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    Cloray's Cafe

    3.5 (13 reviews)
    InexpensiveSoul Food
    Open 7:30 am - 4:30 pm

    Cloray's Cafe Photos

    CLORAY'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Cloray's Cafe

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    3 years ago

    Helpful 6
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    8 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

    We went back to Cloray's Cafe again today.....it was just as good as our first visit!

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    6 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    Kaylyn's

    Kaylyn's

    3.8
    (16 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    Great meat & three type spot just across from the courthouse in Bessemer. Prices are super low and…read morethe food I had today was pretty good. Nothing too fancy, just hop in line, tell them what you'll have and they plate it up and bring your drink to you at the table. Everything looked pretty good. Meatloaf, grilled chicken, some greens, potatoes, mac and cheese, etc. I went with the country fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy with mac and cheese. It was the middle of lunchtime to everything was hot and fresh, and the white gravy was really good. They didn't have many desserts, just slices of cake by the register and by the time I saw those I was full and it was too late to make the bad decision to stuff myself with dessert. The people were friendly, the place was clean and tidy and the food was served in large portions especially given the price. If you're hungry and near this part of town, don't think twice. Head in and they'll hook you up with some gravy covered goodness and they'll do it for around 10 bucks. Not bad at all.

    I live right down the street from this restaurant and never noticed it until a friend said I should…read moretry. The food was great besides the macaroni. It taste bland, like I was eating noodles and cheese but no cheesy taste or flavor. The chicken was seasoned great. The dressing was good but I've had better. Their prices are great and give you a good amount of food. I will return and try something different.

    Photos
    It was so good I tipped the cook home style everybody had no argument nobody in the hole restaurant was talkin they were just eating
    It was so good I tipped the cook home style everybody had no argument nobody in the hole restaurant was talkin they were just eating
    So good I had to go back today after I went there yesterday
    So good I had to go back today after I went there yesterday
    Allway s great

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    Allway s great
    Thelma’s Place

    Thelma’s Place

    3.7
    (6 reviews)
    5.2 mi

    I kept hearing about this place on the radio and decided to try it after church. Well, others must…read morehave had the same idea, because the line was out the door. Fortunately, the Pastor had just given a sermon on "wait for it" which is exactly what I had to do. Although the line was long, the people were very friendly and kind, giving the restaurant a family vibe.I was pleasantly surprised to see so many young people working in all areas of the restaurant showcasing their professionalism while being polite. are all so polite. Now, let's get to the food.... The greens, pinto beans and Mac n' cheese were all seasoned to perfection. The servings were more than enough. The food is GOOD!!! 1 meat and 2 sides or vegetable plate, your choice. Plenty of seating. Great place for a friend's meetup, class meetup, church meetup, baby shower or any celebration!

    3/5 Sometimes your…read morefourth choice turns into a worthwhile stop. On Father's Day, our original lunch plans fell through after Curry Up, Eugene's Hot Chicken, and Boston Fish Market were all closed. That led us to Thelma's Place, a restaurant that had already been on my list to try, so we decided to give it a shot and ordered our meal to go. The first thing that stood out was the hospitality. Everyone we encountered was warm, welcoming, and genuinely friendly. Around 1:00 p.m., the restaurant wasn't busy, and the service was prompt. From an ambiance standpoint, there isn't much to speak of. The dining room is simple and functional, and the overall presentation could be elevated with improved lighting and a more polished steam table display. Those details may seem small, but they help create stronger first impressions. I ordered the meatloaf with collard greens and candied yams. The portion size was generous, but the meatloaf itself needed more seasoning to really stand out. The collard greens were one of the best items we tried, full of flavor without being overpowering, and the candied yams were solid. The cornbread was also a nice addition. My wife and Bethany both ordered fried chicken wings, even though they weren't listed on the menu. Those turned out to be a hidden gem. They were crispy, golden brown, hot, and cooked just right. For sides, my wife chose cornbread dressing and macaroni and cheese. We both felt the dressing had too much sage, which masked the other flavors. The macaroni and cheese was decent but not memorable. Bethany also enjoyed the collard greens and agreed that the macaroni and cheese was just okay. One disappointment was that they were sold out of oxtails, which would have been my wife's first choice. I was also hoping to see smothered pork chops available but didn't notice them. The pricing felt fair, and the portions offered good value. The biggest takeaway? Order the fried chicken and collard greens. Those were the clear standouts from our visit. I'd also be interested in returning when the oxtails are available, as they appear to be one of the restaurant's signature items. Thelma's Place didn't hit a home run across the board, but the friendly service, good value, and standout fried chicken made it a worthwhile stop. With a few improvements to seasoning and presentation, it has the potential to leave an even stronger impression.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Lemon Cake
    Lemon Cake
    Menu board

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    Menu board
    Gabriella's

    Gabriella's

    4.5
    (20 reviews)
    10.8 mi

    My first time at Gabriella's was recently. This place gets really busy..... fast! When I arrived,…read more there were about 2 ppl already present and ordering at the hot bar. It's kind of hard to tell what all the food options are, so I had to ask what some stuff was. I managed to get a meat and 2 instead of a meat and 5! There were quite a few veggie options that looked amazingly delicious! I do not recommend coming here hungry or hangry. Ok, sooo I love meat loaf so naturally that's what I got. I also got collards and cornbread dressing & yes they had cranberry sauce. Everything was good tasting. The meatloaf was a little sweet to my taste so I probably wouldn't order it again. The veggies were not over seasoned or overcooked. I will definitely comeback here bc there is still just so much I wanna try. The staff is nice and took care of the crowd. I even witnessed them give a person in need food, as they were about to dig in the restaurant's garbage can outside for scraps. Made me count my blessings.. all of them! There is street parking only. I didn't have any issues parking on a Sunday afternoon. The inside of this restaurant is not big but I was comfortable dining in.

    Good southern food on a Sunday afternoon while visiting. Couldn't tell from the Yelp pictures but…read moreit's a really small restaurant with food displayed buffet style behind the clear partition that they serve you in a container. Only about 3 people at a time can hold inside before it's starts getting crowded. It stay pretty busy. Options are 1 meat with two sides or 2 meats with three sides combination. A la cart is available as well. They have ice tea or lemonade drinks in a cup that they also serve you. Lemonade was good. There's a very small counter to pay after you order. Fry chicken is tasty with perfect crisp. Collard greens were seasoned well and perfect texture. Yams (my favorite) was perfect - flavorful, not too sweet and firm but not hard. Both of us thought the Black eyed peas looked really good but taste bland. I would have preferred it without the Okra. I didn't see that when I ordered. One in our group commented the meat loaf was good. The dressing was really good too - well seasoned and tasty. After paying there's a dining area for self seating. It serves the purpose to sit and eat but definitely could use sprucing up along with the restrooms. Please seriously consider! It would make the experience much more pleasant to enjoy their delicious food. I took off two stars for that reason and yes it's that unpleasant as the tables/chairs are also too clustered together. The chairs don't fit around the table properly. Overall good southern food at a reasonable price and recommended. Skip dining in if you don't have too. Just my two cents.

    Photos
    Front
    Front
    Peach cobbler
    Peach cobbler
    Sign

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    Sign
    Audrey’s Restaurant

    Audrey’s Restaurant

    4.7
    (6 reviews)
    9.0 mi

    I rarely give 5 stars, but consider this experience a STRONG 4.5, and highly recommending you to…read morevisit for a delicious plate of soul food (in California, our food is considered amazing if you slather avocado on bread and call it "chic," so I need food like this while on vacation). First off, the disclaimer. ONLY come here if you have time to kill. I don't mean that as an insult in anyway, but it took almost forty five minutes to get our food. The atmosphere is that you were invited into someone's house and they are cooking fresh food from scratch, and if you are patient, that is what you will enjoy. The staff was very friendly, made sure we were taken care of, and ALL said goodbye when we left. Now, then, onto the food. I wanted the traditional foods I can't get tasty anywhere else, and my plate was fried catfish, seasoned rice, cabbage, corn bread, and sweet tea. I am not a fan of super sweet things, so I was not fond of the tea. That is most likely my personal taste, and not a knock on their tea by any means. Catfish was hot, well-seasoned, and crispily battered. My wife (Southeast Asian), who cooks cabbage a lot and deliciously (love you babe!), has never made cabbage like this. It was some of the best cabbage I have ever had, and I did not know a side dish like cabbage could taste that good. The cornbread did not need butter, and I was munching on it on my way out the door. So, DEFINITELY eat here. Just be warned, this is where you go to take your time and enjoy the meal. If in a hurry, maybe come back a different day.

    Food was good service was great. Haven't been here in a long time due to how slow the service was…read morebut it was extremely better this time and the lunch was great.

    Photos
    Audrey’s Restaurant
    Audrey’s Restaurant
    Audrey’s Restaurant

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    Cloray's Cafe - soulfood - Updated July 2026

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