Ila Mae's Soul Food Restaurant was a major disappointment. The food tasted like old leftovers instead of fresh homemade soul food, and nothing about the experience made me want to come back. The service wasn't memorable in a good way either, and the atmosphere was uncomfortable because the place constantly smelled like weed. Honestly, the only thing I left with was a contact high instead of a good meal. If you're looking for quality soul food, this definitely wasn't the spot for me. read more

Great service, welcoming vibe and of course great food! I strongly recommend! The change to the box for the cheese fries was a great adjustment as well. read more

Got the Truth and the Comeback fish sandwiches, and the way that my partner and I slammed these...we even surprised ourselves. My picture is testament to how finger-licking good the sandwiches were--I didn't even get to take a picture of the other fish sandwich because we took one bite and couldn't put the sandwich down. The fish was soft, but still crunchy, and the fried batter didn't take away from the taste of the fish. I feel like other fish sandwiches get this one thing wrong. The hot sauce paired so well with the food. Also, look at the portion size on the sandwich! Such a fair price. I read in other reviews that the customer service was questionable. That was not my experience here at all. I came in rushing, admittedly, and a little lost with what to order, but the guy working the counter was super nice and he asked me questions to help me pick something out from the menu that I would like. The vibe here was super chill. Chessboards on the table to play with friends while you're waiting for your food. Art, poetry, and inspiring quotes lining the walls for you to admire. I would really like to come back here to sit down and properly enjoy their food, but for a quick bite, this was more than I expected. What a find! read more

Ila Mae's Restaurant - Comeback Sandwich - Soul Food Near Me - Trenton, New Jersey

I've ordered from here several times and it's usually pretty good. Today I placed an order over the phone an hour before closing and the person I spoke too was rushing me and questioning if I could make it on time, even after I said I was sure I could make it three times in a row. The food this time was mediocre at best. The fried whiting was good, but the yams didn't have much sweetness, the Mac and cheese was... not it. There were heaping globs of cream cheese all throughput the Mac and cheese which made it nearly inedible. I literally had to pick out the macaroni noodles. I've had good experiences here before, which is why I gave two stars, but this was enough to make me not want to risk another order. read more

Ila Mae's Restaurant - All of the cream cheese that I removed. Some of it was on a napkin out of photo. - Soul Food Near Me - Trenton, New Jersey

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Amazing food every time.................Never disappointed and online ordering is a breeze. The comeback is my favorite

Food was amazing! We will be back soon! Parking not ideal, but the food was very nostalgic!

Was in area working & needed some lunch. Staff stopped here & picked up some soup. Good tasting but not over the top.

During my extended jury duty stint I happened upon this spot using my trusty Yelp app. It is an easy walk here from most of the courthouses and other government buildings. I walked in just before noon and took a seat in the back dining room, but if time was of the essence ordering at the pick up window may have saved some time. Eventually I was greeted by a very nice server and selected the Nefertari sandwich. I was craving Mac n cheese but sadly they were out(?!?) I opted for rice and gravy instead. My fried chicken Sammie arrived fairly quickly and looked quite nice. On a soft wheat roll( even though I was asked if a white roll was ok) it contained breaded chicken breast( breading similar to what one would find on southern style fried fish) lettuce, tomato and cheese( not even melted) with a " ranch-ish" sauce. It lacked some spiciness which I should have corrected with hot sauce. But my biggest critique would be in the bird itself, slightly chewy and with an off taste that could have been from the brine. It looked much better than it tasted. The rice was ok, thick chicken gravy over white mildly seasoned rice. If I worked downtown or had another reason for being in the area over the course of many days I might return for a different item. Maybe. read more

Ila Mae's Restaurant - Nefertari with rice and gravy - Soul Food Near Me - Trenton, New Jersey

During this whole coronavirus this was the only soul food spot that was open at last minute when we were looking for some soul food. The service was decent, the main dish was flavorful but the macaroni and cheese didn't meet my expectations. read more

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I get fish eggs grits and shrimp every weekend for breakfast, you get exactly what u pay for great service and perfectly priced

One of Trenton's smallest and most flavorful spots, with hands down the best chicken wings you will ever have! I kept putting off coming to Ila Mae's mostly because they are closed on Sundays and the parking in the area is like finding a good man at a club - in theory possible, but in reality too much effort. So you park a few blocks away, hopefully by the brownstones so no one breaks into your car, and you glance over the menu. The menu has an extensive list of seafood, chicken and very popular breakfast items. The best thing is, whatever you decide to order, you will surely not be disappointed. Here are my 3 favorites: 1. Wings - pepper lemon in specific, because you will dream about these, you salivary glands will gush with the simple mention of them after your first bite. 2. Chicken and waffles - you get perfectly crispy chicken wings on top of a soft buttermilk pancake. The best 3, 000 calories you will consume. 3. The whiting sandwich - this is super popular, if you sit by the window, tonsss of people are getting this. It has two nice pieces of fish inside, on a soft roll, loaded with nice veggies and special sauce. This is a local family owned business, the owner is the chef and always very accommodating to her customers. She also comes from a family of good cooks, being related to the cook/owner of the Big Easy downtown too. So come, take a seat, watch some tv, or bring the whole family (there is plenty of seating space), but make sure you get here before the rush of lunch hour! read more

Ila Mae's Restaurant - Crispy onions $4 appetizer...yes! - Soul Food Near Me - Trenton, New Jersey

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The food, service and environment was great. However, as we were preparing to drive away. The gentleman approached vehicle and asked; did anyone take TV remote? No. We were surprised and felt disappointed. Sadly after a enjoyable meal; we were accused of theft. The guy didn't come back to us with an updated. As we drove away; saw guy sweeping in front of establishment. In the future; do not make accusation without proof. Thank you! read more

This place is out of control. I came in around lunch from the justice complex. Two block walk. The fish sandwich I got was flavorful, filling, well seasoned and we'll priced. Specifically I ordered salmon sandwhich. It came with shredded lettuce, lots of fresh tomatoes, a white sauce something between tartar and ranch, peppers, and onions. It was so big I needed a fork and knife. Nice big portions. The fried mushrooms were what you expect. Next time I'll go for the veggies. Everything is fresh. I really enjoyed it. It was absolutely on point and everything I wanted. They sat me down and served me well. They were nice, everything is clean. I will come here everytime I go to Trenton. Good, clean, fresh food you'd be hard pressed to cook at home. read more

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Tip: if you're in court nearby, do not come here for lunch. There is a good chance you won't make it back to court in the required time. Food was alright, service was awful. I came here with a group of about 8 people for lunch. We were seated and given menus and then didn't see anyone for 10 minutes. The restaurant only had one server. It took 30 minutes for our drink orders to be filled. The menu is extremely long. I ordered the Nefertari sandwich and a side of fried mushrooms. They were out of mushrooms, so I ordered fries. The sandwich was good. The bread was soft; the lettuce and tomato were fresh; and the chicken was straight of the fryer, flavorful and juicy. The sauce on the sandwich was okay, it tasted like Ranch dressing. And the fries were okay, but I'm not the biggest fan of steak fries. Everyone in my party was served food except one person. She had ordered a tuna fish sandwich and it took about an hour to be served. We had all basically finished eating by the time she received her sandwich. Given that it was one of the few items on the menu that was not fried, we were all confused as to why it took so long to produce. Aside from the major delays in getting our drinks and food, service was just bad. We were never checked on after being served our food. We were not asked if we wanted drink refills. We had to get up twice to ask for the bill. There were several times we all looked at each other and wondered if we would see the server again or if we should get up and try to find someone to talk to. It was strange to say the least. Maybe this place is better for smaller groups, but as a party of about 8, it was pretty painful. read more

Coworker had a taste for southern style and opted for IlaMaes. We had been here once before many months ago but neither of us could remember the details of the experience or even what we had eaten. In general I know he (my coworker) likes rice and yams so we assumed they had been involved although neither would bet money. Around 3pm he sent me his order: BBQ chicken with rice and yams, and an extra order of mac and cheese. I opted for fried chicken, green beans, yams. I ordered online and read that every meal comes with rice and gravy, two sides of your choice and cornbread. All that for $11.50 s need like a decent deal. Since the meals come with rice I only had to order one $3 side of mac. I was happy to see the automatic discount applied to my purchase for placing my first order! This brought the total for the two meals down from 30 to just over 23. I recieved the confirmation emails and notifications about when my food would be ready. I set out on my way and hoped for good parking. The only place to park nearby is the lot across the street which has several "we will tow your sh!t" signs prominently displayed. I pulled up, hopped out, and ran inside. The young lady sitting on her phone just at the rear of the dining area noticed me, got up from her seat to walk into the kitchen but did not speak. I walked to the window and stood - no one said a word for several minutes. I confess that it is a pet peeve of mine when an employee of any establishment makes no attempt to greet the customer, especially when they are the first to notice you. Like really, how hard is it to say "hi." Two or three employees walked back and forth in the kitchen and no one said a word until she handed me my food, "here ya go." I said thanks and was on my way. When I got back to the office I was disappointed to find that (1) neither of the meals included rice and gravy as the menu reads. I'm not a huge fan of rice but my coworker had specifically asked for it. (2) The food wasn't as flavorful as I would have expected for a place with this reputation. I don't know that I would describe it as "bland" but (especially in the case of greens) we all expect more than just "salt added." (3) I don't think they bake there mac and cheese - depending on where you're from this may not be a big deal. It tasted surprisingly good and was stringy but looked like Kraft made on a stovetop with pepper added. (4) Cornbread was okay - its heavy, like pound cake. Not my cup of tea but I can see how some people might like that. (5) Portion size was pretty big for the price and items. All in all I can only give it 3 stars since it does curb the craving for southern comfort foods but isn't necessarily a place that I want to spend my money given the staff and shorting both of my orders. read more

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HOLY MOSES this was some good food!!! Literally the best fish sandwich I have ever had, light, flaky, super crispy outside, great flavor but not too fishy, awesome bun!!! That sandwich gave me LIFE. Not to mention the wings, the kapenzi nuggets, the grits, the YAMS!!!! and the tuna macaroni salad!!! I could not be happier with this food and will 100% absolutely order again!!! Only advice is to avoid the mashed potatoes, was definitely a box mix, but with the sublime throwback to a hometown fish fry or backyard bbq, I have ZERO complaints! I cannot recommend this establishment strongly enough. Thank you, Ila Mae's! read more

Food was incredible, i got the shrimp and plain wings. The breading was perfect. Nice and light. Service was pleasant and just a great place to visit if you ever find yourself in Trenton. Highly recommend! read more

Ila Mae's Restaurant - Plain wings - Soul Food Near Me - Trenton, New Jersey

I can't recommend one thing, because everything is delicious. Try the sweet and spicy Nubian wings and any of the casserole dishes.

Ila Mae's Restaurant sits right off the intersection of Broad and Market in the heart of Trenton. Parking is next to impossible in this neighborhood, so be prepared to walk a few blocks if you want to chow down in a relatively undiscovered gem. I stopped in on a cold, icy morning in February. There were only a few people there and I settled in in the front dining room in front of the large HDTV sitting high on the opposite wall. The furnishings were Spartan, but the space was clean and inviting. My server, David, handed me the large menu and I decided to have breakfast as it was still being offered. I asked about their French Toast and their Breakfast Sandwiches. David smiled. He alerted me to the presence of their French Toast Sandwich - Short Stack with 2 Eggs and Beef or Turkey Sausage inside the well grilled bread. No pork products here. The meal arrived in about 15 minutes, and I realized that each meal was prepared separately by the chef/owner. The two people ahead of me were served individually, and then mine was put together. No problem. I was not in a rush to return to the inclement weather. The French Toast was good on its own, but when combined with the spicy Beef Sausage and Scrambled Eggs it took on another identity which was tasty and fun to eat. The extra small pitcher of syrup came in handy to pour over the sausage when I opened the top of the creation. Its strong flavor was nicely offset by the sweetness. A sprinkle of black pepper on the eggs completed the effort. This was a very good breakfast from atmosphere, through bottomless coffee mug, and everything in between. Their lunch and dinner menu looks very interesting, and I hope to return to explore it in the near future. read more

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After my last review I swore that I'd never return. However, after talking with a few people I decided to give them another chance. Hoping that my horrible experience was a fluke so I went back yesterday. I ordered a platter of whiting with 2 sides and an additional platter with three additional sides. When I went to pick up my order I noticed that one platter was missing. I went back into the restaurant (calmly) assuming it was a simple mistake and willing to wait for my additional sides. Instead of being presented with an option to resolve the issue the employee at the counter was unreasonable and aggressive. She persisted to tell me that I didn't order the second platter lol. Simply outrageous! I was charged $28.50 for cold whiting and four sides. ***As a side note, the menu along with the prices is printed on the wall. The sides are only $3.00 each so that leads me to believe I was charged $16 for whiting!!! It is obvious that customer service, customer retention and consistency are not important to this business. Unfortunately, I was proven right. This restaurant and their terrible service is appalling. If there was a way to provide them with a negative 0 for stars I would. read more

I just purchased an entrée that was supposed to have Broccoli, Cauliflower, Potatoes, Carrots and Hot Beef Sausage in a Cream Sauce.... What I received was Broccoli, Cauliflower with 4 pieces of Carrots with Government Cheese placed through it!!!! Completely Disgusting!! The quality of the food in this place has went completely down!! I will never order from Ila Mae's EVER AGAIN. read more

Ila Mae's Restaurant - broccoli and cauliflower - Soul Food Near Me - Trenton, New Jersey

Food was cool, could've been better! I would order again and try something different.

First time going to this place not too far from my work so walked. Good thing because if you drive not sure where you would park. The inside is nice, plentiful seating and it was a nice day out so with fans on, it was pleasant in the restaurant. Hopefully they have AC for the hot summer. The woman taking the orders and the chef were pleasant and informative. Now the menu online is way outdated for pricing although the food seems the same so have included the big boards they have to order from. They said they were getting paper menus you can take with you soon, they have been ordered. Now the weird thing is hoagies don't always seem to be available. When I called the other day they said they had beef and tuna (no turkey) and when I took a chance and went at 11:45 am, the woman initially said they didn't have them at all yet (maybe waiting for ingredients but not a fan of that, when I go to a place and order I want to be able to get what I want) but then the chef said they did so I got exactly what I wanted a small turkey hoagie and small fries which came out to around $7 which is a good deal. They have a dine in special, any sandwich/fries/drink for $6. Can't beat that. My only gripe is they only had american cheese which I am not a big fan of for hoagies. The hoagie ingredients and bread were fresh (although looks like they gave me wheat bread I assumed would get white) and a decent amount of meat. So for $4.80 or so well worth it and good enough for me, the large is $8.50. I did like their steak fries too. I will go back and try their burger and tenderloin steak sandwich (that should be interesting doesn't sound like cheesesteak but actual steak sandwich) and maybe wings but they have quite a menu. I know I know, it is a soul food restaurant and I'm getting non-soul food but they Ajay have a good amount of favorable soul food reviews and several good places in Trenton have closed down recently (Latino Americano Pizza and Thomasenas) and need to find a good food place for good simple "American" classics. read more

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Food reminded me of when I was a kid in Georgia... Service 5 star plus... Atmosphere relaxing and clean. I will be returning!!! read more

Ila Mae's Restaurant - Best meal I've had in a minute!!! - Soul Food Near Me - Trenton, New Jersey

My daughter and I were staying in a hotel to visit Sesame Place and were hungry when we got in. I did a search for nearby soul food restaurants and there were several choices. I chose Illa Mae's because it had good reviews and I was able to order ahead since it's typically a long wait at soul food restaurants. The ordering process was very easy and I got an email stating the time the food would be ready. The location for the restaurant is a little challenging because you can't park on the street in front. We had to park on the next street and walk down which I did not want to do since it was so late but we did not encounter any problems. The actual restaurant is not very large. There is a seating area at the front. You pay at a window near the middle of the restaurant. There appeared to be a party going on in the rear. The staff was very friendly as I checked out. The food was ready at the time stated in the email. I ordered the whiting bites and a flounder meal. There was so much food that I didn't even need to order the bites for my daughter. We could have shared the meal. I had yams and greens as my side. The only complaint I have is that I wish they would drain the greens before packing them because juice was everywhere even though I tried to keep the tray flat. Would definitely go again when in the area! read more

The customer service is HORRIBLE. They answer the phone with an attitude every single time. I ordered the Aerus sandwich today over the phone 15 mins before arriving. When I got there I told them my order they told me it would be a couple more minutes. To then come out and tell me they didn't have the ingredients. So I ordered something else with fries. The fries took way too long to be made so I ended up but taking the sandwich that was made and left. Things happen but the service being TRASH didn't make anything better. read more

I love Ila maes food but the service is horrendous, and the food is not always consistent. I think they would benefit from a class on customer service but they are too good to have such shotty customer service. read more

Simply amazing. Food is always top notch. The employees are always friendly. Definitely recommend this place.

Let me start by saying that the Two Stars given does not represent the food quality but more so the lack of comprehension as it relates to placing an order and customer service. This evening I phoned in to place a order for 4 whitings and fries. (As I thought). So I get there to pick up my order in which wasn't ready yet, and the person I spoke with said they only placed the order for one whiting. I assumed she meant as in "1" whiting fish only. Again never assume... I said no, I called and asked for 4 whitings, so the person that I placed the order with via phone, immediately started to correct the order as I thought by frying three more whiting fish to append to 4 fish as oppose to the 1 she prepared. Again, all of this is an inference, as I assumed her and I communication wise were on the same page. Nope!! We were not on the same page. The person prepared 4 orders of 4 whitings, with their respective fries!!!! Yes, you heard it correctly. Instead of my initial order in which I thought I was ordering 4 fish pieces and fries, nope this person prepared 4 orders of whitings comprising of 4 fish each so we're talking 16 fish in total, with fries accompanied with each platter!! When my order arrived, I was like wait, is this all mine, because again I assumed she understood what I ordered. Big Mistake on my part, never assume. And instead of informing her she again got my order wrong, (stupid mistake on my part) my dumb self paid the extra $20 bucks for the additional 3 orders. All I could do is shake my head in mere disgust. So to future people that order on the phone, and this is no joke, spell out your order in full, because not everyone speak the same language as you, nor comprehend the same dialect as you. Because of the lack of communication and understanding it has irked me to the point of not ever returning. Granted, I've been there a few times, and have enjoyed their Chicken & Waffles, but this variance has definitely created a bad taste in my mouth that will keep me from ever returning. And to top it off, one of workers said, wow that's a lot of fish?? I just looked at her and said internally if you knew how to take orders effectively well maybe I wouldn't have the entire Whiting Inventory in my bag. Update---- The fish was very soggy and undercooked. Fish is meant to be crispy not soggy.. Just adds insult to injury.. read more

One star fits this place perfect , food is okay but service is the worst thing in the whole world. Super rude , practically demanding a tip before your service has even started. Mind you last time I left her 9 dollars on a 13 dollar order. She insisted I leave a tip if I wanted to eat there which was super rude. Didn't even give me the juices I asked for because she said her card machine was broken but I knew wasn't true It was really because she couldn't get the tip on the card. Wouldn't even give me the juices I ordered and told me to go get cash and she'll hold them while I went to the atm down the street. I can't lie the food is good and I will miss the place but can't see myself continuing eating here read more

Great local dining in mill hill! Awesome food, great atmosphere, lots of selections for all tastes. Loved it. Been there for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. read more

This place used to be on Stuyvesant Avenue in Trenton. They always had fresh fish, not fresh frozen. I used to ride to the middle of the hood for it just because it was so good and fresh. By the way, I never had an issue at the Stuyvesant Avenue location. Bring on the NEW location. The parking situation is non existent. Do not double park in front you risk being hit, theft, ticket or tow. There is a lot right across but it's private parking, park there and get towed. You can park on Broad Street and walk over just secure you vehicle and walk briskly. Ok so you make it inside after HUNTING down a parking space. The decor is decent and the place is SUPER CLEAN. You should call your order in beforehand, especially if your in a rush, because they take forever. That is fine with me for FRESH FISH. So you see, after searching for a parking space, walking past a few unsavory characters and waiting 25mins for my order, SERVING me FROZEN FISH is insulting. I will pay for FRESH FISH! The fried vegetables were good but they need to do better with the carrots. Once again taking the short cheap route, they get the short and stubby bagged carrots, which don't fry well or taste good fried. The seafood salad was bad, no literally spoiled. The crab, even though it was imitation, was spoiled and when I opened the container it turned my stomach. It was just a bad food experience here. Would I go back? Yes I would for breakfast only. This is the only meal they haven't taken the cheap route on, yet! Gave 2 stars 1 for it being EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAN and 1 for EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE! read more

After becoming a returning customer, The food here is always constant and pretty good. The staff is cordial and the place is always neat and The chef was very accommodating when I requested something not on the menu. An all around comfortable place to enjoy great soul food. read more

I did the Door dash for Ila Mae's. I called for the Salmon, shrimp and grits. It gives fish as an option. I requested salmon in the special instructions section. The food was delivered faster than the time given. It was very much to my satisfaction. I like that it doesn't give you cheese and butter if not requested. I would definitely order from them again. Very convenient and the price read more

horrible customer service, even worse food. would give 0 stars if i could. beware!!!!!!!!

The customer service is outstanding! I had an unpleasant experience with another catering business and ended up calling Ila Mae's last minute on the day of my event. When I tell you they did an outstanding job putting my order together all with great communication and always extremely friendly. Not to mention the chicken & waffles are DELICIOUS! read more

Great food. I can see why they claim the best soul food in Mercer County. I had the double burger (be warned, this means TWO burgers, not two patties on one burger) and it was good. The Trenton Eat Local club showed up with 19 people and the reviews were overwhelmingly positive. It's a city, so you might have to walk a block from where you park. read more

Good food but what bothers me consistently is having to remind the staff to include my rice and gravy then have them proceed to get upset that I reminded them of what's on their own menu. Fix this and the people constantly standing in front of the restaurant id gladly bring more people to enjoy this restaurant. read more

They're very rude & disrespectful.. they can't answer the phone without a attitude.. especially the older lady that works there. If y'all not trying to have your appetite ruined just don't come eat or get food here because you will regret it. read more

Great food and probably the best in town. I support, "Black Own Business". I supported this family for years, and still love the food they serve. Love the idea of using the African name, Waking up the Conscious minds of the world . read more