Groovy Southern food meets refined semi-upscale downtown. What do we get?…read moreBreaded okra. Kiss my grits, but we aren't always talking BBQ when we're in the South. I've had me some soul food in Mississippi and 'Bama, though at a fraction of the price you get up North. Look, it's a Montclair thing. Pluses: Black owned restaurant serving cultural staples, plus foods for people who don't want Southern. Ambiance featured soul music, and at one point was playing Shaft! I can dig it. You're not left wanting for food quantity or quality. Plenty of shrimp in the grits, for example. Server was very pleasant to talk to with a little Southern twang to her voice. Why not five stars: Flavor needs deepening. For example, in the South I'm used to seeing okra chopped and breaded before being fried. Maybe more oily that way, more carbs... but more flavor as a result. I had the pulled chicken mac, which was a bit smaller of a dish overall (a bit intentional on my part) - and while the cheese flavors run deep, the meat did not. Shrimp and grits, I took a quick sample of my friend's grits and... I bet you can guess my finding there. Still, a very nice change from the usual Northern selection of foods. I would not hesitate to say Sweet T's is authentic and a nice visit if you're in town. You'll be paying a pretty penny wherever you eat, so you can tag this one on your list.

Amazing top tier dinner here for my bday. This place checked off all the boxes. Quality food and…read moregreat customer experience, and most importantly BLACK owned. love supporting my people. Keep up the great work! Amazing ambiance.

My first time eating at Beyond Soul through Uber Eats and it was fantastic!…read more The food was excellent! Everything was prepared perfectly! It was pricey but worth it (not enough food for leftovers). Even with a delivery service, I received my food quickly. I'll definitely be ordering from here again.

Beyond Soul has returned to Newark. She never disappoints on flavor or portion size…read more Great customer service... she currently on Seventh Ave, Newark by Family Dollar and across the street from the Colonade apartments. Located in the back of another business, it is clean you can order online or in the store. This is a to go only.

Ambiance : decor is very modern art deco features local artists paintings but could use more…read morecleaning Service: the greeting was very welcoming but however being served was not organized i was seated before someone but they order was taken before me. Food: chicken was very good and flavorful, grilled cheese was good and toasted golden brown. Waffles were bland thick and hard to swallow even with syrup still bland . The worst thing about my whole meal was my drink there was something floating in the bottom of my drink that no one could identify.

Let me start out by saying, we've been coming here for years and used to love their food. But after…read moreour last visit, we won't be back. As we entered the restaurant, the floors were "crunchy", sticky and tacky. I assume they mopped the dining room with the same mop they use to clean the greasy floors in the kitchen. They don't have high chairs, So we spent most of the time with our toddler in our lap. The sweet tea tasted off, sour almost. Had to give it back to the server because I couldn't stomach it. Had my husband taste it, and he immediately agreed that something was wrong with it. The plastic utensils were such a turn off. We're dining in, is it too much of a hassle to give your customers actual silverware?? Got fish and grits. Potatoes, toast and eggs. Honestly, the only flavorful item on my plate was the potatoes and eggs. Was upcharged to add cheese to my grits, but the cheese never melted. Pre shredded bagged cheese is what they have on hand it seems. My husband ordered shrimp and grits and asked for a side of eggs, but that arrived 15 minutes after we all received our food. Not sure why it took so long so cook up 2 eggs for him. He was also disappointed in his brunch. It was obvious they used frozen bagged shrimp. Probably the 26-30/lb because the shrimp were really small and had the nerve to be overcooked. Workers just seemed disheveled. Not sure what happened to Vondas but it fell off for sure. We're not from Newark and would travel here for years. Not anymore. This is the end of an era, definitely won't be back. Absolutely don't recommend.

I live in the area and have come here a few times. The food is pricey. I will say that. But the…read morestar for me is smoked turkey. It's so flavorful and juicy. The drinks were good as well. I'd go back

Food and drinks are pretty good here and they have a nice happy hour. The location is a little…read morerough but the inside very nice, rustic gaslight farmhouse kind of feel. Bartenders are cool here.

Tried this spot randomly and actually enjoyed it. I had the wings, mac and collards greens. I love…read morehow they fried the chicken wings hard. And the mac and cheese was not bad. I would try it again.

Was craving fish today so I dec I decided to order from this establishment today to support a local…read morebusiness, but the experience was deeply disappointing. I ordered three fish dinners; not only were the portions incredibly small--one piece wasn't even half a fillet--but the fish was old and inedible. The texture was so hard it was clear the food had either been sitting out for a long time or was refried. Beyond the food, the service was unacceptable. My drink was missing, and when I called to resolve it, I was put on hold five separate times, waiting over 10 minutes each time. When I finally spoke to a host, she hung up on me mid-explanation. Subsequent calls went straight to an 'unavailable' recording. As a culinary student, I make it a point to support Black-owned businesses, but great food must be matched by great hospitality. There was zero customer service or problem-solving here. This experience has only motivated me more to ensure that when I open my own doors, my guests receive amazing food paired with the high level of service they deserve. I will be seeking a full refund for the money lost on this inedible meal.

Cousin Mo and The Weekend Spot never disappoints me! I moved to Atlanta and when I come back home,…read moreI try to get to The Weekend Spot!!! Since I have already done a review, I'll just share that I'm so glad they are still here! I can go back to Atlanta with a full stomach! Ha! Again, the Caramel Chocolate Crunch Cake will make you slap yo mama!! So I ate mine before I got back to her!!! We ordered Smothered Turkey Wings, Stew Beef, and Kettle Fried Chicken! Sides included mashed potatoes, corn souffle, yellow rice, Gaelic string beans, mixed veggies, and mac 'n cheese! Dessert: Cheesecake w/ Raspberry Drizzle and Caramel Chocolate Crunch Cake!

We were looking for Puerto Rican food in the area and saw this option. We couldn't have been more…read morepleasantly surprised! We were intrigued by the 'Rico Soul' cuisine and it was delicious! The owner of the restaurant was not only friendly but very accommodating. In addition to our order, this restaurant was putting out catering orders and more walk ins like us. I highly recommend anyone looking for something both Latin and Soul food - home cooking at its best...made and served with lots of love! Notable were the greens, cornbread, Pollo Guisado, potato salad and the Arroz con Gandules. Take out only.

We were looking for a quick dinner before watching a show at the NJPAC and the chef/owner…read moregraciously acquired us a table - by chance! Chef Kai was super welcoming and engaged in convo with us, including with our 8yo daughter - he set the tone for a cozy dining experience that felt like we had entered his home. Everything was fresh, quality, and obviously made with TLC. The dipping sauces were each characteristically delish and I loved that they gave all of them at once so we could try them all. Best ground chicken burger I've had - juicy and worked well with the brioche bun. The oxtail burger was super flavorful and tender. Next time I need to try the shrimp burger. I went with the side of sweet potato tots and oxtail gravy, and it was the best tots I've had especially in the gravy - again, quality and fresh. The pink lemonade was perfection - fresh lemons, real sugar, and not overly sweet at all and check out the container it comes in! Plus lollipops with the check - such a cute added touch. The location is in a park, walking distance from the NJ Pac and train stop. If we had more time (and could take a to go bag with us) we would've absolutely ordered wings and tried another burger - so that'll be for next time! Love having this kind of dining experience in NJ and supporting a community gem like Chef Kai!

I really wanted to support this restaurant, but unfortunately our experience left us feeling…read moreuncomfortable. When we arrived, the owner/chef told us the wait would be about 10-15 minutes. Shortly after, another couple came in and were told about 20 minutes. We were the only two parties waiting. When a table opened, the waitress began seating us, and the chef stopped her and asked the other (AA) couple if they were there first. He then told the gentleman, "I see you with family, and I'm not trying to start any problems." This was said while we were literally being seated, and nothing was said to us. It put us in an awkward and embarrassing position, as we would never intentionally skip ahead of anyone. As a Hispanic couple, the interaction also left us wondering if we were being treated differently, even if that wasn't the intention. Then the drink order added to the frustration. I ordered a hibiscus lemonade and my boyfriend ordered a regular lemonade. The waitress repeated it back incorrectly as strawberry, and I corrected her. About 10 minutes later she brought a strawberry lemonade anyway. When I said that wasn't what I ordered, the chef took the drink and handed it to the other couple who had just ordered a strawberry lemonade , saying it was freshly made and "they didn't want it." That was uncomfortable because I never ordered strawberry to begin with. Overall, the interaction felt dismissive and awkward. Mistakes happen, but the way this was handled -- especially the comments made -- left us feeling unwelcome. I hope this feedback helps improve communication and customer experience moving forward.

The place was packed, got the fish with collards and mac and cheese. Everything was perfect. The…read morecheese wasn't as cheesy as some of their social media posts, but it was good.

Food was delicious service well respected location convenient…read moreate there for the first time and willing to visit again

First time here and they did NOT disappoint!!!…read more I got the 2 piece dark meat chicken with a side and cornbread ...went with potato salad and added some candied yams on the side. Everything was sooo good, no complaints at all! The food was on point and the place itself was nice, clean, and had a really cute vibe. Definitely coming back!!!

There's home-cooked style soul food, and then there's cafeteria-style soul food. If you really grew…read moreup on soul food, you know exactly what I mean. Cornbread falls into that cafeteria-style category for me. We went on a Friday night and the restaurant was completely empty. I ordered the three-piece fried chicken with potato salad and cabbage. My friend had the oxtail with yams and collard greens. The fried chicken was flavorful and tasty, though I could tell it wasn't freshly fried--barely warm and not crispy, again, cafeteria style. The potato salad was really good and probably the highlight of my meal. The cabbage, however, had more onions and peppers than cabbage, which wasn't great. The cornbread itself was delicious but barely warm. I imagine it's really good straight out of the oven, but that's not what we were served. My friend did enjoy the oxtail. The collard greens were sweet but still good, and the yams were pretty decent. We ordered a peach cobbler to go because it sounded good, but once I got home it was very disappointing. The dough was barely cooked, and I could still see flour. If I had eaten it at the restaurant, I definitely would've sent it back. Service was great. The staff was friendly, we ordered at the counter, and they brought the food to our table. The space is small but has just enough seating. We were lucky to find on-street parking since we went late on a Friday night. They accept cash and all major credit cards. One small note: there are no bottled hot sauces, just small no-name packets, which weren't the best. We also had the sweet tea, which had a strange flavor--possibly honey--but it wasn't what I expected and I was no where near impressed. If you're expecting southern sweet tea, that's not what they have here. Pricing felt a little high for what's offered. Two dinners, two iced teas, and a very small peach cobbler to go cost us almost $70! Overall, decent food and friendly service, but for the price, I expected more of that true home-cooked soul food experience.

David the bartender and Maggie the hostess made the entire experience exceptional. From the moment…read morewe walked in, Maggie was warm, welcoming, and incredibly attentive! She set the tone right away with her friendly energy and made sure we were seated quickly. At the bar, David was just as impressive. Not only were his drinks perfectly made, but he was engaging, professional (and funny), and clearly passionate about what he does. He struck the perfect balance between being attentive and giving space, and his recommendations were spot-on. Together, they created a great atmosphere that felt both fun and well-run. It's rare to find service this seamless; definitely a place I'd come back to because of them. Thank you!!!! :)

Surprisingly- so freaking good for a touristy spot. The…read moredrinks are STRONG. The food comes out super fast. Multiple employees are ensuring your waters are filled and plates cleared asap. Fast and efficient. The shrimp and grits were so savory and cheesy- the kind of craving you can't stop eating when you're full. Great brunch spot. Come early to wait less. Once it gets busy there's a line and no where to wait inside.