Great meat & three type spot just across from the courthouse in Bessemer. Prices are super low and…read morethe food I had today was pretty good. Nothing too fancy, just hop in line, tell them what you'll have and they plate it up and bring your drink to you at the table. Everything looked pretty good. Meatloaf, grilled chicken, some greens, potatoes, mac and cheese, etc. I went with the country fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy with mac and cheese. It was the middle of lunchtime to everything was hot and fresh, and the white gravy was really good. They didn't have many desserts, just slices of cake by the register and by the time I saw those I was full and it was too late to make the bad decision to stuff myself with dessert. The people were friendly, the place was clean and tidy and the food was served in large portions especially given the price. If you're hungry and near this part of town, don't think twice. Head in and they'll hook you up with some gravy covered goodness and they'll do it for around 10 bucks. Not bad at all.

First time here but my sister and brother always eat here. I was advised that everything was good…read more Sunday afternoon, wasn't very crowded at all but it was a holiday weakened so this may be why. There appeared to be plenty of food on the steam table, however there were not a lot of selections. I picked up several to go plates which included the same vegetables collard greens and candied yams, ox tails and fried chicken. the cornbread was "hotwater cornbread" and was pretty good. The oxtails were absolutely delicious and they gave a nice helping. the yams were also excellent. a meat and 2 is around $12, oxtail and 2 veggies is around $24. I'm more than sure we'll be back.

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.

Found this place while looking for some soul food and I'm so happy that I did…read more This is down home, no frills, seat yourself, small batch, hand crafted, cafeteria style goodness at its finest. Each and every bite was absolutely delicious. When I went in there was just one woman working and it was after lunch and not particularly busy. From behind the counter she took and filled my order and handed it over. The peas, the mac & cheese, the hamburger steak...and the yams...the yams...all of it was amazing. Quick, easy, delicious, priced fairly...what else can you ask for? If you're in this area don't hesitate to give this place a shot.

Everything I ordered did not have any seasonings to it at all. Greens taste like water and…read moresmelt-tasted like fresh cut grass. This is not soul food. It was just food with no passion. No hairnet was worn. Dressing was not dressing, it was jiffy mix.

Outstanding food & service. Best soul food in the area. Can't be beat. Always fresh, carry all of…read morethe items of the south. Banana pudding homemade. Hate that it's only available once a week.

From the owner: Family owned and operated restaurant serving the Bessemer and surrounding area. Come and enjoy a…read morehome cooked meal while enjoying a friendly atmosphere. We offer a variety of foods specializing in good old fashioned southern soul food.

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!

excellent staffing up front. most helpful…read more most importantly our meal arrived fast and hot. not to mention good. don't miss the beef tart with jerk sauce or the gravy smothered pork chop.

My wife and I were in Birmingham for a couple of days. We read about Jake's Soul Food Cafe in…read moreHoover on Google and decided to give it a try. We're glad we did. My wife had Port of Spain's Curry Chicken and I had the Jamaican Jerk Chicken. Both were good and flavorful. The chicken was meaty, tender, and juicy. We both had "cabbage with soul" and fried sweet plantains for our sides. Both dishes came with sweet cornbread. The chicken was good, but the cabbage with soul and cornbread were the stars of the plate. Oh, man, that cabbage was mighty fine. We talked with the GM afterward and she said we have to try the Pork Chops with gravy and collards. When we make it back there one day we will do that. If you're in Hoover, give them a try.

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.

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.

I rarely give 5 stars, but consider this experience a STRONG 4.5, and highly recommending you to…read morevisit for a delicious plate of soul food (in California, our food is considered amazing if you slather avocado on bread and call it "chic," so I need food like this while on vacation). First off, the disclaimer. ONLY come here if you have time to kill. I don't mean that as an insult in anyway, but it took almost forty five minutes to get our food. The atmosphere is that you were invited into someone's house and they are cooking fresh food from scratch, and if you are patient, that is what you will enjoy. The staff was very friendly, made sure we were taken care of, and ALL said goodbye when we left. Now, then, onto the food. I wanted the traditional foods I can't get tasty anywhere else, and my plate was fried catfish, seasoned rice, cabbage, corn bread, and sweet tea. I am not a fan of super sweet things, so I was not fond of the tea. That is most likely my personal taste, and not a knock on their tea by any means. Catfish was hot, well-seasoned, and crispily battered. My wife (Southeast Asian), who cooks cabbage a lot and deliciously (love you babe!), has never made cabbage like this. It was some of the best cabbage I have ever had, and I did not know a side dish like cabbage could taste that good. The cornbread did not need butter, and I was munching on it on my way out the door. So, DEFINITELY eat here. Just be warned, this is where you go to take your time and enjoy the meal. If in a hurry, maybe come back a different day.

Food was good service was great. Haven't been here in a long time due to how slow the service was…read morebut it was extremely better this time and the lunch was great.

I can't believe that as many times I've been here - I haven't written a review! This is probably my…read morefavorite "meat & twos" in the city. As Bre likes to say, she's cooks with a twist! I got the Caribbean chicken (spicy & sweet), kale slaw & watermelon. In the summer she offers lighter fare. Bre is very personable - doesn't meet a stranger. Be careful of the desserts - guaranteed to affect your waistline! The facility is always clean & well lit. If you're ever on the west side, treat yourself to some Bre's!

My mom and I used to attend church in Bessemer, and Bre's was on our rotation of places to eat…read moreafter service. I haven't visited here in about 4 years before my mom passed. Mom would buy hundreds of dollars in gift certificates every Christmas for her church friends to enjoy a lunch or two on her. I remember the owner being super sweet and accommodating to my dear mother and her requests. Top notch customer service! As for the food, the rotation varied daily. Most of my visits were on Sundays, but I do remember a couple of trips during the week to try the lasagna, which was delicious. I really enjoyed the Mac and cheese, and Caribbean grilled pork chops. The desserts were great too, however I think I remember the owner partnering with another business to supply the cake slices, so the choices varies. The inside was always very clean and classy and pleasant to sit and enjoy your meal. I miss this place! I will visit soon to add some photos to my review.