I love going to Sandra's for the convenience, but my favorites have fallen off. String beans tough,…read moreno flavor. Smothered pork chops too much salt. Caribbean rice, too salty. White rice too mushy, Mac & cheese lacks a rich cheesy kick. The last time I had the cabbage, there was no flavor. Nonetheless, I am grateful for this place because I don't like to cook anymore. I just doctor the food e.g. rinse off that salty gravy & add more cheese to the Mac. Add sweet pickles to the potato salad. Make it work.

Sandra's Next Generation has been my absolute staple in the community for over three decades…read more Sandra Pittman has been cooking in this same location since 1989, and I've been eating here consistently since 1995. It is, without question, the best soul food in the state. I have no problem running down I-91 from Hartford just to get my food because the quality and taste are on a level that nobody else can touch. Don't let the neighborhood fool you; this is a masterclass in authentic cooking. Sandra and her husband Miguel have been running this place for over 30 years, and that level of dedication shows in every single dish. The food has the kind of soul and precision that defines the elite dining scene in Connecticut. If you want the real deal--the standard that every other soul food spot is measured against--this is the only place to go. It's a class act that has stayed true to its roots for over 30 years.

If you are looking for an intimate ambiance paired with excellent food and top-tier service, this…read moreis the perfect restaurant for you. Everything we tried was flavorful and cooked to perfection, and the staff went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience. Highly recommended!

Was very impressed with this hidden gem of an establishment. Our server Kyle was amazing, very…read moreattentive and on point. Would definitely come back here when I'm in Connecticut. FOOD: Very good and flavorful just how soul food should be and taste. Excellent selection of food items to choose from. AMBIANCE: Like your typical breakfast/brunch ambience. The lighting was just right. ENTERTAINMENT: They have a DJ playing 90's & early 2000's R&B and hip hop. Was pretty awesome made you want to dance while you were eating. Good feel good energy in here. Just a note that it is a tad bit loud with the music but not in an offensive way, kind of a day club in Vegas type of way. SERVICE: Our server Kyle was excellent! DRESS CODE: Casual *YELP ELITE REVIEW DISCLAIMER: These opinions and experiences are my own and may not reflect other's experiences and views of the establishment. I will always provide true, factual & unbiased reviews.*

This place is a hidden gem I stumbled upon. The service was amazing and the treat the guests like…read morefamily, the food is seasoned and cooked with love, and i the price was well worth it. A nice setting that's perfect for any meal and the ambiance is great. I will definitely come back and tell my friend and family

"Wow... what an unforgettable dining experience! The moment you walk through the door, you're…read moregreeted by a smell that immediately makes you wonder if the building has a secret roach convention happening in the back. MAC and cheese disgusting spoiled yams and greens was definitely from out of a can and the fish I have no words I want my money back. Forget appetizers--the aroma hits you before you even get to the menu. I've never had a restaurant make me question my life choices so quickly.

Down Home Delicious. Mama Sue's is in an inconspicuous…read morebuilding on Congress Ave. in Waterbury, CT. The building may be small but it's the perfect size for a busy kitchen and small front area to pick up great take-out food. Wow....can they put out some amazing down home southern food. They're all very friendly and welcoming and once again....man can they cook. I had the chopped BBQ, candied yams, collard greens, and cornbread. The chopped BBQ is spicy and vinegary. It didn't even need barbeque sauce, but you can get that as well. The candied yams had a spice that I couldn't figure out but it was addictive. I just wanted more. Collard greens were excellent. Cornbread was moist and tender. My wife wasn't that hungry so she ordered the Mac & Cheese. Warm, comforting, and cheesy. She loved it. My cornbread was so good that she ended up eating most of it. Couldn't ask for much more than that. Next time we order I'm going to try the Smothered Pork Chops.

When you are craving Soul food nothing else will do. So while passing by on I-84 from NY to CT we…read morestopped in. The place is tiny and in a residential neighborhood, so if you blink, you'll miss it! The meal satisfied the craving (the fried whiting and collard greens were Banging!) But the sides were not quite like Mama's. A little pricey for the amount of food. Would possibly stop by again. It's Take-Out only!

Food was absolutely amazing. The cornbread is to die for- the best I've ever had - not even close…read more I had chicken breast with Mac and Cheese which was "macin". Waitress/Server was a doll - so kind and helpful. Our party of 4 loved it. We got 15 cornbread to go (on our way to a long family weekend wedding Amazing!!!

Thelma's food has always been a HIT! Why the 3 stars is crazy to me. I had my Birthday party there,…read moreand everyone who attended continued to rave about the delicious food. I have also attended other events or just stopped in for a bite to eat. The wings are Fabulous! The fries with the jerk chicken..man o' man.. makes you come back for more. The flavor/seasoning of the food is top notch. The rasta pasta with salmon is Delicious. The fried fish, mac n cheese, greens and yams are soooo Good! I have never been disappointed. And the servers are Phenomenal. They greeted me when I came in. Were very attentive throughout my visit. The prices are competitive, so no need to complain about that. I almost forgot to mention the fun you can have there with the Karaoke. The DJ I wish I remembered his name.. All I know is that he represented on a Friday night! It was Epic. So, just go and enjoy the ambiance. Go and enjoy the food. How could I have forgotton to mention the restaurant owners Lady. She is Phenomenal. I love her professionalism, and attentiveness.

If you're in Hartford looking for the real deal soul food, don't let the neighborhood fool you--Hot…read morePots has the best soul food sides in the city, period. This isn't Lilly's or any of the other "soul food" spots people usually talk about; this is the closest you're going to get to the quality and taste of Sandra's in New Haven. While I can't speak to their proteins, their sides are a masterclass in flavor and soul. My pro move is simple: grab a 20-piece suicide wings from Paul's Ranch House just down the block and pair them with the sides of your choice from here. Dinner is served. It's a fast-food environment, not fine dining, but the taste is elite and fits the budget perfectly. If you want authentic sides that actually hit the mark, this is a mandatory stop.

I'm done taking trash food just out of loyalty especially if it's not appropriated never can get…read morewhat I want from black businesses this place

I recently ordered a catering order from Soul Tasty and had such a seamless experience. You can…read moreplace your order online on their website and the communication was super easy. Pick up was also an easy process. We ordered half trays of baked chicken, fried chicken, green beans, bbq ribs, Rasta pasta, and sweet plantains. Overall some of our favorites were the bbq ribs and the fried chicken -- those were so tasty! We were a little disappointed with the Rasta pasta, especially since we've ordered Rasta pasta in the past for take out and it was completely different from the kind we ordered for catering. Other than that, everything was great and we will likely use Soul Tasty again for catering!

The food was really delicious, I got the barbecue tasty box with collard greens, but I definitely…read moredon't recommend going there alone if you're a woman it's very sketchy at night. Make sure you bring a friend like I did. The guy the counter was really nice.

Came up from NC wanting some good Southern food, and we found a true gem!…read more We ordered the smothered turkey wings, fried fish, yams, mac and cheese, and delicious cabbage--and everything was SO good! The portions are generous enough for two people, so you definitely get your money's worth. The workers were sweet, welcoming, and friendly, which made the experience even better. And listen... the cornbread and freshly squeezed lemonade are a MUST! If you're looking for authentic, delicious Southern comfort food, definitely give this place a try! 5 stars all around!

Overall, it wasn't that great of an experience. I had the chicken and waffle. Three stars for the…read morefried chicken. It tasted good but was a little pink in a couple of parts. The waffle and cornbread was just ok. My waitress was efficient but not friendly and she rushed through everything. She set the tone for why I didn't enjoy my visit. I still tipped her but I won't be coming back. One of the reasons I came was to support a black owned business, but it's not black owned anymore.

You can't go to Harlem and not get some soul food, and Sylvia's did NOT disappoint…read more I went with the meatloaf, collard greens, mac & cheese, and potato salad, and the whole plate was hitting. The meatloaf was tender and the sauce was , the greens were seasoned right, and the mac & cheese was exactly what I wanted it to be. Even the potato salad held its own. Nothing fancy or trying too hard. Just really, REALLY good comfort food from a Harlem institution. I'd absolutely come back. Palate don't lie. ‍

@sylvias is a nice classic spot for some good soul food! It's been around since the 1960s. I got…read morethe mac and cheese, rice, and catfish which were all delicious! Everything was tasty and flavorful. Their corn bread was divine as well as their peach cobbler! Service was quick and efficient, we were seated quickly and our food also came out quickly. The server also suggested certain things and gave good suggestions. They said to get the cat fish instead of the other fish dish, since the other fish would have bones. This place is busy, but there is plenty of seating available and this place is huge. It was kind of hard to track down the waiter for the check, since it gets busier later in the evening. Sylvia also has her own sauce which they served, and that you can also find in supermarkets. Price: $30-40 Rating: 8.5/10

I would love to give Melba's a higher rating, but it's just too inconsistent unfortunately. The…read morefood should be consistent. Consistent seasoning, flavors, and cook. The collard greens were just perfectly tangy and savory last week and this week they are bitter and spicy. There were red pepper flakes in it this time which weren't there last time. The Mac and cheese was dry and overcooked this week when last week it was PERFECT. The short rib last week was falling off the bone. This week it's so tough. It's not the first time I've felt like this. I took my parents to Melba's last year after initially loving my first experience with them. I had been talking Melba's up to them all week and we went and it was just so so. And we're from GA so we know our soul food. It was embarrassing. I personally feel that a restaurant's recipes should be consistent regardless of who's in the kitchen and especially when they charge so much.

First meal on this trip to New York!…read more I'm in New York for a week and was catching up with a friend who suggested we grab some soul food. I love me some chicken and waffles, so we decided to check out Melba's Restaurant, located at 300 W. 114th Street in Harlem. I thought the exterior was really cute, especially the nice awning. Inside, the restaurant has a very traditional, home-style feel, with lots of wood and warm brown tones. You can definitely feel the history of the place when you walk in. If you're driving, I would be a little cautious about parking. There was quite a bit of street cleaning happening, so make sure you pay close attention to the signs. I'd also recommend making a reservation if you can, especially depending on what time you visit, because the restaurant can get pretty busy. One thing I noticed about the seating is that it can be a little tight. Coming from Chicago, I'm not necessarily accustomed to the same kind of seating arrangements, and I have pretty broad shoulders, so I like having a little personal space. If you're seated at a smaller table, just be prepared for a more compact setup. My friend and I both ordered the chicken and waffles, and they were delicious! I have to give a lot of love to the waffle because it was cooked perfectly. I actually took some of it home, and surprisingly, it still tasted really good the next day. The chicken was also breaded really well. It wasn't overly seasoned, which I appreciated, it had just the right amount of flavor. Since I wanted to try some of their soul food, I also ordered the greens, and those were delicious as well. I washed everything down with a strawberry lemonade, which I really enjoyed. My friend got the sweet tea and loved that too. One thing to keep in mind: Melba's isn't really a full-on breakfast restaurant. They happen to have chicken and waffles, but if you're going there expecting a traditional breakfast menu with things like eggs and breakfast potatoes, you're not going to find a huge selection. Since I wanted something to complement my chicken and waffles, I ordered French fries instead. Overall, this was a really good first meal for my New York trip. The food was delicious, the staff were super accommodating, and the atmosphere had a lot of character. There were just a few small things keeping me from giving it a full five stars, but I would definitely recommend checking out Melba's if you're in Harlem. Solid 4.5 out of 5 stars.