Saw on I-Exit, We enjoyed delicious smothered pork chops, fried ocra and corn nuggets. Vanessa is…read morecharming and makes everything when you put in the order.

Fantastic place to eat. Everything about it is great. The owner is amazing. So kind. Love it. Would…read morerecommend.

We got the fried fish and fried chicken wings, both were good. our sides were collard greens and…read morefried corn, great taste. The service was top notch, served with a smile. I love these places, take you back to a sweeter time. This restaurant has a feeling of home, with the expectation of a good meal, and did not disappoint...

They were very welcoming and the serving sizes were insane! We don't live nearby but we were at UAB…read morefor an event for our son and we all thought that some real soul food sounded incredible! It was about a 10 minute drive from UAB on a weekend. If they were closer to us, we'd definitely be back sooner!

Looking for a great hole in the wall/dive? Do yourself a favor and get off the exit and come here!…read moreGreat home-cooked food! We loved it!

I was on my way to the airport and I was hungry and I searched soul food. Several places came up…read more All I can say is the food and the service was amazing. I had the beef tips and rice with a side of collard greens yams and macaroni and cheese.. I don't care how hungry you are. You will not be able to eat in one sitting. They feed you like mama used to.

My first time at Gabriella's was recently. This place gets really busy..... fast! When I arrived,…read more there were about 2 ppl already present and ordering at the hot bar. It's kind of hard to tell what all the food options are, so I had to ask what some stuff was. I managed to get a meat and 2 instead of a meat and 5! There were quite a few veggie options that looked amazingly delicious! I do not recommend coming here hungry or hangry. Ok, sooo I love meat loaf so naturally that's what I got. I also got collards and cornbread dressing & yes they had cranberry sauce. Everything was good tasting. The meatloaf was a little sweet to my taste so I probably wouldn't order it again. The veggies were not over seasoned or overcooked. I will definitely comeback here bc there is still just so much I wanna try. The staff is nice and took care of the crowd. I even witnessed them give a person in need food, as they were about to dig in the restaurant's garbage can outside for scraps. Made me count my blessings.. all of them! There is street parking only. I didn't have any issues parking on a Sunday afternoon. The inside of this restaurant is not big but I was comfortable dining in.

Good southern food on a Sunday afternoon while visiting. Couldn't tell from the Yelp pictures but…read moreit's a really small restaurant with food displayed buffet style behind the clear partition that they serve you in a container. Only about 3 people at a time can hold inside before it's starts getting crowded. It stay pretty busy. Options are 1 meat with two sides or 2 meats with three sides combination. A la cart is available as well. They have ice tea or lemonade drinks in a cup that they also serve you. Lemonade was good. There's a very small counter to pay after you order. Fry chicken is tasty with perfect crisp. Collard greens were seasoned well and perfect texture. Yams (my favorite) was perfect - flavorful, not too sweet and firm but not hard. Both of us thought the Black eyed peas looked really good but taste bland. I would have preferred it without the Okra. I didn't see that when I ordered. One in our group commented the meat loaf was good. The dressing was really good too - well seasoned and tasty. After paying there's a dining area for self seating. It serves the purpose to sit and eat but definitely could use sprucing up along with the restrooms. Please seriously consider! It would make the experience much more pleasant to enjoy their delicious food. I took off two stars for that reason and yes it's that unpleasant as the tables/chairs are also too clustered together. The chairs don't fit around the table properly. Overall good southern food at a reasonable price and recommended. Skip dining in if you don't have too. Just my two cents.

After church, our group of about 16-18 people decided to give Mama Nem a try, and it definitely…read morelived up to the hype. The food was outstanding! I had the baked chicken with collard greens, cabbage, and a roll, and everything was seasoned perfectly. The service handled our large group well, and everyone enjoyed their meal. If I'm back on this side of town, I'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend!

This is one of those places you could easily drive right past if you're not looking for it. There…read morereally isn't much signage that stands out from the road, so keep an eye out or you may miss it. I stopped in for lunch and wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first walked in because the front has more of a bar-like setting. Once you walk past the bar, you'll find the food served cafeteria-style. You walk up, choose what you'd like, they make your plate, and you pay. You can take it to go or stay and eat there. The lady serving the food was very friendly, and the food itself was delicious! Definitely not the healthiest lunch I've ever had, but it was good Southern comfort food and very tasty. The dine-in experience, however, could use some improvement. The first table I chose had ants crawling around, so I moved to another table. From there, I ate my lunch, got up, and walked out without anyone seeming to notice. For the food alone, I would recommend giving them a try, especially for takeout. I'd definitely grab a plate to go, but based on my experience, dining in wouldn't be my first choice.

Great place to enjoy a home-cooked meal. You might have to wait in line, but you get a chance to…read morehave great conversations with the people you meet. Let's talk about the food. I had turkey wings, cabbage, dressing, rice with gravy, and cornbread. I'll give the meal a 10/10; everything reminded me of eating at my grandmother's house on a Sunday. I can't wait to go back and try some more dishes. I placed a takeout order but they have a nice area for dine-in.

I made a last minute order for a half pan of Mac for Thanksgiving and that was some amazing…read morestuff!!! It was cheesy, gooey and done the right way. They offered service half pan options from meat, sides to desserts. Very quick responses and great service for my need. I've visited the Sunday meal before and was very yummy too!!

3/5 Sometimes your…read morefourth choice turns into a worthwhile stop. On Father's Day, our original lunch plans fell through after Curry Up, Eugene's Hot Chicken, and Boston Fish Market were all closed. That led us to Thelma's Place, a restaurant that had already been on my list to try, so we decided to give it a shot and ordered our meal to go. The first thing that stood out was the hospitality. Everyone we encountered was warm, welcoming, and genuinely friendly. Around 1:00 p.m., the restaurant wasn't busy, and the service was prompt. From an ambiance standpoint, there isn't much to speak of. The dining room is simple and functional, and the overall presentation could be elevated with improved lighting and a more polished steam table display. Those details may seem small, but they help create stronger first impressions. I ordered the meatloaf with collard greens and candied yams. The portion size was generous, but the meatloaf itself needed more seasoning to really stand out. The collard greens were one of the best items we tried, full of flavor without being overpowering, and the candied yams were solid. The cornbread was also a nice addition. My wife and Bethany both ordered fried chicken wings, even though they weren't listed on the menu. Those turned out to be a hidden gem. They were crispy, golden brown, hot, and cooked just right. For sides, my wife chose cornbread dressing and macaroni and cheese. We both felt the dressing had too much sage, which masked the other flavors. The macaroni and cheese was decent but not memorable. Bethany also enjoyed the collard greens and agreed that the macaroni and cheese was just okay. One disappointment was that they were sold out of oxtails, which would have been my wife's first choice. I was also hoping to see smothered pork chops available but didn't notice them. The pricing felt fair, and the portions offered good value. The biggest takeaway? Order the fried chicken and collard greens. Those were the clear standouts from our visit. I'd also be interested in returning when the oxtails are available, as they appear to be one of the restaurant's signature items. Thelma's Place didn't hit a home run across the board, but the friendly service, good value, and standout fried chicken made it a worthwhile stop. With a few improvements to seasoning and presentation, it has the potential to leave an even stronger impression.

I kept hearing about this place on the radio and decided to try it after church. Well, others must…read morehave had the same idea, because the line was out the door. Fortunately, the Pastor had just given a sermon on "wait for it" which is exactly what I had to do. Although the line was long, the people were very friendly and kind, giving the restaurant a family vibe.I was pleasantly surprised to see so many young people working in all areas of the restaurant showcasing their professionalism while being polite. are all so polite. Now, let's get to the food.... The greens, pinto beans and Mac n' cheese were all seasoned to perfection. The servings were more than enough. The food is GOOD!!! 1 meat and 2 sides or vegetable plate, your choice. Plenty of seating. Great place for a friend's meetup, class meetup, church meetup, baby shower or any celebration!

Food was delicious! Real country cooking. Vegetables are tasty and not cooked to mushread more

I've eaten here so much that it I can honestly say everything is delicious. Sundays the meatloaf is…read morefantastic, Saturday's the Beef tips and rice are amazing, fried bologna breakfast sandwich always hits, the fried chicken is so good. Pick anything and you won't be disappointed...

Good food, good people. I travel the world for work, and I…read morealways enjoy coming back home to visit my mother and bring her to Zaties for some soul food. Zaties is one of a few good places to eat in this area.

The food was great and the fast service was absolutely fantastic!. I look forward to visiting again…read moresoon.

Solid meat and 3/soul food option in the vicinity of the Bessemer courthouse…read more They're doing it right in here. Good selection of things ranging from your standard stuff to some more adventurous options. Big portions. Quick, friendly service. Lots of windows so good natural light and an open feel. Easy parking. Priced reasonably. All the seasonings. A good option if you're looking for a quality meal and you're in the market for some serious comfort food. If you're in this area don't second guess it.

The food is pretty good and they offer meat and veggies as well as other menu items. The service…read morewas friendly and prompt. My only complaint is the prices on their drinks. $5 for a large tea. It's 32 oz and seems high for little more than a cup of sugar water also if you get bread with your meal don't get the corn bread. As a true southern boy I know good cornbread and they don't have any. For my plate which consisted of beef tips mash potatoes and peas, large drink it was right at $18. The portions are large so maybe it's not such a bad price, and if you drink water it's not bad at all.