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    The J Cafe

    5.0 (1 review)

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    14 years ago

    This food is excellent. They stuck with the original southern tradition of cooking everything from scratch

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    Simone's Kitchen And Cocktails - Waffles

    Simone's Kitchen And Cocktails

    4.0(36 reviews)
    43.7 mi

    After enjoying Sunday dinner here previously, we came back to Simone's Kitchen & Cocktails to…read moreexperience their Saturday brunch, and overall, it was another solid visit. We were seated immediately, and our hostess also served as our waitress. Despite wearing multiple hats, she did a great job making recommendations, and every suggestion she made turned out to be a winner. The atmosphere had plenty of energy thanks to a live DJ, giving brunch a fun vibe. My only complaint was the volume. The music was loud enough that it made conversation at our table difficult. To drink, I ordered the It's a Henny Thang, while my wife chose the Rosa Goddess. Both cocktails were excellent and easily among the highlights of the meal. For brunch, we ordered the SKC Salmon Croquettes, Cajun Catfish & Grits, and SKC Chix & Waffles. The Cajun Catfish & Grits was the clear standout. The catfish was crispy, well-seasoned, and paired perfectly with the creamy grits. If you're visiting for brunch, this is the dish I'd recommend first. The Salmon Croquettes were also good. While they didn't quite reach the level of the catfish, they really came alive with a splash of Crystal Hot Sauce, which added just the right amount of acidity and heat. The only disappointment was the Chix & Waffles. The waffles were good but not particularly memorable, and the chicken wings didn't have quite the same wow factor we experienced during our previous visit. Overall, Simone's continues to impress with quality food, creative cocktails, and friendly service. While not every dish hit the same high note, the catfish and grits alone are worth the return trip, and the cocktails were outstanding. Recommendation: Order the Cajun Catfish & Grits, don't skip the cocktails, and if you prefer a quieter brunch, be prepared for the DJ to bring plenty of energy.

    So it's funny because, I think I enjoyed my to-go catfish and okra more than sitting down! To go…read morewas much more crispier and satisfying. Of course catfish is a "muddier" fish type so I expect some graying or pieces not as flavorful, but it was maybe a 6/10 in-restaurant versus 9/10 at home/takeout. Service was average and our waitress was helpful and polite. Music was mostly R&B and a little louder at times depending on the song, but palatable aside from a few unnecessary rap songs that weren't really the vibe for me, personally. Veggies with teriyaki were just okay, and 1/3 of the cup had olive oil base that could have been drained or replaced with more sauce/seasoning. Shrimp was my favorite, 10/10! And those egg rolls! Our mom in law date was made successful from those, definitely .

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    Simone's Kitchen And Cocktails - The bar

    The bar

    Simone's Kitchen And Cocktails - Signature Cajun Pasta Trio

    Signature Cajun Pasta Trio

    Simone's Kitchen And Cocktails

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    Saw's Soul Kitchen - Combo Plate. 3 Smoked Chicken Thighs. Pulled Pork Plate. Baked Beans. Holy shit it's good.

    Saw's Soul Kitchen

    4.4(1.1k reviews)
    49.4 mi
    •$$

    I have had this bookmarked forever. Not sure how or why I did, but I sure am glad that I did!!…read more It's an old school hole in the wall kind of place. These are my favorite kind of places in the world. From the moment I walked up and saw the big piles of wood outside I knew I was probably going to like this place. We had an amazing meal here. Every single bite was good. I ate myself damn near sick! I cannot wait to come back!! The day we were there the bartender was waiting on the whole place himself with just someone helping him run food and clear tables. We only had an hour before we had to be at an appointment, so when we sat down at the bar I got concerned that we would not have time to eat here. He was busy. He seemed behind. Thank goodness I was wrong. Once he finally got to us we were decided on our meals. He took our order on his little handheld register thing, grabbed our tasty beverages, and poof, off he went. C had the pulled chicken sandwich with deviled eggs and I had pulled pork, smoked chicken thighs, beans, and a giant pile of pork rinds. Holy shit it was good!!! I didn't pay attention to the fact that my thighs had AL white sauce on them until well after I had ordered. Had I know that, I would not have ordered them. I despise all things that have anything to do with mayonnaise. But.... Had I known, I would have never known. I fucking loved it! I could have eaten 10 of them. There were hands down the best smoked chicken that I have ever had. The pork was bad ass too! I dare say perfect. Beans were great, and the pork rinds side was massive and still warm from the fryer with a killer seasoning on them. There are not enough adjectives to describe this food. I am in love. I cannot wait to get some more of those damn chicken thighs!! '26 - 68

    Delicious pulled pork sandwich topped with cole slaw and pickles!…read more Fried pickles with a yummy white sauce. No ac but food was quick and we were able to get in and out. The gentleman bussing tables was very nice.

    Photos
    Saw's Soul Kitchen
    Saw's Soul Kitchen - Onion rings, on pork, on greens, on grits!

    Onion rings, on pork, on greens, on grits!

    Saw's Soul Kitchen - Entrance

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    Entrance

    O’Taste & See - When you open up...the bread.

    O’Taste & See

    4.4(41 reviews)
    47.1 mi

    O' Taste & See Update: Heavy Plates Still Delivering…read more I previously called this the "Home of the Heavy Plates," and after another visit, that title still fits. This time we came back because O' Taste & See now has a dining area and we wanted to eat inside. One surprise was that they were open today because they are usually closed on Saturdays. This happened to be the Saturday before Memorial Day weekend. Walking in, it was immediately obvious they were busy. There was a steady flow of carryout and DoorDash orders moving through, and several people were waiting. One suggestion that would help future customers is clearer communication on where the ordering line begins. Customers waiting for food and customers ordering blended together a little. A simple standing sign would probably help. Despite the crowd, from placing our order until checkout took about 17 minutes, which was efficient considering the traffic they were handling. I ordered the ribs with potato salad and baked beans. The ribs were smoked well with good tenderness and a sauce that had the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the meat. The potato salad needed a little salt and pepper for my taste, but after that it landed much better. The homemade baked beans had good flavor. My wife ordered the oxtails with collard greens and mac and cheese. The oxtails were tender and had a unique seasoning profile that she described as having an almost Indian-like flavor profile. The mac and cheese was creamy and good, and the greens paired well with the cornbread. My wife even mixed the greens and cornbread together. The Country Punch was good and refreshing with the meal. My wife originally wanted the red velvet cake without nuts, but they were sold out. I stepped in and handled dessert responsibilities myself . One observation my wife made was interesting. The dining area gives off more of a fine dining vibe than expected for a soul food spot. The space feels more elevated and polished. However, we were still served in to-go containers and our punch came out in a half-gallon style container. The atmosphere and presentation felt a little disconnected. Not necessarily bad, just somewhat inconsistent. The food says one thing and the dining presentation says another. One thing worth mentioning is value. Two meat-and-three plates, two drinks, and one dessert came to $73.79. That definitely puts O' Taste & See toward the higher end of soul food pricing. However, the portions are heavy, the meats are quality, and the homemade sides help justify much of that price. Not necessarily an everyday stop for many families, but the food quality delivered. Food was on point.

    OMG!!! This food was cooked with love. I went to pick up my dad a meal for Father's Day. I waited…read moreabout an hour but it was nice and cool inside. The place had a sitting area the hostess and the staff was nice. The food was so good and you have an enough for at least two days. Well worth the trip to Crestwood.

    Photos
    O’Taste & See - Food

    Food

    O’Taste & See - Corn bread

    Corn bread

    O’Taste & See - Beverage refrigerator

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    Beverage refrigerator

    Kat's Kreations - fried fish whittening/ tilapia/or catfish- Cabbage and fried okra

    Kat's Kreations

    3.7(31 reviews)
    43.9 mi
    •$

    I'm sharing this experience so that future brides and event hosts can make an informed decision…read morewhen choosing a caterer. We hired Kats Kreations in April 2025 for our May 16, 2026 wedding. Our wedding was Princess and the Frog themed, and we specifically wanted unique menu items, including smoked alligator and frog legs. After discussing our vision with the owner, Katrice ("Kat"), she assured us she could provide everything we requested, so we signed a contract. On May 2, Kat visited the venue and was provided with the necessary venue and coordinator information. Then, on May 14, she asked about arriving around noon on the wedding day to begin preparing for cocktail hour. I reminded her that cocktail hour was scheduled for 5:00 PM and dinner service for 6:00 PM, and she confirmed she would arrive accordingly. On the wedding day, I stopped by the kitchen around noon and noticed that most of the food preparation had not yet begun. Trusting that the caterer had properly planned her timeline, I focused on getting ready for the ceremony. Unfortunately, when cocktail hour began, none of the appetizers were available. Guests were left waiting while drinks were served, and my coordinator informed me that we would need to stall because the food was not ready. I was later told that communication with the catering team became difficult and that both my coordinator and members of my husband's family had to step in to address the situation. The situation only worsened during the reception. Dinner, which was scheduled to be served at 6:00 PM, was served over an hour late. By the time food was available, many guests had already left or were frustrated after waiting so long. To make matters worse, portions of the food were overcooked and burnt, which was extremely disappointing considering the amount of planning, trust, and money that had gone into the catering service. While I appreciate the effort that goes into catering a large event, the significant delays, lack of communication, and quality issues had a major impact on our wedding day and our guests' experience. When I asked for compensation, she left me on read. DO NOT HIRE BRIDES!

    The staff here are all so friendly! I loved this immediately about this place. I had the fried…read morewhitening (cooked to order) with cabbage and fried okra. FFF= fried fish Friday. I came up with this! The plate was plenty of food for two servings. Overall, this was a good plate. I was a little disappointed in the cabbage because it was just missing something. Katiynn's is located in the old Centerpoint elementary school, so there's definitely some old school , cafeteria nostalgia. I plan to return to try more of their menu. They also do catering.

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    Kat's Kreations - Hot bar

    Hot bar

    Kat's Kreations
    Kat's Kreations - Dining area

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    Dining area

    Saw's Juke Joint - Crestline - Fried Pickles

    Saw's Juke Joint - Crestline

    4.4(426 reviews)
    47.4 mi
    •$$

    It's been awhile since we dined here. Sundays are the few days we are near here. Most of the time…read morethere's no parking or seating. Persistence Paid Off. Great staff & Service. Choose outside service, There was live entertainment and I was hungry and here for the Food. Oysters N Collars over Grits // Grilled Catfish N Grits. DownHome Deliciousness the Fried Onion Straws are the Cherry on Top.

    We ordered the smoked chicken plate and the combo plate, and overall, the food was really…read moreenjoyable. The smoked chicken was succulent and full of flavor -- easily the highlight for me. I'm not personally a fan of mayonnaise, so I skipped the Alabama white sauce, but my guest ordered it and really liked it. If that style of sauce is your thing, it seems to be well executed here. The French fries were cooked well, though I found myself wishing there was a house seasoning or something on the table to switch up the flavor profile a bit. The collard greens were also delicious -- tender and nicely prepared, with most of the stems removed, though there were still a few more than I would have preferred. Where the experience dipped was service. We were seated in a back corner, and it took quite a while to get assistance from servers throughout the meal. It didn't feel intentional, just a bit overlooked. The restaurant itself is in a very cool, older building with character. The historic feel is part of its charm, though aesthetically it does feel a little worn in places -- understandably so given the age of the space. Overall, the food is strong and worth trying, especially the chicken. With more attentive service, it would easily elevate the experience.

    Photos
    Saw's Juke Joint - Crestline
    Saw's Juke Joint - Crestline
    Saw's Juke Joint - Crestline - Veggie Baker

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    Veggie Baker

    The J Cafe - soulfood - Updated October 2026

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