Papa What You Cooking is such a hidden gem! The food was absolutely amazing and tasted like it was made with love. Every bite was comforting, warm, and truly felt like it was good for the soul. It's a little place that you could easily miss, tucked inside such a unique building, but it's definitely worth finding. You can really taste the care and heart that goes into the food. I'll definitely be back! read more

Meh. Exterior and interior are clean and in excellent repair. There're tables and a mostly usable counter. The jazz is excellent. Not conversation overwhelming. Papa appears to be gone. Speed's been gone since Papa be gone. Waiters are friendly, slow but friendly. Roast beef and gravy are gone. Were reduced to red beans and rice, and, rice and gravy. PWYC used to be great! read more

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A chicken sandwich made with real chicken! The bread was soft, the chicken was perfectly seasoned, and every bite was delicious. But honestly, the baked potato stole the show! It was perfectly cooked and loaded with bacon and sour cream. So simple, but done so well. Definitely a spot worth checking out if you're looking for some good comfort food. I'll definitely be back! read more

Papa What You Cooking - Baked potato - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Wasn't impressed with the food, but good customer service. The oxtails wasn't seasoned to my liking and the bbq chicken tasted dry, lack seasoning as well. The place is small, so you might have people standing and talking over you while you eat. Overall, the food and experience wasn't bad enough to give it a second try. read more

Papa What You Cooking - Inside - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Located in The Basement is southern soul food by Papa What You Got. That's already a cool name to start with. There's street parking or in the lot. The lot has 6 spaces for 60 minutes and one space for 30. You will need to enter the basement door and head down to the next floor. Papa What you cooking is the first store you see when you turn the corner. We ordered shrimp and grits ($12.50) and braised oxtail ($27.95). Grits came with 6 tasty seasoned shrimps. Six shrimp was not enough for the amount of grits. I had to split my shrimp into 3 small pieces each to ration it out with every bite of grits to make it proportional. They should increase the shrimp size or give more shrimp. $12.50 for the dish is actually very reasonable but I would be willing to pay more with an option of extra shrimp or larger size. The oxtails came with 2 tenderness pieces over rice and gravy. Had a little kick to it. Flavorful. Lots of meat on the oxtail that I paired with the grits. Overall, we enjoyed the food. Oxtail was 10/10, shrimp and grits were great too. Just wished there were more shrimp. If we didn't have the oxtail, I would have been left with half of the grits and no shrimp. This is must try especially when visited by many celebrities and featured on Guy Fieri's Diners and Drive in, and Dives. Located in The Basement is southern soul food by Papa What You Got. That's already a cool name to start with. There's street parking or in the lot. The lot has 6 spaces for 60 minutes and one space for 30. You will need to enter the basement door and head down to the next floor. Papa What you cooking is the first store you see when you turn the corner. We ordered shrimp and grits ($12.50) and braised oxtail ($27.95). Grits came with 6 tasty seasoned shrimps. Six shrimp was not enough for the amount of grits. I had to split my shrimp into 3 small pieces each to ration it out with every bite of grits to make it proportional. They should increase the shrimp size or give more shrimp. $12.50 for the dish is actually very reasonable but I would be willing to pay more with an option of extra shrimp or larger size. The oxtails came with 2 tenderness pieces over rice and gravy. Had a little kick to it. Flavorful. Lots of meat on the oxtail that I paired with the grits. Overall, we enjoyed the food. Oxtail was 10/10, shrimp and grits were great too. Just wished there were more shrimp. If we didn't have the oxtail, I would have been left with half of the grits and no shrimp. This is must try especially when visited by many celebrities and featured on Guy Fieri's Diners and Drive in, and Dives. read more

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This place has been on my radar ever since I had some of their samples during previous Yelp events. My boyfriend also loves braised oxtail, so we knew what our next stop would be. The front of the location was a little tight on parking, so lunch would probably be chaotic. We went an hour before closing time. The entrance led us down to an underground area comprised of other restaurants/shops called "The Basement". We got in line hoping to get our hands on the oxtail plate, but they were low on rice and oxtail from the lunch rush. We didn't want to leave empty-handed, so they offered a pair of the oxtail po-boys with a side of collard greens instead. Although we reluctantly agreed, we were surprised when it came out. The first bite was delicious. The oxtail was tender, rich from the mayo, which made each bite explode with flavor. The pepperoncini and pickle spear on the side cut through the richness of the sandwich. We didn't get what we came for, but the po-boys were a great substitute. They also had a buy two, get one free cookie. Hopefully, next time we come around for lunchtime, they'll have enough oxtail for us! read more

Papa What You Cooking - Ox Tail Po Boy~ - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Wonderful and flavorful food. We had the rice and beans with Mac and cheese & collard greens as well as the special biscuits and gravy! Wow is all we could say, every bite was a new flavor and the gravy was the best I have ever had. We went Tuesday at 1130pm and there was plenty of seating and fresh food! Will be going again to get the cornbread and different cakes read more

Papa What You Cooking - The sweet tea and cucumber lemonade were to die for - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Delicious food!! I ordered the fried bologna sandwich with a side of mac and cheese, and the red beans and rice with a side of cornbread with a lemonade. Everything was delicious, the cornbread is sweeter than even i make it and it was delicious. i'm from the south so i love my ham and beans, the red beans are distinctly different than anything i've had - a slightly smokey taste and it was delicious. the mac n cheese is the second best i've ever gotten from take out. the bologna was SO THICK and yummy, id recommend everything and can't wait to try more. also the vibes were so cool i love the underground feel. the service was great too - i think the son served me and he was so nice. eat here. read more

Second time eating here, always a great time never have to wait more than about 10 minutes for any given meal which is amazing on wait time. Food is always good, maybe a little bit on greasier side for some sandwiches but grease I think is good every now and then. Only criticism for me is that I wish the hot link was spicier but I tend to lean more on the spicier side of things but flavor was on the money. Hope to be back again soon for another great lunch with good people. read more

Papa What You Cooking - Hot link and ox tail - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

We had the oxtail with gravy and rice. plus sweet tea. Also grabbed a chocolate chip cookie afterwards. Really good food. Really good service. Worth the drive from Fernley! read more

Papa What You Cooking - They have the good hot sauce! - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Checked this place out tonight before a theater event. It was delicious and we will definitely be back. The staff was very friendly and helpful. We ordered the po boy, oxtail po boy, and the greens and cornbread. Both sandwiches were unbelievably delicious. They had a nice crisp richness to the bread with each bite. Really took the sandwiches up a notch. The greens were bonkers. Super tasty and extremely flavorful. Decent amount of seating inside and then out in the main area as well. Overall a great experience and we would definitely go back. read more

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Hey okay came back this evening before closing yes well I wanted the roast beef sandwhich toasted roast beef OMG DELICIOUS it was the best I mean the Best ..... This time I met the owner very nice person very humble his food was delicious this is my go to spot now my spouse loved it so much.. he ordered the breakfast bowl to go yeeesss I'm telling you I recommend this restaurant please go every time I come to Reno which is often I will be here love soul food the place was nice and clean people were friendly thanks for the good food read more

I just ate here and my taste buds were jumping with happiness. The food is incredibly tasty. We ordered the oxtail, mac and cheese, collard greens, and shrimp and grits, and every single bite was full of flavor. My favorite was the oxtail, perfectly tender, savory, and cooked just right. The service was great as well. The staff were friendly, the food came out quickly, and there was plenty of seating both inside and outside. I loved the atmosphere and will definitely be back. read more

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UPDATE! Still fabulous. Tonight we took friends. (Do that folks, it's good for them and for Papa's) Everyone loved it. Biscuits and gravy, red beans and rice, roast beef melt and sweet tea. Oh and the cookies! Don't forget the cookies. Small space for orders and seating but just through the door is communal space that's huge. The service is up close and personal, you get your order right from Papa and the friend Papa's still cooking and you shouldn't miss out. read more

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I've been wanting to stop in at Papa What You Cooking for a while now based on all the good reviews and I finally made it in for dinner recently. I will share that I think this spot is better for lunch rather than dinner based on the smaller portion sizes and lots of options for sandwiches. We ordered the chicken sandwich, fried bologna sandwich, mac and cheese, greens and 7-Up pound cake. I really liked my friend bologna sandwich and the greens and mac and cheese were great sides for the price. My husband had the chicken sandwich and he shared that it was okay, good overall but nothing too outstanding. The 7-Up pound cake was really delicious and a great way to top off our meal at the end! The person taking our order was really nice but overall service was really slow. I waited at the front of the line for ~10 minutes for my order to be taken as the staff member was busy putting together other orders. It then took ~25 for my food to come out. Overall, it was definitely worth the try and if I'm craving a fried bologna sandwich or the 7-Up pound cake then I'll be back. read more

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Papa What You Cooking did not disappoint! I ordered the shrimp and grits and collard greens. The shrimp was juicy and cooked perfectly. My friend ordered the fried bologna sandwich. We both bonded over our comfort foods while away from home that reminded us of our dad's home cooking growing up. Also found it real cool to eat at a place represented in Guy Fieri show Diners, Drive-in and Drives. read more

Papa What You Cooking - Shrimp and Grits and Greens - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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The food is delicious and definitely tastes homemade. I will be back! The location is very cool and unique too. read more

Papa What You Cooking - Baked chicken wings, greens and sweet tea. All made from scratch with love. Its so yummy! Thanks Papa!!! - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Made from scratch and very friendly. What more can you ask for. Rustic laid back atmosphere. read more

Papa What You Cooking - Logo - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Located in the basement off of River Walk, Papa What You Cooking is a delicious hole in the wall. Shrimp and grits, braised oxtail, the Sweet cornbread, Mac and cheese, dirty rice, yams, collared greens and Papa Tea are all awesome choices. Service is friendly particular props to Marcus (the son of the owner who is from New Orleans) and prices are great. 5 stars for Papa What You Cooking and two thumbs up! Thanks for a great New Orleans meal! read more

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This place was such a cute little spot in the basement downtown. The worker was really nice and he brings the food to you. We went and both got the oxtail! It was delicious and so rich! And a huge portion! I took it for lunch the next day and still didn't finish THAT! Oxtail is known to be pricey, so getting three meals out of it is a pretty good price for me! read more

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The red beans and rice here may be the best I have ever had. That is my comfort food. It feeds my soul. I think this might be the best. I worked in a family owned Cajun/Creole restaurant in college. Theirs was lovely. Been to New Orleans a few times... might have had this caliber of red beans and rice once before. That's it. And if I did, I don't remember. Wow. Wow, wow, wow. My partner had the fried bologna sandwich and he was in heaven. I must come back VERY soon. This is soul curing food. read more

Visiting Reno for Super Bowl Weekend a friend recommended this restaurant! I had the oxtails and rice and it was amazingly delicious! Flavorful, tender! Perfect! The price was vey reasonable compared to the same dish here in California on top of the amount per serving! The Mac and Cheese and yams were super delicious as well! The Cucumber Lemonade delicious tart and sweet! My only disappointment was the sweet potato pie , the filling wasn't sweet enough and the crust didn't have that buttery texture or taste! I would definitely try this restaurant again if I am in the area! read more

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I dined here for lunch as it was relatively close by and its high Yelp scores. Papa's I located in The Basement of the old post office building. How do you find it? Drive around the building until you see the loading dock. Pull in there and you will see several free 60 minute parking spaces for customers of The Basement which is an underground retail area in the bottom of the old post office. If those spaces are full then you have metered street parking around the building. Go in The Basement door on the loading dock and go downstairs and you will easily find Papa's. I ordered at the counter their baked chicken entree with 2 sides of black eye peas and mac n cheese for $13. I sat in the small dining area and the food was ready about 10 minutes later served in styrofoam containers. Let me start with the good. The black eye peas were served with meat and very flavorful. The mac n cheese was creamy and rich and delicious. Served in large containers I was very happy with both side dishes. Now the bad. The 1/4 chicken (leg and thigh) looked good but was dry. Too dry. Baked chicken is to be served juicy and mine wasn't. It was a disappointment to be honest. Papa's quality control let me down. The price was reasonable, the side dishes large and excellent tasting but the chicken should not have been served. I am giving a 3 only because I think they are better than that. Or at least I hope so. read more

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Stopped in for a quick mid day coffee! Papa What You Cooking is a great place with the sweetest back story. Definitely worth the stop if you are in the area. read more

Papa What You Cooking - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Fall of the bone oxtail stew, delicious sides, sweet tea, desserts and more! Best to order on-line as this place has a steady stream of customers. Everything is packed in to-go containers and disposable items so one can eat their order in their small eating area, right outside the establishment in larger public eating area or wherever you planned. Friendly owner is the cashier and will even bring out your order if eating inside the whole eatery area. read more

Papa What You Cooking - Oxtail on rice! A+! - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

My mom and I went insane over the desserts. We came solely for dessert! I think I purchased well over $50 worth of desserts. We had cakes, pies, cookies. I think I purchased a at least one of them everything featured. Trust, I did not whimper when my A1C told my whole life story and what I'd eaten, because I knew exactly what I did, lol...and left no crumbs. The next time we're in Reno we will stop in and try the entrees. My only complaint is there is no way to get the restaurant for a person reliant on ADA compliant accommodations (stairs and no elevator). My mom had to stay in the car, while I went to make my purchases. read more

Ordered chicken sandwich which I had before 6 months & loved but this time the bun was burnt. Chicken breast was tough. Maybe different cook? Very disappointed. read more

Papa What You Cooking - Burnt bun & tough whole chicken breast. - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Food was absolutely delicious. Came with my whole family and we loved it. The food is well seasoned. Everything is good but we especially loved the greens, cornbread, baked chicken wings, macaroni and yams. That German chocolate cake was incredible. 5 stars for Papa What You Cooking!! read more

Wow!!! This place is something!! If you haven't been here I highly suggest you go. The food is absolutely off the chain. I've been a few times and I've never been disappointed. Whether it's the fried bologna sandwich or the red beans & rice (perfect balance of savory & spicy) Or the collard greens that are cooked to perfection. Still so much I want to try like the oxtail & also the shrimp & grits that sound delicious. The desserts are out of this world. I haven't had a better German chocolate cake anywhere!! The flavor profile of the sweet potato pie is simply something special. You will not be disappointed. Really great atmosphere and the staff are super friendly and welcoming. A+++++++++++ read more

Wow, I LOVE what they did with the old post office. It's like a whole secret basement mall in there with some cool shops. I don't think I've been in there since I did my selective service thing way back in the 90s. Anyway, you have to go downstairs to find this place, it's tucked in a corner of the basement. It's cozy with only a few tables and a TV that displays pics of various plates of food. Had the fried bologna sandwich, which I haven't had since I was a teen probably. This place adds lettuce to it which gives it some nice texture. On the side was a pepperonchini, a pickle and some chips. For 10 bucks, not a bad lunch. They also had a couple other favorites of mine like hot links, biscuits and gravy, beans and rice and baked potatoes. Really friendly and quick service as well. You want food that will comfort you, this is the place. read more

I almost feel bad leaving this review because the worker was so friendly. I came on a Wednesday for lunch and ordered the baked chicken with mac & cheese and collard greens ($13). The mac & cheese and collard greens were EXCELLENT! The collard greens came with some pot liquor, and it was absolutely delicious! Portions for the sides were generous. The seasoning on the baked chicken was special, but it couldn't cover up the fact that the chicken was terribly dry. This was probably the driest chicken of my life. The thigh had me questioning if it was a chicken breast (no, it was definitely a thigh), and the drumstick had the texture of an overcooked turkey leg. Hoping it was just an off day for the chicken, but it was so dry that I am a bit scared to return. I might consider coming back to try the shrimp and grits or braised oxtails. read more

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It's a 'hidden gem' because there's no way to get to it! We followed the directions, had to circle the block 3 times trying to get into the locked parking lot. The small lot was full but the side had tons of empty spaces but the lockbar wouldn't open. There was another couple behind trying to get in too. They went in & spoke to someone who told them to drive around (again) and park in the front....where there were no spots. They also said the employee told them even employees can't get into that lot so I'm wondering what's the point? I get you wanting to avoid providing spaces for people just walking in the area but we really wanted to eat here & ended up going elsewhere. Very frustrating to see 15+ empty spots within feet of the entrance that are inaccessible. read more

The service was excellent. The food even better. The subtle music was enough but not too much. All of the staff were very nice and they did not skimp on the shrimp. Sooo good. read more

Papa What You Cooking - Even visited by Diners and Dives - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Hands down amazing!! This is truly a hidden gem- nestled inside The Basement (a former Post Office that's been turned into several small eateries, coffee shops, bars, etc). Come get your grub on! The cucumber lemonade was literally the best I've ever had. My Grandpa was from the Midwest and made Po Boys and this one reminded me of him. 10/10 read more

Papa What You Cooking - Po Boy Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Really good food and great employees. I visit every time I'm in town and it doesn't disappoint.

The oxtail with rice and gravy is probably the best I have had in a very, very long time! The oxtail meat is so tender it literally falls off the bone. The gravy is poured over rice and is very flavorful! I would absolutely recommend trying this place. Unfortunately I am passing through Reno and will not be able to try any of their other dishes, but was very very pleased with the one I got. read more

Went to lunch on a Wednesday here..saw on Yelp this was five stars, so I needed to check it out. Wild entry, you take the elevator down stairs and several businesses are down there, including this little restaurant. We ordered red beans and rice, lemon icebox mini pie and a side of cornbread. The cornbread and pie came out first and about 20 minutes later, the red beans and rice. It was worth the wait..but plan accordingly for time. We enjoyed the food outside the sitting area of the restaurant. Food was super good and fresh, cornbread was slightly sweet, you could tell homemade and the lemon pie was magnificent. I think it is a family recipe....very very good food here!!! read more

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DEAR GOD THE PIES WERE CRAFTED BY THE HANDS OF CHRIST HIMSELF. The basement is a weird dying shopping thing, but even if this restaurant was located in a valley of glass shards i would walk barefoot there. THE FOOD I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH!!! THE PIES. THE DAMN PIES. GET A PIE OR THAT WILL BE THE MOST FOOLISH THING A MAN CAN DO. I went in with my mom and boyfriend at separate times.... we intend on having 1 pie and then leaving with 5 to take and share. I had a Po Boy and Ox tail. I swear thousands of years of my past life trauma was healed. You feel the love and care with every morsel of food. It's just so good you'll cry and sit in silence in awe. I feel like that critique in ratatouille with an entire life flashback eating this food. On top of all that the service was incredibly friendly and warm. read more

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The mac and cheese was excellent--creamy, rich, and full of flavor. The red beans and rice were also very good and seasoned well. The only thing that didn't quite meet my expectations was the oxtail sandwich, which was a bit mediocre compared to the sides. Overall, I still had a good experience, and I'd definitely come back for the mac and cheese and red beans and rice. read more

Very friendly place. Prices are just right. Food is so so good! Had the oxtails, shrimp and grits and sweet potato pie. Serving size is good and hearty. Lots of baked good that are homemade and good choice of soul food. A must try!! read more