Delta's Is a Scam, Not a Restaurant
As a Black man who has spent years working in restaurants--from casual to fine dining--and someone who dines at mid to upscale establishments almost every weekend, I have to say: this place is truly offensive.
Where to even start?
The Good
The décor is nice. The service is acceptable. That's it.
The Bad
The pricing at Delta's is beyond unjustifiable--it's predatory. We're talking steakhouse prices for soul food without the quality, technique, or product to back it up. Here are just a few egregious examples:
* $26 for fried chicken and fries.
* $22 for cauliflower and grits.
* $16 for four ribs.
* $10 for a side of rice and gravy.
* $26 for a single piece of catfish with fries.
* $25 for two "jumbo lump" crab cakes--except they weren't jumbo, they weren't lump, and they weren't even good.
* $38 for four oxtails and grits.
* $28 for two turkey wings with rice and gravy.
* $20 just to share food with my child.
* $8 entertainment fee, as if overcharging on every plate wasn't enough.
These prices are insulting, and to make it worse, the food was completely unseasoned. That's not an opinion--it's a fact. The fried chicken was all batter, dry chicken. The lamb tasted like it came straight from the package to the broiler with no care, no technique, and definitely no flavor.
This Isn't Fine Dining--It's a Scam
Smearing a remoulade on a plate doesn't make you a fine dining establishment--especially when you have the nerve to charge extra for it. Fine dining isn't just about price; it's about craftsmanship, technique, and quality ingredients.
* When a steakhouse charges $100 for a dry-aged ribeye, it's because they held that product for 60+ days before making a profit. That's called justification.
* When an Italian restaurant prices a dish at $40, it's because the pasta is made from scratch, the sauce is a complex reduction with layers of flavor, and the chef has honed their craft for years. That's called justification.
* When a French restaurant meticulously prepares a dish using techniques passed down through generations, that's justification.
But soul food is poor food, period--and that's not an insult. It's the truth. Soul food was created out of survival, using the cheapest, most accessible ingredients to turn scraps into sustenance. You cannot suddenly slap high prices on it, call it "elevated," and expect people to buy in. That's not fine dining--that's hustling your own people.
The Problem With Black-Owned Restaurants Like Delta's
This is why people hesitate to support Black-owned restaurants. Don't blame racism. Don't claim, "Well, people will pay that much at a white restaurant." That's nonsense.
You ever see a high-end Mexican restaurant charging $40 for fajitas? No.
You ever see an upscale Indian spot selling vindaloo for $40? No.
Why? Because these cuisines, like soul food, come from struggle, and their communities respect that history. They know their audience. They price accordingly. They balance quality with accessibility.
Delta's, on the other hand, lacks something too many Black-owned restaurants fail to embrace:
Self-awareness.
Self-awareness of your product.
Self-awareness of your clientele.
Self-awareness of your competition.
This Is More Than a Bad Experience--It's a Bad Business Model
I don't leave negative reviews lightly. Check my profile--this might be the first one I've ever written. I worked in the industry for years. I understand that one bad night isn't enough to judge a restaurant. Everyone has off days.
But Delta's is different.
This isn't about one bad night. This is about a business model built on overcharging and underdelivering. The owners should be ashamed of themselves for what they're doing.
And for the first time, I'm saying it outright:
Do not support this establishment.
They don't deserve it. read more