I had been meaning to try Pretty Toni's for a couple of months before my friend and I made plans to have dinner there this past Saturday night; lo and behold, the week we were set to go, Pretty Toni's gets written up in the Sunday Times! The Times gave Ton's a great review, so we were really looking forward to going. And we were not disappointed :). Service is fantastic. Pretty Toni's is family owned, I think, and it shows, because Gary, our server (who served the whole restaurant - it's that small) was so warm and effusive and accommodating. I felt taken care of, which is so rare at restaurants these days. The food is delicious - both my friend and I had the fried chicken with two sides (mashed and green beans for me, mashed and mac 'n' cheese for her), and we split a Caesar salad as an app. Amazing and fresh cornbread is delivered gratis at the beginning of the meal. Dinner was great, but Toni's shines at dessert: homemade red velvet cake for my friend Jen, and one of the most delicious slices of chocolate cake in the universe for me. I took half of it home, it was so big, and I am looking forward to it for dessert tonight. Pretty Toni's is worth every calorie. I highly recommend! read more

Went for Red velvet waffles and chicken and it was great! The Waffles were amazing and I actually wish I had more (lol). The chicken was also very tasty, I couldn finish it (half chicken). The restaurant was very small but we were the only ones there when we went. The foody was kind of pricey but the food was really good. read more

Service was great, food....not so much. The smothered chicken tasted bland and nothing like traditional soul food. Chicken was overcooked, yet the batter was under cooked. My cousin and I could taste the raw flour. The large onions atop...was a weird touch because they were so raw, they added no flavor to the under seasoned dish. I remember the rice being edible, but room temperature, but I don't remember how the sweet potatoes were. I came across the pic ok in my phone, and all I could remember was how disappointed I was with my meal. This was about 6 months ago. I would never go back, which is unfortunate because I live locally. However, my cousin was satisfied with his meal. I believe he had steak. (he did agree that my meal was no bueno) Maybe they are hit or miss. I'm glad they received some positive reviews. I wish that I could say the same. read more

The cat fish strips were excellent. Did not care for the potato salad, too chunky and under seasoned

Great spot for comfort food. Excellent corn bread, tasty BBQ shrimp appetizer, and decent sides (I was okay with the collard greens and yams, my wife went with mac & cheese and mashed potatoes--both creamy goodness that I wish I had ordered instead). As for entrees, I like my smothered chicken a little more smothered, but it was all good enough to have us wanting to go back and try the Jerk and the ribs. The service is a little slow, but it's clearly a small family place with only one person (Pretty Toni's husband) running the dining room (about 6-7 tables), and his charm more than made up for it. read more

Went here a couple of weeks ago with my Mama and Auntie. I've lived in Cambria Heights (neighboring town) for all my life and I had no idea this little gem existed. The decor was beautiful, very elegant and our server was very kind. The food was pretty good. Now my roots are Southern and I go down South every year. I **know** good soul food. And Pretty Toni's gets it right. The bbq chicken was seasoned very well as were the greens, fried chicken and salmon. The cornbread was made to perfection. The only thing that was lacking was the mac & cheese but even that wasn't bad, just a little bland. We had no room for dessert, unfortunately, but really enjoyed our time there. Yes, the meals are a little pricey but it's worth the experience. read more

Truly some of the best food I have ever eaten in my life. I'm lucky to live down the block from them literally. I rush home from work in order to pick up good to do. The general Manager Gary is such a pleasure all the time. He's polite and so warm that I love coming here. I don't get to dine in I usually take it to go and eat at home due to my busy schedule but they are just the best !!!! Red velvet waffles fried chicken and potato salad is my favorite !!!! read more

The ambience was great the food was great the service was great the drinks was great my only knock is a party of two for a brunch and you put in a service charge I feel you should let the customer decide to give you a tip or not cause I normally tip but once I seen the service charge I figured why tip so I tip the little man they had cleaning off the tables but all in all I would definitely come back here for brunch lunch or dinner read more

Some of the BEST soul food I've ever had the set up was very intimate with nice Boothe seating ... Also some of the kind servers; I didn't have to ask the waiter for anything for my table AND THE CAKES ARE also some of the best I EVER TASTED as well... I will be a return customer GREAT FOOD and an overall great experience thank you PTC read more

I love this place. Great southern food. You feel like you are sitting in someone's house dining room. The server was great. I had fried chicken and collard greens. The red velvet cake was great. read more

Very cute place not for a big party. Food is good service is good. A lil skimpy on the portions matched the place very small and pricey. Consider it a treat.. read more

Pretty Toni's Cafe - The food & service is good. Place is extra small the portions matched the place. Pricey and Odd to not have pancakes on menu - Soul Food Near Me - Valley Stream, New York

Honestly I've past this place several times and have had no desire to go in, however after years of driving straight past I ended up here of a dinner not of my own choosing. First we were given "salads" as appetizers, at least that's what it was referred to as, in actuality we received about 10 individual pieces of a spring mix along with two slices of cucumber and two cherry tomatoes. I was really surprise to see how SAD this salad was. Obviously at this point if they're skimping on greens there was worst to come. I got a drink from the extremely limited bar to prepare me for what was to come next. Catfish fried with collared greens and plantains. I will say the plantains were sweet and good however that's it. Everything else was bland. I had to cover my meal with hot sauce to make it eatable. Long store short it was a big waste of time and money the same salad and plate of food cost way too much for way too little. Then they also tried to charge me $90 for 4 drinks that were too not impressive. A half of a shot in what looked like a children's plastic water cup. The server also decided why not tack on his gratuity for serving two people drinks. Needless to say I'll never be back. What a waste of time and money. read more

Let me say that I thoroughly agree with the person who wrote about the terrible service they received both times to this place. If there was a grade below 1 star, I would grade -1. I found the food to be terribly overpriced, and how dare them add a mandatory tip to a credit card take out order? The tiny morsel, less than a 1/4 bite of corn bread is tasteless. Pretty Toni, wanna be Smokey Robinson, needs a course in people skills. He has an aggressive tone while trying to come across as a professional. I, too, was so happy to see a black owned business in the neighborhood, and was happy to patronize them. However, after two disappointing experiences, I will take my business elsewhere. To those who support this establishment, good for you, and while I wish this business nothing but the best, I'm also surprised they've lasted this long. read more

I have been delaying this review because I wanted to give them more stars because the place is so darn cute! They also offer lots of deals and Happy Hour. I drive by this establishment multiple times a week. So I finally decide to go in to try the chicken and waffles. Well I end up not having the Chicken and Waffles but a Turkey Burger instead. My partner in Crime had the chicken and waffles. Our food was to go. We waited for about 30min which I did not mind because I was expecting great home cooked food. The Turkey burger was delicious. The Calamari was lacking and slightly on the greasy side. PS, I love Calamari and believe I am an expert of taste testing it. On to the next , the chicken. Not fresh at all. It had that next day microwaved chicken appearance and taste. Total disappointment. I'm just going to stop there. Plus of the establishment the place was clean and cute. I'll give it another try for Happy Hour. More to come read more

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I would honestly give Pretty Tony's cafe a 4.75. The atmosphere is grown and classy. The music is great and not to loud. The food! Delicious!! Only thing I would mention is nutmeg in the grits. The classic sugar and grits or salt n pepper in grits. I'm more the salt n pepper type. However they were in enjoyable and I was surprised by the choice of nutmeg in grits. This is kind of pricey but you get a lot of food for your money. I would definitely recommend this location. read more

The service here is good! Food comes out on time and and people are very nice. Everything was reasonably priced and it is a nice and intimate setting. Portions were good. I do with that the drinks were a little bigger but other than that I will be visiting this place again! Great music and a soulful theme throughout. Make sure to check it out if your in area! read more

Pretty Toni's Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Valley Stream, New York

My family and I went on 8/20/17 for brunch when they first opened and loved it. Greg our server was a gracious host. My fried whiting and grits were on point. My husband had the chicken and waffles and his plate was clean! I don't recall what my young men ate, but it was all finished. A small, cozy spot with really good food. The grits. I can't say enough good things! read more

Pretty Toni's Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Valley Stream, New York

Words can literally not describe how amazing their food is. I have always wanted to eat here when I passed by it and let me tell you it did live up and exceeded the hype. The red velvet waffles and chicken were to die for. The waffles were so sweet and soft it felt like eating a cloud. The chicken was amazing and the seasoning was rich and astounding. I can't wait to order more food from here and I suggest everyone should too. read more

It was by chance today, My husband and I strolled up the street to this establishment. We made it in time for the Sunday brunch, the decor was soulful, We enjoyed the food, the jazz bellowing from the speakers made the ambiance amazing! The server was polite, attentive, and friendly. This will become a local lunch date/brunch, and dinner spot for us. 2 for 1 mimosa were a nice pairing for my fish and grits. read more

Pretty Toni's Cafe - One of the posters on the wall... - Soul Food Near Me - Valley Stream, New York

Let's start by saying just walking up to this place you feel like someone is going to pop up during the middle of your meal and be like " GOTCHA!" And I kind of wish that was the case. They have a thousand cameras in this small place. They have one when you walk in, in the 2x2 "waiting area" and about 4 cameras inside about a 10x12 space. I thought that was ridiculous and definitely did not feel welcoming. I came here with my boyfriend and we usually go to a different restaurant that serves really good soul food that's made to order but we decided to try this place out. We got a mango lemonade and mango ice tea to drink. His tea wasn't good and both of our drinks tasted nothing like mango. We ordered teriyaki wings to start and that was 2 and 1/2 pieces of the tiniest wings cut in half. There were 5 little halves of wings. It was really good but I felt ripped off. I got catfish which I thought was delicious and perfectly fried. I was craving yams and I was so disappointed. It was not good, at all. The Mac and cheese was definitely microwaved and not microwaved enough because the cheese wasn't even cheesy. It was also bland. The sweet potato fries and fried shrimp my boyfriend ordered was really good. The catfish, shrimp, and sweet potato fries were the only ones that tasted freshly made. Despite our meal, we decided to try a dessert to see if that would be a winner. We opted for the red velvet cake. It was really good but it was warmed up. The weird warmness made me feel like it was a stale cake that they just microwaved. The bill was almost $80. They charge you an 18% gratuity. We usually tip 20% or more. But charging an 18% gratuity for 2 people is kind of ridiculous. I understand if there was 10 of us but for 2? Yea no. This place wasn't worth an 18% gratuity charge on microwaved food. Overall, won't be back. read more

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Ok, so first let me start off by saying that this place is really easy to miss driving past it because it's like this little teeny tiny house that sits on the corner. At first glance of the menu I thought that the prices were a bit high for a little place in the neighborhood that it's in, but I'm a foodie and am always willing to spare no expense for quality food. I have to say that the menu options did have me wanting to try one of everything because it all looked soooooo good. Got the lamb chops, mac and cheese, and collard greens. Maaaaaaaaaan listen! When I tell you that I wanted to slap my mama (which luckily she wasn't anywhere around because I probably would have and then paid for it dearly afterwards...but I digress). I got them medium and was pleasantly surprised that they actually listened. I've even been to some high end restaurants that get it wrong, so this detail was much appreciated. The mac and cheese was cheesy and buttery without me feeling like it would give me a heart attack, which is always a plus. The greens were great as well. The majority of my diet consists of no carbs or cheese, but this meal definitely made the cheating more than worth it. I WILL be back...no question! read more

I just purchased a piece of red velvet cake and some peach cobbler .Both were pretty good. Both very tasty and fresh.

A complete let down! The restaurant is small (seats about 20 people total)...it is clean and the service was good. The food however pretty much sucked...... salon cakes as an appetizer..catfish, mac n cheese and yams for dinner.... everything was very blah, shouldve stayed home and cooked myself. my dinner date felt the same way...so not worth the money!! If they stepped things up in the kitchen this spot would be aiight, i guess. read more

This is one great soul food restaurant with great food and great service in a very quaint, cozy and subtle stylish place which reminds me of having dinner in someone's home. Gary, our server and co-owner (his wife is the cook) was well dressed, so very pleasant and professional, the way service should be. I liked the subtle decor, colors and the very cool paintings on the wall. It was quiet (the place is small), yet you do not feel like people are on top of you. The music was great, old school soul music, yet relaxing and not disturbing. Me and my date started with drinks, Sangria and Mango Champagne Daiquiri. I loved the Mango Champagne Daiquiri and the Sangria was fine, nothing to write home about, but good. For dinner, I got the blackened catfish with two sides, collard greens and rice & beans. The catfish was delicious, spicy and juicy. Greens were top notch and the rice & bean good (ask for some hot sauce to put on the rice & beans). My date got fried chicken with collard greens as well and corn on the cob. The chicken was delicious, crispy and juicy, yet not salty, which can be the case at some places. The crispy skin was so damn tasty. Corn on the cob, perfect. Gary brought us a basket of corn bread and some of the best cornbread I have had. Usually the cornbread I have gotten in the past at various places is always too dry, but at Pretty Toni's Cafe it was very moist. For dessert we both shared the Peach Cobbler, which was delicious, not overly sweet, just right. But beware, they heat the cobbler up in a microwave (don't know why), but I actually like it because it make the crust gooey and chewy and I actually liked that texture. Overall, Pretty Toni's Cafe is great place that I would go back over and over. Great food, great service and a very quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Definitely worth checking out. read more

I had the pleasure of eating at this unpretentious cafe. Let me begin by saying, it is VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY CLEAN, the service was good. The food...... hhmmm...... the food was fair, I had mash potatoes, that in my opinion tasted like instant?? the Mac N' Cheese was nothing to call home about, average I am not sure if I would return, maybe. read more

The staff is nice, place is cute and clean. However for the price of my meal the food was disappointing. The plantain looking beautifully golden brown but pretty raw inside. Mac n cheese was bland and salty. Corn bread is delicious. Catfish is yummy. Collard greens is watery and salty. Sadly disappointed. But I highly recommend the catfish. Scrum-dilly-ummscious. read more

Loved the smothered chicken. It's not a deep smother with the brown gravy and onions covered, (although I love that type of well)...it's hard to describe, but imagine a semi healthy (I'm REALLY stretching here) smothered chicken :). The chicken was juicy and the coating was just right. The onions maintained their flavor and was incredibly crunchy. I loved this dish. The owner is incredibly nice, they brought my food outside to me while I waited in my car and was able to get some thins done. I highly recommend this restaurant and look forward to the inside dining. read more

I've drove past this restaurant for years, wanting to try the food. Well yesterday I finally stopped in. I should have continued to drive past! The food is disgusting...seriously. The food is barely palatable the salmon was salty and the fried chicken tasted days old. The crab cakes were thin like pancakes, just as disgusting. The bed of lettuce that the crab cakes rested on tasted better than the crab cakes! The collar greens were spicy and bland. $63 dollars down the drain. read more

I don't know what all the hype is about. I ordered three fried chicken dinners and no one in my party was impressed. The fried chicken reminded me of the chicken you get from the chinese food take-out. You can tell it was not fresh and the sides were skimpy and bland. The place is over priced and it wasn't even crowded on a Saturday evening. Overall there are several other places I would recommend that are less pricy and far better quality food. Southern Girls and Magic Soul Food just to name a couple. The only reason why it got two stars instead of one is because I liked the decor. read more

My daughter and I came here a few years back and ordered our food for takeout. It was pretty good but the prices were expensive,especially when I can cook southern myself. I really had forgotten about this place, you will definitely miss it driving down Merrick Blvd. I'm willing to try it again... this time I will stay as a sit-down. read more

I have been salivating for their Fried Chicken over Red Velvet Waffles since I tried this dish a few months ago. The Grilled Shrimp appetizer was perfect. Hubby's Blackened Fish was wonderful with excellent collard greens. On weekends there is live music that doesn't interfere with your conversation. Service is warm and professional. Enjoy! Enjoy! read more

It's been a while since I've had some good ol soul food from pretty Toni's but I do remember it tasting AMAZIN. A little pricey though. You can easily splurge on a feast from here lol. Super friendly staff. Very welcoming. Can't wait to come back!! read more

I ordered take out. They were fast with the service. Had the fried chicken,Mac & cheese, and greens. Can you say hypertension waiting to happen. Why does the food have to be to darn salty. Does anyone in the kitchen taste the food. I guess not. I paid $18.00 for some damn salt. I'm pissed. Not ever ever ever going back. Very disappointed. read more

This is a cozy little place. The food is good, the service is great and so is the music! The whole time we sat and ate, I was jamming! I'm singing as I'm writing this review! read more

Lovely looking restaurant and friendly staff, but the food isn't good. The menu is overpriced and the macaroni and cheese was so dry. I never see any large crowds, it's always empty inside. read more

Came to this and enjoyed the catfish, Mac n cheese and collards. Nice small cozy place to have some good southern comfort food. Corn bread was excellent as well as the peach cobbler Dessert! Yum! Will be back! read more

This place was great. A friend suggested this place and I was pleasantly surprised. From the cozy ambiance to the amazing food - everything was exactly what I would expect from a well run place of business. The decor was simplistic with a few contemporary pieces. The place settings and tables had a down home southern 'grandma's house' feel with the juxtaposition of the flat screen televisions gave a bit of the old and the new. The service was great and the surroundings was that of an upscale small restaurant - not a hole in the wall dive that unfortunately is often associated with southern food restaurants. This is my new spot for Sunday brunch. Can't wait to return just to get the cornbread - divine!!! read more

I ordered the fried whiting with string beans and mac n' cheese. The food was tasty but I dont think it was worth the price. The food did taste fresh, Im not sure about the fish though. I've definitely had better. The cornbread they served was too sweet and too small. But was worth the trip was the red velvet cake. It was to die for! I would drive back out there if I was in the area to pick up a slice of the red velvet. But the atmosphere is nice. A nice date place. FYI No pork on the menu. read more

Great food good service a bit slow cause they cook food to order portions could be bigger but its all good

Drawbacks-There is a 17% mandatory gratutity on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays regardless of the size of the party which I am not sure is even legal. Slow service, even when not busy. Overpriced in my opinion for some of the food offered. On the plus size the menu has lots of choices and the host Gary is pleasant. Grilled chicken was bland as the fried chicken lacked sufficient seasoning on the day I went. Vegetarian collards fantastic and desserts tasty! Skip the ala mode, the portion is very skimpy. I had a pleasant enough experience,but will pass on a second visit. read more