Payne's Restaurant

Was my favorite morning BAD TRFFIC breakfast stop. Especially when it was snowing. Gone but not forgotten.

I've been to Payne's three times to eat - I think they only serve breakfast. The place appears to have a following as it is consistently crowded on weekend mornings.

I really want to like Payne's - but I can't. Each time I've been in there - the food has been either mediocre or just plain bad.

I've ordered sausage and gravy once - and it tasted and felt more like I was eating a plate of gelatinous fatty grits. The bacon has been soggy and undercooked. The grapefruit juice tastes like it's been sitting out all day, and the plastic glasses they serve the juice in are all chipped and gross looking.

They present your eating utensils in a waxy paper sleeve. Twice my silverware was dirty. Once the inside of the sleeve was all damp - and had some sort of debris in it.

I love old school diners and dives - but this one does nothing for me. I can't recommend it.

Even though this restaurant was open three days a week (and you never knew what days of the week it would be), the waitresses would smoke while they took your orders, and almost everything on the menu was unidentifiable slop -- I am giving them three stars.

Why? Because Payne's is a Centreville institution! The restaurant has been around for 50 years and if it wants to serve you crap they can do so because they've been doing it for over two decades!

As a long time Centrevillian, I miss the days when the only competing restaurants in town were the Lone Star, Ruby Tuesdays and Paynes. Now the only thing Centreville is known for is Spa World.

Sigh, I guess I am getting old and crotechety for reviewing a restaurant that has been out-of-business for five years on a Friday night. I'm going to take a calcium pill now. Good day.

Unfortunatley Payne's is closed. Too bad it became a victim of the the economic downturn.
You might want to check out Yorkshire diner on Route 28 near Manassas.

I went about 6 months ago..

all i remember about this place is how long i had to wait for the server to take my order. there was only one server working .. and she wasn't the happiest person in the world.

the food was average..
the price was very similar to ihops.

Interior of the restaurant- 2 stars.

Country breakfast at it's finest if you don't mind the cigarette smoke. IMO, they tend to over grease their meals but it helps in coming out. This place has been here forever.

I had dinner here once. It was not good! The chicken was cold, the mashed potatoes were cold...pretty much the whole meal was cold. This place is usually just packed with regulars sitting at the bar. I wouldn't recommend this place unless you like cold food.

I grew up going to Payne's. It is what it is, the last of old Centreville. It is primarily a breakfast diner and should be enjoyed on Sundays after church for brunch. Its a smokey place with a greasy breakfast and thats what it is meant to be, so know this before you go. As far as southern style breakfasts go, it is the best around.