The soul bowls at this location are extremely good! If you enjoy soul food it's fresh and it's…read morereally good! I order the bowls with the collard greens, sweet potatoes and chicken. At the bottom of the bowl there was a bed of rice. The soul roll was really good too!

Wanted to try something different while visiting CT for the weekend and we were not disappointed!…read more Tiny little take out place with super friendly service and a nice clean kitchen. I did the make your own bowl with sweet potatoes and collard greens with fried shrimp and soul rice. So flavorful and yummy! Ate the Soul Roll for a late night snack and that was really good too! Try this place out !

I recently visited Black-Eyed Sally's for lunch. It's been maybe a Decade since I've been, but I've…read moreprobably eaten there between 10 and 20 times. The space boasts cool Blues and New Orleans vibes. Only place I know in CT like it. Service was pretty good. There was a bit of a delay getting me started with water and a menu, even though it wasn't busy, but things went smoothly after that. My New Orleans Shrimp Po Boy was good. The shrimp were tender. The batter was a bit denser than I prefer, but good. I liked the shredded lettuce, pickles and zesty, creamy dressing. The bread was fresh. I don't remember any other places in CT presently doing Po Boys. So this is the place to get one. The Gumbo was OK. They got the blackened roux part right, but there really wasn't enough nuanced flavor. It could have used some fresh herbs. More salt. I would try something else next time. 3.5 Stars

It depends on the vibe you are looking for. We went to an after dinner vibe and it was old and…read moreslow! I know I'm not the youngest chicken but my girlfriend saw her church deaconess there. Now maybe that was just the night because there was definitely a live show happening. But we went in and came out. I can can't judge the food or drinks but it was definitely an older crowd vibe there.

Soul Food Sundayz is a hidden gem with family vibez & hospitality. The place is nice and very…read moreclean following all the new Covid rules. There is street parking and they have a ramp leading up to the door. Follow them on Instagram for daily specials and menu options . Pro Tip : order two meals, because your gonna want more later . I saw they had baked potatoes smothered with steak ,fried shrimp , cheese sauce & broccoli online so I had to come here and try it . They have jerked chicken to go ontop if you wanted ,basically anything you'd like. I don't know what seasonings they used for that steak ,but it was sooooooo good. Tender & flavorful I could have eaten that as a side alone . In the middle was a mound of cheese sauce with broccoli then golden fried shrimp on the other side. Great meal ! I also got a order of ribs and Mac n cheese . Totally worth it ,it tasted like a home cooked meal . Prices are right and worth the 30 min drive for me .

Great food and awesome vibes clean friendly and I loved the experience. Would recommend to anyoneread more

Meek's Heavenly Hands is a new Soul Food Restaurant in @itsallinberlin CT. They have classic mains…read morelike ribs, fried chicken and pork chops, and traditional sides like mac, collards, yams and cornbread. Loved the texture, meatiness and flavor of the Mango Habanero Fried Wings. The Collards were a couple steps above the norm. Very good Mac. The cornbread was moist and maybe had a good hint of cinnamon. Meek's is located in the Ferndale Plaza near the Berlin @seedeatsct . It's getting to be a Foodie Hot Spot over there. They offer takeout and have a few tables for dine in. More functional than fancy. I'll be back to explore. 4.5 Stars

Grabbed food to go, potato salad was excellent. The collard greens are spicy if you mind. The…read morechicken was still super crispy when I brought it home and has great seasoning throughout. One order is enough food for two people. Only minus one star because they didn't have Mac and cheese but I'll definitely be back to try it.

If you're in Hartford looking for the real deal soul food, don't let the neighborhood fool you--Hot…read morePots has the best soul food sides in the city, period. This isn't Lilly's or any of the other "soul food" spots people usually talk about; this is the closest you're going to get to the quality and taste of Sandra's in New Haven. While I can't speak to their proteins, their sides are a masterclass in flavor and soul. My pro move is simple: grab a 20-piece suicide wings from Paul's Ranch House just down the block and pair them with the sides of your choice from here. Dinner is served. It's a fast-food environment, not fine dining, but the taste is elite and fits the budget perfectly. If you want authentic sides that actually hit the mark, this is a mandatory stop.

my go to when I was a child and still might go to the fish is amazing. The food in general is…read moreamazing, and the vibes are always good.

Looks like they have a restaurant and food truck. Tried them for the first time at the food truck…read more Food was amazing. Tried the jerk salmon with rice and peas, yams and a side salad and also tried the mango habanero shrimp. Everything was amazing. Definitely visiting their restaurant next.

Visiting Carson's Kitchen was a pretty different experience…read more The entrance door is shared with a hair salon, so when you walk in, be sure you go to the left, because if you go to the right, you'll be inside Carlton's Barber Shop. The interior of Carson's is about as small as any restaurant I have ever seen. It has no tables, and a scant six chairs for take-out customers waiting for their food. It has a menu board with one of the smallest printed fonts I have ever seen. Really, you had better polish up your glasses if you want to read it. The ceramic tile on the wall looks like something out of a psychedelic acid trip. A real hypnotizing kaleidoscope of reds and oranges and yellows and whites. I picked up a small order of sweet chili shrimp with rice and peas and vegetables, and a side order of the Tangy Golden BBQ Wings. They were both pretty darned good! The shrimp order gave me 9 good size shrimp in a sweet and spicy sauce. They had plenty of flavor and were very, very good. The rice and peas were cooked well - not dry at all, but I thought they were kind of bland. They definitely were in need of some more sauce. I was very surprised at how good the side of vegetables was. Usually this is nothing more than shredded cabbage, but Carson's version was loaded with peas, carrots, green beans, red peppers, corn, and cabbage. The wings were great !! Seven beauties in a golden barbecue sauce that packed quite a sneaky wallop. If only that rice was served with some of that wing sauce, I'd have been super happy. Bottom Line? Nineteen bucks for the great wings, excellent shrimp, very good vegetables, and so-so rice. That's a definite A-OK.

I love Lilly's Soul Food! They always have great variety and even their standard offerings are…read morealways tasty. Service is very good and I appreciate the family vibe.

Love this place! As someone from South Carolina I am glad to find a place that tastes so much like…read morehome. The fried chicken is really spot on. The buffet style is reminiscent of home as well. Highly recommend.

My favorite location in New England hands down! The Food, drinks, vibes, and ambiance are all top…read moreof the line. Highly recommended within the community.

I came here for Sunday brunch for a birthday party. My one sentence review would be: Soulbaila is a…read moreclub that happens to have a fairly good restaurant. Their dress code is pretty much club wear, even in January. They are a bit more forgiving in the winter, because coats/not many people will wear stilettos with snow on the ground, but I saw plenty of bodycon dresses and jean/blazer/dress shoe combos on the men. It looks small from the outside but it's pretty spacious, there are a selection of small tables and white club couches in the front where the bar is, two unisex restrooms (which got SUPER filthy because people apparently don't know how to handle their liquor at 2pm on a Sunday) and then the back with the larger group tables and the "VIP" section with more white club couches. The music is pretty good, they play everything under the sun from the diaspora: Hiplife/Afro-beats, hip-hop/rap (mostly trap), R&B, reggae, even gospel and hip-hop remixes of gospel music. However, It is L O U D. As in, you can barely hear the person next to you without leaning uncomfortably close. As in, more than a few hair cells in your ears got damaged after dining here. As in, you can hear the party from down the block. I was genuinely surprised this place got zoned in residential neighborhood. Luckily, the food makes up for it. We had several things from their brunch menu (chicken and waffles, omelets, lobster mac and cheese, wings and fries, fish and chips, fish and grits, bottomless mimosas) and every item was a hit, no one left unsatisfied. Many people left with take away plates, so the portions are pretty generous. The prices are reasonable ($12-16/plate). As for vegan options, there are fries and a side of strawberries (sometimes you just have to make a meal of sides, ha). The fries were crispy and perfectly salted. I would have them again. If you are strict about cross contamination I probably wouldn't come here but I mean, you CAN eat. Would *I* come back again, probably not. But if you are looking for a good time with good food and also want to twerk a bit, Soulbaila has you covered.

I'm back! The restaurant is located on 389 Main St. in East Hartford, CT. It's been a few months…read moresince I was last here (December) which is a crime. Carmine's is a fresh from scratch kitchen that is ALWAYS open. Their appetizers, pastas, entrees and desserts combine old-world traditional Italian flavor with a modern flair for presentation, and the freshest ingredients around. Menu staples like rigatoni bolognese, fettuccine carbonara and chicken Milanese are coupled with unique recipes like chicken ala vodka and toasted almond cake. They've staffed the kitchen with a dream team of chefs and you can tell instantly! They also do parties, catering and online ordering/delivery. The restaurant is well known for its live music. There is never a cover and parking is always free. This place and produces absolutely amazing food and drinks. I have noticed quite a few menu changes. The Happy Hour menu has expanded. It's also no longer all day Monday. The main menu no longer has prices on featured drinks (although that's the tre d these days). Note that the Bar Bites menu is available open to close! The Main Menu looks the same although there is a new Wine List (that's a first here). The music is very pleasant and the right volume level. It's always a big cool in here too. For my first drink, I'm having a Pratt N Whiskey. This is made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, sweet vermouth, red wine and sour mix. It's definitely an unusual drink. It's not garnished, but it tastes great. The wine sticks out for sure. It's clearly a shaken drink not often found with a whiskey component except for maybe Whiskey Sours. For my first item, I'm having the House Salad made with spring mix, basil, tomatoes, julienned (thinly sliced) carrots, cucumbers and house red wine vinaigrette dressing. This is a big portion! I love this dressing! This tastes great! For my next item, I'm trying the Carmine's Secret Tenderloins. These are off of Carmine's "Secret Menu." They are pan seared, caramelized chicken tenderloins, made with wine, olive oil, cracked black pepper (dried black peppercorns broken into coarse, uneven pieces), kosher salt (a coarse, flaky salt named for its use in the Jewish koshering process of drawing blood from meat), shredded Parmesan and a very special "secret sauce." I'm curious as to what this sauce tastes like. Wow! Nice presentation! These are good! I love that sauce! There's a good crowd in here (20 people). Only one worker (bartender and server). She's damn good at what she does! For my next drink, I'm having a Connecticut Cosmo. This is made with Litchfield Vodka, Wild Moon Cranberry, Triple Sec and lime juice. This vodka is the Gold Medal Winner 2018 & 2019 at the New York International Spirits Competition. Silver Medal Winner at the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition!Our Gluten-Free Batchers' Vodka is distilled from luscious corn grown during the beautiful summer months in Somers, CT. We distill 4 ¾ times and use a gravity-fed charcoal filter that takes 12 hours to filter 100 gallons. The longer the vodka sits on the charcoal, the more impurities are removed, which creates an incredibly smooth taste. Bottled at 80 proof. It is impeccably clean, slightly sweet, velvety smooth mouthfeel and sweet buttery overtones. It's smooth with a warm finish with subtle notes of sweet ripe corn at the end. I actually sat down next to the owner of the Distillery at a wine pairing dinner at Flemings in West Hartford about 7-8 years ago. This looks nice! Wow! This has great flavor! For my next item, I'm having the Rigatoni Matinara. Rigatoni is a large, tube-shaped pasta with ridges on the outside and straight-cut ends. Marinara sauce is a tomato sauce usually made with tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions. I don't eat pasta all that often. This will serve as my appetizer before I hit the main course. This is a BIG portion! It is very good! For my entree I'm having the Pan Seared Salmon which is "hand cut" salmon with zesty orange glaze served over mashed potatoes with seasonal vegetables (broccoli). Add LOTS of crushed red pepper. Nod that's "LOTS." This is spicy! My kinda spicy! The plate is nice and hot! I like the presentation. This tastes great! What a great meal here!

I can't believe we were charged for bread - twice! We got a small half of a loaf (not even as big…read moreas a half grinder roll) and asked for more. Never have I ever paid for bread in a restaurant and we were asked if we wanted bread - no mention of we had to pay extra for it. Side salads are an extra charge too. If you get a chicken meal expect it to have a very charred taste to it. We found the food to be middle of the road and not very big portions considering we usually take food home from other places. There was a birthday party going on in the restaurant, not in a separate room. Not that it bothered us, but it was extremely loud in there and it seemed to bother the table next to us. Don't expect a quiet dinner in this place. Getting the attention of the waitress was impossible. I had to stand at the bar and wait to pay our bill. The party had the entrance blocked because they were filming and we had to exit through a side entrance, which didn't bother us, but not the best from a safety point of view. Do we recommend the place - no. Will we go back - no.

We ordered in with Chef Walt's for the second time and were just as pleased as the first time !…read moreFirst time we had jerk chicken Alfredo which was amazing . The plates are huge , flavorful , fresh , and HOT !

I wanted this to be a 5-star review so badly and must admit that this rating is mostly because of…read moreservice. We enjoy Chef Walt's Caribbean-inspired American dishes! My particular favorite is the Oxtail Alfredo, I can't even think about it too long before deciding that maybe I do deserve to treat my self! I've indulged in their salmon wrap, salmon alfredo and more. The food is always a large portion and the flavor never lacks. The service is often an issue. I've tried multiple times to call with inquiries for an event and just for takeout. More often than not my call is not answered and I've had to resort to ordering online. I'd prefer to order directly from the restaurant to save a bit but also directly support small business but this makes it difficult. If there were an easier way to communicate with the establishment it would be a 5-star experience without question.