Soul Food Restaurants near Dale City, VA

“Down Home is one of those little hidden gems you stumble across by chance. My family and I were lured in by the phenomenal smells drifting through the shopping center. The dining room was cozy, and we were greeted with a warm “welcome home”. As is our tradition in new restaurants, we each ordered a different dish to share. Absolutely NOTHING was less than phenomenal. The fried chicken was juicy inside, crisp and savory outside. The waffles were light and fluffy and buttery. The blackened shrimp and grits were very nearly a spiritual experience. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender. And the cornbread was moist and crumbly and sweet, easily the best cornbread I’ve eaten in years. The staff were attentive and friendly but not invasive. My only regret in this entire experience is that I didn’t find them sooner. I can’t wait to go back!“

“I had the large curry goat with some rice and peas, mac and cheese, collard greens, and some of their new salmon nuggets and everything was SO good! Everything was very well seasoned, especially for the main dish. The salmon nuggets are a hit for me. The jerk sauce and the tartar sauce were just icing on the cake. Will definitely be coming back again for more. 10/10“

“I visited today for the first time. I assume this is a "Champ's Chicken" franchise location inside a local gas station, given the name Charlie Bob's not being on the packaging for the food or any of the products... As such, this should be the same quality of food you'd expect at any of the Champ's Chicken locations. I've never had it before, so this was an adventure for me...

The fuel cost at the location was high for the area. When I visited, it was $3.19, while a station just down the road was $3.03.

The food I ordered from Champs Chicken was the 4 pc fried fish (catfish) special, for $15. For $15 I had expected it would come as a meal, but nope - it was 4 pieces of fish in a box. The fish tasted alright, but was extremely salty, which is a shock to me because I am one of those family members which everyone else knows for dumping salting on nearly everything, and is the first one to reach for the salt shaker when eating out anywhere... This fish had the traditional crispy crunchy breadcrumb batter, with a nice flaky hot interior. The food was pretty good, but probably not worth the $15 - Maybe $9.99-11.99, since it came with no drink and no sides. The food was ready pretty fast. The staff were friendly and polite.

Since this is essentially a franchise restaurant inside another location, what they have you do is this: They write down your order, they give you the ticket, you walk over to the gas station clerk counter, you hand them the ticket, they ring you up and mark it paid, you take the ticket back over to the Champs counter and hand it back when you get your food. An interesting way to do it for sure, but I can see why they do it like that.

Parking: 4 spots at the pumps. 4-7 spots for cars in front.“

“I have been going here for years! Love the food and the owner is an amazingly kind guy who treats every customer with respect and professionalism. Did I mention the food is amazing! I have eaten everything on the menu and never dissatisfied. Def try the Cassava leaf with goat meat or the Egusi stew with banku! And all soups are delicious. The food can be definitely be considered comfort food.“

“I came to try their Jollof rice and chicken, and was very pleased. For the amount of food they give you, the price was feasible. The cashier was very prompt and polite, and the service was fast. I love the ambiance of the restaurant to include the gospel playlists ❤ My Jollof rice and chicken was delicious, the rice and chicken was flavorful and they give you a tomato base on the side that compliments the rice and chicken. This was my first time visiting this restaurant, and I definitely plan on visiting them again, Lord willing.“