Food was amazing!! The fish was tender and seasoned. Our food was ready for takeout at the available time. We didn't have a chance to eat in but seemed like the place was well kept and inviting. Will definitely plan to be back! read more

The perfect soul food plate. I see why everybody kept recommending this spot. I just finished the fried catfish with greens and mac and cheese. Every bite of everything was spot on. And those are some of the best collard greens I've had anywhere. A little wait for the food, but not excessive and totally worth it. Wow. read more

Delicious! Everything tastes sooo good and is freshly cooked. Definitely will be coming back :) read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

We got to Richmond and had to rush back to the 757, so we popped in and ordered our food to go. The vibe of the spot was weird- we felt like we were a burden on the two servers that were working behind the bar, and we felt like maybe they didn't do to go food. They do, and we did get our order to go. My friend was trying to talk to the one taking our to go order, and she was clearly not having it (which was weird AF). I got the chicken sandwich (well done), which comes with homemade chips (DELICIOUS). My chicken sandwich was so good. It was seasoned to perfection, and even though I asked for some mayo on the side, I didn't get it. The sandwich needed nothing else. The food made up for the lack of acknowledgement or kindness shown by the servers. I would DEFINITELY go here again for food if I was in the area. I don't know about the service, but the food spoke for itself. Save room for dessert! read more

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All I can say is wow. The food is off the charts. Our server Daniel was great. He gave us recommendations that were spot on!! Highly highly recommend to anyone in or visiting Richmond! Looked and smelled so good we started to dig in before the pics, oops!! And loved the music that was playing, throwback smooth hits. Fives across the board!! read more

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As far as soul food goes this is the best of the best for a reason! I never skipped an opportunity to eat here. I love it so much

We were seated right away. Server was pleasant, offered helpful suggestions and prompt with delivery of drinks and food. The food was excellent! Mac n cheese was creamy and delicious. Our table requested seconds of corn bread. The chicken was well seasoned. We were disappointed that they were out of desserts. You might need to get there early for those. read more

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Was seated fairly quickly due to us wanting to sit at the bar. Our waiter Ashley greeted us and was helpful in us picking an option. The menu is straight forward but there are great options. I had the catfish with green beans and mac and cheese and fried chicken (dark meat) with yams and mac and cheese. Everything was cooked perfectly and withflabor. I probably would of liked a little bit more syrup to the yams but that is minor. Each came with cornbread and that was good as well. The place was clean and good music was being played so I can't complain. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Catfish (1 piece) - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Had the opportunity to experience this great restaurant while on a work trip to Richmond. It's small and quaint but has charm. Service was quick, knowledgeable and intentional. The menu had great choices however it was missing a few other soul food delicacies I would have liked the option to have (ie: Oxtails, Turkey Wings, roast/ beef option) I ordered the fried pork chops w/ gravy Macaroni and cheese, collard greens, candied yams. The workshop was fried perfectly, and the gravy was flavorful with sautéed onions and peppers. Macaroni and cheese was just good, not the best but I've also had worse...they used real cheese and the consistency was perfect but a bit bland to the taste. The collards were edible... I despise collards with sugar and it was blatantly evidently used in the recipe. I also Like mines cooked just a little bit longer without a crunch. The candied yams were perfection!!! Not too sweet and not too sweet potato pulled straight from the ground tasting. I really enjoyed them! Over all I highly recommend this restaurant and definitely will be back To try other dishes next visit . read more

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Nestled in the historic enclave of Jackson Ward, Mama J's is a neighborhood staple that offers brilliant insight on the culinary art and journey of soul food. We met up with one of our longtime friends here at his recommendation and was thoroughly satisfied with our experience. Located off North 1st Street, the establishment rests and blends beautifully along the brick-and-mortar backdrop of the surrounding buildings and elaborate murals of the thoroughfare. While street parking may appear a bit tight, there is ample pay-by-meter spaces in the public lot right behind the building. As you enter the restaurant, you will find yourself immersed in a southern dining experience that is rich in color and flavor. The elegant bookshelf-style bar is a great centerpiece that adds to the ambiance of the establishment. The wooden chairs and clothed table-tops presents a simple, but thoughtful theme to the dining experience (as you might imagine, these seats get filled quickly). The menu does not require much effort to decipher - it gets right to the point which is a great change to other restaurants that tries to do too much with their menu (as if they want to give you a play-by-play production). All together, we ordered the crab cakes, pork chops, and wingettes, along with servings of mac-and-cheese and corn muffins. I am not exaggerating when I say that EVERYTHING was amazing. The crab cakes were fresh and flavorful - there is a perfect amount of Old Bay seasoning, along with a collaboration of other flavors that works great with the morsels of crab meat found in each patty. The wingettes were cooked to perfection and juicy. And the pork chops SLAP! Never in my life have I eaten a juicier fried pork chop. The meal was pure ascension. Coupled with great service, our dining experience was spectacular. I would recommend, 10/10, for anyone that is coming through and/or staying in Richmond to give Mama J's some love and experience this culinary delight. read more

Mama J was closed during the pandemic and then open only for takeout before reopening some time back. In all the rush of life -- births, deaths, work, whatever -- we just haven't been back. Yesterday, I joined six friends from work for a lunch. As soon as they heard I had been there before, of course I was asked "what's good?" The more I recommended, the more low-level nervousness crept in. What if the pork chops weren't as good? What if the catfish isn't done the same way? I was sitting there talking everything up so it was on me if things were blah. No worries! The catfish is still the best in Richmond. The collards and yams and cornbread are excellent (I ordered the same meal I reviewed here six years ago, completely by chance.) I was told the porkchops and brisket and fried chicken were very good, that the cabbage (who orders cabbage??? okay, I do. But still....) were all great. Even the unadventurous one in the crowd who ordered the chicken salad sandwich was impressed that there was in his estimation a pound of chicken salad on that bread. I took slices of lemon cake and pineapple coconut cake home -- tender cake, great frostings. So glad that everything turned out as well as I had remembered. The4re are now six new loyal customers! read more

Great food. Great community atmosphere. If you're in a rush, this is not the place for you. But if you love tasty, home cooked food this is a gem. No fancy small plates or craft cocktails but great catfish and collard greens. Friendly people. Cheerful staff. Take your time, relax and enjoy the food. read more

Food was delicious and liked the atmosphere. Will be re-visiting soon. Parking wasn't bad either parked in free public parking very short walk. read more

Funny. I wrote that original review six years ago, pre-pandemic, pre-the-world-has-changed. One thing hasn't: Mama J's still rocks. I don't even order catfish anywhere else. Anywhere else is kinda like kissing your sister. ‍ And the cabbage. Mmm-mmm-mmm. That's a pretty simple dish, and yet Mama J's will spoil you for the rest of the world. read more

Mama J's was busy today, this was my first time going to Mama J's Kitchen so I am unsure if it's always that busy. I went in, it took about 15 mins to get a table. The restaurant is kinda small so they could only sit so many people. I ordered the chicken sandwich with ice tea and mac n cheese. The chicken sandwich was kinda dry surprisingly it doesn't come with any sauce just a toasted bun,chicken, lettuce and tomato. I was pouring a lot of hot sauce on it just to help. The place was so busy that our service was slow. I was not only struggling with the dry chicken but I needed more ice tea and the waiter took forever to refill my drink. Other than that the Mac n cheese was ok and the potato chips were unique never had anything like that before. I'm definitely going to give this place a try again and will order the fried chicken and I definitely want to raise my score for this place because I know they work very hard! Chicken sandwich 3/5 Mac n cheese 3/5 Ice tea 4/5 Potato chips 3/5 read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The service provided by Jamira was superb. She was thorough, was familiar with the menu, and provided great recommendations. The restaurant was very clean and we were able to park in front of the restaurant. The entire dining experience was extremely pleasant. I would definitely return. read more

I always enjoy the food that I order from Mama J's . I regret that my dessert was left off of the order.

10 out of 10 worth every pennie everytime!!! I do suggest calling ahead to order unless you don't mind waiting , but other than that the food is amazing!!! Probably best soul food in VA, definitely Richmond. read more

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My first time trying real southern soul food and this place did not disappoint! I'm back on the west coast but still dreaming about the marinated brisket and what magic they must have worked to make such a tasty plate. Plus the Mac and cheese was amazing too. Cannot recommend this place enough. You can hold your place in line and they alert you by text when table is ready, which is super convenient. And honestly worth it for me! Service is great and there's a simple, cozy diner vibe to the restaurant that isn't too flashy or trying too hard. Just a great local spot and a must try in Richmond! read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Brisket, Mac and cheese, Collard Greens, and Corn Muffin - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Delicious! Definitely coming back! I had the chicken, mac and cheese, and yams! Ashley was amazing and the food came out piping hot. I got a peach cobbler to go and it was on point! Don't sleep on this place! The service was awesome, and I came early in the morning. The vibe is great so stop by! read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Looking for somewhere different for lunch. Found Mama J's on Yelp with lots of positive reviews. My wife got the grilled chicken sandwich and got the brisket sandwich. Both come with kettle chips unless you order a side. The chips are made fresh here. The chicken and brisket were very tender. The brisket is on two slices of bread with cheese. Almost like a stew just not much juice. We got bread pudding for dessert. Not sure about the lemon drizzle. Comes out piping hot watch you don't burn your mouth. Interesting and different place. A little slice of southern cooking near downtown. There is a Mama J and family works in the place. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Menu - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Great Mac and cheese. Wife says best collard greens. Catfish nuggets super too and then sweet potato pie. Fun little place but they were quick and attentive too. Defintely recommend read more

I'd give zero stars if possible. The excitement of supporting a Black-owned business in Richmond quickly turned into a disaster. My friend and I drove from Washington, D.C. just to patronize this business, arriving at 11:15 a.m. to find an almost empty restaurant. I was excited when I walked into this Black-owned business to find people who look like me from the front end to the back end of the house. We were eager to try their food, but the experience was a complete letdown. We placed our order (to-go) and waited, waited, and waited. Finally, after 30 minutes, Tayia said she was waiting for the mac and cheese to be ready. I then ordered a side of bread pudding. Another 10 minutes passed, and she informed us that it would be ready within five minutes. After 10 minutes, she asked the customers seated at the bar, who were almost finished with their meal, if they wanted a substitute for the mac and cheese. She then asked us the same question. I asked for a full refund. She and the manager had a conversation. The manager went between the register on the far right and the cash drawer on the left a couple of times. She finally put the cash in Tayia's hand and walked away. Tayia gave us the refund, never apologizing. I asked for a refund for the bread pudding, and the manager returned with a major attitude. She did her thing on the register, placed the money in my hand, and walked away. Mama J's is trash, and the people working there need some serious training. We drove back to D.C. very disappointed with Mama J's. NEVER, EVER, EVER AGAIN!!! Supporting us is always challenging...don't have to be, but for whatever reason, it is. WE MUST DO BETTER!! Tayia's customer service was pitiful and when the manager came out, we saw even worse. Shame on Mama J's!! read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Look at time stamp for each - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I love the bread pudding.The food was tasty.i would recommend. Not to many restaurants here where you can get hoid soul food but this one is pretty good. read more

Very homey. That's what my husband kept referring to it as. We both enjoyed our pork chops and brisket. We went on a Sunday lunch and it wasn't too full. Only only one family waited to be seated (based on the entire time we were there). The food did take some time to come to us, but over all we were super satisfied. My husband enjoyed it and kept saying it tastes like it was home cooked and it was so good! I guess he's been fortunate enough to have good home cooked meals, haha! For those who commented and said the portions are small, I have no idea how much it takes to get them full, probably buffet style only. I say that because our portions were of reasonable size and yes, it is not cheap, but we walked out super full. I was planning on getting pastry dessert somewhere after but couldn't. We both only had an entree with one sides each and we were both satisfied. Overall, I recommend this place! read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Brisket with mashed potatoes. - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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This is mama's place make no mistake about it. The friend chicken is the talk of the town but truly you can't go wrong here. The sides are straight up southern style. It's really nice inside and has that southern homely feel. The servers are very nice as well. This place is straight up SOUL. read more

Wow. Delicious! And sooo friendly. Welcome Home! (Their saying, felt true). I have to say, I've lived nearby for several months. I always see it, but when I looked at the menu I was concerned everything might be heavily breaded and fried and unhealthy. I finally stopped by and loved it. People in the restaurant were friendly, the staff was friendly and the food was delicious. The catfish was very light and flaky. Very lightly fried and had zero oily feel. The collard greens were awesome. Full flavored and just very nice. The yams while named candied, actually were nicely, lightly sweetened and had a full delicious nutmeg and cinnamon flavor. While the choices I made are not the same as eating a salad, they have those on the menu too. And it would be possible to have a great light vegetarian meal from the sides. I'll definitely be back frequently now that I've experienced it and recommend it to anyone who likes southern food! read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Catfish, cornbread, collard greens and candied yams. - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Visiting Richmond, wanted to experience a local dining experience, and Mama J's absolutely fit this bill perfectly! Kind and inviting space, excellent service, and just well prepared no frills home cooking. We had the fried chicken, catfish, rice, collard greens, yams, and mac and cheese, and everything was delicious! The fried dishes were so well prepared, seasoned, and cooked, you might almost think they were baked! So happy to have found this Richmond gem, and will most definitely return the next time in town! read more

The food: dark meat fried chicken: very salty for my taste, I ate around the seasoning. Chicken was cooked beautifully Seafood salad: DELICIOUS! huge chunks of crab meat mixed in with some shrimp. I would go back just for this The wait: 30 mins wait for take out during lunch time on a Tuesday. The place was packed! The service: So friendly!! read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Lunch & dinner Menu - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

An amazing experience eating here. Atmosphere among the employees and customers was so welcoming. The food is to die for. If you haven't been here before you need to go and check it out. read more

Nique was fabulous and the food was delicious. I would just warn people to come hungry. I had a late breakfast and we went for lunch. I was stuffing myself because the food was so good. Best soul food I've had in a while. read more

Arguably the best soul food in RVA. Good service and great food. My only gripe is its so popular there's rarely ever enough space to eat inside!! read more

Sit back, and unbutton that top button on them britches! Simple, it gives old town bar vibes that leads you to the hospitality and great, friendly service. I don't really know if, I've ever felt more welcome, by a stranger, my first visit. Tonight, a southern classic: fried chicken, greens, mac n' cheese, and candied yams. They gave what they needed to give after a long day. I'm not a desserts kinda guy and I didn't have any room to attempt. By far, my favorite southern/soul food in the region! read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Fried chicken, greens, candied yams, mac n' cheese, and a corn muffin - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

It's ALWAYS refreshing to get some good Ole soulfood. Let me tell you, baybeee...this food was bomb! Good for my palate and my soul. I had fried wingettes that tasted just like mine, sweet potatoes made me wanna lick the bowl, OKAY! I also had the collard greens and Mac and cheese. And dessert....rum cake! I'm tryna see when I can bring my kids back next time. Was here on business. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Fried wingettes, Mac and cheese, collard greens, candied yams - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

This is a clean and welcoming restaurant with fresh color and an authentic southern menu. The seating is limited, but the food is well worth the wait if they're busy. Our fried catfish was perfect, cormeal crusted with a toasty flavor that lingered. The sweet corn muffin compliments it nicely,but was less than moist. Mac and cheese, collards, and Candid yams were all amazing sides, too. We had friends with us for the meal, and one young lady who hadn't had soul food before said, "I expected it to be good, but didn't know it would be so amazing! I'm having an actual experience!" then she was quiet for a while... The prices are more than fair for the portion size and high quality they bring to your plate. They have take out and a catering truck as well. read more

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Food was excellent with good sized portions. Wish it was bigger but we sat at the bar and the service was superb. We'll definitely be back!

Best soul food ever! Was willing to almost miss my flight to try this place again. It's been 5 years. Living in Ca we don't have many soul food places so when in Richmond this is my stop. I'm not a huge fried chicken guy but this place will make you want seconds. The Mac n cheese is also the best I've had. Perfect blend of cheese to Mac ratio. This place not only has amazing chicken but catfish and trout are big sellers as well. Can't go wrong with any of their deserts. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Fried chicken plate - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Everything was amaaaazing! All of the food tasted so good, and the service was wonderful. I would definitely eat here again when I come back to visit my sister at VCU. The wait was long, but it was worth it. When you arrive, they take your name & number and will text you when your table is ready. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Catfish, Chicken Wingettes, Macaroni & Cheese, Mashed Potatoes, Candied Yams - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Stopped by since I was in the area and decided to try it out. The inside isn't too big, but I liked how it had a home feel to it. We got seated quite fast and ordered the fried chicken with a side of mac and cheese. For dessert, I tried out the bread pudding and the peach cobbler. Initially I wanted the cakes but they were sold out. The fried chicken was better than I expected! It had a nice crunch to it and was super juicy and tender. It was a tad bit salty but I didn't mind since I had some mac and cheese to eat it with. The mac and cheese, on the other hand, wasn't seasoned enough imo. It was very cheesy tho which I liked a lot! The dessert was just okay, the bread pudding didn't have much sauce to it and the peach cobbler was fine. Overall, definitely glad with my experience. My server was nice and attentive. I would love to come back to try their famous cakes that sold out! read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Fried Chicken and Macaroni & Cheese - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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There was a 45 minute wait before being seated, but after being seated we were served in a reasonable amount of time. The quality of the food and the service made the wait worth it. The food was excellent! I had the most delicious crabcakes, candied yams, seafood salad, collard greens and corn bread. I had to take some of it home for the next day, and the leftovers were still delicious. The service was fast and the food was received hot. The waitress was friendly and professional. I had not been to Mama J's a while, so I was especially happy to see that the food was still as delicious as I remembered. read more

Mama J's Kitchen - Soul Food Near Me - Richmond, Virginia