Found this place while looking for some soul food and I'm so happy that I did…read more This is down home, no frills, seat yourself, small batch, hand crafted, cafeteria style goodness at its finest. Each and every bite was absolutely delicious. When I went in there was just one woman working and it was after lunch and not particularly busy. From behind the counter she took and filled my order and handed it over. The peas, the mac & cheese, the hamburger steak...and the yams...the yams...all of it was amazing. Quick, easy, delicious, priced fairly...what else can you ask for? If you're in this area don't hesitate to give this place a shot.

Everything I ordered did not have any seasonings to it at all. Greens taste like water and…read moresmelt-tasted like fresh cut grass. This is not soul food. It was just food with no passion. No hairnet was worn. Dressing was not dressing, it was jiffy mix.

Great meat & three type spot just across from the courthouse in Bessemer. Prices are super low and…read morethe food I had today was pretty good. Nothing too fancy, just hop in line, tell them what you'll have and they plate it up and bring your drink to you at the table. Everything looked pretty good. Meatloaf, grilled chicken, some greens, potatoes, mac and cheese, etc. I went with the country fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy with mac and cheese. It was the middle of lunchtime to everything was hot and fresh, and the white gravy was really good. They didn't have many desserts, just slices of cake by the register and by the time I saw those I was full and it was too late to make the bad decision to stuff myself with dessert. The people were friendly, the place was clean and tidy and the food was served in large portions especially given the price. If you're hungry and near this part of town, don't think twice. Head in and they'll hook you up with some gravy covered goodness and they'll do it for around 10 bucks. Not bad at all.

I live right down the street from this restaurant and never noticed it until a friend said I should…read moretry. The food was great besides the macaroni. It taste bland, like I was eating noodles and cheese but no cheesy taste or flavor. The chicken was seasoned great. The dressing was good but I've had better. Their prices are great and give you a good amount of food. I will return and try something different.

I kept hearing about this place on the radio and decided to try it after church. Well, others must…read morehave had the same idea, because the line was out the door. Fortunately, the Pastor had just given a sermon on "wait for it" which is exactly what I had to do. Although the line was long, the people were very friendly and kind, giving the restaurant a family vibe.I was pleasantly surprised to see so many young people working in all areas of the restaurant showcasing their professionalism while being polite. are all so polite. Now, let's get to the food.... The greens, pinto beans and Mac n' cheese were all seasoned to perfection. The servings were more than enough. The food is GOOD!!! 1 meat and 2 sides or vegetable plate, your choice. Plenty of seating. Great place for a friend's meetup, class meetup, church meetup, baby shower or any celebration!

3/5 Sometimes your…read morefourth choice turns into a worthwhile stop. On Father's Day, our original lunch plans fell through after Curry Up, Eugene's Hot Chicken, and Boston Fish Market were all closed. That led us to Thelma's Place, a restaurant that had already been on my list to try, so we decided to give it a shot and ordered our meal to go. The first thing that stood out was the hospitality. Everyone we encountered was warm, welcoming, and genuinely friendly. Around 1:00 p.m., the restaurant wasn't busy, and the service was prompt. From an ambiance standpoint, there isn't much to speak of. The dining room is simple and functional, and the overall presentation could be elevated with improved lighting and a more polished steam table display. Those details may seem small, but they help create stronger first impressions. I ordered the meatloaf with collard greens and candied yams. The portion size was generous, but the meatloaf itself needed more seasoning to really stand out. The collard greens were one of the best items we tried, full of flavor without being overpowering, and the candied yams were solid. The cornbread was also a nice addition. My wife and Bethany both ordered fried chicken wings, even though they weren't listed on the menu. Those turned out to be a hidden gem. They were crispy, golden brown, hot, and cooked just right. For sides, my wife chose cornbread dressing and macaroni and cheese. We both felt the dressing had too much sage, which masked the other flavors. The macaroni and cheese was decent but not memorable. Bethany also enjoyed the collard greens and agreed that the macaroni and cheese was just okay. One disappointment was that they were sold out of oxtails, which would have been my wife's first choice. I was also hoping to see smothered pork chops available but didn't notice them. The pricing felt fair, and the portions offered good value. The biggest takeaway? Order the fried chicken and collard greens. Those were the clear standouts from our visit. I'd also be interested in returning when the oxtails are available, as they appear to be one of the restaurant's signature items. Thelma's Place didn't hit a home run across the board, but the friendly service, good value, and standout fried chicken made it a worthwhile stop. With a few improvements to seasoning and presentation, it has the potential to leave an even stronger impression.

My first time at Gabriella's was recently. This place gets really busy..... fast! When I arrived,…read more there were about 2 ppl already present and ordering at the hot bar. It's kind of hard to tell what all the food options are, so I had to ask what some stuff was. I managed to get a meat and 2 instead of a meat and 5! There were quite a few veggie options that looked amazingly delicious! I do not recommend coming here hungry or hangry. Ok, sooo I love meat loaf so naturally that's what I got. I also got collards and cornbread dressing & yes they had cranberry sauce. Everything was good tasting. The meatloaf was a little sweet to my taste so I probably wouldn't order it again. The veggies were not over seasoned or overcooked. I will definitely comeback here bc there is still just so much I wanna try. The staff is nice and took care of the crowd. I even witnessed them give a person in need food, as they were about to dig in the restaurant's garbage can outside for scraps. Made me count my blessings.. all of them! There is street parking only. I didn't have any issues parking on a Sunday afternoon. The inside of this restaurant is not big but I was comfortable dining in.

Good southern food on a Sunday afternoon while visiting. Couldn't tell from the Yelp pictures but…read moreit's a really small restaurant with food displayed buffet style behind the clear partition that they serve you in a container. Only about 3 people at a time can hold inside before it's starts getting crowded. It stay pretty busy. Options are 1 meat with two sides or 2 meats with three sides combination. A la cart is available as well. They have ice tea or lemonade drinks in a cup that they also serve you. Lemonade was good. There's a very small counter to pay after you order. Fry chicken is tasty with perfect crisp. Collard greens were seasoned well and perfect texture. Yams (my favorite) was perfect - flavorful, not too sweet and firm but not hard. Both of us thought the Black eyed peas looked really good but taste bland. I would have preferred it without the Okra. I didn't see that when I ordered. One in our group commented the meat loaf was good. The dressing was really good too - well seasoned and tasty. After paying there's a dining area for self seating. It serves the purpose to sit and eat but definitely could use sprucing up along with the restrooms. Please seriously consider! It would make the experience much more pleasant to enjoy their delicious food. I took off two stars for that reason and yes it's that unpleasant as the tables/chairs are also too clustered together. The chairs don't fit around the table properly. Overall good southern food at a reasonable price and recommended. Skip dining in if you don't have too. Just my two cents.

Whenever we have a family reunion on my dad's side of the family, the last day (Sunday) is always…read morespent at my home church. For our most recent reunion, we had Mama Nem catered for our meal. We had chicken, baked and fried, macaroni and cheese, greens, and cornbread. Firstly, the fried chicken was delicious! It was seasoned and fried perfectly. The greens were delicious too, not too salty but definitely seasoned very well. The macaroni and cheese was also very delicious. It wasn't too hard or chewy, something I dislike about some, but it also had a very nice cheese flavor. Additionally, working with them for the catering process was amazing. They were extremely kind and accommodating for our family and this large meal. My parents visited once before our reunion and told me that they loved it so I had high hopes when I heard they were catering. They did not disappoint. I plan to go very soon to try some of their other meals as its definitely high up on restaurants I want to try.

I love a good Southern spot with classic meat-and-three options((in this case two)), and this…read morerestaurant delivered that same homey, comforting vibe -- plus a bar, which was a nice touch! The line was long, but they kept things moving with someone taking orders, which made the process efficient. We didn't get a chance to actually see the food line until we got closer to the front but if we had, we would've chosen something different. Still, our meal overall was good. The greens and the rice with gravy could've used a bit more flavor.The red velvet cake, unfortunately, was a 0/5 for me. For the price -- about $40 -- I'm not sure it was fully worth it, but I WOULD go back to try other menu items.

Some of the best Cajun food I've had in a while. We had the frog legs(awesome), gator bites(sooo…read moretender), fried plantains(seasoned beautifully) for starters. For dinner I had the Gumbo and my girlfriend had the salad with shrimp, crab, and crawfish. The gumbo was seasoned excellently and tasted just how I make it at home in like 7 hours. My girlfriend's salad was amazing with the homemade ranch. We came in late and the service was still top notch. Finished off with banana pudding and my girlfriend said it was the best she's ever had. We were just in town for the weekend but to anyone looking for a place, do it!

Well Boateng's knocked it out of the park for my family and friend's get together. Everyone loved…read morethe seafood platter and the red beans and rice. The shrimp, fried fish and boiled vegetables were delicious. I would buy again for my family that loves creole dishes.

The food was too salty Potato salad tasted like it was…read morepurchased from Walmart Yam's were crunchy and undercooked Corn Bread was Jiffy all the way Oxtails, I received 2 in my order Website is priced at 26.99, but they upped the price in-store to 29.99 I can go on and on sorry it's disgusting just trash customer service sucks not even a Thank You She gave me my receipt and said .."Here you go"

The Food is Delicious‼ The restaurant is always clean‼ The owner interacts with the customers &…read moremakes you feel welcome...Truly Good Soulfood...I've been eating their food for several years; if ever a complaint...the owner handles it right away...They have Dine In, Carry Out, Delivery via delivery apps...I highly recommend‼

My father and i's first time, traveling from New Orleans. From the moment we walked in we were…read moregreeted and welcomed. Our server Chloe was nothing short of DELIGHTFUL. She was quirky, fun, and knew the menu! The food was great, it was exactly the way you want these classics to taste. It was fresh, flavorful, and the prices per portion were just right. The house Greek salad dressing was so good I would drink it if I could. I wish I could buy it or find a recipe, I would eat salad every meal. The restaurant is historic and has all the vibes of a classic eatery that make you feel good. We loved it, best meal I've had in a long while. In a sea full of Sysco restaurants, this place and its staff... stand out. Thank you!

Being a Bessemer native, this was my first visit to the Bright Star. I came for a birthday dinner…read moreduring a Friday night. We were seated a few minutes after our reservation time. The waitress was friendly and we received our food in a reasonable time. I ordered the stuff snapper with a grand lemon drop for my drink. The lemon drop was okay. It wasn't the best I have had. It was a little too strong for me. The snapper was nice. The stuffing was a crab and shrimp dressing and the fish was topped with crab. Good experience and evening with friends