This was my first time actually experiencing Kelsey's and they definitely lived up to the hype! I made reservations so I was seated upon arrival. The hosts and hostesses were very attentive. The ambiance was great the live Band was very entertaining. The food was good, some dishes better than others but overall we enjoyed our time. read more

Kelsey's - Turkey Chops, Yams, Mac & Cheese. Grilled Salmon and Cabbage - Soul Food Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

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If you're ever in Atlantic City and want some soil food, stop by Kelsey's. Awesome customer service, great entertainment, and delicious soul food. They've never disappointed. read more

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Finally made it to Kelsey's, made reservation for four 2 weeks prior; tried to update but website would not allow me to; the hostess was more than accommodating but her side kick (stocky black young lady) was trying to be difficult, but the hostess bypassed her & seated all 6 of us together without incident. The musical performances were a great addition to the meal which was a lovely surprise to my friends. We started with the cornbread basket & later ordered another to accompany our entrees. Our dinner order consisted of the fried chicken, catfish, & fish & shrimp combo, mac & cheese, candied yams, collard greens, cabbage, broccoli, black eyed peas & rice (more peas please) & rice & gravy which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. This may have been my 1st time here at Kelsey's, but it will not be my last. read more

Kelsey's - Soul Food Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

Best brunch and dinner had in the city. Service was amazing and our waiters were personable and friendly. Definitely one of the go to spots when in AC. read more

Arrived to a line outside but luckily we had made reservations. Asked a few of the outside patrons about the place and everyone had nothing but great things to say about the food or repeated what they had been told. We went in with high expectations that just weren't met. The live music turned out to be music played on the house speaker system, the stage was bare. As far as service, the waiter we had was attentive however the menus are digital only, now I understand that we live in a world where most people have a smart phone, people such as my grandparents would not be able to look at the menu u because the owner decided it was a expense that could be cut? Also, the pricing was little higher than I expected but the presentation was excellent. However the food itself wasn't anything to brag about. The ribs were a letdown but the chicken was probably the best item that night. I went with the recommendation of the waiter on the whiting as the steak I previously ordered at market price, was out. The whiting was okay, the macaroni and cheese was okay and the yams were good at best. For the price and wait, I would not recommend this place being from Virginia but maybe this is the standard for soul food in New Jersey. read more

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one bite and I was teleported back home to Georgia. I haven't had soul food this good since I was 19 at thanksgiving with my cousins. the cornbread is so moist and buttery. it holds together well. the yams are so sweet. they just melt in your mouth. the baked mac & cheese is the kind your aunt only makes for the holidays. the crab cakes are juicy and have little to no filler so they just break apart like nothing. all so delicious. best food in Atlantic City hands down. by the time we left there was a line out the door and rightfully so. this needs to be the biggest spot read more

Kelsey's - Crab Cakes with Yams and Mac & Cheese - Soul Food Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

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Finally, had the chance to try Kelsey's. I've heard many times about how good it was and the people were right. The food was delicious! My friend had one of her birthday celebrations at Kelsey's on a Saturday nite. The four of us were seated right in the center, where we were able to enjoy amazing live music. Tried their hennessy punch, which had a decent amount of alcohol - nice. The table shared some good cornbread. I wanted to try their chicken & waffle, but they were out of the waffle mix. I went for the fried chicken wings (seasoned so well), the mac & cheese (yummyyy) and the candied yams (they know how to cook here!)! Had a lot of food leftover. Rewarmed the food (put the wings in the air fryer) the following day, and the food was still tasty! I would definitely stop by Kelsey's again! read more

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I've been going to Kelsey's for years, but never made a reservation until my recent visit this past weekend. My party of 4 and I arrived about 10 mins early, and were seated immediately. Someone came over to our table with a round of waters for the table right away, but he wasn't our server. We were seated near the stage area and the entertainment was performing a very loud, extensive sound check. We were still able to converse and hear each other, so it wasn't unbearable. After sitting about 25 minutes, we realized we still didn't have a server. No one had even come over to take our drink or appetizer orders at that point. As we looked around the restaurant, it was semi busy, but not at all packed. So we flagged someone down who said she would find our server. After a couple minutes, she came back to tell us she couldn't find our server, but that she was just going to take care of our table. After that major service snafu, the food and drinks we ordered were delicious as always, and our server ended up being top notch. I will be back, but hope that the issue we encountered was a 1 off. Food 10/10, Service 6/10 read more

Kelsey's - Cornbread, fried whiting, black eyed peas, greens, fried chicken, mac & cheese, yams, turkey chops, Henny, margarita, and Kelsey's flights - Soul Food Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

Everything from customer service to the food to the entertainment. They were very accommodating when needed to add to the reservation. The food was amazing . read more

Everything was very good. It is always a pleasure to visit this establishment. The whole experience is a plus. Only thing I would do is make sure all reservations are honored. read more

During our Easter break, my cousin and I took the kids to Atlantic City and decided to have brunch at Kelsey's. The prices were $47 for adults and $15 for children, which seemed reasonable. However, when we approached the cashier (Kee) with my 9-year-old daughter, he insisted that she would be charged the adult price because of her height. I tried to explain that she was only 9 years old. I asked him how much do he charge midgets/little people? he responded they are adults therefore they'll be charged as an adult. I informed him that she is a child, she is 9 years old. It was really disheartening to see how he dismissed her age and continued to focus on her height. It felt particularly upsetting, perhaps because my daughter (4'11") is around the same height as him. I wish there had been more understanding and a better approach to handling the situation, especially when it comes to kids. It's important for places to create a welcoming atmosphere for families, and this experience left much to be desired. read more

All I can say is WOW...If you like home cook southern food, this is your place. Catfish app, crab and mac, are to die for.... Fried chicken and shrimp and grits...amazing. And the wonderful Michelle at the bar, makes you feel at home. We will be back... read more

Food service and I love the music every thing a bout this place i love coming here I tell everyone about Kelsey thank u all for everything u do read more

Not good at all. It was late they should have 69 their seafood special for $45 ( a small dried piece of fish, 2 dried refried shrimp and a make believe crab cake was horrible they should not serve uneatable food. read more

Must visit whenever we're out in AC! The southern fried chicken is so good, the breading is unique, crispy, and seasoned well. The Mac and cheese is gooey and cheesy. The sweetness of the candied yams balances the saltiness of the food. Both are great accompaniments and complements the chicken well. However, the cole slaw fell extremely short. I wish I got a picture, but it was basically dry shredded lettuce. No dressing whatsoever :( The cornbread is also an amazing appetizer. It comes out hot and is so soft and melts in your mouth. I miss it already! Definitely worth a stop if you're visiting the area. read more

Kelsey's - Southern fried chicken, Mac and cheese, candied yams - Soul Food Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

If you're in Atlantic City, definitely stop here for a r&b southern buffet brunch. The dj was definitely playing all the hits. The food was delicious. They had everything you can think of: waffles, pancakes, eggs, bacon, grits, shrimp, bacon, sausage, French toast, home fries, whiting, catfish, fried chicken, Mac and cheese and much more. You won't be disappointed. Alcohol and juice is not included in the buffet price, but soft drinks are. read more

I think at this point I'm officially over this place. My husband made us reservations here. We hadn't been for a while because between both locations our last few visits were disappointing. That being said he surprised me with this during phase one of our anniversary celebration. Upon entering there was water pouring from the ceiling. The place was pretty empty yet we were sat directly in front of the path to the kitchen. We ordered the corn bread as an appetizer it didn't come til after our meal. There were no drinks we wanted because there wasn't anything with no sugar added aside from coke. We both ordered the fried whiting and shrimp. Our sides were greens, cabbage, yams and macaroni and cheese. The macaroni and cheese was dry and over cooked like it was old and reheated. The fish was full of bones, want fried well and the other sides were just ok. My husband got the Oreo cake to go and that tasted like old diner cake. I told him don't take me here anymore. That is it, that is all! read more

Kelsey's - Fish and shrimp, yams, Mac n cheese, greens - Soul Food Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

I'm from NORTH JERSEY & when I tell u this FOOD HANDS DOWN! Flavored & the service was prompt and waitress was very attentive! 10 outta 10!!

Food /service and great music Great time on my birthday and Mother's Day Food is all that read more

We went for our 14th anniversary The food was good. The service was good great music. The food came out faster than expected And hot we had the fried chicken, collard greens, mac & cheese white fish, Black Eyed Peas cabbage.The cornbread was delicious 4/13/25 read more

Kelsey's - Fried fish, cabbage, Black Eyed Peas, cornbread, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens - Soul Food Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

Nice vibes chill spot with good food. I highly recommend this place if your in the Atlantic City area

Great food, service, and ambiance. Live music added to the dinning experience. Would definitely be back when I'm in the area. read more

Kelsey's - Catfish, Mac and cheese, and collards greens. - Soul Food Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

If you're in town, you have to come here! Came here for dinner and we were luckily there was no wait. They take reservations and there is usually a long line outside. There's a lot of rules there and no outside drinks/food. Even if it is empty you will have to leave it outside by the front Live music while you eat and the service is good! The beef short ribs was huge! Falls right off the bone and full of flavor! Candied yams were the perfect sweetness. The Mac and cheese has a eggy texture in my opinion The pork chops are delicious. You definitely need the gravy! So flavorful but could be a little on the dry and salty side. The potato salad is good as well Got the cornbread and it's a lot! It's sweet and it comes with butter. read more

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Great spot for soul food in AC. Food was good and the atmosphere was lively. However, I was a bit disappointed in some of the sides. My group wasn't there long enough to experience the live band that was setting up. Our servers Christene & DJ were the absolute best!!! read more

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It was great service and amazing food and the vibes was amazing. I would definitely go back for another date night with my lady. read more

Kelsey's - Beef short ribs with yams and mac and cheese - Soul Food Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

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This review is for Saturday night. I went to Yelp, and there were no reservations available. I decided to get on the wait list. The wait list informed me to arrive at a certain time. When I arrived we had to wait another 15 minutes approximately. There is a live band on Saturday. They took a break while we were there. We were told the food takes a long time. We decided to order the corn bread basket. The cornbread was delicious; I didn't need the butter. It had the texture of cake. I ordered the Hennessey Punch for my mom and I. There aren't prices listed on the drinks. The Hennessey Punch was $18 each. The yams were sold out. I ordered the beef short ribs, potato salad, and cabbage. The beef ribs were tender and huge. The potato salad was good, but it had too much mayo for me. It was made with red potatoes. The cabbage was seasoned well and had turkey meat in it. I was asked if I wanted a to go container. When the server came back, she also put the bill on the table. I didn't request the bill, and what if I wanted another drink? There is a sign by the entrance that states if you stay longer than 90 minutes, you may be charged extra. But we were there barely an hour. So I decided I wasn't leaving yet. We were enjoying the music and our drinks. My one suggestion is to not assume asking for a to go container means I'm ready for the check. Overall, the food is delicious, and I see why they have long lines outside in the winter and summer. However, don't rush people. That made me not order a second drink. read more

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We had reservations on Wednesday February 12 at 6pm. Kelsey's restaurant was in renovation and no one reached out. To tell us ot was closed. We are from Tennessee. This bad. read more

The night was not off to a good start as the hostess was not very hospitable. We stayed and had spoke to the house manager, who wanted to change our perspective. She was kind and helpful. We were just coming in for happy hour which is discounted apps and $10 margs, martinis, and cosmos. We opted for martinis (peach and mango). They were delicious. We ordered an order of the tenders and wings. Our food came out hot and quick. They were so good! We got the buffalo flavor which was sweet and smoky. My husband didn't think they were hot enough but the bartender got him some hot sauce to spice them up! I saw someone eating the cornbread so of course I ordered some of that too! It was delicious! read more

Great time Good food and atmosphere was excellent will come back music was good....also i cant forget the service

I had heard about Kelsey's from my family who come to AC often. They were able to accommodate our party of 8 on a Wed with ease which I understand is not always the case as there are typically long waits but this was the wk after Thanksgiving. I went with the fried chicken white meat which was a breast and 2 wings with 2 sides. Chicken was flavorful and moist. Mashed potatoes and gravy were fantastic. The broccoli was perfectly cooked. Still crisp and not over seasoned. The sides are amazing I tried the string beans, mac and cheese, and the house salad. What I enjoyed about the string beans/broccoli was it was crisp tender unlike most soul food restaurants that tend to overcook veggies. Also get the spicy fish tacos . The only thing I would change is a little less salt. read more

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On Friday, September 5th I went to Kelsey's with family and friends to celebrate my 71st birthday. As always my fried chicken platter with candy sweet potato, collard greens, rice and gravy along with there cornbread was so delicious. Looking forward to coming back to Kelsey's again to enjoy there live entertainment and there delicious food. Lauretta "Shugie " Flowers-Richardson read more

Had an amazing dinner there in Feb. 2025 and will return every time we are in AC. The food was delicious with extremely generous portions. The turkey chops w/gravy were fantastic! The mac and cheese, greens and sweet potatoes were the epitome of comfort food! The food was so good we had to thank the chef (Lenny) in person. Ray was our server and he was so welcoming and his recommendations were on point! In return for the great experience we shared recommendations for crab cakes when they come to MD. read more

Waitress was great,owner came over and took pictures with us. Lobster was great. Need more parking.

This is the closest to feeling like I'm back home in Atlanta. The cat fish, I just have no words. It's so gooooood. Love the old school music, and southern comfort food. The fried chicken is A+++. Staff is very friendly and just down to earth. read more

Food was amazing smothered pork chops tender and savory. Collard greens and mac cheese was amazing . Black eyed peas to die for wanna go back and try brunch. Music is always dope read more

We were so excited to have some great food at this popular restaurant. No list to get on. Stood outside for an hour and the hostess kept saying she was going to come outside to let people come in. New folks kept arriving going straight in and supposedly had a reservation. It started raining and we were all still outside waiting. Checked again with the hostess and she said it's going to be awhile. So everyone decided to get out of the line and go elsewhere. Disappointed that the hostess never came out to give anyone an update. We were not able to make a reservation, so we were surprised that so many people had one. Suggestion: Communicate to the people outside how long the wait will be or just say that they have reached capacity with the reservations so no one else will be allowed in. This way, people are not outside waiting for nothing. read more

I visited Kelsey's on Pacific Ave. I ordered a chicken chop smothered in gravy. The meat was full of fat and bones. When I spoke to the manager she was very nasty. She stated that she could not replace the meat but I could have 2 sides for me. She also acted as if I was a bother. Don't patronize this facility. They are falling off as far as hospitality. The chef should not have sent me the poor quality chicken chop out to me for to eat. I would never go back ever again. read more

We've been coming to AC for about 5 years now, and decided to try something different for breakfast. Kelsey's did not disappoint. The soul food was excellent. The service was friendly and bathroom was clean. They even have a live DJ. It a party in here. The music was a little loud, and the bacon wasn't as crisp as I like it, but it sure was tasty. We went for Sunday brunch and was a little expensive. But it was buffet style so it was worth it. I can easily recommend this place. It's a party! read more

Great food!!! Will be returning soon. Service was great and food was fresh. Nice Atmosphere

Our reservation was for 8:00pm. We were seated by 7:45pm. Service was GREAT. The menu selections are awesome. Our meals were well prepared, presented and sizeable. (Pork ribs / Spicy Catfish). We observed other diners, they too seemed to share in our sentiments. The atmosphere, decor, layout, table spacing were most excellent as well. We are FIRST TIME diners and will definitely return. read more