The Southern Grille of Ellendale

We were hungry heading north from VA, and my wife found this place on Google map which has a high rating. And it's location is not far from our route. The inside of this establishment is nice, but needs a bit of updating since seat cushions were worn from use, and the decor was nice but could also benefit with some updating. As for our meals, we totally enjoyed everything. Prior to receiving our plates, they gave us some very delicious freshly baked bread. We both loved this warm start. I ordered their cheeses teak. It was very delicious, tasty, well put together and very filling. They use a different cheese from other cheeses tears and the meat flavor and texture was very good. My wife said meal was just as good. We were both full when we left. Our hostess was great. She was attentive and friendly and worth the tip we gave. This establishment does not provide a receipt after you pay, if you want one. BTW, we noticed that this location was the object of television chef Robert Irvines restaurant remodel several years ago.

I would say the food was awful but that would give the place too much credit. Do not eat here. If you love freezer food heated in a microwave this place is for you. The only living creatures who seemed to enjoy the food were all the flies in the restaurant. Was handed a metal hot plate without being warned that the plate was very hot. Have a 3rd degree burn on my thumb as a nice parting gift.

Cream of Crab, Southern Grilled Delight, and Maryland Crabcake Sandwich. Food/Value: C Service/Wait Time: A Decor/Environment: B Parking: B (Their own parking lot) Cash/Credit Cards: Yes *Photos by me Follow me on Instagram: @paulpaterakis Tip me in Bitcoin: bc1q38ct2rawwn7jkg5ays5zvycxp8mj69e5q0zp2n

I have driven by this place so many times going to the beach. I will never be able to drive by again without stopping. Great food. I even ordered desert, which I never do.

The food was really good. The cashier was nice. The reason why I gave it 4 stars is because the waitress bumped into me twice while I was waiting on the cashier. I know my butt is big, but she didn't even say excuse. I was pretty p. Other than that the food was pretty good!

1st picture is 2022 1 out of 5 overall 2nd picture is 2025 4 out of 5 overall Batter won't stay on meat I don't understand... Must visit for comfort food.

Cute little place! Not very busy at 5:00pm on a Saturday afternoon. The menu is extensive and $$$. So we asked the waitress for her recommendations and she named a few items. We got served our drinks & table bread. Then waited 30 minutes for our food to arrive. Expecting to enjoy Southern Fried Chicken and a "homemade crab cake" and Fresh baked Turkey with homemade dressing with sides. Well...this food was over done in a deep fryer that definitely needed the oil changed! The Turkey dinner was mediocre with greasy dressing. The owners definitely need to reduce the menu and concentrate on GREAT HOMEMADE FAMILY RECIPES priced effectively for those diners who want to experience this cute little place. This was not expected! Have a simple separate Carry Out and Lunch menu. Be the very best at what you cook! DO IT BETTER!!!

The food was great! We will definitely be going back.

Born and raised in DE, living in northwest AL now. Miss our our Mid-Atlantic seafood. When visiting family always try to fill up on crab cakes. These have nice lumps of crab meat, little filler. Yummy!

While driving to Rehoboth Beach, we spotted this hidden gem on the side of the road. I immediately looked it up to check the reviews, and it passed the star test, so we decided to stop in. After reviewing the menu online, we noticed they offered fried fish, but unfortunately, that item isn't available until lunch. By the time we arrived, they were running low on most breakfast items. I chose a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, while my spouse ordered French toast and eggs. The diner has a welcoming atmosphere and seems to be quite popular with the locals. If I'm in the area during lunchtime again, I would definitely stop by to try some of the amazing-looking desserts that I missed this time.

This place always hits. The food is so good and that's what keeps us coming back. But the service could improve. Service can be slow, and some waiters aren't friendly and/or impatient. Always the flies. There are soooo many flies in the doorway leading into the restaurant as well as the restaurant itself. But...the food is good! So do with that as you will.

I stopped by with a friend on the way home from Rehoboth Beach (it's about 12 minutes from route 1 and added maybe 20 mins total to our trip home). We ordered all of our food to-go. Everyone was friendly and the employee at the takeout counter was patient with us and filled our order with complete accuracy. It took 25 minutes and the owner came to speak to us while we were waiting. Very kind gentleman and very proud of his restaurant... as he should be, this food was very good! I ordered chicken and dumplings, fried chicken, fried cabbage, limas with dumplings, mashed potatoes, and sweet potato souflee. I also ordered banana walnut cake, an apple dumpling, and coconut cake for dessert. My entrees came with homemade yeast rolls. The food tastes like somebody's southern granny is back there cooking from scratch! My favorites were the dumplings, fried cabbage, and limas and dumplings. The banana walnut cake was also insanely good. There wasn't a bad thing on my plate and I'll absolutely be back, even though I have to go out of my way to get there. I look forward to trying their breakfast in the future. They do catering and I'm hoping to get some desserts and sides from them for Thanksgiving this year. Their menu is reminiscent of an old favorite that is no longer around (Jimmy's). The restaurant is small, clean, and has seating for maybe 30 people.

Stopped on our way down to Virginia Beach. Just about 5 minutes off the main road. The staff were very friendly and the food was amazing. I tried Scrapple for the first time and it was very good. I had the chipped beef over toast. Never had it and it was very good. My Daughter had an egg sandwich which was very good and my wife ordered 2 pancakes and they were large, light and fluffy. They also have a selection of homemade pies that looked amazing.

Chicken and dumplings...no gravy... dumplings stuck together! White meat only...but hey for $16.95 what should you expect! Alex wouldn't have serviced that! Been a assault against his mama!! Service always awesome

My family has ate there quite often and the food was always good despite the rude attitudes...Tonight was the absolute worse and wont be returning! The food was all horrible! Very rude service! Not sure if they've changed cooks or not...but it was terrible!

Great food and atmosphere. I would definitely recommend. Small hometown place if you're in town or traveling through this is a must stop.

Crackhead Cashier charged me 20$ extra dollars and management don't wanna make things right

Seating is limited but the wait was worth it. Great service and the food was delicious. Prices are good and the portions are big.

Hubby ordered beef & dumplings, large portion, he loved it! I ordered fried shrimp with Mac & cheese & stewed tomatoes it was all delicious. Ordered side of deviled eggs and they were also great. Service was very good, our waitress checked back to make sure everything was okay. We will return

"Hometown" feel - down home cooking with friendly service - what more do you need from a local restaurant?

Wow! Be prepared to leave with a full stomach and the best hospitality. The owner is beyond welcoming and makes the restaurant atmosphere feel as if you were at home. No matter what you order, you will not be disappointed. Be sure to make room for their amazing desserts... especially the banana walnut cake ;)

Food is great BUT The fly epidemic in that restaurant is insane! It's a shame we had to stop going there , If they solve the excessive fly situation, I'll be back!

Simple, tasty, fast and clean. Coffee wasn't anything special, nothing to complain about. Stoneware platters & mugs. Open format dining area, light beadboard wainscot. Unfortunately we were headed down the road, and didn't take time or make room for pie, cake, or everything that looked SO impressive in the cold case.

Don't let the hole in a wall exterior steer you away. This place is so cute! It was clean and open. The decor was very tasteful, with great character. The food was excellent. Our breakfast was very affordable and everyone was happy with their dish. My scrapple was crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, perfect. The service was quick and friendly.

A nice place to eat when traveling to or from the beach. Staff is friendly and the food satisfying.

What a fantastic restaurant! It was recommended by friends, and we were not disappointed. Joan was so friendly; it was like we were family. The food was outstanding! I had the scallops, and my husband had a sirloin and scallops both came with two sides that were delicious also. Leave room for dessert, the cherry pie and bread pudding we had were the perfect ending to such a great meal. We'll definitely be back when we are in the area.

Very good meal, cant wait to get home and try the chocolate cake i got to go, was worth the stop since i was checking on one of our sites down the street

Amazing food and excellent service. My only wish, Southern Grill would expand to Philadelphia Pa. Only two items that need a little work in my opinion ( Potato Salad) sometimes keeping it simple is perfect. The (Pecan Pie) is perfect without the cream cheese. Your fried chicken is better than my momma's

The atmosphere is very family like. There are lots of choices with the menu. You will get fresh baked bread and cornbread, which is delicious. The BLT was good. The cucumber and onions was not good. The corn fritters are actually pancakes with corn in them and are very tasty. Once you put maple syrup on them, they taste much like regular pancakes, but don't have that pasty texture like regular pancakes, so were much better. The sweet potato soufflé was excellent. The breaded pork chop was also good. The french fries are average. I would've preferred the French fries more crunchy on the outside. The apple dumplings went very quickly and we got the very last serving, but we were too full, so we took it to go and have not tasted it yet. There are plenty of food choices, so, even if everyone in your party has very different tastes, there will be something that they will like.

So glad we stopped here on our travels!! The food was amazing and the people were delightful. This place is a gem If we were locals, we would be here all the time!!!

Stopped here on the way home from a long weekend in Ocean City and so glad we did. Excellent food, excellent service - hit the mark. Cream of crab soup was phenomenal, stuffed shrimp even better and the hubs can't stop talking about the cheesesteak. Will definitely return next time we're nearby.

Food was delicious, people nice. Service kinda slow but it is southern! I would recommend!

I have stopped there before,and the same black woman is always the waitress,one of the worse attitudes I have ever experienced in a restaurant. I certainly don't recommend stopping and wasting your money on this place.

Yes the server was very sweet who knew so far north people had such Southern drawls now starting with the sweet and iced tea wow if I didn't have diabetes I sure do now put three slices of lemon in couldn't even taste the lemon what's the deal with the ice cream scooper of macaroni and cheese and coleslaw the cheapest items in the world to make I got the turkey with homemade stuffing homemade stuffing it was a hockey puck hard as a rock over cooked no flavor you guys are killing me with your reviews you wouldn't know good food if it's smack you in the mouth I wish I could open a restaurant I'm an excellent cook I would knock your socks off I have still not found a restaurant worthy in Delaware say it was good the best part of the whole meal was the hot rolls and butter

Delicious!!!!. My husband and I definitely enjoyed this cute little spot . It definitely doesn't do justice from what it looks on the outside compared to the inside, the inside looks like a cute little southern spot very rusitc . The prices were affordable, the employees were extremely nice and the food was out of this world. Definitely come here and check this spot out .

Went for Dinner around 4p, first time in after seeing restaurant on "Restaurant Impossible". Friendly wait staff, cozy atmosphere, delicious food, and very reasonably priced. Owner came out and was talking about the muskrat and a rice dish, very personable, you could tell how much he really enjoyed his craft. Overall a great experience. The mashed potatoes were incredible. Home made, very smooth and perfectly seasoned. The macaroni and cheese was absolutely incredible. Perfect mixture of noodle and cheese, not to runny, not too dry. Crab cakes were delicious filled with generous amounts of crab meat. The green beans were excellent as well. Fresh homemade apple sauce, this is a MUST get All the food was very obviously home made from scratch. We will be back!!

terrible experience here. Flies are everywhere and the food is very salty. Quite a wait time even the restaurant is not very busy.

Beautiful down to earth people that earn and run the place and the food is delicious.

Today was my first time back since Restaurant Impossible did the makeover and the dining room looks fabulous, it now has a farmhouse feel with distressed flooring, bright white walls and farmhouse metal chairs, very nice. I just stopped in to pick up some stewed tomatoes & lima bean with dumpling soup to go so I didn't have a chance to look at the menu to see if there are any new additions but trust and believe that hubby and I will be coming back for dinner in a few weeks. The staff is very friendly and welcoming and the overall vibe of the place oozes Southern hospitality.

Always a go to for Chicken & Dumpling nights. They have a great Lima bean, corn, tomato, & dumpling soup as well. Great Diner with a cute interior and some good home cooking. Don't forget the pies & cakes!

Went there the for the first time with family to try something new. There was a lot of hype about this restaurant so we though "why not??". I can say this isnt a place I would travel 40 minutes to eat at. I also wouldnt come here if I was in the area. Beautiful restaurant on the inside. Our waitress was very friendly. The manager (I''m assuming, a male with glasses) came off aggressive, rushing, not friendly. The food wasnt outstanding. Mac & cheese was very starchy, gave a mashed potato type of texture. The fried chicken didn't stand out and wasn't flavorful. Fresh cut chicken is how they described it but the bone was deep purple and the meat surrounding it took on the same color, an indication of frozen chicken. Candied yams were fine, not as sweet as I thought it would be though.

Best cream of crab soup and crab cakes. The rolls are amazing, so sweet and delicious. Always a must have when visiting Delaware.

We got clam straps, deviled eggs, scallop soft tacos and fried chicken and it was all insanely good!!! We will definitely be back

OMG! The fried chicken! It's the best ever! OMG! OMG! OMG! OK. I'm almost 50 years old, and this fried chicken has me ranting like a teen girl at a Sting concert... er... um... I mean ... um... uh..., a Justin Bieber concert - or whatever! The aspiring curmudgeon within me has little patience for being pestered with millennial-appropriate pop culture references. Let's just say that (after my first bite) my eyes reflected all of the mystery and awe of a young boy who just watched the Lego movie for the first time. That facade quickly transformed into an icy glare directed at my fiendish (and horribly selfish) wife who just reached out to try to get a taste off the piece of chicken in my hand. It's made to order so expect a bit (20-30 minute) of a wait - don't worry, it's excellent. I would suggest, however, that you ask if the table can get their salads, soups, or other sides while you wait. We neglected to ask and were a bit neglected ourselves until the main courses came out together with the side dishes (my side dish was a salad). The menu is vast... as is the list of specials. This incredible array of options actually has me quite concerned - soft shell crabs, trout, rockfish, scallops, flounder, tuna, shrimp are all seafood specials today? Just how much seafood does the Southern Grill go through on a given night? Concerns aside, the dishes we had (fried chicken, turkey pot pie, salad, collard greens) were all quite good. The pot pie captured the essence of Thanksgiving in July (... hmmm that's an odd feeling, but it tasted good), but it was quite heavy & buried with gravy. The fried chicken, however, was clearly the star! I want to come back and try breakfast... or dinner & one of their desserts - the cakes and pies look amazing and appropriately devastating to any diet. On a down note, I wish they put a bit more effort into culling the fly population... The flies were numerous and seriously detracted from our ability to relax and enjoy the otherwise quaint environment. If there was only a bit more service and a more pleasant atmosphere (i.e., eliminate all the flies)... this place would quite easily get 4*. Perhaps we just might get the fried chicken and a slice of pie to go?

The staff was super friendly & brought us samples of their specialties while we were perusing an extensive menu. First out was the cream of crab soup. Huge chunks of crab & seasoned superbly, better than anything we ever ate at the shore! Our group had fried chicken which had a perfectly light crust, luscious chicken & dumplings, moist blackened catfish & legit the BEST crab cakes ever. We finished this all up w/a slab of chocolate cake with 4 forks so we could all share. We've been vacationing in Bethany Beach for over 30 years. This gem will now be part of travels for the next 30 years! Thank u Mr. Aaron ;)

We just happened to drive by on our way to Rehoboth. It's a hole in the wall restaurant but had a bunch of cars outside, a sure sign of a good place. We enjoyed the yeast rolls while we waited for our food. They were light, fluffy, and there was a basket of 6 for just the two of us. I enjoyed the turkey pot pie and Mac and cheese. The portions were huge and I couldn't finish even half the pot pie, which was one of the best I've had. My husband had the roast beef with mashed potatoes. I knew he loved it when he said we could drive back the next day just to eat here again. Covid measures were taken seriously but staff was very expedient with the orders. The experience was overall very pleasant. A great place to stop!

I discovered this place after Robert Irvine rescued it. The first visit was returning to NJ from a visit to Virginia Beach. Had stuffed flounder with crab, creamy crab soup/bisque with Mac and cheese sides. Delicious. My next visit was a road trip from my home in NJ (104 miles) Well worth the drive. Had the same exact meal. Delicious again. My third visit was yesterday returning to NJ from Virginia. Worth taking 113 instead of 13 for a short stretch to experience this meal again. Once again had the same exact meal and again it did not disappoint. I like this place. I had spoken with the owner on my first visit and liked him. I liked the waitress. Needless to say I like this place. It's my new stop off place when I return from my Virginia trips.

Not much to say about the Southern Grill - the food is mediocre. I did get undercooked chicken there so that may skew my perspective.

Crab soup is 5/5! Mac and cheese is 5/5! Turkey club sandwich was super also! Great lunch! Great service. Was a stop on our way home from vacation and was well worth the price! Older woman who was our server was great and gave us take home cups for our drinks. Would stop here again for sure!

Driving back from a beach week too early to stop at the deli in Rehoboth, I just kept driving despite how hungry I was, eventually we passed through Ellendale and saw the sign for Southern Grill and decided to stop in, assured by the amount of cars packing the parking lot. I've been to a lot of diners and have rarely ever had less than a good experience but this place blew me away, we were expecting good food of course but this place was far and away one of the best breakfasts I've ever had in my life. The biscuits and gravy were hands down the best I've ever tasted, the french toast looked to be made with actual french bread and it was thick and fluffy, the home fries were soft but with a little crisp, the sausage links were savory with some sweet spice [chicken apple?] and even the bacon and eggs were done to perfection. Every serving was heaping and generous and the prices were unbelievable. For the experience you wouldn't be blamed if you expected something twice as expensive. I live in Georgia but come up this ways every so often for family vacations and frankly I'm looking for an excuse to come back even sooner, especially since I can't wait to try their lunch and dinner menu. If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

The entire family liked their meals. I got catfish with collard greens and it was fantastic. Plenty of parking, staff was very nice and the bathroom was clean. Atmosphere is casual. Definitely worth stopping in.

thrilled that these guys were able to open back up. We always stop on our way to or from (sometimes both) the beach. BEST sausage! BEST sausage gravy anywhere! My son's favorite French toast of all time. Super friendly service. We enjoyed eating outside this morning. Inside has had a makeover and it looks terrific.

Food was good. Simple menu. Wait time was crazy. Not to be seated but for the waitress to address us. It was 10 minutes before we were brought menus. Then once we ordered the food was quick but it was 30 minutes before we got our check. Then we sat with the check for almost 20 minutes before she grabbed it to close us out. They weren't even that busy. Maybe 70% full.

Was just refused service from Southern grill in Ellendale DE. for absolutely no reason, I have been to this place many times to grab boardwalk fries on my back to northern DE. BUT today I was told they wouldn't serve me per management. Funny thing is I have never met management or ever had any interaction with them. For a business that has been struggling before and during the pandemic to refuse service is flat out ridiculous and stupid. IF anyone is considering visiting this establishment. Think twice. MANAGEMENT still hasn't tackled there fly infestation even on the temp food truck location and I didnt see any PPE on any employees. Take your business elsewhere to be on thr safe side.

My 1st visit I fought with a million flies. Breakfast eaten there was okay. The waffle I took home was over cooked. My second visit I fought with a million flies. I asked for grits and eggs. Oops.. they stop serving breakfast at a certain time, I could only have lunch. I asked for a ceasar salad. Oops..Not on the menu. Come on people!! Its not a lot of choices here. Can we have breakfast all day? And seriously..a ceasar salad!

The place was not too clean, the food was bland and decor and ambiance was not good either. The waitress was nice and attentive. I can not believe that Robert Irvine from Restaurant Impossible was here though as there was not any decor or ambiance. I had a cheeseburger that was bland and fries that were frozen.

Great food. Loved the corn pudding and fried chicken and dumplings. Also the fried catfish was some of the best I've had. Super great service. Definitely will be back and will recommend to friends. We were there on Mothers Day and every mother there had a big deal made of them. Yay Southern Grill.