It is Friday during Lent. With that being said, today is a great day to check out Sweet Jam Cafe and sample their shrimp/fish and grits. I've been to Sweet Jam a time or three and each time was just as perfect as the first time. After several visits, I would have to say that my two favorite dishes are their Chicken and Waffles and their ridiculously creamy and delicious Shrimp and Grits. Today is the 2'nd Friday during Lent, so for me that means no red meat. With that being said, if you are looking for a dangerously delicious red meat free dish I would recommend Sweet Jam Cafe's Shrimp and Grits. Let's start with the Chicken and Waffles- the chicken and waffles is a plate of one waffle that is cut into quarters and plated with three full size wings. The waffle is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I think their might be a hint of vanilla in the batter and I love it. The chicken, oh my gosh, sooooooo good. The chicken is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. If they sold just that flavorful chicken skin, I would buy a whole bucket of it. So good. The Shrimp and Grits are...... All I can say about the Shrimp and Grits is to go to Sweet Jam and order a bowl. It is so creamy, the grits are cooked perfectly and the shrimp.... Oh the shrimp. Do your mouth a favor and try this dish. You will not be disappointed. read more

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WHERE THE VIBES AT?! My girlfriend and I just moved to the Norfolk area and were looking for a place to eat lunch at. After looking through a few menus we decided to dine at Sweet Jame Cafe. 11/10 would definitely recommend this Black-owned, local business. She orders shrimp, fried scallops, yams, mac and cheese, and cornbread I ordered the chicken and french toast with strawberries + whipped cream When I say DELICIOUS!!!! Everything was cooked to perfection and took no time for them to bring the food out. Plus, we found out they serve an all-you-can-eat buffet on Sundays for $20.00 per person. This family-owned business cooks with a lot of love + their customer service and attentiveness is top-tier. If you're ever in the area, give this place a try I promise you will not be disappointed. Also, if you're a sweet tea lover like me I'm here to tell you, IT'S LIKE THAT!!!! Thank you, Sweet Jam Cafe, for the amazing experience and great food. Will be back VERY soon! read more

Sweet Jam Cafe - a menu for sweet jam - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

I am leaving a review based off of a carry-out order only. I have yet to have the dine-in experience, but after tasting the food for the first time, I know I will be in there soon enough. Relaxing on a lazy Sunday, we didn't feel like making anything, so my boyfriend looked up some local places and came across Sweet Jam Cafe. I opted for the smoked turkey wrap which had bacon, lettuce, & sun dried tomato aioli. YUM! He ordered the fried wing dinner, which he got with cabbage, mac-n-cheese, and cornbread. We will definitely be ordering from here again. I really want to dine-in and get the full experience next time. Considering how good the meals were for takeout, I know eating there will be even better! SUPPORT BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES!!! read more

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Came here for Sunday buffet with friends. They also had entrees if you didn't want to do the buffet. Buffet started at noon. I had three plates of food from the buffet section, tried a small portion of everything. The food were good, pig feet dipped in a bit of vinegar, fried chicken , oven baked chicken, tender ribs, and all the sides. I will come back again. I like the fact if you have leftover from buffet, you will be charged for it to go, so that you aren't wasting food. The server was kind and friendly. She made sure we were ok as we waited for the buffet and kept us updated on the wait time. read more

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Omg this place is heaven!!! First time trying and Im in love! The place is cozy and staff is very inviting. The sweet potato pancakes by far were the best pancakes I have ever had. Fluffy, moist and just the right amount of sweetness. Eggs were scrambled perfectly and not over or under done. Grits were a perfect consistency. I will definitely be back. read more

Sweet Jam Cafe - Menu - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Get a lot of food for the money and everything is delicious Would definitely recommend it It was a diamond in the rough

Sweet Jam made 2 different breakfast casseroles for a recent event at my church. They were AMAZING! Everyone kept standing around eating & commenting on how great they tasted. Definitely coming here to get dinner sometime soon. I also have to comment that the owners/managers have been very supportive of the homeless shelter we help support. Thank you Sweet Jam! read more

I ordered the chicken wing dinner with Mac and cheese and cabbage. It was okay. Everything tasted fresh but it all was lacking salt . I used a lot of hot sauce on the chicken so I could taste something. Service was a bit slow but my food was hot and the workers were nice. There were a few things on the menu that weren't available which limited my order choice. Menus need to be updated. A Family vibe . I would go again to try the breakfast . I'm not going to X them out just yet . :) read more

My wife and I try to support Black businesses whenever we can. We were looking forward to a nice lunch at Sweet Jam Cafe. Unfortunately, we could not make it past the seating process. After sitting for 15 minutes without even having our drink order taken, we sadly decided to leave. The menu selection did look inviting and it's a cute little place. However, they are clearly mismanaged. The place only had 3 families sitting to eat when we were there and THAT was overwhelming for this establishment. We are very disappointed. We always root for our people to succeed...but this experience was just plain ol' bad. read more

I Visited here Sunday July 2nd. It was my 1st time. The parking is decent. Parking lot is small but there's more parking on the side street. The wait staff was cool. Not very attentive though. The waiter was nice and funny, but lacked professionalism. He poured ice into glasses filled with liquid. Yep, it was a mess. The food was a roller coaster. I'll start with what was good. The fried chicken, fried fish, and the turkey wings were above par. The greens and mac n cheese were a damn shame. The greens were straight out of a can. The big orange one! The Mac n cheese tasted okay but the roux hadn't been properly mixed so there was some separation of the layers in it. That's an automatic fail for me. This not a place for a gathering without calling ahead. The seating is limited. I will still be back but not for the buffet. It's definitely worth another shot :) read more

My new favorite breakfast spot i got the fish and grits it was perfect in every way possible all the way down to the presentation it was so beautifully plated I didn't even want to mess it up needless to say i will DEFINITELY BE BACK read more

The service was friendly and the food was good. Typical lunch fare. The only reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is because it's billed as a Soul food restaurant when few items on the menu are actually soul food. read more

Oooooh my!!! ooooh my!!!! So I came here for lunch. And the food was pretty darn good. The only thing I had to complain about was getting to this business. So GPS took us straight to the graveyard by the Zoo. It was kind of weird... Cause we look around like. Why? Would a restaurant be in the graveyard. So I scratch my head and was like let me call this business to find out exactly were they were located. When I called I couldn't really understand what the guy was saying on the phone. He kept saying they were in ocean view and there's a bench outside. Then I started to get a little annoyed. So I hung up... And called back and a lady pick up and I ask her if she can just give me a land mark of what's next to their business. She did and I went on goggle and zoomed that place in to find the exact location. lol! We finally found it!!!! And it was woooorth it!!! It seems like it's a new restaurant too. It was very clean. And the staff were friendly and very funny. I will definitely be back!!!! Oh!!! Let me not forgot!!! I got the friiied chicken, carrot souffle, and mac and cheese. And a sweeeettt potato piiieeee... Let me tell you I took a nap afterwards. It was like PreThanksgiving.Well with fried chicken instead.Lol! read more

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Best fried chicken I've ever had....easily. Lost a star because apparently the sides change daily & they fidn't have many options I wanted today. Mac & cheese side was just ok. read more

This place has too be the best soul food restaurant in Norfolk, I felt like I was at my grandma's kitchen everything on the menu amazing they also have the best Arnold Palmer drink read more

Just became the 4th Yelp reviewer for this establishment, and guess what the 5 star trend continues! While visiting friends discovered this great little place. 1st of all, if you come here you will learn what true southern food is. You walk in and your greated by Alva, she gives you the rundown of the menu. I enjoyed the basics, fried chicken wings, mac and cheese and a delicious carrot souffle, that I would of sworn was yams. To keep a long story short I was surprised. If your in Norfolk pay them a visit, it will put a smile on your face and satisfaction to your taste buds! read more

Sweet Jam Cafe - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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i ate here today for the first time and I must say that the food and service was immaculate I love the fact of how clean they were I will definitely be back!!! Oh and also I got the fish and grits pancakes veggie omelette and the ultimate grits read more

My husband and I are new area we found this place on google. I believe they offer lunch and breakfast, we chose breakfast. The food was delicious to say the least! It was really good you could tell the cooks put some love in it! I had a bacon egg and cheese on a croissant, my husband had French toast combo, it comes with sausage or bacon and eggs. They have really good portions, I love how the owner was walking around helping out... Now there was a really long wait I'll say about 45 minutes I was waiting for my food, it honestly didn't bother me. I'm the type of person if the food is worth the wait then it's okay and it was worth the wait! read more

Small mom and pop store. You can eat in so that is a plus. I got their western omelette. It was def big and filling! I also purchased a chicken wing just because I heard reviewed that it was good. It was well seasoned and looked pretty good. It was an ok chicken wing. But I loved their omelette. The customer service was also good quality. I would def come back and also encourage you to bring your family to support this local business. I was told by the manager that on the weekend they have a Buffet. Also the prices are not bad. read more

The food was great but the service was slow. I went there for my first time today and they should have a more inviting waiting area for customers, or a sign telling you to grab a seat rather than just figure it out. There was only one waitress on staff, therefore our service was extremely slow. After she handed the check to me, I had to wait almost 30 more minutes for her to secure the payment and return my card. Hire more staff and have a better waiting area upon walk in/ better direction to seats. read more

The BEST Mac N Cheese in Norfolk. The food is fresh and well seasoned. Hopefully they get a larger facility soon.

This is a small personable style soul food restaurant close to the Ghent Area off church street in downtown Norfolk, Va. We are here for lunch. We were seated immediately and ordered shortly after being seated. It was 7 other customers and it took about (20-25) minutes to receive our food. Not sure if takeout would have been quicker. So if you are in a rush you may want to wait until you have time to dine. On the other hand the food was fresh and good. French Fries and Pollock, and French Fries and Vegan Wrap custom made. Again the food and the Arnold palmer was good. read more

Sweet Jam Cafe - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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A quaint little neighborhood café. The food is delicious with a very nice waiting staff. We are thinking about having my daughters graduation meal at this location. read more

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This little gem has some great soul food especially on Sundays. The owner Ms. Pat is always so gracious and the sweet potato cheesecake will make you close your eyes and raise your hands !! read more

One of my favorite places to eat in Norfolk! The owner is a sweetheart! Every time I eat here, I feel at home. The food is always on point! They have the BEST french toast! Definitely worth a try! I guarantee you will be back! Highly recommend!!! read more

We stopped in for some Lunch after Church. They had the Sunday buffet and everything we tried was great. We went for seconds on Mac and cheese, the fish, and pot roast. Definitely recommend! read more

Our first visit to Sweet Jam Cafe and we will be back! They catered a recent event that we were unable to attend but we heard great reviews. Glad we could make it. Prices are reasonable and the two ladies working, who I think may be the owners, are as nice as people come. The building is light-filled with huge floor to ceiling windows. Enjoyed it! read more

Sweet Jam Cafe - The fried chicken lunch entree with two sides...3 large wings with an incredible "chicken honey glaze" lightly drizzled over it. Amazing! - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

I had the fish dinner with cabbage and Mac & cheese! Soooooo good! The owner is very sweet & so was our waitress. Eat here, you won't be disappointed! read more

Decent food for the price, but not anything special. It's just like ordering food from a cafeteria - it's edible. I would recommend trying it out because they sell baked goods and southern favorites that might suit your palate. read more

I'd heard great things about this place so I decided to try it. I'm not a big dine-in person, so I decided to call to place an order, but the phone was disconnected. Deciding that since I was already out running errands, I went in to their location to place my to go order. I was really impressed with how clean the place was. I'd seen another Yelp review saying that the person got a vegan wrap, but when I got there, I was told that they could wrap vegetables for me and I thought it sounded a little boring. Yet, it was good to know that they had the option. I settled on the fried chicken dinner with mac and cheese and carrot soufflé. The wait time was short and the staff was pleasant. When I got my food home, it was still piping hot after a 20 minute car ride! The sides were rich and decadent. The fried chicken was beautiful! Fried to perfection. Also, the chicken was clean, idk if anyone understands what that means, but it tasted fresh and there was so much white meat on the bone. It wasn't greasy and it was satisfying. The type of chicken that makes you want to clean the whole bone! I was really impressed with their service and the quality of food and usually I'm not impressed by soul food restaurants. They are doing something right. I forgot to mention that their cornbread is extra moist and sweet, so good! If you're looking for authentic soul food that's much better than these rushed, greasy, boring soul food restaurants that keep popping up in the 757, then try them out. I hope they last in this area. I remember driving by a few months back and thinking that the name was cute and wondering if they were a bakery or something. They do serve desserts as well as breakfast food but get in here for the chicken! You won't be disappointed! read more

Sweet Jam Cafe - So good! - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

The is a wonderful place to eat. The food is delicious, atmosphere was enjoyable, the owner mingle around ensuring you felt welcomed, her son was a joy and loved by everyone. This is the place to go to eat, fellowship and have a great time. Looking forward to having dinner with the Senior Saints in the future. read more

This restaurant has it all!!!! The food is delicious, staff is helpful and friendly, and they are open with a nice outdoor area. I had the shrimp and grits, and my husband and son had the fried chicken and waffles. read more

These 3 stars are for their amazing sweet potato pancakes. They smell great and taste even better and didnt even need syrup! If i go back, i would definitely get in again. Their chicken dinner on the other hand was a complete waste of money for me. If you see the attached picture, the chicken is just as flavorless as it looks. Im actually upset. It is not seasoned at all. It's actually disrespectful. The fries were just fries no wow factor or anything and i only got them because I dont like the typical overcooked vegetables that soul food spots usually serve. The mac and cheese was surprisingly good so that was the only plus! Im super picky and I like my mac and cheese simple but flavorful and thats exactly what it was for me. Not too salty, not too much extra seasoning, and not loaded with butter(i cant stand that); they just let the cheese speak which i appreciate. I also normally love most cornbreads but this one was not good:( it's way too sweet for my liking and it tastes like boxed cake (not cornbread but cake) mix and i am not a fan. I'm very disappointed in the chicken meal but if i go back i know the sweet potato pancakes will do me right. I guess i have to get some bbq sauce for the chicken so that i didnt completely waste my $10 and give this cornbread to someone with a sweeter tooth than mine. Smh. Another thing I dont appreciate it the fact that there's a $10 limit to use a card. Its so stupid to me because I normally dont have cash so either you have to buy extra nonsense like their cake or take your business elsewhere. I'm still sitting here in front of my flavorless chicken and sugar bread, very sad :( read more

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their Philly cheese steak was ground beef with American cheese and still raw peppers, they put tomato and lettuce on it too. cabbage was alright. mac n cheese was overcooked mush, for 15$ and a tip this is worst than McDonalds read more

They food was amazing. I had the Pollock fish dinner with carrot souffle and cabbage w/corn bread. It was all delicious and the portions were nice sizes. The waiter, Jeffrey was very attentive and friendly. Clean environment and nice location. Will definitely go back. read more

Great service with good food and nice, cool atmosphere. I went on Sunday right before the buffet and enjoyed my breakfast.

Everything about our visit to Sweet Jam was amazing. Our waiter Jeffrey was very friendly. The food was amazing as well as dessert. Mrs. Pat, the owner, had exceptional customer service and made us feel welcome. We'll definitely be back soon! read more

The place has a lot of potential, however, it's a no for me right now . The food the first time I went I DID TAKE OUT ! Remember this !!! was amazing I bought a fried fish special and 3 piece wing special and both came with two sides and cornbread . Now the fish the first time was crispy and cooked to perfection as well as the chicken . Which me and my dad devoured ! The collards and carrot soufflé was also good paired with the cornbread it was soo Good! I went home told my mom and fiancé and everybody how good it was . Now the second time was a disappointment I ended up taking my mom and a friend and the fish was fresh and tasted like salt the sizes were blah and the chicken wasn't as good as the last time . But that wasn't the worst I decided we would have at in but boyyyy was that a mistake . We waited 25 mins before we were greeted with 4 other tables in the restaurant . Also , they are understaff because it was only one server and she seemed stressed and overwhelmed and didn't mind showing it either . We waited another 30ish minuted for food that like I explained was mediocre . It wasn't consistent and they are understaff . It got so bad one table left and another waited longer than us and just ended up taking there food Togo . I'll try again maybe at a future date but I'm in no rush read more

I was able to visit this little gem after church on Palm Sunday. The place was packed. There was wall-to-wall people which was a good indicator that the food was going to be good. It is a buffet style restaurant and they serve soul food. They had a nice selection of dishes. I had the fried chicken which was hot each time they brought it out. I also was able to indulge in the the carrot souffle, the greens ,meatloaf ,and mac and cheese. They also had fried fish, cabbage, baked beans, yams, and a few other items on the buffet that I was not able to get to I have absolutely no complaints about the taste of the food as a matter of fact the banana pineapple cake that will serve for dessert was so delicious. Toward the end they had someone come in to play live music which added a nice touch to the Sunday afternoon dinner. I would definitely recommend this restaurant I also heard that they have good breakfast I look forward to visiting again very soon read more

The food was delicious but a little too pricey. My husband and I had breakfast from the menu and paid over$30.00. They also have a breakfast buffet. I think it's $10.00 and some change. The restaurant was practically empty yet it took 15 minutes for them to take our orders. We waited another 20 minutes for our food and when we were served, they brought his food out and mine was 5 minutes later. We asked for a take home tray and again had to wait several minutes. Remember there were barely any other customers in the place. We were there well over an hour and most of the time was spent waiting. Good food, high prices, terrible service. read more