My family stumbled across this wonderful place for a evening of jazz and a delightful dessert treat. There was a wonderful atmosphere, music and food. We were so impressed we returned a couple of days later for brunch. The best thing about the experience was the owners. They both were warm, personable and went around to welcome each visitor personally. I highly recommend giving the place a try. anyone in the area. read more

This place is not much at first glance but the service is exceptional they are very friendly and welcoming. I was very hungry so my eyes were bigger then my stomach when I ordered. I had the shrimp and grits, two piece chicken with okra, and catfish. I had a taste of it all and didn't want to stop cause everything I ordered was delicious. Whenever I'm in the area again I will be stopping by. read more

Horrible. The mac and cheese was obviously old and microwaved. The mashed potatoes were obviously from a box and the butter on top was fake (like movie theater fake). Finally the fried chicken had no flavor what so ever. I would not recommend this place at all, I wanted to like it so bad. read more

What i grew up on was soul food in Southeast Arkansas. This place is the closest food I have found since living in Florida. Best Collards I have had since my Granny passed read more

This was the second time I have been back to Shantell's after the move to the new location. The last visit was at the grand opening of the new location and because it was a combination Birthday Party/Grand opening, I chose not to post a review because grand opening day is ALWAYS a disaster in my experience and theirs was no different. If I was to have written a review for the experience that night it would have been a ZERO stars because the service was horrible, the food was not what we remembered and not very good but because it was their first day open and it was also Shantell's birthday, I let her know quietly there were issues and to just call me on Monday because she ended up getting engaged and I did not want to rain on her parade. Today I was in the area with my friend that just moved here from Georgia and though by now all of the issues were worked out... I could not have been more wrong. The service was slow but not as bad as the last time but a far cry from our first visit. I ordered unsweetened tea and my friend ordered sweet tea. She gave us the wrong glasses. We placed our orders and I ordered the chicken and waffles with a side of greens and Mac n Cheese. My friend ordered the Jerk Shrimp and rice. He wanted to try the Jamaican Beef Patties but but was told they were out. A while later our server came out to inform me that they were out of Mac N Cheese as well. Our food finally came out and after taking a photo we dug in. First up were the greens. They tasted as I remembered them the first time but the portion was considerably smaller than my first trip. My friend liked them but I still prefer a more savory version of greens but they were good. Next up is the chicken. It was nicely cooked but lacking in seasoning. There was a leg, a wing and a thigh sitting on top of Belgian waffle. The waffle was not as light and fluffy this trip but it had a good flavor. Last up was my friends jerk shrimp and there was a lot more kick to it than the last time I tried it. There was a lot of heat but unfortunately the flavor was missing the mark. The rice was cooked properly but it was bland. To sum it all up... For a waffle, a wing, a leg and a thigh I was charged $14. For a small dish of greens I was charged and additional $4. I do not know how to say this but that was NOT $18 worth of food. I can go to Publix and buy a whole rotisserie chicken for for under $10. The first trip I was given a breast, a thigh and a leg for the same price. The side of greens was half the size of what I was served the first time for the same price. To be honest, I just don't feel like I was getting my money's worth this trip and the only thing that tasted the same was the greens. Everything else was not the same. A lot has changed since the move and I have to be honest... It is NOT for the better. After the last two trips, I just do not see myself returning for another meal. read more

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The food was generally good, but came out of the kitchen very very very very slowly. The fried green tomatoes would have been excellent had green tomatoes been used. Substituting reg tomatoes left the dish soggy. Sadly we will not be returning. Nor can I recommend you waste your time here. Same or Better food can be found elsewhere, and you'll still have most of your evening for other activities read more

Seriously disappointing experience tonight at Shantell's. The food was ok, but it took over an hour to get to our table. Dinner for our party of five arrived in increments. One order of chicken & waffles (very good) came out with an order of jerk shrimp (almost inedible), followed 10 min later by an order of fish & chips (meh) and a veggie plate (disappointing). Then our appetizers (pretty good collard greens and pretty bad fried green tomatoes) arrived halfway through dinner. Finally, my order of chicken and waffles came out after everyone else was done eating. Service was spotty - silverware arrived after the food started to arrive, drinks didn't get timely refilled, it took forever to get the check, and no one offered dessert. After the crappy service, no one even tried to make it right. We won't go back. read more

This place is really cute and it has sort of a NOLA vibe to to it. We came for lunch on Saturday and there was only 2 other parties so we were greeted and seated right away. I ordered the 2 piece tilapia meal with a side of mac and cheese. My husband ordered the 2 piece chicken meal (specifically a wing and breast) with a side of greens. My two large pieces of fish had a nice light coating and was cooked perfectly golden brown. The tartar sauce was sorta generic however. The substantial side of Mac and cheese was creamy and delicious. There was a spice not usually associated with Mac and cheese (I think oregano), but it was a nice change from the usual. I sampled my husband's greens and they were awesome! Slightly sweet with a nice red pepper kick. They were not over cooked mush, but had a nice bite. My husband, who is a self proclaimed expert of fried chicken scored it an 8 out of 10 (that's saying something). Only after seeing another patrons order of chicken and waffles was he disappointed. I think I saw a tear forming in the corner of his eye when he realized what he had passed up on! The chicken and waffles looked amazing. Looks like we will have to return soon! Oh, and our bill came to under 20 bucks. read more

I really tried to like this place but I just can't see myself coming back anytime soon. The place is mediocre at best and so overpriced it hurts. I hate to say it because the staff was very friendly, but I left feeling very unsatisfied with my meal. I ordered the jerk chicken salad and asked if I could add shrimp in it too and the waitress said there would be a $2 upcharge which is understandable. The food took quite awhile to come out, at least 30 minutes, but the place was completely empty. My friend and I were literally the only ones in the entire restaurant so I was a bit confused. After our food finally came out, my order was wrong. Instead of a jerk chicken and shrimp salad, it was jerk chicken and shrimp over white rice. At that point I was really hungry and didn't want to wait another 30 minutes for the correct order so I just ended up eating it. First of all, the dish is supposed to come with yellow/dirty rice which probably would've made it taste a little bit better. It was just so bland in taste. It was a lot of rice, not enough meat/veggies and very overpriced. There were no sides included or anything. I couldn't believe I was paying $15 for this dish. Overall, I would not recommend Shantell's Cafe. I felt like I could get a better priced and satisfying meal at Bahama Breeze :( read more

Just grabbed some Catfish, black-eyed peas and cole slaw. Absolutely awesome, especially the peas over rice. The fish was perfect and tasty. Highly recommended and we will be back. Took it down to the marina and enjoyed the scenery. read more

I've been trying to find a place that sold the fabled "Chicken and Waffles" dish for years. Stumbled across Shantell's from a flattering review in the Orlando Sentinel and they didn't disappoint. My meal there (as well as the wonderful service) made me a happy man and it kind of reminded me of my experience at the famous Sylvia's in Harlem 20 years ago when she would walk around and individually meet all the guests. Shantell's will be a Central Florida institution in no time at all. read more

Chicken and waffle is making my mouth water just thinking about it. Some real home cooking.

We have had Shantells chicken in the past and it was five stars. This time it tasted good but the two dinners (to go) that we ordered were supposed to each contain a breast (and didn't) and the chicken was chopped into very small odd pieces, almost couldn't figure out what we were eating. My daughter was here from Chicago and was looking forward to this meal. So sorry it was a disappointment! read more

Needs a late night menu. We were told everything on the menu was available and then they came back more than once saying they couldn't make what we ordered. I understand it's late but if your open and want a positive name then provide quality communication and service. I'm assuming Shantell wasn't around to control things. Like my friend Big Sean said, you win some, you lose some.....you lost some. read more

We came here hoping for some great soul food. My husband ordered the Jerk shrimp and rice and I ordered the fried chicken dinner. His meal was dry and he sent it back to the kitchen. He then ordered the fried chicken because that was edible. I had the macaroni and cheese as my side--it was dry but at least had a good taste to it. They did comp my husband's meal but it was a disappointment. read more

We came with big appetites to try as many of the dishes as possible. We've heard great things, but even with recommendations, I was unprepared for the level of magnificence of the chicken and waffles. I've never tasted a more delicious waffle, never. I think it's made with just butter, love, and pixie dust - I have no idea how it tastes so good, just trust me and eat it. The other highlight for me was the Mackabella, a portobello mushroom cap topped with spicy Mac & cheese. But EVERYTHING was delicious. Here are notes on the other stuff we tried: The speciality burger: HUGE! Wish I'd taken a pic of this giant monster my son ordered. Comes with sautéed mushrooms, bacon, cheese, lettuce and tomato. They offered grilled peppers too but he declined. Accompanied by a small mountain of tasty fries. Jerk Shrimp & Rice: I was too stuffed to eat more than a bite, but it had great flavor and enough heat. Yummy veggies in the rice too. Fried Green Tomatoes: hot & fresh right out of the fryer. Nice thin & crispy batter, good flavor. Onion Rings: onions were sliced thick, which is a must for me. These were very tasty but couldn't compete with the more flavorful & unique dishes. Mac & cheese: it was very good, but after the Mackabella, it left me wanting more. My daughter loved it though. Fish & Chips: my mom and brother said it was good. I trust them but my mouth was full of chicken and waffles. Jamaican Beef Patties: these were, surprisingly, my 8yo's favorite. I didn't have more than a bite but she's picky, so that's high marks. Collard Greens: my mom wasn't sharing. Again, that's a very strong recommendation. She specifically loved that they weren't canned and had great flavor. Service was personable and cheerful, with a definite aim to please. The atmosphere is fantastic- so much character! We loved Shantell's and we will be back! read more

Great food and Great service. Queen was super and we loved the Chicken and Waffles. It was awesome to eat outside and people watch. The kids also enjoyed their food too. Highly recommend!! We will be back! read more

Shantell's Just Until - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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Shantell's Soul Food is located in downtown Sanford, in the middle of some crazy road construction until the end of July. I'm looking forward to beautiful brick streets and expanded sidewalk seating with the completion of the downtown road improvements. I enjoyed a lunch in and brought food home for the hubby on this visit. He enjoyed the fried chicken and especially the collard greens, which he said had a kick. He liked my leftover fried green tomatoes, too. I enjoyed the FGT a lot, no greasy, a nice portion size and great flavor in the coating. I also enjoyed the Shrimp Po Boy, which was very filling. Shrimp were fried perfectly and a nice size. I enjoyed the sauce on there, as well. If you are looking for Chicken & Waffles, look no further. I saw them arrive at the next table and they looked amazing. The diners were still tucked into their sizable lunches when I left. Service at Shantell's was super friendly, my server checked back often and made some nice suggestions. She put in my take out order so it was finished just as I was ready to leave, thanks! I'll be back to try out some fried oysters, next time. read more

I brought my wife to Shantell's after hanging at the brewery beside it. It has moved across the street from its prior location. They now have plenty of outside seating and it was the right day to do it. I ordered chicken and waffles, and my wife ordered 5 wings, and fried fish, with collards and onion rings. After a very long wait they brought my chicken and waffles, then my wife's wings. The fish came last, without the sides. We ate and I went to request the check. The server took off $8 for not getting the greens and onion rings. I didn't have to ask. The food was good, but it was slow. read more

Shantell's Just Until - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sanford, Florida

This is the best place to eat downtown!! Not only the best food but also the best employees!! Extremely nice and attentive! Ya gotta try the fish and the chicken!! read more

All around, great service. And the food is amazing!! Every bite feels like I'm back at my grandmother's house.

The staff was extremely friendly (a little slow at times though) I ordered oysters and they were out, so I settled for jerk chicken salad. It was great, except the chicken was slightly over cooked. My cousin had buffalo wings and raved over them. The atmosphere of the restaurant was amazing, I loved the details and decor. Next time I'll try the chicken and waffles! read more

Shantell's Just Until - Inside - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sanford, Florida

From the looks of recent reviews, a lot of people seem to be down on Shantell's but I had a GREAT experience. The wait staff was extremely pleasant and hospitable, and the fried chicken, waffles, and okra were great. Everything was crunchy, just the way I like it! I will, however, agree that the wait times are long (we went from hungry to borderline hangry by the time we got our entrees) and it is a tad pricey, depending on what you get. The fried chicken lunch platter is priced pretty fairly at $7 (two pieces of fried chicken and an overflowing bowl of okra) but the chicken and waffles is a little steep at $14, even if it is tasty. Still, I would 100% recommend Shantell's to anyone looking for the best fried chicken in the Central Florida area. Bonus points for Shantell giving hugs to everyone when they leave (!) and being open late. I can't wait to go back for Sunday brunch. read more

Shantell's Just Until - Fried chicken and waffle platter - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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I want to start the review by saying the quality of food is great. I enjoy the food from this restaurant however I've been experiencing inconveniences lately everytime I order from here. This morning I placed a order for me and my boyfriend and we placed the order 30 mins in advance because we were in a rush. When we got to the restaurant we were told that it would be another 5-10 min wait. Which we didn't mind although we were in a rush. After waiting 5-10 mins we were told it would be another 5-10 mins then another 5mins after that. We we're pretty annoyed being that we placed the order in advance plus we were blindsided on the wait because we would've never ordered from the restaurant if the wait would be more than 30mins to receive the food. To end the review we will not be ordering food from shantells no more moving forward because this isn't the first inconvenience but it's definitely the last, needless to say they have great food but terrible customer service after waiting 35 mins+ we were not even offered anything complimentary for the inconvenience. read more

Very good food. I ordered fried chicken,collard greens, yams,yellow rice and cornbread. It was a delicious meal and very reasonable.

The people there are friendly over the phone, which was our first interaction with them. If they don't know the answer to your question, they'll find out for you. The pricing is reasonable and I'll get to why in a minute. We did take out from 25 minutes away so we headed up there and this place is in the coolest little area. Not a far walk to Lake Monroe and they have indoor and outdoor seating. The place is nicely appointed and clean. And the entire is staff is GREAT. Helpful and professional. When we finally got our order, I could smell it though my mask. That ride home felt like the longest ride I'd bee on in a long time. Imagine being cooped up in a car with all that flavor. When we finally got to eat - the bargain was all ours. From the patty to the jerk wings to the cakes - EVERYTHING tasted outstanding. They say you can taste the love in the food and there's no doubt in my mind that is true. They cook like they love it and it comes out in every bite. I CANNOT WAIT to get up there again and dine in! If you live within commuting distance of this restaurant and manage not to give it a try, you're doing yourself a huge disservice. Thank you, Shantell's!!! read more

The most Delicious Fried Green Tomatoes, Catfish, Fried Chicken! Miriam gave us the Best service. We even got to meet Shantell!!! We will be back! read more

The only reason we're leaving 2 stars is because the chicken from the chicken and waffle was really good. But the overall experience was disappointing... we arrived at about 10:50 placed our order at about 11:00am and didn't receive our food till 11:50. My food was cold and my grits didn't have much flavor, my partner ordered hot sauce and it took over 5 minutes just to get hot sauce. And after finishing we asked for our check and that took another 5 minutes and we gave our card right away and several minutes later we get our card back with no receipt. So I ended up having to walk inside the restaurant to ask for a copy of our receipt. There were about 4-5 tables and every table waited a ridiculous amount of time to get their food. We were there for a total of an hour and 45 minutes. Just for chicken and waffles and shrimp and grits. If they hustled a little more, and had a little sense of urgency, they experience and this review would be a whole other story. read more

Amazing fried chicken! Hot and juicy on the inside, crispy and tasty on the outside. I have never had a bad meal. Yes it does take time...but everything is made fresh to order. The beef patties are some of the best I've ever had. Flaky crust and a spicy but not overly spicy hot seasoned beef on the inside. Shantell and her family always makes us feel like family. The red velvet cake is to die for!!! If you are in downtown Sanford, stop by for a bite. You will not be dissappointed. read more

Sanford has a new gem. Lets make sure it stays that way. The chicken and waffle is one of the best in the east coast. The atmospere is chic. I recommend this place for lunch or dinner. Did I mention Miss Shantell personally cooked my chicken and jerk shrimp..... read more

Shantell's Just Until - The front door of Shantell's. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sanford, Florida

Had brunch here on a Saturday. It was almost empty except for one other table. The place was clean and nicely decorated. Our waitress was a young girl that seemed very shy but pleasant. Ordered the chicken and waffles. They were both cooked to perfection! The serving size could feed two people. The chicken was extra crispy and waffles really large and cooked through. I will definitely recommend. I would like to add that this is not a fast food restaurant, it is a REAL food restaurant and it takes awhile to get your food and it's worth the wait. Don't come here if you want to take less than an hour from sitting down to getting your check. Do come here if you want some good home cooked style food and enjoy your meal without feeling rushed. read more

Delicious all you can eat fish on Sundays for $9.99! A.C. their chef will make it grilled or fried. I had my first helping done on the grill, tilapia done jerk style with grilled onions; wow it was so tasty! Second helping was fried, also very good! Then last but not least my third helping was the grilled lemon pepper with grilled onions; again very tasty and well prepared! I wish my stomach could hold more because I didn't want to stop eating! Ha ha read more

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Environment was nice, jazz music was soothing. However, our server was not delivering exceptional service. No smile, no interest of evening being there. We ordered sweet teas, she visited our table twice, no drinks. I wouldn't really complain about that, but since my boyfriend's throat was a little dry and started coughing, he required something to drink. She total forgot. We waited for quite a while for our food. But I mean it's to be expected. However, there were somethings displeasing with our meal. The sides were cold, they told us they were waiting for the yams, and those came out cold as well. The jerk shrimp was NOT what I was expecting at all. Jerk lover's, I don't recommend. This was our first time dining at this establishment, and sadly it will be the last. read more

This place has some of the best chicken and waffles ever. The atmosphere is excellent and the owner cooks the food. The inside architecture is gorgeous. read more

Shantell's Just Until - Chicken and waffles! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Sanford, Florida

The place is super cute inside but the dining area was filthy. There were ants crawling all over my bench seat (which I realized when I felt a tickle - gross), and in several spots when I got nosy around the dining area and idk if it used to be a hair place but there was dirt and hair on the seats and floor like no one had cleaned in a loooooong time. We received two totally different menus which didn't have the same options or many options at all. The food is pricey for what it is, but we ended up quickly cancelling our order out of concern for the dirty dining room and ants so I can't grade the food. Our server was nice and I felt bad for the kid but wasn't about to risk food poisoning and frankly got tired of being a playground for sugar ants. Hate to drop a one star but can't give it more than that. read more

Finally got to the new location and the atmosphere is just as positive and fun as ever. The food is somehow even better than before.

Before I start this review, I just want to say that this was just my expirence, and it's not the same for everyone. First, the food took FOREVER to get. And all I ordered was chicken tenders and fries. They gave me WARM lemonade, like what? Obviously a costumer would want cold lemonade. They did not offer ketchup in the beginning, and the food came with no salt. read more

First timers to Shantell! Excellent service, one of the family members made suggestions for lunch. Very large portions, delicious food, plus the red velvet cake for dessert was "heavenly ." A good value for the portion sizes. read more

My wife and I stopped in for breakfast several months ago and were the only customers in the establishment. After ordering our food and coffee..it all arrived about 20 minutes later. The food was OK. When asked by the waitress if we needed anything else, my wife said "just a warm-up on the coffee" The young waitress picked up our coffee cups, took them back to the kitchen and returned them a few minutes later warmed up but with the same amount of coffee as before. Half empty but hot!! My wife and I had a good chuckle. read more

I took my family there for Sunday morning breakfast. There was a nice gentleman outside waving down cars to encourage them to come in. He recommended the biscuits and sausage gravy, said it was the best in town. We went in, seated ourselves. Waiting perhaps 10 minutes or more til a waitress finally showed up. We ordered 3 drinks. That took another 10 minutes whereupon she took our orders. 2 "small breakfasts" and 1 SOS (biscuits, sausage gravy with egg). About 30 minutes later (no, I'm not kidding) 2 of the 3 breakfasts came out. The two small breakfasts. The server who brought them, sat them down and walked away. Another 10 minutes passed and finally someone noticed I didn't have a breakfast. The waitress never did come back. It was the gentleman who was outside that noticed. Finally got my SOS but no egg. The biscuits were good but the sausage gravy, sad to say, was cold. I mentioned the egg was missing. Another 15 minutes pass. No egg. Finally another lady came out, apologized, brought me 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon and a waffle. The eggs were burnt on the bottom. But I ate them. Now comes the check. Somehow, we got charged for 2 large breakfasts and a waffle breakfast. At this point, my patient was thin so we paid and left. Sorry, don't recommend the place. Service was poor. Food was "mediocre" at best and poorly served. Which is a shame because the lunch and dinner menu parts looked good. read more