I heard great things about this restaurant's soul food. My family ordered several items, collectively we had pork chops, chitterlings, fried chicken, rice, yams, potato salad, black eyed peas, squash, Mac n cheese, string beans, stewed tomatoes, fried corn bread, cornbread, monkey bread and sweet potato pie. Everyone enjoyed their food and the prices are reasonably. read more

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The staff was very professional a d helpful. The food was delicious and I will be returning

Great home cooked tasty food that you don't get at fast food restaurants . You know it's great when you get close to the restaurant as sweet smells fill the air read more

Food was amazing down there took my brother plate from him. Service was magnificent and the atmosphere it was to die for for real.

I wanted to try some place different this Sunday so I went to Soul Food Express. Ver customer friendly and I received generous portions. Would recommend. read more

Believe it or not, Ive been reviewing for 20 years and this is review # 1 million!! I review Urban delicates to Fine Dining. I drove from Fleming Island to West Jacksonville to review. Soul Food Express. In 20 years, I've only given 10 five stars. Let's make it 11. My first five-star in 2024. Let's get into it. Fried chicken that melts in your mouth with a firm hard crunch on the exterior that has a juicy interior that melts, actually melts in your mouth. I got a ton of food so I called over back up. My 3 best friends have joined me in this review. Next up, Fried pork chop, Wow! It was fried perfectly. Just the right amount of seasoning and the perfect temperature. Bravo! Next up, we feasted on a plate of Chitterlings, mac and cheese, and green beans. Taste like Grandma is locked in the back kitchen and won't leave. It was incredibly good. You are also given a choice of three breads, an awesome corn muffin, which I honestly don't know how it's prepared. It tastes like a baked muffin yet somehow deep-fried. So good! You can go for the cornbread or the bread pudding bread. The cornbread "bread pudding" bread is not anything I ever tried and it's phenomenal. From the photos, you also see a drink. It is their signature drink, its a glass of sunshine and a rainbow of fruit flavors. The large cup filled four of those glasses. This place was the true surprise of my year. Thank you to my fans who told me to try it. I'm also humbled by the loving people who had fabulous patience with me explaining every item. I felt a sort of community, hard to explain. It's the same with the food, what makes soul food different from southern food. You can taste the love, the community. read more

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Small Business Spotlight Oh Mylanta, I am gonna sleep so good tonight after the lunch & leftovers for dinner I ate from Soul Food Express today! This local hidden gem has been in business for more than 20 years and has eluded me somehow, but has been on my radar for over a year, and for some reason, our path hadn't lined up until today! I found myself craving some Smothered Pork Chops while visiting Springfield and right then, I knew it was meant to be and the wait was over. The the outside, you have no idea what to expect and that's just what I want from a Soul Food Kitchen and that is exactly what you get.....A Big Kitchen that you walk into with a small counter with 2 stools on the right end side and you order from the Hot Bar in the middle picking your protein/ meat which is usually on top of white or yellow rice, and your choice of two sides & bread options, all for only $15 As I said, I wanted my Chops and I got them along with yellow rice, collard greens, and creamy cheesy Mac n Cheese since it was my first time visiting, I was treated to some Fry Bread Muffin, a slice of Cornbread & a slice of bread pudding To Drink they have some sodas and water in the fridge, but they also have homemade Sweet Tea and Pink Lemonade, but if you're local, apparently you mix them and make it a suicide drink and I'm here to tell it.... IT IS MY NEW FAVORITE THING!! If You Enjoyed Soul Food or Would Like to Experience some good Southern Eats without any gimmicks or fancy plates, head over to the Northside of Jacksonville to Soul Food Express and You Can Thank Me Later 1227 E 21st Street Jacksonville Florida #SmallBusinessSpotlight #LocalsFeedingLocals #SupportSmallBusiness #eatlocal #supportlocal #BigRichSentMe #FoodBlogger read more

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I found this place on Yelp. I got liver white rice mac & cheese and collard greens.my husband got neck bones rice yams and peas with okra. The food was delicious. It reminds me of my grandmas cooking. The portions were large and hot. The staff was very friendly. It is not a sit down place. I can't wait to go back! I highly recommend Soul Food Express if you want home cooking. read more

Soul Food Express - Liver gravy white rice mac & cheese collard greens cornbread - Soul Food Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Went for dinner had the chitterlings Mac and cheese and collard greens .. the food was tasteless the chitterlings tasted boiled with ZERO seasoning my BF had the ribs he said they were tasteless as well he said they just tasted like meat .. the worse 49.00 I've spent in a long time I'll never go back there read more

Soul Food Express - Chitterlings and rice - Soul Food Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Best soul food restaurant in the state of Florida 32209 the way that the food is in the area is awesome and thank God for the best price for the the and the service is great read more

This place was a bit out of the way for me but overall we really liked the food. The staff is busy putting together a catering order but they are quick to give service. The food was really tasty. I will say it was a bit awkward when I walked in to order but I think once you know, you just know how to order. Overall, I walked out with pounds and pounds of food. The only thing I didn't like was my brownie and cake. But who comes here for dessert? I came for the real food. The Mac and cheese was a reminder cafeteria style food but it was very yummy! You can also get bread pudding squares and ask for extra for a really inexpensive price. I definitely recommend trying this place out :-) read more

Soul Food Express - Fried pork chops, potatoes salad was put on the side :-) - Soul Food Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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OMG, the food is like no other Soul Food restaurant around first you are so welcomed with much respect when you walk in the door. The service is tremendous and if you get lucky, you may meet the owner which he is fabulous very friendly as for the food is top of the chart and the chitlins are to die for collard greens are smacking good staff or always courteous clean well mannered I go nowhere else for my Soul Food I have yet to try the potato salad, but your house bread is banging read more

Called and asked if I could place an order rude lady who answered the phone said you can come in and hung up. BF went in to pick up food around 530 got home by 540 food was ice cold! No seasoning what so ever! Canned green beans with no seasoning and no meat for flavor. Mac and cheese was cheesy with no seasoning. No salt on anything. Gravy was bland. I'm so disappointed with this. read more

I enjoy the delicious food and great customer service I like the fact that they are open Thursdays!! My favorite day is Sundays menu Smothered liver and onions Pork roast etc I cant wait till Thursday they are on vacation Oh and I always TIP THEY DESERVE IT!! Phyllis read more

Went here in recommendation of a coworker, not sure if I'd go back only reason why, there was nothing that stood out to me to make me WANT to go back. The portion sizes were good and with the money. I got baked chicken (2 pcs) on yellow rice with gravy, Mac and cheese, collard greens. It also comes with cornbread and bread pudding. The baked chicken was moist and flavorful. But that was the only part of the meal that I really enjoyed. All of that for $11. Everything is ready made and they make your plate infront of you. It was quick and easy. Lots of parking and friendly staff. read more

Soul Food Express - Soul Food Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Only place I've eaten chitterlings from 20 years of avoiding it because I've never trusted anyone to clean them properly . And the sides were excellent and plentiful ! Service was fast and friendly ! read more

Always good hot and fresh good customer service Great vibe ChitterlingsSmothered Pork Chops read more

If you have southern roots, fam from small towns and you appreciate simple, southern food like what you would get from mama (pronounced Mah-Mah) you have to stop at this gem. I have had food like this since 2006. Every quadrant of the US has establishments that profess soul food. There is nothing NOTHING like hole N that wall southern soul food joints. I will be coming thru again. Wish the establishment the best during a time where alot of small businesses are struggling. My meal: BBQ pig feet, cheesy Mac n cheese; string beans and a brownie. I ate the meal before I thought to take pics. read more

Soul Food! Chicken, Ribs, Chitterlings, Neckbones, Oxtails, Collard Greens, Macaroni and Cheese, Potato Salad, Lima Beans, Cracklin Fried Cornbread. These are some of the options offered on Thursday-Sunday.Great news they open by 11am. Try for yourself you won't be disappointed. read more

the fried pork chops were fried too hard , and were tough to chew, the yellow rice smelled spoiled, i didn't even bother to taste it, because of the smell, best part of the meal was the candied yams, this was my first and last time going, restaurant was recommended, highly disappointed, unsatisfied customer read more

I moved to Jacksonville in 2006. When I come to a new place, one thing I look for is a good soul food/comfort food restaurant. At that time I lived on the Southside of Jacksonville. I went to a couple different places, most were meh. Then I found Soul Food Express. When looking for the location you can't miss it. It's a big blue building on the corner of E 21st St & Plateau St. Now this style of restaurant is mostly meant for take out. They have a little counter top that sits like 5-7 people. I honestly have not had a bad experience here. The food is usually on display behind a case in food warmers. Usually what you see is what is available, but they are nice enough to go it on the fly if that's what you really want. It is an open kitchen, so you see the big pots and pants and fryer. Things as a chef, I like to see. When family comes into town, this is one of the places I take them to. They are a fan of this place, hands down!! I haven't eaten any other soul food in Jacksonville, b/c this is my place, and I shall not cheat on my place. Now I only eat here maybe 3-5 times a year. I treat it like a gift to myself. It's something that when I get, I put on a good movie, lock all doors and windows, cut off my phone and put on my sweatpants. My favorite protein to order is the Smothered Pork Chops. You don't need a knife, the pork is soft & tender. The gravy, smothers it oh so well. Good seasoning, flavor is off the charts good. I usually pair the collard greens and macaroni & cheese with my pork chops. Collard greens are really good. Macaroni & Cheese is real good to. It is definitely the baked in the oven style, which I prefer. But you can't go wrong with the rest. Black Eyed Peas, Cabbage, Fried Chicken and the candied yams. They also have white & yellow rice that comes with your meal. I usually go with the white rice. But both are good. Also with your meal comes either a jalapeno like cornbread or bread pudding. The bread pudding sneaky good. For awhile I always picked the cornbread b/c hey it is cornbread! But, one time I picked the bread pudding and damn I have never gone back. I even get an extra couple of sides of it with my order. I can't really explain it, just go ahead and try it. The desserts are good too. They usually have Sweet Potato and other southern desserts favorites when it comes to cakes & pies. With all the construction happening on Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy at times it is hard to get to. But now that they have taken down all the trees, you can see the big blue building when traveling North on MLK Pkwy. Once the construction is done they should get more business. read more

Serious soul food. It's family operated and has been in business for the last 13 years so that should tell you something. The owner told me that he's been in the business for 20 years. The atmosphere is very divey, but has that homey feel to it. They cook everything in these big pots and you can see it right on the other side of the counter. Their mac and cheese is to die for and by that, if you ate it on a frequent basis would kill you. But it is most delicious and cheesy and gooey and all of that. For the mac and cheese alone, this place is worth going. I got to sample their turkey wings which were really good but I didn't like them that much. Their bbq chicken fell right off the bone and the sauce was the perfect consistency. Their candied yams were the best I've ever had. The okra and tomatoes, also the best I've ever had. This is just plain good southern food. The bread pudding was delicious. If I lived anywhere near close to hear, I'd die of a heart attack in 10 years. And I mean that quite literally. It's worth the drive into this neck of town to grab a bite here. read more

Soul Food Express - Omg everything is delicious!! - Soul Food Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Definitely a hidden gem in Jacksonville! I had the oxtail with the yellow rice it was amazing! The owner Al Collins greeted us as he let 10 people in. He let me sample the juice and oxtail he could not have been nicer. The sides were plentiful and delicious . We had the authentic Mac n cheese, collard greens, field peas, and Lima beans. My favorites were Mac n cheese and Lima beans my significant other's favorites were Mac n cheese and the collard greens. It's strictly take out. Will we go back? Absolutely without a doubt! read more

Soul Food Express offers a full array of items that are tasty to the palet. You can enjoy tasty fried chicken, smothered pork chops, Salisbury steak, oxtails, chitterlings and an array of freshly prepared side dishes. The gentleman working the food line was outgoing and obviously proud of his food. The restaurant sits on a corner and you would never know it's a restaurant if you did not see the sign. It looks like an old house from the outside. Inside it has a few seats at the counter to sit and eat (way to hotttttt inside, either no air conditioner or it wasn't working). The food was just OK. If you have a craving for soul food and don't want to travel to far or cook yourself, this place will do. read more

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So love this place. The food is always great and the staff is always pleasant and don't forget to try the deserts, especially the brownies.... read more

This food is like Sunday dinner 7 days a week. Hella portions could not eat it all. Simply down home food and you get what u pay for.

Food was great, even after I warmed my leftovers. I see why that have a line. Finger licking good. It was my first time here. I'll definitely be back soon. Crazy part is I don't eat a lot of soul food. But it has been on my mind now. read more

Today I wanted some good home cooked food I had to to eat something filling cuz I was going to work out today.. so I came over to get the soul food from this restaurant and I had ox tails over yellow rice...collard greens and lima beans... The girl name Skye that waited on me was so hospitable and very sweet...I really felt welcome... She asked me was it my first time I said yes...she gave me sample of all the breads with my dinner...the food was Amazing....seasoned perfectly.... I'm so glad I drove over to eat here today while I'm visiting Jacksonville... I will come back here next time I come here ....now they are ONLY OPEN FRIDAY SATURDAY and Sunday.... So if you want some good soul food this is your GO TO PLACE... read more

Soul Food Express - Ox tails with Yellow rice ...lima beans and collard greens....so so so good - Soul Food Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I've eaten here a number of times over the years so this is not a 1 shot deal. They are among the best soul food spots in town. The 4 star rating is combined for (facility-3, service-4.5, location-3.5, price -3, and food quality-4). The food "home-cooked" authentic soul food. I received consistent quality service each time. I particularly like their smothered pork chops but have had a number of different dishes over the years. Pay attention to the prices though as there is different costs depending upon your entree selection (I got caught with this 1 time and overpaid). Definitely Recommended read more

Soul Food Express is the real deal. It's open Friday thru Sunday at 11am. until late. Mostly a take out place but we dined in at the bar/counter. The owner & staff were very friendly. They gave us samples of some items since it was our first time. This old school soul food restaurant serves up southern staples like fried chicken, baked chicken with white or yellow rice & gravy and candied yams, Between the two of us we had Fried chicken, Mac n cheese, field peas, baby lima beans, rice n gravy. . Everything was fresh & tasty. Our dinners were $9. And of course, a side of fresh home-made corn bread on the side. For dessert we split the banana pudding, and pound cake, which were both seriously good. They also had candied yams, greens, cabbage , peas/okra/corn, green beans, potato salad, squash,etc. Meats: Baked chicken, pork chops,( ribs $11), turkey wings, salisbury steak, neck bones, beef stew deserts: strawberry cake, lemon cake, brownies plus many more. Very family friendly as well, not fancy, just good. An experience! If you're in the Jacksonville area and crave some good soul food this is THE place. read more

Nice place to get some real soul food. I've eaten at a few places around town and they are simply one of the best but they're only open Fri, Sat, & Sun so you can only enjoy their food on the weekend. They really make you feel at home when you come in and laugh and joke with you while you wait. I had the fried Porkchop dinner for $11 it came with 2 porkchops,white rice & gravey and 2 sides that was enough food for 2 meals because they are not shy on the servings. I'll definitely return to try a Porkchop Sandwich or the Sweet & Tangy Wings. read more

I catered some bread pudding from this establishment. I called and ordered over the phone and then came and picked it up. It was very busy inside. This place is no frills and does a lot of catering and I would consider ordering from them again in the future. The bread pudding was a not-too-sweet kind that was thin and was more like a bread/corn bread type side versus a dessert bread pudding which they did explain to me before I ordered. I appreciated them being able to accommodate me on such short notice--I picked up food 25 minutes after calling. read more

Food was bad. They were out of turkey wings. The turkey tips were horrible. The sides had no taste, green beans had no taste. The rice had no taste. The mac and cheese was ok. Waste of money $30 for 2 dinners that were horrible. The best thing was my root beer.I will not go back. read more

Really good soul food! I knew it was going to be good when I walked in to pick up my order! It was my first time trying! I got the turkey wings/Mac and cheese/ dressing! Customer service is excellent. read more

Stopped by this place for the first time and the owner was so nice. When he realized it was my first time he threw in the house bread which I just thought was white. I had the ribs they were all off the bone tender and well seasoned. I got 3 large ribs, rice, green beans and mac and cheese and some lemon cake ( I got a problem in that I love lemon cake) for $16. The food was awesome not too salty and the right amount of flavor. I live on the southside and for some the neighborhood can seem a bit sketchy . No offense to anyone but you betta get on up in there and get you some of that food and go early cause the line is long. Which just means you get to meet some of the folks in the neighborhood. read more

Me & my friend was treated like family when we came here !!! & the food was DELICIOUS . we will be back again for the mac&cheese

that food was so good, the servers were really sweet too. They only thing is everytime we went they were out of the cake i wanted :(

Came here for the first time and will deff be coming back! Food was amazing and the service was great. They hooked up our plates and were so welcoming and kind. Excellent food and service read more

This is by far the best soulfood place in Jacksonville! The variety of foods available will have you in soulfood heaven. I highly recommend the baked chicken, collard greens and mac n cheese. Omg!!!! The food literally melts in your mouth. Hearty and Flavorful read more

Visited this establishment a week ago. Everything looked good but I was disappointed in the lack of flavour in the items purchased.... Just tasted "bland". The yams had the best flavour and we're very good. The greens seemed under cooked and had no flavour. The chitterlings were bland and too watery. read more