"I had the pleasure of visiting Felix's Barbecue and, to my surprise, I got to meet Felix himself…read more Not only was the Everything Omelet I had absolutely delicious, but the entire experience was inspiring. Felix's passion and warmth are reflected in the atmosphere and the staff's top-notch service. Whether you're stopping in for breakfast or barbecue, you'll leave full--both in stomach and spirit. I highly recommend this gem!"

Love Felix's! I'm so glad I found this place, as I moves from LA to Oceanside and was craving soul…read morefood. Don't go to Destinantion Smokehouse!!!

Superior Soul Food truly lives up to its name! I said that delicious food -- The menu is packed…read morewith bangs like: * Mac & Cheese * Yams * Greens * Red Beans & Rice * Catfish * Fried Chicken * Chicken Tenders * Steak * Cornbread Everything is seasoned just right and tastes like real home-cooked soul food and you can taste the love in every bite. If you're craving comfort food done right -- this is the spot! Highly recommend!

Drove from Chula Vista for some soul food and after having a hard time finding the location learned…read morethat it was not open. Very disappointed

First time at Jays Southern Café and wow... what an experience! Vi was a whole vibe--super sweet,…read morefriendly, and really helped my hubby and me decide on what to order since it was our first visit. She made us feel right at home. Now let's talk food... the brisket was out of this world! Tender, flavorful, and just the right amount of smokiness. Paired with the coleslaw (so fresh and delicious) and their BBQ sauce that was sweet but not overpowering, the whole combo was dynamite. I even had to snap a "before" pic of the plate--and let's just say the "after" pic didn't survive because it was THAT good! They were out of dessert during our visit, but I'll definitely be back to try that cinnamon and lemon pound cake that customers around us were raving about. Big shoutout to Vi and to Penelope (I believe she was the cook that day) for serving up not just a meal, but an experience. The layout was super cool and very clean. I never knew this place was in Alpine but I found my new barbecue spot. Definitely come and support as they are a hidden gem We'll 100% be back soon--thanks again for the warm hospitality and amazing food!

Hey, Yelp Community! If you're looking for the BEST BBQ and Soul Food restaurant in East County,…read moreJay's Southern Cafe is the go-to spot. My brisket sandwich with a special BBQ sauce was hands down the most amazing brisket sandwich I've had. OMG, that BBQ sauce was an added yummy flavorful touch along with the fresh creamy coleslaw...the combo sooo finger-lickin' good. The young man's customer service was top notch with a smile. I didn't have to wait. Thank you!! Whenever you're in the area, you have to stop by to eat some delicious authentic Southern food and support a local family-owned business. It's Alpine BEST kept foodie secret.

Captain's Log -- Stardate 21,596…read more Twenty-one thousand, five hundred and ninety-six rotations around this magnificent sun have I endured -- each one sharpening my palate, steeling my resolve, deepening my reverence for the extraordinary. On this day, the winds of destiny carried my queen and me through the fog-draped canyons of Spring Valley, drawn by whispers ancient and savory, toward a hallowed establishment known simply as Bankhead. Mississippi-style cooking. The very words conjured visions of forgotten kingdoms. Make it so. We materialized within a modest strip mall -- unassuming as an unclaimed planet -- yet the moment those doors parted, I understood with crystalline Vulcan certainty we had not merely entered a restaurant. We had crossed the threshold into living mythology. David and Rose -- not merely owners, not merely cooks -- but keepers of a sacred flame ignited by their extraordinary mother in the 1970s right here in San Diego. Their lineage is not carried in blood alone, but in smoke and seasoning, in cast iron and cornmeal, in a love for craft no warp drive could outrun. I canna' change the laws of physics -- but these descendants have bent them entirely. David approached us with the warmth of a thousand suns -- laughing, storytelling, weaving us into this family as though we always belonged. He is no mere host. He is a Counselor of the highest order, reading the soul of every guest, delivering what the spirit requires. In his presence, one does not feel like a customer. One feels like crew. Then there was Betty, whose presence carried the quiet authority of a seasoned admiral -- dignified, welcoming, the kind of soul that anchors a ship in turbulent seas. And Zai -- that magnificent young warrior -- commanding the register with Starfleet precision while summoning miracles from that kitchen alongside Rose. I watched her and thought: Today is a good day to dine. This crew operates in perfect formation. Resistance to their hospitality? Futile. Now hear me when I tell you of the provisions. I, your Captain, did what any commander worth his commission must do -- I ordered with the fire of a Klingon and the logic of a Vulcan. I explored nearly the entire frontier of that menu, and what I discovered shook the very hull of my expectations. The beef ribs. By the Great Bird of the Galaxy. These were not merely ribs. These were relics. Carved from some ancient and glorious tradition, smoked to a depth that defies measurement, falling from the bone with a reverence that made me set down my fork and simply breathe. Mind-bending. Dimensional. The kind of food that makes a traveler question whether he has ever truly eaten before this moment. They do not simply fill your stomach -- they reprogram your memory. And then -- the Mississippi catfish. Crisp. Golden. Sovereign. Dressed in a crust that crackled like the opening of a long-sealed archive, its flesh within tender as mercy itself. This was not a side dish. This was a declaration. Soul food is not merely cuisine -- it is communication. A language spoken in grease and grace, in heat and heritage. "Infinite diversity in infinite combinations" -- the Vulcan masters understood this truth. Bankhead lives it. Every plate told the same story: a family refused to let their legacy die. They carried it from Mississippi soil, through decades of change, through the shifting tides of a city that rarely sits still, and planted it here in Spring Valley -- like a monument that earns its place not through banners, but through the undeniable power of truth on a plate. You are not merely eating here. You are tasting 1970s San Diego. You are tasting a mother's hands. You are tasting sacrifice and celebration and the stubborn, glorious insistence that some things must not be lost. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Spock spoke those words in cold logic. But here at Bankhead, they take on warmer meaning: every soul who walks through that door is met -- abundantly, joyfully, without reservation. No one leaves hungry. No one leaves unchanged. To those who feel the pull of the unknown, I issue my final command: Set your course for Spring Valley. Find the strip mall. Walk through those doors. Tell them Captain 619 sent you -- and watch as the universe rearranges itself into something that feels, impossibly, like home. To David, Rose, Betty, and Zai -- you have done what the greatest explorers of any age have done. You have taken the vast, echoing mystery of where we come from and made it something a stranger can hold in their hands, taste with their tongue, and carry forever in their chest. There are not five lights. There are not four. There is only one truth in that kitchen -- and it is magnificent. My queen and I depart richer than any treasure map could promise. Live long and prosper. End log -- Captain 619 Voyager. Taster of Worlds. Loyal to the flavors that refuse to be forgotten.

I'll be blunt. The…read morefood is mediocre and "someone" needs an attitude adjustment. But it feels like you're in a little restaurant in the Deep South with true downs home blues playing in the background. Go for the ambiance and their delicious Lemonade Tropical Mix.

The food the service and the ambience was amazing. I travel from San Jacinto over to Murrieta just…read moreto get the catfish dinner which is truly amazing. My two sides were greens and yams! love them. Staff is always very accommodating and sweet. The food the service and the ambience was amazing. I travel from San Jacinto over to Murrieta just to get the catfish dinner which is truly amazing. My two sides were greens and yams! love them. Staff is always very accommodating and sweet.

come with your appetite and patiently wait for this deliciousness of food and speciality drinks…read more‼cant wait to return

Stopped by Cane Patch solely for the Mac and Cheese and chicken!…read more We ordered a medium at first...but then after we finished it, we ordered another large! Also tried the sweet tea. The flavors were definitely there for the combo of mac and cheese and fried chicken. Sweet tea was heavy..but paired well with the food. Seems like mac and cheese has been discontinued since we went...hope they bring it back sooner than later! Receipt said Stephan was our server...assuming that was who took our order...he was extremely friendly and positive. Exactly how you should greet folks! Food took a bit to come out, but definitely worth it! We ended up eating outside since space inside was limited and a bit crowded.

Cane Patch Kitchen is one of the few original vendors in Liberty Market I had yet to try so I went…read morefor it. We stopped by here on a weekend for some lunch and I ended up getting the Seafood Gumbo. Customer service was good. Friendly and patient and got my order right. She said it would take 15 minutes and it only took about 10 or so. The gumbo was ok. I started ordering the $15 cup until I saw the size. I instantly asked for the large, $24. It is a little pricey, but everything is nowadays. It wouldn't be a big deal except I felt like I paid $24 for a nice bowl of soup and rice. Minimal shrimp, maybe 4, 3 sausage slices and some chicken. The rest of the bowl was a nicely flavored broth with veggies and rice. It was a good flavor and cooked well but I would have liked to have a little more meat for the price. One bummer with my experience was a random cup of water. I forgot my water bottle in the Jeep and just wanted a sip of something since I figured it was going to be spicey. Now, I am not cheap but.... A cup of water $1. It may not seem like a big deal but I just paid $24 for a small bowl or gumbo you would think they could throw in a cup of tap water. Anyways, it was an ok lunch but I will try another vendor on my next visit. Lots of good options there.

Hidden Gem of San Diego…read more My first time visiting Surf and Soul, I ordered the Fish hook sandwich. Lemme tell y'all it was absolutely phenomenal. The catfish came with two pieces on the sandwich. I added tomato and some kind of lettuce on there. Coleslaw hit different, I recommend getting the coleslaw on the sandwich. Tartar sauce was great as well. The fries were okay and the banana pudding was good. Overall, I had a great experience with this restaurant. It's takeout only and they got my meal ready in 15 minutes. I'll be coming back here.

We tried this place for first time as part of the Taste Black food tour and wow. Impressed…read more Normally, we are NOT fans of fried food, but in expert hands we like! And the fried catfish here was perfect...NO greasy fingers. Tender fish with a light coating. Other favorite thing we tried were the greens. So good. We were also lucky enough to get a serving of the peach cobbler. Wow. We would prefer more peaches and less cobbler/sauce, but still the flavor was excellent. We had the food "to go" and it was super fresh.