I never "got" how people could rave about fried chicken. To me it was chicken, usually too greasy and covered in way too much spicy breading to make up for its overall lack of taste...and then I tried Shut Em Down. I have never had such a revelation and change of heart about a single food. This chicken will change your life! I have to drive about 30 minutes or more and 20 miles to get it and I happily do so when I get the "Shut Em Down Cravings" Each piece is individually cooked when you order it so you ALWAYS get hot (sometimes too hot to eat right away despite how much your mouth is watering) pieces of chicken. The sides are also good, though truthfully not nearly as good as the chicken, and you get two with your meal. Oh, and their home made baked good are delicious as well. The staff are friendly and quick to point out the best deal on what you are ordering (there are specials almost every day). Plus the atmosphere is VERY relaxed, sort of a diner meets Cracker Barrel (without all the junk on the wall). It is an overall bargain because it is hard to spend more than about $15 for lunch (including a drink) and you always have some to take home. There are other good fried chicken spots in JAX of course, but this is a GREAT fried chicken spot. Heck, now I've got the darn "Shut Em Down Cravings", guess it is a trip across the river for me soon. read more

The food was delicious! The staff immediately greeted us and took our order. The restaurant was clean and had natural light from the windows. I got the veggie plate and picked macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, and cabbage. Everything was very flavorful, especially my sides. They are very vegetarian friendly, all the vegetables/sides are meatless. read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Veggie plate, fried fish and greens - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Delicious country food! Reminded me of what my Grandparents would make. I got the fish, greens, cornbread, mac and cheese. I plan on returning soon! read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Fish Mac 'N Cheese Collard Greens Cornbread - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

If I could give them 10 stars I would. 1st time out here and we will most definitely return. The chicken was crispy, hot, moist, flavorful, just overall amazing! We tried collard greens, string beans, mashed potatoes and fries. All the sides were ridiculously delicious. Seasoned to perfection and so fresh. My only complaint would be the cornbread fell apart, that being said, it was still delicious as well. Perfectly sweetened and not dry at all. I cannot wait to taste the other items they habe here. Missed taking pictures because we devoured everything while burning our mouths read more

I was recommended to go here and they did not miss. Everything on my plate was delicious. They had wooden booths for seating and the employee taking orders at the register was extremely nice. Since it was my first visit she helped me with the menu and I opted for the ox tails. The flavor and tenderness (falling off the bone) was on point. I choose mac n cheese which is the flavor you expect from a soul food restaurant. The green beans were also delicious. read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Ox Tail, Mac n cheese, green beans, and corn bread - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

We've been going here since they 1st opened their doors and have never been disappointed with anything that we have ordered. I will say my personal favorites are the Fried Chicken, Fried Pork Chops, Meatloaf and the Roast. All so delicious! This is my Fried Pork Chops dinner with sting beans and rice & gravy that I ordered for lunch last week read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Fried Pork Chops, String Beans W/rice - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Got my first meal at Shut Em Down- Fried Chicken family meal. 8 piece chicken corn bread and 2 large sides. Cabbage & rice, candied yams. Everything- Luscious!! Best fried chicken I've had in years. SOOOO DELISH! They for real. Get on down to Shut 'Em!! read more

ARE THEY OPEN FOR THANKSGIVING?? Come to this place and for ~ $20 you can have a Beyoncé Homecoming party in your mouth. I sweatergod! I ordered the oxatail meal over mashed potatoes with macaroni and cheese and cabbage on the side. Along with accoutrements Collard Greens and Yams a meal to remember. I tried everything in the car and found myself eating the whole meal in the driver seat!! Couldn't put that plastic fork down Go try this place please, all the food was good! read more

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This place is a very simple but their food is very good and tasty. I love their chicken and mashed potatoes. I haven't had any issues with them and will continue supporting them. read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Our business placed a to-go order on a Saturday for lunch. Someone was talking up the place about how they have good soul food. I ordered a 3 piece fried chicken strips with sides of mac and green beans. We picked up and ate it at work, the chicken wasn't good. It actually tasted like they cooked it the day before and then re-heated it for me. The others weren't impressed with their fried chicken either. The sides, however, were pretty good. I won't be eating from here again. read more

Let me first state the i like this restaurants food , but their overall customer service needs a lot of work. My wife and i had a taste for their dinner today. We tried to order online. they were not accepting online orders. We tried calling and received a message that party called was busy and could not answer. My wife decided to drive anyway to get our food. We live by the airport so this is not a short drive, When she arrived, there was sign in the door that says they were closed from March 23- March 30. In west days of technology, would be too much to ask that this be shared on their website, or on their phone. This is not the first time this has happened. It will be the last though. I will not share and positive toughts about this place with others, and it ever be a late choice for my family. I hope they learn to do better, but we will be back anytime soon read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Closing message - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The ambiance reminds me of my childhood. The food and service are great! Especially the fried chicken ! You must try this place. I wish we lived closer. read more

Great experience and the food was on point. Will definitely be going back again. The young lady at the counter was very pleasant.

Everything was fantastic. Ordered the fried chicken...it's 2 piece of your choice with 2 sides and cornbread. The chicken was definitely cooked to order and the breading was crisp and super tasty. If you're looking for soul food I highly recommend Shut em down!! read more

Started the new year off with a trip to Jacksonville Florida with my new bride! We wanted to keep with tradition and eat some blacked eyed peas and collard greens on New Year's Day so we looked for a soul food restaurant and came across Shut Em Down restaurant. Gotta say it was pretty good food. We had the ribs and fish and everything was cooked pretty well with nice flavors. The staff was very friendly and patient with the tons of questions we had regarding the menu. The ambiance of the restaurant was nice. Had a southern flavor cafe look. A little older but nice and clean. I would recommend this restaurant and we will more than likely visit again when in Jacksonville!! read more

The best food in the area. I'm only rating on the food. However the ambiance and service is not great.

Great restaurant! Was clean inside with clean bathrooms too. Gives an 80s,90s vibe with the decor and music that was playing (very nice touch). We went as a family and we all got chicken plates... THE CHICKEN, it was so hot, crispy,fresh,perfectly seasoned.... I actually cried, lol (my favorite meal my momma made was fried chicken and it came close to hers). I got Lima beans and Mac n cheese with mine and phew... this is legit southern cooking! I'm so happy that I found this place and it's not far from my husbands work (so he will now be responsible for being home a chicken box in Friday's) read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Fried Chicken - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Easily one of the best fried chickens in the North Florida area. When you get that perfect crunch on the breading but the meat inside is still glistening inside, you know it's done right. Couple that chicken with some amazing sides and it's a meal made in heaven. read more

All our orders have been to go. Overall, yummy. Staff is always nice and helpful when we order. Prices are ok but I feel the servings are on the small side. Except for the cake, the cake slices are HUGE! Also oh so yummy. I've tried the chicken, fish, oxtails....most items on the menu and it's all been consistently good. The inside has always been clean when we go in. read more

Great service, good chicken, excellent collard greens! Not very busy for dine-in at 6 pm, but we were well attended to

The food was terrible. The service was even worse. I didn't even like the beer I got.

It's been two years or so since I've been to Shut Em' Down and I must say it was better. I ordered through Door Dash this time so no interaction with the front counter. The Mac was great this time it was moist, cheesy and simple just like I like my Mac. Their gravy is money all across the board!!!! I was definitely sad that I didn't add two sides of it. The cabbage is cut into big pieces that I don't really care for because it doesn't cook consistently with the smaller pieces but the flavor of it had me drinking the cabbage juice like I had lost my mind and it was at the bottom of the container! My only con is that I asked for the gravy to be on the side and the pork chop was still smothered, none the less it still tasted great. Oh, and kuddos to this place for actually having good baked beans. Two times in a row the last two weeks I've experienced soul food that made me say, "I'll never go back" and the food ended up in the trash! Well tonight I'll Shut Down the leftovers waiting for me in the refrigerator!! ...And they're close to home so yes, I'll be returning! It's definitely a bang for your buck!! read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Smothered Fried Chicken lunch portion was finger lickin' good! - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Their food might be good but their service is lousy, I didn't ask the motor or manager when I have a second cashier and gave me some excuse but then the food won't be twice as good I placed an order and I've been waiting over 20 minutes for my order, and then when I ask for a cup of water he want to charge me $.27 telling me nothing is for free read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Fried pork chops macaroni and cheese collard greens and cornbread - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The food was very good. This was my first time and I will definitely be back. Had the fried chicken, mac n cheese and collards and it came with corn bread. Then washed it all down with a good glass of good ole southern sweeeeet tea. Service was good. You order at the register, but then take a seat and they bring everything to you. They even offer drink refills and checked on us to make sure everything was good. Great service. read more

Do not order their meat loaf this is not right at all why own a business in be cheap this is not how their meat loaf looks on the website nasty fr this business is a disgrace to the city of Jacksonville read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Meatloaf - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

When you walk into the restaurant you will notice the ordering counter as well as all of the dining room seats. When we reached the counter we were greeted by a young lady to take our. She was extremely helpful and patient. Tj: Fish Lunch Special sides: Potato Salad & Cabbage Tilapia was well fried. Cabbage was bland and undercooked. Potato salad was bland, more mashed potatoes consistency instead of salad like. Josh: Smothered Pork Chops with Mash Potatoes & Yams Pork Chop Mashed potatoes Yams Zamaurie: Fried chicken, dinner with cabbage and macaroni and cheese Fried Chicken Cabbage Mac N Cheese We ate at the restaurant and service was excellent. The staff kept the eating areas clean. Meats were good. The sides questionable ‍ I would go back, Just not anytime soon. read more

YA'LL!! OH..M...Gee this soul food restaurant is the bomb diggity! I had been craving some southern fried chicken and collards like my gramma used to make and boy did this not disappoint! My gramma would be proud of this fried chicken! I am so glad we drove all the way out here from Mandarin because we don't have yummy soul food out here! I will be going back for that smothered pork chop I saw another patron get! My hubby and I both had the fried chicken. My sides were collards, mac n cheese and black eyed peas. We washed it down with the peach cobbler but forgot to get pics of the cobbler but don't worry, we will be back and I won't disappoint you next time! Do not let the name or outside appearance scare you just go in and thank me later! read more

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We stopped in while our car was being serviced at the dealership down the road. The food was very good, the service was outstanding and the atmosphere was what you would expect. We ordered the ox tail over rice lunch and a rib lunch. The ox tail was very moist and tender. The ribs were 4 ribs which had good bite through. We both had Mac and cheese which was delicious. She had mixed greens and I had seasoned cabbage as our second side both were very good and well seasoned. read more

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Not so much MSG on the smothered pork chops. Or those pork chops were cheap and poorly sourced.

I'm native to Jacksonville and had never heard of this place. Relatively fast food service. The mashed potatoes and gravy weren't very well seasoned, and my dad's chicken was undercooked. Beware: they will nickel and dime -- we were charged for a water cup. read more

Well it was about time I tried the delicious food at Shut 'Em Down, right?! So close to where I live and such rave reviews from my Yelp peers... This was my first experience.... The Friday lunch special was Fried Tilapia and Grits for $4.99. The fish was fresh and perfectly seasoned and lightly fried. Coupled with their cheese grits, this was a tasty meal. OK. You know I couldn't come here without trying their famous fried chicken. I ordered the dark meat special a la carte and I was pretty impressed with the flavor. Just fried chicken as it ought to be! Crispy, flavorful and juicy on the inside. Definitely worth the short wait. If you go, I highly recommend the collards, mac n' cheese, or yams as a side. At least that's what I tried and loved them. The collard greens were great, had a slightly sweet flavor which I didn't mind and actually enjoyed. The yams were thick cut, perfectly candied and robust with cinnamon. And the mac n' cheese was absolutely divine! Cheesy, rich, savory and so very satisfying. Delish! Oh course I cannot forget the desserts offered here. Yes. Please leave room for their desserts or at the very least, opt to take a few home. Everything is made in-house. Haiyaaa! Brownies, cookies, cakes, cobblers, banana pudding and pies!!! Oh My! I had both the Strawberry Cake and Carrot Cake. Each of them were decadent, delectable and well worth the calories. Definitely eat their cakes. Also noteworthy was their Sweet Potato Pie. Their version was one of the BEST (if not THE BEST) Sweet Potato Pie I have ever tasted. Yes. It was that good. And I probably could have eaten another slice of it if I were not so full from my meal. Of course you can order a whole pie, but they do need 24-hour advanced notice to make this happen. Next time... Overall, I will definitely be back. The service was fast and friendly from the moment I walked in with my family to the time we sat down in the restaurant to eat and to the very last second we left with our extra take-home orders. I highly recommend trying everything on their menu including the amazing desserts. Just YUM! Great southern comfort food is worth the wait here at Shut'Em Down. read more

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If you're looking for somewhere warm & full like you're at home with the fam this is the place to go. Very good food. Great portions for the value. The staff was very nice! Nostalgic soul sounds.. almost reminds you of being at a cookout forreal but the overall experience was great! read more

Had fried chicken, collards and cabbage. All good and was very tasty, hot, and fresh. Also comes with cornbread. I had sweet tea to drink. Food is great but facility needs upgrade repairs to several things. Light in men's bathroom is out. It was out a month ago when we were here. Outside side lights don't work so it's very dark in parking lot. read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Men's restroom light - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I love this place. Never been disappointed. The chicken is fried fresh every time. Sides are great too. And the cookies man, I love their peanut butter cookies. read more

This was a really good soul food restaurant. My fiancée elected that we go here and I was skeptical at first but this turned out to be a really good meal. I would suggest making a stop here if you are in the Jacksonville area. I had the fried chicken wings with fries. The chicken was fried hard which I appreciated. They also were whole wings which was par from the norm. They were also well seasoned and very sizeable. I put some hot sauce on them and went to work. read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Chicken Wings and Fries - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Hi my Husband and I stopped here today for lunch, first time trying this place after all we live in Daytona beach fl we don't have any good soul food places to eat at. anyway we decided to try this place and it was good. I had the fried chicken, white with mashed potatoes and a little gravy and green beans and it came with cornbread. I also ordered a peanut butter cookie and a slice of their chocolate speciality cake. My husband had the Curry chicken with white rice black eyed peas Mac and cheese and cornbread with an ice tea. My chicken was crispy not greasy at all. it was well seasoned like I like it the green beans was seasoned the only thing is make the mashed potatoes a little stiffer so the gravy can hold up on it because they were to thin for the gravy yeah redo the potatoes. the peanut butter cookie need to have more of a peanut butter flavor. the chocolate cake is good.my husband said his food was good just needed a little more of the curry chicken on the rice other than that it was very good.i paid $35.09 for everything so that wasn't bad at all for our meals so yes I do recommend this restaurant the staff was very friendly and courteous smiling and checking in on the customers making sure everything was good. and today's date is May 24th 2025 the time was 11:52 a.m. so we will be visiting this restaurant again soon thank you.. read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - The receipt - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Shut em down is a west side staple. Fried chicken that melts in your mouth. So many choices at affordable prices. Only downfall, we have to drive to the Westside. There was a location off of Bowden Rd that shut down. All in all good food, good prices and good service. Shut em down was oh so good. Not pictured was the fish and grits. Delish!! read more

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Saw the good reviews here in Yelp so of course we had to try it! Came here on a Saturday lunch. They were pretty busy and seems like a lot of their customers were also coming in to pick up their orders. Selecting our lunch was a breeze as they have pictures and prices of their menu right in front of you. We got the following: Fish with green beans and rice with gravy for my father in law - he said he liked all of them! Smothered Pork Chop with collard greens plus Mac and cheese for my husband - that gravy with rice is perfect with the pork chop! It was delish! We also enjoyed the collard greens! The Mac and cheese was mushy though. Fried chicken with green beans and cabbage for me - Crispy and juicy! They have hit all the right notes to create this special dish! It was served hot and you would definitely lick your fingers! Banana Pudding - great dessert to finished off all our great meals! Creamy and not too sweet! We loved it! We will surely be here once a month! read more

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It's lunchtime, we're hungry and in the mood for something good. So, we found this little gem. Nothing to look at on the outside but, boooyyyy is the food good. It reminds me of family dinners, comfort food. Without, the drama.. When you enter you order your food, then when its done the Idris Elba look alike will bring your food to the table. He's handsome and friendly. The cashier was friendly also. read more

Shut Em Down Authentic Southern Restaurant - Front counter - Southern Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Fantastic! Best fried chicken. I'll come from over the bridge just to eat here. Nice people great food!