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

Think of the "Famous Bowl" at KFC and then delete that thought from your mind. Soul bowl is…read moreabsolutely delicious. It's perfectly layered from top to bottom, bottom to top and hearty. My baby is 11 months old and she goes "Mmmm" when she tasted the spoonful of Mac & Cheese, soul rice and collard greens. Each item in the bowl stand out on their own and then compliment each other well when traveling to your tummy! I highly recommend it. PROS: Top notch customer service, flavorful, interactive self order kiosk, clean interior, great music and visually appealing wall art & food presentation. CON: Limited off street parking due to a small and busy commercial area, and I'd like to see a couple kiddie high chairs now that I'm a new mommy I notice the need. Great place! Try it and bring your family.

I kept hearing about this soul food spot, so while I was in the Wethersfield area, I decided to…read morestop by and see what the hype was about; Soul Bowl's Restaurant. I later found out they have other locations as well. When I arrived, I noticed this is more of a grab-and-go spot. There is no seating area for dining in, just a small waiting area with a couple of chairs. Parking is street parking, so keep that in mind when stopping by. I ordered in person, and I have to say the service was quick! Within about seven minutes, my food was ready. As soon as you walk in, you can see the menu and even see the kitchen area, which I always appreciate because you can get a feel for how your food is being prepared. The employee who greeted me was very friendly and welcoming. You can also order online. I ordered the seasoned rice, shrimp, mac & cheese, and collard greens bowl. First impression... the bowl looked beautiful and was put together very nicely. Everything looked fresh and appetizing. The shrimp was sautéed in a garlic sauce and had great flavor. The mac & cheese was definitely a highlight, very cheesy! When I put my fork into it, the cheese stretched and expanded the way you hope a good mac & cheese will. The collard greens were good, although I'll be honest, I've had better. They still complemented the bowl and added that classic soul food feel. At first glance, I thought, "Is this going to be enough?" But after eating it, I was completely satisfied and full. The portion was actually just right. The price was reasonable and within the range of what many restaurants are charging today. What makes this place stand out to me is that it tastes homemade and I love fresh food made with care. My only suggestion: PLEASE consider adding cornbread to the menu (hopefully soon ). A piece of cornbread would complete this bowl meal perfectly! Overall, I would definitely recommend Soul Bowl's. Great flavors, quick service, friendly staff, and that homemade comfort-food feeling. I'm already curious to try more from their menu! What should I try next?

Food: Stellar! I have eating macaroni and cheese from Connecticut, Cali, New York, Virginia, to…read morename a few, and Lilly's Mac and Cheese were absolutely amazing. And, along with that I enjoyed fried chicken and collar greens. The portions were satisfying. You will have leftovers. Service: Welcoming, kind, patient, accommodating. Everything they did was handle with care and pride. Ambiance: Colorful, yet warm, easy to see that cleanliness is certain their priority. Thank you Lilly's

We stopped here today on the way home from a retreat in Vermont and we were so blessed by the…read moreexperience. I ordered meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy and macaroni and cheese with a side of stringed beans. My nephew ordered fried chicken, corn and collard greens. My husband ordered fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens and a side of potato salad. We also ordered bbq ribs, potato salad and yams to go. The service was good and so were the staff. This was my first time visiting and I will certainly stop again if I'm ever in the Hartford area.

Looks like they have a restaurant and food truck. Tried them for the first time at the food truck…read more Food was amazing. Tried the jerk salmon with rice and peas, yams and a side salad and also tried the mango habanero shrimp. Everything was amazing. Definitely visiting their restaurant next.

Visiting Carson's Kitchen was a pretty different experience…read more The entrance door is shared with a hair salon, so when you walk in, be sure you go to the left, because if you go to the right, you'll be inside Carlton's Barber Shop. The interior of Carson's is about as small as any restaurant I have ever seen. It has no tables, and a scant six chairs for take-out customers waiting for their food. It has a menu board with one of the smallest printed fonts I have ever seen. Really, you had better polish up your glasses if you want to read it. The ceramic tile on the wall looks like something out of a psychedelic acid trip. A real hypnotizing kaleidoscope of reds and oranges and yellows and whites. I picked up a small order of sweet chili shrimp with rice and peas and vegetables, and a side order of the Tangy Golden BBQ Wings. They were both pretty darned good! The shrimp order gave me 9 good size shrimp in a sweet and spicy sauce. They had plenty of flavor and were very, very good. The rice and peas were cooked well - not dry at all, but I thought they were kind of bland. They definitely were in need of some more sauce. I was very surprised at how good the side of vegetables was. Usually this is nothing more than shredded cabbage, but Carson's version was loaded with peas, carrots, green beans, red peppers, corn, and cabbage. The wings were great !! Seven beauties in a golden barbecue sauce that packed quite a sneaky wallop. If only that rice was served with some of that wing sauce, I'd have been super happy. Bottom Line? Nineteen bucks for the great wings, excellent shrimp, very good vegetables, and so-so rice. That's a definite A-OK.

We ordered in with Chef Walt's for the second time and were just as pleased as the first time !…read moreFirst time we had jerk chicken Alfredo which was amazing . The plates are huge , flavorful , fresh , and HOT !

I wanted this to be a 5-star review so badly and must admit that this rating is mostly because of…read moreservice. We enjoy Chef Walt's Caribbean-inspired American dishes! My particular favorite is the Oxtail Alfredo, I can't even think about it too long before deciding that maybe I do deserve to treat my self! I've indulged in their salmon wrap, salmon alfredo and more. The food is always a large portion and the flavor never lacks. The service is often an issue. I've tried multiple times to call with inquiries for an event and just for takeout. More often than not my call is not answered and I've had to resort to ordering online. I'd prefer to order directly from the restaurant to save a bit but also directly support small business but this makes it difficult. If there were an easier way to communicate with the establishment it would be a 5-star experience without question.

I can't even give them 1 star when I first ordered from them and it took 90 minutes I understand…read morethat it's a new establishment but it took 1 hour and 28 minutes today and forgot my potato salad on top of it I wanted to give them another chance because their food is amazing... If you can try it today I ordered food from them it has taken 3 hours and 9 minutes m still No food I am so disappointed please do better

My boyfriend ordered me food from here on a late night and it was the most disgusting food I have…read moreever ate. Don't bother wasting your money, there are so many OTHER and BETTER spots than this. I rather eat McDonalds.

Soul Food Sundayz is a hidden gem with family vibez & hospitality. The place is nice and very…read moreclean following all the new Covid rules. There is street parking and they have a ramp leading up to the door. Follow them on Instagram for daily specials and menu options . Pro Tip : order two meals, because your gonna want more later . I saw they had baked potatoes smothered with steak ,fried shrimp , cheese sauce & broccoli online so I had to come here and try it . They have jerked chicken to go ontop if you wanted ,basically anything you'd like. I don't know what seasonings they used for that steak ,but it was sooooooo good. Tender & flavorful I could have eaten that as a side alone . In the middle was a mound of cheese sauce with broccoli then golden fried shrimp on the other side. Great meal ! I also got a order of ribs and Mac n cheese . Totally worth it ,it tasted like a home cooked meal . Prices are right and worth the 30 min drive for me .

Great food and awesome vibes clean friendly and I loved the experience. Would recommend to anyoneread more

Great food, live blues, and the Wildcat O'Halloran Band…read more Black-Eyed Sally's is popular for a reason. We've been here before and they always have a great show. The $5 cover for Wildcat O'Halloran was an easy yes. We had the gumbo, brisket grilled cheese with collards and slaw, and baked mac and cheese with brisket. The cornbread is extra now, but who cares: we should've been paying for it all along. That good. The food, drinks, murals, brick walls, and live music make this a great date-night spot. The band played songs from their new album, Welcome to Sunderland, and had CDs available. If the artists are offering merch or music, get it. It supports them, and it's worth it. This is already longer than I usually write, which says a lot.

It depends on the vibe you are looking for. We went to an after dinner vibe and it was old and…read moreslow! I know I'm not the youngest chicken but my girlfriend saw her church deaconess there. Now maybe that was just the night because there was definitely a live show happening. But we went in and came out. I can can't judge the food or drinks but it was definitely an older crowd vibe there.

My 1st time there today. The food was delicious. The servers and service was on point! The…read morerestaurant is spacious and the set up is very nice. I'm looking forward to visiting again!

Tried Don's Kitchen for the first time this past Saturday after hearing mixed reviews. The staff…read morewas friendly and the service was pretty good. I ordered the fish and grits, and that was the highlight. The fish was seasoned perfectly and the grits were creamy and on point. As a Southern girl, I appreciated that. I just wish the portion was a little bigger. My friend ordered the grilled cheese with bacon and potatoes. She said the sandwich would have been good if it came out hot, and the bacon wasn't crispy. The potatoes were well seasoned, though. One thing to note: when we asked for orange juice, we were given a Tropicana orange blend, which tasted a little off. Not expired, just not regular orange juice. Seating is limited, so bigger parties may have to wait. Also, it's cheaper if you bring cash. I'd definitely go back for the fish and grits and the potatoes.