Eat Local: Southside 815

Southside 815 is a family-friendly restaurant that has been serving tasty, traditional Southern fare in Old Town since 1993. According to John Kurtz, general manager and part owner, the restaurant takes pride in delivering generous portions and value for its customers: Southside's menu tops-out at the $19 mark. A bonus for the warmer months: the restaurant boasts a large patio that seats up to 32 people.

Drinks/Bar: The bar at Southside is a great place to watch sports events, with 45 seats and 18 strategically placed HD televisions. Customers may choose from an impressive selection of 18 brew labels, including a "beer and wine of the month" choice. The bar is open until 1:30 a.m. every night and the late night menu is available from 10:30 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. Late night options range from a Carolina pulled pork sandwich to hot wings or big noodle mac n' cheese. 

Lunch/Dinner: For lunch, offerings include Southside's famous Po'Boy sandwich, a jambalaya cheesesteak, and the Virginia burger-topped with ham, cheddar cheese and barbecue sauce. You can also find a variety of salads, such as the jalapeno honey pulled chicken salad or the Southside seafood salad. According to Kurtz, a signature dinner item is the drunken pot roast which consists of angus sirloin simmered in ale, onions, brown sugar and spices and topped with pan gravy.

Another dinner favorite is the Charleston chicken dish, a combo of chicken, shrimp, kielbasa, corn and shallots, sauteed in a sherry butter. Be sure to check out the signature sides, such as the cheddar grits or the fried green tomatoes.

The main dining room hours are 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Sunday. Dinner items are available after 5 p.m.

Brunch: Menu items include stuffed french toast, pancakes, or a bacon, egg and cheddar quesadilla. A popular brunch item is the selection of egg benedict dishes, from the Southern style benedict to the steak benedict. Served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. 

Southside hosts weekly events such as "Raw Bar Wednesdays" which features half-off prices on items like steamed spiced shrimp, oysters on the half shell, steamed topneck clams, and steamed mussels. All day on Mondays, the restaurant features 1/2 price Po'Boys with your choice of catfish, crawfish, oyster, shrimp, or a combination of oyster and shrimp. Additional events are listed on the website. Southside 815 is located at 815 S. Washington Street in Old Town Alexandria. Phone: 703-836-6222.