Sandra's Next Generation
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So my visit here tonight has a story that would be a bit too long to include in a review, but what I will let you know here is that I first came across this business that literal day before the historic floods of August 18th, 2024 at a food truck festival in downtown New Haven. Ever since that day and the subsequent floods, I've been wanting to give SNG a proper visit and give a proper review. Fast forward to July 22, 2026 in Hartford and the walk I made to the ice cream right on the same street as the state capitol building. When I reviewed that place, I had to look back at my old reviews and found I had had those guys before at the Hartford Taste Festival of 2025. At that moment, something clicked. Didn't I first find about Sandra's this exact same way? I knew my job had a sponsor event the Saturday of that following week (now today). I came to a revelation. THIS was the night I had to go! I NEEDED to get to Sandra's and I needed to do this now! Upon arrival, the location is very unassuming. It has such a huge following, yet one can easily pass by this place if they don't know what they're looking for. Coming inside, I had found it to be a bit of a learning curve to even find a menu, let alone order. Turns out, you have to go outside and look at the menus outside to make a decision, something I am definitely not used to. Not a bad thing, but just something to keep in mind. After you order, you are given a number, and then you wait outside until they text you that your order is ready so you can go pay. What is a plus here is that I got my food in a considering less than the amount of time I was promised. It was maybe about 10 minutes after I ordered when it was ready when they I was told it would be ready in 20. Now, back at that fateful festival, I did have the fried chicken, the Mac and cheese, and candied yams. Now, let it be know that I NEVER eat yams. I just never felt the need to have those in my life. That being said, I do remember being pleasantly surprised by how they tasted. That night was a great lesson in getting through your dinner before going to have dessert in a way that it didn't feel like I had to have a parent tell me to do exactly that. I remember liking the dinner overall, but not being wowed enough to really give it 5 stars if it were a proper review. Maybe a 3.5 or 4. Tonight, the Mac and cheese makes its return, this time with string beans, blackened shrimp, and BBQ Pork Ribs. Oh, and I nabbed this neat container of fruit punch because it was so humid it was like Connecticut just moved South to Northern Florida. Yeah, we'll go with that. Between the 2 Mac and cheese's, I would say tonight's edition was better than what I had at the festival. The string beans are a good vegetable side that definitely has an authentic Southern taste to it. The blackened shrimp is on top of a small bed of brown rice and beans. You do need to take the tails off each the shrimp, but if you know how to eat shrimp, shouldn't be an issue whatsoever. The rice and beans are cooked pretty too might I add. And the ribs. Oh my GOD the ribs! Most times in CT you have to go to a true BBQ spot to get good ribs. But they did well with this rib. Fell off the bone, and the BBQ sauce had a nice kick to it without being overpowering. It didn't feel too skimpy like the ones I had from that Dominican spot I went to last week. The authentic, homemade soul food is worth the hype. Speaking of the hype... So when I first read reviews of Sandra's and ironed through who was reviewing this place, I did not have a good first impression. It was as if because of some of the people who rave about the food, they intimidated me away from making my visit here for a while without saying a word. What if I went, didn't have a good experience, leave a bad review, and then I end up summoning an angry mob chanting to have my head on a spike? It was a real thought that went my head at one point in time when thinking about going there. But still, I needed to come here, and now that I've been, I can say I'm glad that I did. Sandra's serves soul food that they have every right to be proud of. It's not a place I can come to often, but I would be happy to come here again to try more of their food items, especially now that my first memories of Sandra's are now completely behind me.
Our food was fresh and delicious. The quality reminds me of the time I lived in Savannah, Georgia and there were homemade spots everywhere run by people who had been cooking for generations. We tried a few new items and look forward to having them again soon . There is off the street parking and only outdoor eating area available.
So I moved to Connecticut very recently and honestly have had trouble finding good food compared to where I am from. I say that to say...Sandra's is hands down the best food I have had anywhere since moving here. Not the best soul food, the best food period. And it's honestly some of the best soul food I've ever had. Everything is delicious! I love so much about this place. I love that they give you several options for meals, such as 1 entree with 2 sides; 2 entrees with 2 sides; 1 entree with 4 sides, etc. Most restaurants only give you the choice of 1 entree with 2 sides but Sandra's doing it like this really allows you to try multiple dishes and mix and match depending on how hungry you are. Only thing to keep in mind is if you order a combo plate (2 entrees with 2 sides) the entrees are half portions. I also love how many options there are for entrees, sides, desserts & drinks! The menu is very extensive there's something for everyone including lots of vegan options. There are so many possible combinations that you could eat a different meal here everyday. And that's not even including their daily specials! I learned about Sandra's from a cooking demonstration she did onsite at my job. I'm so glad I went to that work event bc I never would've known about Sandra's, it wasn't on my radar at all. I like it so much I literally went two days in a row. Prices are also super reasonable for the amount of food you get and quality! For comparison, I recently went to a bbq restaurant (I won't say their name here but you can check out my review on them) that charged $20 for only 1 entree and 1 SMALL side and the food wasn't even good. So far I have tried the: vegan mac n cheese, regular mac n cheese, fried catfish, smothered dark meat chicken, beef ribs, turkey chopped bbq, collard greens, yams, sweet potato pie, and the blue lemonade. My favorite entree I've tried so far are the beef ribs. So tender and sticky sweet! Highly recommend these. My fave sides are the yams and collards and shockingly I think I actually like the vegan mac more the regular. All dinners come with cornbread. Wasn't a fan of the cornbread but others in my family liked it and I really appreciate that it's included. I would order everything again except the fried catfish, wasn't a fan of that. There are still so many dishes I want to try. I can see myself eating here several times a month to try everything. Big back, big back here I come thanks to Sandra's! I cannot recommend it here enough!
Sandra has always treated me like family, and the rest of the family there are the same. However, when I order through the Internet, which is DoorDash, I call to make sure I get what I need, like spoons and cornbread. I don't receive them, even though I was supposed to get a full meal. I'm upset this time because I paid for cornbread and didn't get it. That's why I'm reaching out online because I don't know who's responsible for the mistake. I also wonder if it's something personal or if there's a reason behind it when I called to ask for extra things like juice for my corn. I hope we can work it out and get everything sorted, because right now it feels a little personal.
Smothered pork chops with 4 sides; Mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, and double macaroni and cheese. Oh and let me not forget the cornbread. I wanted potato salad but they had run out, unfortunately and surprisingly since it was 12p. The food was delicious as always. I recommend and will be returning.
I have been excited about checking out Sandra's after seeing a TikTok and reading some of the reviews. I caught Metro North from Grand Central and after the 2+ hour ride that's when I found out that they had no seating, which that is my fault for not researching. I ordered online and waited a hour and 13 mins for my food. The service was great. The owner was very friendly as well as the other staff. As I was waiting the gospel music was playing and it was nice. Once I got my food. I immediately gave it a try because I didn't want it cold or reheated for my review. The soul food empanadas with chicken were pretty good I would give them a solid 7 out of 10. The smothered chicken was very salty in my opinion. I would rate it a 5 out of 10, and the Mac & cheese tasted like boxed velveeta which I would rate a 4/10. I'm disappointed at how over hyped it seem. Not pictured was my order of fried fish and it was bland with no seasoning. The lemon on the side did no justice. I could've honestly caught it at a bad time because it was a Sunday and very busy, but I'm definitely not interested in going back.
I visited this place for the reviews. Plus, I was missing the soul food from Chicago, and from my own stove. The outside seating area is nice! Inside, it's your standard soul food to go spot. Great staff! As reviews state, the people that work here are a pleasure. Place your order and get a text when it's ready! The prices are not bad. My order included the fried catfish with 4 sides. While the sweet potatoes had the best flavor, these should have been cooked a bit more. Overall, the food did need more depth to the flavor. The Mac & Cheese had a chalky texture, lacking cheese. The fish was not cooked in hot enough grease. It was not crisp. Nothing was nasty, but nothing stood out. You be the judge yourself.
Would've gone 3 1/2 stars if available. Came here a few years ago and it was really good. This time - not so much. They woman taking our order was great - the rest of the staff wasn't. Food wasn't as good as I remembered. Not sure if I'd come back if/when in the area.
We tried to order online, but because our bill would've been more than $75 so we had to go in to order. We were waited on quickly, but had probably about a 30 minute wait for our food. We sat outside in their cute little seating area. Hennessy fried Salmon 10/10 mac and cheese 9/10 kale greens 8/10 rice wasn't good it was hard. I love kale. I've never had them this style so they were different, but they were still good. Also, I got their peach cobbler 11/10 and mango lemonade. Would definitely return !
I have two words for you: Soul Roll. What a simple yet genius idea to fill egg roll wrapping with the deliciousness of soul food, and I got mine with BBQ chopped turkey. It's pure magic. I got the Hennessy wings lunch combo with mac & cheese and yams. Although I didn't taste Hennessy at all, the wings were INCREDIBLE. They're big, sweet, and sticky. The sides were also fine. The reason this isn't a 5 star review is because of the "fried chicken sandwich" I ordered. They gave me two chicken wings and two slices of bread. That is NOT a sandwich. Since it was my first time trying Sandra's I wanted to get a variety of options so I got fried chicken sandwich, which you would think is different than chicken wings. Nope...I ended up with two different chicken wing orders. Now, since me having ordered this, I've learned many southern restaurants will offer sandwiches in this manner. I wouldn't have minded if it was advertised that way on the menu. Fried chicken sandwiches have been a craze in the last few years so I was expecting an actual sandwich in-line with what everyone else is doing and not just two chicken wings and bread. To be fair, the chick was incredible, I just feel a bit misled. I will definitely be back!
My sweet tooth was in overdrive on Sunday so I decided to order some dessert and a side of mac & cheese. I already had ample leftovers at home so I bypassed on dinner, although I have had their dinner in the past and it is amazing. I grew up a couple of blocks away from Sandra's. The food has always been A1. I decided to get a slice of their banana, pudding cake and cheesecake with the strawberry sauce. Initially, I wanted banana pudding, but I guess they were sold out. The layers in between the cake had a very pronounced banana flavor, which was great. So I'm definitely interested in going back to get some actual banana pudding once it's available. The cheesecake was also delicious. The graham cracker crust, cheesecake consistency, and light accent of strawberry sauce came together very well. A must try. If you ever want some mac & cheese, but do not want to make an entire dish, I highly recommend getting a side serving. But, if you're hungry, opt for a full meal. Their combos are amazing. You can sample multiple meat options with various sides. A neighborhood staple but if you do not live close by definitely worth the drive or the delivery service fee.
The salmon is literally my favorite. This was my first time having the vegan Mac it was really good. The collard greens were good but were a little sweet. Only thing is it is very expensive, this meal cost me $32. Definitely not something I'm willing to spend every weekend but worth every dime lol. The service is good, they are pretty fast. The restaurant does not have indoor seating, however they do have outdoor seating since it is more hot outside. However I did not eat outside because it was way to hot. Overall I love Sandra's !
My partner and I came here after a long day of getting lost on the Sleeping Giant Mountain. We originally planned to go to Frank Pepe's but they ran out of clams!? Instead of getting a cheese pizza, we came to Sandra's. My partner and I shared an appetizer of sweet and sour and BBQ wings. The sauces were too sweet for our tastes and would not recommend these to others. For my entrée, I got fried chicken and pulled pork with sides of mac and cheese and plantains. The fried chicken was AMAZING. It was perfectly seasoned and fried golden brown. The pulled pork left a lot to be desired; it was served without any sauce and pulled pork without BBQ sauce reminded me a little like canned tuna. I checked in with my Yelp app and received a free dessert. The fridge had several different cakes and I chose the strawberry white cake. I was so full and didn't eat it until the next day but the slice held up great. Service was as attentive as it could be for such a busy place. The place is small and there was take-out and dine-in crammed inside so it seemed very hectic. However, we were able to get our order and food at a reasonable time. The short of it is, get the fried chicken. It was the best thing on the menu and possibly the best fried chicken I've ever had. read more
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I wish I could give MORE stars cause man this was the best food I've had in a long time. Saw pics online and decided to take the drive from Waterbury. Ordered outside, nice girl took our order and told us when it's ready we'll get a text. My turkey meal was amazing. Turkey was just right the sauce was perfect, felt like home, mac was perfect and the collard greens were on point (I've been other places and they're just too salty). For dessert a banana cream cake, so moist, perfect amount of frosting. Def gained a new customer. read more
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Dropped in here for lunch. My oh my! Got the two meat two side combo. Pork ribs were delicious, the sauce was on point, fried chicken was hot and freshly fried: definitely the star! Mac and cheese was real good! Great portion size and not super greasy like some. Collared greens were solid too! Got the lemonade too, I had to water it down a little cause I'm not big on sweet but it was really good too! The combo even came with a side of corn bread that was delicious!! Will definitely be back read more
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Eureka--I finally found a five-star restaurant in New Haven! Sandra's is exactly the kind of place that I love--a hole in the wall with dynamite food. People aren't kidding when they say that it's small--seating consists of only four tables and a diner-style counter. The decor is pretty basic, but the super-friendly staff more than make up for it--they make you feel like you're right at home in your momma's kitchen. As for the food itself, this is some of the best soul food I've tasted north of the Mason-Dixon line. The chicken is perfectly fried with a light and crispy coating and a moist and meaty interior. The catfish was also quite delicious, with a light and flaky interior and a light and crispy coating. The sides are great as well, with the standout being the collards. The fried okra, mac and cheese, and candied sweet potatoes were all flavorful and well-made. The Carribbean rice and black-eyed peas are also pretty good, and go together well. The sweet tea is scrumptious and comes in a massive portion, making for a refreshing and delicious accompaniment to the food for up to two people. Finally, you can't go wrong with free dessert--I had the peach cobbler, and it was peachy, cinnamon-y heaven. While Sandra's is in a fringe area, it isn't far from the hospital/med school and downtown and is readily identifiable. They offer lunch specials similar to their dinner offerings, so it seems like a good option for a sit-down lunch for people who work on the west side of town. Needless to say, I was impressed and would definitely go out of my way to return. Bravo! read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
Got the pork, it looked like it was going to be dry, but it 2as actually really moist and tasted great. It was the church plate so I got 4 sides. Candies yams, mac & cheese, collard greens, and caribbean rice, all of which were really good. Glad I tried Sandra's, will be getting food there again for sure. read more
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Solid showing here. Everything was amazing. Fried chicken, greens, yams, Mac and cheese, okra, catfish. Cleaned my plate. Forgot to leave room for 'nana pudding. But I took some to go ;) The guy behind me got his fried chicken *smothered* ... next time... read more
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This has been on my list of things to eat in CT for so long. I finally took the plunge and drove to New Haven. Totally worth the drive. Extremely kind, wonderful service. THE FOOD IS AMAZING. Great portions, fair prices. I can't say that I've had a lot of soul food and know too much about it. But, the lines and how busy it is just shows how great it is. Although it is a busy place, the turnover is really quick. I can't get over this place. Some foods that stood out to me are their rice, collard greens, and their fried chicken (one of their popular dishes). Moist on the inside, crunchy on the outside. A small business and a small location but such big personality, warmth, and workers filled with humor. I'm drooling just thinking about their food again. read more
5 years ago
Disappointed after placing my order for curbside pickup that my husband had to end up going in for the food was so sweet besides the fry chicken wings which was salty I mean everything the collard greens,potato salad,and even the corn was sweet the Mac and cheese and shrimp was good but the service and the other stuff will keep me away like my husband said when and establishment gets too popular they get carried away sugar and salt should not be the only thing you taste while eating read more
6 years ago
Was recommended to this place, but my meal was not enjoyable I decided on the Rasta pasta it came with 5 shrimps and rotini no sauce for $19. read more
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More info about Sandra's Next Generation
636 Congress Ave
New Haven, CT 06519
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(203) 787-4123
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http://www.sandrasnextgeneration.com
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