Their food was pretty good. Sometimes they were pleasant. But since they stopped indoor dining and then just closed, it's a big drag. And there isn't any regular update and that means you can try calling--IF they even kerp the outgoing message accurate. I finally made it to Touch of Soul since they moved. It was excellent! It at least seemed the food was spot on with all dishes cooked with aplomb. My only issue with TOS (a personal pet peeve) is they never returned to real plates and actual silverware. All you can get even for dine-in are plastic utensils. Anyway, in short, southern cafe is dead--Go to touch of soul on adeline read more

Southern Cafe man oh man I wanted love you! Soul food is my absolute favorite. My fat girl self can eat it everyday. It's so comforting and filling. I drive down this place nearly weekly and everytime I look the line is crazy long or they're closed. So one day the boyfriend and me drove by, hadn't ate and seen no line. So we stopped. Big mistake! I ordered Breaded Pork Chops with red beans and rice and mac! The pork chop had so much breading..... so salty. My cholesterol went out the roof. Rice was hard still, mac was just okay! Now on to my poor boyfriends meal... he actually wanted what I ordered lol! We tend to always want the same meals ag places but since i'm so picky he's always thoughtful and lets me get it then he'll order something different. He went with the Meatloaf with mac and rice and gravy..... i'm sure you can tell just by the picture of that meatloaf he wasn't very happy! I forgot to take a pic of what it looked like when we cut it.. but it was RAW. The sauce they smothered it in was disgusting. The gravy on rice was beyond salty. The only item edible on our plates was our mac. I wouldn't be back nor do I recommend them. There prices are way too high for the quality of their food. Oakland has way more soul food places worth checking out! read more

See all

If I can give them a negative 1 star I would...I hope they never open back up with the horrible portions they give you....these people been winging it for years & getting away with price gouging...the food was good if they give enough they never keep nobody she only want to pay 1 person to do everything which is utterly ridiculous....take phone orders, help customers in the line & in the lobby & I mean just 1 person....the owner is super cheap She need not call it a Sunday buffet if she counts how many meats items u get @ 1 time to how many times u go up to the buffet & u better have your receipt & u get dessert only 1 time not as many times as u like so it's not a buffet it's like a regular plate....Will never spend a dollar in there I don't care how good the food is.... read more

Wish they open the dining room back up. Togo orders are picked out on the side window, left of the front door. Better sinage explaining this would be great. But maybe I missed it while dodging the rain. In any event....I'll be back. Yummmm! read more

Southern Cafe - Oxtails, cabbage, black eye peas - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

This restaurant does not live up to its long standing reputation anymore (LadyEsther 's). Let's get back to world class service and food.

This place is closed!! Has been closed for a long time! Do not come here as they haven't been serving for at least 8 months

This food was ridiculously delicious. I couldn't even pick up the turkey wing without the meat falling off the bone. Tremendous flavor and texture. The cabbage and yams reminded me of my childhood, just completely flavorful. My son ordered the fried chicken and loved it. He also thoroughly enjoyed the Mac & cheese and rice with gravy. I really appreciate the steps they took to make ordering easy, while maintaining safe social distance. We had to wait about 30 minutes for our food, but it was way beyond worth it. Definitely going again. read more

Just okay. Very average. Disappointed the internet said live jazz band, but it was just soul music streaming. Buffet was eatable. Meatloaf was a little pink in the middle of thw slice. Catfish was bland. Food was served on the cool side. Not hot and not all that. read more

Southern Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

All I can say is: the short ribs are to die for! Love their fried chicken wings and they make an excellent peach cobbler. If you don't mind a wait, the food is well worth it. The parking in the area is hard to find. Nice place that is always clean, and, The service is always great. read more

In my humble opinion, their food is some of the best I've ever had. I had the Short Rib dinner, with rice & gravy, collard greens, and yams. I got some catfish, and 3-chicken wings for later. Also two cornbread muffins. The Short Ribs were so tender, melt in your mouth. The collard greens were so flavorful. The yams perfect. I also ate one piece of catfish and one chicken wing. The entire meal was on point. Don't miss out on a fantastic opportunity of enjoying some real deal soul food if ever in Oakland, California Kevin D. McGee, President, NAACP, Anchorage, Alaska read more

See all

Small portions (oxtails) for the price and we were missing the catfish dinner and correct sides. The oxtails were very tender. The cabbage & cornbread were excellent. The rice & gravy side was not the gravy from the meat and was very bland-we had to add seasoning. So with all this you might wonder, Why Four stars? Four stars because when I called to tell them about the error, they admitted the mistake and apologized. Mrs Bell told me she was off the following day but she would let Janae know to replace the dinner. I did not know the Sunday hours closed earlier so when I called to order at 630, it was too late. I explained I was headed out of town so their Thurs-Sun hours meant I could not get my meal until after my trip. Janae said she would make a note of it and I could come when I got back! Customer service is EVERYTHING, hope things go smoothly, making good on their promise when I get back! Stay tuned...I will definitely update this review. P.S. The parking is horrible & damn near impossible, give yourself extra time to deal with it. Definitely CALL ahead, avoid walk up ordering. read more

See all

I'm glad I found this place on yelp! My bf and I came here after craving fried chicken and this place was bomb! We didn't have to wait for a table on a Friday night around 7:30. I ordered the fried chicken, all dark meat, with collard greens and corn, and my bf got the Mac and cheese and beans as his sides. The breading on the chicken was perfect and the meat was so tender! My sides were delicious too. I had a bite of the Mac and cheese and that was yummy too! Oh and the meal even comes with rice and gravy! So much food. Why only 4 stars? They didn't have a batch of corn muffins ready so we never got them even though I saw other tables get some later on. Our server never checked if we wanted any when they were ready even though I asked him about them earlier. My bf also ordered a regular Budweiser twice but he got bud lights both times, and not wanting to waste beer, my bf just drank them. That being said, I'd still come back. I really want to try the corn muffins! read more

Southern Cafe - Fried chicken with collard greens, corn, and rice and gravy. - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

Not ever open! We've called several times. Was reviewed by Triple D and once we found they were only open thur thru Sunday. Then we tried again on a Friday and they were closed. So disappointing! read more

Everything is good, ready to relax with the Sunday meal. Watch a movie Missing = Desert Always check the to-go thoroughly Tried to call. No answer now fo the to-go orders. They are busy it's Oxtail Sunday, I know. But you owe me desert or $. Thanks See you next time. Great rebound all is good. I just need to go back. Later read more

Dang. Mac n cheese. Collard greens. Turkey wings. Be sure to put the hot sauce on the collards. This was magic. Will be back to have everything on the menu in the coming weeks. Thanks for the hospitality tonight! read more

Don't come here is you're hungry!! No wait, no line and still going on 45 minutes waiting for our order. Even if the food is good, which I do hope they serve soon so I can try it, will it be worth this wait?? Crazy wait!! read more

Southern Cafe - Trying to get some food!! Lol - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

I was just at the famous Amy Ruth's in Harlem, which I enjoyed, but I can tell you straight up that this place is even better! Better in food, better in service and better in ambiance. To top it off, unlike Amy Ruth's, the Southern Cafe is located right here in the Bay Area. Came on Sunday for their buffet lunch, when it is a popular place for the after church going folks. Steady continuous flow of business during the entire time of our almost two hour stay inside this casual, but cozy place. Food - this is where they excel! Think all the classics: deep fried chicken and catfish, collards, red beans and rice, black eyed peas, yams, mac and cheese, iced cake, etc. Add to that an obligatory huge salad. However, who really comes here for a huge healthy salad? Not. Sodas were included, and I even treated myself to fruit punch. My faves were the fried chicken, fried catfish and mac and cheese. Wow! I can't say enough about that oh so cheesy mac and cheese. Servers were plentiful, always offering soda refills and checking to make sure all was okay. Owner was on the premises today, and he is always nice and friendly. You won't be needing dinner after lunch here. We got here at 1pm, it's midnight now, and I'm still not hungry. read more

See all

Always delicious! My favs are the meatloaf, rice and gravy and the yams . The chicken is always delicious with its crunchiness. Love this place! read more

DEE-LISH-CIOUS!!! I feel like I've been living under a rock because I am only now trying it out. I drive by all the time and tell myself that I have to try it, but somehow I always forget. Went in on a Wednesday afternoon for lunch. The place is a decent size and had a good amount of people for mid weekday. We had to wait a bit before being seated. Service was all right. You get what you need, they check up on you once in awhile, you eat, and you leave. Simple We ordered the fried chicken (dark meat) a la carte and the oxtail as an entree because it comes with 2 sides. We picked the collard greens and mac & cheese. Food took quite some time, but IT WAS DEFINITELY WORTH THE WAIT! The fried chicken was not over breaded like most places. Skin had a good little crunch to it and the meat was so incredibly juicy and tasty. All I did was add some hot sauce to it, AMAZING! The oxtail was cooked to perfection. So flavorful and tender. It was bcasically fall off the bone. The gravy went so well with it, and it was perfectly flavored without being too salty. I LOVED the collard greens as well, but the mac & cheese was just okay to me. Small gem in Oakland with the best fried chicken and oxtail by far! I want to go back to try the fried fish already. read more

See all

This place is about as close to my grandma cooking on the west coast as it's gonna get. Talk about a hearty Sunday dinner. They never miss! Food always good. They are neck and neck with Lena's; I hate to say it but they are in my opinion, as far as the taste and quality of the food. read more

Reopening June 5th 2020 for takeout and delivery New menu and hours! FRIDAY 12-7pm SATURDAY 12-7pm SUNDAY 1-7pm read more

Southern Cafe - NEW MENU AND HOURS FOR SOUTHERN CAFE REOPENING FRIDAY 12-7PM SATURDAY 12-7PM SUNDAY 1-7PM TAKEOUT AND DELIVERY ONLY!! - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

I love me some fried pork chops, mac & cheese, and collard greens!! on this day I forgot the yams, but everything was good! Service was good and fast since it wasn't that crowded, and the ambience was just like any other Cafe everyone had good energy. read more

Love this place! I've been coming here my whole life. It gets crowded here fast so it's best to come during the week. Parking is a nightmare no matter what day or time you come but I promise you it's worth the struggle. TV's on the walls are great for watching sports. The music playing R&B on the overhead speakers had me grooving in my seat while browsing the menu. I almost forgot I wasn't in the car lol. This is my fav soul food spot in Oakland. Everything is seasoned well and cooked to perfection. The turkey wings could be more tender but still hella good. GET THE MAC N CHEESE!!!! I promise you will thank me later. Snapper is a high commodity so sometimes they will run out. I haven't eaten a dish here that wasn't good! read more

This is still my go to for smothered turkey wings and mac and cheese. However last night I got some sweet potato pie and I was sorely disappointed. The tart crust was obviously not made in house, but even so, the middle wasn't cooked through. Also there was WAY too much cinnamon!! It bloomed on my palate like an atom bomb and I couldn't taste the sweet potato. I couldn't eat it. read more

The food at Southern Cafe used to remind me of beloved family favorites. Sadly, over the years, the quality of the food has deteriorated. Today will probably be my last meal here. My pick up order of fried catfish, collards, black~eyed peas, and candied yams was 1-1/2 hrs late. The 3 small pieces of fish was fried in old oil, giving the fish a burnt taste. I called to complain and they invited me to pick up a new order. The new order had 4 small pieces of fish, but it was also overcooked in the stale oil. It was inedible. The collards were full of tough stems. The black eyed peas were well seasoned. The candied yams were overly sweet, in my opinion. The food was over priced for the poor quality and service. I try to support in person dining establishments, especially after Covid, but I wish I had gone to JJ Fish. It would have been less expensive and tastier. read more

Yesterday I Purchased two meals and a side dish cornbread dressing. After eating my smothered pork chops I was forced to lay down with my blood pressure hitting the ceiling and my heart rate is 119. I knew when I first tasted that it was over seasoned and possibly too much salt and MSG; not sure if they use that or not however I was so sick I had to lay down. I called the restaurant and spoke to a manager. I explain to them what it happened her explanation was I'll go back and tell the cook. They didn't offer a replacement and I didn't ask for one because I'm not going back again. read more

The employees are fantastic! Super nice and attentive. The food was good. Fried chicken wings were served piping hot fresh out of the fryer. Mac and Cheese was good although the mac was a bit over cooked. The Greens and red beans were prepared perfectly to my liking. Cornbread was light and delicious. I would pass on the shrimp Po Boy special. 6 shrimp and hardly any filling ingredients. The bread they use was very good just not much value on what you get with the PO BOY. Parking is a challenge to say the least. If I were in the area and I saw a parking spot I would stop in for sure, I would just not go out of my way to come back. read more

See all

I rarely post a bad experience but I was so taken aback by how I was treated tonight. Although I acknowledge I went 30 minutes before they closed I went to the window and had a conversation with the young lady about what they were "sold out" of. After waiting another 25 minutes to get my turn to order I'm told "Oh we stop taking orders at 8:30". This could have been avoided by letting me know from the onset. However, they just took the guys order in front of me 5 seconds prior. SMH I absolutely Love the food! I mean it's good good but their level of customer service and un-professionalism discourages me from returning. I hope they get better read more

Food is always consistent, been eating there for years. Blessings Short Ribs, rice/gravy, yams, string beans. read more

I still do not like giving one-star reviews, but I'm giving this restaurant one. When I try new restaurants, I spend money getting a lot of food just in case I luck out and do not like certain items. In this case, I disliked all of the items. I do not have pictures because this food was disposed of with quickness and without hesitation. It smells like soul food, it looks like soul food, but it doesn't taste like soul food. The cornbread muffin was dry and flavorless. I don't recall ever having to spit food out as I did with the fried pork chop. The fried chicken tasted like it was cooked in old oil. The cabbage was soaked in vinegar or something of the like. The greens were all right. The yams were not on point. The rice and gravy were not on point. This restaurant missed the point in getting it right when it comes to soul food. Hang it up because this just is not it. read more

WHY WE WENT HERE: - put off by horrible customer service at Southern Flavors in Hayward (DON'T EVER GO THERE!) - still wanted soul food for lunch so we drove all the way to Oakland THE LOOK (FROM THE OUTSIDE): - located on the corner of MacArthur Blvd and Canon Ave - you can't miss the signage with the script text reading "Southern Cafe" - sign on the front door regarding parking limitations - parking tip: street parking or residential parking (just not on the residents' driveways obviously) THE LOOK (FROM THE INSIDE): - quaint - feels like a living room (there's a fireplace!) with tables/chairs setup, a wall-mounted TV, but with a buffet (we came on a Sunday) and a cashier corner - with regards to the buffet, the workers serve the hot foods for you; cold foods are self-serve THE MENU: - we were told when we came in that Sundays are served buffet style and with unlimited mimosas, teas, lemonades, etc. for under $40/person WHAT WE GOT: - black eyed peas - catfish - corn chowder - collard greens - fried chicken - green beans - lasagna - mac n cheese - meatloaf - mimosas - red beans + rice - side salad (choose your own dressing out of three available) - strawberry lemonade - stuffing + gravy - sweet tea - turkey - yams THE TASTE: - everything was pretty amazing! - the black eyes peas weren't my favorite though - I gave the meatloaf love, because no one else was, and I thought it was pretty decent CUSTOMER SERVICE: - our server was Mariah (like the name of my friend that I dined with) and she was SO nice! very warm, welcoming, and attentive without being overbearing; had smiles for days! made you feel right at home! read more

Southern Cafe - Parking on the street is difficult. Try parking in nearby residential area. - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

This place never disappoints! My go to soul food spot ! Love the Turkey Wings and Oxtails! Great customer service as well, would be nice if they open the dining room area again, but for now to go it is !! read more

Greatest soul food you could want. It's like some down home cookin in that there place. Loved it and would recommend

I love this place, had a grub hub gift certificate so used to order early today. After anticipating all day, started getting delay TEXT. This is worth waiting for...except it was cancelled. I have meeting, so left hungry. They dont answer the phone and the mailbox was full. Hubby would have driven to pick up if the order was just delayed and grub hub would not wait. I will get a credit in up to 7 days to reverse the charge. Pick it up in person. DONT USE GRUBHUB! read more

Southern Cafe - Cancelled by grubhub - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Stopped in this evening and order the catfish and smothered pork chops. Both were great. The staff at the window were both friendly professional and polite. It's not always easy to find that type of service. I would recommend this restaurant. Great service! read more

Ordered a meatloaf dinner with red beans and rice, greens and yams...and I must say it was HORRIFIC! Meatloaf was salty af/ dry and had helluh carcinogens on the bottom of it (burnt black stuff on food) I GAVE IT TO MY DOG!!! Greens were super soft! Yams FA sho came straight out a can.. wasn't even carmelized/ sticky! Them red beans and rice was nasty af. Beans was hard with hard instant rice was horrible! Sorry NOT sorry... u would think that it being "black" owned they would know how to use the seasoning and flavor and cook their own rice instead of using instant rice! Will never come here again. I thought it may have gotten better over the years, boy was I wrong! The reviews posted are people who have diminished taste pallets read more

Wow, my taste buds appreciated every bite! I came here for Mother's day, I was pleasantly surprised. The line was out the door, there was about an hour and a half wait...worth it! We were there on a Sunday during their brunch, 1pm-5pm. There was SO MUCH FOOD!! It was amazing for a foodie like me. Each row filled with different delish dishes! I was obsessed with a few items: Green beans, greens, turkey wings, baked chicken,Mac&cheese, catfish nuggets and cheesy shrimp and grits! However everything was bomb.com! Friendly host and servers. They had desserts and unlimited mimosas that were strong!! It cost $40 for each person, however on regular Sundays (not mothers day or any other holiday) it cost $30. I literally had four in a half plates. The people giggled with me every time I came up for more. I just wanted to make sure I tried everything. :) The decor was lovely with pictures all around of prominent black figures through out American history. I will be back for sure! read more

See all

Absolutely delicious!! We had the smothered fried chicken and pork chop, Mac n cheese, collard greens, yams and black eyed peas. Will definitely come back soon! read more

Southern Cafe - Smothered fried chicken, pork chop, Mac n cheese, yams and collard greens - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

Worst service and establishment in all of Oakland. Inattentive staff. Severely long wait for a table WHEN ITS EMPTY!!! 15 mins for a menu, 15 more for water, 15 more to order and marginal food at a premium that takes 60-90 mins to serve, WHEN THE PLACE IS EMPTY!!! This business is hanging on for dear life and one visit will tell you why. KFC is a FAR cleaner more respectable restaurant. All 5 star reviews are staged. I've given it MANY chances. It's not worth being ignored or gouged. read more

My go- to spot for soul food well seasoned and always consistent with flavors greens good cabbage smackin I always get the veggie plate or the fried shrimp.. read more