Came up from NC wanting some good Southern food, and we found a true gem!…read more We ordered the smothered turkey wings, fried fish, yams, mac and cheese, and delicious cabbage--and everything was SO good! The portions are generous enough for two people, so you definitely get your money's worth. The workers were sweet, welcoming, and friendly, which made the experience even better. And listen... the cornbread and freshly squeezed lemonade are a MUST! If you're looking for authentic, delicious Southern comfort food, definitely give this place a try! 5 stars all around!

Overall, it wasn't that great of an experience. I had the chicken and waffle. Three stars for the…read morefried chicken. It tasted good but was a little pink in a couple of parts. The waffle and cornbread was just ok. My waitress was efficient but not friendly and she rushed through everything. She set the tone for why I didn't enjoy my visit. I still tipped her but I won't be coming back. One of the reasons I came was to support a black owned business, but it's not black owned anymore.

You can't go to Harlem and not get some soul food, and Sylvia's did NOT disappoint…read more I went with the meatloaf, collard greens, mac & cheese, and potato salad, and the whole plate was hitting. The meatloaf was tender and the sauce was , the greens were seasoned right, and the mac & cheese was exactly what I wanted it to be. Even the potato salad held its own. Nothing fancy or trying too hard. Just really, REALLY good comfort food from a Harlem institution. I'd absolutely come back. Palate don't lie. ‍

@sylvias is a nice classic spot for some good soul food! It's been around since the 1960s. I got…read morethe mac and cheese, rice, and catfish which were all delicious! Everything was tasty and flavorful. Their corn bread was divine as well as their peach cobbler! Service was quick and efficient, we were seated quickly and our food also came out quickly. The server also suggested certain things and gave good suggestions. They said to get the cat fish instead of the other fish dish, since the other fish would have bones. This place is busy, but there is plenty of seating available and this place is huge. It was kind of hard to track down the waiter for the check, since it gets busier later in the evening. Sylvia also has her own sauce which they served, and that you can also find in supermarkets. Price: $30-40 Rating: 8.5/10

I would love to give Melba's a higher rating, but it's just too inconsistent unfortunately. The…read morefood should be consistent. Consistent seasoning, flavors, and cook. The collard greens were just perfectly tangy and savory last week and this week they are bitter and spicy. There were red pepper flakes in it this time which weren't there last time. The Mac and cheese was dry and overcooked this week when last week it was PERFECT. The short rib last week was falling off the bone. This week it's so tough. It's not the first time I've felt like this. I took my parents to Melba's last year after initially loving my first experience with them. I had been talking Melba's up to them all week and we went and it was just so so. And we're from GA so we know our soul food. It was embarrassing. I personally feel that a restaurant's recipes should be consistent regardless of who's in the kitchen and especially when they charge so much.

First meal on this trip to New York!…read more I'm in New York for a week and was catching up with a friend who suggested we grab some soul food. I love me some chicken and waffles, so we decided to check out Melba's Restaurant, located at 300 W. 114th Street in Harlem. I thought the exterior was really cute, especially the nice awning. Inside, the restaurant has a very traditional, home-style feel, with lots of wood and warm brown tones. You can definitely feel the history of the place when you walk in. If you're driving, I would be a little cautious about parking. There was quite a bit of street cleaning happening, so make sure you pay close attention to the signs. I'd also recommend making a reservation if you can, especially depending on what time you visit, because the restaurant can get pretty busy. One thing I noticed about the seating is that it can be a little tight. Coming from Chicago, I'm not necessarily accustomed to the same kind of seating arrangements, and I have pretty broad shoulders, so I like having a little personal space. If you're seated at a smaller table, just be prepared for a more compact setup. My friend and I both ordered the chicken and waffles, and they were delicious! I have to give a lot of love to the waffle because it was cooked perfectly. I actually took some of it home, and surprisingly, it still tasted really good the next day. The chicken was also breaded really well. It wasn't overly seasoned, which I appreciated, it had just the right amount of flavor. Since I wanted to try some of their soul food, I also ordered the greens, and those were delicious as well. I washed everything down with a strawberry lemonade, which I really enjoyed. My friend got the sweet tea and loved that too. One thing to keep in mind: Melba's isn't really a full-on breakfast restaurant. They happen to have chicken and waffles, but if you're going there expecting a traditional breakfast menu with things like eggs and breakfast potatoes, you're not going to find a huge selection. Since I wanted something to complement my chicken and waffles, I ordered French fries instead. Overall, this was a really good first meal for my New York trip. The food was delicious, the staff were super accommodating, and the atmosphere had a lot of character. There were just a few small things keeping me from giving it a full five stars, but I would definitely recommend checking out Melba's if you're in Harlem. Solid 4.5 out of 5 stars.

When visiting Harlem, I like to go to Sweet Mama's. The restaurant does not get an A for…read morepresentation, and one could easily walk past it without even noticing it. But please do not walk past it. What awaits you inside is delicious. The negative reviews on here puzzle me. Each time I have gone to Sweet Mama's has been satisfying. I do, however, believe this food is best eaten in the restaurant, not because of the ambiance but because it tastes better just off the buffet. Besides, with so many choices, why let someone else choose for you? There is a great variety, so there is something for everyone. Last time, I tried all of the various chicken dishes and each was scrumptious and deliciously prepared. While I leave satisfied each time, I always wish that I had room to eat more due to the large selection available. The food is set up as a buffet, but it is not an all-one-can-eat. Food is weighed at checkout and charged accordingly. Each time I have gone there, it cost about $15 for my meal. The only drawbacks are that there is no free water and the food all comes in a take away box instead of an actual plate. If one is stopping in Harlem, I recommend eating here at least once.

One and joy the. Food is very good. They wait on you. Very nice. Enjoy the scenery environment. The…read moremusic to go to eat some food and relax go there.

Food is decent. The place looks clean but there is no where to sit and eat. I think you must get…read morefood to go out and take home.

The food is actually closer to 4 stars. the issue comes into play at its price point. overpriced…read moreisn't the word, more like robbery. way overinflated price point thats more fit for a sit down quality seafood spot. decent food, atmosphere is nonexistent, service is mediocre. decent and forgettable.

Went here for lunch today. The staff are nice and welcoming. The food is delicious and just what I…read morewas craving.

Food is good. The service is good. Since it's a mostly takeout place it was quiet and clean. I been…read morethere several times and I recommend the food.

Very expensive and they scoop your food into small compartments in the tray. Also on an early…read moreSaturation afternoon you shouldn't be out of anything?!!

I called 31 min before closing and place my order. I was 4 min away. Staff was friendly and…read morehelpful. Food is freshly made in the kitchen and kitchen is visible. It's a clean small location. It's best you order your food and take it to go. When I went Saturday I believed I was over charged on my meal. I had purchased a fish and shrimp meal and my total had came up to $20.12. I went Sunday afternoon and got a Tilapia meal with 2 sides which came with corn bread for $16.31. Im upset for the disloyal service I was provided by staff. But its my fault because I should of ask for my receipt on Saturday. Overall they food is delicious and season well. It could be a 10 to 20 min wait on your food buts it's definitely worth the visit.

This is my 3rd time ordering from sweet potatoes restaurant and 3 times the food was good and they…read morewasn't stingy with the portions I had Whitting fish, Mac n cheese, Yams, Collard greens and corn bread.

Food was a 6/10 this was my first time. The ambiance was small and a bit crowded. Outside seating…read moreis available. Parking limited customer service was lame and I'm not sure if I'm coming back. The food was so expensive as well.

We were hungry after going back to school shopping on 125th Jacob's is on a corner on Lenox and…read more129th st. I cannot believe k have never encountered this place!! They have outdoor seating where you can take your food after you pay and eat. It's per pound and cheaper if you pay in cash 10.99 if you use credit or debit. It's a great deal considering most places are $14 per lb and up. they have a large selection of soul food, and salads and fresh fruit. They have a fridge with desserts like sweet potato pie etc. they are always replenishing so the food is fresh. There is also indoor seating and there was an old school three piece band playing r and b hits from the golden age. They were amazing and added to the ambiance. Service was good and to the point the place seemed very popular I'll be back again soon. Hopefully the band is there! Don't forget to tip them!

We were very excited to go to sisters but it was closed. We almost settled for this other spot…read morearound the corner, but we arrived and I hesitated. It looked a little too sterile and new, so we stood in the rain while i maintained my stubborn ways, in pursuit of whatever it was that I wanted that I could not exactly put into words. Everything was looking too expensive, too clean and fake, or there were no options for dine in, and we needed to sit our wet butts down and take cover from the rain. My phone was ready to give out from the rain, I'm tilting it up towards the sky, trying to keep raindrops from landing on the screen when I finally scroll to Jacob restaurant. My heart starts to flutter upon realizing we've found a soul food hot bar buffet, only half a mile away. We are overly excited and pack our platters so high that we actually have to tell ourselves to calm down. I'm reminded of when I was a child and my dad would take me to the Wegmans hot bar where I'd run up a tab for $15 worth of steamed white rice. But not today, today there is salmon, curry goat, collard greens, mac and cheese, black eyed peas, candied yams, and green beans. It was exactly the kind of snake meal we needed to end a long weekend of biking all over New York. Everything was hot, well seasoned and made with love. We watched the world cup as it poured rain, we left happy and ready to go home, but I feel grateful knowing I have a spot I would love to return to whenever I'm in New York again. We took banana pudding to go and ate it on our bus ride home while debriefing all the fun we had.

But can we get into this food!???…read more I ordered the Double-Mac w/ Fried Shrimp . Not only did it taste AMAZING, but they have the A1 customer service to match!! #Support this #BLACKOWNED business! I know I'll definitely be coming back for more.

Arrived at 1:15 PM, they allegedly open at 1pm, and falsely advertise lunch specials from 1-4pm on…read moretheir menu. I thought they were closed, as the lights were off and it looked empty. The door was unlocked and when I got inside, it was dark and there was one employee present, with his head down. He then asked me if it was 1pm several times like he's not even tracking the time/ no device or watch near him, then I'm like it's 1:15pm. He is the only employee present (basically cashier, cook & anything else). I asked him about the lunch specials and to clarify which meals the deal applied to, he pointed to a chalk board with a bunch of options, I chose one from the list. Claimed order would take about 5 mins, took 15 extra minutes, made me late to work. Then when the food came out, it was $30 and the 2nd employee who had come in (late) claimed they didn't have the lunch deal anymore. I clarified that I asked the person cooking in the back (only other person there) when I arrived SPECIFICALLY about which meals the deal applied to and he gave me the choices on the board. She then looked around with a dumb look like she was confused, despite him just having given me that misinformation and he stayed quiet in the back. She basically just said well this is how much it is, expecting me to pay $30 for a meal they falsely advertised as a lunch deal. Kindly left the whole order there and said I'll talk to Yelp. Don't advertise a deal from 1-4pm and have it in writing and have employees confirming it exists and then once the food is made, expect someone to be SCAMMED and pressured into paying full price. Very disorganized, unprofessional and dishonest. What kind of business has employees forgetting to open, sleeping in the dark, other employee showing up even more late and then falsely advertises a lunch deal and the employees aren't even on the same page on whether or not it exists. Feel like they were trying to take advantage and exploit me for my $, despite it being their mistake and expecting me to just pay like a clown. Ridiculous I was late back to work, despite it being a 2 min walk from my job and me being the first customer there, 15 mins after opening. Just to not even get any food and starve all day because they advertise a lunch deal to pull people in and then charge them full price like SCAMMERS. STAY AWAY AND SAVE YOURSELF THE WASTED TIME AND EMPTY STOMACH. Love supporting my Black businesses but the few that operate like they're doing somebody a favor, or serving a free plate, need to learn what being a business looks like. (& that's for all businesses not just Black ones but still)