An amazing experience eating here. Atmosphere among the employees and customers was so welcoming. The food is to die for. If you haven't been here before you need to go and check it out. read more

This is a clean and welcoming restaurant with fresh color and an authentic southern menu. The seating is limited, but the food is well worth the wait if they're busy. Our fried catfish was perfect, cormeal crusted with a toasty flavor that lingered. The sweet corn muffin compliments it nicely,but was less than moist. Mac and cheese, collards, and Candid yams were all amazing sides, too. We had friends with us for the meal, and one young lady who hadn't had soul food before said, "I expected it to be good, but didn't know it would be so amazing! I'm having an actual experience!" then she was quiet for a while... The prices are more than fair for the portion size and high quality they bring to your plate. They have take out and a catering truck as well. read more

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Everything was amaaaazing! All of the food tasted so good, and the service was wonderful. I would definitely eat here again when I come back to visit my sister at VCU. The wait was long, but it was worth it. When you arrive, they take your name & number and will text you when your table is ready. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Catfish, Chicken Wingettes, Macaroni & Cheese, Mashed Potatoes, Candied Yams - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Arguably the best soul food in RVA. Good service and great food. My only gripe is its so popular there's rarely ever enough space to eat inside!! read more

Disappointing experience. I ordered a fish dinner, as upon arrival was told there was only fish left for meals and only three sides were available. Ordered carry out. 30 minutes after order was placed, still no food. I asked for a refund, as they didn't know how long the food would be; upon arrival the location was not 40% filled. When I asked for a refund, waitstaff responded with anger/ frustration that I was not content with the wait. No beverage nor any other accommodation. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

It's ALWAYS refreshing to get some good Ole soulfood. Let me tell you, baybeee...this food was bomb! Good for my palate and my soul. I had fried wingettes that tasted just like mine, sweet potatoes made me wanna lick the bowl, OKAY! I also had the collard greens and Mac and cheese. And dessert....rum cake! I'm tryna see when I can bring my kids back next time. Was here on business. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Fried wingettes, Mac and cheese, collard greens, candied yams - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Catfish nuggets were very good & well seasoned. Smothered pork chops, candied yams, cabbage were delicious & a good portion. Fried chicken, Mac 'n cheese, and collards were delicious and very well portioned. The server was very cordial. Music playing was very pleasant. It's our 31st anniversary and this was a great start to our celebration. We will eat here again if we're in the area. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Food was excellent with good sized portions. Wish it was bigger but we sat at the bar and the service was superb. We'll definitely be back!

Went here with a couple of my friends since it's a block away from our new location for our tea room location, on East Clay Street. When we stepped in we were immediately met with the smells that make you think of your Grammys house when she had been cooking on the day of thanksgiving. This is when I knew we had made the right decision for dinner!! The Service: we were seated within a minute upon arrival and the hosting and serving staff were hospitable and guided us through their best options (however, we could've ordered blind and left beyond happy). The Food: words can only come but so close to explain the level of excellence this food displays. The textures were on point! My catfish was fried so crisp and was still steaming when broken, their sandwiches are served with HOUSE MADE kettle chips which are amazing. Everything is seasoned to perfection and is clearly prepared by generations of culinary expertise. My friend ordered the beef brisket and as the waitress was in the middle of apologizing for them selling out, Mama J's sister walked through the front door and corrected her saying, "oh no we ain't out, I brought the brisket right now!" This was an awesome moment which goes to show this business is built around family and love. I used to always refer people who had a hankering for some sole food to Croaker Spot, however, Mama J's took the spot for my number one soul food recommendation in Richmond, VA! ***I would've posted pictures with my review, but the food was so good that posting was the last thing on my mind. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Pork chop sandwich meal, brisket sandwich meal, crab cake sandwich meal - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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There was a 45 minute wait before being seated, but after being seated we were served in a reasonable amount of time. The quality of the food and the service made the wait worth it. The food was excellent! I had the most delicious crabcakes, candied yams, seafood salad, collard greens and corn bread. I had to take some of it home for the next day, and the leftovers were still delicious. The service was fast and the food was received hot. The waitress was friendly and professional. I had not been to Mama J's a while, so I was especially happy to see that the food was still as delicious as I remembered. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Don't waste your time and money. Food was bland and service was substandard. I am not sure what was in the watered down ice tea. But I would take a pass nothing to bring me back. read more

Amazing foood service and food! Markey was an amazing server. If you are in Richmond stop by

If you got a soul food kick run (don't walk) to this spot. Me and my girlfriend were skeptical at first bc it's really thought to find a TRUE soul food restaurant ... THIS IS IT. I ordered the fried chicken entree with white meat. Sides were mac & cheese and potato salad.. 10/10. My girlfriend ordered wingettes, collards and mac&cheese... 10/10. I will say this food taste like your grandma or favorite aunt made it.. its amazing. I also got the peace cobbler to go and it was a hit for a late night snack (: The customer service was great. Our serve took great care of us and always checked on us but wasn't overbearing. She was very polite and made us feel welcomed. This spot literally feels like your at your family's house after Sunday service. The restaurant is well kept and is positioned in a nice spot where you can find street parking for at least 2hrs. If you're in town and wanna eat some good home cooked soul food stop by .. you won't regret it. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Chicken Wingettes - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Mama Js did not live up to the hype, unfortunately. Came in as a party of two and sat at the bar. It started with the employees talking about another customer in front of us. They continued to laugh and carry on as we watched. We then ordered our food and got drinks while we waited. My boyfriend ordered an old fashion, which took a long time. When he finally received it, the waitress handed it to him saying "Here's your nasty drink" because we discovered later the bartender we ordered from did not know how to make it. The waitress also made it incorrectly and tried to laugh it off when my boyfriend responded negatively to the comment. Never has anyone said something like this to me in an establishment, totally unprofessional. Our food took extremely long to come out. When it finally did, we asked for condiments which we didn't get. We had to ask two times for everything. We also ordered greens in which we were told was out, but the couple next to us had greens on their plate. You could not make this up at this point. The food was average. The catfish was delicious and cooked to perfection. The yams and mac n cheese was not good. Each bite was different- flavor to no flavor. None of it was seasoned throughout. Overall, we did not enjoy our experience and it wasn't worth the hassle. We will not be returning until either management steps in or they hire new staff. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Catfish (1 piece) Candied Yams Macaroni & Cheese Corn Muffins (1) - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Road tripping.... And I gotta eat So to YELP I go.... Had a few choices but I had to try Mama J's It's raining so everybody wants comfort food and from what I see I've made the right choice We were greeted by the hostess (smiling/friendly) ...she advises me the wait could be up to an hour... Don't be discouraged (wait was 35 minutes) We're seated and our server greeted us and offered to take our drink order Didn't take long to decide.. so let's get to the order Catfish with potato salad & string beans Catfish nuggets w/Mac n cheese & cabbage Fried chicken w/candied yams All came with a cornbread muffin I was really impressed with the meal I had read a few reviews and the portions were pretty decent I definitely plan to return and would recommend them read more

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I was in town and decided to try this place. We were greeted when we walked in. Everyone was very friendly. We ordered the pork chops, Mac and Cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes and cabbage. When I say the pork chops were everything! They were seasoned well and very moist. All of the sides were tasty. We had the Apple Cobbler for desert and it was good as well. I would of given 5 stars but my cornbread was kinda burnt but it was still good. I will definitely be back! read more

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The food was very good, I do wish the entrees would have come with a side to bring a little more value for the dollar to this meal. The shrimp was delicious as well and piping hot, but for $8 or $9 I only got 7 pieces. :( The "gravy" that came with the brisket was the type of unique flavor profile that foodies would appreciate. When I first tasted the "gravy" I was full on expecting it to be bbq sauce, it wasn't even close. I tasted it a few more times and then it started to grow on me, next thing you know I'm dipping anything I could get my hands on into it. I also sampled the catfish which was a wonderfully flakey, large filet. Don't get me wrong, it was good, good but where it was a locally farm-raised catfish, it was light on the true catfish flavor that you'd get from wild caught catfish. Some people don't like the earthy catfish flavor from wild caught, so if that's you, then it'd be right up your alley. Overall it was a very solid meal. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Food came out fresh and hot. Service was not served with a smile but food delivered quickly. Ambiance was okay and dining area was small and parking was slim. Overall 5 on food quality 3 on customer service. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - 2 piece fried catfish, collard greens, cabbage, corn muffin - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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4 stars cus the greens were slamming ! I walked here for the greens but decided to get fish as well. As i attempted to place an entree order they informed that the entree's were meat & bread only!(I was disappointed) But i am not gonna slam them on the way they prefer their menu cus the greens are $3 a side & i can eat a whole Pot! They are perfectly cooked but light on the seasoning as i prefer mine spicy but i am not here to complain about that ! They made them to the point that as i walked home & ate without a care of who watched me as i was walking & eating! LOL I am definitely gonna come back but for the greens only ! I did enjoy the trout fish as they are huge pieces! read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Collards Fresh Greens - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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The food was wonderful! The service was friendly as well. Highly recommend this quaint place!

Believe it or not, this place was recommended by ChatGPT! This was the first time I've tried to ask AI for a restaurant recommendation and I was not disappointed at all! This place is kid friendly, has some amazing food and excellent service! My family and I stoped here on our road trip from Philly to Raleigh. We came at 2pm on Saturday and the place was packed! We were seated within 30 minutes just like the hostess promised. Our server Nique was AWESOME! Very friendly and made excellent recommendations. The fried Catfish and Fried Chicken were amazing. Juicy inside, crispy and flavorful outside crust. Seasoned perfectly! The sides on the other hand were not that great. Mashed potatoes tasted like they were mixed in with the powdered fake mashers. Candied yams had a strange after taste, French Fries were frozen, and the Mac and Cheese was ok, just relied on the cheese too much for flavor. Overall, this was an excellent experience, I would certainly come back for the service, food, and ambiance! Also, the sue chef is an Eagles fan, so that's a bonus right there! Go Birds! read more

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We both got the dark fried chicken plate with corn bread and added Mac & Cheese. We each got 3 thighs. The chicken was moist and the skin was crispy. The Mac & Cheese was creamy and cheesy. The side salad used good lettuce and had enough other ingredients. The service was great. The place is small but we got in faster than promised. Glad to see they are expanding to meet the demand. read more

Just so happened to be in the area a few people recommended. The inside was small but cute & cozy, with white table clothes & glass tops. I ordered the catfish, cabbage,candied yams, & corn bread. The catfish was tasty, although the cabbage tasted a little bland, the cabbage did have a good texture. I did not like the candied yams as the texture was more of a mashed consistency. The waiter was friendly and very helpful. I would go again if I'm in the area and try something different, as my co workers side dishes looked tasty. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Years ago.. went to Mama Js and as far as I remember, it was a good experience. Recently, they won the bracket for Best Fried chicken in Richmond. So I'm like ok... let me try it out. Plus my boyfriend loves soul food so he can get some fried fish. Mannnnnn I have never been so disappointed at wasting $50. first off - 3 pieces of fried chicken and 2 sides is $25. The thighs are tiny! Chicken was dry and honestly, not that great of a flavor. I would rather eat Publix. My boyfriends fish was over fried and dry. Greens were ok. Cabbage was fine. Mac n cheese ... super greasy. Yams had too much Nutmeg. With that said, I won't be visiting again. With the prices, I can't take a change of a below average meal. read more

Best fried chicken I ever had, period. Fried catfish was phenomenal as well. Can't recommend this place enough. Akira was amazing too in her serving and recommendations. Did not know how amazing Mac n cheese and sweet yams would be together. Whenever I'm back in Richmond, I'm heading to Mama J's!!! read more

Okay start with service and server, server very short with us, did not remember our order and did apologize for long wait. Service, there were approximately 8 people in the restaurant including the three of us and we waited 45 min for our food. When we we received it with each of us ordering the crab cakes, two ordered fish one catfish and another trout (neither fish was catfish nor trout) and I ordered fried chicken. The food came out the Mac and cheese that did come out was cold and so were the yams. My chicken order never came out and she came to the table and asked if o wanted dark meat or white meat, I asked was it done and she said oh no it would be a wait I canceled it. Now to the crab cakes, they were over seasoned, almost burnt and on the dry side no type of sauced offered, the greens not good! The only thing that was very good was the mac n cheese when they brought it back out hot. But, I would never go back! read more

Fried pork chop was okay and good portion. Mac & cheese and collards were very good. Ordered the fried shrimp as a starter, but it came out like a meal -- only 6 small, dry, chewy shrimp for $15. Pretty disappointing. Not coming back. read more

That moment when you wish food this good was closer to home, but thankful it's not because you would be there everyday! We absolutely enjoy ordering from here. The food is always delicious and prepared the way that we like it. We've tried a number of things on the menu, all are incredibly delicious. However I usually stick to my favorites. While the food is amazing, we do not like the location, parking, size of the place, or customer service. For those reasons (minus customer service, I will look pass that for delicious food!) we only order takeout when passing through the area. Overall Score: 7/10 Location: Terrible 1/10 Prices: Slightly Overpriced 7/10 Customer Service: Average 7/10 Food: Absolutely Delicious 10/10 Recommend read more

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November 2020 - COVID Review: To be quite honest, the prices were a bit on the higher end, but it is definitely worth it! During COVID, they're only doing takeout orders - which you can call ahead or order online. My husband and I ordered the catfish and crab cakes for our entrees and sides of mac n cheese, collard greens, and cheese grits. After taking my first few bites, that's when I knew the price tag was worth it. The pieces of catfish were so large and they weren't overly battered. The seasoning was also just right. I'm originally from Maryland and the other reviewers convinced me to order the crab cakes. If you're skeptical - order the crab cakes! They were decently sized and it was majority jumbo lump crab meat! The sides were $3 each but the portions were generous! They were also piping hot. I was overly stuffed once we finished our meal. It would be nice if they could consider offering a combo meal option with 1 entree + 2 sides or something. But either way, I would definitely be back the next time I'm in the area! read more

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Staying at a hotel nearby, so we decided to try the food. It wasn't packed inside but we ordered to go. Everything is a la carte which allows them to charge more for the food. I got the catfish, mac and cheese and collard greens. The collards were good, not that much a fan of the Mac and cheese it was just ok. The catfish also was just ok. The muffin wasn't good at all. My walk to the hotel was less than 5 mins but the only thing that was warm was my catfish. The sides were almost cold. I'm not sure why.. but I doubt if I will ever try their food again it wasn't good enough for a 2nd time. read more

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That place was great. The customer service and food was very well. Restaurant is small, but you don't feel bunched together in there. The only issue is that when it's raining they need to have more mats down so you don't risk slipping as the floors are extremely slick. read more

We stopped by in the evening. I decided to try all sides and all were delicious. It is a small restaurant but we enjoyed our time. I plan to return to try more items! read more

We're from Virginia Beach and are here for a short time. Mama J's fried chicken was perfection!!! I ate some cold the day after it was so good. The potato salad was on point! My husband love the collard greens. The yams were tasty! And the cakes and desserts . I had coconut cake, my mouth was so happy! The peach cobbler was divine!!!!! I don't know why this place wasn't packed. If you love fried chicken and want food seasoned properly, come here! I am a salt person, not once did I need it. The atmosphere was welcoming. Everyone worked as a team. It was our first time, we will be back!!!! read more

Serious Soul Food for the city! Amazing quality and service is SUPER friendly and helpful. It's been pretty full every time I've eaten here, and great!!! Spicy, well-seasoned, home-cooked feel. Southern at its neighborhood best! read more

The food at Mama J is outstanding and the service is great. Want to give a shout out to Markey for excellent service on tonight. My wife and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone for great soul food in the city of Richmond. read more

The food is very good just kind of little amount on the sides ....small setting area but comfortable .....would definitely visit again!

Yo everything was so damn good, I could eat here all my life and not get tired of it, the wait time could be a bit better. But even then it wasn't even that long! Will be returning! read more

My wife and I had the day off and decided to grab lunch at Mama J's in Richmond, Virginia. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but I'm so glad we went. The food was incredible. I had the fried catfish with candied yams, and my wife went for the smothered meatloaf Every bite was perfection seasoned just right and cooked like it was made with love. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the staff made us feel at home. If you're ever in Richmond, do yourself a favor and stop by Mama J's It's soul food at its best. read more

25$ for a meal i expected more. Chicken sandwich was bland just ehhh ,the chips that come with it were so stale and the mac was bland and full of oil. Not worth the price in my opinion read more

Five stars for the fried chicken and catfish. My other half and I got double portions of both. White meat for him and dark meat for me and then two fillets of fried catfish topped with onions and peppers. JUST WOW. Once topped with hot sauce and honey it was nothing short of heaven. We tried nearly all the sides from favorite to least along with the corn muffins. - Collards - very flavorful, if not a bit sweet for my taste - Mac N Cheese - good. Not a whole lot going on. - string beans - good. - coleslaw - ok - cabbage - ok. A bit mushy. - seafood macaroni - bland Don't forget drinks! Arnold Palmer and the Lemonade were awesome. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Outside sept 2020 - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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