4. Restaurants

Home Place Restaurant

4968 Catawba Valley Dr, Catawba, VA, 24070
  • (540) 384-7252
  • Store is closed

Home Place Restaurant Menu

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  • Hannah C.

    Love love love home place! Their dessert used to be a complimentary to the meal, but you have to pay a little extra now :( Despite the little changes, it's extremely worth $14 for all you can eat southern, home-cooked meal!

    (5)

  • Devin Q.

    Put simply, if you are able to stop for a meal here then you should. You won't regret it. I have been going to the Homeplace regularly for over 15 years and have yet to have less than an amazing experience each time. The food is always delicious and the price has remained lower than entrees and any other chain restaurant I've been too (and that's not even considering that it is all you can eat).

    (5)

  • Clark G.

    The staff and ambiance = very nice. The food = if you loved college dorm food, you'll love Home Place. It's nothing particularly special. There's just a lot of it. And it's cheap. What stood out as amazingly wonderful = the apple butter What crushed my soul for its lackluster lameness = the canned blueberries in the blueberry cobbler.

    (2)

  • Sydney L.

    If you live/visit southwest Virginia you absolutely have to try the Home Place at least once. And make sure you wear your big pants. It's a huge, beautiful home converted to a restaurant, as you may be able to gather from the name. When you get her there's most likely going to be a wait. If you absolutely hate waits try and go at an awkward time. But the wait is totally okay, even for someone as impatient as me, because you are able to go outside and hangout on the lawn and there's some real nice scenery. When you finally sit down you can choose which meats you want and then you barely have to wait before your food comes out. Fried chicken, ham, roast beef, biscuits, apple butter, pinto beans, green beans, baked apples, mashed potatoes, gravy, there's probably more I just can't remember because there's so much. And then you eat until you can't eat no more. And no worries if someone eats all the mashed potatoes before they even get passed to you, you just let you waitress know and she will replenish the bowl. I usually avoid the biscuits at meals like this to save room for the good stuff. Don't do that here, you have to try the apple butter. Good luck eatin.

    (5)

  • Mira M.

    Southern food served here! It was my first time here and I hope to be back when I visit the state again. A great place for a college student to eat for $14. It's a wait so don't be in a rush. The service is fast when your sat.

    (4)

  • Katie F.

    How can you not like Home Place? This cozy house tucked away in the Catawba valley can be sweet refuge after a long hike or a bustling, warm place to eat with family and friends for an occasion. I came when visiting a friend at VA Tech - we timed our hiking around eating here at the end because apparently, it was a "MUST HAVE". We had a very early lunch (probably around 4), but I could already see the parking lot filling up and the line forming. I can only imagine what the wait might be like if you go during normal meal hours. BUT - I can't review based on that. Our group of 5 shockingly walked straight in and was sat right away. The waitress was exactly what you'd expect from a place like this. Sweet, warm, and charming. Felt like she had cooked it all herself and wanted you to have a seat and get comfy in her own home. From the minute we sat down we had sweet tea and lemonade placed in front of us in pitchers (NO water, which was amazing and hilarious and so southern all at once that I couldn't stop smiling). The food came pouring out of the kitchen immediately. The food! The food! There's not much left to say except it was warm and delicious. We went with ham & fried chicken. You can't go wrong with the fried chicken. The veggie of the day was Mac N' Cheese which is also a nice hilarious southern touch. The refills came and came until we were all so full we could barely eat our pie. I wish we had a place like Home Place back in the city where I'm from. Somewhere I could find true southern comfort - sugary drinks, fried food, pie with every meal, and big tables for friends to gather around. Overall, such a great experience!

    (5)

  • Ariel S.

    Delicious!!! How can you not enjoy Home Place...? The wait is a little long, but that's because everyone wants to stuff their face with yummy home style food. I would come like 45min earlier than when you want to eat and enjoy the scenery while you wait. Server was very attentive and brought out refills right away. FRIED CHICKEN WAS HEAVEN IN THE MOUTH!

    (5)

  • Amy Z.

    Oh my!!! $15 for all you can eat 3 meats, sides, and dessert??? The roast beef was only OK, country ham was good, but fried chicken was amazing! All sides were great (mashed potatoes, red eye gravy, green beans, pintos, cole slaw, apples, biscuits, & peach cobbler. We got lucky with hardly any wait. I was thrilled with the whole experience :)

    (5)

  • Chris C.

    Amazing southern soul food, in fact it was the best southen food I have eaten in years..Fried chicken was perfectly cooked. Services was fast and waiter very helpful. Perfect place for a county dinner and family time.

    (5)

  • K K.

    Don't believe the hype but also, relax with your standards. People either seem to be obsessed with this place or are "horrified" about how some of the sides *gasp* might have come from cans. Yes, I will admit that the sides may not be truly "home style" but I didn't expect it to taste like my moms home cooking. It's a typical southern style place that for 13$ was totally worth it. No one said this was a 5 start restaurant where your mom makes the freshest potatoes and chicken. The fried chicken was pretty juicy, the coleslaw and mashed potatoes were good, and I almost bought the apple butter for my own home. My favorite part was the cobbler at the end. It's something everyone should try once but not something that people should be in love with.

    (3)

  • Bryan L.

    Great southern cooking.

    (5)

  • David A.

    There are so many things I love about The Homeplace. The atmosphere is unique and charming. The servers treat you like family. And the food is classic Southern comfort food. My preference with fried chicken is for it to be darker and crispy, and The Homeplace has this down. It has beautiful color and crunch and I think it tastes amazing. I also don't think you can find green beans that taste any better. The beans are sweet and tender and are with cooked pieces of ham, which creates more delicious juice and flavor. The biscuits are fluffy and not too dense and sop up all the juices from the other food perfectly - it helps me completely clean my plate. And the peach cobbler with the homemade vanilla ice cream...heavenly. The way the glass bowl is hot on the bottom with the hot cobbler and then cold on top with the ice cream is just magical. I could go on and on about The Homeplace. At $14 per person, it's a very good value for all the food you get. I think the food is some of the best in the area and the service is excellent, and it just has southern charm. Whenever we have guests from out of town, we always make it a point to take them to dinner there because I don't think you can beat the experience. I have shared many great memories with family and friends at The Homeplace and I hope to be able to do so for many years to come.

    (5)

  • Katherine R.

    Honestly this was the worst southern cooking I've ever had. Cheaply made food and canned vegetables. They at least could have used frozen green beans to cut back on the salty taste from the can. The only thing worth going for was the fried chicken. This was cafeteria food at best.

    (1)

  • Tasha F.

    It doesn't get much better than The Home Place!! The perfect country setting to get the family together and eat the best kind of comfort food! From the fried chicken to the Apple butter everything makes your mouth water!

    (5)

  • Annie E.

    Really loved this place. Great for groups and family. The food was good, not mindblowingly amazing, but definitely good ol' country cookin'.

    (4)

  • Jess C.

    I can see what the appeal of this place was when all the Virginia Tech'ers recommended this place. First, it is in this large charming house in the middle of nowhere. Upon entering, there is a small wait room with a fireplace on the left, and directly in front of you is the cashier where they can seat you. The dining area was scattered throughout the first floor of the house in various sections. Our waitress was super friendly, and asked us whether we wanted the two meat or three meat buffet. We opted for the two meats (fried chicken and roast beef--we decided to skip the ham) for ~$14/per person on this Saturday evening, and that is when the adventure began. They bring out your meats along with all the sides -- corn, cole slaw, pinto beans, string beans, biscuits, sweetened mushy apples, and your choice of a free drink. Everything was bottomless, so we kept asking for more corn and chicken. At the end of the meal, we got some vanilla ice cream with warm peaches on top. If you're into hearty fried chicken in a traditional country home environment, this is the place to be. For me, I'm not a big fan of fried chicken unless it's the occasional Popeyes Fried Chicken and Fries, so I probably didn't enjoy it as much as my other party who are big chicken and roast beef eaters. If it's your birthday, they give you a small pound cake. :) For the good service, nice environment, and hearty meal, I would recommend to someone who is in a fried chicken mood!

    (4)

  • Jeff H.

    This is by far the BEST HOME COOKED meal you can get eating out. I would HIGHLY recommend them.

    (5)

  • Caitlin B.

    Believe the hype! So good. And its all you can eat! I'd give it 6 stars if I could. The fried chicken is phenomenal.

    (5)

  • Larry Y.

    One of our favorite places to eat at when we visit the area. Everything is delicious. The meats, sides, etc.

    (5)

  • Sara H.

    You should go. If those three words don't get you there, here's more: The BEST fried chicken ever, heaps of good country food (don't be scared or snotty about this, you have never had better food in your life), a wonderful homey atmosphere, in a beautiful setting. Everything is delicious, the staff is super efficient and wonderful. Expect a wait -- this place gets packed. BBQ only on Thursday (but it is amazing). My only complaint: With the amount of money this place must pull in, they could invest in hand held pagers that light up and vibrate when your meal is ready -- instead they have a guy paging people by voice that is loud and kinda jarring...but that's a little price to pay for the wonderful, wonderful food. If you visit the Roanoke Valley, make the (short) trip. It is worth it. You will rave for years to come. If you live here and haven't been, shame on you.

    (5)

  • D H.

    Third time here and certainly the last. And up until now would probably give 5 stars, but we always came early, 4 -5pm. This time we got there at 6:15pm and were told an hour and half wait. We didn't get in until 8:45pm, 2 1/2 hours. We were willing to wait the hour and half, but the food was definitely not worth two and half hours! We will not go back. The food is good, but not good enough to wait that long to eat. They really should know the restaurant business well enough to make an adequate wait time prediction. The waitress was good, but she was very tired. This final time the food was certainly not even up to their standards. The chicken was mushy, probably sat cooked for a long time. The standard for the vegetables is canned everything and the dessert is some flavor of mushy cobbler. Sorry to say that we won't make that trip off the interstate anytime soon.

    (1)

  • Taran G.

    We waited a long time in the waiting room to be seated. Others, who arrived after us were seated ahead of us, with no explanation given. Oh and when we went there were books like "the truth about the civil war" and coloring books for young children on the civil war. After seeing a few employees whisper while looking at us, and realizing they were not officially closed and we were STILL waiting to be seated we took the message that we were not welcome and left. Very disappointed as I've heard these are the best canned and reheated veggies around. Frustrating to drive so far only to turn around after feeling unwanted.

    (1)

  • Lauri T.

    As my time at Virginia Tech is rapidly winding down, I am trying to cross everything off of my Hokie Bucket List. Throughout the past four years I had heard rave reviews about Home Place, but along with those reviews also came complaints about the long drive through the windy mountain roads to get there. So, one beautiful afternoon last weekend, with clear blue skies and fluffy clouds, my sorority sisters and I decided to make the trek out to Catawba so that I could give Home Place a taste for the first time. Everything from the staff to the quaint house, to the scenery of rolling hills, was breathtaking when we first arrived. Imagine going back to your grandma's house for the holidays after moving away. That is the kind of comfort that you can feel as soon as you step foot into Home Place. After about a 5 minute wait, we were taken to our table and within 5 minutes of that our table was filled with bottomless bowls of fried chicken, roast beef, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, string beans, pinto beans, and pitchers of sweet tea and lemonade. It was paradise for a foodie such as myself. The chicken was fall-off-the-bone tender and the breading had the perfect blend of spices. The mashed potatoes were perfectly whipped and the gravy was a perfect compliment. The string beans had a wonderful flavor and so did the macaroni and cheese and roast beef. I was in heaven. The bottom line is, if you haven't had the pleasure of eating at Home Place, what are you waiting for!? It is definitely worth the trip!

    (5)

  • S W.

    Decided to make the drive to The Homeplace today for dinner. We didn't have much of a wait for our party of 3. It was around 4:30 and the line to get in as well as line to pay were long. Our server looked and sounded tired. No smile or extra service. We had to stop her for drink and food refills. She was responsive when asked and was doing what she could for the tables she had. The food was great! Fried chicken was delicious. Juicy on the inside and crispy on outside. Sweet tea and lemonade were thirst quenching. Sides all tasted good. Hubs said cole slaw was too sweet. That was only complaint on any thing. It is a treat every couple of years for us because I can't handle the curvy mountain roads to get there. It is worth a visit.

    (4)

  • Sarah H.

    Great food, really great service, I am vegetarian and I always have plenty to eat here. The pintos and the green beans have ham in them but the other side items do not include meat or meat drippings. I generally do not care for lemonade but for some reason love it here.

    (5)

  • Naz S.

    I discovered this mythical place as a student at Tech over 14 years ago and still make it a point to visit when I come to a game. The quality hasn't dropped in all this time. It's still the best fried chicken and biscuits I've ever had. Notice of menu, since they serve Sunday supper, but it's the best you've ever had! It's in the middle of no where and I've never had a shorter than an hour wait! Despite that it's always worth the detour!

    (5)

  • Liddy H.

    This place is AMAZING. All of their food is delicious and they give you PLENTY of it. I visit here every time I go hiking in the area. They serve fried chicken, roast beef, ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, biscuits with apple butter and a side of the day which could range from corn to macaroni and cheese. They also have various cobblers a la mode for dessert! To wash it all down they have sweet tea and lemonade. You couldn't ask for a better meal after a long hike. They serve the meal "family style" which means a lot of food in big bowls in the middle of the table. My family rarely finished the first round though. I would highly recommend this place to anyone in the area. The food is great, it's a great price and the serving staff are always top notch. The only downside to this restaurant is that there is often a wait to get in. Although it can be long, I still think it's worth it.

    (5)

  • Stacey K.

    The setting is nice and the food is ok but I don't think it's worth the wait. Eating at a farmhouse restaurant, I'd expect more fresh ingredients but they didn't even serve real butter with the meal. The biscuits were tasteless and, besides the green beans and mashed potatoes which were very good, everything else was just ok and not very high quality. Also, dessert is no longer included with your meal. There's a $3 charge for cobbler and ice cream. Not a terrible restaurant, but I was disappointed overall. Won't be making a trip back here.

    (3)

  • Jeremiah F.

    The Home Place is the place to go for good fried chicken and amazing biscuits! The roast beef, country ham, and green beans are tasty and the homemade mashed potatoes are fantastic! The biggest and most-heard complaint for this restaurant is the wait before being seated. The reason it takes so long to be sat is because it's ~popular~. This isn't a bad thing but it does mean that you have to make sure you show up before you're actually hungry or you're going to be hungry for a while. While you're waiting you can enjoy the countryside; beautiful and majestic. And the service? The service is just as down-home, feel-good as the food. I'll be going back soon and will do my best to introduce this amazing place to as many people as I can.

    (5)

  • Sarah A.

    A lot of good, home style country food. I often crave The Home Place and my cooking will never compare. The meat selection is great, but my favorite is definitely the fried chicken. It is tender and juicy, unlike a lot of fried chicken you will find. The portions are huge and the prices can't be beat. Be prepared to leave completely full!

    (5)

  • JM S.

    There are some foods that you can remember the taste and makes your mouth salivate. Homeplace is one of those places. Their chicken has the crispiness of KFC (not an insult!) and the taste of pure deliciousness. Give me that with a side of mashed potatoes and blueberry cobbler and I'm set. Yes, the wait is abyssal (we have waited 2 hours at one point) but if you go to Virginia Tech or passing by on 81, this is a must stop.

    (5)

  • Brooke H.

    Let first start off by saying "A GENIUS CONCEPT". How often do we go out to eat not knowing what we want and end up turning the pages of the menu over and over until we find something that "seems" like it will satisfy our hunger? More often than not we are unhappy with the meal and end up paying for food that we could've just stayed at home and thrown something better together. In comes The HomePlace... Nestled in the mountains and on acres upon acres of green fields, is a restaurant that at first glance you'd think you were driving into someone's driveway and home. The restaurant is a house. An old home where each room has been completely cleared out and set up with dining tables. The walls are still decorated like a home with pictures and fireplaces an old fixtures which gives the atmosphere that you really haven't left your own home. Everything is simple though. Every table gets the same meal. Fried chicken and your choice of one other meat (roast beef or ham), mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, coleslaw, pinto beans, biscuits with a homemade apple butter, a pitcher of sweet tea and one of lemonade, and then a fruit/vegetable of the day. We were served Mac and Cheese which is neither of those but no complaints came from our mouths! When ya finish a dish, more comes out. You serve yourself at your table and never lose that feeling of being at home with your family. It's loud, extremely busy and can be distracting but in the same turn, you're at your own "family's dinner table" enjoying one another's company with some made from scratch comfort food!

    (5)

  • Jonathan C.

    Fried chicken, Southern Hospitality and it's all you can eat. It's worth the 8 hour roundtrip to eat here.

    (5)

  • Jennifer M.

    **3.5 Stars** I feel like Home Place is more hyped up than it's supposed to be. It's definitely worth going to if you're in the area, but it's not mind-blowing or anything. It's not what i'd say is cheap or an amazingly good deal, especially since I'd only eat like 4-5 items out of the 9 offered. It's better to come right when they open, otherwise you'll have to wait a while to get in. On Saturdays, they open at 3pm! You get to choose 2 meats for $13/person and 3 meats for $14/person. All sides and drinks are included. The lemonade and iced tea are divine! Especially when combined to make an Arnold Palmer. Fried chicken was not so special. Ham was salty. But the roast beef is where it's at! We kept devouring platter after platter of these tender, moist slices of cow. Nice and peppery on the outside of the roast! Notable sides include the most amazing biscuits with apple/pumpkin butter, creamy mashed potatoes, and the best coleslaw i've ever had (nice texture and it's got a little kick to it). The other sides were just meh. And our meal ended on a nice peach cobbler with ice cream. It took us about 30 min of waiting in line to pay and get out. They really need another register...

    (3)

  • A B.

    Best fried chicken. Ever. Well-seasoned green beans (yum!) and corn. Fluffy biscuits. Friendly, kind service and GORGEOUS scenery. It was absolutely worth the trip! However, If you're a stuffy, get-me-food-now person and you don't enjoy being with (or waiting with) the people you chose for dinner companions, then don't trouble the restaurant and save yourself the trip.

    (5)

  • Yuyu S.

    After 4 years of harboring my doubts and being skeptical, I made the trek out to Catawba to visit the Homeplace. Firstly, the ride itself is pretty far out and windy. Now onto the food... After hearing everyone rave about how great the Homeplace was, I found myself underwhelmed and disappointed. Perhaps it was because of the reputation the restaurant holds that I had high expectations but either way, I left unsatisfied. The wait is frequently very long and even with a reservation, the party of 10 had to wait about 45 minutes. We ordered the option of dinner with 1 meat - the fried chicken, as I had heard it was the star of the show. The fried chicken came with green beans, pinto beans, coleslaw, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits and apple butter. The green beans and mashed potatoes were very subpar - something I would find in a can. The quality of the mashed potatoes lacked flavor and texture while the gravy was clearly not made fresh. The highlight of the sides were the biscuits and apple butter, as I have a weakness for the soft fluffy biscuit drenched in cinammony apple goodness. The fried chicken was also decent, it had a crisp batter and the meat was juicy. For dessert, we came on blackberry cobbler day which is one of my favorite berries. Unfortunately the blackberry cobbler did not live up to my expectations...the filling was more gooey pie filling than blackberries and it was too sugary. It tasted like something out of a can. All in the all, considering the ride out there and the food - the Homeplace was a disappointment. I would still recommend going because it is such a monumental restaurant in the area with a rich history (it's also very scenic), however don't get your hopes up about the food! The Homeplace is a restaurant living more on it's reputations than the actual quality.

    (2)

  • Christian S.

    Sooooo... the Home Place is out in the hills and kind of hard to find. It s very pretty farm-style home on a large plot of land that gives you the idea that you're eating at someone's farm house. There were a ton of people there and there was a long wait for a table. Since we were with a group we didn't have to wait. The food is served prix fixe family style with waitresses bringing dishes for everyone to share at your table. The food is plentiful and good tasting. Nothing really stands out (although the fried chicken got great reviews) but overall nothing was lacking. There was a wait to check out as you do not pay your waitress and instead pay Grandpa upstairs - he's super nice though so it's worth the wait.

    (3)

  • Julie T.

    Love, love, love this restaurant! There is always a wait to get a table ( you cannot book ahead) but the grounds are so lovely that it really doesn't matter. The food is delicious and the wait staff are lovely. We were taken there by our realtor 13 years ago and we can't stay away.

    (5)

  • debbie a.

    Bring on the SOUTH~~! I have to say, this place blew my mind. The unassuming farmhouse that stands on gorgeous grounds with roaming cows in the middle of what seems like back country is a hotspot. The wait on any given day can be up to an hour - but VERY worth the wait. DOES NOT TAKE RESERVATIONS Family dining is the style and all-you-can-eat! You get a pitcher of your drink choice (we chose the lemonade and ice tea) and all your sides are included: Green Beans - southern style, cooked soft with ham hock Cole slaw - typical coleslaw Pinto Beans - again, smokey flavor from the ham hock. Biscuits - tender and light - AMAZING with the jams they provide Mashed potatoes and gravy - Delicious lumps and all Extra veg/fruit (whatever they have) Fruit cobbler - it was delicious Their fried chicken comes with your meal automatically - you can chose any number of meats (the cost goes up as you pick more obviously). The fried chicken was amazing. The batter on the chicken was thin and perfectly crisped the skin on the chicken. That salty, flavorful crust is making my mouth water just thinking about it. The Roast beef was nice, but a little overdone - good nonetheless. RUN Here.. stay all night and wear elastic lined pants.... because you will want to eat beyond your heart's content.

    (5)

  • Jennifer N.

    This was one of my favorite places to go to while I was going to school at Virginia Tech. After taking a nice hike at McAfee's, Dragon's Tooth, or Cascades...it was a must to go to Home Place to pig out. Sometimes the wait would be extremely long, but well worth it. And it's not too bad waiting outside and just enjoying the weather and scenery with a group of friends. Everything about this restaurant just gives off that home feeling. Only reason why I'm not giving this a 5 star is because the chicken itself isn't the best fried chicken I've had, but it is delicious and it works well with all the sides. I'm actually a bigger fan of the roast beef...but the whole meal in itself is great with the experience that comes with it.

    (4)

  • Kim L.

    great charming place. When family comes to visit this is the place we take them. Great fried chicken, roast beef, mashed potatoes and everything else. Im not a fan of country ham, theirs is the best I have ever tried but I just haven't acquired the taste for it.

    (5)

  • Jill R.

    A home away from home with the aunties and mamas continuously serving you food, drinks, and smiles (aww...). No seriously. You have to tell them to stop or they'lll keep feeding you. I left with a belly ache. :-/ Try the pies - worth it! Eat the chicken - better than the other proteins, definitely the roast beef. A bit too salty. The sides... well are sides. Spend the calories on the more worthwhile foods, but try 'em all to figure that out.

    (4)

  • Amber H.

    Dee-lish! We went at 4:00 which was when they open and there was already quite a long line that had started forming; I can easily understand how there would be a long wait time if you come a little later. However, it is totally worth it! I personally love the roast beef, but the others I was with went after the fried chicken. You have ample sides to chose from too. We were served mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits, mac and cheese, green beans, pinto beans, and apples. I don't eat pinto beans so I can't speak for them but everything else was awesome. I stuffed myself to the point of explosion when I realized that you also get a cobbler for dessert. The peach cobbler was the dessert of the day and I wish I could have had more room to enjoy it because it really was good! Deep down I'm glad I don't live near here because I guarantee I would be there eating enough food to feed half of Africa all the time. I will most certainly be making the trip to come back on occasion though!

    (5)

  • Debbie M.

    Best place on earth! We take everyone from out of town there! Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Dave H.

    I have lived in Salem my entire life. The Home Place is always something that people say is "awesome" or a place you cannot pass up. My first experience will be my last. We waited for over 2 hours. Inside was hotter and muggier than outside..so, we waited outside. A very unfriendly fellow who took our names for our table was also the "speaker." Every few minutes he literally SCREAMED into a microphone with a very annoying southern twang with the next table's accompanying name. The lady who took our order was hostile and very apathetic toward customer service. Your choices are limited anyway. You can either get deep fried greasy chicken, what can only be considered canned ham, or days old roast beef. With all the country sides, which means more fat. They serve "family style" which really means they are going to open a few cans of crud and poor it into microwaved bowls. After this visit I could only imagine that everyone who loves this place has never had a decent meal before. Could have had KFC with more flavor, less cost, nicer staff, and faster service. Won't ever return.

    (1)

  • Sarah S.

    This was my first time eating at the home place and it was an awesome experience. My family and I got there about 30 minutes before closing time. We were instantly seated and the food came right away. The service was wonderful and the food was awesome! Great home style meal, we all left completely stuffed. I don't know how anyone could rate this place less than 5 stars!

    (5)

  • Dave V.

    Responding to several "you must try this" claims, I showed up last Saturday afternoon (11/9) at 4 PM, about an hour after they opened. Wait time was right at 75 minutes.... What looks like just a farmhouse can apparently seat up to 800... While I waited, there were three parties of 15-20 seated in surprisingly short order. Perhaps if I had said two instead of one, but there was no way to be sure if I was penalized for being alone. Once seated (rear corner of the main dining area), the server was warm, polite, focused as if I had her full attention. Kudos. The restaurant seemed very clean and well maintained, certainly efficient, and not noisy. Once I was seated, the food arrived quickly. Refills also had fast turnaround. The fried chicken lives up to the other comments: tasteful seasoning without being overly greasy or overly breaded. The breast meat seemed a bit dry, but that wasn't a problem with the accompanying side dishes. The corn and green beans were obviously canned, from a food-service provider; I thought the gravy and mashed potatoes could have been hand-prepped. Apple butter was okay, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the chow-chow. Cobbler a la mode was, again, tasty but indistinguishable from a vendor's. All in all, good food value, a good experience, but it didn't make the short list. If the opportunity permits, compare it some time to the "family cooking" provided in an Amish or Pennsylvania Dutch community.

    (3)

  • Jessica L.

    YUM! The best Southern food I've ever had thus far! It was always worth the half-hour drive from campus for me. When you're dining here, you can choose to have either two or three meats served to you. They always have roast beef, ham, and of course the tastiest fried chicken, and on Thursdays they also have pork BBQ as an option. The fried chicken and pork BBQ are the best out of these options in my opinion!! The ham is a little too salty for me, while the beef sometimes can lack in flavor. If you can make it here on a Thursday for the pork BBQ, do it! Along with your selection of meats you will be served sides of coleslaw, pinto beans, green beans and bacon, biscuits (with their AMAZING apple butter), mashed potatoes and gravy, and their fruit of the day (usually baked apples). Everything gets refilled until you decide your stomach is unfortunately way too full. Make sure you try to leave room for the cobbler and ice cream at the end! I've had the apple, blackberry, and peach - my favorite was the blackberry! If you're in the area definitely stop by, you won't be disappointed!

    (4)

  • Dave H.

    One of the more memorable meals I've had in a long time. Home Place has the best fried chicken I've ever had, and everything else ranges from really good to amazing. The apple butter is Godly and thankfully they have pints and quarts for sale. Unbelievably recommended if you find yourself driving on I-81 or happen to be near Roanoke.

    (5)

  • Jessica G.

    The Home Place is SW Virginia's hidden gem. If you're a local and haven't eaten here, shame on you, and if you're not a local and are looking for a great southern meal I highly recommend you go and wear your stretchy pants. The Home Place is situated at the foot of Catawba mountain and is an old farm house that has been converted into the restaurant equivalent of Never Never Land. The food is classic southern cuisine and is served "family style", meaning they serve it in bowls and on plates large enough to share with your group and they keep refilling them until you've gorged yourself to the point of combustion. The only question the waitress will ask you is whether you want 2 or 3 meats. I suggest going for the gold and getting all three as it only costs you $1 more to do so. Drinks are included, as well as coffee with dessert. Dessert is always cobbler with ice cream, usually peach or cherry, but sometimes you get lucky and they're serving blackberry! A few tips if you decide to be a smart person and eat at the Home Place....1) Be prepared to wait, sometimes the wait can be up to 2 hours however its beautiful scenery and you can always bring a football or frisbee to throw around. 2) Bring a jacket if you're visiting during the fall or winter as you'll be waiting outside (don't worry it's worth it, I wouldn't wait 2 hours for any other restaurant). 3) Get there early, if you put your name in at 5 you'll probably be eating at 6:30.

    (5)

  • Jackie B.

    We just moved into the area and had heard awesome things about this place, except about the 'wait time.' As luck would have it, we were able to walk right in and eat. Because the food is already prepared, there was no wait for it either! We got the roast beef and chicken. My husband and I are both pretty picky and the food did not disappoint! The roast beef was so tender; we ate plates full! The chicken is the best fried chicken ever. Our kids loved getting as many 'legs' as they could eat. My mom is famous for her mashed potatoes & this is the only place to rival hers! The pintos, cole slaw, and green beans are great too. I read one reviewer talk about them tasting like 'canned' and I just don't believe it. I know canned green beans cuz that's what I make lol & Homeplace green beans are not canned. Save room for dessert because the cobbler is worth the space! We love this place and have since been back 2 more times!

    (5)

  • Jenny B.

    Homeplace, I miss you. I'm so sorry I graduated. I made a mistake. I should have stayed in college forever. These are the things I would have said in a "dear John" style letter to this place. I went here a few times throughout my college years and I loved it. It was fantastic. I was almost struck by lightning waiting to eat at this place and I wasn't afraid to go back. Everything is always good and hot and plentiful. Go to this place!

    (5)

  • Anthony L.

    Thank you Virginia Tech. Without this school I would have never stepped foot into Home Place and experienced the never-ending feast of southern fried chicken along with all its accompaniments. Oh yeah, thanks for the education too... silly me. But back to Home Place. This quaint little house is located off the beaten path about 20-30 minutes from the Tech campus. It's only open Thursday through Sunday, and at various hours of the day. Walk on in, and head straight toward the back, past the cash register. Locate the man with the clipboard and give him your last name and party size. Take your choice of waiting in the waiting room, on the stairs, on the porch, in the gazebo, or wherever you may like. When it's busy (almost 100% of the time) be prepared to wait up to an hour for your name to be called. Don't worry, it's worth the wait! The dining areas are small, but incredibly warming. Drinks include lemonade and sweet tea; combine the two for an Arnold Palmer. You have your choice of two or three meats, including fried chicken, roast beef, ham, and pulled pork on Thursdays only. The fried chicken is a must. Tasty, moist, perfectly deep fried. The seasoning they use is outstanding, and the skin has just the right amount of crisp to it. Roast beef is great as the second meat. The ham is alright, very salty; I'm not a big fan of ham in general. The pulled pork on Thursdays sounds great, but it really wasn't. It arrived as a mush of meat in a bowl. My recommendation is to stick with the chicken and beef. The sides that come in addition to the meats range from biscuits, corn, green beans, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, and a veggie/fruit of the day. All of the sides are standard, with nothing worth noting. The fried chicken is definitely what shines. I will add that my girlfriend is nuts over the green beans. I have no clue why, but she says they make them perfectly. Also, ask for apple butter to make the biscuits go down a little easier. Dessert will consist of one type of pie (apple, cherry, peach) topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. Delicious! I would order a second serving of the dessert if I didn't have to drive right afterwards. Food coma!? Service is always great at Home Place, but I've had some servers that have risen above others, making us truly feel at home. The cost is great; $13 per person for the standard meal is a terrific value. I've been coming here once or twice a semester since 2006, and the food and service has not changed one bit. I would recommend coming on a weeknight, and coming early. And of course, prepare your belly in advance.

    (5)

  • Joel C.

    I'm very careful not to give 5 stars out easily. This place deserves it. I haven't been to too many family style down-home-cooking restaurant, but the Home Place beats Shatley Springs, Daniel Boone Inn and that little place I can't remember the name of near Greensboro, NC. I don't normally eat fried chicken - in part because I don't like getting my hands greasy, but I go all-in for the chicken here. The only thing I am not crazy about is the roast beef, but it has more to do with it being sliced roast beef - I was raised on pot roast. One reviewer suggested the potatoes were instant so I paid close attention. Nope - no way. They are real. The standard meal is fried chicken with all sides plus desert (cobbler and ice cream) and coffee for $13.95, but for only $2 more a plate you can get all that plus the roast beef and country ham. A bargain for an all-you-can-eat-as-good-as-your-momma-made-it meal. Don't pass this place up.

    (5)

  • Jon L.

    Southern homestyle cooking at its best. The Home Place is a must stop if you're a fan of comfort cooking whenever you happen to be along that stretch of I-81. It's always a treat whenever I'm back in the Roanoke area to dine at Home Place. 1) The timing of my trips don't always line up with their opening hours (Thurs-Fri for lunch; Sat-Sun lunch and dinner) 2) I love love love the property that it sits on 3) The food is just mighty good my friends. Let's start with the food. It's all you can eat... and all you can eat yumminess. You can do $14 for all 3 meats and if it's your first time, do it. I am less of a fan of the ham so for a dollar less, I am more than content to pig out on roast beef and mmm mmm mmm fried chicken. The roast beef is so tender and the friend chicken is just crispy yet juicy perfection. Pair them with wondrous sides like slaw and mash potatoes plus light and fluffy biscuits and bottomless sweet tea, you're all set for your Southern feast. Service is friendly and they diligently bring out more food upon request with a smile on their face. The dining experience is homely - you are dining in an old farmhouse anyway. You will almost always expect a wait. 10 minutes if you're lucky, up to an hour if you come at prime dining times. The wait is fine though because it gives you time to explore the grounds and soak it all in. You feel like part of a big extended family when you're dining at the Home Place and like family I'll be back as often as I can to indulge in some mighty good southern comfort food.

    (5)

  • John S.

    I came to Salem, VA on business last week. I worked 3 days straight 12 hours each day. Had a off day (Sunday) then worked 2 more days of long hours before flying back to chicago. The maintenance guy at the warehouse I was working out of recommended this place. He saw I needed a good home cooked family style meal. I got excited at how he described the place. On my day off (sunday) my co-workers piled into the rental suburban and took a 20 minute drive to this house. The drive up there was sweet. Twisting turns and very scenic. We arrived at 11am when it opened. We were seated quickly and the waitress went over how it all worked. I chose the roast beef and chicken. We told her to bring all the sides so every open square inch of our table was filled with a bowl or dish. All I could tell my co-workers is this chicken is the best I have ever had. The coating was so pillowy soft. Chicken cooked so well. Not greasy at all which blew my mind. Roast beef was tasty. Mashed Potatoes were............ARGGGGHHH there was so many side dishes on the table that I can't remember what we had but it was everything they had available. This is truly a home away from home and the land around the house is so beautiful. It has been raining so everything was so green and in bloom. I wish I could have gone here every day for dinner, but staying at work late hours prevented this. I know when I come out here again, I will enjoy introducing this place to my co-workers.

    (4)

  • Aaron S.

    Only the beautiful old house and the cinematic scenery is worth 3 stars for any restaurant automaitcally. . Truly amazing fried chicken adds 2 more stars for sure. $13 for all-you-can-eat is a sweet bonus ( given all the crappy food in Roanoke/blacksburg cost that much if not more ) PS: Feel bad for people giving 1 or 2 stars.

    (5)

  • Josh A.

    Good food and lots of it. Basically, it's like Cracker Barrel, but 20 times better. Go there if you like southern home cooked food in an old farm house with beautiful scenery around it.

    (5)

  • Dave S.

    Great food, all you can eat. You dont really come by places like this in SWVA, and you can tell it is very loved by everyone living in the surrounding areas. Very friendly, home-like enviornment. All the food is excellent. The roast beef and ham are the only to that are only "alright" but not bad by any means. This place is also right on the AT, which is perfect for hikers. When i stopped by here coming from the AT, it was one of the best meals i had ever eaten (i was also incredibly hungry and tired when i got there) I dont think ive ever filled my stomach like i did that day. everything was so good i couldnt stop eating. I think it is a bit pricey but still worth it. 4.5 stars oh and they let you take home whatevers left on your table when youre done which is awesome for all you can eat

    (5)

  • Mark S.

    PROS: good, fresh, homestyle food for a decent price. CONS: kind of in the middle of no where My gf and her family went here after we went hiking. It was pretty good. It's a buffet that you don't have to get up for. They keep bringing you food when you run out. You get your choice of 2 meats (for $13).. or you can get all 3 meats for $14. Our table chose 2 meats.. someone said the ham there was too salty. We got the roast beef and fried chicken. The sides that you get are mashed potatoes, biscuits, corn, beans, green beans. Then you get some dessert afterwards. The place looks small (looks like a house on the outside).. but inside it's huge. It was REALLY busy too. We had a party of 8.. some people had parties of 18.. and even 30. crazy. The wait is not long at all though.. despite the number of people there. The parking lot is huge as well. Even if the lot gets full, you can park on the grass. I'd go again if I was in the area and craving homecooked food

    (4)

  • Travis B.

    A very unique restaurant. Everyone I know from Virginia Tech and Radford told me I should try this place out. I took my girlfriend and I here for dinner this weekend and it was very good! The drive there was sprinted and fun (I drive a sports car), upon arrival we had a 50 minute wait which seemed long but the land it is on is very beautiful and relaxing. We finally got out table and had a joyful older lady as a waitress who was very happy. We got the fried chicken / roast beef as meats, and water / lemonade (yum) to drink. The food came out and was all very good, the vegetables do taste like they are out of a can. The fried chicken was very good and the roast beef was very good. The mashed potatoes tasted homemade and the desert was apple cobbler which was very good. Overall I give this place four stars for its beautiful location, unique dining atmosphere, but took one star away for the food (canned stuff) which is good but not amazing like I hoped.

    (4)

  • Grace Y.

    Country cookin' like no other! Homeplace is just great.. I am partial since I'm a HOKIE and we love some Homeplace. They only open Thurs-Sun. Thurs is bbq pork night and so you gotta go for that. But Friday is when they have mac and cheese for side dish so you gotta go on a Friday too. There will be a wait of at least 30 mins or more. I usually call on my way there and put my name on the list so that by the time I arrive, I will get seated. Although waiting is an enjoyment too. Their porch has a swing, rocking chairs, etc. There's a gazebo for sitting too. Some people dress in their Sunday best, and some you will see that came just off the AT with their packs and all. I love the fried chicken... you can smell it at the prking lot.... soooo good. best fried chix i've ever had. the place is just full of love and food.

    (5)

  • Adri T.

    Yum, yum, yum to my tum, tum, tum! Unlimited, all you can eat, fill your gut, pack yourself full goodness! Hot, fresh, buttery biscuits, delicious green beans (like gramma makes) with ham hock, smoothly whipped mashed potatoes with the perfect amount of salt, pepper, and butter, fried apples with yummy cinnamon and sugar, pinto beans with a smattering of spices, freshly prepared icy cold cole-slaw with the perfect amount of sweetness, a plate of country ham, a plate of roast beef, and a plate of freshly fried chicken - to top it all off a boat of gravy to smother it all! This, as well as all you can drink coffee, tea, and lemonade, and the dessert of the day are all yours for a mere $14 smackers! The ambiance of the place is just like gramma's house (if your gramma was rich and lived on a farm). The place has floral wall papers, antiques, farm style chairs and close quarter seating all arranged in old rooms of this formerly private home. Come early and get your name on the list! They are only open at certain times, and if you don't make the cut, you will drive all the way back to Roanoke or Blacksburg with a disappointment in your belly. Bring some tums for the ride home, because no matter how hard you try not to - YOU WILL OVEREAT!

    (5)

  • Sean T.

    Goddamn, this place makes me happy. The Home Place takes a good thirty-forty minutes drive from Blacksburg, on a curvy road from hell, where you have to dodge trucks and people going way over the speed limit (why does everyone in the South go under the speed limit except on the winding scary road of death to the Home Place?) but it's worth it. $13 bucks will get you fried chicken and your choice of ham or roast beef (occasionally they have BBQ pulled pork as well), $14 and you get both ham and roast beef, PLUS all the sides you can think of (but you should ask for the chow-chow), and lemonade/sweet tea. And dessert. Service is friendly and homey, and everyone there just seems to be in a better mood than the general population. So yeah, it's pretty awesome, especially for this California transplant who thought every restaurant in Virginia was going to be like this and was sorely disappointed when he got here. Not only is the food awesome, the fact that you're basically eating in a huge Southern plantation house makes it all the better (minus the unpleasant thoughts about, you know, slavery and stuff). There's often a wait, so I recommend getting there a little early, but if you have to sit around, it's always fun to just hang out in the gazebo, chat about local gossip with other folks on the front porch, and just soak in the scenery. So yeah, go and love it. The Home Place is the only restaurant in the area I actually recommend without any reservations or curving for the fact that it's Southwest Virginia.

    (5)

  • Lance W.

    Had I known about Homeplace earlier, I would've gone to Virginia Tech instead of UVa just to be 40 minutes away from this restaurant. This is quite possibly the best restaurant in the state of Virginia. Traditional southern cooking at its finest and only $13 per person for all you can eat. I once traveled over 2.5 hours and then waited for 3 more hours just to come to Homeplace. What did I enjoy? the fried chicken, the roast beef, the biscuits with apple butter... if you haven't tried apple butter, you should start. Oh, and once I had the biscuits, I had some more. Years later, I once met a girl years who had worked at the homeplace and immediately considered marrying her on the spot. My last recommendation, come early lest you wait behind throngs of senior citizens and hokie undergrads. They're only open Thursdays thru Sundays

    (5)

  • Pete G.

    The best part of our experience was the 1.75 hour wait on a beautiful spring evening. Once inside, things went downhill. The fried chicken was good, but not great. The roast beef and country ham were grocery store deli quality, sliced sandwich thin. The potatoes and biscuits were ok. Every other side was overcooked out of a can. The tea and lemonade were standard institutional, not the good kind. Terrible, but fairly priced. I feel sorry for the Va Tech faithful if this is truly a "bucket list" item. I have a different bucket in mind. KFC would have been better. 1 star is too high a score.

    (1)

  • Tony M.

    Well this place is a must for Virginia visitors and locals alike! I grew up here, or in the neighborhood and spent many evenings on the front porch while the Morgan's owned the home. So it was quite a treat to find out that once the family passed away, that Harold Wingate purchased the house to turn it into a restaurant with good ole Virginia hospitality. Make sure you ask for a Laura Garst. Her aunt was a local Doctor and cared for the Morgan family until she passed away many years ago. She is wonderful and very friendly, you have to respect this lady, she cares for her family, takes care of a farm and sales cattle at the Roanoke Stock market, and has time to wait on tables. She is very modest, hard worker and make sure you tell her I sent you! The food is chicken, beans, mash potatoes, green beans and cobbler. Plus all you want to eat for only $13.00! Now thats a Virginia bargain!

    (3)

  • Mach S.

    I was just at the Home Place on Good Friday. I haven't eaten there in a while, but the Home Place is as good as ever. I noticed they've dropped their prices to $13 for an adult. Last I remember, their prices had gotten up to $16 for an adult. They had all you could eat roast beef, fried chicken, pinto beans, green beans, mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese, biscuits (w/ apple butter), cole slaw, lemonade and tea. They also allow you to take home the leftovers too! However, you can't order up a full round of extra food and then take it home, so be reasonable and only take the the portions you couldn't eat.

    (4)

  • Jenn H.

    I traveled to Virginia last week and stopped at this place for the 2nd time. My boyfriend is from Troutville,VA & has been here many, many times. We make it a necessary stop each time we fly in to visit family. My only complaint is the wait (about an hour on a Friday night at 7pm), but it's one of the few places I am willing to wait that long because of how great it is. Read a little bit about it's history (which I did while waiting), it has a nice back story & the building used to be an actual house. Something they don't mention (which my boyfriend's dad told me, an area native of 66 years) is that when they were first trying to open, a bank basically laughed in their face, stating that there was no way they were going to succeed (they're not the most convenient place to get to) and that no one would come. So the owner went elsewhere, and they have been crazy-successful every since they opened. I love that this place gets so much business, and I love to give them my business. I appreciate good, authentic food! You can tell they actually care about the quality! I grew up in California suburbia in a mass of subdivisions, so I really appreciate the architecture of the place. It is a beautiful plantation home with a wrap around porch (The Notebook movie anyone?), my dream home! People that are waiting, sit in a room lined with chairs in front of a fire place. Others are sitting casually on the staircase. It's only $13 per person (adults), which include 2 meats ($14 for 3), and it's all you can eat. Drinks are also included in the price (no alcohol is served FYI). It feels so "Homelike" (that's what they're going for I guess, huh?) at the table they seat you at. It's fun to try to figure out what part of the original house you are in. The 2 servers I've had were very nice (and I've always loved the VA country accent) :) Everything comes to the table for everyone to share, as if you were at a family or holiday dinner. You automatically get the fried chicken as one of the meats. I must've said "this is so amazing" 10 times throughout the meal. WOW, we don't have fried chicken like that in San Diego!! For the other meat choice, you can choose Country Ham, Roast Beef, or Pulled Pork if it's a Thursday. We've always gotten the Ham, which I can't argue with. I'm a Ham freak! The (country) ham is a little saltier than I'm used to, but that's how it's done out here, and it's DELICIOUS! The sides are great (all included) - Green Beans, Pinto Beans, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Cole Slaw, Buttermilk Biscuits, and a fruit or vegetable of the day (ours was fried apples). You also get a dessert which was blackberry cobbler with ice cream. It must've been my lucky day, I LOVE me some blackberries! If you read this far, well you can figure - you MUST GO HERE, you won't be disappointed! Just try to come before you get too hungry, so you're not waiting on a starving stomach!

    (5)

  • Paul R.

    Some of the best fried chicken I have ever eaten. The sides are plentiful and delicious, especially the mashed potatoes and green beans. The atmosphere is very cozy and the surrounding farmland is a beautiful backdrop. The service is fast and friendly. I will definitely be coming back again soon. I highly recommend this place, especially if you think you have had the best fried chicken already.

    (5)

  • Marlene S.

    Came here with my bf and my family for dinner after a long long long hike to Cascades Falls. So...as we were depending on my cousin's navigation skills, we were starving and craving protein after our hike! Every time we asked her where we were, she would tell us "10 more minutes". 10 minutes turned into about 40-50 minutes. This place is kind of in the middle of no where. Well, you'll see, it is in the middle of no where. The food was delicious and soooooo fresh! It's a all-you-can-eat place, but they will bring the food out to you. The fried chicken, corn, mashed potatoes, roast beef, green beans, and cobbler were DELICIOUS! You can taste the freshness in every dish! Everything they had there was delicious! mm mmm mmm. It was pretty busy when we got there esp. since it was in the middle of the day. Def. home cooked food. Really want to go there again! mmm!

    (4)

  • Micah P.

    All right, I know a lot of people hype this place up. (Believe me, some of my friends convinced me to take a 2.5 hour drive just for this). If it weren't for the hype, I'd give this place a 5, but I'll give it a 4 because I had high expectations. I didn't think it was worth a 2.5 drive.. maybe only 60-75% its worth because it was delicious? The Home Place has great family-style southern cooking from fried chicken, roast beef, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, etc. Though the chicken is fried, I didn't taste the grease as much(which is a good thing!) and for some reason, I really like their roast beef because it is very lean. It was comfort food, so of course it was going to be good. In addition, their dessert, usually a cobbler, is pretty yummy. The concept of the place is very simple, yet very enjoyable. I recommend it if you travel to this area.

    (4)

  • Steph W.

    The best food on earth. If you are in the SW VA area, even if this place is more than 100 miles off your route, make a pit-stop here, and allow yourself some belt buckle room. Everything is good. But if you're lucky enough to be there for the peach cobbler, consider yourself extra special.

    (5)

  • Sarah A.

    My mom, sis, boyfriend and I hiked the AT up to McAfee's Knob last weekend. At the top, we stopped and chatted with a through-hiker who told us he was on his way down the mountain to eat at the Home Place. Apparently this place is a noted by Appalachian Trail through hikers as the best southern cooking from Maine to Georgia. With this information, how could we NOT go? So, once back down the mountain and at our car, we drove over to the Home Place and were told there was an hour and a half wait. Well, we decided it was worth it. We were seated within 45 minutes (half the time we were told) and boy were we glad we waited. The menu is simple, but everything is delicious (even the pinto beans, and I normally hate pinto beans). I love that for $13 you get whatever you want to drink, unlimited food and dessert and that includes tax! It doesn't include a tip, but with the great service and food, you'll probably be thrilled to leave tip. :-) The Home Place = Perfect.

    (5)

  • Lori Taylor R.

    TAAAAAAYYYLOOORRRRR PaRdeee of threeeeeeee ... TAAAAAAYYYLOOORRRRR PaRdeee of threeeeeeee ... Yes, all of you that have dined at this amazing establishment know - this is the most glorious voice you could possibly hear, once sitting on the porch swing of this large white farmhouse, nestled in the mountains of the Roanoke Valley, surrounded by cattle grazing the Catawba hillside. The same gentleman has been announcing each family, couple or group that walks through the front door of The Home Place for as long as I can remember. That is just one of the many aspects that add to the charm of this fabulous restaurant. In the winter the small entry/hallway and sitting room packed with wooden chairs and a cozy fireplace gets quite crowded as the masses wait out the announcement of their name over the loud speaker. What is all the waiting for you might ask ... Southern Cooking at it's best! My all time favorite restaurant ever! You have to understand in order to appreciate. I have been coming to this restaurant for 15+ years. It's a little off the beaten path, but well worth the drive. The menu is simple, but totally complete as far as Southern Cooking is considered. $14 will get you unlimited fried chicken and roast beef or country ham plus all the sides, drink and dessert. One dollar more will get you all three meats, plus all sides, drink and dessert! And what are these glorious sides ... biscuits with apple butter, green beans, pinto beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, baked apples and slaw. (They usually rotate/substitute one of the veggies on different days of the week, but you get the jest). The best part is - you can eat, and eat, and eat, until your little heart's content OR until your stomach can't possibly take one more morsel, whichever may come first. They will refill all meats, side dishes and tea or lemonade as many times as you need. And then, when you think you just couldn't take one more bite - the friendly waitress comes to ask if you'd like ice cream with your cobbler. Ohhhh the cobbler ... well dinner just wouldn't be complete without dessert just as a visit to Roanoke wouldn't be complete without a trip to The Home Place!

    (5)

  • Michael K.

    mmm their fried chicken is the most amazing I've ever had, plus buscuits and apple butter - oh man.

    (5)

  • Chris K.

    So many Yelpers can't be wrong. This joint is the real deal, folks. It's out in the middle of nowhere, which ensures a healthy mix of unwashed hikers, college students and locals. If you are driving from Roanoke or Blacksburg or thereabouts, it is definitely worth it. Greasy, delicious, strictly Southern food at its finest, which for the uninitiated means piled high and brought to you. For less than 20 bucks a head, this is a bargain. If you can stand up without being afraid you might need an angioplasty, you're doin it wrong. The typical trip here involves skipping a minimum of one meal beforehand, white knuckle driving on twisty mountain roads, a brief photo opportunity to soak in the beautiful farm house style building and Catawba mountain backdrop, and consuming family size portions of fried chicken and roast beef and mashed potatoes and cornbread and green beans and whatever else they have. When the meal is over, you don't walk back to the car so much as waddle, while clutching your belly in pain as you hate yourself for eating so much and swearing you'll never do it again. But deep down inside, you know you'll be back.

    (5)

  • Alan C.

    Home Place Restaurant has a pretty nice reputation among local university students. When I was a student at Virginia Tech, everyone always encouraged me to make the drive to Catawba County for the delicious food. My friend and I drove 45 minutes and waited another 45 minutes to be seated. However, this wait was absolutely worth it. You have two or three meats you can select (fried chicken, roast beef, and country ham when I went there). All three are delicious. The fried chicken is juicy and among the best I've had, the roast beef is sliced thin and very tender, and the country ham is a nice addition as well. There are a bunch of sides that come along as well including mashed potatoes and gravy, pinto beans, green beans, biscuits (request their apple butter with these), mac and cheese, cole slaw, and a few other vegetables. Each of the sides have various degrees of tastiness but the best part about Home Place is that you can get as many helpings of any meat or vegetable that you want. Being the gluttonous person I am, I ordered many many servings and I felt so stuffed afterwards, I could practically cry. Somehow though, I still made room for dessert, which was a delicious peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Home Place is a very unique restaurant that has a very cozy and inviting atmosphere because it is essentially a big house that is opened as an all-you-can-eat Southern restaurant. Keep in mind that the wait can be as long as two hours on weekends and the restaurant is open at somewhat narrow hours, so this is a trip that needs to planned ahead for Radford and Virginia Tech students. They are only open from Thursday to Sunday. However, in my opinion the wait is worth it and I highly recommend this restaurant to anybody in the area. A great weekend plan would be hiking in the nearby mountains and making a stop to Home Place when you're hungry afterwards. The name is fitting because you really do feel like you're eating a home-cooked meal at this place. I would tell any Southern soul-food lovers that they absolutely need to make the drive here at least once to try this place out. Each meal will cost you about $13 to $15.

    (5)

  • Alexandra E.

    Home Place was truly a satisfying and homey experience. We went on a Sunday afternoon and was told the wait would be 50 minutes. We were seated within 25 minutes and had food on the table 5 minutes after sitting down and enjoying the most delicious sweet tea and lemonade ever- maybe even better than in Charleston, South Carolina. Our waitress was a sweetheart- she was at our table every 5 minutes with apple butter and biscuits! The green beans were discolored and weren't that warm, and the roast beef was room temperature. Other than that, the food was home-cooked and made with love. I'm not a fan of fried chicken, but the breasts were huge and had a ton of succulent white meat on them. I practically ate a whole bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy, and most of the cole slaw- so sweet and was chopped up small, just the way I like it! To top off a happy stomach of meat, sides, and arnold palmer, they brought out peach cobblers and vanilla ice cream. OMG best cobbler ever...they gave me more crust than peaches, just the way I like it! And the ice cream was so fresh and vanilla bean tasting- a perfect ending! 2 meats = $13 per person. Best service, comfy environment, and home-cooked food. I will be returning soon!

    (4)

  • Steve L.

    Even more fun than eating all the food is flirting with the waitresses. Oh college.

    (5)

  • Mary L.

    If you're in need of some southern comfort food, this is the place to go! It offers infamous southern hospitality and traditional southern staples that will have you feeling like you're eating at your grandma's house. This restaurant is so charming because it's tucked away on a gorgeous farm and the restaurant itself is actually a farm house. It's a family style restaurant so they keep the fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet tea, etc. coming until you cannot eat anymore! This is a great place to go with friends. Most VT students at one point in their 4 years at Tech will make a trip here. It's almost like a rite of passage! Just be careful how much you eat because you might go into a food coma! Just don't pull the short straw and be the one who has to drive all the way home.

    (5)

  • Sheena F.

    When I finally brought my fiancée to this place, his reaction was "after 5 years of dating, how was it that you just now brought me to this place!?! We should be eating here all the time!" It's such a great place to eat! Home style cooking with stick to your ribs type of food. Normally, I'm not a huge fried chicken fan. But, I love love love their fried chicken. And they have great BBQ too!! So a Thursday night trip 40 minutes out is so worth it (they only serve BBQ on Thursdays). And I love their cobbler! Perfect way to end the meal.

    (5)

  • Kevin R.

    My favorite restaurant of all time, hands down. Home Place is a great place to take the family when they're in town--it's on a scenic farm, it's cozy, everyone is super friendly, and the food is a neverending southern homecooked flavor explosion. All you can eat meat (fried chicken, roast beef, ham), all you can eat sides (mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, pinto beans, biscuits and apple butter, etc), all you can drink sweet tea and lemonade, and topped off with coffee and cobbler and ice cream. And it's ALL delicious. You will leave 5 pounds heavier--unless you're my dad, who will find room for twice that--and you will still take home leftovers. It's well worth the drive out to the middle of nowhere. Just be ready to wait up to an hour for a table, because Home Place is a converted farm house and it's a bit smaller than its popularity might warrant. And also, I think they're only open for five meals a week: Sunday brunch, and Thursday through Sunday for dinner.

    (5)

  • Stefanos M.

    This place is simply the best southern/home cooking I've ever been to. Sweet Tea and Lemonade pitchers waiting for you at the table when you arrive are great (making arnold palmers is a must). Fried chicken is probably the best I've ever had. Sides galore! Biscuits and apple butter are my favorite. Cobbler is fantastic. Staff are super friendly and great people. Only thing you need to be prepared for is there will always be a wait. Expect to wait at least 30min, so bring a smile and relax outside until your name is called. Simply put, if you are from the area or go to Virginia Tech and have never been something is wrong with you. Oh did I mention its only $13 for all you can eat!

    (5)

  • Robert G.

    I do not understand how so many people rate this place so highly. Once you get past the incredible beauty of the setting, you begin to see less than average food. The roast beef was sliced thin from a round loaf and looked like grey baloney on a plate served in a broth that tasted like water and bullion. Arby's has better tasting beef. The fried chicken was good but a couple hours old and only slightly warm. The pinto beans were canned and mushy. Mashed potatoes and gravy was so, so. Stewed apples were canned, mushy, sweet apples in a thick sugar sauce instead of tart apples that are so excellent in the area. Biscuits at McDonalds and KFC are far better. In fact the frozen biscuits at Walmart are far better. The cole slaw was excellent. And then there was the blackberry cobbler. The crust was mushy, the filling gummy and the taste monotinous which was fine since it matched the monotony of the pasty texture. Notice they do not call it blackberries cobbler, rather black berry...singular. All in all an awful meal. I do not think our experience was a fluke rather the usual result of poor recipes, cheap supplies and the use of prepared foods. Home cooking my butt. If my mother cooked like this I'd look like an African refugee.

    (1)

  • Laura J.

    A mix of locals, through hikers from the Appalachian Trail, and Mennonites. Food is good southern food, your party is seated & served together, the main question is 2 meats or 3? Fried chicken is a given, the choice of the other meats depends on the day, although it's always been roast beef and/or ham when I've been there. Best place I know of for fried chicken. I'm not a big southern cooking fan so the overcooked green beans with pork don't do much for me. At least there is chowchow to put on top. The apple butter is good on the biscuits.

    (4)

  • Bom T.

    They technically serve one thing on the menu: a delicious non-stop buffet of mouthwatering fried chicken, roast beef, homemade biscuits, and the most delicious apple butter on the world! (And other southern foods like green beans and corn). Each day they have a different special such a cornbeard or MAC n cheese. The dessert also changes each day! I had blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream! Definitely recommended if you are around Blacksburg.

    (5)

  • Nick W.

    This is hands-down my favorite restaurant of all-time. I could write a novel on how I feel about the food, atmosphere, memories, etc. Just a few helpful notes: 1) the BBQ (available Thursday only) is not worth an extra trip 2) don't overdo it on the biscuits... two will do! 3) I'd recommend the beef w/ chicken (instead of the ham) Ok, just go and eat and drink and enjoy. ASAP!

    (5)

  • Chris B.

    The best home-style food outside of my mom's kitchen! Fantastic food, friendly service, family-style, all-you-can-eat, cheap prices ($13-14 per person). They take reservations, but guaranteed you'll have to wait for a table to open up anyways. This place is well worth the journey and the feeling of self-loathing afterwards. Go ahead and get all 3 kinds of meat entrees. You know you'll end up eating way too much anyway...

    (5)

  • Scott M.

    Was visiting our son at Virginia Tech and he took us there (well he suggested it, I drove and paid for it.) Very crowded on a Saturday night. Our wait was supposed to be 1.5 hours which we decided to bite the bullet and stay since it would be a bit of a drive to go anywhere else (they are in the middle of nowhere) and then we would wait once we got there to eat as well. It took 2 hours to get a table. Waitress was very nice. Three minutes to get drinks and take our order and then 6 minutes to get our first round of food. VERY fast. Chicken was some of the best I ever had. Roast beef was very good. Loved the mashed potatoes, corn, gravy and cole slaw. Biscuits were warm and very good. Can't forget the cobbler (cherry when we were there) and ice cream. Never a problem getting refills on the food and we were all stuffed when we were done. Definitely would go back. Not sure if it was a "two hour wait" kind of place but would definitely wait an hour. If we can call ahead and get our name on the list then that would be a bonus... Will try that next time. Without the 2 hours wait this would be a 5 star review. Kind of like "Nobody goes there anymore. It takes too long to get a table because of the crowd."

    (4)

  • Melissa T.

    It's basically heaven on earth in my book.

    (5)

  • Jessee A.

    Great restaurant! My first time to VA and one of my colleagues insisted we head here for dinner. Who cares if it was a 40-minute drive up a mountain? It was surrounded by nothing but cows, water and green pasture. It was like eating in your grandmother's house with a bunch of people. Though the seats and tables are close together, you felt like you were eating with your family, even if I have never had a meal with most of the people at my table before. Good homecooking food! There were 12 of us, so family-style dinner was a good idea. We went on a Thursday, so our menu consisted of bbq pork, country ham, fried chicken, roast beef and all the sides. Sure we were in a food coma afterwards, but we were happy, and still have money in our pockets, since $18 is what it costs you (includes gratuity). The only bummer is that they don't take reservations, so our wait was about 40 minutes.

    (5)

  • Brit B.

    I love this place. Great food, great service, great atmosphere. It can be a bit of a wait, but it's well worth it and the view is nice!

    (5)

  • Tina M.

    I love The Homeplace. The setting is so peaceful with the mountains all around. Bring a football or Frisbee to toss around while waiting for your name to be called. The side dishes are so yummy...it's like eating at Grandma's house where she just keeps feeding you and feeding you and then, when you can't eat another bite, brings you homemade peach cobbler for dessert. Wear elastic pants and just toss the diet. Oh - and don't worry about drinking and driving on the country roads, they don't serve alcohol. Don't forget to pick up a jar of Ann's apple butter when you leave.

    (5)

  • Stranger D.

    No reason for this place to NOT get 5 stars. Amazing food. Wait can be a bear, sometimes.

    (5)

  • Anson P.

    This is the closest I have come to fulfilling one of my childhood dreams of living in Mayberry and eating at Aunt Bee's house. Now all I need to do is become the sheriff of a small town and adopt a little wiener kid. The food here is good ol' southern cooking. We got the two meat option...fried chicken and roast beef (wasn't in the mood for ham today). The sides included cole slaw, mashed potatoes and gravy, baked apples, biscuits, and green beans with pork pieces. We decided to skip the pinto beans. The fried chicken was very good, not heavy on the batter while still remaining juicy. The skin was flavorful without being overly salty. However, the chicken at Thelma's Chicken and Waffles is still better. The roast beef came out in slices in its juices and was cooked to a nice medium. All of the sides were awesome and the biscuits came with an apple butter that you cannot leave without trying. The best part is that anytime you want more, all you have to do is ask for more...although, in reality, you don't ask them...they ask you. When we were done with the main course, they gave us vanilla ice cream and peach cobbler. Oh man, I could eat a tub of that stuff. There's no need for a description. Use your imagination. They give you a pitcher of whatever you're drinking. I drank 3 pitchers of sweet tea. Note: if you don't finish the first round of food, taking stuff home is free. However, if you get more and then take stuff home, they charge you. Not sure how that works exactly because I ate everything. Service was good especially considering how packed it was. This appears to be a local favorite. Be careful when navigating the driveway as it can be narrow but the parking lot in the back is huge. Don't worry about not finding a parking space. The drive to this restaurant from I-81 is a lot of fun. If you go with a smaller party, the wait isn't too bad. The restaurant is only open Friday-Saturday 4 pm- 8 pm, I think. On Sundays, the place is open 11 am - 6 pm. I'm going to have to incorporate this place into my weekly routine, if at all possible.

    (5)

  • Garret N.

    This is hands down the best place to go for homestyle Southern food. I have been many times and never been disappointed with the food or the service. They certainly don't have much room for customization so if you aren't looking to have a plate full of greasy fatty southern food, don't bother. There really isn't anything healthy there, but it's a wonderful experience nevertheless. The restaurant is in a gorgeous location and it is extremely close to two great hikes on the AT (Dragon's Tooth and McAfee's Knob) if you want to build up a good appetite.

    (5)

  • KD S.

    What can I say that haven't been said. It's the best southern style food you could have. It's all you can eat soul food at a cheap price. This is a great restaurant to go to and pig out. It's worth the wait and the drive. I love fried chicken and this place has the best fried chicken I have ever had. If this restaurant had a food truck, it would put the other food trucks out of business.

    (5)

  • Clint W.

    We ate here for the first time this past Saturday. It was what we expected for sure. The scenery was great and the food was good. Far-and-away, the fried chicken was the best item served... I do say the best I have had! Our server was friendly and prompt, however the gentleman who quasi-greeted me was not the friendless. He may have been preoccupied, however, so it is a very minor detail I suppose. I ain't hatin'! I definitely say give it a go if you haven't eaten here before.

    (3)

  • Kim K.

    Holy wow, I can't believe I've never been to this place before. YOM! They bring you a table full of food and you just eat as much as you can, and then when you run out? They bring you MORE. For $13 you get fried chicken and either ham or roast beef (or both for another buck), about 6 sides, a drink (lemonade or tea I believe), and dessert. It's GOOD, too! It's not just a good deal because there's a lot of it, it's actually really good food. The chicken is great, the coleslaw has a really nice bite and isn't too creamy, the biscuits are pretty good, the mashed potatoes are AWESOME and smell like cream and butter, and the green beans are like the ones I used to get in elementary school when the lunch ladies actually COOKED the food. And that's not a cut, my elementary lunch ladies were good cooks! I didn't try the pintos but the corn just seemed like frozen or canned corn and the roast beef was ok, but not amazing. If you're vegetarian you won't have many choices here. The green beans are cooked with pork (not sure about the pintos). I believe the rest of the sides are meat-free but I'm not sure so it would be best to ask. It's in a big farmhouse with a huge porch. There are rocking chairs, benches and porch swings for your wait (and you will be waiting), and when it's your turn they'll bellow your name over the intercom system. It's pretty startling but funny. I went at night so I have no idea what the outside looks like beyond the porch but the inside of the house is nice and seems really big. I didn't feel crowded at all.

    (5)

  • Erikka C.

    I love this place. I used to go here after hiking to Dragon's Tooth because then I wouldn't feel so guilty for stuffing my face ;) The service is family style; you get fried chicken and your choice of 1-2 other meats (ham, roast beef, or pork bbq (Thu only). Then everyone shares the sides: mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, pinto beans, cole slaw, biscuits, and a veggie/fruit of the day. Their apple butter is the best! You can also get as many refills as you want, or take home leftovers if you can't finish the first round. The atmosphere is country casual; a lot of families and AT hikers come here. They also often have live bluegrass/old time music in the front parlor area. It's an old farmhouse that's been renovated into a restaurant. They are only open on the weekends, and their hours are: Thurs/Fri, 4-8pm. Sat, 3-8pm. Sun, 11-6pm. It's definitely worth the trip, and you can throw in a hike on the AT before you eat!

    (4)

  • brian g.

    My wife and I stopped in for a late lunch after camping nearby for the weekend. We had a great time, the wait was pleasant from the bench in the shade, and the food was simply prepared and delicious. The fried chicken was amazing and the blackberry cobbler dessert made me think of my grandmother's cooking. And it was super cheap, only $14 each.

    (4)

  • Suzanne G.

    This place is wonderful. A beautiful old home that serves good old family style southern dinners. Super for family!!!

    (5)

  • Neil S.

    An old farm house in Catawba Virginia sat empty, lonely and gazing out across open fields and meadows for many years. In the early 1980's a local man, Harold Wingate, opened The Home Place Restaurant. The family-style service keeps the crowds coming back for more. The old home is lonely no more! The food is Sunday-dinner style food if you grew up in the mountains of southwest Virginia. You get green beans, pinto beans, buttermilk biscuits, gravy, fried chicken and a choice of roast beef or country ham. The rooms are tastefully decorated to make you feel as if you're visit your Grandma and she's got a fruit cobbler for you after you've washed down dinner with iced tea or lemonade. Note: Mother's Day is very busy so you may want to visit on another day! They are open Thurs, Fri, Sat for dinner only and Sunday lunch and dinner (or dinner and supper). beautiful mountain views from the swing on the front porch and lots of tasty food!

    (5)

  • Daniel K.

    A Virginia Tech standard, loads of great home style comfort food for a great price. I LOVE this place. We did a number of trips there and I never once felt disappointed or that I had an inch of room left in my stomach.

    (4)

  • Ben T.

    Not to be missed. If you're a thru-hiker, Virginia Tech student, or just passing through southwest Virginia, I can promise you won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • David G.

    Wounderful country cooking in a large home out on the farm. We had great service

    (4)

  • Becky J.

    I don't really understand why this place gets such a high review. The wait was incredibly long and the food was OK, but certainly not worth a 2.5 hour wait. Don't bother to go here.

    (2)

  • Andrew D.

    Although this review might never be seen (who yelps in blacksburg/roanoke anyways?) I decided that this would be my first place to review. Homeplace is litterally in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by huge mountains, you have to take a windy road no matter what direction you come in. Its a large converted farm house (or something?) that seats like a family reunoin-style get together; Tables and chairs in every room, hallway, and corner (you know what im talking about). If you go on the weekends, or after a virginia tech football game (especially after a vt game), then I suggest bringing a football/soccer ball/frisbee to play in the huge field with a bunch of friends-- You'll feel like your 12 again and playin outside till your mom calls you in for dinner. Once you finally get yelled in, you'll run to the front steps like giddy school children laughing at everyone waiting outside; everyone will look at you in envy, embrace it. The best part about homeplace -- theres no waiting once your seated. You decide if your table is having two or three meats: ham, roastbeef, or fried chicken. Me and my friends usually go with just two (roast beef and fried chicken.. ham is too salty and dried out). Then comes the feast. Sides galore: coleslaw (to die for), corn, mashed potatoes, green beans, etc. Watch your hands, there will be a lot of grabbing when the food comes out. As good as all the sides are (and they are damn good), the fried chicken cant be beat. Hands-down best fried chicken ive ever had. I still plan my trips to blaksburg around having dinner at homeplace -- its THAT GOOD. Its never dissapointed. Last note before i ramble on even more -- save room for desert. Fruit cobler and ice-cream (im drooling right now). they change it up every day. If you're lucky to go when they have peach cobbler, you can thank me later with your first born. your welcome

    (5)

  • Danny K.

    Absolutely delicious. Just as Allan said, if you are in the area, you have to go to the Home Place for some great country cooking. Never mind walking out of the restaurant with a caloric intake of over 10,000, just go in there and let your heart and stomach do the talking. Usually long lines plague the restaurant on Sundays and on holidays, so plan wisely. They don't take reservations so mind the time when you head there. I'm a fan of the fried chicken and the roast beef as meats. The side dishes are to die for. The green beans taste better than a bowl of chocolate ice cream and the mashed potatoes and gravy could alone be good enough for my last supper.

    (5)

  • L B.

    the food is right, the service is right, the atmosphere is right, the price is right. the model that every restaurant, regardless of staple, should strive to follow. had BIG expectations going in and they were all met and exceeded.

    (5)

  • Allan H.

    If for some reason you are in the Blacksburg/Roanoke, VA area one place you should definitely check out is the Home Place Restaurant. Its basically in the middle of nowhere, but much like most other hidden gems, the secret is already out. It's hard to get there and they're not open half the time, so call ahead. If you're going in the winter, MAKE SURE YOU CALL FIRST!!! They're in the mountains, so they close a lot when theres snow. If you're hungry, you better get there early, otherwise you'll be waiting in line for a while. Basically, the place is an old house that has been transformed into a restaurant. Since its in the boonies, its real cheap. Its $12 for all you can eat fried chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, green beans, roast beef, ham, iced tea and lemonade. All in all, I feel like its worth it, because everything is homemade. I would imagine its something like your grandmother would cook, if you're white and from the south, but that is just a guess for me. My grandmother used to cook things that I don't know how to say in English.

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : No
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : No
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Home Place Restaurant

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