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.

One of my favorite soul food spots. My favorites are the fried shrimp and fried salmon with mango…read morehabanero. The protein is made to order so it always comes out hot and crunchy. For sides I like the yellow rice, Mac and cheese, and corn on the cob. Sides can be hit or miss. Service is good but depending on the day and time, there's usually a long wait. Again, the protein is made to order so it can take a while if it's busy. I've waited 2 hours before. And even if you do call ahead, they probably won't answer. They're at a new location which has more space but there's no seating available (not a problem). Cashiers have always been friendly.

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.

Great food and service. Great variety. Timely service. Atmosphere very comfortable. Clean place.read more

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.

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'm back! Welcome to Carmine's! The restaurant is located on 389 Main St. in East Hartford. It's…read morecold in here! The temperature has got to be 55 degrees (the way Carmine likes it). I live the nice music in here. It's very livel! It's Happy Hour from 3-7 on weekdays (food) and all day for drinks on Monday! The kitchen here makes everything built fresh, from scratch, and all homemade. The appetizers, pasta, entrees and desserts combine old-world traditional Italian flavor with a modern flair for presentation, and the freshest ingredients around. Menu staples like calamari, chicken milanese, fettucine carbonara and ravioli are paired with unique recipes like pappardelle with sausage and tenderloin steaks. They have staffed their kitchen with a dream team of local chefs that ensure our quality does not waiver and our kitchen is always OPEN! Not every place can say that! For my first drink, I'm having the Manhattan's Creek made with Knob Creek bourbon, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth and Angostura bitters. Wait a minute! These are the same ingredients as a Perfect Manhattan! This is chilled, well balanced and nicely garnished. I like it! For my first food item, I'm having a House Salad (small, off-menu version). This is made with a spring mix including basil, tomatoes, julienned carrots, cucumbers and a red wine vinaigrette dressing. This is nice and fresh! I love the dressing! I like the nice cloth napkin as well as a disposable one. The bartender is the nicest one I've ever met. For my next item, I'm having the Rigatoni Marinara. The is made with rigatoni and house marinara sauce. It's low cholesterol and guilt-free (for me). This is steaming hot and delicious! Nice portion size too! For my next item, I'm having a cup of soup. This is broccoli cheddar with potato. Oh yeah! I love those oyster crackers! This is yummy! For my next drink, I'm having the Pratt n Whiskey made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, sweet vermouth, red wine and sour mix. I love it! It's shaken well and tastes great! For my next food item, I'm having the Carmine's Secret Tenderloins. These are actually pan seared caramelized CHICKEN tenderloins made with wine, olive oil, cracked black pepper, kosher salt, shredded Parmesan and a VERY special secret sauce. I can eat this with little regret. This should be interesting! This is quite good! I do like that creamy sauce! For my dessert, I'm having the Toasted Almond. This is soaked in Amaretto layered with light custard and topped with crushed almond. Oh yeah! Look at the presentation! This is fantastic! What a great meal here!

Random selection in my travels off Rt 84. Food was delicious and I happily stumbled on live music…read more Mixed crowd Cappuccino gelato truffle, JD tips over pasta and 1/2 Caesar salad