The 5 stars is for the best CHICKEN AND WAFFLES in New York City. The service is mostly good - watch out if you get seated in the second room of the first floor - you tend to get forgotten in there. read more

The best. A great experience. Good food, smiling service, reasonable price. When I track to NYC I. Never miss going this restaurant. Too noisy for my comfort, but I tolerate it because of all the benefits. read more

I have such a bi-polar relationship with this place. On one hand they have some of the best chicken and waffles that I've ever had. On the other, some of their other food options aren't that amazing and the service that I've experienced on several occasions now has been less than stellar. Pros: 1. Chicken and waffles (Rev Al Sharpton) are sooo good 2. Good Mac & Cheese 2. Affordable prices 3. Easily accessible from the subway Cons: 1. I've had better of some of the soul food sides (yams, greens, cabbage) - I may be biased because I'm from GA but there really is better out there, even in NY 2. Service - on 2 occasions in particular we were left alone for more than 10 minutes before anyone even asked us for drink orders So, will I return? If I'm in the area and craving good chicken and waffles, I probably will drop in. But, now that I live in Brooklyn it's not worth the trip when there are so many places close by. read more

Not bad for my first time having southern food! We had to go with one of the most popular items on the menu -- the Rev. Al Sharpton (with the breast). The waffle was really good & the fried chicken... what a combo! We also had Mac & cheese which you really can't go wrong with. Overall, I enjoyed this place. The staff was super friendly and accommodating, service was very fast, chill atmosphere and the food was yummy :) read more

I was a bit disappointed about this place and the food we had during our lunch. We (4 friends) came here because a friend of mine said that this was an authentic soul food restaurant so we decided to choose Amy's Ruth as our restaurant on a hot day in June. Let's start with the food: a lot of choices from the menu will let you a bit lost trying to understand which main is best for you but please,make sure that at least the food is something you can't forget! One of my friend had The Reggie Harris but chicken was too sweet and very dry (I tried a little bit..as usual!),another friend had Fisherman's Platter which said was pretty good and another one had an appetiser (Fresh Jumbo Salmon Croquettes) which was too heavy and deep fried without any taste. I was a little bit healthier (too much junk food during the week!) so I had a salad with chicken (The Judge George B. Daniels) which was ok, nothing special. Portions are pretty big but if what you're eating is not good, who cares about how big is the dish you've ordered? Staff is lovely and friendly and also the place itself is cosy with wall decorated with painting of afro-american's celebrities/politicians. Price: too expensive for what you get. read more

I am writing this review after my second time here and I have to say the food is pretty good. I would try to give this place a 3.5 stars based on its food alone. It is really quite better than average, but I'll have to say coming from Los Angeles, I definitely prefer Roscoe's instead. The waffles can have a little more flavor to them, but the chicken is really good. I drove to NYC from LA and I more or less was eating the whole way while taking the southern route, and I can tell you that the sweet tea here is REALLY good. On to the service... Before walking in, keeping in mind that we were a group of 2 Asian Americans and a friend from Indonesia, get to the door and we met the greeter. He said, "Hi, may I take your name? Is it China?" He then continued to make generic, (Asian sounds)... Really?? Did that guy really say that? I thought the name China was some burly girl wrestler! In any case, trying to blow it off and get our eating on was on our list when my girlfriend decided that she was upset and wanted to talk to the manager. He seemed thoroughly stunned and quite upset. He went downstairs, and came back up to tell us, "I'm so sorry that happened. I don't know what to say, except that he won't be back here and you won't see him when you leave." After we paid, he met us before we got to the stairs to let us know that he canceled our charge on our credit card and that our meal was comped. Based on the food and the excellent service here, I'll have to give this restaurant a 4. Again, thank you to Amy Ruth's for having that guy taken care of. It is much appreciated and we will not forget! read more

***************** 3.5*********************** I can't give tjem a 4 yet because i didn't try enough items on the menu so I am planning to come back. I got here the other day to meet one of my co-worker up and then we both order the Fried Chicken Wings and waffle. While we were waiting, we got to try their delicious cornbread and add some butter on it. It was pretty tasty I was going order more food but I knew i was going across the street to a African restaurant so I had to hold back a little. The Fried Chicken wings & waffle came and it look very crispy and delicious. One taste it was pretty good chicken. The waffle itself wasn't anything speciai but eating all 3 items help made it a great lunch. The waiter/waitress were very nice and friendly. Why the only 3.5 star?? Because the chicken was good but not the best that I ever had. Maybe in NYC but I shall return and make my final judgement but they are putting a good impression on me. read more

We arrived at 8:30 when they opened and were seated. After they seated us the busboy explained that the waitress had not arrived yet so no one could serve us. Why the owner or busboy could not figure out how to take an order I do not know. So we waiting. About fifteen minutes later the waitress shows up. They gave us a free beverage for the wait but we still had to wait until she had arrived to order it. Maybe it was a union thing. However, even after the waitress arrived the service was bad. Our water never got refilled, no one ever came by to ask how our food was, and everything was very slow. The biscuits were not the style I like. They were tough and dense. We ordered the fried chicken and waffles and smothered porkchop. Initially we ordered the thigh but were told later that they did not have thighs at that time. I am not usually a fan of fried chicken breasts because I find them dry but we had come here to try the chicken and waffles so we go that instead. Sure enough the chicken breast was dry. The waffle was great and the best part of the meal. The porkchop was tough and came with a huge amount of cheese grits. The grits congealed into a tough gelatinous glob quickly. Overall, this place was very disappointing. read more

The food and service was amazing until the end of the night. I waited for my bill and water for almost 25 min. I kindly got up and asked for the bill anf water. My server was very unprofessional to me. She rolled her eyes and said she was busy....... Brings my Check. I give her a nice tip abf thank her. I ask to speak to the manager. I tell him I haf a great exoerience until the end of my transaction. He is very dismissive and not helpful. I thank him for his time and I leave. I will never set foot in this establishment again. read more

We found this place on Yelp and I really wanted to try it while we were in the neighborhood, so we made the trip down the hill from Columbia University. When we arrived there was one woman in front of us. I entered and gave our name to "the guy" who said it would be 5 minute wait. I noted that there were a couple of empty tables so I thought they would just need to clean them or something. Inside was nice and cool but he asked us to wait outside in the heat. Five minutes turned into 20 minutes. I looked in the window and saw the strangest thing. About half the tables had food but no one was eating, just talking. The other half of the tables had no food. So no one was coming out and the empty tables sat empty. Then "the guy" walked down the street and disappeared, so there was no one to take names. We waited a few more minutes for some movement or something to happen, and then just left. I have no idea how they run this restaurant but it was the weirdest thing I ever saw. And "the guy" never did return, so who knows. read more

Amy Ruth's - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

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My boyfriend was super excited to try this place out since it claims to be the start of the "chicken and waffle" revolution. He's a huge fan of "Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles" here in Southern California. Unfortunately, I think we both agree that Roscoe's is way better than Amy Ruth's. I felt like their quality of food was just sub-par. It wasn't anything to rave about. They were even out of Mac and Cheese and Mashed Potatoes! WOW I was so disappointed! Food took forever to arrive too. Overall, food was just ok but not the best I've ever had. read more

I love Amy Ruth's!!! You can't go there and NOT ORDER chicken and waffles! It'll be hard, because they have a great menu, but the chicken and waffles are dee-lish-ous!!!! The only problem I have when I come here is whether to "breakfast-ize" it (and put syrup on my waffles) or "dinner-ize it" (and put hot sauce on the chicken and order a side of mac and cheese and collard greens!!!! Decisions! Decisions!! LOL But rest assured, you CAN'T make a BAD decision at Amy Ruth's. Their food is terrific!!! There will be a wait, so try not to come when you're STARVING!!! I don't know if ANY restaurant is worth the wait when you're TOO hungry!! LOL You will enjoy Amy Ruth's. read more

Best soul food I've had since moving here! Everything was on point! Potato salad is one of dishes that you want to like, but no matter how many times you get it, it just isn't that good, but you refuse to give up on it. Well I'm glad I didn't cause this potato salad was jammin! The cornbread = delish, the ribs = delish, the yams = delish, the mac& cheese = delish/to die for, the greens = delish, the chocolate cake = delish. The total bill = cheap! Plus came here on a sunday night for dinner, the wait was less than 10 mins. I'll be back ASAP! read more

My date and I went to this place on New Year's Day for an early dinner. When we arrived, we were informed by the host that it would be about a 45 minute wait. I had my heart set on trying this restaurant so we decided to wait. The host put us on the list, and we were directed to the their catering hall next door, which they were using as a waiting area. We sat in the cold catering hall with our coats on, there were several people who were were ahead of us and also people who came in 10 or 20 minutes after us. After waiting for an hour or more, I noticed that some of the people, who had come in after us, were being seated ahead of us (2 person parties). I eventually went to speak with to the host, and saw that he had passed over my date's name and had seated almost an entire page of people before us. When I pointed that out to him, he was very apologetic and we were seated next. While walking us over to the restaurant, the host explained that he had seen my date's name but kept forgetting to announce it, because the other host had written his name on the back of a page, rather than on the next page. We were greeted promptly by our waiter, took a moment to look over the menu and we ordered. The food came out about 15 minutes the waiter out our order in; I ordered fried chicken, collard greens and mac n cheese, and my date ordered fried whiting, sweet potatoes and Mac n cheese. The food was great and the wait staff was very friendly, but I'll only go back either for take out or on a week day when it isn't too busy. read more

Amy Ruth's is a Harlem staple BUT they definitely need to REALLLLLLLLLY to be concerned about the cleanliness and the appearance. I brought my grandma there after a beautiful day spent in New York Botanical Gardens. The bathrooms in this restaurant are HORRIBLE and that's being nice. The bathroom appeared to have not been clean in some days by the look of the dirty toilet paper roll on top of the toilet and lack of hand towels or massive dirty on the floor. I mean if the bathroom id filthy then how can I really trust the rest of the establishment. Not trying to dog a business but let's do better. The server was clearly overworked with all the tables in the area. She was great despite but overloaded also the guy you cleared the tables was also great. Food was lacking. There was a time when Amy Ruth's was the spot and The Ruby Dee (catfish meal) made you wanna smack your mama. Sad to say I was SUPPPPPPPPER disappointed in the whole experience. My sister went the month before and vowed to not return due to the lack luster food and service. read more

A friend wanted to eat at this restaurant so we go and the line was almost to the corner.. We get take out. I ordered barbecue chicken dark meat.. I got the breast. At this point the meal went south. My friend has the smothered pork chop.. We did have desert which was peach cobbler and banana Puddin.. My parents always said if you didn't have anything nice to say, don't say... I hope you enjoy your meal! read more

Amy Ruths I used to love this place. Now I just like it. I was craving whiting, mac and cheese and yam. (afrika bambataa) Im still wondering is it appropriate to order it as "the whiting" or "the afrikaa bambataa" Very delightful. Somehow my fish was on the salty side. The host at the door was nice. But the cashier/waitress I could pass on. She ignored the line like she was too busy. What happened to the 3 second rule! "We will be with you in a moment" or something like that. Manager had to step in and get the line down. Whatevs. This post is about food. The food was good. Nice big pieces of whiting, but as I previously stated..they were a little heavy handed with the salt. But if you follow my post you know im all about the service. I love service with a smile :) or at least some understanding....geez... It is definitely busy! read more

Giving it a two star because of the murals and paintings on the wall. Came in with my friend and we were seated quickly, the place wasn't packed, but there were other people eating. We waited and waited for someone to come over to take our order. Cool. Other people were coming in after us and were being served waters, customary cornbread baskets. Okay. Not one waitstaff member bothered to bring us a cup of water...after 10 minutes. Spoke to the hostess, blank stare. Wow. No apology, zero attempt to rectify the situation. Side note: parking is sparse on 116th, so we were definitely stoked to find a spot to eat here. read more

Stupid good. Real welcoming from the get go. Sat down and given homemade biscuits that were super good. We asked what was recommended and our server told us the waffles and fried chicken was their signature. I'm not big on chicken and waffles so I went for 2eggs, fried chicken and potatoes. I figured I best make sure I didn't like the chicken and waffles so I tried my partners, what a fool I am!!! So good it's stupid. I'm gonna stop the search right here, the fried chicken is that good!! I'm coming back for dinner, tonight. read more

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I had The. Rev. Al. Sharpton. It is simply the best fried chicken that I have ever tasted, as are the waffles. Also loved the corn bread and greens. The grits were just OK. The service is efficient and it is nice to go to a laid back place for brunch. It was a pleasure to be in a restaurant where the tables are not stacked on top of each other. I am happy this place is not in my immediate neighborhood or else I would be there at least a couple nights a week. I will definitely go back there later this month. read more

It was ok. The service needs help. I'm sorry but going all the way to Harlem for mediocre food is not cool. I don't understand the hype.

It's different from Roscoe's. Roscoe's has thinner, crispier, waffles with smaller squares. Amy Ruth's has standard belgian waffles but it's the lightest, fluffiest belgian waffle I've ever had. I could easily cut it with my fork which was entirely necessary because my right hand was covered in gravy from manhandling the smothered fried chicken. "Why didn't I use my fork and knife for the chicken, too?" you ask. It's just stupid to eat meat on the bone with a knife and fork. Bone is nature's skewer. And that chicken...it was fried with garlic or there was garlic in the gravy. Whatever it was, it was like sex: creamy, messy, and satisfying. read more

Admittedly I didn't know what to expect here. I'm not American, so 'soul food' is a bit new to me. Apparently this place is a bit of an institution, but a local had assured me there's far better places. Well, a group of us went in, and they quickly opened up another area so they could seat us. The waiter was quite friendly and happy to explain what everything was on the menu (like cheesy grits!) to a bunch of clueless foreigners. Some people quite enjoyed their meals, but me personally, I was glad I'd had a late lunch elsewhere. The chicken was nice enough, but nothing extraordinary. As one girl put it, it was like going to KFC. Unfortunately my chicken wasn't quite that nice. And the fries, probably some of the worst I've had. Don't get the fries. I also went the cheesy grits. Maybe it's an acquired taste? Over all, the service was fine, I even didn't mind the ambience, and there's some great murals on the wall, but the food really dragged it down for me. read more

My absolute favorite place for Chicken and Waffles on planet Earth. Must try: Honey Dipped Chicken with a side of candied yams and mac 'n cheese. Good coffee. Expect to wait for your food. But you know what they said about good things being worth waiting for. read more

This will be the shortest review I've ever done, but not much more needs to be said: This is the best Southern / Soul food I've ever had! read more

Amy Ruth's - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

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I curiously stepped in here one day after class just for a quick bite and I was blown away! The food is outstanding! Although it isn't a restaurant that catches your eye at a glance, it is huge inside and they serve the best soul food in Harlem. I had some honey glazed fried chicken with mac and cheese and mashed potatoes on the side and it was absolutely delicious and filling! read more

Amy Ruth's - Best soul food around! - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

First time having chicken and waffles it was really good. Not over battered or overdone the chicken was moist and the waffle was warm and light. It was surprising not overfilling but left satisfied especially since we got some corn bread for free as a starter. read more

Amy Ruth's - Recommended with butter and syrup then dip the chicken in the "batter". - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

I've only been here once, on a Sunday evening, and I thought it was overpriced, but I enjoyed the atmosphere, with some folks in their Sunday best, and I liked the food enough to maybe want to go back and try some more dishes. It's a little too busy for it to be as cozy as I think it could be, but it's nice and clean and warmly lit inside, and the servers are about as attentive as they can be. The side dishes are so so good. I think I had mac and cheese and collard greens, which were excellent. The cornbread is also good. For entree, my friend ordered the honey chicken with waffles, and it just tasted like fried chicken swimming in honey. Maybe that's what it's supposed to be, but it was honey overload and a bit boring after a while. And yes, only one large piece of chicken for almost $15 was ridiculous to me. Desserts were good and portions were large. They were out of some staple desserts which disappointed me. I'm just not convinced it's such a great place. I didn't leave feeling that my expectations were met. For me, soul food (and comfort food in general, for that matter) should get in there and almost make you feel as if your soul has been rejuvenated. It should be not only filling but wholly satisfying to the point where you could just sort of roll over with a big smile on your face and breathe out in a state of bliss. But the entire meal was satisfying enough for three stars and it was good to eat something that tasted home cooked. One big plus during our dinner was spotting Al Sharpton walking outside. My friend from Shanghai didn't know who he was, so I pointed to the first item on the menu, The Reverend Al Sharpton Waffles (or something), and said, "He's this guy." That seemed to please her. read more

The food here was so delicious it invoked tears. I live in Astoria but I frequently make trips to Harlem just to eat at Amy Ruth's. I grew up all over the world, including Tennessee, so I consider myself a foodie with a worldly palette. Also being from Tennessee and attending a southern baptist church allowed me to be privy enough to taste some of the finest southern food you have ever tasted in your life... so good you hummmm.. Amy Ruth's is authentic southern food. I had the turkey legs, fried ochra, mac n cheese and yams. It took my taste buds down memory lane so much so that I could almost faintly hear the choir of of my former church. read more

They need to work on the interior, Buttt the fooood is so good! Service was good. Great place for comfort food

I ordered 2 white meat fried chicken dinners, only to receive thighs and when I called to make a complaint was told it was a breast. Now I know the difference in taste between dark and white meat. Bottom line the food was disgusting. I will never eat from Amy Ruth's ever again. What a waste of money. read more

I went to Amy Ruths. I had chicken, Macaroni and cheese , corn bread , and string beans. The food was ok it wasn't what I expected. I was highly disappointed. read more

I haven't had Southern food this good outside of Georgia. My favorites are the Southern Honey-Dipped Fried Chicken with sides of collard greens, corn, and/or mashed potato w/gravy. Don't waste your time if you're on a picky diet. This place is only for people who with a no-holds-barred mentality when it comes to food. read more

The reggie is greatttt... my favorite side dish is the mac & cheese. The servers are very polite & made me feel welcome. The cornbread is also addictive. read more

Amy Ruth's - Love ittt - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

It's really possible that I came here at an "off" time of 2 a.m. but I was completely disappointed with Amy Ruth's famous fried chicken. It was so dry and tough to chew they might as well call it leather. The waffle was bland and not even the butter and syrup could save it. Fortunately the candied yams were on point. Seriously the best part of this restaurant was the old-skool R&B jamz playing in the background. Nice knowin' ya Amy Ruth's read more

Amy Ruth's is the place! If you're in the area, you gotta come here. Hey, if you're not, come as well. It's absolutely worth the wait- and ignoring their sanitation grade of "B". Wait was about 20 minutes, pretty standard for such a famous place. Please take note that this restaurant is super big- two floors, I believe! Dont be fooled! We were served cornbread and it was pretty good. But onto the real stuff...I ordered the Kid Capri- basically salmon croquettes and two sides. The salmon croquettes are probably the most flavored balls of fish to ever exist that it would make salmon want to be turned into lumps of croquettes. It is so tasty, Kid Capri would be proud. My boyfriend ordered the Ruby Dee. Don't be fooled by catfish- this catfish in no way tastes horrible, in fact it's actually probably one of the best fried catfish in all of Manhattan. To be completely honest, I was also very excited to try the sides (they're not just sides here!). We had: fried okra, buttered corn, mac n cheese, and cheesy grits. The okra was so crispy on the outside and nice and tasty on the inside, the way fried okra should be. The buttered corn was probably prepared from out of the can but somehow they were able to make canned corn delicious. The mac n cheese is also to die for. I can see why some people did not enjoy it as much as I did, as it is a different type of mac n cheese- it's not creamy or buttery, but very cheesy. The cheesy grits were also awesome. It looks kinda crazy, but it honestly is a heavenly mix of cheese and grits. We also had to get the Rev. Al Sharpton- AKA CHICKEN AND WAFFLES! Unfortunately, couldn't finish it so I brought it home and microwaved it the day after. It was still so good. Fluffy, fluffy waffles and absolutely tasty chicken. Even the inside is tasty and the skin... so good. PLEASE ORDER THIS. EVERYONE HERE ORDERS THIS. YOU CAN'T COME HERE AND NOT ORDER THIS! As for the wait staff, I thought they were super nice and friendly. Very engaging in conversation and many props to all the chicken and waffles they have to carry! Also, the restaurant is beautifully decorated inside with paintings and jewels- absolute love. Love this place, good prices, good people, good atmosphere. read more

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Still in the neighborhood, still the best soul food in Harlem (except for the grits at Kitchenette, which are addictingly delicious.) Amy Ruth's outgoing staff make you feel welcome and the homestyle but perfectly executed food keeps that feeling going. I usually come for brunch, but recently had a great dinner of fried shrimp and waffles (and a few bites of the best mac and cheese, ever.) We stuffed ourselves for less than $20 a person and were in and out in less than 30 minutes, without being rushed. You can tell they're used to being slammed, because the food was piping hot out of the kitchen minutes after we ordered. Overall, a gem of a spot, and a great Harlem staple. read more

A friend brought me here because she loves it. I *think* I understand why, but I wasn't too terribly excited about my visit. Thinking I should have gone hungrier. But I had a grilled chicken salad, and there you go. Some thoughts/notes: 1. Door pimp - as my friend dubbed him - was a trip. You "know the hostess" so you're going to hook me up? OK. 2. There's two of us, so why'd you only bring one glass of water? 3. I still don't know who was waiting on us. Which is OK, I guess. 4. The chicken on my salad apparently shared space with some fish, because that's pretty much what most of it tasted like. Fishy chicken ain't no good. 5. Veggie lasagna looked pretty good...and had *tons* of kidney beans in it. Service really really lacked. Could be because a shift change was coming up? I dunno. I just felt like our server (if she was indeed our server - she took our money!) didn't really care. I think if I wanted some good ol' Southern food, I'd go back. Otherwise, I'll hold off until that urge comes. read more

Items selected: The Reverend Al Sharpton - Chicken and Waffle with Pure Maple Syrup and Hot Sauce Buttermilk Biscuit Red Velvet Banana Pudding Having no idea who Amy Ruth was it is safe to say that my impetus for visiting the small Harlem restaurant was the strong word of mouth surrounding her fried chicken and although I've heard rumor that the restaurant has become more and more gentrified over time I can only speak to my experience on a weekday morning in April when I was the only Caucasian in the dining room and received not only exquisite service, but also some truly fine soul food that rivals some of the best I enjoyed down south. Fully believing that superior ingredients and preparation yield a superior product the first thing that should be noted about Amy Ruth's is the use of pure maple syrup and the brining process for each of the birds, the result a well seasoned piece of juicy chicken atop a crunchy yet fluffy waffle well deserving of something better than Log Cabin or Aunt Jemima. The second thing that should be noted - take your pick of the complimentary biscuit, the stand-your-spoon-up-straight banana pudding, or the moist and dense red velvet cake with frosting so sweet it will make your tooth ache yet enough cocoa that the end product proves irresistibly balanced. read more

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If this is the best soul food in NYC then sorry we're very disappointed Chicken was dry, small, and overpriced Read beans and rice were mostly rice Corn bread very dry Grits were likely instant If you want good southern food then fly to Atlanta or New Orleans. Better yet visit Popeyes! Do not waste your money here as it's nothing but overpriced fakery. read more