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    The General Public

    4.5 (156 reviews)
    InexpensiveSalad, Burgers, Sandwiches
    Open 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

    Order The General Public Takeout or Delivery

    The General Public Photos

    Business Info

    THE GENERAL PUBLIC ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - The General Public

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    Reviews With Photos

    Sweet potato pound cake

    Excellent service. Great food. But I would like to talk about two things: If you have a medical reason to omit a seasoning or food, they will definitely accommodate! I'm super happy with my steak bowl. Secondly, this sweet potato pound cake. They brought it to the table and it was still warm from being baked this morning. Soft and fluffy, delicious, had the best taste to it.

    Us, waiting for our meal
    Arthur R.

    We found free parking in front of The Restaurant. Upon entering we were greeted by a very friendly lady who explained their menu in great detail. Our meal came quickly as we sipped their iced teas as we waited. This was a very nice experience so next time we are in the area we will be back!

    Plain Jane Burger/ Coleslaw
    Nick G.

    I was interested in trying this place out, it was a bit busy and I think the server was a little bit overwhelmed but he still handled it phenomenally well. It was a clean restaurant and the bathroom was clean the only thing I noticed in the bathroom there was an odor I'm not sure if it's the water,sewer or something. Anyways we didn't have to wait long for the food everything came out well cooked I had the Caribbean Bowl and my pops had a burger with slaw. They definitely created a welcoming experience and one I won't forget about. I will be visiting again sometime soon!

    Salmon Bowl
    Dom Z.

    Gas, some good eats good portions took awhile tho when it didn't seem that busy but worth the wait for sure

    Coconut Curry Shrimp Bowl
    Stephanie S.

    The food is always good! I've never dined in, but always get takeout. The staff is always personable and friendly. I appreciate how they give you an approximate time for when your food will be ready. I noticed they now have a bar area setup, which is cool. They also have several tables and some high top tables. The coconut curry bowl is one of my faves. They give a decent amount of shrimp, and it's mixed with sautéed green beans, yellow squash, and jasmine rice. The sauce is light and not overpowering. They were out of wings so I got fries. There one of few restaurants who sell waffle fries (well, other than Chick Fil A). The fries are crisp; they have seasoning options you can try. I've had the wings in the past and they're delicious smoked wings. I also got a house salad with balsamic vinaigrette. I've also had the salmon public bowl, which comes with a lemon butter sauce. They even add a lemon wheel for garnish. The food is always good - you can't go wrong with whatever you try!

    Fried Shrimp Basket
    Falecia P.

    I ordered food from here through Uber eats. I ordered the plain burger and the fried shrimp basket. For ten bucks, I thought the burger would come with fries but it did not. However, the burger was larger than expected. It was good, I just ended up having to add my own ketchup and mustard since there didn't seem to have any on it. Also, there was a lot of pickles and onions layered onto the sandwich, which was just not my preference. The shrimp basket was great. Even though the breading was a lot, the shrimp were rather large so it made up for it. The fries were great too, my 7 year old ate most of them. The seasoning on the fries reminded me of Arby's curly fries, they had a little kick to them. I have never eaten at the restaurant but the food seemed like it was made fresh and quickly after I ordered. I would like to check out the inside with my family at some point.

    Me for Solo Lunch
    Zay M.

    I visited here around 3:05pm on a Tuesday afternoon. This is located in downtown Suffolk. They have street parking. Inside on the left wall, there is art work going down the wall, which is very unique. At the table, there is salt, pepper, sugar, and a container of hand sanitizer. After choosing my own seat, my waitress came over promptly. I got sweet tea to drink and it was delicious... the perfect sweetness. It came in a plastic cup with the small cubed ice, which is the best type of ice IYKYK. I had already looked at the menu and other reviews online before coming, so I knew I wanted wings. I ordered around 3:13pm. I got the 12 wings and split them up by getting 6 lemon pepper and 6 Thai. I got waffle fries as a side, which was $4 extra. The fries come plain but for $0.25, you can add a seasoning. They are 8 choices, including old bay, ranch, salt & vinegar, Cancun, bbq, sea salt, white cheddar, and garlic parm. The waitress (T) was extremely friendly! She told me she was helping her brother with the restaurant. "T" stated that her brothers best friend owns the restaurant, which has been in business for a year. There are 4 TVs, each playing something different. I noticed that there is a bar area but no liquor. "T" told me that they just got their license to sell liquor, so they will be stocking up within the next few days. As I'm waiting for my food, I felt myself not being very hungry, even though I hadn't eaten all day long. My food was ready at 3:35pm. My fries came out first. I could feel the heat, which told me they were fresh. I could smell the aroma of the bbq seasoning, which made my mouth water. The fries were cooked perfectly! The wings came at 3:38pm. The wings are brine smoked and grilled. I enjoy a lot of seasoning on my foods that "require" seasoning. The lemon pepper wings did not disappoint as they were scrumptious!! The Thai wings were also delicious but I liked the lemon pepper wings more. I was able to eat half the wings and the fries before throwing in the towel. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant and I would most definitely return again! "T" said the bowls are good, so I would probably try that next. Teamwork was highly demonstrated throughout my visit. The other waitress present, Ciera, checked on me and attended to things I may have needed.

    Catfish nuggets
    Maria C.

    I am more than a fan! The fact that this establishment cooks food to order and you can see the cooks... this is definitely a win win restaurant! The portions are rewarding and the service on point! I first visited this location with my husbae when they reopened once outside opened up on a Saturday. We were able to dine in. At the time the restaurant was full, as in no other seating was available. All the social d seating was filled with other patrons. Being able to see the busy Washington Street gives a pub feel to me... who wouldn't want to dine and see their surroundings... I love to be safe and sound while dining. The waitress... she was amazing. I believe she was handling all the tables present and was also the cashier... from time to time another lady would assist, but overall, those ladies had a system and it was working to serve about 30 people - all smiles! At the time, no bar drinks were available. We were told the restaurant is still waiting on licensing. Cool... water was fine for us and the soft drinks. We had the catfish nuggets to start. While they were not best compared to others, we still ate them along with waffle fries. These were just OK too, but once again, we ate them :) My husbae opted for a bowl and myself a juicy burger for our main meal. Both were A++ A few weeks later, I was in the area and wanted to try a bowl. I believe I had the salmon bowl... I took it home... so within 10 minutes I was seated with fork in hand ready to eat... Even the ride home did not diminish the goodness of my bowl... I loved it! I highly recommend you give this locally owned small business a try if you are in the area. Parking was not an issue for us, but I believe only street parking is available. Not sure if this restaurant offers vegan options... but vegans, you should be able to find something here to tickle your fancy... you may just fall in love. Service from entering to leaving was 5 stars... I love the chill vibe here... rather dining in or on the go. Well worth your hard earned money and your time. Shops and other eateries are within walking distance. You may just want to take a stroll to find out a bit more about the area before heading to your next destination. Check out his hidden gem :) and make you belly happy! Have fun and enjoy life :)

    BBQ Stout Burger Public Loaded Waffle Fries
    Kevin R.

    The place is located in the downtown area of Suffolk. Parking is somewhat of an issue but if your a local of the area you're use to it. The atmosphere of the place is lively yet chill. Definitely a nice place to grab something to eat from on a nice sunny day or even a rainy one with the open storefront window for outside viewing. The food was top tier, I got the BBQ stout burger and loaded public fries just because it was something I would normally order and I wasn't disappointed. Everything was amazing! I can't stress that enough, I will definitely be coming back to try more of the menu which is simple but plentiful at the same time. The staff was welcoming as well. I was greeted with with a smile and even an embracing hug. If you haven't already, try them out.

    Steak Bowl
    Katie M.

    Locals and visitors seem to love this spot! Their takeout and delivery business was busy when I arrived to place a takeout order. The waitress was super kind and helpful. Lots of options for pub grub like wings/burgers/fries. I was wanting something a little lighter so I ordered a steak bowl. It took about 15 minutes for my order to be prepared. Super quick and impressive considering how busy they were and how fresh everything was. The steak was cooked to perfection! My favorite part was the mushrooms and potatoes in with the bowl - I wish I would've had more in the bowl. The sauce on everything was pretty tasty but also super oily. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town

    Coconut Curry Shrimp Bowl (sauce on the side)
    Maria G.

    Thanks to Yelp, I found a restaurant that had high ratings and I was ready to check this place out! Surprisingly when we walked in my husband recognized the owner who also have a spot at the Newport News city building. He confirmed the food is going to be good. The menu is easy and had something for everyone. I settled on the Coconut curry shrimp bowl with the sauce on the side. The sauce was made with coconut milk and heavy cream. It had a nice flavor and it wasn't spicy. The shrimp was grilled and it came with stir fry vegetables and rice. It was so good. My husband ordered the jerk chicken bowl and it was equally good but spicy! It comes with a carrot, raisin, pineapple slaw that cools it all down. The bowl also comes with rice and stir fried cabbage. So the fried cheesecake ball...it is covered in graham crackers and then fried! Yes fried!! As a cheesecake connoisseur, I knew this was a big No-No but no... I had to try it. And it wasn't t for me. I will stick to the traditional and eat the way it was supposed to be. The place is good for large parties with plenty of seatings and the decor is rustic with a country feel.

    Wings-thai/honey siracha flavor  chimichuri fries
    Maya W.

    absolutely DELICIOUS!!! i got the wings half thai half honey siracha. but the lemon prepper wings i had a bite of and they were so good too! i recommend the thai sauce!! CHIMICHURI WAS SO GOOD!! especially when they put it on your fries!! 10/10. the staff was wonderful as well

    Chicken Cali Club Sandwich w/ Fiesta Fries
    Jordan B.

    After hanging with my homegirls going horseback riding at Kay's Acres, we got hungry and decided to stop at The General Public for a bite to eat before heading home, because we saw that they were fairly new to the area and had great reviews. The Chicken Cali Club was bomb! The fried chicken was tender and juicy, and it came on a buttered brioche bun (Chile ya'll know I love me some buttered brioche!); furthermore, the loaded fiesta waffle fries paired so well it. Kudos to the chef, because he really threw down back in that kitchen. Shoutout to Errika for being an excellent server and make sure we were properly accommodated throughout our meal. With good service, and great food, I sincerely hope The General Public continues to keep up the good work and I wish them much success in the future. I can't wait to go back for lunch the next time I'm in the area.

    Salmon Burger and Waffle Fries

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    I love the portion size. It's perfect for a tasty lunch at work. I could order the Salmon Rice Bowl every day.

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    3 years ago

    Food is always fresh. I ordered the Philly sandwich. I'll go back. It was a quick option while downtown Suffolk.

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    2 years ago

    Awesome food!! I love the salmon bowl... super popular so often a bit of a wait bit worth it if you have the time or just call ahead

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    3 years ago

    The food seems to be microwaved and served after being purchased elsewhere. I've given them three chances but was not happy.

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    5 years ago

    I got the salmon bowl and it was SO GOOD. Simple but everything was cooked perfectly. I wish I lived closer so I could go here again.

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    Page 2 of 4

    Ask the Community - The General Public

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