It is a great option for soul food! I enjoy the food there when I go. Today may be an option for me…read moreto go there after church services.

Went there Sunday. All four of us enjoyed our meals. The food was delicious. My daughter, sister…read moreand I came from the Bay Area to bring my 91 year old sister from Elk Grove there. I want to give a shout out to our server JC. She is fantastic! She reminded us of our cousin in Texas. Whenever we return we would love to sit at her table. Service with a smile and genuine laughter!

On our recent visit we stopped in to order takeout and got a family size gumbo, riblets, a side of…read moremac and cheese, a side of dressing, buttered hot water cornbread, and their version of an Arnold Palmer. We learned on our very first visit how good the gumbo is and it's become a must ever since. The people who work here are friendly and you can tell they have a lot of regulars who stop in for food. There's a gravel lot right next to the building and you can take your food to go or enjoy it there. Our food took about 15-20 minutes and then we took it home to enjoy. The portions are definitely fair for the price. They also pack everything well for the ride home. The gumbo is our favorite, it's flavorful and packed with protein like their sausage, chicken, and shrimp and has just a hint of spice. We tried their riblets for the first time and it was a generous portion and we really enjoyed the bbq sauce they used. The mac and cheese is good, but I like mine creamier. It does have a little spice which was nice. The dressing was packed with flavor and we were excited they offered this side because you don't see it everywhere. Their hot water cornbread is definitely something they're known for and is really good on its own or dipped into the gumbo. The Palmer here tastes like Brisk raspberry tea mixed with lemonade, and we really enjoy this twist on it. Overall this spot is a local gem and we love visiting.

​Wednesday, January 21, 2026, @ 11:54 AM: I walked into a restaurant called Tori's Place. One…read morecustomer was sitting at a table waiting for her order. ​It's a small, very interesting place! (I found this restaurant by accident on Google.) I decided to stand there and review the very clear appetizing menu, taking a moment to soak in this unusual eating spot. I enjoyed the uniqueness and creativity of the layout--you have to be here to understand it. Anyway, as I was standing there, I heard a very pleasant voice ask, "May I help you?" I reached up and turned up my "pretend" hearing aid to make sure I heard that voice coming from a professional Young Queen. It made me forget I was at a soul food establishment! Usually, I am greeted with rolling eyes, laziness, and--most of all--attitude. ​(See one of my old podcasts link below regarding my opinion on soul food restaurants on iHeartRadio): https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-david-mack-show-105280474/episode/lena-s-soul-food-in-oakland-ca-119449772/?cmp=android_share&sc=android_social_share&pr=false ​Back to my review: Her name is Victoria... like the Queen! ​I told Victoria I was looking at the menu, which has a very nice variety of soul food selections. Victoria asked me if I would like to sample the gumbo. ​Sure! ​Victoria came back with a small, teasing sample, and after tasting it, I told her, "SOLD!" Just from the taste of that gumbo, I knew my Mother's Spirit was back there doing the cooking. ​It was a very cold day, and I would have eaten there, but because of the layout, I ordered the family size to-go. The gumbo also comes with hot water cornbread. Victoria took my order, my payment, and advised me it would be ready in five minutes. I waited in my car. ​I came back in four minutes, and my order was already bagged and ready for pickup. I "suffered" during the hour-long drive home, smelling the aroma of that meal the whole way! ​Finally home, I opened the secure bag, filled to the top container, and took out the prize. The food presentation was excellent! I put the gumbo in a bowl, and it was still very hot. ​I then proceeded to taste my meal: ​Rice: Nice and fluffy! ​Chicken: Flavored perfectly. Soup ​Juice: Perfect. ​Prawns: Excellent. ​Sausage: Plump and sliced perfectly. ​All many other ingredients: Very tasty with a hint of spice. Note: ​There were no crab legs to make a mess (which I did NOT miss) and no slimy okra (which was great)! ​The sweet hot water cornbread was very buttery and looked like a thick pancake. I put mine in the toaster oven to warm it up and get it a little crisp. It was amazing! That gumbo not only warmed me up, but it also put me to sleep like a big baby! ​If this restaurant continues with the trajectory of this review (professional attitude, unique layout, and great menu items), they will be the "go-to" soul food spot on the 80! I wouldn't change a thing! ​I will return because I want to report on another food item I had my eye on before the gumbo sample! ​Go check out this spot and see the Young Queen Victoria! Make sure you tip her for great service (No Tax On Tips), just like I did! ​David Mack (Reviewer-in-Chief)

Excellent food and service. The gumbo tastes perfect catfish and fried chicken is to live for.read more

I am really glad that I finally dined in at Gumbo King. Our server was affable and welcoming. She…read moreprovided exceptional service and checked on us several times. The cornbread is probably the best I've had in the Sacramento area. It was not dry compared to similar establishments. The fried lobster with the Alfredo sauce is a must order. I enjoyed the Gumbo wings; however, I prefer it without the roux sauce. The Queen's gumbo was just okay. I've had better at other establishments. The flavor wasn't that great. The Queen's Betty chops were really good as I like fried pork chops. It had the right amount of crispness without being dry and difficult to chew. My favorite entree was the prince crab and shrimp. The sautéed seafood with the garlic sauce was delicious. I will dine in again, likely on a Sunday to try the ox tails.

A warm, welcoming spot with flavorful comfort food that keeps you coming back…read more Finally made it back to Sacramento for a post-op visit and had to stop here. I hadn't been since last summer and was happy to return. Parking can be a bit hectic, but once you're inside, the atmosphere makes up for it. It's a family-owned spot, and you can feel it right away -- everyone is kind, welcoming, and takes the time to check in on you. We came for breakfast, but they also offer lunch and barbecue options, so there's plenty to choose from depending on when you go. They've also expanded and now have a location in Elk Grove. I ordered the French toast plate, which came with thick-cut slices of bread, eggs, and bacon. The French toast was soft on the inside with a nice golden finish, full of flavor without being overly sweet. The eggs were well seasoned, and the bacon was cooked just right. BB ordered the cheeseburger with fries and a side of grits. The burger was juicy with grilled onions and melted cheese, and the fries had that crispy, beer-battered texture. Everything came out hot and satisfying. Overall, a great spot for comfort food with genuinely friendly service. Definitely planning to come back -- especially for the biscuits and gravy next time.

Went for breakfast with family. We got chicken and waffles with the breast. Kids chocolate chip…read morepancake. Eggs. Mashed potatoes. Chicken and waffles. Chicken was perfect. Moist. Seasoned perfectly. Comes with 2 waffles. They're thinner but it was great because it didn't over power the chicken. Chicken breast was big enough that we were able to split it and still be full asf. Kids chocolate chip pancakes was good too. Fresh and crispy edges. The fruit it comes with was a good amount. Nothing was wasted. Mashed potatoes were moist buttery and didn't need any gravy! Mac n cheese was good. Great option for kids.

I'm beginning not to like commerical Soul Food. I looked at their TikTok video and was convinced we…read moreneeded to try it. The hostess was very nice. The service was slow. I liked the N.O. Jazzy scenes. She gave us free slices of yellow watermelon. It was tasty. My fried ribs were dry and oversauced. The Mac & Cheese...no. The Greens...no. My wife had to ask for more fries because the ketchup that she put on them was sour. We looked at the bottom and almost all of the reddness was gone. The fish was rather good.

I saw this spot and just had to try it since Southern food is good for the soul…read more Fried chicken: A- Crispy batter and very well seasoned! Chicken comes out juicy and hot, I enjoyed it very much. (Fried) okra: B+ Haven't had fried okra before but it's a pretty enjoyable form to eat it. It doesn't really pull apart easily when you bite it but it has the same batter as the fried chicken, so very tasty. Mac n cheese: A This version of Mac n cheese is so good, you can definitely taste the hefty amounts of butter and cheese so your arteries may not thank you but your taste buds will!

"House of Soul" has been serving the City of Vallejo and the SF Bay Area since 1968. Any…read morerestaurant that has made it this long must have the winning formula of good food, service and value. I was in the Vallejo area, and saw House of Soul on Yelp. It was 1.5 miles away, but closing in less than an hour. I decided to go by and see it they were still serving. I wasn't really expecting much 45 mins before closing. I parked right in front, and saw they were cleaning up the dining room. So I asked the young lady if they were still open, and she said "Yes, c'mon in!" I ordered the fried chicken combo meal with mac 'n cheese and green beans. Total was $20.04. I thought it was funny that they price it at $20.04. It would actually look better if it was $19.99. How was the food? I was surprised. 35 mins before closing, and the fried chicken was still moist with a spicy heat to the flavor. The skin was lightly crisp. The mac 'n cheese was creamy. The green beans were just okay. The food was being kept in warmers. There's nothing wrong with keeping food in warmers as long as holding times are observed and proper temps are maintained. As I left both the young lady and the server thanked me for coming. Next time, I will have to return at around dinner time. Support Local Business in the SF Bay Area!

How on earth is this place closing? If another Black owner doesn't come in & save this place it…read morewill be a travesty! I'm finding it difficult to believe how there is anyone leaving a bad review here when everyone has been so kind & has been so hospitable from the time I made my call to see if they were open to the time I came in & asked if it was okay I parked where I did. The inside is so welcoming & warm along with the staff. This restaurant is just so sweet. I was so impressed because "this is how it should be." Let me just say this is absolutely what you would expect from a Black owned, southern soul restaurant. This is what family owned is ALL ABOUT. Smothered just the way my grandmother would have & greens as good as you could imagine. I had them from Sharkys & I knew that wasn't their specialty so when I found House of Soul, FINALLY!! It's breaking my heart to learn they're closing to move out of state. The way my heart is breaking to find out this so sad. Do you know how good this food is? Black eye pees & CORN BREAD? Whoever is on here saying this is dry or this is salty, took it home & let it set out or added too much to it because this is & will be one of the best spots this town has ever had. EVER. Inside & out. I only wish I had gotten to get down here sooner.

Whenever I can't get my Hmong food fix from HNY or make the trip home to visit my parents, I come…read morehere -- and it always hits the spot! The flavors are authentic and comforting, just like home-cooked meals. The prices are perfectly reasonable for the portions you get, and everything tastes fresh and made with care. I haven't tried the soul food yet, but when you see people lining up for it, you know it's good! The only downside is that they close at 5:30 PM, but Lue is awesome -- he'll gladly take your order over the phone and have it ready for pickup. Super convenient and great service!

The food is soooo good I be craving it! However, the wait…read moretimes can be out of hand- I've been late to class a few times waiting on my order- as well as the hours are ridiculous!! How you gon close at 5:30 pm??? And not be open on weekends? For shame.

Went for some fish, haven't been to JJs for years and thought I'd give it another shot. Customer…read moreservice was non existent, guy did not care about me obviously. He got my order wrong and over charged me. Vibe was dim, felt a bit depressing in there honestly. Ordered the jumbo shrimp and the Sole. Shrimp was good, Sole was horrendous. Banana pudding was obviously fake flavoring. Will NOT be returning ever again.

WHY WE WENT HERE: - dinner…read more THE LOOK (FROM THE OUTSIDE): - located on Fruitridge Rd in between Martin Luther King Jr Blvd and Mendocino Blvd (nearby the Chevron and Taqueria El Paisano) THE LOOK (FROM THE INSIDE): - very much a hole in the wall; smells good though! THE MENU: - JJ's special - fish orders - fish by the piece - fish combo - chicken orders - chicken by the piece - chicken combo - side orders - kid's meal - desserts - beverages WHAT WE ORDERED: - jumbo shrimp - chicken 4 piece thighs - chicken 3 thighs (legs were out) 3 wings combo - collard greens - red beans and rice THE TASTE: - all the food was HITTING for us (the fried stuff anyway) - collard greens and the red beans and rice were just OK - all the condiments were great too! first time personally seeing lemon juice packets! CUSTOMER SERVICE: - not the most bubbly personality, but got the job done

Chicken N Waffles and customer service was fantastic. I recommend anyone to try here and really…read moreworth it. There were plenty of food selections and portions were pretty decent size. convenient to shopping centers.

Chicken n waffles is better than IHOP and Dennys!…read more There are a ton of breakfast, lunch and dinner options and the staff are always sweet! I've been here twice so far, once on a Sunday morning and the other time a weekday morning. I've gotten the waffle breakfast both times and a mocha latte...both very yummy! If you are looking for a new breakfast spot, you've gotta check them out!

This restaurant was very delicious but they closed or relocated unexpectedly without notifying…read morecustomers. The had the restaurant then closed to only cater and now closed for good, it seems. They were very delicious. It's a bummer that they left and left without informing people.

I think I am in heaven!!!!! This food was cooked with love. Great tasting home cooking, seasoned…read moreperfectly. I had the smothered turkey wings, rice and gravy and cabbage. The only problem I had was I wish I had more turkey, instead of putting the turkey wing tip maybe use the whole turkey wing. Fry them turkey tips and sell them. Also, a bigger piece of cornbread. I also had the Carmel cake, that cake was so moist and buttery. They were out of peach cobbler but the cake was a better choice.