Pearl's Place is definitely worth a visit if you're looking for comforting Southern soul food. The mac and cheese, yams, greens, and fried green tomatoes were all excellent and full of flavor. The only disappointment was the fried chicken. It wasn't bad, but it was just okay and didn't live up to the rest of the meal. If the chicken had been as good as the sides, this easily would have been a 5-star experience. The service was good overall. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive, but she never asked if we wanted anything to drink besides water or if we'd like dessert. Those small details would have made the experience even better. Overall, I'd definitely come back for the amazing sides, and hopefully the fried chicken is better next time. read more

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Wow wow wow. My first time here and the full experience was great. We walked in and the host asked us what we wanted to eat. I asked for a menu and she asked again what do you want. I said fried chicken, mac n cheese and greens. She said ok we have that. My spouse said she wanted meat loaf, mac n cheese and string beans. While sitting I realized I wanted potato salad and bread pudding so I added it. I realized I enjoyed ordering not from what I saw on a menu but what I had a taste for and that was a great experience. Thank you Pearls. My food was amazing everything was seasoned well except my greens. Would I go back yes indeed. The bread pudding was the busy. Yummy for my tummy Sorry I finished all my food before writing this review believe me the seasoning and portion size was OUTSTANDING!!!!! read more

I had the worse experience at Pearl's Place I've only been to this establishment twice and I paid a total of $40 in which my bill was $47 + gratuity for soulful buffet. I did not eat because the food did not taste good however I didn't complain, but the folks who was with me felt that I shouldn't have paid however, I didn't wanna make a fuss about it . They called the manager. He came over and asked me what was the issue. I let him know that I did not eat the food and that I basically pay to be there "" he looked me right in my face and said I'm so sorry to hear that please come again and the list go on.. I will not be back. This restaurant will be at the top of my never again list. read more

Came here on a recommendation. Came for the biscuits, stayed and enjoyed the whole breakfast. The biscuits were so good. Flaky and flavorful. The coffee was nice and strong. Helped me tackle my day ahead. The eggs and ham made my heart happy. If I ever come back to Chicago, this will definitely be a place to come back to. Customer service was beyond helpful and pleasant. read more

I can't believe I've never been to this place and I've lived here for so many years! This place is incredible! Classic, southern, grandma foot food!! Loved every moment of being in there as we were greeted with so much hospitality. The place looks like an old school dining spot - can't even describe it but it's timeless. The complimentary biscuit... MY OH MY! Just go! read more

Pearl's Place - Biscuit - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The veggie plate was what got and thoroughly enjoyed! Cornbread dressing, collards and turnips and cabbage were all yummy! I would've like the greens with some smoke turkey added but hey it was still tasty! I usually get the shrimp and grits but wanted something different this go round. Happy with my decision to try something different!! read more

Pearl's has been around for so many years. Historical landmark. I came here a few times many years ago and the food was delicious. I was in the Bronzeville area and stopped in for breakfast. I love the pictures on the wall that represents our history. As I looked at each picture on the wall it brings back so many wonderful memories of my childhood. I was seated and giving a menu. I waited for my server to come over and place my order. It took her awhile to come over to the table. She was busy standing around talking to the other servers. I finally got her attention so I could place my order. She walked over with an instant attitude. I didn't care at this point. I was angry and hungry. I had to ask for water and another set of utensils. The utensils were dull and dirty. I was highly disappointed. My food came out cold and wasn't good. It was a simple breakfast and it still failed my taste buds. Rude Hostess, the prices weren't worth it and this place is in the need of a makeover. Raggedy tables and chairs. Only thing impressive were the pictures on the wall. read more

The soul food place to go. I love the atmosphere and service there and food is prepared fresh daily. Depending on the day and time you may have to wait for a table but once you get a table you're in for a truly amazing experience read more

I've been here a couple of times with my family, and we love it! We've gone for breakfast and lunch. They do an all you can eat buffet, but they also have a menu you can order from. Everything is made to-order, which I love! Always ensures your food is HOT. The staff are so nice and kind. Definitely feels like a friend or a family there. It's very familiar and homey. Overall, an amazing place I'll come back to over and over again! read more

Pearl's Place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been here a few times before. Sometimes I go for breakfast, which I usually enjoy. I had their dinner options at this visit. The star of the show for me was their Jerk Turkey, which is something I've never had. It was tender and packed with flavor. The Peach Cobbler was okay. I wish the crust was a cooked a little longer. read more

Pearl's Place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Long overdue stop to this Brownsville staple a few weeks back. Really good food, but I never do buffets so I can't comment on that option. From the menu we had the New Orleans breakfast and Cheesy Shrimp & Grits. The photos on the website accurately depicted these dishes which were outstanding. I would not order the catfish nuggets, but am assured that the smothered chops are outstanding. The service was okay--good but not great. (My experience echoed my foodie buddy Rozalynn B. who said: "We went on a busy Saturday afternoon at about 330 & there was a 40 minute wait. Well we saw plenty open tables so we couldn't understand why the wait, but ok WHATEVER." Exactly what I experienced--that is poor service!) The Venu itself is in need of modernization but is inviting and comfortable. read more

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Very friendly and inviting staff. We were a large party of 9 and on a time schedule. Older establishment with nice atmosphere. Service was attentive and our food came out quickly and hot. Food was tasty and we were pleased overall. Enjoyed the restaurant and recommended for a place to visit in Chicago. We even got a history lesson from the owner and a few other patrons we met. read more

We popped in for lunch and learned they have two free parking lots (across the street and in the now closed motel lot), score! Service was warm and kind and they brought biscuits and some whipped butter out right away which we very much enjoyed. The restaurant is large with ample seating and photos of famous people who have visited previously. There's a buffet available, but we weren't starving so we ordered sandwiches and it was a ton of food! We saw many people enjoying the buffet and it looked like a great value so maybe next time. The world famous chicken salad and ham were excellent! So so very tasty. They were also kind enough to swap one of the sides for me. We weren't asked about desserts which was for the best, but we saw some in the front area to go case and they looked great. We will definitely be back! read more

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This restaurant's management is awful, disrespectful and just plain rude. The place needs a major uplift.

DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE Older Black Woman Hostess very rude without cause she seems to just be waiting for an argument, they don't honor their own menu and service times I got there for lunch at 3:15 and they made me pay for dinner which didn't start until 3:30 I was told because I would still be eating at dinner time. The Manager of Black Man was just as rude, he already his No locked and loaded before I could ask a question also the food isn't great 5 outta 10 probably because I was hungry, presentation sucked loud like they've been using the same cookware for 20 yrs. I'll never go back next time I'll make my own food. Customer service is huge for me and they were god awful. read more

One of our favorite restaurants! Food is always hearty and delicious. Incredible service!

I live far from Pearls Place. It's like a 15-20 minute drive. I vowed I would not return after a few visits. The first issue is how the dining area lacks a real restaurant flavor or ambience. The dining area reminds me of a basement of a church and it's usually not too crowded. The breakfast buffet is kind of pricey, so I say make sure you are hungry so that you get your money's worth. The food is good but nothing special specifically for breakfast but the hours for the buffet are brief and it-time goes by fast. You have to really use time management to go to this place. I found an alternative that is not buffet near my home and it presents far less of a hassle to go and eat at. read more

Meh. I've honestly never understood why Pearl's Place has garnered such a positive reputation. The food is mediocre at best. I hadn't been to Pearl's in years, but I decided to order takeout one evening and thought I'd give them another shot. I ordered the meatloaf dinner, which came with greens and mashed potatoes and gravy. The food was ready when I arrived, so I only had to wait a couple of minutes for it. The food was okay. It wasn't particularly tasty or memorable. The meatloaf and mashed potatoes 'n gravy didn't have much flavor. The greens were decent, but I've had better. The portion size was generous, though, and it was packaged well. The staff also got the order correct, which was awesome because it sucks when a takeout order isn't right. The meatloaf and two sides cost about $25. read more

Pearl's Place - Meatloaf, greens, and mashed potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Always fantastic food with even better service. Love them so much and the only place I take folks who visit for breakfast. ​

First time here. Was pretty busy for a Saturday afternoon, but we were able to be seated right away. The food and drinks were good as we ordered off the menu, but next time, we will try the buffet. Service was okay but seeing how busy they were and having to wait a while before even getting water or bread, they might want to have a few more servers. Would recommend it, and I would go back. read more

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Hidden gym in the south side of Chicago. My fiance recommended this place and we stopped in. For a Saturday night, it wasn't that busy. You can park on the street but there is a lot across from the restaurant. Right away, we were seated by the hostess who also was a server. They take your order for drinks, otherwise they bring out cornbread and water to start. There's no booths, only tables available for seating and they have high chairs. You can order from the menu or go straight to the all you can eat buffet. I have never been to a place like this before. You can literally eat as much food as you want! It was so good. You can "order" a box to go which is basically going up to the buffet, filling your plate and request a container. I believe that is an extra $6 or so. There are drinks and desert items by the entrance for purchase. The chocolate cake was ok, but I'm not a chocolate person. I don't know the area well but my fiance does. Be careful of your surroundings but we felt pretty safe once we got inside the restaurant. For 2 people, was around $77. read more

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Just south of south loop area on Pershing and Michigan. The food is prepared with that southern home flavor! I make it a habit to get the buffet, so I can get a little taste of everything The place is well lit and clean. The service was great and very friendly. I will definitely be going back there again. read more

Pearl's Place - Mac n Cheese, Cornbread Dressing,Collard Greens and Jerk Turkey - Side - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Normally I would've taken a picture of my food, but not here for the this to be a buffet it was very pricey and the buffet didn't look like a regular size buffet. The Mac & Cheese was delicious, the beef short ribs also was tasty which I taught was ox tails. The spinach was soaked in salt. like they were from a can. The greens had too many thick stems and less greens, of course they were bag glory greens. The steak and gravy salty all the food was loaded with too much salt. My first time here. The plates on the table were not clean properly and I left with a headache cause of the high sodium amongst others who also said they had one too. read more

The Vibe, The Vibe, THE VIBE is Welcome to what soul food is all about!!!! I never give five stars But Pearls deserves. A Standing Ovation! Hands down you must dine here. I had smoked ham hocks. They have a buffet, which is a brunch from omelettes to salads to rib tips to fried chicken to red beans and rice yams dressing you name it they have it.! Kadijah was our waitress and she provided Impeccable Service!! You can bring your own bottle. Amazing!!! I ordered the CARAMEL CAKE. IT WAS. YEPPPPPP. SOOOO DELICIOUS! we found pearls hours before leaving Chicago glad we did read more

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I had the buffet and the food was good. They offered breakfast among other items. The oxtails were delicious.

if there was a number lower than 1, that would be my rating. The first time going they were closed, even after having a reservation. After speaking with the manager, he offered no explanation except that they were closed. Decided to give them another try. Waitress was very rude. While eating, asked her if we could ask a question about pricing of the menu versus the buffet. Her statement was "you went to the buffet and that is the price". We stated that we understood that, but we had a question for future reference. She stated " you went to the buffet, the price is what it is ". Again we tried to explain that we were just trying to ask a question but she just turned and walked away. Even the people at the table next to us commented on how she acted. At that time we just asked for the check. We went to the counter to pay and the manager asked how was the experience. As I was explaining to the manager what happened , she stood there contradicting every word. Even after the manager asked her to step away so that we could talk, she remained there going word for word. At that time I just insisted on paying the bill and leaving. After receiving my change on on the way out, she commented that the cheap ass didn't even leave me a tip. read more

We arrived at about 12:45p for lunch and were seated immediately by the hostess. A few minutes later the manager rudely told us we had to leave by 1:30p due to the restaurant closing for a private event. My husband and I decided to stay since we took an Uber from Downtown Chicago to eat here. Our waiter was really nice and offered to provide us with to go boxes for the food we didn't finish. While going through the buffet line to get food, a black female server had major attitude while putting food on our plates and the Hispanic male server was really nice and I chose to have home put food on my plate for round two. The inside decor is very outdated and could be a little more clean. The food was good the service was terrible!!!! read more

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So happy to have stumbled upon this gem. They offer regular menu or breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets with different prices (check website for accurate pricing). We came on a Saturday around 12 pm and there were plenty of tables still available but it started to get packed by the time we finished. For the Saturday lunch buffet ($25.99), they served breakfast and lunch items: omelette station, bacon, waffles, pancakes, spinach, greens, smothered pork chops, smothered chicken, fried chicken, jambalaya, mac n cheese, bbq beef ends, jerk chicken, and more. We tried almost everything, and our favorites were fried chicken, smothered chicken, mac n cheese, bbq beef ends and spinach. When getting chicken from the buffet, they usually ask if you prefer dark or white meat, or which piece you want. Just make sure you specify in case they don't ask :) It's not exactly buffet style where all the food selection is out and you grab yourself. It's more cafeteria style where you walk up to the food station and the employees will serve you. My only suggestion would be if they could put labels or sign with the items for the buffet. The items are covered with lids so it's hard to tell what's underneath, and you have to ask the employees what's there. It can be hard to hear and I felt so bad having to ask multiple times especially cause there were so many options lol. Other than that, I have no complaints. The service was great! Very friendly and attentive. The restaurant has a very home-y feel. 10/10 would come back but expect a food coma for sureeee read more

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Just an awesome experience. Everything that we had was seasoned properly and hot and flavorful. My mom had a cup of gumbo, which was filled with jumbo shrimp, crab legs and andouille sausage. Then she had a plate of catfish with yams and greens. I went for the $26.99 buffet, and started with grits, a made to order veggie omelet and turkey sausage. Followed with jerk turkey, salmon croquettes, yams, greens, red beans and rice and cabbage. I would easily go again. The music was not loud, but every song was a hit. Definitely worth trying out if you want soul food. read more

Pearl's Place - Salmon croquette, jerk turkey, candied yams, cabbage, mustard greens, red beans and rice. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went here for my birthday and brought 8 people and every single person loved it... a few have gone back multiple times since! Enough said. I can not hype this place up enough, from the service to the high quality flavorful food, just absolutely spectacular. I wished I lived closer & I will be here every weekend. I really appreciated our server & I believe owner, they kept checking on us and made us feel at home so thank you for that! We all ordered the buffet style breakfast/lunch and you could never go wrong. If you have never been to Pearl's Place, you are missing out & I highly recommend (even if it's out of your way). I drove about an hour to come eat here for my birthday and I had no regrets at all. Thank you for everything Pearl's Place and making my birthday much better, I'll be back soon! Personal Review: 9.4/10 read more

Pearl's Place - Buffet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Some of the best soul food you'll try in Chicago. Worth a visit and there's so much interesting history nearby to explore throughout Bronzeville. read more

The lady at the desk was somewhat rude. The table service was slow. I had never eaten here before and we ended up spending over $120 dollars. I paid $36 for rice and beans because they were the only things I wanted out of the buffet selection. I also ordered gumbo, which was not great either. 2 out of 5 for the price you pay and the food not being great. read more

Food was ok nothing stood out. The service was poor at best our server was not attentive she thought cleaning other tables off before taken our order it wasn't busy at all. I was confused about the buffet for 26.00 the food wasn't displayed for us to see. Went venture out for something different and man for an hour and 15 minute ride disappointed read more

Love the buffet. I find the food to be delicious and has that cooked with love taste. Went in a Monday and there were oxtails on the buffet. Food was well seasoned but not overly salty and reminds me of dinners at my grandmothers house. The fact that you can pay a little extra and take your leftovers home is unheard of and much appreciated for those like myself who can't eat much in one sitting for medical reasons. Service could use a bit of fine tuning. Restaurant had one person eating when I came in and I was still hit with "just one moment we will be with you shortly" as the person behind the counter was busy. I requested a soda and it was served to me in the can. Had to ask for a straw. I tried to manage the can with a straw but a glass of ice should just be standard if you are offering can sodas in a sit down restaurant that is advertised as "fine dining". All in all I highly recommend. This is a great place to bring the family and fellowship while enjoying some good soulful eats!! read more

Soul food starts with Love and there's no or not enough love in the food. This was extremely disappointing. The Oxtails were bearable until they got cold. The red beans and rice were dry along with the Black Eyed Peas there was no HOLY TRINITY used in the cooking. When you go to a restaurant and you take home all the food to add the love it's missing is not a good thing. The Mac n Cheese was tasteless. All the food tasted like oil was used instead of butter. Food was lukewarm when it arrived to the table. Noodles with brown sauce on top was called spaghetti. Look of spaghetti was not appetizing. Dressing was so dry it was served in slices. Our waitress Ms Paris was very attentive and provided outstanding service. The hostess and greeters acted like the restaurant was busy. We called in our reservation and our table still wasn't ready. We were told sit down and wait the table wasn't ready. I don't want to downgrade this establishment, but this location should not solicit SOUL FOOD, there was nothing Soul in the food it was SOOLD FOOD. If there was something lower than a one star, would have used it. read more

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I have been for breakfast several times, The food was okay. Service Okay. Ambiance Okay. Dinner portions are now small, however prices have increased. read more

I did not enjoy what I had and I got a lot to taste test. Catfish - bland and soft Salmon patties - thin and bland Shrimp - good Macaroni and cheese - bland and not cheesy Collard greens - bland, dry, no meat and doesn't appear to have been cooked with any Red beans and rice - lots of rice, not so much beans, bland Yams - good Spaghetti - the worst of it all. Bland and watery. Coleslaw - ok I won't order again. read more

It is OK. I used to eat there frequently, but within the last few years, I've notice there are people from OTHER ethnic groups cooking, serving etc. which makes me believe this is not real soul food, the kind that they use to serve. (Collards are not as tasty as they use to be.) I usually get a buffet, thus I can eat off it for two days. On the second day, the food is not as delicious, but still, OK. The staff and waiters are nice and I've never had problems with them, however, it is not the down home hospitality that you experience is some restaurants. (This is not compliant, just noticing a difference.) There was a restaurant on the westside, when you came in, the first words you heard was, "Welcome, come on in, glad to see you. Take a seat, I'll be right with you." When you left out, they would say, "Did you enjoy your meal? Come on back." The name of this restaurant was Edna's. She is deceased now, but she had a nice place. read more

For a black owned historical restaurant, the food is horrible! cheesey grits are not cheesey at all, salmon croquettes are mostly filler no salmon. And they should upgrade their coffee and tea choices. One kind of tea and only half and half creamer for coffee. I would like to try dinner but if the breakfast was bad...idk! read more

This place charged 50 bucks for a Thanksgiving carry out which is ridiculous. The menu stated that you would get meat and sides. Well the meal was MOSTLY meat which was nasty and salty. I'm not even sure that the turkey was actually turkey. It didn't taste like it. Could have been goat or something. Oh and the ham was not included even though it was a part of the meal. The sides were scarce. Shame on this restaurant. read more