Southern Kitchen
9576 S Congress St, New Market, VA, 22844
Southern Kitchen Menu
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Visit below restaurant in New Market for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in New Market for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in New Market for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
9576 S Congress St
New Market, VA, 22844 - Phone (540) 740-3514
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Christian C.
Old school small town diner located right off of I-81. No frills, unless you consider the word find puzzle on your placemat a frill. I did. My gf and I raced to see who could finish it before our food came out. I won. (+ 3 stars) They seemed to have a little bit of everything on their menu, but we came specifically for the fried chicken and homemade pie. We got their lunch special of a leg and thigh with coleslaw and french fries. The chicken was as good as advertised, crispy skin with a delicious seasoning, and moist interior. We were also pleasantly surprised at how good their cole slaw was. The fries were hot and crispy. (+ 1 star) For dessert we tried the chocolate meringue pie. The custard filling was okay, reminded me of chocolate pudding. However the crust. Ugh. It had a funny taste. Not sure what went wrong there but we didn't finish it. (- 1 star) As some have mentioned in previous reviews, for some odd reason this place is really quiet. Like a library. Calming to some. Discomforting for others. I was kinda creeped out. Final tally: 3 stars and for God's sake keep your voice down!
(3)Dan J.
I fell off the veggie wagon to try their chicken - very good but not great, a little dry in parts. Good slaw, finely chopped and slightly sweet. Home fries nicely browned with crispy parts. Peanut soup a bit heavy on cream but finely chopped onions added a welcome texture. Great and friendly service (honest, also, overheard someone who grew up on Maryland Blue crab receive a fair recommendation not to compare their crab cakes to waterside seafood.) A bit pricier than expected with a single $, but overall worthwhile.
(4)Greg W.
Small home town diner. Excellent food! Friendly service. Some of the best biscuits and gravy I have ever had. Has a very old town feeling about it.
(5)ED D.
Cute stop! Food is ok. The old clean dinner is great. Not crazy crazy about the famous chicken. It tasted like chicken.
(3)Andrew B.
kind of a 50's style diner with seating area for restaurant dining as well. The food was straight up diner/southern style with nothing that really stood out on the menu to me. I had a simple buffalo chicken wrap and it was well made with average portion sizing on the wrap and side of fries. It was quiet and friendly and priced on the average side as well. They do stop serving breakfast at 11AM which is a bummer because we were looking for breakfast a little later than that on a Tuesday morning while on vacation. I can't say its a place I'd go out of my way to visit again but it served its purpose well for a modest meal.
(3)Robert S.
Traveling along I-81 and stopped for dinner. Cute 50's style restaurant. The fried chicken and home made pie were worth the stop. Service friendly, quick and efficient. Hard to beat two dinners, two desserts and 2 beverages for less then $30.
(4)Vince V.
For the classic diner or mom's kitchen, this is pretty good fare. On Sunday after 12 noon, the place was packed with locals evidently on their way home from church. We were surprised that no breakfast was served after 11 a.m. ... I'm sure no slight toward church-going Christians was intended, but where we come from, breakfast on a Sunday is really a brunch that goes deep into the afternoon to accommodate those who have been busy all morning thanking God for family, friends, and good food, like that served at the Southern Kitchen. We were able to sample a wide variety of items from the menu. The famous peanut soup lived up to its name and was a welcome, unique, delicious entree to the meal. The fried chicken was crispy, light, and came in good-sized pieces. The wraps were hearty and well-loved by the teens. The sides were standard ... but worth eating in full. And the homemade pies, particularly the peanut-chocolate meringue were classic. Even the coffee merited repeats ... you can't always say that about a diner.
(4)Laura W.
This provided a pretty good breakfast for us. I have been craving good biscuits and gravy for quite some time now, and though not the best I've had, the craving has been sated for the time being. Grits were awesome, which made up for a lot. Husband's vegetarian omelet was good for him; often places like this rely on meat too heavily so I was pleased that he had such a good dish. Friendly service, good little Southern diner.
(3)Priscilla O.
Best fried chicken we encountered during our travels in the South. The skin was crispy and the meat inside was juicy and flavorful. The sliced beefsteak tomatoes were perfectly in season. The green beans were canned but well seasoned. We ordered a cherry pie and blackberry pie. They were both excellent! Friendly waitstaff and food arrived in good time. This will be a go-to place whenever we are in the area.
(5)Dan J.
Outstanding Fried chicken fresh and hot. Buttered Beets good as well
(5)Rebecca A.
Great food, great service. We had the fried chicken, as recommended by the waitress, and it was delicious!
(5)Paula K.
Order the fried chicken. Skip the fries and go for the veggie sides. Also the dessert are solid, really enjoyed the chocolate merengue pie. We both ordered soups, they were really homemade tasting but a bit on the salty side. Overall a great place to stop for a bite.
(4)Celia Z.
Peanut soup was very tasty! Salads were fresh and crunchy. Service was friendly and fast, place was nice & clean.
(4)Jon L.
great fried chicken and real good sweet tea. They have a varied menu and bake their pies on site. They even had a real Wurlitzer jukebox.
(4)Christopher L.
Second or third time we've stopped in on our biannual journey between Alabama & NY. I was hankering for the peanut soup, but we had dogs in the car & it was hot, so we opted for carry-out. Never again. It took an hour to get fried chicken & peanut soup. I saw 3 families come in, eat, & leave while we sat there. Apparently, it was the peanut soup that was taking so long. I guess they were growing the peanuts. My wife & I ordered fried chicken with stewed tomatoes. Two of my kids got fried chicken & fries, the other fried chicken & yams. They were out of yams, so he ordered cottage cheese. The waitress tried to charge us extra for cottage cheese swearing it wasn't on the list of sides until my son showed her. I guess they packed up the chicken while they grew the peanuts because it was lukewarm by the time we got it & not well cooked. It wasn't exactly uncooked, but it was that rubbery consistency you get on thighs when it's just cooked enough to be done but not to come easily off the bone. Two of my kids got one order of fries split between them. By the time we got the food, I was not feeling charitable, so, even though the food was OK, it was an expensive OK, the servings were too small, & totally not worth the wait. If you stop for the peanut soup, be sure to ask them if they can get it to you within 15 minutes--otherwise, there's a Mexican restaurant down the street that you might want to try instead.
(1)Cyndee F.
Mmmmmm pie! Great comfort food. I had the hot open faced roast beef sandwich and it was awesome!
(4)John D.
We finally stopped by here for breakfast.. Clean, fast perfect diner food. The sausage gravy over biscuits was particularly wonderful. Staff so polite you will want to hug them.
(4)Ron J.
Just finished up with the fried chicken and coleslaw! Very good meal and would recommend it!
(5)Lisa H.
The food was excellent but what struck me most about this place was how quiet it was. There were many people in the restaurant but no one spoke above a whisper. It was calming. The fried chicken was as good as all the others have said and the cole slaw was absolutely delicious. I wish I lived closer to this place. I will return again.
(4)Brendan C.
Great find along highway 11, good food and great service. We had a variety of their menu with fried catfish, fried chicken and fried oysters. Mostly all good, it's just that fried oysters are hard to do. Plenty of food for a price that was about $15 a plate. I recommend this place to anyone traveling through the area looking for good southern fried food.
(4)Anthony I.
Once again the democratizing entity known as Yelp puts a place like this on the map and on my radar, thank you yelp, I love you. On a recent trip home from WV, my gf and I were starving, all that wilderness and wonderfulness had made us famished! In the middle of nowhere and not really craving arby's, wendy's or cracker barrel, I, as usual relied on old faithful. And that's when it appeared, 15 minutes north, Southern Kitchen! It is worth saying that I will drive the distance to go back here, just for the chicken! So it begins, you drive up to a classic neon sign and know you are home, walk in to this "diner-style" place donned with a juke box at each table, an old school counter and some old school menu boards up on the wall above. As soon as you sit down you are warmly greeted by your server. After selecting a few classic tunes, we placed an our order. We went with some fried green beans, iced tea and of course FRIED CHICKEN! We both ordered the drumstick, breast and thigh plate, each came with 2 sides, we had coleslaw, beets and corn, the sides were so fresh and I'd say this was some of the best coleslaw I have EVER had. On to the main event, the chicken was amazing, wonderfully crispy on the outside, amazing moist on the inside and not greasy at all. You could press a napkin onto the chicken and no grease would appear. We asked our server what type of oil they use and when she simply said "wesson" it dawned on us that the chef was an artisan. This was one of those meals that if you handed me all the ingredients, showed me how to do it and helped me, I would not be able to recreate. AMAZING, in all honesty, it is worth taking a drive out here just for the chicken!
(5)ellie n.
Amazing fried chicken, super cold beer! The yelp reviews got us past the crappy fast food spots to track this down about four blocks off the highway, it was awesome. There are little juke boxes at the table, a bit of taxidermy, and it's obviously a favorite with the locals. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is my lemon meringue pie slice was underwhelming, I'm a tough judge on pie though!
(4)Ryan K.
Stopped at this diner on way South and was thrilled that we did. Everything we had was delicious. We started with the hush puppies, and also had the amazing and super crispy fried chicken with great sides like homemade coleslaw and potato salad.The best may have been the pies though. We had peanut butter (my mom did not stop talking about it for days) and coconut merengue, both were excellent. Friendly service and reasonable prices. Worth a stop!
(5)Mike H.
What a great place.... They had no power and were very accommodating, They brought out candles and made what they could. Talk about customer service! A+
(5)Jen K.
We visited Southern Kitchen after visiting Luray Caverns. The fried chicken was best in class and the chicken noodle soup was loaded with chicken. Pies (blackberry, cherry, and chocolate meringue) were all excellent, as were the green beans. What stood out even more was the dedicated service. The owner, Randy, even stopped by to chat with us.
(5)Ed Y.
My girlfriend and I searched on Yelp for a restaurant while in route from Roanoke to DC on 81. We checked out Southern Kitchen because it had 4 stars, and we were both craving some good ole Americana diner food that wasn't a typical chain. Sometimes these locally owned places can be real gems. I have quite a few of these places in my small home town. While the meal wasn't necessarily bad, I was disappointed that we could have eaten just as good (probably better) at a Denny's or Shoney's. I ordered Lloyd's famous fried chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy. The chicken was crispy, but no favors really stood out in the batter (pretty plain actually). The chicken itself was dry on the edges (even the dark meat wing) and a mediocre acceptable juiciness in the middle. The mashed potatoes were instant and the gravy was powder based. My girlfriend got the chicken salad. It was also very average. It was essentially a ball of purée-ed chicken, relish, and mayo on top of an iceberg lettuce salad with no dressing. She did say the veggies were fresh and tasted good. We walked out, shrugged our shoulders, and accepted that it was good enough to hold us over as we drove the rest of the way home. As I think about the meal one last time as I'm type this review in the passenger seat, I couldn't help but to compare the food to something made for a VFW fundraiser, or a church luncheon (minus homemade ingredients). Hey, the old folks in town seemed to like it. And maybe that's good enough. In my opinion, if you're a local mom and pop shop and want to compete with chains, you need to have food that stands out as unique, special, or at least homemade (not instant potatoes and gravy). There has to be more to your restaurant than having your history printed on a paper table mat.
(2)Dylan W.
Small, traditional diner popular with locals and visitors alike. Interesting and strangely addicting Peanut Soup. Fried chicken good but I've had better. Tasty sweet tea! Peanut Butter Meringue Pie good.
(4)John S.
Very crispy and delicious fried chicken! Okay sides and awesome homemade desserts. Friendly and efficient service. The locals are a bit "off-putting." My African American friend complained the entire time we sat in the restaurant that he was being stared at by several customers. He just wanted to leave.
(4)Mike L.
Mother of god the fried chicken! Found by accident after a detour off I-81. (How can you drive-by a place with a sign like that?) Coleslaw, apple pie & potato salad were ok. Peanut soup was good, but nothing to go crazy for; But that Chicken makes me Look forward to the drive down 81 to Asheville. They were sold out of the meringue pie, that's why only four out of five stars. I Will update when I finally get a chance to taste it
(4)Anthony D.
Fried chicken!!!! Ahhh Southern Kitchen... So lovely! The wife and I stopped here for lunch, kicking off our 4,000 mile road trip from Alexandria, VA back to Cali. Southern Kitchen was the perfect introduction to the wonderful world of southern cooking. We came in at just past noon to a nearly full restaurant, and were promptly seated with a smile. Having a hankering for some fried chicken, i ordered just that, a 2 piece leg quarter with a side of cole slaw and potato salad. The wifey had the same with slaw and corn sides. A tall glass of sweet tea washed it all down. And to top if off we ordered a slice of the Peanut Butter Meringue pie. 1. The Chicken- 5 stars. So awesome!! its hot, crispy, delicious fried chicken. Succulent and not overly greasy. I seriously couldn't stop stuffing my face with yumminess. 2. Sides- 4 stars. Slaw was awesome. Fresh crispy cabbage, tasty, creamy dressing. Perfect combo with the salty fried chix. Tater salad was average, and the wifes corn was unremarkable. But the slaw was tops. 3. PnutButter Pie-1 million stars SO GOOD! Ohmygod. I have to admit im a sucker for peanut butter. I love just about anything that contains the stuff. This pie was unreal though. Light, sweet, peanut buttery deliciousness, topped with piles of meringue clouds. Overall an awesome meal, great service, all smiles. My only regret is that we didn't try the peanut soup that everyone raved about. next time :)
(5)Don N.
This has been in the same family since 1955 and in the same building. Great typical Southern cuisine, fried green tomatoes, peanut soup, fried chicken, etc. Yes, I said peanut soup - sounds horrific and gross, tastes wonderful. Made with peanut butter, onions, cream and other good stuff - this is a signature dish and not to be missed! One of the original cooks from 1955 still comes in 2 days a week and makes this stuff from scratch! How cool is that? Also not to be missed is Lloyd's fried chicken - anytime someone puts their name on an item, and it has been made the same way for almost 60 years, ya gotta try it - and I did. WOW! On this last venture, we were in 5 states, and eating fried chicken here and there and this one is a KEEPER! Crisp skin, moist inside, fried to perfection..........if you like fried chicken, this place needs to be on your list to visit.
(5)Jim H.
Spent the night near here and it was recommended by the hotel...I had a ribeye, med rare of course....it was GREAT!!! Service was perfect....great place to eat....no kids menu...so....well....who cares!!! the food was good!!!
(4)Dick F.
Worthy of 2.5 stars. Lots of "great" reviews here but..... Food was ok, drinks over priced, service left much to be desired. Time from ordering to service of food much to long for the number of patrons in the restaurant.
(2)Bruce V.
Fantastic spot to stop at off 81 a large group of ours stopped here for dinner with kids the owners were very accommodating with crayons and crackers to keep our kids calm the peanut soup is as good everyone says it is and the famous fried chicken deserves its fame. To end the meal the malted shakes was a flavor that was great end to the meal.
(5)Fred B.
We've been eating here off & on for 20+ years, and there are only a couple of places that we/ve been to that equals their fried chicken. The chicken is actually broasted (like Hursey's BBQ in Burlington, NC), which I guess is like frying in a pressure cooker. It results in crispy, tender chicken, and I've never been disappointed with it. The also serve a nice country ham plate, chicken livers, and nice veggies. They also serve an interesting version of Peanut Soup. The breakfast here is typically Southern with biscuits, and gravy, and such - will get you through the day almost single handed. This place is several miles off the interstate, but it is worth the ride.
(4)Bill M.
Great menu place looks delicious going in ! Fried chicken was perfect my son ordered a Reuben and it was good . No extra napkins on table one star deduction . Ordered the coconut creme pie it was light with lots of meringue . Sat in a booth it was okay .
(3)Kim M.
We stopped after hearing a glowing review on the "Splendid Table" podcast. We were driving our son back to college and stopped off for dinner. Husband had the Rueben sandwhich/fries, he said it was great. Son had the Virginia Ham and barely had three bites because he said it was way too salty...and this kid usually likes his food very salty. So heads up before you order this. I had a small cup of their peanut soup, very smooth and not too strong on the peanut taste. It was okay but didn't "wow" me like I expected. I ordered the 3 piece chicken dinner, chicken was delicious. Stay away from the mashed potatoes. I was expecting homemade but they were definitely instant, gravy wasn't great either. The service was excellent and our waitress couldn't have been friendlier. We were there early on a Monday evening and had no wait at all and received our meals very quickly! We would like to try this place again, maybe for breakfast next time?
(3)Cindy L.
Tasty Fried Chicken. Polite service. Good pie. Those are the key take aways from this restaurant. They've been serving people since 1955 and definitely do something's right. They could teach the Colonel a few things about chicken. The Western Ham was good and the Roast Beef was ok. Just don't miss the chicken.
(4)Tucker H.
I only stopped in for some coffee and a morning snack, so I can't say anything about the rest of their food, but the coffee was good and service was friendly and prompt, so I will make a point of stopping in for lunch next time I am riding out this way!
(3)Terry S.
Loved this diner for a post-hike dinner the other day. Friendly staff, lots of menu variety, and good portion sizes. Highly recommended.
(4)Maria D.
Like! Like! Like! As the others have said, it is a perfect little diner, and I recommend the peanut soup. We stopped here for breakfast on a road trip about a year ago, and I was happy to see that our recent road trip was going to bring us here again. No frills, sincere service, good, reliable, non-chain food, and a juke box too. Perfect road trip stop.. We'd eat here more often if we lived closer!
(4)Jess N.
After a long day in the car, exploring caverns, and finding my way through a maze (with the help of a couple 8 year olds), I was hungry. Turns out when you're in Virginia in tiny little towns it's really hard to find a restaurant on a Sunday evening. We pulled into one place which was enthusiastically inviting (think Care Bears throwing up rainbows) and it was closed. We drove a bit farther and low and behold, we found our mirage, The Southern Kitchen. My friend and I followed a family inside the restaurant. No one seemed to notice this white picket fence style family, but when we waited for our table everyone stopped for a brief second and stared at us. I didn't realize that we were that obvious. Yeah, I'm from the Northeast but it's not like I was wearing a billboard (or maybe I was...) Our waitress seated us in a booth near the window and let us peruse the menu. The menu was filled with classic diner items like a variety of pies, chicken fingers, grilled cheese, soups of the day, etc. My friend and I both opted for a House Salad and Grilled Cheeses. I guess after being in the car together forever, we started to think alike. As we sat munching on our tasty grilled cheese, I looked out the window. It's not every day that I'm in a little town in the mountains. Then I noticed something peculiar, there were bullet holes/marks in the window! The glass wasn't splitting otherwise, just five very distinct bullet holes. I imagine there is quite the story there but didn't bother asking what had happened. People were speaking in hushed voices that not even an expert eavesdropper could make out the neighbors conversation. We decided it was time to leave this town. It was too much like a strange Indie movie and I am not ready to write a screen play for a horror/Indie flick but the price was right and food was good. The bathrooms were kind of icky so we hit the road, Jack.
(2)tj h.
After my bad experience with a certain motel in New Market, my opinion of this town wasn't very good. But after my lunch at Southern Kitchen, all was well again. Southern Kitchen has great southern fried chicken. I stopped here for a 1pm lunch after a tour at Luray Caverns on a Saturday. There was no line (it is a big restaurant with plenty of table and bar seating). I ordered the chicken breast dinner (on the menu, it says chicken is their specialty, and so I went with the chicken). I also ordered the oyster stew. The chicken was fantastic! It was crispy and crunchy, not greasy. The meat was very juicy and fresh. It was high quality chicken! It came with 2 sides (I had the beans and mashed potatoes with gravy). The oyster stew was also very good. It was creamy, buttery with a hint of corn. And of course, oysters (large ones). When I told my friend over the phone, I had the fried chicken, she said "Ughh, heavy!" But that's not true at all. The fried chicken here is, dare I say it, "Light, almost airy". The service is very friendly. There is also a big parking lot. Decor is dated, but I think it is dated on purpose. According to the waiter, it has been around for 56 years (or so). When a restaurant has been around for that long, it must be doing something right. Lots of locals here.
(4)Kate G.
Do not pass New Market while traveling on I-81. Stop. Eat fried chicken and home made pie. Repeat!
(4)Ric D.
Fried chicken was very good stewed tomatoes and coleslaw were a little sweet. Waitress was very polite and food was out in a snap of your fingers would eat there again
(3)Nancy L.
My fiance' and I visited the Southern Kitchen yesterday (7/4/13) due to not finding many other places open. We've never been there before. We were pleasantly surprised. My fiance is mostly vegetarian, but does eat seafood, so he was not sure they'd have anything for him. Fortunately, they had a decent selection of seafood/fish, so that's what we both ended up with. For starters I ordered some fried mushrooms and we enjoyed them with the tasty dipping sauce they came with. My fiance' ordered broiled Tilapia with garden salad and fries and I had fried shrimp with coleslaw and green beans. My fiance' reports that his Tilapia was good and an ample serving and that the fries were fine, coming out hot and crispy, as they should be. The garden salad was the typical salad you would expect in this type of restaurant; iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions with croutons. My fried shrimp was tasty and crispy fried, with no excess grease. The size of the shrimp was on the small size and the taste was adequate, and I enjoyed it, but was a bit disappointed that the shrimp wasn't larger. My coleslaw was tasty, but a bit watery for my preference and the serving was a little on the small side, I thought. My green beans were very good and what I expected for southern style green beans -- .flavored well and cooked to a soft texture. For our beverages, I had iced tea and my fiance' had a very good chardonnay and was delighted when the glass was generously filled over half way. For dessert, I had coconut cream pie, with a lot of meringue and a so-so crust. It was good, but not great and my fiance' had much the same to say about his cherry pie. I was anticipating that their desserts would be the kind that you remember as "wow, that was the best pie I ever put in my mouth," but we didn't have that experience. The reason I'm giving Southern Kitchen 4 stars (as opposed to 3) is because the service was excellent. Dee Dee, our waitress, was super friendly and attentive from the very start. Our food (that was good, not great) came out fairly quickly and water and tea refills came very regularly. Plus the atmosphere there was really pleasant and friendly. I would definitely go there again and try some other selections. I understand they're "famous" for their fried chicken and lots of orders of that were being served while we were there. I think I'd try that on my next visit to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.
(4)M C.
We knew nothing of this place until we were driving up Rt 11 to avoid the intensity of 81 and saw the inviting neon relic Southern Kitchen.... we entered the friendly diner-like atmosphere to find that there was a fathers day special- dinner included drink and chocolate cake! So I got the broiled chicken with beans and mashed for sides. I should have gotten the Fried chicken like so many yelpers before us since the broiled was no better than I make at home and the beans and taters were so-so. Hubs trout was good and his sides, stewed tomatoes and beans were also so-so. Rolls are complementary but store bought. The chocolate cake sure seemed like it was Pepperidge Farm but it was good. The next time we stop here I'll stick with the recommended hits and avoid the above misses. The individual juke boxes at each table are a charmer , as well as the full size one in the back. You can tell that this is a regular place for many of the local families and seniors. Its so great to see multiple generations dining in one place unlike some trendy joints in the city.
(3)Renee S.
Good diner food. Their buckwheat pancakes are yummy! My hubby also likes that they serve fried scrapple which is hard to find anywhere.
(3)Jim H.
The fried chicken is, indeed, delicious - as were the buttered beets. I failed to indulge in either the peanut soup or grapenut pudding, but was seriously tempted. This is a charming place, which offers authenticity and straightforward cooking.
(4)Brian H.
I really like Southern Kitchen. It's easy to get to from I-81 (Route 11 in New Market), the decor doesn't looks like it's changed since it opened in the mid-50s, and the prices are reasonable. I went there on Easter Sunday. They had a special (ham, veggie, mac & cheese, and bread pudding for dessert). A couple people in my party had it. It looked yummy! I, however, had to have the three piece chicken dinner. I think I get chicken every time I go. With two sides and rolls, I was stuffed afterward. The chicken was great - crispy and juicy. The lemon meringue pie looked really good, and it seemed popular. I should have saved room for some!
(4)Reeping W.
We've been eating off and on at Southern Kitchen for 30 some years whenever we golf at Shenvalee or, later, delivered children to JMU or just toured the area. I have never tried anything but the fried chicken, since I see no reason to mess with success. It is excellent. Our only minimal experience was when we had just finished breakfast so took chicken as a carry out. It was carelessly assembled (fries mingled with cole slaw, yuk) but I was able to salvage the fries with some oregano and baking, and the chicken was great. We will continue to stop there whenever we can.
(4)Carolyn H.
Good food! BUT they do bring artifical 1/2 n 1/2, butter, and syrup. We asked for real milk for coffee, real butter for our baked potatoes etc. Morning waitress was a tiny bit miffed at our requests.
(3)Luca D.
Pretty cool. The chocolate meringue pie was cool.
(4)James S.
My wife and I love finding places like this when we travel.Inside looks like a drug store from the 50's that is now a diner. The fountian counter is still there along with wood paneling, deer heads and fish mounts on the wall and retro juke boxes on the tables. Place mats are the old fashioned paper kind with advertising for local stores, places of interest ect. and a map of the state of VA. We had breakfast here twice, one while exlporing the caverns and once while on the way home to NC. Both times the food and service was very good. Prices are good and daily specials as well. My wife and I would rather eat at a place like this than a chain any day.
(4)Paul F.
Good basic southern breakfast fare. Nice feel of a Southern diner.
(3)A D.
Eating on road trips is, to my mind, one of the great pleasures of travel. Virginia is fortunate in that there many great eateries with in a stone's throw of the highway...or at least I-81. This cannot be said for other parts of the country I've traveled through. Getting from I-81 to the Southern Kitchen in New Market, Virginia takes less than five minutes and well worth it if you like big slabs of salty Virginia ham, sweet tea, and a retro dining venue that, well, isn't actually retro so much as it is unchanged by time. The menu also features the regular line-up of southern favorites, like fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and so forth. Less common is the peanut soup, for which the restaurant is purportedly well known. It was not, alas, to my taste. Regardless of how it's prepared, how recently ground the peanuts are, the soup still tastes like it was made with smooth peanut butter. I was expecting something like an African ground nut soup. Nothing doing. Pure, smooth, silky peanut soup that was nearly thick enough to spread on bread. It may be that some of you out there will love it. I did not. One of the best things about the place is the ambiance. It seems like the restaurant hasn't changed a bit since 1955. I especially loved to see the mini jukeboxes at all the booths. Both my wife and I had the ham, so I can't say anything about the other dishes. The chicken did seem to be a hit at other tables, though. As a stop along the highway, this place is ideal. I highly recommend it to anyone traveling up and down I-81. But I wouldn't travel a long distance just to eat there.
(3)Mike H.
Simple menu with decent food and great prices. The staff were friendly and the facilities reminded me of a old down home dinner. Great place to eat if you are looking for simple food, speedy service at a great price.
(3)Robert S.
We had some great fried chicken here at a price that doesn't break the bank. The place was full of friendly locals when we got there. I've got one quibble: When I asked for lemon for my tea, the waitress reached into a jar of pre-cut lemon slices and brought a few. All of them were tea stained, as if they were served in some previous patron's tea. Yuk. One of them had obviously been squeezed. There were no other obvious problems, but it makes you wonder. Please, if you're running a restaurant, don't recycle the food! Raise the price a dollar. The market will absorb it.
(3)Jerry D.
On our way home to Tampa, we wanted a non chain dinner. Saw this place on yelp. What a throwback! Jukeboxes, family owned and home made food! We both had fresh made fried chicken - excellent! Good sides also. Service was friendly. Try the peanut soup, it was great! We' re very pleased we stopped here!
(5)Brian M.
I swear southern food will be the thing that kills me, Sausage gravy and Biscuits with an egg and some ham on the side absolutely hit the spot, the biscuit was nice and fluffy topped with enough sausage gravy to play a game of where is the biscuit, and I only ordered the half order, Add in some home fries cooked to the point of being crispy and you have a southern breakfast done right. The ladies behind the counter kept the coffee cup full and were an absolute pleasure.
(4)Carl W.
Great fried chicken and southern hospitality. The peanut soup was good as well- similiar to warm tahini but made with peanuts, definitely worth a try. I'm sure most of the menu is hit or miss, but that's to be expected. Two complaints though: Country Crock margarine spread is the only "butter" option for baked potato-yuck How hard can it be to find local produce for the side salad? salad was crap. Blackberry pie was excellent.
(4)Dennis H.
My wife, daughter and I came from the caverns ready for some lunch. Two cavern workers recommended this diner. When you enter, it seems like a 1970 diner with lime green seating and tables. The waitress greeted us with a smile and sat us down. There are juke boxes at each table but they don't work. You will need to use the large one. It was a quiet atmosphere with kind waitresses but it was just different. 50s or 70s. My daughter and I ordered the reuben and the wifey had the avocado burger. Also, they have can soda, no fountain. When the food came, it was a small serving size. Nothing to say "wow" too. The reuben had a nice taste. The first time that I've seen a reuben with one peice of meat. The hamburger was a little dry and small as well. Well, to wrap it up I was just "underwhelmed".
(2)John D.
Was recommended by a little old couple who ran an antique store outside Luray. It was a rainy day so we decided to do a "free style" road trip. Place was busy and most looked to be locals, we knew it would be good. I had the roast beef, gravy, baked potato and a side salad. Wife had the chicken fried steak. baked potato and a side salad. Our son had the chicken strips and fries, We all shared a cup of the peanut soup, yes, I said peanut soup. Now from being from the coal region of PA, I thought I had heard of everything weird in food. It was actually very good. It is something you could not eat a lot of, kinda rich. My meal was great,. Beef was tender and not dried out, Potato was great as well. Wife's meal was great as well. The white pepper gravy was awesome. My sons chicken strips were real chicken and breaded. What he did not eat, I was dipping into the white gravy. So glad we stopped here, The people were so nice. Prices were very reasonable. Desert was excellent, I had peanut butter meringue pie, wife had cherry pie. Both home made and delish...
(4)Quin A.
Food was great! Management was friendly and invited us to come back and tell our friends too. Waitress was a little absent. We tipped her generously. The food was good. I got a fish salad wrap, strawberry milkshake and fries. All were good. Cole slaw and carrots were good too. My friend got fried chicken and said it was awesome. TRY IT!!! Place was clean, retro, and cute. The lady at the register was very nice.She thanked us and invited us to come back. Give them a try if you are in the area visiting the caverns or the Shenandoah national park. Beautiful caves and mountains!!!
(3)Mary D.
Fried. Chicken. Only. Peanut soup was interesting but why waste the calories on anything that isn't the fried chicken? The interior of this place sends you back in time with it's perfect retroceding and counter with stools. Locally smoked VA hams hang by the door ready for you to buy and bring home! super nice waitstaff and really good shakes, and they really use the old-fashioned shake machine to make it. Can we talk about the fried chicken again? if you are like me and you have really good fried chicken once a year or once every two years this is one of those places to get it at!
(5)James U.
An annual favorite of my family! This little gem in beautiful New Market, Virginia is decorated like a 1950's diner. Nostalgic charm at its very best. Their winner dish is what might be one of the BEST Fried Chicken dinners in the country. I can't go there without getting this old standard! My son ordered the BBQ Sirloin Tips which were wonderful! The side dishes, Green Beans, Stewed Tomatoes, Mashed Potatoes with gravy and Cole Slaw were exceptionally tasty. Dessert? Lemon Merengue Pie! Try this place out! U.S. News and World Report once called this place one of the Top 20 restaurants in the country! It's still true!
(4)Donna R.
I'd come back again. I had the avocado burger. It was fresh and not a frozen patty. The avocado on it was fresh, so condiments weren't necessary. Fries were ok...could have been done a little more. Husband had the Reuben, which he said was a little on the small side. Kids had the usual fried fare and they thought it was good. Place is cute. Food is good. Waitress let me taste the peanut soup, because I had asked about it. It's good and I'd definitely order it, but just wasn't hungry enough to eat a burger and fries + soup too. I had to look it up and the peanut soup indeed made USA top foods in 2010 (I think that was the year)...definitely worth trying.
(4)Jason J.
Get the fried chicken, heck get double the fried chicken. The salad was sad and drenched in dressing, but my baked potato, and chicken were perfect. Very nice ladies and I'll probably make it my mid-point stop when I travel. The couple next to me said the peanut soup was delish so perhaps I'll try that next time.
(4)Tito M.
Me and my family absolutely loved this place, everything we had was excellent. I had the peanut soup (surprisingly DELICIOUS) with some outstanding fried chicken with some potato wedges. The chicken was perfectly fried and seasoned so were the fries, other people on the table got the fried Catfish and the fried Haddock, both very good as well. This place I would say its a "locals" place most of the people around us knew the staff and some didn't even need menus. We will definitely go back, I would recommend this to anyone who likes some good old fashioned southern cooking.
(5)Emily M.
I came in to sample some Virginia fare. I got a cup of the peanut soup, the roast beef dinner, and a slice of blackberry pie for dessert. The soup was pretty good considering it's made out of peanuts. I loved the garden salad with the homemade blue cheese dressing. The dressing is not too chunky and has a freshness like cucumber to it. The roast beef was just not great...I see why they slop so much gravy on it..it was very dry and lacking in flavor. I should have gone for the fried chicken, but I'm from AL and have had enough fried chicken for one lifetime already. The pie was alright- I did not enjoy the crust...it was not sweet and dry enough for me. The service was excellent. Our server was very attentive and pleasant.
(3)Lisa H.
Best fried chicken I think I have ever had! You can't beat the coleslaw and lemon pie either. You must get off of the interstate and settle in at this old time diner.
(5)Katie R.
I want to give Southern Kitchen a higher star ranking but I really can't because of how slow the service is. Every time I come here, I have to wait up to two hours for our food. They are a small town restaurant so they mostly cater to their locals and regulars. They have a large menu but only a couple things like the fried chicken are worth getting. If you make it through the long meal, you might as well get a dessert because they are worth coming for. The prices are definitely reasonable.
(3)Todd S.
The peanut soup is great. Also my wife from Philippines enjoyed the chicken fried steak - her first time trying it.
(5)S W.
Very helpful waitress, and left a big tip for helping me avoid some terrible coffee and find some excellent pie. Dear wife and daughter report milkshakes are good. However, the rest of the food was lacking in taste and expensive for the portion size. Overall for more than $40 for lunch, I would expect better than dry hamburgers and tiny salads. If only the kitchen was as good as the wait staff. Cute 1950's diner. Not much has changed except the prices.
(2)Jared T.
Visiting from California. Great breakfast. The French Toast was excellent. Quality service. Charming location. Highly recommend.
(5)Jeanne B.
Wonderful diner atmosphere. Dinner was good. Stewed tomatoes are to die for. Funnel cake sticks for dessert what more could you ask!
(5)Katherine H.
Delicious fried chicken! We stopped here while driving along 81 due to the great Yelp reviews and we're not disappointed. We had chicken dinner specials, which were fresh, crispy, and delicious. Sides were average. Home fries tasty, stewed tomatoes were on the sweet side, potato salad was a vinegar base but yummy, and green beans also good. We would definitely stop again!
(4)K K.
It was okay.. I'm from New York so there's no comparison in flavors. I've made a better fried chicken. I did have the bbq pork sandwich which was alright. I would not come here again.
(2)Norville R.
A must stop if you are in the area. A timeless classic off I-81 in New Market, VA. It has never let me down.
(5)PEZ C.
We stopped here for breakfast, good sausage gravy and the home fries were crispy good, biscuits didn't impress. Great diner atmosphere.
(3)Sara G.
Hush puppies, Peanut Soup, Fried Chicken... and finish it all off with a slice of coconut cream pie... We stopped through on our way to North Carolina along 81. Tiny, rural town and this place is a stand-out. We sat in the booth's with the little mini-juke boxes... great selection of oldies for a quarter to play totally fit the bill! Our server could not have been any nicer and the crowd, while scarce, was definitely all regulars catching up over coffee and lunch. Definitely a highlight of our drive to NC!
(5)Lorna S.
My friends and I all got the fried chicken. Yum yum yum! We all loved it. My only regret is I didn't get some to go. Would definitely go back here to eat.
(5)Rick L.
Decent little diner. I think Yelp worked against me on this one. I read all the amazing reviews about the chicken and I was expecting a little too much. Good chicken but tasted like the broasted, heavy breaded chicken I have had many times before, not something I would seek out. Mashed potatoes are out of a box but not horrible. Pie was good. Don't expect too much it will definitely fit the bill as a country diner.
(3)Eric R.
It was OK. Nothing was bad, but nothing was awe inspiring either. The service was very quick and attentive. The prices were about what you would figure, maybe a little more, but not much. You could do better, but you could do worse.
(3)Carol G.
Stopped during a long trip. Burger and fries and chicken with fries were perfect. Place was clean and staff was friendly. Cost was good.
(4)Mike M.
Believe the hype on the fried chicken. Amazing. Also fun to get out of DC/NOVA ambience.
(5)Robert K.
I sought this place out for the peanut soup and if you are a fan of peanut butter, then you will love this creamy rendition. I lucked out and the special was fried chicken and the waitress convinced me to get a slice of the coconut cream pie for dessert. While I stopped in for lunch around 1:30pm on a weekday, this place is clearly a diner that caters to regulars. An easy stop off I-81, this isn't for eating healthy, but is a real taste of the past when people didn't care as much about gluten-free or cholesterol. Check out the Route 11 Potato Chip factory nearby and make sure you have a driving companion for your road trip, as you might slip into a delightful food coma afterwards.
(4)Krista W.
This is a classic American diner with a Southern emphasis. That said, it's a nostalgic example of the best of good old days Americana and it does its job well. It's more "down home" than fancy, so if you expect that then you won't be disappointed. It is an example of the best in small town local diner fare. It is not a place to go if you are worrying about your weight. Customization actually does allow a wide range of options but this is the kind of place that you should take as it is. Don't expect it to be something that it is not. If you keep that in mind, then you'll enjoy yourself. As for the important part, the food was good. It was not food that I personally eat every day, but it was really delicious American fare reminiscent of the kind of food our grandmas used to make. I shared a starter of fried green beans, which I've never had and really enjoyed. I had to get those veggies in. I also split some buffalo wings which I also enjoyed. They were classic buffalo wings. For a main course, I tried their famous fried chicken with sides of mashed potatoes and apple sauce. I liked both of the sides. The fried chicken was delicious. My only comment for myself personally was that I ordered the three piece meal to try it out but that was too much food for me. I started to run out of steam by the third piece. I loved the unique, crispy breading. The chicken was a ... little ... greasy on the inside, but I mean, it's fried chicken. It was very well-done fried chicken, not dry IMO. They do have the fried chicken menu so that you can customize how much you order. In the future, I'll probably order slightly less but it was good to try the larger size. Basically, when you order the fried chicken you can definitely control how much you order based upon your appetite and preferences. For dessert, I split the peanut butter meringue pie and it was fantastic. I don't know who complained about these pies but we loved them. My dining companion said it was a meringue that showed a lot of skill. Personally, I've never liked a meringue pie before and it wasn't my idea to order it. It was really delicious though and I'd try it again, so that tells you something. The meringue kind of tastes like a fresh marshmallow. So, think of fresh Virginia peanut butter and a homemade marshmallow topping? Oh yeah, you see why we were happy. I would go to this place again when in the area and in the mood to eat an indulgent taste of yesteryear. Future things that I would try include the peanut soup, a smaller order of chicken, and I'd also try the berry pies. I'm a fan of a good berry pie. Oh, I'd probably try their milkshakes, I suspect that they are good. As for the ambiance? The place is clearly a local and regional institution. It gets packed. I think that the locals are used to Valley tourists coming in. It's good for business. The service was very nice even though the place was very busy. I will say that the wait time was a little long. This was not fast food. I didn't mind because the food was largely cooked to order. This wasn't a "zap it in the microwave" kind of place. The place was filled with a clientele that reflected the nature of the establishment (so yes, lots of old people, tourists, and people from surrounding towns). I'd go back and I give it a thumbs up. It's the kind of place that could go on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives but then it'd be even harder to get in. Come here for a relaxing meal that will take you on a trip down America's memory lane.
(4)John S.
The word that describes every aspect of this restaurant is "meh". There is a strong continuity of mediocrity starting from the bland and uninspiring building facade. Inside you will find period correct decor design from days of the pompadour, even non-working booth jukeboxes that you will spend your time wishing did. The place was deadly silent during our visit as no one in the place was willing to feed their credit card into the modern techno jukebox (period non-correct) to listen to what appeared to be loaded with Justin Bieber. The food is not Southern as the name would imply, its just greasy American fried food (think Steak n Shake or Dairy Queen), but with higher prices. If the word atherosclerosis doesn't make you flinch, come try the avocado burger. It was...average.
(3)Bianca R.
Our first time in this place and we are very pleased. Delicious food and unbeatable price. Clean place and very friendly and helpful staff.
(5)Charlie G.
I brought my staff from Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures on Sunday and we had a great meal after we were rained out skydiving. The Sunday special was Fried Chicken (3 pieces and two sides for $9.99). 7 out of 8 of us had the fried chicken and there were alot of chicken bones laying around when we were done. Then, they offered us home made pie. Wowza! Awesome lunch. Try this place. You'll love it!.
(5)Lia K.
Watch for the weekday lunch specials that and the rotating list of deserts. Hubby and I ordered fried chicken lunch special with coleslaw and fries (read, $8!!!!!!!!), a cheeseburger with a chocolate meringue pie and fried mushroom in ranch sauce. UM. Yea. My mind was blown about the fried mushrooms. I guess it is similarly fried as fried mozzerella sticks? Small balls of delicious mushrooms. Who'd thunk? The fried chicken was crispy with a nice flavor profile. WHAT THE HECK AM I SAYING? It's fried chicken! ha. The special was fer dark meat, but it was flavorful, crunchy and the perfect portion. Fries were a little meh, but that's not the main event! Coleslaw a tad on the mayo-y side, but again, not the main event. Chicken is their specialty and Southern Kitchen definitely knocks it out of the park. If you find yourself in this side of the map, Southern Kitchen should be high on your list of must check out places! It's very old-school, good service, a block off the historic main street strip. Very cute. Thank you for adding to my cholesterol problems. Just kidding!
(4)Robert B.
I have the lunch special for fried wings fries and coleslaw the wings were little overcooked which is too bad for their chicken is usually really excellent, fries were really good and coleslaw was pretty good. Why I gave this place two stars is I ordered the funnel sticks which is a huge waste of money you get tone little sticks for 3.50 and as I was eating each one I thought to myself this is not worth $.35. while the special was reasonably priced the other items on the menu especially the fried chicken was way too high.
(2)Brandon T.
This little diner is awesome. The food is great. Both the fried chicken and steak for two was very good. This little place is off the beaten path but a great place for travelers.
(5)Matt K.
We arrived early on a Saturday morning so they weren't terribly busy, prices were great. Food came quite quick. Flavor was fantastic and food was cooked to perfection, I highly recommend them.
(5)Heather S.
We were staying in Woodstock VA for the Edinburg Festival in 2013. It rained all afternoon Saturday, so we were looking for something else to do. We found ourselves in New Market and stopped at this diner for a late lunch. I ordered a buffalo chicken wrap and fries--which is my go-to pretty much every place I stop!--and I was not disappointed. Food was tasty. Service was friendly. Definitely worth a visit!
(4)Wanda R.
Spring break at Luray/Shenandoah and dined here do to recommendations by employees of Caverns... It was ok - good but not great. Sweet tea was weak & needed more sugar, my sweet potato was WAY over cooked (hard on ends, skin was black on inside, inside was pure mush & tasted like charcoal), no southern biscuits or cornbread (this makes me question if really southern), no Green's, and no Peach Pie or Pecan Pie! Topical southern fare that we were hoping for & didn't get... Disappointed...
(3)Anna S.
Average place, food so so. My hamburger was blah, my husband had ham and it was good. Interesting decor and friendly service. Good prices as well.
(2)Patsy G.
My daughter and I travel to this area (from eastern Virginia) every year....AND every year we make a point to travel the hour or so from our cabin to visit Southern Kitchen. Their fried chicken is delicious, but indulge me while I rave about their INCREDIBLE CHICKEN LIVERS!!! I know, I know....not everybody's first love (or second or third) but finding a place that offers this deliciousness and knows how to cook them correctly (well seasoned, fully cooked but not cooked hard - so important!) is somewhat miraculous. Thank you Southern Kitchen....not only are you authentic, hospitable, and provide a thoroughly enjoyable ambiance...but you give what others just can't - delicious, delectable, and delightful friend chicken livers.
(5)Karen L.
Very unhealthy food, nothing seemed local, tomatoes in middle of summer were not local by any stretch and tasteless. Famous chicken was also greasy and tasteless.
(1)Jonathan W.
Amazing fried chicken, coleslaw and potato salad. The chicken salad was fresh and flavorful. The homemade coconut pie was incredible. Great food, friendly staff, and charming ambiance. If you don't stop off and eat here, you're really missing out on a true Southern gem.
(5)Patty C.
My son loves this place . had the chicken . It was the best
(5)Dan W.
We dropped into this diner on our way from Scranton down to Hickory, NC. The staff was very friendly, though we were in at a strange time. There were only a couple of other tables when we were there around 3:00, between lunch and dinner. Long story short, the place is very clean and I thought the food was very good. We tried the avocado burger, fried chicken (listed on the menu as their specialty) and peanut soup. If you've ever eaten peanut butter and wished you could guzzle it like a drink, peanut soup is the answer, and theirs is delicious. On the way through, we'd stop back here for sure!
(4)