The food was fresh, not overly seasoned, and definitely not salty. For a first-time visit, I have to say--it was delicious. I ordered the salmon croquettes, collard greens, and fried corn. My friend had the lamb chops, mac and cheese, and sweet potatoes. Everyone was pleasant. They greeted us as soon as we walked in and explained how everything works if you're dining in. The ambiance felt like a relaxed café--comfortable, welcoming, and come‑as‑you‑are. We were very pleased with both the food and the service. read more

If you haven't been to Bronzeville Soul yet, you need to immediately! The food was amazing and reasonable priced. I came here with some of my trainees after a field trip to the Science and Industry museum. There were 12 adults and we spent about $300, which wasn't bad considering your meal comes with two sides and cornbread. I ordered the baked turkey wings with collard greens and white rice. It was so delicious! I couldn't eat it all because the portions were huge! A lot of my trainees needed to-go bags because it was so much food in those containers. The peach cobbler is amazing too! Not too peachy and not too much breading--a perfect combination. The chef was grateful for us coming in and talked to us too! The host was a sweet man and hooked some of my trainees with some sweet tea on the house. Just beautiful people bringing delicious food to Bronzeville. read more

Bronzeville Soul - Baked Turkey wings with collard Greens with Smoked Turkey and white rice. - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I got the fried catfish, cabbage and Mac and it was delicious. I'm definitely coming back here! read more

Bronzeville Soul - Fried catfish, fried cabbage and Mac and cheese. - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Mothers Day. Terrible croquettes. Woman on register was as blah as the food. Light older woman. Everyone else was pleasant. Tea was the best thing on this menu. This was my first and last time here. read more

2.5 stars. Lissen... it's overpriced. Food was decent enough, but at $30+, I was expecting more. So much more. Menu is written on a whiteboard which allows them to just erase the item when it sells out. But, a digital display would elevate the ambiance and lend a more polished feel. Details matter, especially when you're asking customers to pay premium prices. Customer service was really rocky to start, but the gentleman with the locs saw my face, heard my comment, and quickly adjusted. Much appreciated. Keep that same energy for ALL your customers. What we ate: Delicious: peach cobbler (fantastic!) Decent: short ribs, Mac n cheese, green beans, cornbread muffin Don't bother: collards, salmon One major gripe: at this price point, being served in takeout containers with plastic cutlery cheapens the experience. Invest in real plates and silverware -- your margins can surely support the upgrade. If you are going to automatically grat a dine-in check, then your patrons should sit at clean tables and be greeted by a smiling face. Neither of these were part of my experience. But I also didn't see the gratuity on my check. So, there's that. Clean tables and a warm greeting are basic expectations -- not bonuses -- especially if an automatic gratuity is being added to dine-in checks. (Although curiously, I didn't see this reflected on mine.) As for the $1 price tag on a small 16 oz bottle of water -- yes, you're making a solid markup. But why not reinvest a few cents more in a larger, sport-cap option? Small touches like that make a big difference in perceived value. The space was nearly empty during my visit, but I can imagine it picks up post-Sunday service. Still, the lack of energy in the room matched the food: fine, but not worth rushing back for. Nothing Would I return? Maybe. But I'm not in a hurry. read more

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Tried Bronzeville Soul for the first time--unfortunately, it missed the mark. It's in my neighborhood and the reviews seemed decent, so I finally gave it a shot. I had a craving for baked chicken, but it ended up being a big letdown--bland with no real flavor. The dressing and mac and cheese were just okay, and even the cornbread didn't hit. The greens were sold out, so I got green beans instead--and those were actually pretty good. Still, for $30, it felt like a waste. The ambiance was dark and not very welcoming, and the service was underwhelming. Definitely expected more. read more

Bronzeville Soul - Baked Dark Meat Chicken - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

From the cooks to the food, you'll leave feeling like your soul has been fed. I told my parents we had to try this spot for restaurant week because my dad is in love with catfish and southern food. We arrived at 6pm because they close at 7pm. You walk in, check the whiteboard for the menu items they have available, and then order at the counter. If you're dining in, they give you a receipt stub, and you go find a place to sit. We had to push a few tables together because we were a party of five. It's not the most instagrammable spot but that makes the focus more on the food. Even if you're dining in, the food comes out in to-go containers. This is beneficial because we couldn't finish all the food and we ended up taking the containers home. My mom said to mention that "the old heads said the music was slamming." The atmosphere was very relaxed. Don't come in in a rush because they're making the food hot and fresh. I got the catish, rib tips, mac and cheese, greens, yams, raspberry sweet tea, and cornbread. It was so hard to decide between two sides so I got three. I will drive here just to order the raspberry sweet tea. I wish they sold it by the jugs. Mario is in charge of the establishment. I had a wonderful conversation with him about how my breast cancer treatment was going and he said a prayer for me. I was gifted a peach tea to go and it equally as tasty as the raspberry. Parking can be found on the side street. read more

Bronzeville Soul - family with our take home bags - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I visited Bronzeville Soul for the first time after seeing it on TikTok and was extremely excited to try it out. My friend and I both ordered the wings; mines wwith a side of cabbage and sweet potatoes and theirs with white rice and Mac and cheese. The food was decent, though nothing that really stood out from my order. I would consider the service to solid and attentive, which I appreciated. The overall vibe of the restaurant was a little plain, and I think with a bit more energy or character it could match the buzz the restaurant gets online. read more

Bronzeville Soul - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wanted ox tails but they no longer had it the food was extremely hot and fresh but the turkey wing was a bit dry the Mac n cheese was good and the string beans was really good. Not a place to sit down and eat though as the cooking can seep into your clothes but the staff was extremely nice and they have tvs while you wait for your food read more

Bronzeville Soul - Baked Turkey Wing - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Lovvvvvved the Beef Short Ribs! All The food was amazing! Seasoned to perfection! Juicy and tender! We ordered steak, mac&cheese, fried corn, short ribs, turkey spaghetti and string beans with turkey meat! Let me say it again, ALL of it was delicious! We will be back for Take Out only! The space was large but I was underwhelmed by the ambiance and service. Please do better... the service was subpar, it was almost like ordering food at your grandmas, with family or a close friend, there was no professionalism, no warm welcome, idk just didn't seem like they even try, lol. They weren't rude or unkind though, so we'll be back for sure! read more

Bronzeville Soul - Mac and Cheese Fried Corn Porter House Steak - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came in today for lunch with colleagues. Staff were polite and friendly. Food was delicious and warm. Restaurant was clean and the music playing was a nice selection. Began eating food before I could capture a picture. read more

The food is ok, my only gripe is they want you to pay a fifteen percent to up front when you pay at the counter, after I received my food the waitress never came by to check on me. I am a believer you tip on service not because it's store policy to pre tip read more

I have been wanting to visit Bronzeville Soul since Jay Z visited this location summer 2023. Great food! Parking: plenty of Street parking. I entered Bronzville Soul and immediately felt soulful vibes from music playing in the restaurant. I ordered my meal to go: wings, which comes with 2 sides and a muffin. Sides were seasoned okay; the wings, however small in size, were perfectly seasoned and tasted phenomenal!! Owner was at the front of the house taking orders and was personable. People were steady coming into the location. Patrons consisted of a combination of dine in and take out orders. Took awhile to get hot sauce with my order. Nice colors/decor 2 words for my meal: No Crumbs. I plan to visit again. read more

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The food was outstanding Beef ribs tender and flavorful Mac and cheese made with 3 cheeses Green beans with onions potatoes and orange peppers touch of garlic You know granny Ethel Mae sit in that food. read more

Like most people, I've only just heard about this place because of Jay-Zs recent visit. I still dont understand how a celebrity finds places like this, when's there's so much hype around other places that sell similar food. But good for Bronzeville Soul. We stopped in and noticed an empty dining area. I sure hope they're doing a lot of takeout. The owner was at the counter with another staff member. He invited us in and thanked us for stopping in. I was disappointed to see that literally none of the items I wanted to try were available the day I stopped in. I wanted to try their short ribs, Mac & cheese and yams. None were on the menu. I instead ordered their chicken wings with mashed potatoes and dirty rice. They also give you a corn bread which was very delicious. They asked us if we're doing takeout or dining in. I was kind of in a rush but still had a little time. I asked him how long would it take for the food to be ready, he said 7 minutes so we decided to dine in. Ended up being 15 minutes which was obviously double the time promised, probably would have done takeout if they had said 15-20 min. The chicken wings were really good. They were really hot, fresh out of the fryers. The seasoning on these was simple yet very tasty. They were very juicy and tasted phenomenal with hot sauce. The mashed potatoes were also very flavorful. I'm a big rice guy. I love love love rice. But the rice was was a let down. I got a lot of old hard pieces that made this side close to inedible. It was unfortunately a huge disappointment. Overall I was really satisfied with the dish. The price is definitely on the high side but me and my son shared this entire plate and we both left full. So it's definitely a lot of food. I just wish the menu was more consistent and will only return when I can confirm that the certain items I'm looking for will be on the menu. read more

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This place has been on my radar for a few months and when I saw Jay-Z showed up a couple weeks ago, I thought let me hurry up and get there before the wait times extend! Me and my mom dropped in recently mid week around 3:30 in the afternoon and there wasn't a crowd thankfully. A line started to form once it got closer to 5pm FYI. They have maybe 10-12 tables for dining in, but they accommodate pickup orders in case you dont wanna wait. The now famous owner, Mario Coleman was at the counter taking orders which was cool. I had to go with th newly christened Jigga short ribs with sides of mac & cheese and green beans. Everything was very good especially the short ribs, but just a warning, the food carries a hint of spice FYI, but still good. Pound cake along with peach tea was very awesome! Mario and staff go out of there way to make you feel welcome in their establishment which is very cool! I really like this place and plan on coming back often as he told us the menu changes daily. read more

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I decided to stop in for the first time for an early dinner. It was around 4 pm on a Saturday and it wasn't crowded at all. Street parking was easy to find. The decor is simple and understated; very spacious. I loved the black artwork and the good music playing. I placed my order at the counter and then sat down. The meal was brought over to me in about 10 minutes. The meal that's pictured was about $24 with tax and a bottle of water; I thought that was a fair price. Everything was hot; the catfish was freshly fried. It was a good meal. I wasn't blown away but satisfied. The staff was very nice and came over to make sure everything was good. I would go back because they have more on the menu I'd like to try. read more

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I was craving soul food on a Sunday evening and decided to finally go check out Bronzeville Soul. Especially since it was in the neighborhood and Jay-Z made a cameo there last summer. I called in to place a to-go order but was informed they didn't take phone orders on Sundays. No biggie. As I had already checked out the menu online, I knew I wanted the catfish, mac n cheese and fried cabbage. When I walked in, I was geeeted by the very friendly manager, Chauncey, who after learning I wanted catfish, persuaded me to try the fried salmon. What the hell...I've never had fried salmon and I firmly believe in trying new things. After paying for my order, I went to check out the whiteboard menu and saw collard greens and cornbread dressing, which I didn't notice on the website. So I went back and ordered those sides, as well. Once I got home, I could barely contain my excitement as I ripped into my package. Every bite of each item was delectable and lived up to everything I know about soul food. The portions are generous and I have leftovers to enjoy tomorrow. Chauncey even encouraged me to come back on Wednesdays when they have live music. I'll definitely be back! read more

Bronzeville Soul - Fried salmon, mac n cheese, cabbage - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here yesterday 8/13/2025 to celebrate my dad birthday Upon entering the restaurant we were greeted but it wasn't a sincere pleasant one. My family sat down and ordered 2 orders of the fried chicken with the macaroni and turkeygreens, 1 combo with macaroni and turkey greens, oxtails with yams, greens and mac on the side and a salmon dinner with the same requested sides. As the food came out we were shocked and displeased that the food came out in to go containers and plastic utensils as if we weren't all sitting there to dine in. I took one bite of my salmon and instantly knew it was dried out from being overcooked and bland so I went and asked the guy if I could replace it and he said yeah without hassle which was a plus. Also, the greens had no turkey in them as stated on the menu and there's only one restroom which is insane especially when you have kids and elderly people who have to use the restroom constantly. Overall the food minus the salmon the food is a soild 4star good and fresh but I gave it 3 stars because of how the food came out to my family in a sit down lunch and dinner restaurant. That was unacceptable to not have your food brought out on regular dinner plates while dining in read more

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All I care is, they got beef ribs! And baked beans, macaroni and cheese. Talking about some good eating welcome to the real world Brownsville soul. read more

Get a recommendation from a friend to try Bronzeville Soul. Popped in on a Saturday afternoon. The hostess/cashier showed me the menu for the afternoon and was really cool with explaining the fried cabbage that had piqued my interest. I ordered fried chicken wings, candied sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, fried cabbage, and peach tea. The chicken had more than just salt and pepper in the batter -- like some onion and garlic powder. The candied sweet potatoes were a hit. The macaroni and cheese was creamy like out of the box, but with flavor like out of your mom's oven. Didn't expect to fall in love with the fried cabbage. And I was glad the peach tea didn't have a bag of sugar in it. Bronzeville Soul is in a location that I have considered jinxed. So many businesses -- cafes, restaurants, comedy club, coffee shops -- have come and gone. I hope Bronzeville Soul stays for a long while. They've got a regular customer if they do. read more

Bronzeville Soul - Fried chicken wings, macaroni and cheese, candied sweet potatoes, fried cabbage, cornbread muffin - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

*Black Owned* *New Business* I saw this place on IG, on Black people meets, I believe. I was south and getting my hair done nearby, so I stopped in. I believe the guys who took the order were the owners. They were the coolest guys EVER! They don't have an extensive menu, and I think the items they serve change daily. But, what we got, we LOVED!!!! We ordered 3 dinners, steak, jerk lamb chops, and a beef short ribs dinner with various sides on each plate. I also added 3 fried chicken wings to my order which wasn't on the menu but they accommodated my request with an upcharge of course. We dined in. THE FOOD WAS DELICIOUS!!! I absolutely loved my beef short ribs, yams, and string beans. My fried chicken was really good too! Everything was fresh and piping HOT!!!! The place was clean and huge! We also did BYOB. The owners came and chatted with us. Im definitely going to go back, sooner than later. read more

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Great place! I've had takeout and I have dined in and both times the food was amazing! It is BYOB and they have a live band here every 1st & 2nd Wednesday of the month. The customer service here is top-tier and the atmosphere is so friendly. I love that they bring your food out to you already in a to-go container. I would definitely dine here again so that I can taste everything on the menu. read more

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3.5 stars A group of us came here for r&B night which is held. It's held every second and every 4th Wednesday of the month. Where they play live music. I saw the so/so reviews so I was apprehensive a placing a food order but I know it was better to come and purchase something at this venue since admission was free to come in and hear the music. They also have a sign that I didn't know that you need to order at least for the minimum of $15 per patron for offsetting the cost of the band . My original order was the short ribs which I absolutely love short ribs and it's hard to go into an establishment that actually offer beef ribs as opposed to pork. But when I sat down at the table one person was not happy with her food so I hurried and ran back and changed mine to chicken wings. Thinking that you can't mess up chicken wings, right? Let me tell you that it takes a long time to get your food in this place and the gentleman that was calling out the numbers was almost not believing that we did not have the number that he was calling out at the time. We literally had to turn our receipt to show him. Sir, this was not our order. I mean we can eat the food but it doesn't belong to us! So that being said, everyone waited at least 30 to 40 minutes for their food. It was okay. I think my order came with about four or five chicken wings then weren't that great. I mean you got hot sauce on the table. They're a little crispier on the ends and they were okay from a 1 to 10. I will give them a six on the chicken wings. The sides, the sides for me and the cornbread is what saved the meal. I mean the meal is expensive. $24 for 4 to 5. Chicken wings is ridiculous. Let's be honest here, but my sweet potato and macaroni and cheese and my cornbread muffin definitely seal the deal. The chicken they could have just kept. If I was to go again I will only get sides. The live band was pretty good but the only thing that kept happening. I don't know if it's a building. I don't know if they were putting too much pressure on the electrical system, but at least several times why they were playing the power went out so hope they can get it together read more

Bronzeville Soul - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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YOOOOOOOO. My friend and I randomly met a woman in Downtown Chicago who told us this was the place to go for GOOD soul food. I was in town from San Diego for not even 2 whole days. But her recommendation was so strong, we had to take heed. We came to dine in for dinner and shared the proteins. I ordered the catfish filets meal, with greens and mac and cheese as sides. My friend ordered the lamb chops with greens, mac, and yams. She also got chicken wings. All meals come with a cornbread muffin. When I tell you: EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS. SEASONED TO PERFECTION, without salt overshadowing FLAVOR. The fry of the catfish was DIVINE. A nice, sturdy, crisp, crunchy bite that was also moist in the inside. I like tartar sauce with a few bites of my fish, but this didn't really need it. It was perfect. The sides were GOOD. The greens?! YUM. So pretty. SO tasty. Mac was cool, too, made even better when I sprinkled a lil' hot sauce in. The LAMB CHOPS. Just maybe sliiiightly overcooked than what I prefer, but overall: SO WORTH IT. Very nice sized, meaty chops of well-seasoned deliciousness. I kinda wanted to order some to-go, but I was already so full. We'd informed the friendly, welcoming staff that we were from California and they rolled out the hospitality red carpet, giving attentive service and even free specialty drinks! I felt so welcomed and super glad we followed directions to visit Bronzeville Soul. They WILL be seeing me next time I'm in town! I'm thankful to the staff for everything! read more

Bronzeville Soul - Catfish filets, greens, cornbread muffin, mac & cheese - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Hello. My name is Ms. Donna. I would just like to say the food was absolutely delicious! My brother brought food from your restaurant for Thanksgiving. My family enjoyed every morsel! I will be back and I will spread the word about your amazing restaurant. I can't name all the food my family and I had from your restaurant, but all I know I will be back. Peace and blessings. read more

I have to admit I came here after hearing Jay-Z came here when he and Beyonce were in town, and I'm pleased to report (as many people I'm sure already knew) that the food is good. The fried cabbage was so good, definitely the best thing we ate. Beef short ribs and white rice was good too and I can't wait to come back and try the other things (at an earlier time before they sell out). I've also come back since that first time and had the corn which is also delicious. read more

Back home in Los Angeles and absolutely regretting that we did not go back again last night before closing. We went on Friday evening and were so happy with our food that we showed up on Saturday to try the catfish. Friday: Ordered the Oxtail, short ribs, fried wings, Mac and cheese, green beans, candied yams, collard greens and passion peach tea. They ran out of catfish and so Chauncey said to come back tomorrow for it. Saturday: We came back for the catfish and more wings. This was our pre-meal before going to Virtue a few hours later. We loved the hospitality and the food! Next time we're in Chicago--- we're going to need to come back! During this trip to Chicago my preschooler had not eaten any real food (he had just been snacking... even bought him chick-fil-a... barely touched it. But he devoured the wings, cleaned the meat right off those bones. I also learned I must've never had good collard greens because I had never liked the taste. I had no problem eating these greens! read more

Today I tried something new to see all the hype , the service was nice , I was disappointed however I went for the porter house and they were sold out. I ended up getting the fried catfish and got the baked chicken for son , the sides were greens and sweets as well as mac n cheese and dressing, the corn muffins were Jiffy and mine were burnt . I want to try the porter house and maybe other sides the ones I tried I cant say I will try again . read more

The food was horrible and lack flavor we ordered the salmon dinner and the lamb chop dinner which came with two sides and we chose the spaghetti with ground turkey, yams, collard greens, and mac & cheese. The salmon was overcooked and lack any flavor the yams had a starchy texture which was very unpleasant and the collard greens were horrible I never taste anything like that the lamb chops were overcooked and had a taste of a burnt grill residue on them the Mac and cheese lacked flavor but was the only thing warm on the plate not to mention we dined in and was gasping for air because they ventilation system was not working, and the place was filled with thick white smoke, but the spaghetti was good and the muffins were undercooked. It had a grainy with texture in the middle. read more

Food was good, very nice environment! Staff was very helpful n nice. I frowned on the thought of having to pay extra to stay n eat inside! Felt a little rushed! read more

Food is delicious. I got the catfish fillet plate-- they're well seasoned, not dry, and the whole meal is screaming hot. This is some of the best catfish I've ever had. Collards and macaroni are very good too. read more

Bronzeville Soul - Fried Catfish Fillets with macaroni and cheese and collard greens - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Sooooooo, was searching all over the place to get some good soul food, came across this restaurant on Yelp. The positive reviews outweighed the cons and we decided to try it out. It's Black Owned, WHY NOT? BOOOYYEEEE ARE WE GLAD WE DID! Wheeeeewww! I'm talking about we ordered three entrees to get extras to try multiple things (Catfish Dinner, Short Rib Dinner, Fried Chicken wings) each came with 2 sides and then we ordered extras. Collard Greens, Dressing, Green Beans, Yams, Mac n'Cheese, Green Beans and Spaghetti and we also got Peach Tea and Pound Cake. EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS! We even ordered more To Go just to have a plate for lunch the next day! 10/10 Do Recommend. Will be back! read more

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Great Food and Fresh. I had the combo with wings and catfish collard greens and Mac and Cheese. Customer Service was great friendly.

My first time here because I heard the food was good. Well, out the gate I wanted the fried cabbage and they were all out at 2:00 in the afternoon, right when people were getting out of church. I had a hard time choosing because the place is definitely a soul food restaurant and since I don't eat meat I opted for the fried corn and sweet potatoes. Both were very good. There are seats but I would definitely consider this a take out restaurant and even if you're dining in the food comes in take out containers. The staff was nice but the place lacks ambiance. I will probably not be back. It's just a little too hood for my liking. read more

The food I ordered brought me back a second time!!! I hope they don't disappoint. I walked in this time for my mom to try the dressing. The customer service was very friendly. The atmosphere is diverse. The ambiance is quiet with soothing jazz music playing in the background. Yelp, I will recommend and say this establishment is TEAMBROWN Approved. read more

One of Chicago's hidden gems. Food is delicious and it will make you think your at your mama's kitchen table eating. Great place to dine out and the ambiance is fantastic. Fried Catfish Fillet & Fried Cabbage was the best thing I've eaten in a while. Thank you for your hospitality and great food Bronzeville Soul, I'll be back!! read more

I finally made it to this place and it did not disappoint me. I had their pot roast with veggies, their yams, and mac n cheese. And nothing like a Pepsi to bring it all together. The service was great and the ambiance is also great I will definitely come back to this place. read more

Great customer service and friendly staff with some amazing food per my friends because I'm Vegan.... You can dinne in or have it to go....

Came from Texas DFW area and it's my first time in Chicago. Needless to say, food was phenomenal and I can't breathe (in a good way). Highly recommend the catfish and wing platter. read more