I genuinely enjoy the food at this establishment, but I must say that the older lady who manages it is exceedingly rude and dismissive. This marks the second time I've had a terrible experience while dealing with her. When I called the Friday before Mother's Day to inquire about changing my reservation from 6 to 7 people, she cut me off abruptly, saying, "We're completely booked; do you want me to cancel your reservation?" I replied that I'd like to keep it, and while I understand that they were fully booked, my issue lies with her rudeness and dismissiveness. Today, I visited again because, as mentioned, the food is excellent, and I wanted to highlight that. I placed an online order and went to pick it up, but when I arrived, she asked for my ID, which I had left at home since I live just 3-4 minutes away. I apologized and explained that I didn't have it on me, but I did have proof of my order. Instead of being understanding, she told the server, "No, she can't have her order without an ID." I get that we live in a time when scamming is prevalent, so I appreciate the security measures they have in place for everyone's protection. However, it was the way she said it--then she abruptly picked up a call as if our conversation didn't matter at all. Fortunately, the man who I believe is the owner stepped in and asked to see my order on my phone. I showed it to him along with the card (apple wallet) used for the purchase, and he kindly handed over my order, assuring me he was comfortable with that. It's all about treating your customers the way you'd want to be treated. Unfortunately, I won't be returning. read more

We are visiting from Oakland-Vallejo, California, and after going to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, we were hungry!!! We were DETERMINED to spend our last day in the area by patronizing a highly recommended Black-owned, Black-operated restaurant. Pros: Atmosphere in/out nice, music, staff, Porkchops, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Okra, Stuffed Salmon with Crab. Cons: PoBoy Shrimp Sandwich lacked quantity of shrimp. Only 3 shrimp on roll. Should have been at least 6. Collard Greens needed chopped Sweet red peppers, Potato Salad needed a little paprika and cayenne, peach cobbler needed more crust less peaches. Overall: FANTASTIC!! Keep up the great work. We will return. Thank you for the beautiful service. read more

See all

I am so impressed with Della J's. They oversaw the catering for my daughter's Sunday dinner after her wedding on Sunday. The food was Delicious!! Their Service was impeccable; they were there on time; food hot and fresh!! I loved it, Ms Katrina went over everything with me to make sure the order was complete; and to my satisfaction; very professional awesome customer service ..Excellent job to Ms. Katrina and her team!!! read more

My husband and friends sat at the bar, bartender charged him for 2 drinks when he only reviewed 1. They made a big deal , had to call the owner. I want them to check the camera then apologize. To me this is so scary because this could have went another way for the bad. Other then that the food was good. read more

I went to Della J's to pick up dinner and I always get the same thing the fried pork chops with two sides The order would normally be $16.95 plus tax. The same order tonight was $24.95. It is no way the same order and same amount of food could have increased that much and for that reason I will not be going back. A $7 adjustment and those tiny sides if you order carryout is NOT OKAY! I understand inflation but this is egregious. I see that the owner has responded and I don't see how to reply to his or her response. If I'm incorrect on the pricing I stand corrected but I still 100% stand by what I say about the size of your carryout sides and the price point. I live in Maryland and at no other restaurant would I get a side serving the size of the one at your establishment for carry out. And while you are checking your system to see how many times I've been there, you are not accurate! I was there and ate inside with a friend about a month ago when I met her after she bought her new vehicle so I stand corrected on the price, and she paid and we had to send the cornbread back because it was hard as a rock and the manager on duty came out himself and took it back to the kitchen and said it was unacceptable. It tasted like they had been heated in the microwave. I've also been on at least four other occasions this year but ate inside. I guess you wouldn't have that ability to look back on that........... When you dine in the portions are NOT the same as your carryout portions. I say if you go dine in and the mac and cheese is hit or miss. read more

So this is an update to my initial review. We came here to celebrate two occasions one was my best friend's birthday and the other was Father's Day for our dad. The decor and atmosphere is very Lively and they are typically very busy especially for holidays. Initially we thought we were going to have about 15 people but it was Father's Day and a lot of people couldn't make it last minute. We ended up having about 7 people and we each got a variety of different foods that ranged from salmon, crab cakes, different sides such as greens potato salad macaroni and cheese, cornbread and a few other things. I also got their banana pudding and blackberry and blueberry cobbler as they were out of peach cobbler. Our server was excellent thank you Sydney and I was able to work with both Miss Judy and the wonderful owner Miss Lydia who actually made a guest appearance at our table to say hello and introduce herself and wish everyone a great experience. She really cares about customer service and meeting her in person was an absolute pleasure. She's such a sweetheart and just warm and kind. My family and I enjoyed this experience and can't wait to come back! Thank you Miss Lydia and team - Sincerely - DeAndre' aka The Supa Fly IT Guy. read more

See all

Be prepared to wait or get take out. This place is always packed and the lines are long. It is worth it though. The food is amazing and I would recommend the fried chicken, mac n cheese, and collared greens. We also got the loaded potatoes and the brussels sprouts which were pretty good too. The chicken was a bit on the dryer side but it was CRISPY! When I took a bite my friend could hear the crunch over the restaurant noise. I will definitely be back read more

Della J's Delectables - boneless chicken with mac n cheese and collared greens - Southern Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Great food and services iike this place, clean and lots of parking. I will be goibgback

First time here and it was super busy went I got there around 6pm. I was going to dine in but the wait was too long of a wait which is a good thing. i love to see business doing , Plus i want to support a Black own business. I would had gotten more food if I were to dine in but since I am taking out I just got 3 Wing Combo come with 2 sides ($16.70) and Banana Pudding ($5). Wing 4/5- The wing were decent size, I wouldn't call it Jumbo but it good because that mean it might be organic. They were good not overly coated with batter but can use a tad more seasoning but it was still good. It did take $25 minutes so it was freshly made, one of my wing was undercook but no big deal they were busy so I understand. Collard Green 4/5- My 1st bite, I was like omg this is good but after a while it was clearly way too Salty those salt may been better added to the wings. It was good but you need to counteract and take break, Mac & Cheese 3/5 - It was ok not the best I had but it was good. It not bake mac cheese and had it had grittiness but yet creaminess to it couldn't put my finger if the cheese didn't melt or something was lil off but still ok to enjoy. Banana Pudding 2/5- I think the banana had potential to be better if I maybe eaten in there but too go it was not that great. It was pack in a small container and the wafer were too soggy and broken apart and needed more banana. Overall i love the service and ambiance of this place. The picture of past history also cute. I would come back to try different dishes , maybe it will be better dinning in. The price is on a slight higher side for portion compare to other soulfood place like Carolina Kitchen but I guess that normal because VA rent probably more expensive to MD. read more

Wow. I was not expecting to find an awesome soul food place and yet here it was. I was craving chicken and waffles and saw this place on Yelp and am so glad I did. Food was awesome. From the fried catfish to the cheesy grits, collard greens, Mac and cheese and of course the chicken wings and waffles. Our server suggested the wings instead of chicken tenders to go with the waffles and she was absolutely right to do so. My friend got the red velvet waffle and said it was the best waffle he's ever had. My only regret is that I didn't know about this place sooner. So delicious. FYI, they are moving to a new location later this month (July 2022) according to our server so it'll be even closer to my house. Woohoo!!! Can't wait to come back here. read more

See all

We went for the first time last week. The experience was pleasant but not a stand out. Upon entering it was a bit discombobulated getting us seated. A NOTE TO RESTAURANT OWNERS: The demeanor of your host/hostess staff is critically important- I am very keen on attitudes, both good and bad. They set the tone, and first impression is lasting impression. We were seated on the side, our waitress was delayed a bit which was slightly annoying. we ordered appetizers, the fried chicken wing were on point. the Boom Boom mushrooms were delicious!!! i definitely recommend them. I'm trying to understand why an establishment would send a bottle of beer to the table for a woman WITHOUT a glass!, a notch off of great service in my opinion. We had to remind our waitress that we wanted to order entrees, another notch off great service and slightly annoying. The food was good, not spectacular. The mac and cheese was dry ( and you know how important it is to get mac and cheese right especially in a soul food restaurant ), the fried catfish was delicious, greens were good, the crab cake was bland at best and the fried shrimp were good. I felt the service was only OK. My pet peeve is looking or waiting for our server when needing something, I feel frequent check backs enhance the dining experience. I hate spending my money and not getting great service!!! Will we be back? yes we will give it another try , but word to management: train your servers well and I guarantee you will get rave reviews instead of this mediocre one. Overall, it was ok but could have been better. Mediocre service made the difference. When people take time out of their day and spend discretionary money, you should figure out how to treat them better/ not with non chalant service but with attentive and good service. There are too many choices to dine to be taken for granted, ignored and/or have underwhelming service. I am BIG on service and refuse to go where my dollars are not valued. We will be back but hope for a more enhanced experience and better service. read more

Now Ms./Mrs. Della J. please do not crucify me for this review, but I have to be honest. I hate to be a Negative Nancy, but this was the nastiest food that I have ever had in my life. I was so disappointed because a friend raved about how good the food was and how often he eats here... Needless to say, we are no longer friends because I can no longer trust his judgment on anything. My food was to go. The food did not have any seasoning at all. The gravy tasted like how motor oil smells. The cabbage tasted like pepper sauce and was over cooked. The mac and cheese was such a disappointment. The pork chop looked amazing, but looks are definitely deceiving. Even the cornbread was nasty. I cannot speak to the service received in the restaurant or the taste/quality for food served on-site because my food was a to go order. read more

Della J's Delectables - To Go order of Pork Chop Entree with mac and cheese, cabbage, rice and gravy, and cornbread. - Southern Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Food excellent! The service was top-tier. The ambience was like a diner. All and all, I give it a 8 out of 10. read more

See all

Came here because the family wanted some soul food and I did not feel like cooking. I'm from the South and I'm sorry to say the DMV has disappointed me when it comes to Southern comfort cuisine. There aren't many places here that I feel are really good in that category. Found this place on Yelp. The customer service was great! As soon as I walked in I was immediately greeted with a friendly face, provided a menu and given recommendations on the menu. I did a carry out order because it was the middle of the week. Ended up ordering basic menu items ...fried chicken greens Mac and cheese, and for the family...grilled chicken fingers and fries and fried whiting, greens and potato salad. I always feel if the basic items are good, then the other "fancier" items will be good too. Pleasantly surprised. Food was well seasoned. I will definitely come back and try other items. read more

See all

My cousin Greta Reid-Young, her mother and I went on 3/21/25 (My dad's birthday..Happy Birthday daddy). They're up from Georgia. Her husband's family owns this restaurant & bar and it was fantastic. The wait staff, the chef's, the owner were all very accommodating, and friendly. Now the food...I'm definitely a foodie was on point...the collards were nice and tender and were perfectly seasoned. The potato salad was very good and the fried chicken wing were fried to perfection. The atmosphere and ambience was awesome.I loved that when you went in you saw different family members photos that made it feel like home. My cousin and her mother had gone to the restroom and I was waiting for them to return but before they got back to the table the owner came over and thanked me for coming before he left the building which really made me feel at home. Oh and Thursday evening they have Jazz Night and they also have a Happy Hour, Monday through Friday! read more

See all

Perfect spot if your looking for some good ole soul food! Fried chicken cooked and seasoned to perfection and definitely my go to spot for Potato Salad. The one thing that I love about this spot is that the food is consistent, always served hot and good! read more

See all

I loved everything from their take out. It was supposed to take 50 mins. but I received a msg 30 mins later letting me know the food was ready. The location was easy to find and everything was still hot. The mashed sweet potatoes was I love the fried okra and whiting. The cabbage and green tomatoes could have been more seasoned but overall it was good. read more

See all

Sometimes fate intervenes. My wife and I yelped and Della J's popped up while out and about. Coincidentally, recently we'd been on a quest for authentic Soul Food. All I can say is wow, to the food, ambiance & service! I had the salmon stuffed with crabmeat and wifey had the cheesesteak. Sides were collard greens coleslaw & green beans. The entrees and the sides were fresh and full of flavor. Also nicely plated and perfect portions. We sat in the bar area at the Ida Wells table (each features a prominent African American). The owner (or manager) stopped by to greet plus the server were excellent! Highly recommended.. for great soul food with ambiance and service at reasonable prices!! read more

Della J's Delectables - Cheesesteak & coleslaw... tender steak and great bread - Southern Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

See all

Della's ROCKS!! My friends and I have been there MANY times! The chicken jambalaya is some of the best I've had outside of NOLA! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Della's for their food and family atmosphere...their prices are perfect, too! MAKE RESERVATIONS on the weekend! read more

Tried a new place for dinner out, definitely a place to return and to try other things. Started with fried green tomatoes-not seasoned at all, served with a homemade horseradish dip (too strong) got a side of okra dip sauce ( much better). I could n will get again $7.95. My husband got a cup of soup-chicken n veggies (very good) $4.50) . Our entrees were stew n fish. The stew was very tasty and vegetarian ( squash, potatoes, couscous), would had like a pice of bread, corn bread or more couscous. $9.95 The fish plate came with 3 pieces of lightly breaded flounder, cooked perfectly and the greens were delicious, not vinegary. Fries were crunchy. $17.95 Ended with chocolate cake-moist and Carmel homemade frosting $6.50. Thought everything was priced very reasonable except the cake. Our server was Louis- drinks were always refilled and on point with service. Atmosphere great-soft soul music in background. read more

See all

Cornbread 10/10 Egg rolls 4/10 Pasta 9/10 I sent the seafood plate back because it was bland . Not much seasoning . It looked amazing but it didn't taste as good as it looked read more

See all

Just a quick review of dessert. Peach cobbler. So simple, so few ingredients. How could this not be delicious? Here's how: Too much sugar and salt. I can forgive the cornbread style topping instead of pie shell type pastry crust. I can even forgive the overcooked peaches. But PLEASE not so much added sugar, and find a way to cut the salt in that cornbread topping. Plentiful serving though, but nearly ruined by an excess of most everything else. read more

Della J's Delectables - Peach Cobbler - Southern Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

6/12/21: We were traveling and were in the mood for some soul food. After reading these reviews, we were sold. So, we ordered over the phone & we got: chicken wings, fried shrimp, candied yams, Mac n cheese, potato skins, & chicken strips. Maybe we went at the wrong time. It was 8:30 pm when our food was ready & they were close to closing. ALLLLLLLLLL of our food was over cooked and dry. How do you overcook shrimp?? OMG!!! For the price we paid, our food should have been perfect. They didn't include eating utensils, so we had to go back inside to ask for that as well as sauce for the chicken strips. I am highly disappointed! The food was bland & the candied yams left much to be desired. Never again! read more

See all

I went with my neighbors yesterday and our ratings are as follows: My bbq chicken with potatoe salad and collard greens was a 10 Awesome Terrence had a club sandwich with fries -he loved it. Yolanda had shrimp and grits as she was disappointed because she had a bowl full of grit with three shrimp. She indicated that she paid all that money for grits. Basically she felt like it should have been six or more shrimp for the price. Yolanda stated that she'll order something else next time. The appetizers for the three of us were great. We had hush puppies, chicken wings. The music is always great, selection of old school music which isn't so loud that you cannot hear each other... Lastly, our margaritas were great tasting, but also small for the price. Overall they still have the best soul food this side of the Mississippi!!! read more

See all

After being recommended by my mom and a friend. My husband and I came here for happy hour and dinner. We sat in the bar area. The bartender and manager were outstanding. We enjoyed the red sangria, the catfish sliders, and hush puppies from the happy hour menu. Everything was delicious. For dinner, I ordered the stuffed salmon with mashed sweet potatoes and Mac & cheese. My husband had the stuffed shrimp with cabbage and mac & cheese. We both enjoyed our meal. The place was clean and spacious. We plan on coming back soon. read more

Was able to get my previous situation addressed and found out what truly transpired with the last time I went to the restaurant... truly helpful!!! And I admit that I jumped to conclusions from what happened so really apologize for that. Was able to get the proper answers needed and even got refunded for the things that shouldn't have been on my statement. Customer service is great here and happy this was addressed because I enjoyed most of the food items here from before, even if the item I got last time was okay. Will definitely give this spot another chance - thank you so much! :D read more

This place charges 20% gratuity on individual checks for one person at a table or bar. The bartenders complain if you don't tip the above 20% not my type of business to deal with.I went there on a Sunday there was no band! read more

I visited Della'Js before they moved to their newer/larger location and they are still delivering that down home Southern Cooking! I didn't get a pic of the mac & cheese but it is CRAZY good. You won't be disappointed everything here is good. read more

Della J's Delectables - Crabcake, fried fish/fried shrimp and collard greens - Southern Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

We arrived in a small group of 4, parking was busy but reasonable. The interior of the restaurant was very unique and interesting. In each booth, there's a photo of accomplished people with a description of their story. Our server Sydney was very friendly, genuine and attentive. The bar was located in the center of the restaurant. We all order different entrees. 1) Shredded pork served with hash browns and any choice of eggs. The bowl arrived to the table and it was different. When the caption state Shredded pork with hash browns, my guest was a little stunned because the hash brown wasn't present as most restaurants. These hash browns was instead sliced julienne and sauté looking like gourmet stir fry instead of your typical crispy ones 2) Honey biscuit with fried chicken served as a sandwich with home fries 3) Sausage biscuit with gravy served with cheesy grits. The grits was the best part. They weren't gritty like most restaurants but smooth and airy 4) Chicken and waffles was on point. The chicken wings were well seasoned and very juicy. The waffles were fluffy and delicious. For desserts we order the pound cake with coconut frosting and in house peach cobbler a la mode. The pound cake had a surprisingly hint of lemon in it and served with a side of ice cream. We will definitely make return visit in the near future. read more

See all

I recently returned to a spot I called one of my local favorites and was sadly disappointed. They moved to a new location that I give 2 thumbs up. However the food was lacking. I paid almost $40 for a seafood platter that had 1 piece of fish, 2 shrimp, and a miniature crab cake. The collard greens I had as a side came luke warm and was not as flavorful as I remembered. The crab cake was good but as I said, small and also just above room temp. Bottom line is I came in hungry and left hungry with a big bill. Could have gotten the same at a chain. read more

See all

Incredibly good southern comfort food. A distance from me but well worth the trip. My granddaughter loved the mac and chest and tomato soup. My son loved the fried chicken and we loved the steak and cheese sandwich. read more

When my son and I entered the restaurant, we were warmly greeted by a nice young lady who seated us immediately. Once seated, a very nice man introduced himself and informed us that everything on the menu is freshly made to order. I found the staff to be genuinely pleasant to all the guest. The atmosphere is soulful in that Black Excellence is shown at every table and strategically placed on the walls. Free refills on the sweet tea!! Our food was delicious! Cooked and flavorful to perfection! I highly recommend this establishment to everyone. The prices are reasonable. Next time, I am bringing the whole family!!! read more

See all

We had a great experience at Della J's. I was with a group of 27 celebrating a birthday. The service was prompt and professional. We all ordered from a prefixed menu due to size of group. Everyone's food came out in a timely fashion. We loved the brief history/intro the onsite manager gave about the family owned restaurant. I would definitely return and I also suggest this restaurant for large group dining. Lov. read more

Della J's Delectables - Cajun pasta - Southern Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

See all

I frequented Della Js when they were in Springfield often (via ubereats or pickup). Food was always great; mac and cheese, cabbage, and mashed sweet potatoes were a combo that never did me wrong. Ive had a good portion of the menu and it was always good. Fast forward to the move to the new location. I haven't been in yet but got one of my usuals (whiting with three sides) via delivery and tried the pound cake. I do not know what happened, but it was not good. The sides were the same, but the fish and cake were terrible. Considering i didn't upgrade the sizes for the sides, I was definitely still hungry. Hopefully this was a one off for me, but I hope the same great consistency as when they were in Springfield returns. read more

If you haven't tried this place yet, you're missing out on some delicious food. Went with my girlfriends and every dish was good. The fried tomatoes were some of the best I've had. The collard greens were tasty and cooked to perfection. Every dish was perfect. read more

I loved just about everything the Mac n cheese wasn't my favorite! The fish was amazing. Great Service with a very welcoming vibes. The waitress was very knowledgeable of the menu! That fried fish was a 10/10 read more

See all

Della J's has a new location on Richmond Highway. They used to be in Springfield. Now they're in the old Ruby Tuesday's building. With not many soul food options on this side of town, this place is going to win. However, I've definitely been to better soul food restaurants. The PROS: The theme inside is black excellence. There are pictures of famous/influential black people inside. You can feel the inspiration of someone family sprinkled inside. Love how that was executed. The catfish is slappin! Great flavor and crisp. The collards were slappin! Just what you expect great collards to taste like. The sweet tea is giving southern sweetness. The servers are friendly and we were seated right away. Parking is amble! The CONS: the peach cobbler missed terribly. It was cold and no love was put into it. I wouldn't be surprised if it was from a box or something. Grandma definitely didn't make this. There was no crust and it was slightly mushy. A huge NO! The carrot cake had mad raisins throughout and we don't like raisins in our dessert let alone an over abundance of raisins. The mash potatoes were ok with the gravy but they didn't LOOK visually appealing. The mash looked like it was scooped out with a ice cream scooper and the gravy looked very dingy. Don't get me wrong, it tastes good but the color was dull and didn't look "rich". I almost didn't eat it but it definitely complimented the mash potatoes. If you're a person that eats with your eyes before you even taste anything, the color may throw you off a bit. FINALE: My husband will probably be a regular here. I think he even said they will be having live music one day a week. Its a great location and we like to support small local business. read more

Della J's Delectables - Peach cobbler a la mode - Southern Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

See all

I love Della J's every time I visit family in Alexandria, Va, we eat here The food is always so flavorful and delicious Service fast and efficient Ambiance feels welcoming and family style read more

DellaJ: I did not go elsewhere after eating at your restaurant. I went straight home. The card was used at the BB&&B in the same shopping center, also at the Old Navy right next door. I did ask for CCTV footage but was denied access and the police couldn't do anything since the amount charged was too little, $540 and change. I did not drop the card anywhere else. We searched everywhere. I believe that it was either left on the table or not returned at all and since my daughter and I were talking, I was obviously distracted. I will take responsibility for that. But I will not accept you insinuating that I am being untruthful. I'm only one customer, not enough to impact your business. read more

I ordered a full rack of baby back ribs jasmine rice and black eyed peas. The ribs were very tough and the other items were not hot. I brought the ribs home to my dad for a second opinion. He also said they were horrible very tough. I will not be going back and I will not recommend this place. If you can't make ribs , you don't need to be making soul food. read more