This is was my first visit and I ordered shrimp & grits to go. I was immediately greeted and the lady was very nice and threw in a complimentary piece of chocolate cake. I was very impressed and will definitely come back. I truly appreciate great customer service which is rare nowadays and what sets others apart. read more

Absolute perfection! The place looks amazing and the staff are even more amazing! The food was full of flavor and provided a pleasurable experience! read more

Finally made it to this establishment. Two pieces of fried chicken along with mashed potatoes and gravy and yams. The Mashed Potatoes and Gravy were so creamy that my fork easily sliced right through them, and the gravy boosted the flavor of the dish. I really loved the fact that the yams weren't drenched in thick brown sugar syrup. It was just enough butter and brown sugar to bring out the natural taste of a yam. The main dish of course was the fried chicken. The first bit sunk my teeth into a crispy layer of skin, then the juicy meat. Each chew released the seasoning that was cooked into the thigh and leg. I will most definitely will return to try other dishes. #gratuityadded #friedchicken #chicken #foodie #food  #foodstagram #gastonia #gastonianc #clteats #gastoncounty #foodblogger #gravy #yams #foodiesofinstagram #soulfood  #foodlover #keeppounding #blackowned #gashouse #mashedpotatoes #comfortfood #falltime   #photography #photooftheday #instadaily #likeforlikes #picoftheday #yelp  #followforfollowback  #followme read more

Smith’s Soulfood Bistro - Fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and yams - Soul Food Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

recently had knee surgery and just hot my appetite back , but with no one to fix me a home cooked meal. Smith's took care of that need! Everything was delicious-chicken flavorful and juicy, mac nice and creamy, collards with a little kick; maybe a dash of hot sauce? my only regret is that I didn't add a dessert! read more

Smith’s Soulfood Bistro - 1/4 Dark Baked Fried Lunch-chicken, mac & cheese, collards - Soul Food Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

10/10 recommend! Must go! Located in Gastonia and it's a non profit organization and Ms. Cheryl is nothing but through what she is doing for these kids are amazing ! But please go try it out! You will not be disappointed! read more

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Looking for a savvy, savory, and satisfying meal then check in at Smith's Soul Food Bistro. Gastonia has a gem right in the heart of their town with not only a great set up but, a team that aims to please. The menu has classic options that are portioned with a now and later serving size. You definitely have enough to take home. The meatloaf has such a rich flavor kind of like royalty. The greens are flavorful in every bite and the Mac ..... yummy!! The chicken quesadillas are melt in your mouth good. While leaving a great meal, we had the pleasure of chatting with the owner and that was a special treat!! She has a heart of gold and passion for passing the "Legacy" on to those who come into her path. Looking forward to seeing this vision unfold for her. read more

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Service is HORRIBLE , I came and ordered 2 plates to-go and the server initially told me 35 min wait time, I wait 40 min outside and when I go back in they tell me that it's going to be an ADDITIONAL 45 Min!!!! And when I FINALLY Get my food half of it is missing!! wouldn't recommend this place to anybody with a sense of taste read more

Smith’s Soulfood Bistro - Fried Okra - Soul Food Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

My husband and I went here for the 1st time today and it was absolutely delicious!! A little bit of a wait for the food, but that just shows how fresh it's made. Worth the wait and will be coming back to try the macaroni and cheese! (They didn't have any today) read more

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I touched down at CLT airport and was craving southern food. Smith's was in the right location a and did not disappoint. My son and I both ordered shrimp and grits and they were amazing. The food was quality, grits were well-seasoned and arrived in huge portions. Definitely will revisit when I'm back in the area. read more

Let's see where I should start! This establishment has a nice interior however it's small. The waitress was friendly and welcoming. The Menu is slim, they're typically out of a lot of options even though I went early. The baked chicken was bland and dry, the yams were delicious, the cabbage bland, the Mac in cheese is def cheesy but different. The fried lemon pepper wings and fries are really good! I will give them another try! read more

I was looking for some good ol' Southern food and was recommended to check this place out. Turns out, this place was redone in December 2021 by Chef Robert Irvine and will be airing on an episode of Restaurant: Impossible next month! They have a New Orleans vibe with the jazz music playing overhead paired with the gold and black decor. The staff is nice, and the food is great. I had the Fish Sandwich with fries ($10). It came with 2 pieces of fish over bread. While the bread was delicious and the fish well fried, I felt that it needed just a little bit of sauce. I asked for tartar sauce, and once I had that, my meal was complete. I did have a couple bones in my fish, but otherwise, I enjoyed it. In particular, I loved that the fish was lightly breaded (instead of having a thick crusting) and that it was not soaking in oil. It was just right. My fries were good too, well-seasoned. I also had the opportunity to try some fried okra, yams, mac and cheese, breaded wings, and fried ribs (daily special). Out of all the sides, the yams were the best! The wings ($16) were perfectly seasoned and didn't need any sauce. The fried ribs were absolutely delicious ($16). We were also given some cornbread, which was so moist! Cornbread has been hit or miss for me; oftentimes it is too dry and flaky, but not these! My only 2 issues were the speed of service (it wasn't a busy hour but it was a bit slow, though it was nice of the owner to come out and help a couple times), and for some reason, without being made aware, we were charged for Covid. It was not a large amount, but there was no explanation for this. Still, this place is worth a try, and we can't wait to see them on TV! read more

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My visit to Smith's was impressive and warm. The atmosphere was lovely and the service was very very warm, caring and pleasant. The food was outstanding especially the fried chicken dinner with the greens. "Soul food" at its finest! Place like this, you would expect in Charlotte downtown, but it's in Gastonia and that's Great!!...for me. lol. Will be an avid client. -Gene Lavone Banks read more

My visit to this establishment was very disappointing. I had to wait 15 minutes for someone to take my order after I was told the kitchen was closed even thought they were not supposed to close for another hour and 15 minutes. I ordered the shrimp and grits which is pictured here. It has 6 shrimp and just grits. A little sausage or more shrimp would have mad the dish. The owner is lovely but the service and food need work. read more

Smith’s Soulfood Bistro - Grits after shrimp were gone - Soul Food Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

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They were out of just about everything on the menu on a early Saturday afternoon. The cook seemed to have an attitude about doing her job. Fish and chicken is cooked in the same grease and the food was sub-par. I would not recommend or return. read more

I can't review the food because after ordering two different things from the menu, I received neither. They were out of both items. However, my card was charged. The owner found me and told me that my transaction didn't go through. I thought this was odd because the card machine gave me a receipt, and I signed it. This usually doesn't happen if your card is declined. I mentioned this to the owner, and she assured me that the transaction didn't go through even when I showed it to her on my banking app. She said that the bank would return my money in a few days. That never happened. Based on these reviews, they could use the money to keep more menu items in stock. read more

I have been on a quest to find really good soulfood in North Carolina. Most places have one halfway decent item and the rest is culinary blasphemy. Well Baybee... I have found the holy grail of Soulfood and it's located in Gastonia. Smith's Soulfood Bistro checked ALL of my boxes! The customer service - impeccable. The seasoning - perfection. The food overall - GuudGawd! I've had my share of watered down runny mac n cheese or yams so sweet that it's surprising the customers don't go into instant diabetic shock. This is NOT the case at Smith's. The food was AMAZING!!!!! The fish was seasoned to perfection. The taste and consistency of the mac n cheese was on point. Their greens and yams were great. And kudos to Keith for the cornbread . I'm pretty sure somebody's Big Mama or Auntie is throwing down in that kitchen. And I'm absolutely sure I'll be back! Often! read more

I heard wonderful things about the owner's mission and wanted to give this place a try. After trying three times to dine here and being turned away because they were closed, even though the doors were open and I was visiting during the hours posted on the door, I gave up. And I didn't arrive ten minutes before they closed. Well within the posted hours. read more

After you leave here, both your stomach and soul will be filled with happiness. The food was incredible! We had the Philly cheesesteak and fries, fried chicken thighs with cabbage, and fried fish with okra and mac n cheese. "Best fried chicken I ever had," was what my friend said. The cheesesteak was juicy but didn't get the bread wet and had a crust of cheese from the flattop. Cheryl is an amazing person and the kids she employs are hardworking and very respectful. Everyone we spoke with were friendly and helpful. It is obvious they are a tight knit group and you can feel the love as soon as you walk in the door. During our meal the kids introduced themselves to everyone and by doing so made us feel much more invested. I came knowing Cheryl's story, but listening to the kids in person brought me in that much more. I'm not sure if I've ever cried at a restaurant as an adult, but I can tell you now that I have. It's impossible (yes, pun intended here, Mr. Robert Irvine) to not be touched by the giving spirit and love you find inside this restaurant. I came from San Diego on a mission to seek out Cheryl and Smith's Soulfood. They not only gave me a full tummy, they gave me a gentle hug to my soul. read more

True definition of "shrinkflation" Super small portions for price of food. Food bland and not great. I will not be returning.

My husband and I decided to try the food, because we seen it on Restaurant Impossible season 20 EPISODE 1. And we absolutely love their food.. I would recommend them to anyone. Everyone was so polite and friendly. Thanks for the great service. read more

We had a great experience yesterday on our Third Tuesday Luncheon (Friends of Friends). We had reservations for 10. Unfortunately, our entire group didn't attend. I must say the staff was attentive from the moment we walked in the door. Our table for 10 was set up for us and the staff was excellent. We were allowed a tour of the venue as well. I would HIGHLY recommend this place. The food was delicious. Ms. Cheryl was so very nice to us. We all most had different meals, but there wasn't one of us that didn't enjoy our food or the experience. Keep up the great work for your community. read more

Alright Gastonia, I see you. Out here with some down home southern comfort food. When most people think of southern food, they imagine a lot of fried food. They're not wrong, however, there is fried food, and then there is fried food done right. I ordered the daily special, which for today, happened to be the fried ribs, something I've never had before. I'm used to ribs slathered in some type of sauce, so I was skeptical of this take on the southern classic. These ribs were so perfectly seasoned you wouldn't dream of asking the waiter for sauce; it was so tasty! Even the sides were hitting the right targets. I didn't feel like I was eating in someone's restaurant, but rather the kitchen of someone's sweet grandmother whose been cooking for the family her whole life. Grandma's Mac and cheese? Yes please. Definitely get the yams as a side and you will not be disappointed. The staff was wonderful as well. They definitely put the "family" in family owned restaurant. From the outside, you may not give this place a second thought as you drive by, but I urge you to drop in. The inside received a recent facelift and was beautifully done. Not to mention it's all against the musical backdrop of some smooth jazz. All in all, it was a great experience. I'm not sure what the COVID charge was all about, but for just 42 cents, I can let that one slide. read more

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This was my 2nd time visiting. The restaurant is very beautiful. The first time I went it was ok. This time we did a takeout. It was raining so I didn't want to go to Charlotte in that traffic. We placed our order. My man tells me a lady came back & wanted her money back for this nasty food. I'm trying to talk him through it & show him what the reviews says. Big mistake. When we got home everything was horrible. The food was old, refried and recooked again. That's what it tasted like. Like we don't realize it from the taste. I'm so disappointed that you serve that mess to your people. We really wanted chicken box. However the next day I took him to Londa's Place & they didn't disappointed us. Please do better & serve your customer's the best. I won't never come back there. read more

Once we saw they were getting a makeover and a refresh we decided to try again. They took our number for some reopening party the next day and said they'd call with info. They didn't. We tried again and they were closed for personal reasons. A couple weeks later we tried but they were closed again during normal business hours. Finally we got an order in and it was all the same drama as before. Low budget sides, low budget service. ALSO. If you're a business, you need to answer the phone like it. Don't make customers feel like they're calling your cell phone, it's tacky. "Hello, thank you for calling Smiths Soul Food, what can we get you to eat?" Keep it simple if you can't knock it out of the park on your own. Businesses like this make it easy to go to a chain instead. read more

Delicious food! Shrimp and grits are a must try. Atmosphere is great. Fried chicken is wonderful!

My first visit here wasn't a good experience, the customer service was horrible! However, I decided to give them another try today. Bad mistake! I ordered baked chicken and the chicken was literally rotten (taste and smell). I called to inform them of this and all I got was attitude and the woman had the nerve to tell me that I'm just tasting garlic! REALLY! Since when does garlic make chicken taste and smell rotten? Additionally, the food is overpriced! I will NEVER give this business my money again! I know they were on Restaurant Impossible, now they need to be on Kitchen Nightmares! Maybe Gordon Ramsay can help! read more

Went there today for the first time, such a disappointment! The server seemed to not really know the menu, or how to be friendly or welcoming the menu doesn't really scream soul food and food seemed devoid of any soul. My wife ordered the sampler platter with two meats and two veggies(bang bang shrimp, bourbon chicken wings, fried okra and fried squash).The fried shrimp had no flavor, the breading was rubbery and gummy as was the shrimp itself we had to request the bang bang sauce twice which tasted like yum yum sauce from the grocery store with some sriracha mixed in. The bourbon wing sauce was a few steps above inedible the fried okra was ok which also seems like it was dumped from a bag in the freezer into a fryer. Cant comment on the fried squash it never came after the waitress said it was on the way at least twice. I ordered the Bacon Cheddar meatloaf which came with mashed potatoes and collards with a mushroom gravy. The potatoes, collards and gravy were actually very good, the meatloaf was pretty dense and dry and it i hadn't read it on the menu would never have know there was bacon or cheddar in it. My sons kids meal which was the bang bang shrimp was equally disappointing as the shrimp from the sampler. Maybe we caught them on an off day read more

Delicious food and great service! My husband had shrimp and grits which he loved eating while at the restaurant and also, the portion size was large enough to have seconds to take home. I had the meatloaf, greens and macaroni and cheese - all perfection. It actually was the best meatloaf I've ever eaten. For dessert, we split peach cobbler and got a to go serving of Red Velvet Cake. Highly recommended! Oh, and the iced tea was obviously freshly brewed and sweetened just enough. The option to sit outside at one of the covered tables was nice since it was a shaded area open to the breeze. Two other standouts were our professional and personable server Ms. Mya and then, the privilege of meeting Ms. Cheryl Littlejohn who is an amazing person. Truly, from start to finish - a wonderful experience. read more

Oh yeah, this is a repeat. Staff very pleasant, and hospitable. Owner very proud(as she should be)of the progress, of both properties.

So I attempted to have lunch here, and it wasn't very inviting, the lady at the register did not welcome anybody who walked in the building. She just sat there. When I asked which menu was the right menu because there are multiple menus laying on the table, she said yes that's the menu. It would've been nice to have some type of clarification. In the lunch and dinner section it clearly states that you can get shrimp and grits +2 sides and your choice of bread. Well for $12 I figured that's worth it I'm gonna go ahead and do that, and then I was told that I don't get two sides with the shrimp and grits even though it is clearly listed under that section. That seems to be the only one that doesn't. So I figure whatever, I'll still get the shrimp and grits and just add the two sides, so I asked how much the sides were. I was told anywhere from three dollars to four dollars. So now there's no specific price on the sides, so I'm looking at possibly spending $20 on a plate of food that I saw people carrying that look like something I got from my grandmothers house. And the bread looks like one of those rolls I picked up from a big bag at Walmart. Why am I going to spend anywhere from $20-$25 on a meal and not be in a restaurant chain that gives you portions. So personally I don't know what the food taste like it could be amazing. But the service was bad enough and then I just walked out. read more

If I could give ZERO stars I would! The Soul should be taking out their name. Food was TERRIBLE and tasteless!! Baked chicken even my 2 yr old tasted and pushed the plate away. We ordered collards, Mac and cheese and potato salad since they stated they were out of both yams and mashed potatoes. All had ABSOLUTELY no favor and being we waited over 2 hrs for our food to arrive (not fault of the restaurant) me and my husband were starving. Needless to say we will NEVER order food from here again. My mom even looked at the food and said that good looks terrible without even tasting it. They really should be SHUT down or have some new cooks hired that know quality soulfood and even the basics to seasoning!! If you are thinking of ordering, I'm warning you PLEASE DON'T! And this is coming from someone who rarely writes reviews but I was so mad and disappointed and needed to warn others. read more

This food taste just like your grandmother's cooked it with love thanks for the taking me back to a happy place through my tastebuds!

Visited 3:30 July 26,2023. I order fried pork chops , cabbage, mac and cheese. The pork was dry. It was as if it was refried. The sides were great. She said her sides was great. She has 5 chicken wings they were dry . As if it was refried. The food is very pricey. I wouldn't visit it again. We were pass through Gastonia. Googled soul food and decided to try it. read more

Amazing food and service the owner is amazing and is doing wonderful things for the Gastonia community

This place was amazing. Staff, food, and story that was shared with us. Couldn't have found a better restaurant in this area. And thank you for helping your community. The veterans and the kids. Humanity at its finest. read more

It was ok I had to ribs green beans and Mac but it was bbq on everything so I didn't get a real taste of anything and the green beans where a little salty but it was a ok meal read more

10/10 service and 10/10 food. Couldn't recommend this place enough! Plus the staff was all super friendly.

I went to this location on a Sunday and no one came up to seat us or tell us that we can sit anywhere. I picked up a menu to order but no one came. We waited 15 mins for someone to come up to speak to us so we ended up leaving because no one greeted us. I tried calling the restaurant several times before I left but no answer. They wasn't busy. About 2 weeks later I called again to see if they serve to the public. I didn't know if Sundays was a private dining because again no one came to seat us. I got someone on the phone finally. When I called I asked do you serve to the public? A guy answered and his response (quote on quote), "it is a restaurant ". I was like wow. The guy was very rude. I will never get to visit this restaurant because the response I got to my question was unprofessional. There is so many restaurants in Gastonia. They would not be missed. read more

Great music if you're an old-school kind of person. I ordered fried ribs, mac & cheese, fried okra and yams. I forced myself to eat half of the mac & cheese and most of my okra. But it was nasty. The very young waitress was sweet but was unsure of everything. I asked for the manager and older lady came I told her I did not enjoy my food at all. The cost was $25 so she told me that she would take off half and when she came back to get my ticket she told me it will be $19 which is definitely not half and said that it was because of the tea. I told her I did not drink the tea it was sitting right there she said I was supposed to have told her that and I said no the waitress was supposed to have taken it off of my ticket and she said no only I can take it off of a ticket meaning herself and then proceeded to say OK it's fine she'll give me three more dollars back which still is not half. mind you although I didn't even eat nowhere near half of my food of course I couldn't take it with me since she had discounted it which I didn't make a fuss about because I know people act like they don't like it just to take it with them and eat it later. But nevertheless my expectations were way too high for this place. Oh and this is not to mention that my best friend ordered pork chop, potato salad, greens and mac & cheese and her plate was completely full except she did enjoy her pork chop. But on the flipside I will say to the manager I appreciate her being professional and handling it well even though I still didn't get my other like 3 1/2 dollars but read more

Smith’s Soulfood Bistro - Fried ribs, diet mac & cheese if there's a such thing, yams that my grandmama did NOT make and okra that - Soul Food Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

Very DISORGANIZED, do NOT go with a large party. My family and I went to celebrate my gma's birthday at 3pm; it's now 5:26 I'm pregnant and still have not eating my food came out 20 mins ago and I refused to eat it because my Mac and cheese came out looking like soup in comparisons to everyone else's which was a casserole. The chicken was small and unseasoned and the green beans looked like they came straight from can. I stopped at the 7/11 down the road and their chicken was tasted better. Food not worth the prices listed at all. Over half of the party were finished eating though we ordered around the same time. When addressing our concerns with the manager or owner instead of an apology we received excuses about how they had just had a party of 30 and only 1 cook. When we called to see if they could accommodate a group of 20 we should have just been told no; 1 cook is unacceptable and should have been communicated prior to ordering so waiting could be our decision. Also, cross contamination of allergens should be listed on the menu. My brother is highly allergic to fish and ordered the chicken tenders. They came out smelling like fish and luckily his son caught it before he could eat it. After voicing our concerns another couple came in order and received their food 15 mins before we did after we had already waited 2 hours and the manager/or owner sat and dined with them while we sat waiting. Business ownership is something that needs to be studied before jumping into it and I truly hope the restaurant learns from today or they will not survive. Also, all waitresses need to be retrained; every question we asked our waitress was a I don't know rather than either being knowledgeable or saying I'm not sure but I can find out. Customer service needs work; even when the product is mediocre customer service can be redeemable and here we had NEITHER read more