The Brown Bag Restaurant in Northport has been a staple for good eats for as long as I can…read moreremember. I can't tell you how many times people have recommended it for lunch, yet I never managed to stop in and experience it for myself until today. My work schedule and the Bag's hours always seemed to clash, and since it's a bit off the beaten path, it stayed in the "out of sight, out of mind" category. Now, as I'm approaching full retirement, I finally had the time to swing by and see what all the fuss was about. Upon arrival, the first sign you're in the right place is the parking lot. It's packed, about like a blue tick on a hound dog. Stepping inside, don't expect anything fancy. The interior is old school with faded paint and a no frills setup. Your food is served in Styrofoam containers with plastic utensils. But that's part of the charm. Who needs fine china when you're filling your gizzard with good soul food? The place was full and I managed to grab one of the last open tables under the roof. I then waited for the waitress who was running laps across the dining area, taking orders, refilling drinks, checking out customers, and handling everything in between. If you come anywhere near lunch hour, don't expect Jimmy John's Freaky Fast service. You're here to slow down and enjoy the experience. When I ordered, I went with a catfish fillet, turnip greens, field peas, fried green tomatoes, a side of cornbread, and tartar sauce for the fish. The fried green tomatoes did not make it out with the order, but the waitress was very apologetic and adjusted my bill to a meat and two instead of a meat and three, which I appreciated. Now to the important part, the food. The catfish was hot, crispy, and perfectly cooked, not greasy at all, just honest, well done Southern cooking. The turnip greens and field peas were flavorful and comforting, exactly what you hope for in a place like this. The tartar sauce had a slightly sweet twist that I was not expecting, different from the traditional version, but surprisingly excellent. I will need a few more visits before I can fully put that into words, but it worked. Overall, now I understand the buzz. The Brown Bag delivers exactly what it promises, simple, hearty, well prepared soul food served without pretense. I will definitely be back, and now that retirement is on the horizon, I have got all the time in the world to wait on a good meal, unlike you working folks still rushing through lunch.

Great food Great People. I ordered 1/2 Chicken with greens and beans. Perfectly cooked and…read moreseasoned. It's a little off the beaten path, but well worth it.

The best southern cooking I've tasted in a long time!!The staff is so friendly.The atmosphere is…read moreperfect.chicken strips ,mash potatoes,squash and cabbage are my favorite!!Go see them for some spectacular comfort food!!

We had a great meal! The food is just like my grandma used to make. The service was amazing! We…read morewill definitely be back!

Great mom & pop bbq American fare food. Delicious and good price and friendly staff. Don't be…read morediscouraged by it being "in the middle of nowhere" and just follow the sign to the left!

Good food. Really good food. I had the chitterlings plate with 3 sides, peach cobbler and lemonade…read more The chitterlings were extra clean and tasty. The sides were typical for a soul food restaurant and were good as well. The prices are good but I believe a bit underpriced for the amount of food I was given. I could not finish my entire plate. They will definitely be on our list of restaurants the next time we visit Columbus, MS.

Visiting Elvis Birthplace and made a stop for some delicious soul food. Cute small place, looks…read morelike it's run by a family. Great service and amazing food!!

Aunt B greeted us as we walked in the door. The fried chicken was delightful, lightly crispy and a…read morelittle hint of spice. Reminded me of my mom's fried chicken. Definitely opt for the cornbread muffin. And don't skip the banana pudding - it lives up to the hype!

I am a sucker when it comes to catfish. They are fun to catch during the summertime and can be…read moreprepared in different ways. While searching for this delicacy, I found this location and had to make a mandatory stop. I have to say that if you like catfish as much as I do, this place is a must. The focus here is catfish, and they do an excellent job at this. The title of the restaurant is fitting as you feel as if you're in heaven with every bite you take of their delicious fried catfish.

14$ for an 8pc " lunch special " ... I haven't been here in a couple years , idk what's happened…read morebut the food was a 3/10 & giving the 3 is being generous . Chicken was DRY & over fried . I would not recommend & I kinda want my 14$ back .

The atmosphere was very nice! Customer service 10/10! The food!!!!!!! We sampled everything and it…read morewas GREAT!!!! I will be driving back again to eat here.

I'm a weekly regular, If not bi weekly. I've tried the catfish, wings, hamburger steak, mashed…read morepotatoes, yams, Mac and cheese, fried okra and fried green tomatoes. I haven't tried anything that I didn't like. The customer service has always been good. There is usually a long wait, but you are getting your food fresh.. especially when ordering catfish, etc. So you can't really complain. If you don't want to wait a good 30 mins or so, I'd recommend calling ahead and paying over the phone or placing an uber pickup order.

THE FOOD IS REALLY GOOD! I like to give new restaurants a chance. I took a chance on the fried…read moreporkchops I love them, but they are often dry. These were so juicy and flavourful! The Cajun fries were tasty both a not overwhelming amount of spices and ranch dressing. The mac and cheese had a good texture and flavor, but did need salt. It's probably better to error on the side of less salt. The only thing I didn't love was the red velvet cake. My husband's cheeseburger was massive and very good! Seemed to be fresh meat and it was juicy! The ambience was just ok. Could use something on the walls. But I'm there for the food. I would definitely go back!

I'd heard about this place and I'm so glad I stopped today. Buying local is a real thing for this…read moresmall cafe! They had several different kinds of ice cream Sundays. We got the chocolate and caramel and chocolate and strawberry- the strawberries were sooo good! I can't wait to try lunch there.

This was my first time in Mississippi and I wanted to try a local restaurant. I searched Yelp and…read morefound this one, decided to give it a try. The staff was extremely friendly and patient while customers made their selections. You go up to the counter to order & pay and they bring your food out when it's ready. The seating area is large, clean, and has a relaxing vibe to it. We ordered the BBQ ribs & tips w/cabbage & dressing, BBQ ribs & tips w/green beans & yams, and the Chicken & dumplings w/green beans & baked beans. The meals all came with cornbread. The ribs had the perfect amount of smoke flavor & bbq sauce. They were also nice and tender. The sides were all flavorful and nicely seasoned, the cornbread was excellent. Highly recommend giving this restaurant a try

Traveling thru Meridian - and can't resist some great Soul Food. Absolutely wonderful! Wife had…read moreSmothered Chicken with collard greens and stuffing; I had meatloaf with mashed potatoes and collard greens! Everything was great!

excellent staffing up front. most helpful…read more most importantly our meal arrived fast and hot. not to mention good. don't miss the beef tart with jerk sauce or the gravy smothered pork chop.

My wife and I were in Birmingham for a couple of days. We read about Jake's Soul Food Cafe in…read moreHoover on Google and decided to give it a try. We're glad we did. My wife had Port of Spain's Curry Chicken and I had the Jamaican Jerk Chicken. Both were good and flavorful. The chicken was meaty, tender, and juicy. We both had "cabbage with soul" and fried sweet plantains for our sides. Both dishes came with sweet cornbread. The chicken was good, but the cabbage with soul and cornbread were the stars of the plate. Oh, man, that cabbage was mighty fine. We talked with the GM afterward and she said we have to try the Pork Chops with gravy and collards. When we make it back there one day we will do that. If you're in Hoover, give them a try.