Let me start off by thanking Cleo's for actually being open due business hours. It's very disappointing when actually traveling long distance to an establishment and they not being open. I've traveled a time or two to a couple of spots in Chicago to support; only to be welcomed to a closed sign. So, Cleo's THANK YOU for blessing me with your service and love for food. It made my birthday, day trip that much better. Now, where do I start. Well, I called to make sure that they were open. I wanted to place my order via phone, but was instructed to place it via their website. The website was easy to navigate and updated. The time given for pickup was pretty much exact. I may even say that it was ready 5-10 minutes before. Parking can be a bit of a challenge. However, depending on when you go, there's a small lot across the street where you can park. Also, you can dine inside, however, depending on how busy, you may or may not have a spot. I lucked up and was able to dine in. Which made my experience better because I was able to take my food out, examine and get comfortable. All food is made to order. That is a huge plus!!!! Food was packaged right and sealed tight. I tried the Float & Fly which consisted of 3 pcs of catfish fillets and 3 fried chicken wings. I tried the green beans, Mac n cheese and pineapple candied sweet potatoes and pineapple cheesecake for a treat. Oh, let me not forget the Purple Rain drink. The catfish & wings were well seasoned and fried to perfection. If I had to choose between the two, wings for the WIN!!! The greens beans had a bit of a kick to them. So much that I followed up with some Mac and sweet potatoes. Ha! The Mac was cheesy and kinda creamy. Great texture. The sweet potatoes were different with the pineapples. The pineapples gave a little twist, but still delivering your childhood memory of sweet potatoes that grandma used to make. Desserts are limited; cheesecake or brownie. The cheesecake was my least favorite thing. I either want peach cobbler or cheesecake; not them being married. Ha! I was happy and pleased with how clean the inside was and how organized it was as well. I like an open kitchen concept. I'll definitely be returning when in Chicago. My advice is to place your order online. Keith Lee approved and so do I! read more

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I wouldn't recommend anybody go here. When I say this place was packed with disorganization, I mean it was a literal mess. None of the tables were cleaned or organized properly, there were random boxes stacked everywhere, and the TV was broken. To make the atmosphere worse, they had loud music blasting through a blown-out subwoofer, so it just sounded like constant static the entire time. On top of that, the bathrooms were completely closed--you literally couldn't even use the restroom. The staff were totally inattentive, and the food was way too salty and vastly overpriced for what you get. It was a chaotic, frustrating, and incredibly forgetful experience. Save your money and go somewhere else. read more

With all the hype about their food, I'm sorry but I was severely disappointed in this place. I placed an order for the catfish dinner, Mac and cheese with crab meet, and chicken wings. The order came to over $65 with tip. Impression: Three chicken wings only for $8. The size of the wings was good. Real meaty but came off as baked versus fried. No crunch to them and didn't taste any spices. Also, had to pick off some feather stems. Catfish dinner came with four pieces, cornbread muffin and green beans as sides. The muffin was soft and moist. However, layering a bunch of butter on top and calling is 24K muffin is a great marketing ploy. Reminded me of a cupcake. The green beans were ok. The catfish again had no crunch. They were also on the thin side. Could mistake it as tilapia if not for the taste. Mac and cheese with crap meat was star. For $20 you get a good size bowl. Real cheesy and noodle were done right. You also get a generous portion of crab meat onto top. Overall, I might a one and done customer. read more

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Catfish is the best since my dad passed away. Mac and cheese taste like home,green beans on point delicious all around worth the wait

I ordered "the ten". It comes with five catfishes a side of sweet potatoes and a cornbread muffin. It did take about an hour for my food to be done. I did go at around 3:30 PM. The catfish was excellent. It is very savory the honey drizzle on top does complement it a bit. It was very crunchy and savory. The yams were pretty good. They are extremely sweet. They're great to pair with the catfish. The cornbread muffin was lack luster. It did not taste like anything, it was like a water cornbread muffin. I was so sad about that because it looked good. I would come back to get the catfish again. The items on the menus are expensive, you do get a lot in this serving size but paying $31...You could easily get a pan of catfish elsewhere. But for the hype, this was worth it! It has been brought to my attention that the "catfish" that was served was not real catfish upon doing some research customers have revealed that it is actually swai fish. I was wondering why it tasted the way that it did. It does not taste fishy like a catfish it tastes very plain and that's probably why they season it the way they do to compensate for lack of authenticity. I was also wondering why we got so much fish as one single serving because it's swai and swai is cheap. You can share this amongst three other people. read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - The Ten - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Finally tried Cleo's after hearing so much about it. We ordered to-go (highly recommend; takes around 45 minutes for your food to be ready) there's also limited seating and it gets busy. Staff was very friendly and the place was inviting. We got: - Crabbie Cat (fried catfish topped with crab): very well-seasoned with a decent amount of crab, a little salty - Southern Belle with chicken tenders (chicken and waffle): fluffy waffle with a ton of warm maple syrup, great salty/sweet combo - Cornbread: sooo buttery soft and melts in your mouth - Mac and cheese: good ratio of cheese to pasta, highly recommend as a side read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - Southern Belle Crabbie Cat 24-Carat Gold Muffins Classic Baked Macaroni & Cheese - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was high on the list of restaurants to visit in the city and it was pretty good. Cleo's restaurant now has a few locations open but this one is setup like a carry out. The wait was about 45 minutes but I had already been told so it didn't catch me off guard. I ordered the Float & Fly dinner (2 catfish fillets, 3 whole chicken wings and 2 sides of Mac and cheese and pineapple sweet potatoes). They were fried and seasoned well and the Mac was delicious but the yams tasted like they were from a can. The star of the show for me was the cornbread muffins with the 24 karat sauce. Whoooo! Get extra!! lol. The meal including the sweet tea/lemonade totaled $46, not too bad but a bit pricey. read more

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Cleos is my classic go to in Chicago! Great customer service and good food. The only issue one may have is the wait time but it won't be the other two. I'd recommend ordering ahead as the space is a little small and doesn't have much eating space. read more

While I do not typically write negative reviews, especially in reference to highly regarded establishments such as this one, I feel it is necessary to share my personal experience, which differed from that of prominent critics. [ THE FOOD ] I ordered the "Fly Over" (also known as "The Shannikky") at a price of $45.95 including tax. The meal featured three catfish fillets, three wings, lump crab meat, and two sides. I chose macaroni n' cheese and pineapple candied sweet potatoes. In my opinion, the fish fillets were too heavily seasoned with pepper, which was not to my preference. Additionally, two of the fillets appeared to resemble Swai, a Vietnamese catfish, rather than American catfish. Based on lifelong experience cooking and consuming American catfish, the flavor profile just did not match what I am accustomed to. Similarly, the wings were also overly peppered and lacked any of their signature "comeback" sauce. The fillets were stacked one on the other in the to-go container and the sauce was applied only on the top fillet. Although I requested additional sauce, the portion provided was small and only enough for the remaining fillets, not the wings. On a positive note, the pineapple candied sweet potatoes were odd in flavor at first but became more enjoyable after several bites. The macaroni and cheese was above average, and the 24-carat cornbread muffins were outstanding. [ SERVICE / ATMOSPHERE ] The staff at the registers were courteous and friendly during order placement. The wait time was approximately 20 minutes, and the interior space accommodated around 8-10 customers waiting for their orders. [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] Overall, additional comeback sauce could have improved the experience by balancing the intensity of the pepper seasoning on both the fish and wings. Regarding the catfish, I have noticed a trend among restaurants towards utilizing Swai instead of American catfish, and may likely stop ordering catfish all together if the trend continues to spread. While Swai is a decent fish, IMHO it does not offer the same flavor characteristics as American catfish and should be labeled differently on menus. read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - THE FLY OVER (catfish topped with crab meat + wings and their glazed cornbread muffin). - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I found this spot on tiktok. It was recommended SO many times. After I planned my trip, I knew that I wanted to go to the flagship location in Brownsville. It's not a large space, but you can tell that the people who work there, the people who frequent this location really appreciate what they're doing. Our cashier was so helpful. She explained the menu and she gave recommendations and every one of hers hit! We arrived about an hour before closing, and no one was rushing through the prep. It was still made with love! We ordered the flyover to share then we added three wings. We also had the crab mac & cheese, as well as the green beans and pineapple candied sweet potatoes. The only thing we were missing was the cornbread, which is fine for me because I shouldn't be eating that much anyway Everything was SO fresh and cooked to perfection. The comeback sauce with the fish topped with crab meat. Simply amazing. The sweet potatoes were a welcome treat. I wasn't expecting that. The green beans which in my opinion are hit and miss in most places were spot on here. The crab Mac n cheese with the butter sauce was even better the next day. The chicken wings were seasoned beautifully and simply delicious. Lastly, the Mississippi sunshine was very good. It puts you in the mind of an Arnold Palmer. Would absolutely recommend. read more

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This food was amazing. Everything that Keith Lee said. There is a long wait but it's worth every second. The customer service is immaculate. They are very efficient and no one is standing around. The catfish is fried to perfection and the crab that goes over the top of it is very good. I'm not a big sugar person but I tasted the muffin and it was good. The wings were fried well. And it has great seasons on it read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - The Float & Fly - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went to the Wells location, spent $25 on Uber and they were closed. No update on Google, or the answering machine, just a hand written sign on the door saying 'closed for repairs'. So, I went to South Cottage Grove. Small dining room, 1 table and a few bar stools. I ordered the Flyover. Fish, chicken wings, lump crab, mac & cheese and sweet potatoes with pineapples. The fish, chicken, lump crab and the cornbread were 10/10. The mac & cheese was dry and lacked seasoning. The sweet potatoes were too, too sweet. I couldn't finish eating them. I had the Purple Rain drink that was not worth $11 for lightly sweetened kool-aid. read more

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Visited Cleo's as a recommendation for lunch and I was not disappointed. It's a small take out place at this particular location. The staff is friendly. The young lady at the counter gave me the rundown on what and how I could order, from the couple of questions I asked without hesitation. I ordered the fly and float so I could have a taste of both the catfish and wings. It came with two sides and I choose the sweet potatoes, Mac and cheese and an extra side of the green beans for a vegetable. The chicken and fish were fried a crispy golden brown and well seasoned. The Mac and cheese was cheesy, the sweet potatoes with a small hint of pineapple was a pleasant surprise and the string beans and potatoes were tender and well seasoned. I definitely will be revisiting this location and recommend it. read more

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Just tried Cleo's for the first time and it was amazing! We ordered The Ten & the boneless chicken thigh combo 10/10 without a doubt. Also, the cheesecake was amazing never had one like it before. Everyone inside was also so kind and seemed to love what they do as they all had a smile on their faces. Only recommendation is to place your online order atleast an hour before regardless worth the wait. Will be back! read more

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I gotta say I did really like the seasoning on everything. Bold flavors and a little bit of spice for a nice kick. I loved the catfish and 24k muffins. Honestly, all the food was so comforting and so good. I know I'll go back! It's definitely a takeout place. There's seating but it's small. No bathroom either. When I went on a Sunday, both businesses with bathrooms next to the restaurant were closed. The workers were trying to help me and direct me other places to go so that was very nice! Only 4/5 because of the wait. But I think that's because of the Keith Lee effect. Definitely order ahead. It was a 45 minute wait. read more

Visited Cleo's Southern Restaurant in Chicago and had to try the catfish that Keith Lee gave 10/10. It was the best catfish I have ever had, so flavorful, well seasoned, and perfectly cooked. The meal looked pricey but comes with so much food, especially if you get two sides and a muffin. The mac and cheese was bomb, though the muffin was nothing special. The shop is a very small storefront, so we had to wait a bit for seating. They ran out of the hot honey sauce, but the staff were really nice and helped me pick another sauce. The inside is cozy and welcoming. Definitely going back! read more

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we had to edit an hour for the good but it is absolutely delicious and worth it. no notes and I will be back. read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - The Float & Fly - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was some of the best food I've had from a restaurant in years!!! The crab meat was phenomenal

Still thinking about this meal we had from Cleo's this weekend. We've heard the hype and wanted to try it out for ourselves. We went into the Bronzeville location and placed our order and waited about 35 minutes, so I do recommend you place your order ahead of time. The staff is extremely friendly and welcoming. The Bronzeville location does have limited seating if you want to eat your meal there, but on this visit, it was mostly filled with people waiting for their food. On first glance, the prices might seem a bit steep, but I can guarantee you that the meal is gonna be fresh, filling, and delicious. I did the Float and Fly. My friend did the Fly Over. The catfish on both was super crispy, super fresh, well seasoned but not overly seasoned or salty. It was just right. Same for the chicken. Great seasoning, great breading, very nice and crunchy. The wings were still super juicy. And they were a nice size. The sides were also very generous sizes. We did the Mac and cheese and the sweet potatoes. The potatoes were almost dessert like, how good they were and sweet. A perfect balance for the savory catfish and chicken. Mac was excellent. For the amount of orders they were getting and how busy it was, I was almost surprised how good this was. It's tough to get a good consistency most places. This traveled well, we got home and it was still hot. We are already planning our next visit back, I highly recommend you stopping by! read more

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Yooo!!! You gotta try this joint! This by far one of the best soul food restaurants in the city. I had the Crab Mac and cheese and the Catfish and chicken combo. And let me tell you, both dishes did not disappoint! The crab Mac and cheese was drenched in cheese and butter as it was in depth of flavor. Rich, creamy and hits the spot with every savory bite. The Catfish and Chicken combo were crispy and had a little kick to them which elevated the experience on the palette. All in all Cleo's has not seen the last of me or my pocket read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - Creole Crab Macaroni & Cheese - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place blew my socks off! The food is seasoned exactly the way soul food is supposed to be seasoned. The fried chicken and the catfish had a beautiful crusty crunch, golden brown crust. The mac and cheese was baked perfectly, cheese bubbled on top, flavorful and creamy. The sweet potatoes were decadent; nearly a dessert! The green beans had a very distinct flavor with seasonings I couldn't quite place with chunks of white potatoes. I was disappointed that they had grenbeans instead of greens until I tasted them. Amazing! The cornbread muffins have some type of honey glaze on top of them and my son who does not even like cornbread, devoured his and asked for mine. He also had a grape Kool-Aid jug, which is a traditional grape Kool-Aid if you know anything about it. Nothing special, but very nostalgic to a good southern Sunday dinner. The restaurant itself is no looker. It is small inside and has some counter seating along the front window and one long table that could seat about six people. There are a couple of chairs for those waiting to pick up their order. This is not a fine dining establishment by any stretch of the imagination but what it lacks in design it more than makes up for and taste and flavor. I usually say that if you are in the area, stop by but I'm going to tell you that even if you are not in the area, plan to be. This is not a spot you want to miss out on. read more

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I finally got the chance to visit this restaurant at their cottage location and was not impressed. My green beans were mushy and peppery. The macaroni and cheese didn't have any flavor to it. My fried chicken had feathers fried on them and was sticking out everywhere. The catfish has a nice crisp and taste. Overall, I was not pleased with my food and will not return. The service was decent. I preordered for a pick up time and it was ready with no wait, but other than that I was not satisfied with the food quality. read more

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The food was delicious a bit pricey. Customer service was great and the restaurant offers limited space. I suggest you place your order online ahead of time or be prepared to wait a while. read more

I've driven 120+ miles multiple times just to eat at Cleo's--whether with friends or solo when my soul needed some real comfort food. I've always recommended Cleo's with confidence because the food used to be top-tier every single time--literally made with passion. Before the Keith Lee experience, everything was excellent, and that's what kept me coming back. This time, I ordered two Float & Fly meals. They were out of collard greens, so I had to substitute with two mac & cheeses. The fish was perfectly seasoned and cooked just right, the 24k cornbread was delicious, and the three chicken wings were solid. I won't lie--the food is still good, but it's dropped from excellent to just good lately, and I hope that doesn't become the norm. Cleo's is still worth the money, the wait, and even the flight--but I'd love to see that passion and quality shine through again like it did before the buzz. Because when Cleo's is at its best? There's no competition. read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - The Float & Fly - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

They catered an event that I attended a week ago and even with the food just being warm, it tasted phenomenal!!!! The serving sizes for the price were great and now I will be visiting one of the locations in person! Updated review on the way. read more

I hate to do this but their website is misleading when it comes to their Creole Buttered Jumbo Lump Crab for $15.99 under Specialty Fish. It came in a side container, not even full. The picture on their website shows a huge portion, even the name sounds like it is a big portion. very misleading. 2 other co-workers and I chose this place for lunch, my other 2 co-workers got meals for the same price, 6 wings and a muffin for the same price and it came in a large black container. Mines was in a small clear side container. I call them and I got transferred to their manager but the call dropped. They said they could see how it could be misleading. They know exactly what they're doing. read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - "Creole Buttered Jumbo Lump Crab". NOT in the sides section. But it came in a half full small side container. - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Walked in to a nice greeting!! Soulful music in background!! Directed to use QR for menu the place is small and get packed real quick!! I noticed the ppl that seemed to frequent there often must've placed an order on line they came picked up their order and bounced!!! 45 minute wait which was fine it's totally worth it!!! Cleo food is amazing I heard about the this place through Keith Lee and I happened to be visiting Chicago and said let's try this place out!! Lee never lied their food was sooo delicious served hot!!! We didn't eat at establishment it's really a take out place but you could eat there but it'll be cramped ... we drove to a park not to far and thus park was beautiful!! I wish I could remember the name but you can swim, have a family picnic and ppl took advantage of it it was packed!!! Back to Cleo's everything was delicious!!! Both locations the food was phenomenal!!! I wish there was a way I could get a meal delivered overnight!! read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - Entry way - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I don't understand the hype around Cleo's Southern Cuisine. The meat quality was terrible tasted cheap, dry, and low grade like they're buying the lowest quality product possible. Nothing tasted fresh or properly seasoned. On top of that, the service was painfully slow even though the place wasn't busy. We waited forever for food that absolutely was not worth the time or money. This place seriously needs to improve both the kitchen and the service because right now it feels like a complete mess. read more

If you are ever visiting Chicago you would definitely want to try this place. If you're into soul food this is a great to start. Located downtown chicago you will not be disappointed. Golden friend cooked to perfection Chicken, delectable Mac and cheese and please try the pineapple sweet Potatoes, chef's kiss. Oh thinking about it now makes my my mouth water!!! Hmm good read more

Amazing service I appreciate that I was greeted when I walked in. The food is incredible I was full the entire day! Please open up shop in Denver! Definitely will be back again! 10/10 read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - Chicken and Waffle - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ordered To-Go. Took AN HOUR to get our food. If you go here, be prepared to wait a long time. And don't even try to order online cause it doesn't work. read more

I have been excited to try Cleo's Southern Cuisine for a long time. Finally, me and a couple of friends decided to visit on our December outing. We usually pick a restaurant to have lunch or dinner and catch up on life. First, we didn't know until after we all agreed on Cleo's that the location on Cottage Grove is basically pickup for carryout. The location does hv very limited seating for first come first serve, but that area is primarily used by patrons waiting on their carryout order. Once we arrived the only booth was taken by patrons waiting for food. But they cleared out after out order was placed and they heard Dine-In. I ordered the The Float & Fly-Three creole fried catfish filets paired with three fried chicken wings, a 24k muffin, choice of two sides ( I had Mac and cheese x2) and an additional side of green beans topped off with a $10!!!! one-quart beverage called Purple Rain. Equivalent to perfectly mixed grape kool-aid. The young man who took orders on the register -- service was pleasant and friendly. The food was cooked to order with a 30-40 minute wait. The small dining area was just as cold as sitting outside. The food was handed to the table by staff hot and ready with stem flowing off each container. Overall food was seasoned well and tasty; however I wasn't blown away like I expected. I'm not a fan of giant wings and while crispy, the gristle was tough to break the chicken in pieces for Flats and drums. I don't care for that. The fish while soulfully appesing has a lot of crispy breading. A friend didn't like the taste of the herbed rice. $$$ Pricey- My entire meal was $50+ The equivalent of a small bag of groceries to make a family meal. For carryout that's on the expensive side. Due to the compact size of the dining area; we couldn't comfortably relax and enjoy conversation as we normally would. I can mark Cleo's off my list. Their prices are their prices, but imo the food is overpriced. Not to mention the small side cups of sauce is $2.23! That was it for me. About the portion of two tablespoons of sauce for such an outrageous cost! I had the Cleo's experience, the prices and set-up, the service(which I'm not certain if the set-up is the same of all three locations). I can say been there, done that. read more

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Great food you won't be disappointed it's small we got there early at open 12:00 to get a seat lots of take out door dash etc picking up food. Black owned read more

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The food was amazing. The restaurant is very small but I saw a lot of pick ups and deliveries. This location was closed so we headed to the downtown location. Check the hours before you go. Obviously we didn't lol read more

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When I walked in, there was a guy named Brandon taking the orders. I would say that his personality was one of the highlights of the experience. He spoke to everyone as they walked in. The kitchen is an open kitchen concept so you see the cooks as they are cooking your food. I was visiting Chicago so I went on Instagram to get some recommendations. I ordered the flyover based off the great reviews. One negative. I will say about the restaurant is that it was small and there was only one table so you can say that there was no one to sit. Another problem was that the wait was over an hour for my food. But I will honestly say that it was worth the wait and I would definitely go again. read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - The Fly Over - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is next-level chicken and fish. Brace yourself for the first bite, because it's not the fried chicken or catfish that you're used to. This is superbly seasoned and breaded yardbird and fish that's ridiculously well SOURCED, too. The chicken is moist; the catfish is flaky. And that's before you get to the muffins and the sauces. Everything is delicious. The service is great; the staff is always friendly with a great attitude and they're knowledgeable about the menu, so don't be afraid to ask for a recommendation from them! The ambience is... inviting albeit crowded. The place is very small, so you may not be able to get a seat while you're there. I would recommend placing your order ahead of time (1 hour before) so you don't have to wait for your food. They're apparently installing more fryers, so they should be getting their wait time down soon. I can't recommend this place strongly enough! read more

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Food was really good!! Location is small, it sucks everything is better to go beca the food really deserves to be eaten hot and fresh. Food was 5 stars. It just took forever read more

If your looking for some great soul food on the south side of Chicago you need to head to Cleo's. The chef and her staff are great and friendly and give great recommendations on what you should grab. I love going and getting the Ten and eating the best yams in the whole city. read more

Cleo's Southern Cuisine - The Ten - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chicken was salty salty but the macaroni was good they didn't have any greens or that one dish renamed after that lady (shanicky I think) with the crab and rice Most of what is seen on Instagram they don't have ... chicken fish macaroni corn muffins rice and string beans is what they have. read more

i mean...to be honest ..it was ite ...maybe it was wat i ordered but it wasnt nothing spectacular..i had got the 6 wings order ya dig wit da extra saucey wings ..it put u in the mind of uncle remus ..my lady was overly geeked like god personally came down and cooked them 4 her or sum ..them mufukkas was ite to me but she loved it..ima go back an try sumthing else but they cool read more