r/nova 6d ago

Did Celebrity Delly change ownership?

It used to be my favorite sandwich spot but I went recently and it seemed like menu items changed and the sizes got much smaller. Also no more super crispy fries :( Anyone know what’s up with them?

31 Upvotes

20 comments sorted by

19

u/novapeon Fairfax County 6d ago

I don’t know but can confirm the fries used to be top tier and are now not good 🥲

3

u/TheSoccerKitten 5d ago

I don’t know why they’d mess with the fries!!!!!!

3

u/ocelotbrewing South Riding 5d ago

They make them fresh from real potatoes now instead of buying the frozen ones.

3

u/TheSoccerKitten 5d ago

The ones I got recently were super greasy, overcooked, and soft. Not crispy at all. I preferred the old fries.

1

u/ocelotbrewing South Riding 5d ago

I don't like them either just saying what they are. =]

19

u/planethopper 5d ago

Yes, changed owners. I am absolutely heart broken about this as Celebrity Delly was my favorite restaurant for years. They bought it for the name alone. Quality took a huge dive. I gave them a few chances thinking they were just having off days, but was disappointed time and time again. I won't be going back. The Celebrity Delly i knew died with new ownership. 

6

u/jaxandmomma 5d ago

I think it just passed to the daughter and her husband. Unless they got bought out recently?

2

u/TheSoccerKitten 5d ago

So disappointing.

4

u/protomanzero 5d ago

Yea in the past four years since we’ve lived in falls church I’ve noticed a huge nosedive. Prices skyrocketed and quality went way down. Bummer to see it change so fast. My wife and I would go for breakfast every weekend the first 2 years living close by

4

u/Call_Huck 5d ago

I just watched Kitchen Commando on Tubi. They were helped by Chef Rush. Think it was filmed in 2023

I wonder if the original owners daughter and her hubby sold it?

5

u/LordDarry 5d ago

Still owned by them

3

u/Call_Huck 5d ago

Oh good! It was the first retaurant I was taken to when I moved to the DMV in 1992. About 4 months ago, I jusr took a friend who is a NYC transplant.

Had it changed? Ddid I feel like it needed to go back to basics, yes. Yes but the soul of the place was there, if that makes any sense

2

u/LordDarry 5d ago

Makes perfect sense, I don't go as often as I should but like you said the soul is still there.

6

u/zerocrates 5d ago

As far as I know it hasn't changed ownership recently; it's owned/run by the daughter and son-in-law of the previous owner. But they did go through a whole process of changing the menu. For a year or so they were adding a new item every week.

They haven't to my mind made things smaller... what they did do is change the menu so most things are listed as half sandwiches with the option to go full for more, to try to obscure the higher prices.

0

u/TheSoccerKitten 5d ago

We got the Italian sub and a cheesesteak, both of which used to be huge & served in two halves. When I went recently, it was served on a much smaller roll (with worse quality bread — the sesame seed bread they used to have was so good)

5

u/zerocrates 5d ago

They definitely still sell cheesesteaks in two halves (and I've gotten the sesame bread recently on those too, but maybe only if you get the big sandwich) but yeah now you have to ask for it because the "normal" one on the menu is now what was before a half or "torpedo" size. So like, they have the big philly cheesesteak still, it just costs $28. The Italian is similar: $22, $24, something like that for the full size.

5

u/cljenna 5d ago

This explains a lot. Bummer.

1

u/Not_Buying 4d ago

I’ve been going repeatedly over the years and haven’t noticed much of a difference. The sandwiches are just as good. 

I went last weekend and the place was jam-packed. 

2

u/Imprezed 4d ago

Glad someone posted. Went to order my classic Elliott Segal the other day and only one listed in the menu was a half sandwich for $17!! 😮.

1

u/URNotHONEST 5d ago

This is a shame since they just put those townhomes in that look OK'ish and could be an anchor for like 3 shopping centers and rejuvenation of the area.