I recently moved to Petersburg Virginia and came across The RinkyDink Cafe.They have excellent food and excellent service.Nice Jazz atmosphere. read more

Another trip to Petersburgh Va. another trip to Rinkeydink café. Met the owner again today he states he may open back up for six days instead of the five due to the pandemic he still trying to get back on his feet. However, the food is always fresh. excellent very tasty. Just wanted to post a picture of my dinner tonight and remind you when you were in this area to do stop by the Rinkeydink café you won't go wrong. read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - A piece of corn bread taste like cake delicious - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

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I love this spot it's right down the street from my house the food is always good you gotta try it

11/16/21: We have been here 3x since 11/3/21. I was craving candied yams, and this place gets 5 stars for them. They are so delicious and sweet. I'm addicted. I wanted some tonight, but they ran out. I will definitely try back tomorrow. Here are the scores on the other things we've tried: Mac n cheese = 5 Fried chicken = 3 Cornbread = 1 (Burnt burnt burnt...each & every time!!) Fried pork chop = 4 Smothered pork chop = 4 Hamburger & gravy = 2 (I didn't like it AT ALL. The gravy was bland and the burger patties were tough. Won't try that again.) Rice = 1 (Bland & crunchy!!) Fried fish = 4 Sweet potato pie = 3 (Blah. It's missing something.) Gary who takes the orders isn't the friendliest. He needs to work on his attitude. If I didn't become addicted to those yams the first day, I wouldn't have come back after that visit due to his attitude. The prices are decent for what you get. I'm going back tomorrow for those yams. :) read more

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Dude. Seriously GREAT food. Fish was perfect. Yams were incredible. Cornbread is WHAT CORNBREAD DREAMS OF BECOMING. Green beans were flavored perfectly. I'd of taken a picture but I have this problem where when it tastes as amazing as this, I devour it all. And the staff!!! THE STAFF!!! Sweet older ladies who actually genuinely care and speak to you while doing their job. Very southern feeling. Very very good. Definitely will be back. read more

Good hot full dinners, courteous staff and delicious dinners homegrown Expectations were met and hospitality rendered.

Food so good and fresh! Clean and they are friendly! Service was fast we got there and 15min later we got our food. As we ordered $56 worth of food ! read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - Pig Feet, Yams and Mac & Cheese! - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

We ate here many years ago and I still remember the fish and how delicious it was! Some day I will go back and visit this place again. The owner at the time was a musician and he came and sat by us and was very friendly! We had a great time. Generous amount of food! read more

Fried fish was on point. The yams were out of this world. Will definitely be a regular spot for me now.

Every single thing great food very clean and a very good atmosphere quick service. Everything was just fine.

We walked into this place because of the good reviews. It certainly doesn't look like much. The people were so friendly and made us feel so welcome. Help us to figure out what to eat and the food was incredible. I don't know what else to say. read more

My family and I came here after a cousin suggested it from eating lunch there earlier. I figured the food would be good since I looked at the pictures. Once I saw pig feet I knew immediately that's what I wanted. We all ordered different things and thoroughly enjoyed our food. The portions were leftover worthy for sure. It's also a black owned establishment and the owner was there keeping us company as well. Soul food lives here. read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - pig feet and double string beans - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

Great Chicago style restaurant with very generous portions. Fantastic quality that is worth the trip off the interstate. Just a few minutes off of Interstate 95 for those who want to venture out. read more

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I was out in the field for work and my two other coworker wanted to stop in to eat here. I'd brought my lunch and was going to eat what I brought. I did decide to get a side of mac and cheese. First of all, I wasn't expecting such a big portion and it was only $2.50. When I get back to the office and sit down to eat the mac and cheese with my other food soon as i bite into to the mac and cheese I said, "YES GAWD! WHO MOMMA IS IN THAT KITCHEN!" THE FLAVA!! It's warm, cheesy, and moist goodness. I know there's cheddar but I don't know what else. After I gobbled the mac and cheese up I wish I had ordered something else. I can't wait to stop by and try there other foods cause if the mac and cheese is an indicator of how the other food will taste I'll be a new regular. read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - Mac&Cheese, soooo good!!! - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

VERY GOOD!! It was exactly what i was craving Great serving portions, went for lunch and couldn't finish it so i have another chance to enjoy it 1 more time. The service was excellent, very attentive and personable. From the minute we walked in the door we were greeted and served in no time read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - Fish, cabbage ants green beans & cornbread And ordered a side of fried chicken - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

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The food was mediocre at best‍. The cornbread was very very dry and looked like it was burnt. I got the fried chicken dinner meal with the mashed potatoes and yams. The yams were a little bit too sweet for my liking but were good. Also I will say that the mashed potatoes were good. The chicken wasn't the best, I say this because the wings looked very small and tasted a little off. (Wings looked similar to the picture below. I didn't take a picture of the meal) read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

I came here a few weeks ago since I was in the area, and I must say that I made a good decision to pick this spot! The woman who answered the phone did not have the best customer service skills, but I'm going to assume it was because they were super busy with to-go orders. I ordered smothered pork chops with cabbage and Mac n cheese. The cabbage was overly seasoned (in my opinion) and the cornbread was too burnt to enjoy, but the Mac and pork chops were phenomenal! I definitely plan to go back and try some more items on the menu. read more

Great food hands down. You are given large portions of good home cooked food at a reasonable price! I have had almost everything on their menu and my experience is always positive! This place is super busy because the food is that good! read more

We stopped for the night in Petersburg and were hungry for cooked food instead of all the fast food we'd been eating on the road. The chef at Rinkeydink fed us even though we were too late to order and she was done for the day. The food was delicious and so satisfying! Very nice place and people. read more

If y'all have been to Lunch or Supper in RVA and had the Fried Catfish, know that the Friday special here is just as good if not better! There're specials Tuesday-Saturday, I'll update my review as I eat each meal! Fun, chill atmosphere. The sign saying Carry out only is, I believe, only up around opening time because they're cooking all the food of the pre-orders so can't service the tables BUT you are free to eat at the tables after you get your food at the counter. read more

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Yesterday afternoon as I was traveling the big city of Petersburg, a friend from the area suggested that we go to the Rinkeydink Cafe. When I heard the name of the restaurant, I looked at my friend with a puzzled expression. The first thing that popped into my mind was "Who in their right mind would want to go to a cafe that is rinkey dink?". The second thought that crossed my mind was "how did this place really get its name". Sure enough when we got to the establishment, it was located near a slew of check cashing and title loan places and the parking lot was not very confusing due to the fades and uneven lines. Yet, the soulful smell of college greens and fried chicken that filled the air from outside the restaurant drew me in. How did my experience go? Read below to find out. The Good: Hospitality- Once arriving inside the restaurant, my party was greeted by a server. She was friendly and knowledgable of the menu. First Half Service- The first half service was great. Our orders were taken, the food came out in less than 12 minutes and everything was hot. I was hungry to the speedy service was a huge plus. Price/Value- I ordered the two piece Fried Fish that came with corn bread and two sides. I ordered Mac n Cheese and String Beans for my two sides. The meal cost $8 not including tax. Unlike Mama J's and Croakers Spot, this is not a restaurant that has items a la carte. Not only is the price of the dish very reasonable, the portion size is very generous. Some restaurants that serve fish dishes tend to short change customers by cutting a half of fish into two portions and selling it for a high price. This restaurant serves the whole fish. When comparing the meal to the same items purchased at Mama J's, Rinkey Dink Cafe comes out $5 cheaper (one reason may be due to Mama J's serving catfish while Rinkey Dink serves Whiting). Taste- The food reminded of what Big Mama used to make on those special occasions. I am a huge critic of mac n cheese sold at restaurants and this mac n cheese has my official approval. The string beans and fish were good too. I also had an opportunity to taste the yams and Sweet Potato Pie and it had just enough sugar to make a diabetic run like Usain Bolt. The Bad: Bones, Bones, Bones- The fish had a few bones. Bones may not bother some, but they bother me. Second Half Service- Just as the first half service was flawless, after we received our food, there was no rush by the servers to refill our drinks or give us our bill. What should have been a 30 minute meal turned into an hour twenty minutes. Overall- The RinkeyDink Cafe has a weird name that may turn off some people, but the food is good, it comes out fast and it is a great bargain. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to feast on some great comfort food while avoiding the high prices that other soul food restaurants charge. FOUR STARS. read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

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First off, the owner is a huge Panther fan, so without a doubt I had to support his business. I tried Rinkeydink's earlier this year while visiting in my hometown....it was during lunch and they were very crowded, but while waiting I discovered it was cash only(what restaurant in 2010 doesn't take debit cards??) So I made an atm run and came back to order fish, mac n cheese and greens.......pretty darn good. I'll be back on my next trip. read more

A nice place for soul food. The pork was good and if you like old fashioned fried fish or pigs feet this is your place. The only thing is when I went there it was take out only and I enjoy having a place to sit and eat other than my car read more

The food is normally good here. So no complaints about that. But the service this time was horrible. The young man taking the orders was not polite. Their door doesn't close all the way. He asked us to close it...no please and no thank you. He hardly looked up from the YouTube video playing on his phone as we ordered. Due to COVID, we were not allowed to use restrooms. We were told to go to Sheetz. The 2 stars is the average...because they get a 4 for food and a zero for service. read more

okay.... I love and hate this place! Went for my first time and the AC was down so off top it was hott... then the servers were really slow and clueless but then again they were young so I'll just say they haven't had much training yet. They only had pepsi mountain dew, tap water or bottled water to drink. ‍‍ that's when I realized.. well this is the RINKEYDINK CAFE! Lol so that's when the love started to warm up... the owner came out and chatted it up with my family and I & it was def home felt! I done got me a whole new uncle type feel. Finally, our food came out and it was definitely love! The catfish was delicious, best I've had so far in Petersburg!! The cabbage was simple but perfect! The mac & cheese.... homemade!!! Family left very satisfied. Guaranteed to come back!!! read more

Had the turkey wings special on Tuesday with Mac and cheese and string beans. Turkey was very tender, smothered in a peppery (not spicy) brown gravy. Mac and cheese was thick and very cheesy--I personally think too many restaurants make their Mac and cheese too thin and creamy to the point where ur eating Alfredo not cheese. This place hits the spot. A big bonus is that it appears to be black owned and run read more

The pork chops were so delicious ,we can't wait till we come back & visit & eat at the BEST RESTAURANT!! read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - Pork chops were delicious :) - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

Food is good! Great hole in the wall, it's not the most comfortable place to eat. It's super hot inside and you might come across a roach or two, but man their fried chicken and mac n cheese ain't no joke! read more

Chicken wing dinner. Great price for so much food, and even took some home. I also tried the catfish is was good as well. If you go on a Friday go early; the ran out of a lot of stuff by 7pm. read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

Good place to check out when in town! Wanted soul food so I found the restaurant on Yelp. I ordered one of the daily lunch specials. Great value for the money. My food was really good! I would definitely return! read more

Was very disappointed with the service and not impressed with the food. I made several visits and never experienced any improvement in the service or quality of the food. Seems to have a loyal following of regulars, but I never understood why. read more

Good Lawd! This little hole in the wall has the best soul food! My family of 7 stopped by for dinner, and my stomach was glad that we did. The only issue that I had was that we dined in and the dining area is small. It was a rainy night and as patrons kept coming in, we felt the cold draft as well. We all ordered something different so we could taste each other's meals. Everything was delicious! Absolutely delicious! The owner came out and spoke to us and that made our visit a little personal, so I enjoyed that. Our meals were served on take out platters. That was a plus and minus for me; although I wished we ate off of dishes. That would've given us a more restaurant feeling rather than a take out joint. Overall, I will definitely recommend and the next time I'm in Petersburg, I will definitely eat there again! read more

Loved the food especially the smothered pork chops. The cornbread is really good also.

I was in town just for one day and this place sounded like it was worth a try. I ordered the fish dinner with greens and yams and took it to go. All the reviews I read were spot on! This little hole in the wall puts out some seriously delicious food. The catfish was breaded in a light flavorful coating and cooked perfectly. I LOVED THIS FISH! Generous portions of sweet yams and perfectly cooked collard greens rounded out my meal. I got about 3 miles away and decided to go right back and order another sandwich and more yams... (Hey I hadn't eaten all day and my little chihuahua was helping me with the fish) I will come here again when I return to Petersburg, and will refer anyone else that is coming this way! Friendly people and really cool photos up and down the hall, make sure you check out the history in this place before you take your food and run! read more

Hubby and I split the fried pork chop with smother on side and fried chicken. Incredible!!! Never had anything like it. Got collard greens, green beans and cole slaw for sides. All delicious. The coleslaw dressing was so light, I almost feel like it was healthy. Not a place to go if you are watching your weight but soooo worth it. And the best part, a meal for four came to $25. read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

Our small group got the service and friendliness we are accustomed to in Petersburg .

Love this place!!! Food has always been good... the portions size was great and the people I interacted with was pleasant.

This is one of the best soul food mom and pop spot I have ever been to great atmosphere good people great history about the owner old school jazz player come by check them out sometime read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

I'm not sure how he came up with the name Rinky Dink, but this is one of my destination spots whenever I'm in town. Went yesterday and ordered the lunch special; whiting fish and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned just right, it hit the spot. there's only one drawback, if you're going they only take cash. When you pull up in the parking lot say hello to the Blues Brothers sitting on the porch. read more

The Rinkeydink Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Petersburg, Virginia

Great food to affordable prices. It's a small place with seating for about 30 customers. Nice and friendly service. Clean bathroom. I had fish and it was pretty good, not too any bones. However this is real fish and I don't mind having a few bones. read more

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