As that old saying goes, "the old grey mare she ain't what she used to be." I have not been to the Southern Star since Covid all but shut them down. When I was in town at lunch time I was happy to see it was back open and serving dine in blue plate specials once again. This place used to be like a mom and pop meat and three lunch spot with really good food. Now they have a dedicated blue plate menu that doesn't change day to day like it used too. Now lunch is on a steam table for hot food and refrigeration cases for cold items that you serve yourself from which I'm ok with. Then once you have made your plate you take it up front to be weighed and are charged accordingly. Now I'll say I'm a fan of this unique concept. I didn't have to choose between hamburger steak and chicken tenders, I was able to have a little of both, with okra, mashed potatoes and Lima beans for $14 dollars. Certainly not bad. All in all as you can see from the picture the food to price ratio is a big selling point on this concept and probably a big factor in sustainability of clientele. Sadly the food quality has suffered a tad from the great place it once was but it's still a pretty solid meal spot, good but not great. read more

Southern Star - Hamburger steak, chicken tenders, okra,limas and mashed potatoes - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

I have eaten there multiple times in my downtown lunches good place to meet clients and convenient parking a real highlight in the downtown area read more

Very unique lunch spot. Pay by the pound plates or to go buffet. Clean, modern interior. Best banana pudding we have ever had. Highly recommend. read more

First time customers here today. Good home style food and very pleasant m, helpful employees.

I parked across the street and paid for parking for which I have proof from notices on my phone and credit card bill. I was charged an extra fee from Tagger claiming that I had not paid for parking and/or not entering information correctly.I am a native of Chattanooga but was hosting friends from Michigan. They were tagged also. I was humiliated by this unpleasant welcome to Chattanooga. I think you should either have free parking or get another company to enforce the parking. I paid the additional fee just to end the matter. read more

Back in the day, I worked in the same building that Southern Star occupies. To say I ate their four out of five times a week is probably an understatement. This restaurant is a good meat and three type facility. Always available our 6 to 8 vegetable sides along with an entrée or two on their hot bar. The food is weighed and you pay by the pound for your to go box. Southern Star also has to go refrigerator cases to make that dinner at home easy efficient and most importantly tasty. The restaurant itself always neat clean well organized and well stocked. Rick and Nancy do a spectacular job, especially for those of us who live alone and just want a serving or two of their favorite meal. read more

The food here is amazing! Although it's self serve, someone is quick to help where needed. To go food can easily be heated up in the microwave that is available if the hot buffet is not what you want that day. Prices are reasonable. This is a must stop if you're traveling. read more

I've stopped here multiple times after learning about Southern Star. I keep coming back because everything taste so good. I especially like fried chicken Wednesdays. If you're looking for a treat, try their shrimp salad and mushroom salad - deliciousness!!! read more

Excellent Lunch today, Fish, Chicken, twice baked potatoes, black eyed peas and sweet ice tea...plus we got free dessert! Bonus! Stuffed...ready for a nap!! read more

My closest friends and I flew in to Tennessee to ring in 2021 and searched for Tennessee southern eating. Good lord, this place blew my expectations out of the tasteless Miami waters we came from. Southern Star may have single handedly saved our 2020 with their blue plate special. Starting with a Brunswick Stew, don't let the simple name fool you; it's been served everyday for 20 years for a reason. DELIGHTFUL start to the mythologically epic meal that was inbound. And then the magical blue plate was set in front of me and all hell broke lose in my stomach as the aroma of the meal seeped in. Starting with the creamed corn, Zeus would descend down from Mt. Olympus to eat this here. SO CREAMY AND CORNY (like my reference). Then the roasted sweet potatoes, a very nice and tasteful counterbalance from the majestic corn experience from a moment ago and cleansed the palette for my next mouth watering moment... the mashed potatoes and gravy. These mashed potatoes were Thanksgiving Day worthy, I flashed back instantly to Nov 26th when the gravy smoothly graced my taste buds. 2020 had 2 Thanksgivings for me, and not even COVID could kill it. And then the Star of the South arrived, the fried chicken! Sweet Mother Nature the fried chicken was phenomenal. Tennessee is the Volunteer state because the chickens served here volunteered to be fried and served (probably). Their sacrifice is an honor in the name of chickens worldwide and it shows in the taste. Epic chicken. But wait, there's more. The grand finale. The bombastic banana pudding blew my mind hole. It took me into a banana dream within a dream; Bananaception. It wasn't dessert, it was an experience. If you're a local, I don't know how you avoid eating here everyday. If you're visiting Chattanooga, please God visit this restaurant and enjoy the very friendly service, the humble interior, and the out of this world Blue Plate experience for a mere $10. Seriously. Support local businesses and try this place out. PS: The Mac n Cheese wasn't great (friend's order, not mine). read more

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I have went to this restaurant several years and since the pandemic it is totally horrible. I went to try the hot bar which is by weight. I was wanting mashed potatoes and a green vegetable along with a meat. I bought 2 pieces of small chicken fingers and one tablespoon of hash brown casserole and a cookie which cost $7.11. When the person checked me out they asked was that all I got and I stated I was wanting some mashed potatoes. She stated they had some in the case which I had seen and did not want to pay $6.00 more for the potatoes. The hashbrown casserole was good and I got a small amount as I was not sure I would like them. The chicken was lukewarm. When this place returns to being a normal restaurant, I may return. SO DISAPPOINTING! read more

Excellent everything! Hands down to an awesome crew, beautifully well~prepared vegetables seasoned perfectly and flavorful meats. It's always the cleanest environment, yet relaxed enough that you can spread out and chill out. read more

Southern Star - meatloaf, mashed potatoes and peas - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Menu had to change - you know why !Wednesday is Sandwich day. Every day has a different menu. I got chicken sandwich. The fried chicken on my sandwich was the best I've had in Chattanooga ! It was skinned, battered , maybe with buttermilk & seasoned flour & deep fried (I'm guessing) & the meat was plump juicy & delicious. Not greasy , not tough or small, no skin. I pushed my bun away & ate just chicken & fries. Dessert was a shared slice of pineapple cake . It was insane ! It has pecans & coconut too. I brought home half of my half bc it was too rich to eat all of my half. read more

Consistently good food. Consistently good service. I eat here often and love trying new things because they are all good quality. The food is hot and fresh. Simple southern food but not your common greasy spoon southern food. Better than mom's in a lot of cases. Today I had the pot roast, roasted carrots, and mashed potatoes with gravy, and brunswick stew. The fried green tomatoes are very good. You should try them. Also, when they have jambalaya on n special-get it. You'll thank me later. read more

Southern Star - Brunswick stew - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Their food is amazing. So many varieties. I introduced a friend to it today and she texted me about how much they were enjoying the peace salad, the lime of beans, the soups and the cake. I purchased chocolate cake today and caramel cake. They were both excellent. They don't taste like a bakery. They taste like, my mother's kitchen. The place was as busy as could be. People know a great place when they see it. read more

Southern. Says it and they bring it. The menu is full of deep south favorites. We did the meat and three. There were two meat / protein choices. Chicken fried steak and roast chicken today. Not really a choice for me. FRY IT. The sides were great. Wife got copper penny carrots, an almost sweet pickled carrot. New to us but will be copied at home. Apples and Cheese? Yes! It worked. Brunswick stew. Sweet and hot and meaty. Huge slabs of cornbread and fresh brewed tea. The service was spot on. Alan was great being around and explained things even after we ordered. He offered to replace anything we didn't love. Really? We loved it all. It's a lot of food but not insane. We were really full but not stuffed. Desert looked great and maybe next time. read more

Southern Star - Chicken fried steak black-eyed peas and okra. Corn bread and tea. - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Not a good night to eat here. They closed except for take out only due to no staff to work. This was not posted on the website today. We drove in 90 degree heat to come eat at our favorite place. So dissapointed. So done with resturant dining. Time to go back to getting takeout only for a while. read more

My sister (from Nashville) and I (from the Atlanta area) meet once a month for lunch in Chattanooga. She selected Southern Star, and I agreed because the menu looked great, it had great reviews, and it had outdoor seating. I don't eat inside anywhere because of Covid; outside is enough of a stretch. This was their first day, offering dine-in service, which we didn't know, and we sat on the lovely porch even though it was a very cool day. We had the sweetest waitress, Chandler, who said she was working to get back in the groove since the restaurant had been closed for full service for a long time (although we didn't have any issue or problems with her good service!), was a very sweet and pleasant representative of the restaurant. My sister got the chicken plus veggies: fried okra, creamed corn, and lima beans. I got the veggie plate with fried okra, limas, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread dressing with gravy. We also sampled their cornbread (not the thin fried "corncake"? that comes with the meal), and the cornbread is yummy. My vegetables were great, the limas not heavy and greasy like I have had at other meat and three places, and the dressing made me think of Thanksgiving. Yum! The mac and cheese had the flavor of an herb that I could not identify, and it still bothers me today because it had a distinctive flavor! Very cheesy too! We knew to preorder a banana pudding to share, although it is so light that we easily could have eaten one each! We will be back and are pleased to find this spot. They have free parking in the lot behind their store; just look for the office building behind Southern Star and go that way to park free! read more

Southern Star - Banana pudding -- get in my tummy. Such light meringue and delicious pudding and cookies. - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Attentive service. Good food. Attempt at homemade. The banana pudding is not at all homemade so save your money on that.

The food is delicious and employees are happy and helpful always . It's a great place to go with kids and all .

Lunch was incredible. I had the hamburger steak with mashed potatoes and cole slaw. Highly recommend it. But before you leave you've gotta try the banana pudding!! Went back a year later and still loved it Still never disappoints!! read more

Good for lunch or supper or take out. Best meat and three restaurant in Chattanooga. Good service.

Everything was bland. No real seasoning. I had the fried chicken since it was the popular thing to get and I swear I don't remember when was the last time I had such tasteless chicken. Cornbread was D R Y. Disappointing. Sweet tea was good. Service was decent but the server seemed overwhelmed. Best thing for me were the little cards with quotes on them. read more

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This was overall a disappointment for Southern food. We ordered the blue plate. One with meatloaf anbd sides of mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, and beans. The other was chicken and dumplings with sides of mashed potatoes and gravy, baked cauliflower, and the okra and tomatoes. Because it was Wednesday, anything over $25, you get free dessert so we got two free banana pudding. The meatloaf was delicious, well seasoned and moist. The mashed potatoes were delicious. The baked cauliflower was outstanding! The chicken and dumplings were bland and served almost cold all g with the okra. The food temp was disappointing. The food bordered on cold. And that banana pudding was horrible. No banana taste..could've been vanilla based on how bland. The cornbread was dry and bitter. Service was excellent and efficient. read more

Southern Star - Chicken and dumplings - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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How have we lived here two years and missed you? We own Charlie's BBQ on East Main and have taken some time for ourselves this week. Your staff out front was DELIGHTFUL. Smiling, courteous and so helpful. We purchased beef stroganoff, squash casserole, black eyed peas, chicken and dressing, and the BEST sweet potato casserole that has ever graced my lips. We will return. I signed up for the newsletter. May be back every week! read more

Southern Star - Chicken and dressing, black eyed peas, the BEST sweet potato casserole EVER. - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

I buy delicious meals here every week. The consistent quality and flavor have made me a loyal customer. We love the variety of one container "heat and eat" meals, or we can choose extra veggies and even cold salads and sides. The ease of selection and friendly workers add to the overall convenience of buying meals at Southern Star. While you are there, don't forget dessert! The banana pudding is just like my grandmother made. We appreciate Southern Star, and don't know what we would do without it. read more

Well, I'd finally had enough of the rumors about this place! I finally decided I needed to check it out for lunch to see if all the hype was true. Well, boys and girls, it's all true! I like the open, bright and rustic feel of the place. The waitstaff was fantastic. Every one super friendly and helpful. I had the Mexican Chicken Salad. I've had these things many times and many are pretty bland. This one was super fresh. All the veggies were full of life and a nice crunch! The chicken and guacamole was awesome! Surprisingly, I felt like dessert (I NEVER order dessert) and ordered the Banana pudding. Wow, it was probably the top 3 of my banana pudding experiences! Awesome flavor and they have it every day! So, what are you waiting for?! read more

Southern Star - Mexican Chicken Salad... - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Amazing first visit! Greeted with a smile and seated asap during a super busy business lunch time rush. Caroline, our server was fantastic!! Food was absolutely delicious too... Meat and three, so much food, total southern delights. We will be back sooner than later, again and again... OUTSTANDING!!! read more

I can say that I have never had a bad meal here. The staff is grate and the food is out standing. You have to try this place read more

Southern Star - French Silk pie - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Me and my boyfriend have come here 3 times on our vacation and we've tried several different menu items. The Chicken Salad Salad was very good. I also really liked their Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich, very flavorful! They also have this really good crispy corn bread they give to the table, yum!! They were very dog friendly and accommodating, service is great, this is one of our favorite spots during our stay in Chattanooga! read more

Southern Star - The service was wonderful, and the four was fresh and delicious! We'll definitely be back!!! - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Visiting in Chattanooga and this place was right around the corner from my hotel. Excellent service and delicious food at a very very reasonable price. Don't leave without dessert even if it means taking away with you. I tried the coconut cream pie and the almond poppyseed bread pudding and both were fabulous. read more

I am in Chattanooga for business and this restaurant was recommended to me by a local. Wonderful service, although that seems to be the case in most places in Chattanooga. Order the cheesy apples and you can thank me later. I spent half of my meal googling recipes for cheesy apples so I can try to make them at home The cornbread dressing was buttery and savory. I have had cornbread dressing before, but nothing that really tasted of good cornbread.. Great food for a great price with incredible customer service throw in at no extra charge. read more

Great preparation. Portions looked small but after eating four veggies I was perfectly filled. Enough room for banana pudding. The country fried steak was tender tasty and griddle free. Easily cut with a fork. read more

I met a friend there for a late lunch. I had forgotten about the dining room closing at 3. We sat outside and had a great meal. I like to support them in the fact that they have great food, but they are a great part of Dining Out for Life. They have yet to disappoint me in the food, service and hospitality. read more

If you're in Chattanooga you HAVE TO try this fantastic "meat and 3". Don't waste your time debating what to get, get the blue plate special , one of the 2 meats will make you happy and the sides are all outstanding. Legit sweet tea but I go half and half because it's got some sugar in it. The corn bread was really good, 2 different kinds. Pan cornbread like I'm familiar with and then a thin and crispy Georgia cornbread , it's more like a fancy cracker but it comes with it and is worth trying. If you can only eat one meal downtown Chattanooga this is it. I'm a little biased , I'm from East Tennessee , lived in Nashville for 6 years but loved to Cincinnati 4 years ago and we don't have good southern food up here. read more

Excellent lunch. Our party of four had catfish, spinach/bacon/mushroom quiche, and two large salads. All were very good, and the quiche in particular was outstanding. The ordering and seating were convenient, and the staff were cheerful and helpful. Highly recommended. read more

Seriously, I dig this place. I will keep updating as I try new things. Tonight's meat and three was chicken pot pie and I chose my sides of mac & cheese, apple salad and a cup of the chicken mushroom soup. Chicken pot pie was so good. great seasonings and flavors really rich and creamy and I love the little pastry they put on top of it. one of my new favorite dishes. I will get this every time it's offered. The Apple salad was surprisingly good with two kinds of apples red and green, walnuts in it and some kind a creamy coleslaw type dressing in it. very refreshing. The chicken mushroom soup was also really good very great seasonings in it savory with nice chunk some mushrooms in it, very creamy. read more

Just OK - If you are visiting - try some place else Highly recommended by locals. Unfortunately, it is just average food. The service is fantastic. I was pretty disappointed after the build-up by the locals. Then again my comparison points are places in Austin like Threadgills and Dot's. This just doesn't compare. This was comparable to a good Luby's in Texas. Go to the Honest Pint instead. read more

Hands down some of the best food in all of Chattanooga. They take more boring sounding food like Pork Chops and Meatloaf and turn the flavor level up to 11. read more

I was visiting Chattanooga with a business associate who had been to Southern Star before. He raved about it and I can see why. I thought that it was VERY good. Not 5-stars but certainly four in terms of food quality and the level of service. I had the meatloaf which (I believe) was a special the day I was there. It was really good and I do not generally eat meatloaf in restaurants since my wife's meatloaf is hard to beat. The only thing I didn't care for was the ketchup that they put on it (is that a southern thing?). But who really cares? I simply scraped it off. The meatloaf was moist and tasty and I really liked the big chunks of onion in it. I had the mashed potatoes which - again - I usually do not order when I am out. They were excellent. I also had the creamed corn. Creamed corn is one of those things that my mother served me from a can when I was a kid and I vowed to never eat it as an adult. Well, I am now a believer. I saved room for dessert and had the banana pudding. It was unlike any banana pudding that I had ever had but it was spectacular. It was topped with meringue which I had never had on banana pudding before (is that another southern thing?). The service was exceptional, too. So I would certainly go back. read more