2.75 Checked the menu before going and it sounded good,…read morethough kind of pricey for a fast casual place. We ordered at the counter and got our table, which they have ample of. The place looked well-maintained. No restroom. The food was brought to us. We ordered Fried catfish with a side- picked mac n cheese; honey fried chicken with a side- collard greens. Both came with cornbread and condiments. Can opt for 2 sides at a higher price. Food was served in to-go containers and first impressions weren't so good. The catfish said swai on the menu- upon reading on it, it isn't the same as the American catfish at all, but an inexpensive and lower quality option (why priced high on the menu?). There were 4 thin pieces, lightly breaded, was the most flavorful in our order at least. The chicken looked dry and we could tell it's not freshly cooked, esp after taking a bite- the outer part was hard and chewy. Too much honey too. The mac and cheese wasn't creamy, just ok. Collard greens were just ok as well. The cornbread was good, soft and buttery.

Hopped on a train outta New Haven headed to NYC for some soul food…read more We landed at Amy Ruth's... walls covered in Black legends definitely set the vibe. Menu had some creative names I went with the Ludacris: jumbo fried wings + 2 sides. Mac & cheese + collard greens. Off rip... food looked But that first bite? Mac & cheese had a weird garlic taste. Sweet potatoes (that I didn't even order) tasted straight out the can. Only things that really hit? Fried chicken Collard greens On top of that... orders were getting mixed up & it was HOT in there Couldn't even finish my tray. Hate to say it... but this one wasn't it for me. 6/10 might have to take that trip to Harlem next #GoodEatsInCT #NYCFoodie #SoulFoodReview #FoodieFinds #HonestEats

What a super fun experience! Mom's Kitchen has such an eclectic, diverse menu that it was almost…read moreimpossible to decide what to order. I ended up with possibly the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had -- Taylor ham, scrambled eggs, pepper jelly and cheese on an everything bun. Absolutely delicious. The mimosa was embarrassingly large, but I gave it my best effort. And the coffee was exactly what breakfast coffee should be: good and strong. With about a million places to get breakfast in NYC, the best compliment I can give is that I would absolutely come back here again.

I visited this location for brunch with a friend that lived nearby…read more Loved the theming of the restaurant. The decor was fun and nostalgic, and the menu had some great call-backs and references. There was a wide variety of brunch items on the menu. I especially enjoyed the mocktail menu, and ordered the Blossom Lemonade. Service was quick and easy. Will definitely recommend to others in the area looking for a fun, themed brunch location!

This was a revelation. It was extremely loud so that part was annoying, but man oh man the service…read morewas amazing and attentive, and the food was revelatory. Pasta is freshly made and you can tell. It was not a big eating night for us as we've been eating like a-holes for a month now. So we only got three things, but all three were absolute perfection.

The velvet rope at the front door confused me for a bit, but if you mill about, the host welcome…read moreyou with a broad smile and boundless enthusiasm. I came to experience the pasta happy hour, which was well worth the trip. I also had the collard green salad, which would have been even better if there were a few more shallots in the mix, though that might have been user error. The rigatoni I ordered was stellar, the pasta fresh and the sauce well salted work some lovely basil notes to compliment the sausage. I would go again!

I have to come right out and say it-- I've never been so enthusiastic about a "take-out" place…read moreafter just 1 meal. Ever. At work, the Godfather wanted to order (unusual for him to suggest it; usually I'm the 1 pushing for us to order out, and he's invariably resistant, although ultimately, he's acquiescent, although just as invariably he blames me for "pushing him into it" as he gobbles down whatever food it was we've ordered). I was willing but wanted to try something different than our usual fare (burgers, Chinese, Japanese, sandwiches). Someone else mentioned Exotic Eats, as a younger co-worker had ordered from there recently and seemed to enjoy what he had eaten. I asked, "Does this younger co-worker have a discriminating palate?" (Not actually being quite the jerk I oftentimes seem to be, I did of course use less pretentious, overblown verbiage in asking my question.) The reply was, "He's young; he'll order almost anything and like it." So...it might be great; it might be horrible. So we took a chance. They deliver, and I was intrigued by their on-line menu. I can't remember what the Godfather ordered, or another co-worker who wanted us to include him in what had once been known as the Lunchbox Mafia, but I ordered "the Island Bowl." Sliced jerk chicken breast on a bed of Mac & Cheese with jerk BBQ sauce. Being hungry, I ordered a side of blueberry cornbread, and the dessert of banana pudding cheesecake. All of it washed down with my ever-present bottle of Poland Spring water. We didn't have to wait long for it to be delivered. As I mentioned in my introductory remarks, I found the food fabulous. The jerk chicken in its BBQ sauce had a tangy sting, but it wasn't unpleasant or pain-producing. And I have to say-- the Mac & Cheese was the best I've had since my late mother used to make it for me in childhood. It's a baked "dry" Mac & Cheese as opposed to the overly sauced (and bland) version you get in most restaurants these days (all it was missing was the crumbled crackers that my mother used to put on top of it). Pure deliciousness, as they say. The blueberry cornbread was the perfect accompaniment, and the banana pudding cheesecake was wonderfully smooth, creamy, and decadent. I wasn't feeling bloated to the point of discomfort once I had finished it all, but I definitely felt "well fed." My fellow partakers were equally as enthused. Prices were fair, portions were immeasurably more than adequate, and the meal was luxuriously satisfying on every single level. As mentioned, delivery didn't take long at all, and it arrived hot. I'm not entirely sure how to classify the cuisine. The website described it as "Soul Food" with a "Caribbean Spirit." A long-time friend of mine is Jamaican, and she used to throw a big feast for friends and family every summer (I was usually the only white person invited, which was never any sort of a problem, although once a little kid of 4 or 5 looked at me with hostility and said, "What are YOU doing here?"), before health issues sidelined that annual event. She was a great cook, and everything was fresh-- jerk chicken, fish, ackee that always reminded me of scrambled eggs, breadfruit, sorrel liquor, etc. Despite the quality of the food served, I never really acquired a taste for Jamaican cuisine (I ventured out once to a Jamaican restaurant in Perth Amboy with friends; they were enthusiastic about it but it wasn't of the same quality as my friend served, and obviously didn't transform me into a "fan"), but I don't know that Exotic Eats is Jamaican per se. But I know that what I had was delicious and filling, and I can't wait to order from Exotic Eats again. Obviously, very highly recommended.

We randomly stumbled upon this absolute hidden gem, and it is easily some of the best, most…read moreperfectly seasoned Caribbean food I have ever had. From the moment we walked in, the owner was incredibly friendly and even offered us free samples of the collard greens, candied yams, and mac and cheese. Every single bite was amazing, but that mac and cheese was an absolute standout--creamy, rich, and unforgettable. For our main meals, we ordered the oxtail and the jerk chicken, and both were cooked to perfection with deep, authentic flavors. We are already planning our next trip back just to get more of that incredible mac and cheese!

The polarizing reviews are so surprising, especially given what an excellent experience we had! We…read morewere in a fairly large group of eight people, but we got seated for brunch right away. Several of us were interested in the frozen margaritas, so we got a pitcher to share. (It was too thick to pour into our cups at first, so we all ended up making use of the straws in the pitcher!) The menu had tons of great options, and I went with the fried catfish po' boy with tater tots. YUM! We also all appreciated that the sauces and toppings were on the side, since this allowed us to add as much or little as we wanted to for our respective dishes. Everyone was really happy with their meals. The staff members were so nice and personable. They even shared some insider tips for the shows we were going to see. The service was excellent throughout the visit, even when it got busier in the restaurant. I loved all the eclectic decor and celebrity memorabilia. I would be happy to visit for brunch again, especially as I'd love to try some of the other menu items that my group members raved about!

Best chicken fried steak on the planet. Had it tonight in honor of Dolly. I know she had to like a…read moregood southern dish.

Sweet Chick in the Lower East Side was one of our favorite unexpected discoveries of the trip…read more Located right across from our hotel it turned out to be a total hidden gem. The vibe inside is so cool, chill hip hop music playing throughout and I genuinely added about five songs to my music library before we even finished eating. That kind of atmosphere is hard to find. The food was incredible. I ordered the buffalo chicken tenders with waffles and everything about it was perfect. The tenders were crispy and glazed beautifully in buffalo sauce. The waffle was not your average waffle, it had this wheat cinnamon style to it that made it stand out, soft, fluffy and absolutely delicious. It came with butter and what I believe was an herb butter as well and whatever it was it was incredible. My fiancé ordered eggs Andy style, scrambled with bacon and toast, and the real standout on his plate were the potatoes. Crushed style, perfectly seasoned with what tasted like brown sugar and paprika. We are still talking about those potatoes. Service was amazing and the whole experience just felt effortless and fun. If you are in the Lower East Side and looking for an incredible brunch spot with amazing food and even better vibes, Sweet Chick is the one. Do not sleep on this place.

This one honestly hurt my heart…read more.. Y'all... this review hurts my heart to write because I am a Sweet Chick fan. Not a "I tried it once" fan. A real fan. I've been going to Sweet Chick since there was only one location in Brooklyn. I was literally traveling from Jersey to Brooklyn just for the food, the drinks, and the experience, and I never minded doing it because it was always worth it. So when they opened the Ludlow Street location, I was excited because now I didn't have to make the trip to Brooklyn every time I wanted my chicken and waffles. Back then, Sweet Chick was an experience. They had the big specials board with rotating waffles, desserts, and seasonal items. Their chicken and waffles never missed. I honestly can't remember ever leaving disappointed. So this review is really hard for me. Back on June 26th, after work, my mom and I decided to grab dinner. I work in the LES, and she suggested Sweet Chick. I did tell her my brother Robert had gone recently and said it had changed a lot, but we figured we'd see for ourselves. We got there around 9-ish. The first thing we noticed... It was HOT. Not warm. Hot. Like, "why does it feel like a sauna in here?" hot. We've had enough hot weather this summer, so walking into a restaurant with little to no air conditioning was honestly uncomfortable. We actually debated leaving before we even ordered, but decided to stick it out. Unfortunately... it never got better. The service also wasn't what I remembered. I'm really big on customer service, and Sweet Chick has always had amazing service whenever I've gone. This time it just felt different. The attentiveness wasn't there, and the overall vibe just felt... off. Even the menu has changed. My mom used to love their kale salad, but now it's made differently with things like dates, and she wasn't interested in it anymore. For drinks, my mom ordered an espresso martini, and unfortunately she really didn't enjoy it. It was pretty bitter, and we couldn't quite figure out what was off about it. If I'm ordering an espresso martini, I have certain expectations, and this one just didn't hit for her. I ordered the Queen of New York, and I actually really enjoyed my drink. No complaints there. Now... the food. I ordered the Maple Chipotle Chicken & Sweet Potato Waffle. And this is where my heart really broke. Years ago, when they first introduced the sweet potato waffle as a special, I remember it actually tasting like sweet potato. This one... Honestly just tasted like a regular waffle. I kept looking for that sweet potato flavor, and it just wasn't there. The chicken itself was crispy and cooked well, but the maple chipotle sauce wasn't evenly coated. Some bites were really good, while other pieces were dry because they barely had any sauce on them. Another thing longtime Sweet Chick fans might notice is the butter service. I remember getting three or four different flavored butters, each in their own little container. This time we got two flavors together in one cup. It's a small thing, but it was one of those details that always made Sweet Chick feel special. My mom ordered the Carolina BBQ Chicken with the Grilled Corn Waffle. I'll be fair--her waffle absolutely tasted like a corn waffle. I tried it, and it was really good. She enjoyed her meal more than I did, although she also had a few pieces of chicken that weren't evenly coated with sauce and were a little dry. Overall, she thought it was okay. And I think that's really the word for this visit. Okay. Not terrible. But not the Sweet Chick we remembered. Maybe that's why this visit hit me so hard. When you've loved a place for years, you naturally compare it to what you know it can be. I genuinely hope this was just an off night because I have so many great memories here, and I'd honestly love to come back one day and have the Sweet Chick experience that made me fall in love with it in the first place. Because this restaurant has meant a lot to me over the years, and I'm rooting for it. I really am.

This is a multipurpose space. There is sit down dining. There's a huge bar and there's also dancing…read morespace with a giant disco ball and some Dj music. On a Tuesday night, not only do they have Tuesday Taco specials, They also had trivia night, which all the people dining in willingly participated in. Vibrant environment for young people. Staff are super friendly. Our waiter was very accommodating and helpful. They were out of many signature drinks, which was disappointing. However, they made a killer espresso martini. Fried pickles for appetizer were just OK. Nothing to write home about I'd skip next time. Mike's hot honey carrots with yogurt for appetizer were absolutely incredible. I could eat this for the whole meal and be happy. The recommended $39 bbq ribs were dry, old, fatty and meh. Skip and get the brisket, which was incredibly tender and flavorful. $44 BBQ sampler platter was the way to go. You get to try many different kinds of meat and the portion is perfect. It can even be shared between two people. Ribs were disappointing, spicy sausage was surprisingly amazing, brisket was fantastic, and chicken was the star of the show. I've never been a fan of chicken, but this chicken was next level. The meat was so flavorful, tender and juicy. Still dreaming of the chicken and will return for it anytime. You must try it--you'll thank me later. Sides of garlic, broccoli, sweet potato fries, and potato salad were surprisingly great. I'd order those sides again. On a Tuesday night they close at 10:30 PM and everyone was asked to leave, which felt rushed.

The place is really cute and nice. Came for a coworkers engagement. Resy was 1:30 and everyone was…read moreon time and seated. I do feel like they were rushing us at times especially maybe there is a time limit for a party or event. The food for the event was family style. So grits, French toast, bacon and A crab bene was served. The food was good. Nice display of what they have to offer for Brunch. I seen the menu online and they offer a lot of choices. The place is good for parties. The table was sort of awkward as you need to have one side scoot into a tiny space. (Wasn't a fan of that). Music was good vibes. I think it was how the servers were like "are you done" after 20 mins into eating and getting served and then quickly packing everything up. Sort of friendly but seemed like they just wanted to turn a table fast. Don't really live in the area, so idk if I'd be back It's a good place to check out. Just maybe notyncuomof tea.

Worth it when there's an Uber coupon. But also it's really delicious. The truffle sauce fire. Def…read moreneed to come back here.

They have very good food and the best chicken ever and they cook all of the food very wellread more

Pancakes!! They are award-winning here for good reason! My favorite is the one with blueberry…read morecompote, with the berry nutella walnut one being a close second. The portion is big and I ended up with about half a pancake left. The atmosphere has great, classic brunch vibes. We made a reservation for 8am and arrived at 7:40 - there was a small queue already formed. By the time 8am rolled around, it went to the end of the block. I recommend arriving early if you don't have a reservation!

The service was great, the interior was cute and bright, and the photo booth was really fun!…read moreHowever the food was good but not great, to my party including myself. We got the fried macaroni and cheese balls which were great(incredibly cheesy) accompanied by buffalo sauce. The biscuits were soft and fluffy with a great flavor to them, and the included jams and butter were good as well. The fries were also good. While Bubby's is known for their pancakes, which is why we visited, it wasn't the best for us. We tried the chicken and pancakes. The chicken had some flavor, but not a lot and was filled with all spice in the skin/breading. It is not great to bite into whole all spice! Perhaps my order just had a lot, but I counted up to 15 in my entire plate. We were initially excited for the pancakes as it is what Bubby's is known for, however they were underwhelming and one guest in my party even compared them to an a large baked soft pretzel in flavor (spot on). While they weren't awful or off putting, it wasn't what we were expecting at all considering the hype. Another member of the party got a kebab meal and said the kebab was good and the rice was okay. When we arrived there was no wait and the restaurant was actually empty(about two other parties dining in total (we went on a weekday around 5 pm). The appetizers were the most loved thing for my party! While the pancake flight seems to be more popular, we weren't interested in all the toppings and hoped the pancakes could stand alone- but we were disappointed. Very lovely place otherwise!

Melba's is still serving up great chicken sandwiches and I usually pick up one when transiting…read morethrough Grand Central. Customer traffic has been particularly heavy in the basement of Grand Central this summer and all the food establishments have been equally busy. I've been to Melba's several times and I still rec the chicken sandwich without sauce and chipotle mayo, but please caution them not to put too much sauce on the sandwich. They can become a bit heavy handed with the sauces. I tried the catfish sandwich too and it was good, but not as filling. I had it with the same sauces. I could eat the catfish sandwich easily for breakfast. The size of the sandwiches seems to vary at times, but they are holding serve at Melba's. 4 stars!

This counter is nothing like their restaurant. I understand it's meant to be fast and casual but I…read morejust had the most underwhelming disgusting fried chicken sandwich which was sloppily prepared The chicken piece itself was cold, dried, hard which made it inedible. And the flavor tasted like it was doused in Maggi or Chicken bouillon cubes. I asked for chipotle mayo and got a reg mayo sauce, the bread is not warmed and the coleslaw is a slop and unnecessary bread to coleslaw ratio. Huge mistake thinking I was going to get a decent sandwich. The prepared food also looks like slop. Skip Skip Skip