few favorites that we cannot break away from. First is the Southern Popcorn. It's fried okra served with ranch and it is the best fried okra I have ever had. Usually fried food all taste similar but this has a nice breading and you can still taste the okra. It is served in a heaping basket enough for three or four as an app. For mains we've tried the shrimp and grits, Nolan's Pasta, Braised Beef and the Fried Chicken and the Fried Chicken is where its at Y'all! The rest mentioned were all great and you cannot go wrong but the fried chicken is brined in sweet tea and some with a heapin' servin' alongside mashed potatoes and collards. Service was great and quick. We always enjoy the meal and will definitely be back. read more

Charming local joint in a tastefully restored old space. Had a superb lunch -- the place was crazy busy with locals: black bean soup, grilled cheese, cæsar salad, all as good as could be. Great sweet tea. Gem of a place. read more

Southern On Main - Main dining area - Southern Near Me - Elkin, North Carolina

Love this place. Can be casual or dressy, menu fits all occassions and nightly specials are delicious too. Owners are wonderful, and have brought this terrific restaurant to downtown Elkin. We are so lucky to have them here! They are also open on Sundays and have a brunch menu, which is wonderful if you are staying here for the weekend and looking for something special to enjoy. Bar seating also available, if you are by yourself and don't like sitting alone. You can always strike up a great conversation here! read more

We had a great brunch experience here Sunday. It was busy, but not too crowded. We had an outside table right away and the service was kind and quick. The menu has a great variety and the prices are very fair. The drinks looked really good and it's worth noting that Elkin is a social district. I had the baby spinach salad with blackened shrimp. It was excellent! $6 for the shrimp add was well worth it. The deviled eggs were a bit tart for my taste, but very good. read more

Southern On Main - Biscuits and deviled eggs - Southern Near Me - Elkin, North Carolina

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I hate I wasn't more hungry when we got to southern on main because they have so many delicious looking items on the menu that I'd love to try. This just means I'll need to go back. My husband and I shared the elk sausage and it had so much flavor. I got a Caesar and he got the crab bisque. The soup didn't have a ton of flavor but it was still good. read more

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The food was mediocre at best. The Shrimp and Grits were very tasteless and the Pecan crusted trout also tasteless. Seemed like a frozen piece of fish. The reviews we read were very good but that was not our experience. Would not recommend. read more

Great drinks and great food. The establishment has a warm, cozy feel to it. I look forward to going back soon.

Service was great! Pecan crusted trout entree was outstanding. Just like you'd hoped. Brussels sprouts were scrumptious! Dessert was disappointing. We ordered the apple sonker--it tasted like it was lukewarm canned apple pie filling with a sweet crusty and gummy pancake on top. We'd go back for the Appetizer and Entrees for sure as well as their southern hospitality. read more

Very disappointed with the entire experience. When we were being seated we asked for a high chair and the host told us they didn't have any more. Which was surprising because there was only one other child using one in the whole restaurant using a highchair. The food was very underwhelming for the price. Nothing had any taste or flavor. Overall just super bland and not memorable at all. We didn't have our drinks filled once the whole time we were there. Then the checks came and my $24 bill had added gratuity of $10+ making my bill almost $40. I asked about it and the waiter told me that the system just puts it wrong and he'd fix it and give me a new receipt. I don't know why you'd bring someone a receipt that is wrong when asking for payment? We also had no idea gratuity would be added. We ended up seeing on the menu that it says "gratuity may be added for parties of 5 or more". Very shady wording and insane that they don't disclose what % is going to be added. My sisters check had over $10 added in gratuity as well. Even after they changed my gratuity it was still well over 22% gratuity added. Which is insane for bad food and bad service. Will not be back and will not recommend. read more

Southern On Main - Southern Near Me - Elkin, North Carolina

Food and service was great. Make a reservation!! My only negative comment is regarding flies/gnats. I understand it is hard to keep them out, but put something by the door for air flow or something to attract and trap them. Constantly brushing them away. read more

Super mid The baked chicken I ordered was not warm and the sides were alright, not worth the money though. It did seem like the green beans were microwaved beforehand. The $9 mac & cheese appetizer was not worth the money either, small plate. Would not eat here again if I could help it. Nothing to rave about. read more

Southern on Main was the restaurant I wanted to dine while in Downtown Elkin. They have inside and outside seating but I was warned that the black canopy outside makes it feel even hotter so I stayed inside. I loved the mural on the side of the building and there was artwork on the walls of the restaurant. I did want to look closer at the artwork and buy a painting but with people dining where the art was that seemed too awkward. Service was ok here and was more transactional than friendly. I would have expected more of a southern hospitality here. I ordered the chicken pot pie. The top for it looked like a pancake was put on top. It was tasty though. The filling part had a lot of chicken in it and not much creamy sauce. A salad came with the entree and was delicious with plenty of veggie toppings. I still had most of the salad left when the chicken pot pie came out so they need to delay bringing that a little longer. I'd eat here again but order something else the next time. read more

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Service was extremely slow. Ordered potato sooo and it was extremely watery and very cold. Sent back and it came back the same way. read more

Service was great-food was not! Authentic chicken pot pie is not soupy heated up vegetables with a preheated bread patty slapped on top. Chicken did not have a good flavor. The pie was not baked in an oven! Same goes for the sonker (cobbler). True cobbler is not cold apple filling with the same fried bread patty that was on the chicken pot pie slapped on top! These are not the true southern dishes I have always eaten. So disappointing! read more

So nice to take refuge in a cosy, casual bistro on a blustery winter evening. The food was warmth for soul and tastebuds. The beef shortribs were lean and smothered in a delicious au jus and served with mashed potatoes and red cabbage. My husband had the pistachio- crusted lamb chops, which he said rivaled any he ever had at much higher price points. Which brings me to the next good thing about the place which is generous portions made with excellent culinary craft at a reasonable price. Small plates are also available, and the roasted beet salad I had was served with burrata, not goat cheese, which I really dislike. The wine menu was decent, and the Jauggernaut Cabernet Sauvignon was a excellent compliment to our meals. read more

Southern On Main - Braised Beef Short Ribs - Southern Near Me - Elkin, North Carolina

Excellent all the way around! From the service to the food to the atmosphere, it was an entirely pleasant experience. I had the country fried steak and it was tender and crispy, with a gravy that accented it well. The potatoes and the collard greens were well prepared too. My wife had the Fried Green Tomato BLT, and again, wonderful! If we had to nit-pick something it would be that her fries were a little undercooked, but not nearly so undercooked as to diminish our meal enough to drop a star, or even a half. Do not hesitate to eat here. Even the drinks were very good. read more

For our anniversary brunch, we came here during lunch time and I had in-house assistance on my choices. The Nolan's pasta was recommended, as well as Silver Palm wine. The pasta itself was amazing; the noodles were cooked perfectly, and the sauce? I kept telling the staff that I was completely blown aback by the selection. They were attentive and friendly. This may be a new favorite. Lovely atmosphere. read more

We went for a Sunday brunch and were not disappointed! Wife had the pastrami, and I had the meatloaf. Both were delicious. The gouda mac and cheese was amazing. Make sure to add the bacon crumbles too. Service was friendly and we recieved excellent attention. read more

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Love this restaurant. From the kitchen to the host's, really enjoy eating here. Southern food, with their twist. Drinks menu is impressive, desserts not for diabetics. Can't go wrong. read more

If you're in any doubt and want some good, southern food - stop what you're doing and go to Southern on Main. My husband and I were on a trip to Charleston and stopped in the area for dinner. This place won high praise on Yelp and for good reason. Everything we had was great, and in comparing the shrimp and grits with 4 others during our trip down south, THIS place had the best -- hands down. We ordered takeout - and sorry - the pics vanished from our phones! The ambiance was great, though when I popped in to get the food. It's in a cute little "Main Street" area and has a cozy vibe inside. The staff was friendly. The food was the star, though. As I said - standout shrimp and grits. Huge, juicy shrimp atop creamy grits mixed with bits/chunks of tasty tomato. Yowza! We shared that and got 2 roasted beet salads - goat cheese, roasted pecans, and tangy balsamic. Perfect! Thanks for a great meal. read more

Top notch food! I made a reservation online a few days ahead and got a confirmation within a few hours. We arrived with 30 minutes to spare, but were seated promptly at a booth. I ordered shrimp and grits and brussel sprouts. Brussel sprouts were a bit on the hard side with a lot of sweet sauce. Well it was not the best brussel sprouts I've tasted, it was good enough for me to take it home. The shrimp and grits dish was very good. It was a bit on the runny side, and grits were clumped here and there, but the sauce itself was incredible. The portion is quite large to share. As for the atmosphere, it was quite pleasant and not overly loud. The flies were annoying, even inside, but I'm not sure how much control they have over it. There was a parking lot available in the back of the building, and street parking is plentiful as well. The place got pretty busy by dinner time, so reservations are recommended. Overall, a great place with good food where I could see myself returning. read more

Southern On Main - Shrimp and grits - Southern Near Me - Elkin, North Carolina

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Food was varied and amazing, service was attentive, and restaurant was comfortable and interesting.

My wife and I went for dinner on a Friday evening with no reservation. We were promptly seated and served. Food was excellent and our waitress was super friendly and took great care of us even though the restaurant was full. read more

We stopped in for a quick bite. Food was delicious and reasonably priced. Service was relaxed, never felt rushed. We had the roasted brussels and the black-eyed pea cake. The Brussels were amazing and they gave you a lot but the black eyed pea cake was a bit tasteless and needed some kind of sauce or something. It was a nice little restaurant and had great hours, being open when others were closed. read more

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The food is usually very good. Nice variety of dishes. Service is fine, and the ambiance is okay too.

We were in the area for a mini vacation and wanted to get out for a bit. We stopped in for Sunday lunch with a party of 7 and they were able to seat us quickly in the outdoor area. The Brussels sprouts were enjoyed by all, nicely browned and crispy. We also tried the deviled eggs (tangy filling) and the Gouda Mac-n-cheese all were delicious, delivered quickly and served hot. A few in our group ordered the spicy version of Bloody Mary's all of us enjoyed the kick of the jalapeños. The main courses were also enjoyed and we left feeling full. Our waitress was wonderful and able to answer all our questions. There were 3 different menus that day so lots of options to pick from. Enjoy! read more

Cute restaurant on Main Street in Elkin. I was working in the morning and stopped in for lunch before returning to Chapel Hill. Excellent service, food, and hospitality. read more

Fantastic meatloaf with excellent mashed potatoes and green beans. Delicious beet salad with grilled chicken. Wonderful sweet potato pie for dessert. Aubrey is an excellent server. Nice ambiance! A true gem!!! read more

Fried green tomato sandwich and adult grilled cheese was amazing. Great service. Great menu. Was a nice stop while checking out wineries! read more

Southern On Main - Southern on Main - Southern Near Me - Elkin, North Carolina

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