Solid meat and 3/soul food option in the vicinity of the Bessemer courthouse…read more They're doing it right in here. Good selection of things ranging from your standard stuff to some more adventurous options. Big portions. Quick, friendly service. Lots of windows so good natural light and an open feel. Easy parking. Priced reasonably. All the seasonings. A good option if you're looking for a quality meal and you're in the market for some serious comfort food. If you're in this area don't second guess it.

The food is pretty good and they offer meat and veggies as well as other menu items. The service…read morewas friendly and prompt. My only complaint is the prices on their drinks. $5 for a large tea. It's 32 oz and seems high for little more than a cup of sugar water also if you get bread with your meal don't get the corn bread. As a true southern boy I know good cornbread and they don't have any. For my plate which consisted of beef tips mash potatoes and peas, large drink it was right at $18. The portions are large so maybe it's not such a bad price, and if you drink water it's not bad at all.

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.

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.

yum yum and affordable pricing. The previous shop was closer to home but wanted to try this…read morelocation. Nice parking. Right off the main road. Had my taste buds ready for bbq chicken but settled for fried white meat chicken. It was crispy and tasted good to me. Had greens and yams. Price was under $15 with tax. They kept replenishing the food. The line moved fast. Inside the was basic diner atmosphere.

I've eaten here so much that it I can honestly say everything is delicious. Sundays the meatloaf is…read morefantastic, Saturday's the Beef tips and rice are amazing, fried bologna breakfast sandwich always hits, the fried chicken is so good. Pick anything and you won't be disappointed...

They have the best cakes I've ever had. The Red Velvet cake was absolutely incredible. If you get…read morethe chance, be sure to order the blackened chicken salad either for the table or to take home. It's just as amazing. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and absolutely mouthwatering. I can't wait to go back.

I can't believe that as many times I've been here - I haven't written a review! This is probably my…read morefavorite "meat & twos" in the city. As Bre likes to say, she's cooks with a twist! I got the Caribbean chicken (spicy & sweet), kale slaw & watermelon. In the summer she offers lighter fare. Bre is very personable - doesn't meet a stranger. Be careful of the desserts - guaranteed to affect your waistline! The facility is always clean & well lit. If you're ever on the west side, treat yourself to some Bre's!

Update: 10/15/25... owner immediately responded and apologized for my experience. They had a new…read moreemployee and he addressed the concern with her. I really appreciate owner response and made things right. Back to supporting my favorite restaurant in Helena! Original post: 10/12/25... It's Sunday 10/12/25 4:33pm and they close at 5pm. I called to place an order and it was too late. What??? I have placed orders several times and never had a problem. I literally live 5 minutes down the road and it's too late?

We love having Refined to Go in our community! The food is always exceptional and the owner is so…read morekind and talented. We enjoyed the wedge salad and fish tacos today. Everything was seasoned or sauced immaculately. We did request fries as a substitute when we placed our order but still received the cumin chips alongside our fish tacos, so make sure you check your order before leaving the restaurant!

First time visiting the restaurant, I enjoyed my time . Staff was very friendly. New to the area so…read moredidnt know what to expect. Food was good , clean & freshly prepared

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.

I rarely give 5 stars, but consider this experience a STRONG 4.5, and highly recommending you to…read morevisit for a delicious plate of soul food (in California, our food is considered amazing if you slather avocado on bread and call it "chic," so I need food like this while on vacation). First off, the disclaimer. ONLY come here if you have time to kill. I don't mean that as an insult in anyway, but it took almost forty five minutes to get our food. The atmosphere is that you were invited into someone's house and they are cooking fresh food from scratch, and if you are patient, that is what you will enjoy. The staff was very friendly, made sure we were taken care of, and ALL said goodbye when we left. Now, then, onto the food. I wanted the traditional foods I can't get tasty anywhere else, and my plate was fried catfish, seasoned rice, cabbage, corn bread, and sweet tea. I am not a fan of super sweet things, so I was not fond of the tea. That is most likely my personal taste, and not a knock on their tea by any means. Catfish was hot, well-seasoned, and crispily battered. My wife (Southeast Asian), who cooks cabbage a lot and deliciously (love you babe!), has never made cabbage like this. It was some of the best cabbage I have ever had, and I did not know a side dish like cabbage could taste that good. The cornbread did not need butter, and I was munching on it on my way out the door. So, DEFINITELY eat here. Just be warned, this is where you go to take your time and enjoy the meal. If in a hurry, maybe come back a different day.

Food was good service was great. Haven't been here in a long time due to how slow the service was…read morebut it was extremely better this time and the lunch was great.

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!

Definitely a hidden Bessemer Gem, Boateng's is a quaint space with good food and adequate service…read more I've had a fried shrimp platter with fried green tomatoes and the ultimate gumbo and I've had a fried grouper platter before with same sides. Two weeks ago I had a salad with blackened grouper fish. My daughter has tried and I've sampled the seafood quesadillas and it too was good. Each meal is cooked fresh to order and worth the wait. Food, service and ambiance are all worth the visit so give them a try and you will go back!!