best eatery in suffolk. we have been going to this place since about thetimeit opened. in an area that is left mostly to chains, fast-food, and delivery pizza, this is a jewel in suffolk. if you like homemade food and good service with a reasonable price, this is where you should go.
one of my biggest gripes about living in suffolk is the lack of places to eat that isn't a chain. for some reason, we have very few homemade/mom-pop places. the nearby mall (chesapeake square) is typically crowded with the outback, red lobster, olive garden visitors and i just don't understand that. the college drive area of suffolk is all chains, too- how can you not get sick of that? and how do you not resent paying for pre-frozen food? there is no chef at any of these places and they've all gone downhill in quality, but prices have increased. for what?
plaid turnip is something very special. it's a family-oriented place in downtown suffolk. there is nothing like it in the immediate area. what else is there? subway? baron's? (the lasttimewe were at baron's the food was awful and the service was non-existent). you can get real, home-cooked food at plaid turnip within a nice atmosphere and with really good, friendly service. their menu accommodates nearly everyone. they have everything from steak to fish to chicken and salads. they have a good range of sides and a full bar with decent beer choices. they almost always have inventive specials at reasonable prices- oh, and their normal prices are wonderful. you don't have to spend $20 on an entrée to have it taste really good.
we visit this place at least once a week- it's our friday night staple. sometimes we throw in another night just because it's so comfortable and we know whatever we want, they'll have.
their burgers are the best i've ever had. they're huge and delicious and you won't regret it. their flat iron steak is more like a boneless ribeye. it's one of my husband's favorite items. and i love the chicken- you get so much for the price and it's just so delicious. the sides are all wonderful, too. our favorite appetizers are the hummus, the calamari, and the (baked) bacon-wrapped jalepenos (oh my god they're good).
their desserts are wonderful, too. if they have the bread pudding, go for it. otherwise, the cupcakes (on display when you enter) are wonderful and creative.
the atmosphere is friendly (kids and adults alike) and comfortable. we've been taking our baby there since she was 4 weeks old (and i spent many nights of my pregnancy there because i craved their burgers).
i highly recommend this place. you can try george's- their food is really good, but their menu is limited for dinner. there's really nothing like plaid turnip in the area.
to the reviewer that was upset about take-out...this restaurant isn't a typical take-out place. we've been hit or miss with take-out here, too. that's just not their big thing. i've run into other restaurants that refuse take-out after a certaintimeor on a certain night. i don't fault them for this, though. they don't tout themselves as a take-out restaurant, so i wouldn't fault them for this. when they're exceptionally busy, it's not a chain, so they offer take-out, but sometimes they can't handle it. i'd rather them refuse than give us a lousy order. go to the restaurant. you'll have a better experience, anyway.
-----09 sep, 2012-----
great price, great food. besides good food, the one other thing i can say about this place is: quantity of food. they give you so much for such a good price. it was pretty basic food, too, but fresh and tasty. i don't think i'd hang out at the bar after work, but we'd definitely go back for a family night. we were at this restaurant when it was a seafood place and they've done some things to change up the decor. when we were there, there were a lot of families with young children. it's become more of a family place, which is nice for the area.
great service, good food, and a good price- all in downtown suffolk!