I drive from Stockton Ca to this old school joint. Everything is good here! Chef Paul is a hands on owner and does not mind giving samples and talking about good old fashioned stuff. read more

look no further this is the best place to grab a real plate of southern food Service was quick and accurate, food was also quick and delicious read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

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If there is a part of downtown Fresno you have never had a reason to visit, Chef Paul's Cafe in Chinatown is the reason. I have been several times, and every visit has asked nothing of me except an appetite. Chef Paul Pearson owns the place and cooks the food, and everything that comes out of his kitchen is the best version of whatever you ordered. The neighborhood is older than most of what surrounds it. Fresno was founded in 1872 as a railroad town, and Chinese residents were pushed to the west side of the tracks, where Chinatown grew into a district of shops, hotels, theaters, restaurants, and service businesses. When the county seat moved here in 1874, Chinese residents made up 200 of the town's 600 people. Urban renewal in the 1960s took businesses, residents, and historic buildings, and decades of neglect followed. This was a place people went to on purpose long before it became a place people forgot to go. That is the ground Chef Paul's stands on. As legend has it, Chef Paul started in catering and opened the restaurant after someone bet him $1,000 that he couldn't keep a restaurant afloat in Chinatown. He is still here, which settles the bet in my book. When the Fresno Bee asked readers to name their favorite Black-owned places to eat and drink for Black History Month, Chef Paul's took 80 percent of the vote, and the paper notes it made BuzzFeed's national list of 30 must-try Black-owned restaurants. The better endorsement is a room full of regulars. Start with the fried chicken, because everything else does. The skin is seasoned all the way through, not dusted on the surface, and it crunches with exactly the resistance you want before giving way to meat that is still juicy. A 2022 ABC30 profile says Chef Paul brines the birds for 24 hours in salt, sugar, and peppercorns, and that the recipe belongs to his wife, Pinky. That patience shows. The chicken does not need a sauce and does not ask for one, though no one would begrudge you a dab of hot sauce. I recently ate at Gus' Fried Chicken in New Orleans, one of that city's most popular fried chicken restaurants. Gus' is very good, which makes this awkward. The two styles differ a little, and Chef Paul's is better. The crunch lands in the right spot, the spice mix is genuinely exceptional, and, don't tell anyone I said this, it's also better than my grandmother's. She has passed away, and I am relieved she isn't around to hear me say it, because she would have considered it blasphemy. My wife and I ate this visit, and we both ordered the fried chicken with mac and cheese. One of us added the chili beans, the other the yams. Each side made a strong case for itself, I never found a weak spot anywhere on the table, and the chicken won anyway. The room looks like an old greasy spoon, though I can't say what business it was before. An abandoned ice cream cooler sits just inside the door, retired from ice cream and reassigned to Chef Paul's signs. The lunch counter is a ruin of its former self, half the stools stripped down to their bases and a few very old ones left standing. The restaurant is long and narrow, with a few tables along the right side and the kitchen right behind the counter in full view of the dining room. It is laid back, and the crowd is regulars. The fried chicken plate is four pieces of chicken, two sides, and cornbread for $24. Some people will call that pricey, and then the plate arrives. Between the two of us, that was eight pieces of chicken, four sides, and two orders of cornbread, and every bit of it was cooked with the same care as the chicken that earned the trip. With crunch and seasoning like that, sides that each made their own case, and all for $24 a head? That is a bargain by any measure I know. So here is the pitch. Chinatown is not where many people think to go for dinner, and that stops mattering the moment you walk in. It is a destination, and Chef Paul's is one of the best restaurants in the city. Go see for yourself, because I will be back several more times. read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

First time here, the staff was friendly, the guests and the staff had a good relationship, seem to be regulars and I loved that. I was recommended chicken and waffles, so I ordered that but also with the side of Mac n cheese & greens. Chicken: was crispy, crunchy and oh so delicious Waffles: it was good, freshly made Mac n cheese: it was good as well, a little crunchy & dry but still good (not the best I've had) Greens: first time trying them, idk if it's supposed to taste bitter but not my favorite Sweet tea: did not go wrong, I loved the sweet tea I did get a peach cobbler to go, have not tried it yet. I'm too full lol read more

This is seriously some of the best food I've ever had. Staff was friendly, courteous, and helped us make selections. The ambiance was lively and comfortable. I would eat this food anytime of day, any day of the week. It was sooooo good. I ate the braised beef short rib but also tried the fried chicken, collard greens, green beans, and yams. Each item was special and popped with flavor. Beef fell off the bone. Chicken was somehow crunchy but also soft and easy to eat. read more

The definition of hole in the wall. You'd probably pass right by this spot if you weren't looking out for it. Luckily, I heard tremendous things leading up to my visit, so I finally made an effort to try it for myself. Let me just start out by saying: This is as good as soul food gets. There's a reason Joe Rogan shouted this spot out on his podcast several years ago. My group was immediately greeted by Chef Paul himself upon our arrival. He sat us down and got our drinks going right away. Another lady then took our orders. They had a Lamb Shank special going, so I decided to snag their last one of the day. We did wait a little while for the food, but it was well worth it. You can tell they put a lot of effort into bringing out fresh and flavorful plates for their customers! The Lamb came out glazed in thick, flavorful sauce and topped with parsley and onion. It was phenomenal. I didn't realize one could make Lamb taste THAT good. It was super flavorful and moist, and I wish they could keep it as a staple on their menu. My sides were Braised Cabbage, Chili Beans, and Cornbread. They all tasted great, but the Chili Beans really stood out for me. I love how they had a little kick that really upped the flavor profile. My grandma got the Fried Chicken with Potato Salad, Collard Greens, and Cornbread while my brother went with another special of the day: Turkey Wings and Cornbread Stuffing with Gravy and Mac & Cheese on the side. There were ZERO complaints among us. Every single one of our orders were exceptional. Chef Paul was attentive to every table in the restaurant, and he was constantly checking on us to see if we needed anything. I can now see why this restaurant gets so much praise. Chef Paul does it right! Thank you for such a delightful meal. read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - Lamb Shank with Chili Beans, Braised Cabbage, and Cornbread - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

Very unsuspecting hole in the wall type of place from the outside, but the inside is very warm and welcoming! Staff is very kind and Chef Paul greeted all the customers that came in! I'm not too close to Fresno but would recommend this to anyone who is in the area. I would make it a point to come back again if I were in the area for sure! My husband got the chicken and waffles while I ordered one of their specials of the day - rib tips. I got mashed potatoes and macaroni on the side (they were delicious but definitely regretted not trying other sides). The rib tips were perfect, smokey and tender. The fried chicken was sooo crispy and juicy. I do prefer crispier waffles, but it still went well with the very crispy chicken. The portions are plentiful, I had enough for a second meal. read more

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Whole town soul food was good. Service was right there very good and the ambience was old-school laid-back country country country, and Fresno. read more

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Well, this is THE chicken place this side of Humboldt, TN, with all due respect to my Grandmother . The fried chicken is breaded, but not too much, fried all the way to the bone, but not burnt, & flavorful. In a word, delicious. The Mac N Cheese is baked & hot & tasty. My wife really liked the Collards & enjoyed her chicken thighs. Servers are very attentive. This place is really small & the ambiance is Dayton, OH funk (think Roger & Lakeside) which made this former Gem City resident happy. They only have a few tables so most of their business seems to be take out. Everything is cooled to order so there is a wait, but it is well worth it. I will be back to try the catfish. 5-stars read more

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Great crepes! Breakfast was delicious. Tried pastries also which were fabulous! Can't wait to return! Service great! A bit noisy in dining room. read more

Hours are hard to work with but do able It's a hole in the wall that may make you reevaluate if finding parking is worth your life to a get plate.. it is, eat the biscuits and fried chicken, bombskies Try as many times but at least once in your central Valley life time read more

This was my first time trying the food at Chef Paul's. Location was in downtown. I came with a group of coworkers. The staff was excellent and helpful with any questions. I ordered the tri tip sandwich with mashers and chili. I would say the tri tip sandwich was okay. I did try others meals and I definitely would order a different meal next time. I will be back to try something else. read more

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Unfortunately...I took NO pictures!! Ugh! But every...single...thing was DELISH!! Quite possibly the best fried chicken I've ever had in over 40 ish years+ years of living!!! Soooo good! And the fried green tomatoes!!!! YUM!!!! Go go go!!!! Taking Carmel cake home for later! I can't wait!!!!!! read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - Chef Paul's Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

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Chef Paul's is located in a historic building in Fresno's Chinatown. We stopped by for lunch on the way to Yosemite. Fried catfish was coated in a crunchy cornmeal batter. Catfish was tender, flaky and moist. Very good tasting fish. I'd prefer the batter was a little thinner so more of the delicious catfish flavor came through. Fries had a crispy outer layer and delicious fried potato flavor. Fried chicken had crispy batter and skin with a tasty fried chicken flavor. Lightly seasoned with salt you can really taste the chicken. This visit I got to meet Chef Paul, a very nice gentleman who took the time to warmly greet his guests. Great tasting food and hospitality at Chef Paul's. read more

Small hole in the wall type of shop, it's old school and classic. We went with a large group, it was early so people were there from church. The food and the workers great. We really enjoyed the bbq ribs, fried chicken and the corn bread! Everything is well flavored and the portions are good as well. read more

Definitely in a run down part of town/building and it's in a VERY SKETCHY neighborhood. BUT the food was MOUTH WATERING. Didn't know what to expect since I was recommended by a friend to come here but great reviews and an AMAZING experience all around. Came in for lunch on Saturday and got seated right away. The service was just incredible. Server explained the menu. And some off menu items they had for the day, friend ordered the lamb chop and for me classic fried chicken with the two sides. This was some real good comfort soul food. The seasoning and the crisp on the chicken was immaculate!! The sides were very tasty and I LOVED the green beans and Mac and cheese. Service was the best I've ever had, drinks constantly refilled, staff came around multiple times to check if we were doing okay, even the owner came out to say hi! What a great experience, hospitality, and some great food. I definitely recommend checking it out if you're thinking about it. I'm definitely coming back next time I'm in town. read more

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I felt really at home right when I walked in :) we went here for me and my coworker's birthday lunch. I've always wanted to eat there and I'm glad I got to experience it. All the staff were friendly and accommodating :) I loved the ambiance and wished that every restaurant was like this in Fresno. I ordered the fried chicken, potato salad and mac and cheese. It also came with cornbread. This could've been easily shared between 2 people. There were 4 pieces of chicken and the skin was good and crispy on all on them. The thigh and leg definitely had more flavor than the other 2. Now the potato salad and mac and cheese is something I would get again as sides. I will definitely be back to try their fish and oxtails:) read more

Amazing food! Outstanding service! Some of the best southern soul food I've had in my life. You must eat here. You walk in the door you know it's gonna be amazing. So much love in their food! Thank you Chef Paul! read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - Fried chicken plate with collard greens and yams. Mmmmmmmm - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

My first visit was around this time last year. We were passing through the area and stopped by for lunch. Impressed by their food we vowed to return on our next trip. This visit I ordered the meatloaf with mashed potatoes, gravy and sweet potatoes. Wow, just phenomenal. The rich, layered flavor of the gravy was so good I just wanted more. The meatloaf and mashed potatoes were delicious all by themselves, but elevated by the gravy. The sweet potatoes rounded out the meal and paired well with the meatloaf. Needless to say I finished my whole plate! We were fortunate enough to meet Chef Paul this visit. He's really a genuine nice guy. So next time your hungry and in the area I definitely recommend stopping in! This area is undergoing a revitalization. I noticed sidewalks undergoing re-pavement and many buildings with new paint jobs, including murals. It's nice to see. read more

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We drove an hour to eat here from Atwater and it was well worth it! Fried chicken was the best. We also had the catfish and it was delicious, as well. Our favorite: fried green tomatoes and okra for appetizers. The sauce was awesome. 5 stars! The sides: collard greens were very salty for my taste but full of flavor. Rice pilaf was flavorful but was also salty. Sweet potatoes were perfect. Corn bread was just ok. 4 start. We met Chef Paul himself. He was nice and very funny! The restaurant is small so there will be a wait. We got there around 2pm so we didn't have to wait too long. Maybe just 20 mins. We'll be back for sure if we're back on that side again. read more

This is our go to lately!! We love it. Best fried chicken in Fresno. The pork ribs are fire. We always get the bbq combo and add on chicken. So we can share and have some of everything. The owner has an amazing business here. I love the music they play in the background and it's not too loud so you can still enjoy the company you bring. Staff is also very kind. Closest I can get to my grandmas food in a business. read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

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I've been to Chef Paul's a handful of times now, and it's HANDS DOWN, the best soul food restaurant you'll find in Fresno! Their fried chicken is bomb!! Crispy and well seasoned on the outside but juicy inside! Fried okra and fried green tomatoes also are amazing to share with the table. Servers and staff are super friendly and you can tell they enjoy working there. Chef Paul is usually hanging out and stops by tables to say hello. The restaurant itself is small but has larger tables. Which are needed when you order so much food! The hot link is delicious as well, definitely get the after kick of spiciness, but doesn't overwhelm! And the chili beans have deep flavor to them! Would recommend Chef Paul's to anyone looking for some good old-fashioned soul food! read more

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The environment is very relax. Everyone is nice and friendly. We ordered the chef gumbo seafood special and 3 wings and waffles. Everything came out yummy! The owner is hospitable and the food is like a warm home cooked meal. I highly recommend trying them out. read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - Fried Chicken and Waffle - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

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Writing this on behalf of my father, who recently discovered Chef Paul's and has talked about it almost daily since his visit. My dad travels around the Central Valley for work and was told about Chef Paul's while visiting a client in Tulare. He decided to go and give it a try for lunch. He had a fried chicken plate with 2 sides, and he took some chili and cornbread home to my mom. My dad isn't someone who tries new food often, and when he does, he usually regrets that decision. But Chef Paul's has gained a new customer in him, and I can't wait to join my dad on his next visit! read more

This place is a lovely hole in the wall restaurant - in all the best ways. I can't believe it took me this long to try it. We were a party of 7 and were able to be seated right away. Service was good, ambiance was funky - from funk playing low on whatever sound system they have, to being greeted as we walked in by a friend I haven't seen in a number of years, at the door - it seems he's a regular. I had the fried snapper sandwich with sides of Mac & cheese and grits, and an add-on of a fried chicken thigh. The sandwich was fabulous and the sauce on it had just the right amount of bite to it. The table has a huge selection of hot sauces on it. Others had the veggie cheesesteak sandwich, and a Po' Boy. The most homespun meal was my friend's Meatloaf with sides of green beans and mashed potatoes with gravy. Next time it is the Ox Tails (sold out yesterday) and the ribs. I understand their lamb shank is delicious, too. read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - Mac & Cheese, the other half of my Fried Snapper Sandwich, Fried Chicken Thigh, Grits, and more sauce for the sandwich. - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

Old School Amazing fried chicken. I'm a big fan. The sides where great the collard greens where perfect. read more

If you want amazing mac & cheese and mashed potatoes for whatever catered event gathering or party you've got going on, this is where you want to pick those items up from. Always a crowd pleaser. Always delicious. read more

We've enjoyed Mr Paul's cafe and his catering service as well. Both provided excellent food for us to experience. Peace. Nora and. Mike read more

This place is AMAZING!!!!! Food and the service and the feel there was just the best. We will be back. Get the Ox Tail and fried chicken and any sides. Everything is soooooo good. And they have sweet tea and kool aid!!!! read more

We drove 2 hrs to eat at this restaurant got there 30 Min before closing to get a we only doing to go orders with a attitude.

This food was great! The people running it were so considerate and nice to us. The food was really good. And the ambiance really felt like this restaurant had been there for a WHILE. I felt like I was transported back into the past. I really liked the vibes. I'll definitely be coming back here. They're so nice read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - Smothered Chicken - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

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This place is amazing!! The staff welcoming and the service was top notch. Everyone checked on us several times. The food! Where do I begin?! We had the bbq combo, with beans and cabbage. Then the bbq combo with greens and mac n cheese. Peach cobbler for dessert. The sweet tea was so good. The food is so delicious!! We even took a fried chicken combo and seafood gumbo to go. This place is clean and inviting. You definitely won't be disappointed with any thing you decide to order. We will be back very soon!! read more

Love chef pauls service is great, everybody is lovely. its nice and clean and cozy inside with some cool murals and the food is great too i get fried fish, rice pilaf, and collard greens and it's perfect every time read more

I really wanted to like this place..... Fried chicken was cold very cold. Dry and no flavor. Had to add hot sauce. Mac n cheeses was delicious. Mashed potato was ok. Hot link sandwich was not hot at all . Fries were good. All in all 5/10 read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - Fried chicken - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

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It's been a long time comin! Finally giving them my review. Hate that this particular experience I'm deducting a star. Because this place is deserving of all five stars. I used to come here a lot when I lived closer, and they were really really good. Not sure why this day, the food didn't taste like how I remembered it. I mean they have some really really good soul food!! I used to remember seeing a whole family working there with a teen behind the register too or picking up the phone to take the orders. The place seems different than before. Although it still looks the same.. the food on this particular day was not hittin. I wanted oxtails and my dumb self didn't notice that it was just oxtails and gravy. No rice with it.. so that was already something I didn't like. But that's my fault. The lady told me they ran out of oxtails, but Chef Paul said they only had smaller ones in the back.. and it was up to me if I wanted it still or not. Dammit I should've said no lmao. But I really wanted oxtails so I said yes to make them anyway. So again, my fault if it wasn't to my liking. For my sides I got greens and potato salad. My bf got a tri tip plate with greens and Mac and cheese. And we both got corn bread. We also got peach cobbler and shrimp & grits.. we got home and tried the food. The oxtails were small just like he told me, the gravy was just OK. The texture of the meat on the oxtails however wasn't as tender as I wanted it. And it didn't taste as good. The bigger pieces obviously are a lot better tasting but he didn't have anymore and I was told that.. for the price of the oxtail plate I probably wouldn't get it again since another place does it that's about same price but serves it with rice.. the greens I wasn't a huge fan of. It didn't really have any flavor. Just tasted like it was boiled greens and salt. Wasn't a fan of the potato salad either. It tasted like Cole slaw. Corn bread was also crumbly. My bfs plate however he said the tri tip was good. And the Mac n cheese was good but didn't care for the greens neither. Tri tip was on the smaller portion tho. U can tell it's three long tri tip strips but they just cut them in half to make it six pieces. The best thing out of our order was the peach cobbler and shrimp and grits. Both of those was delicious! I've tried their chicken and waffles & fried fish plates before and those are also good. They also have specials of the day if you ask them. read more

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Chef Paul's is like no other! Incredible food prepared with love and an atmosphere of true joy and community. Come on down!! read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - BBQ plate with greens and braised cabbage and hot sauces galore!! - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

I've been trying to get down here for years. Glad I finally did. The fried chicken is 10 of 10. Only 1 block away from the Fresno Grizzlies baseball stadium too. read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - The fried chicken is 10 of 10 - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

Ok so check this out... I had surgery today and I ate at chef Paul's (again) literally yesterday... I was put to sleep and usually u don't have an issue but I felt like I was still awake during surgery! I must have been dreaming of the procedure or something? I asked the doctor was I awake I felt like I was still awake! He said no u went under pretty quick! He said does chef Paul's ring a bell? How about their greens!!!! this place is so good I was talking about it in my sleep! Definitely becoming a regular! Also happy birthday chef Paul my fiancé and i enjoyed ourselves again! I do have one honest complaint but I'm still giving u a five star! My cabbage was a bit too salty but I was able to send it back and get extra greens! Which are my fav! Thank you! read more

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My husband had the fried chicken and I had the fish. The food was tasty and cooked perfect. The wait was a bit long but the atmosphere and conversation made up for it! read more

I've probably reviewed Chef Paul before, but he deserves another one. The food is fire--consistently high quality with bold, unforgettable flavors. This place is truly one of Fresno's hidden gems. I could honestly drink the gravy on the okra and grits... it's that good. That dish is my go-to every single time, and it never misses. I can't wait for the hot sauce to be back in the tables. I'll be first in line to buy a case when those batches come back. read more

Chef Paul's Cafe - Okra and grits - Soul Food Near Me - Fresno, California

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