First Impression

Spot is a must try! The whiting was freshly prepared and Mac and cheese and greens were on point! This is what I'm talking about supporting small business and local cuisine. Service was top notch and spot is organized and clean!I'll stop in again if in town!

happened to be in the area and out of all the restaurants around this one seemed like it would be the most appetizing. so it is not a DINE IN which i didn't knw until i went to get my food but it didn't matter bc i was on a schedule and didnt have time to dine in anyway..just a fyi..customer service was good ..friendly...i ordered the crabcake meal and croaker fish meal i got collards for my sides and mac n cheese and mashed potatoes! everything was good HOWEVER i do think too much salt was used in specifically my collards im not sure if the crabcake always look the same as it was my 1st time here but it was ugly lol HOWEVER it was good!

If you want soul food so good, make it out to Shirlington, where Chef Aaron Green is cranking out heavenly creations in a hole in the wall takeout joint just oozing character and flavors.I was on vacation with family from Hawaii, where we don't get this genuine soul food. Virginia locals suggested this place, so we gave it a shot.Chef Green and his worker (didn't get his name) are friendly and efficient, telling us how their dishes were prepared and seasoned, making our choices easier. I opted for the smothered pork chops and chose collard greens and mashed potatoes as my sides. Having just came from Baltimore the previous day, I decided to also try a crab cake to compare.Pork chops and crab cakes anywhere else do not compare to what you can get at First Impression, and I'm a big supporter of the Manago Pork Chops at the Manago Hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii.Make your way out here--totally worth the drive or flight, and definitely worth your money.

Whiting Fish Platter hit the spot. A lot of fish for the price. Will definitely be back. I wish they had homemade tartar sauce.

I ordered the fried fish plate. This food was amazing. The fish was fried nicely, and the seasoning was on point. Another plus, was the price point. Also just note that this is not a sit down place. But overall the service was good, it was easy to order over the phone and the food was ready when I arrived.

If you want to talk about a small business hole in the wall, First Impressions would be the dictionary definition . Located in a very obscure area but parking was easy. As you walk in you are immediately at the register and can see right into the kitchen where Chef and owner Aaron green does it all. Very friendly but very hard working. You can tell the passion he has for what he does. I went on a Saturday right at opening 1pm. We ordered a few things off the menu and even took Aaron's recommendations. As we waited there was a steady flow of customers coming in. Nonetheless the food came out within 10 minutes like Aaron had told us. For me the star of the show were the wings and Mac and cheese. The wings were breaded perfectly. Nice crisp crunch when you bite into them, and juicy interior. My only feedback would be to add a little more spices to the wings for that extra kick. The Mac and cheese was nice and thick with great flavor. The collard greens were not too salty and tasted fresh. The whiting fish came with 4 pieces so more than enough and great for the price point. They were good but needed just a little bit more flavor. Overall this is a very solid spot. I will definitely be going back. I hope more customers come and show support to Aaron and his fantastic small business.

The fried catfish platter was wonderful! The fish was freahly breaded and fried to order and cooked to perfection. The service was superb and the food preparation areas very clean. Best Soul Food take out in the area!

Let's let out this secret! I found this little hidden gem on...TikTok! This hole in the wall, carryout spot is the truth and I'm throwing five stars their way, I hope they can catch. There is not a lot to find on TikTok or the internet about this spot, but I'm ready to show them some love. Are you ready too?Last night (Saturday, 2/17/2024), the hubby and I were scratching our heads trying to figure out what to eat for dinner. Is it just us or is determining what to cook and or eat every single day a gigantic feat?! Anyway, I asked the hubster if he wanted to check this spot out and he was game. I was able to find a picture of their menu online, I called once because on TikTok I saw they had catfish, but the menu did not state that - I asked the friendly person who answered the phone if they had catfish and he confirmed they did, score!We called back after figuring out our orders and the hubby and I got the following: crabcake entree with collard greens and mac and cheese ($20, the entrees come with two sides), the crabcake also came on a bun; we also got fried catfish entree ($20) with more collard greens and French fries and then we got a fried whiting sandwich ($10) which came with two pieces of white bread, white bread is the only way to go!ALL of the food was bomb! It was true soul food with hearty portions, they give you plenty of fish and everything was well seasoned. He told us our food would take about 15 minutes before it was ready, it was ready when my hubby arrived, it was piping hot, smelled so good, was perfectly crunchy and truly was reminiscent of true southern comfort food. There seemed to be one person working in this small carryout spot and he was doing the damn thing both in the kitchen and with his friendly customer service. So excited to frequent this local spot, when you go, don't say I didn't tell you that the food is BOMB!

We are from Baltimore and were in the area for business. This business is a hole in the wall but BABY it DID NOT disappoint. It's cook to order so it was fresh, hot and DEFINITELY DELICIOUS Friendly service.

I was excited to try this place but ended up disappointed. Food mostly had a good flavor, but was gritty/dirty. I got sick from it. Service was good. Your mileage may vary. I won't be back.Is there no high quality soul food in the area that's not some kind of Northerner-owned fusion?