415 N 1st St, Richmond, VA 23219, USA
Hours
- Mon11 AM – 9 PM
- Tue11 AM – 9 PM
- Wed11 AM – 9 PM
- Thu11 AM – 9 PM
- Fri · Today11 AM – 10 PM
- Sat11 AM – 10 PM
- Sun11 AM – 9 PM
How locals rank it
In Richmond
From the local food press
Editor’s picks from published local guides
- Soul Food
On Richmond Magazine's 2025 25 Best Restaurants. Velma Johnson's James Beard Foundation–recognized Jackson Ward soul food room, known for cabbage, mac and cheese, and fried catfish.
Picks from Richmond Magazine, Richmond BizSense, and Style Weekly
- Fried Chicken
Velma Johnson's Jackson Ward kitchen has been frying chicken and serving soulful sides since 2009, becoming one of the neighborhood's most recognized names. Style Weekly's June 2026 readers' poll named it first for fried chicken, following earlier wins in the outlet's Best Local Southern Food polls.
Picks from Style Weekly
What’s your #1 Fried Chicken in Richmond?
Rank your top five and it joins the local ranking.