Such a lovely spot. Staff (including chef) are so welcoming! I had a couple chicken wings (because of course) and the black and bleu salad. Chicken was so tasty and the salad was huge and delicious. It's a great restaurant and I can't wait to return. read more

Soul Prime - Black and bleu salad - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had been wanting to try this place so stopped in on a Tuesday around 130pm. Parking there is a garage mid block and we did spot hero for 10 dollars otherwise street parking. Not sure what time they open but it wasn't crowded just the 2 of us and another table of 2 ppl. The atmosphere was cozy and warm. The menu was decent in option despite they were out of a few options we wanted to try. We decided to sample A few things to share. We tried the collard green dip, chicken and catfish combo and the firecracker shrimp. My fav was the shrimp which was about 7-8 nice size shrimp and they were flavorful. The chicken and fish was good also and i enjoyed the tartar sauce that came with it. The collard dip was just okay to me not to flavorful . overall i was good and ill be back to try more options read more

First you should always expect a bit of a wait when you order fried chicken. No one wants to eat fried chicken that's been sitting under a heat lamp. That said the restaurant was welcoming and the employees were all super nice and accommodating. Shout out to the collard greens. Best I've ever had. The chicken was incredibly moist and crunchy. Exactly how great fried chicken should be. Also the sweet drizzle and the hot sauce were both spot on and not too much heat if you're worried. I have to mention Unique, maybe the manager? She stopped by every table and chatted with everyone including us. She is truly an asset to their staff. We will be back soon. read more

The reservation required a ten dollar deposit per person all the food came with corn on the cob the appetizers are all over priced. They also give you one check per table read more

Outstanding food, service, and atmosphere!! The vibe here is like home!! The homemade sauces, spices, and chef creations are superb!!! Karen was the absolute best server!!! She did a FABULOUS job!! Her attentiveness to detail, food and drink knowledge and friendliness made the experience THE BEST EVER!!! I recommend Soul Prime ten thousand times!! The absolute BEST black-owned restaurant I have ever visited. Executive Chef and Owner is an amazing Black woman!! Keep doing a fantastic job!! read more

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Food was excellent. Flavorful. Easily could have shared our entrees. We both took half home. Catfish & grits was yummy. Great sauce. Short rib bowl was tasty but maybe a little too many ingredients. Would have preferred without the eggs. Service charge of 20%. My friend paid the bill and didn't think that was an automatic tip. She left more. I think it is an added tip. Pay attention! read more

This restaurant was amazing. It is a small intimate restaurant with great music. The atmosphere is peaceful and comfortable. I ordered the short ribs and grits. The flavor of the short ribs was outstanding. The homemade spinach dip was so incredible that I could not stop eating it. The waitstaff were hospitable and had pleasant attitudes. read more

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Unfortunately my family and I did not get to eat here but did experience their customer service. Their yelp page states they open at 11am so because it's cold and raining my husband dropped my 3 year old daughter and I off in front of the restaurant to secure seating while he and my 2 year old son got parking. We were able to walk into the restaurant and were immediately told to leave and that they don't open until 12. They also shouted out to lock the doors behind us. I informed them that their page was incorrect in their hours and was still ushered out. I would have appreciated if they'd allow us to stand inside vs waiting in the cold and rain while they locked the doors behind us and asked us to return when they open. Due to this we won't be back. read more

FOOD: let me tell you something. This has to be the best soul food I have had in such a long time. My husband and I was literally laid out on the floor because the food was so freaking delicious. It is our norm when we visit new restaurants, we order pretty much everything on the menu and we then we shared and we share our thoughts and opinions about food and let me tell you this. We was mad when the experience was over with. SERVICE: the service was pretty normal. Our waiter was attentive, and was able to answer all of our questions. Ambiance: the restaurant is small, so if you come with a big group, there may be concerns about adequate seating available for you, but if you keep it down to a table of four it's easy seating. read more

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My family and I celebrated my granddaughter's birthday at this restaurant. The experience was great from making reservations to arrival. Great service and great food! I also enjoyed the music variety. It was nice hearing songs from various generations. It was worth the hour drive. You will need to find a park (it's the north side). I look forward to visiting again soon! read more

Nice location on Halstead with a well light and nice dining room. Sat at the bar and service was friendly and professional. Ordered the Catfish Dinner with a side of Red Beans and Rice. Dishes I learned to love while working in the Gulf Coast during COVID-19. Really authentic and perfectly cooked catfish with a nice hot sauce. Red Beans and Rice were cooked well but was a little flat on flavor. Definitely will try again. read more

Soul Prime - Fried Catfish Dinner with Red Beans and Rice - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A 45-Minute Wait, No Apology, and a Missing Meal I'm writing this so you never have to leave a restaurant wondering if you were treated differently because of who you are. So you never have to sit with your friends after dinner, trying to figure out why you were ignored, dismissed, and disrespected all night. That's the conversation I had after eating at Soul Prime. And I wouldn't wish it on anyone. We had a 7:15 reservation. We arrived early, checked in, and then waited. For 45 minutes. A party of 12 was seated ahead of us while we stood there with no apology, no water, and no acknowledgment from the host, the manager, or even the owner, who was standing nearby. At 8:00 PM, we finally got a table, but it didn't get better. Other tables had cloth napkins. We got paper. It took 10 more minutes to order drinks. When our food arrived, one person's meal never came. No one noticed. No one checked on us. We shared our food because that was the only option. When we told the manager at the end of the meal, they said they were horrified. But as soon as we said we were ready to leave, the missing plate suddenly appeared from the kitchen. The bill was the final insult. After everything--the wait, the poor service, the missing food, and the complete lack of care--we asked for an adjustment. The manager agreed, then disappeared. When the bill arrived, it was completely unadjusted. I had to go back to the host stand and stand there while the manager ignored me again. I waited while the staff around them nudged them to acknowledge me. Only after I reminded them that they had already said they would adjust it did they finally do something. When the "adjusted" bill came, it was a 12% industry discount--the same discount any restaurant worker would get. On a $380 bill, that kind of discount doesn't reflect what we experienced. And the manager acted pissed that I even asked about it, as if I was wrong for expecting them to honor what they had already said. There are too many good restaurants in Lincoln Park to waste your time here. Other places own their mistakes. Other places care. I don't want a gift card. I don't want a fake apology. The only thing that would show real accountability is a full refund, and I don't expect to see that. What I do expect is for the owner or management to get on here and argue about our experience. So, I'm telling you now. Make your best choice. Be informed. And if you ever have an experience like this, you're not alone. read more

Below are my honest reviews of this place: The Good: -The food was very delicious. I had the Soul Prime Breakfast and the potatoes were the star of the show! The bacon was sliced THICK and cooked to perfection. I also ordered a waffle and extra eggs (not pictured). To wash it down, I chose the Peach Lemonade, which was also good. -My girlfriend ordered the Chicken & Waffles and my Mother ordered the Short Rib Bowl. They both enjoyed them very much. The Suggested Improvements: -BEWARE OF WEEKEND VISITS. I had a reservation for 1PM, on a Sunday, and we didn't receive our food until 3PM!!! The restaurant is currently adjusting to newly earned population from TikTok. Also, they're learning how to accommodate reservations + walk-ins. WEEKDAYS ARE RECOMMENDED In close, I believe the restaurant is a rising star that simply has some kinks to work out. I will definitely be going back, a few months from now. read more

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Please note, I am writing this in the Lyft while going some place else to eat. Also, another warning, if you decide to make a reservation this establishment charges a $10pp fee which does NOT go towards your purchase. I've been to other establishments that have the same type of mandate but at the very least they put the deposit towards your food, again NOT HERE. So beware! Okay y'all, so I'm from out of town and expected so much more given what soul food goes for where I'm from. I knew when they told me they didn't have any soft drinks outside of Diet Coke, this visit was about to be a disaster and it went nothing but downhill from there. In the restaurant itself 50% bar and bar seating, 30% kitchen and bathroom, 20% dining room. This places "taxes" for everything. No sides are offered with the LIMITED entrees available. All mains are $20+ and all sides are $11. A 8oz can soda; which again was not available cost $3. They said they were waiting for a shipment coming the next day. For all that, honestly they could've ran to a market to stock up. All that was available in terms of a soft drink was Diet Coke. The other nonalcoholic drink options were at least $7 and all cocktails were $17. For me personally, I can't stomach paying $50+ for two thin pieces of catfish and two sides. Most soul food places I've visited in and out of town at least come with a meat or fish and two sides. It's not about the money, it's about the principle. My friend did order the $30 fried green tomatoes which she enjoyed, but they were a little too acidic for me, it was heavy on the vinegar. They are also heavy handed with the parsley on all dishes. So if that's not your thing, be sure to tell them no parsley. I so wanted to at least like if not love this place, but didn't. We even went out of our way to visit. I will say the owner and host were very kind. Cheers to a great time. read more

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Great food, Service was excellent the Ambience was amazing the vibe was great and nice music. My birthday dinner was wonderful read more

Soul Prime - Red Beans and Rice - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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10/10 experience... from the service to the cleanliness. Please don't go here rushing and demanding because this is a black owned establishment and they take their time and care in delivering you an experience. Act accordingly, nothing that great is rushed. The staff that greets you is polite and profession from the phone to in person. The atmosphere is quaint, elegant and CLEAN. When I say the food is intentionally prepared and tasty. Yes. The service was awesome from the busboy to the chef awesome. I'm in love with my partner and cried at the table because this experience was amazing and top tier, really added to what we already have going, actually elevated it. Karen was awesome, awesome, awesome. She was knowledgeable about the menu and gave relevant recommendations based on our tastes. Excellent experience. read more

Oh babyy this place made me feel some typa way. We got wine - perhaps not Soul Prime's vibe - and it came in those short thic clanky glasses :( read more

Soul Prime - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great dinner for three friends. We celebrated a birthday and teacher appreciation week (which they gave a discount for). Service was attentive and warm. Karen was so sweet and eager to help us have a beautiful dinner. Food was delicious! Catfish didn't disappoint, but the collard green dip was the star! I loved the ambiance. Everyone was having a good time and the bar was full of patrons having drinks, snacks and sharing stories. I look forward to coming again. read more

Soul Prime - Sexy seed! - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We just had my wife's 50th birthday here. Fantastic experience. The food and atmosphere were amazing. We can't recommend this place enough.

Not a single complaint! The service was excellent, the food came out quickly, and the atmosphere was great. The music added to the experience, and everything we tried was delicious--from the strawberry and mango lemonades to the cornbread and mac and cheese. Very satisfied and hoping they open another location in the DMV! read more

Soul Prime - dining area - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food was delicious, so carefully and lovingly prepared. The cocktails were great too and the bartender was so kind. I loved the feel of the place and back to the food because the seafood fried rice was incredible. The crab fried green tomatoes were delicious and everything was well-seasoned. read more

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I had heard so many good things about Soul Prime that I really wanted to like this food. The ambience was nice and the Customer Service were stellar. We were there during Chicago Black restaurant week. The drinks were really good. The food was seasoned well, but we had several entrées that were good but so salty that we couldn't eat them. (Short rib tacos, fried chicken, fried pork chops and collard greens) read more

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Mmhm I enjoyed every bite of food here! When I went with a girlfriend we were 1 of 3 parties so it wasn't busy but I will say there was still a slight wait on the food. It turned out okay though after realizing it was tasty. Their sangria is also reallyyyy goood! The restaurant itself is cute and gives a home feel to it. read more

Soul Prime - Chicken & Fish - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've eaten here 3 times, and every single time it's wonderful. First thing: the ENERGY. Everyone is so kind, excited to be here, and taking their time to talk and joke around with you and other members of the staff. From the moment you're greeted, you won't be able to stop smiling. Their energy is contagious. Second thing: the FOOD. Oh my gosh. I dream about the catfish and grits. Do you know how hard it is to find grits like this in the midwest??? I will order it every single time. I love that it doesn't include pork, which so many grits do. It is a perfect dish. I also love the collard green dip and the buffalo shrimp. Delicious. Third thing: the DRINKS. You cannot go wrong with literally any of the cocktails. They are so tasty, and they do not skimp on the alcohol. They are also really pretty, which with the other 2 factors, they don't even need to be! This is just a fun bonus to sip on a pretty drink. It feels like such a treat. The only downside is that I'm always too full to get dessert, but I guess that's on me. My favorite experience here has been sitting at the bar. The bartenders we've had have been so fun to chat with, and being able to hear the people in the kitchen joking/singing/etc is such a fun energy. read more

Looked like a young kids spot but the food was good. We never got our drinks so they finally comped us, and gave them to us. I did see them put Tito's in one of our drinks that was supposed to be Grey Goose but since they comped it I didn't complain. But the food was really, really good! read more

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3.5. For reasons--read on. Corn bread and mac and cheese are the bomb. Chef is super friendly and welcoming. Place is spotless. The menu items (chicken, chicken, catfish, and a chef's special) generally work. The fried chicken, for example, was mostly well executed although the pieces of chicken chosen were a bit scrawny and that chicken leg may have been just a titch undercooked. . But. Mains are modestly sized. You'll need a side dish. Menu itself is quite focused. Shorter menus are not a bad thing, but be prepared for fewer choices. Also, prices are above-average. Almost too much moolah for what you get. Especially given the type of food the kitchen specializes in--its weird (but understandable) when soul food is expensive. I get it, but bring money. Also--two of the tables in the modestly-sized dining room are too too close to the bathrooms. Instead of installing a curtain or a door or some other kind of barrier to overcome the challenges posed by this geography the maître d'hôtel decides to fill these tables first?!?! Not cool. read more

My daughter and I came here the day after Thanksgiving craving the goodness and warmth that we experienced the last time we came to Soul Prime, and our expectations were EXCEEDED!!! I wish I had the name of our server, because she was phenomenal! She made us immediately feel like we were family and at home. We ordered WAY more than we could actually eat because the menu is simply irresistible!! I ordered the fried green tomatoes to start, which were absolutely delicious! They are elevated and served with crab meat on top (I unfortunately don't eat crab but if you like crab meat, you must try this combination I am sure!) For the main course I ordered the catfish, my daughter ordered the best baked chicken in the world - and with that name...you know that is setting the bar high! When I tell you that chicken did not disappoint at all - the chicken falls off the bone, served in all the delicious juices and with mashed potatoes to give you all the feels and all the yummies! My catfish serving was abundant and cooked perfectly, well seasoned and delicious as well! Wr also ordered the salmon caesar salad and the mac and cheese to share. We literally just made "mmm!" noises and gestures the entire time and with each fork full of all of the goodness that was on our table! Chef Royce is THE BEST and came by to say hello to each table! She is just a joy, pure love and light and I am so happy to see a beautiful Black owned restaurant, with top tier bartenders, servers and wait staff serving up fantastic soul food in Lincoln Park! If you have not been to Soul Prime, make your way there!! You will be happy you did!! The entire experience is amazing- I didn't even talk about the music playlist! There were several moments when you'd hear the entire restaurant respond with joy to a song! It feels like home, community, and family at Soul Prime. They are a beautiful establishment and huge gift to the Chicago restaurant scene!! This is a "Prime" example of what makes our city great! read more

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Soul Prime is the perfect spot - the portions will make sure you leave full, but the flavor of every single thing on the menu is delectable. The chef and the staff are so friendly, and the ambiance of the restaurant as a whole is very modern and fresh. We will definitely be back and I highly recommend the collar green dip and the backyard BBQ. read more

On the last day of black restaurant week I decided to try Soul Prime. A restaurant I've heard about from a number of people, so after getting my nails done I decided to stop somewhere for lunch, like a usually do and today I thought Soul Prime would be the perfect spot. Heard good things about them, in the area of my nail tech, last day of black restaurant week. All great reasons to go. I head there, find a parking spot on the street, it's Sunday so no need to feed the meters, it's looking good! I walk in and see the bar area had plenty seating, like over 8 available seats, perfect! Just the spot I wanna park my buns and eat some yummy brunch food and indulge in a nice tasty adult brunch beverage. I walk up to the hostess desk and a young man asked me if I had a reservation so I say no and tell him I just want to sit here at the bar, I do not want to sit in the main dining/seating area. I was almost sure he was gonna say "ok, go right ahead", but no he started to tell me how they are completely booked, asked me if it was just me, which I told him yes, and another young man, caucasian guy, who appear to maybe be the shift manager/supervisor told him it was Ok to seat me at the bar. I thought that was a little odd, but what I'm starting to see more now is certain restaurants I've visited and I will say they were all black owned establishments have this weird policy where even their bar is only reservations or for some reason they include their bar seating in their reservation pool, which is silly. Keep bar seating as what it has always been, open seating on a first come first serve basis for walk ins, which is an essential part of business too. Stop including these spots as a required reservation location in your establishment! Everyone does not plan a restaurant visit and may just last minute decide to stop somewhere and this is what a bar is for. While I was there a gentleman walked in without a reservation and he was completely turned away, again a single customer by himself. I heard him tell the hostess he had even valet parked across the street, so this was a very big inconvenience for him. I would have been pissed if I paid $20 to valet park and was turned away when I physically see over 8 available open seats at the bar and after he left those seats stayed empty until I left. They need to keep a number of seats open for walk ins. Ok, now that's out the way. I take my seat at the bar. The guy who told the hostess it was Ok for me to sit at the bar gives me a menu. On Sundays they have an exclusive brunch menu and you cannot order off their everyday main menu. I decide to order the peach mimosa and the chicken and waffles. Church music was playing in the background when I arrived, which was around 11:15pm, but around 11:45pm they switched the music to R&B. I appreciate good grown music so I appreciated both genres. My mimosa arrive and it was good, it's on the brunch menu for $14 and I see their other cocktails were more pricier, in the $17-$20 ballpark. My food arrive and first thing I notice is the wings are huge. I'm not a big fan of large chicken wings because of the steroids that's used to make them that big but what can you do when you order chicken wings out. The waffles look good, presentation was nice. I dig in and the flavor was there. They give you sauces on the side, which one of them that tastes a little spicy was really good. Overall the chicken and waffles dish was good. Chicken was crispy with good flavor, but honestly if you're black and have people from the south chances are you've had good chicken cooked by someone in your family during your life, so the chicken was good, not the best I've ever had, but definitely would be put in the good chicken category. The waffle was flavorful, fluffy and moist. Bill came to $48.00, which automatically included gratuity too, and is another gripe I have and again I only have experienced this with black owned restaurant establishments. I don't want to believe customers of these establishments just don't tip so you have to make them. I don't like forced gratuity, let me decide what I want to tip. I may not want to tip 20% - I might want to give more or less. I also don't want to raise issue with management to remove it. Overall experience was Ok. Service was Ok, restaurant waiters/workers did not speak or did not appear friendly to the people sitting at the bar, Food was Ok, the peach mimosas is what I will remember the most about this experience. Will I be back to try more dishes? Maybe, but I probably will not go out of my way to get back. read more

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This restaurant is my favorite place about Lincoln Park. It is AMAZING. Servers are kind, and the vibe is overall great in there. The best food I've ever had in my life, no joke. try it out if youre tempted!! The only downside is the tables are small, so make sure not to order all at once. Pace yourselves! read more

Nice Soul food spot in Lincoln Park. Food was good, close to Grandmas, but not better. Drink prices seemed high for the area and seating area in dining room was very small. Ambiance and service were both solid. I'd recommend for a date night. read more

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This restaurant is easily becoming one of my favorites. I have been here twice in a month! Next time I'll save room for dessert I do not go to restaurants and order fried chicken....I just don't. Well, my friends did and I had a piece of theirs and had to come back for my own order of golden friend chicken in that hot honey sauce. I never knew how good rice can be until I had the seasoned butter rice. I can honestly say I have not had anything I didn't like! Fried catfish, short rib street tacos, collard greens dip, macaroni, sweet potatoes, spaghetti...you name it! Lol! The sangria is my favorite drink here! It's very intimate and the staff is superb. Depending on the day, leave out in enough time to find parking. I've already been twice so needless to say, I will be back. read more

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The food was so good! The service was good but slow. there was one waitress for all the tables. The space was really small, but there was good music. read more

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We were really excited to try out this restaurant. The food and drinks were amazing!! I loved the Collard Green Dip and would come back just for that. Perfect spot for a date night or to get together with friends. We will definitely be back to try out other items on the menu. read more

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Warmth, welcome and comfort are three words that immediately come to mind when you enter Soul Prime. The service is impeccable and feels more like being hosted in someone's home. The space is filled with energy, ease and chatter. The food...is coma inducing. We got home and all sat sleepily and happily in the living room, too tired to do much more than chat quietly before settling into a restful slumber. Run down: Lamb chops: tender and perfectly prepared Fried chicken: finger-licking good Mac n cheese: crispy, cheesy goodness Collard greens: mind blowing Pork chops: battered and fried Corn muffins: a religious experience If you have a chance, check out Prime Soul. You won't regret it. read more

Soul Prime - The Soul Prime spread - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If I could give a zero i would. This placed was recommended and it was awful. The food was tasteless I didnt even eat it. They didnt have any vegan or vegetrian options and what I got was awful. It took my food 1 hour and 15 minutes to come out It seem like they was serving the big tables first even thought they came in after me and my spouse. Very disappointed and will never recommended this places which I would have read the reviews I probably wouldn't have reserved a table. Make it worst it was my spouse 50th birthday I told them that in my reservation, yet they didn't mention it. Good Job Making a Bad First Impression. read more

I'd seen a few videos about Soul Prime, so I was excited to try them. I went on a Tuesday around 6pm and parking was terrible. There's only street parking and it took me 15 minutes to find a spot on a side street that was about a five minute walk. The waiters were nice, but not as timely and attentive as I like...like they could have checked in more frequently, filled my empty glass of water, etc. We ordered the short rib street tacos ($15), collard greens dip ($19) and fried chicken and fish combo ($21). The collard greens dip is amazing! Loved it! The street tacos were a little too salty, but tasty. The combo came with four pieces of chicken, one piece of fish and one cornbread muffin. The fried catfish was seasoned well and crispy. The fried chicken was crispy, but needed more seasoning. I wasn't a fan of the cornbread. I also had a strawberry lemonade, which was just was ok. I was disappointed that they didn't have any dessert options. I would definitely return, but perhaps on an afternoon when hopefully there would be better parking. read more

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Soul prime is one of my favorite elevated soul food restaurants in Chicago. I've been twice. On the first occasion I had the greens dip, short ribs, Mac and cheese, and yams. Everything was delicious! I'd say one of my favorite items was the greens dip as I've never had it before. And the tortilla chips tasted fresh like they are house made. On the second visit, I went for brunch. I had the greens dip again which was still delicious. I also ordered catfish and grits. The catfish nuggets are a very generous portion. On this visit, the service was not as fast as the first visit but it wasn't overly slow or anything. The ambience is very cute. I'll be back again. read more

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This was such a great experience! TLDR - great seating for someone with chronic back pain and stellar food. Worth every penny! My friend and I wanted to grabbed dinner tonight and went to Soul Prime. We got there at 5:30 and was able to get seated with ease without a reservation (it was really busy around 7p on a Friday so we're glad we went early!). We wanted to get the seafood medley for an appetizer and were torn between a few main plates to share. The server suggested the catfish so we went with the blackened catfish. We also got the mac and cheese and a side of the cornbread muffins. To drink I had the peach lemonade and my friend ordered the half and half. Everything was stellar! Honestly everyone we had was incredible. The star for both of us was the blackened catfish. I'm lactose intolerant but I had three lactaid pills so I can try the mac and cheese and it was so worth it the person serving us was really helpful and it has a great vibe all around. On top of it, all the seating was really great and supportive! It just made my experience that much better. It isn't cheap and I'm still living that grad student budget but definitely worth going for special occasions. I can't wait to return! read more

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Upon entering the restaurant we advised the hostess of our name and time of reservation and were asked to wait while the table was being prepared (normal protocol). While waiting I began a conversation with Chef Royce who was very cordial and welcoming. Shortly thereafter we were escorted to our bare table (no drinking glasses, flatware or menus) which was ~5 feet from the restroom, so I left the table, found an employee and asked to be relocated. Though we were acknowledged by our server Randall, he didn't circle back with the missing items until 15-20 minutes later. Mind you, the restaurant was no where near busy as there were only 3-4 tables occupied by guests. Surveying the room, I noticed 3 tables where previous guests had dined were never "turned" and empty plates and glasses were still on them. I also witnessed the server presenting the last guests with their check while dirty plates sat in front of them. Unacceptable! When our server finally stopped frantically running from the main dining room to the front of the house, he appeared (at this point a combined total of 25 minutes had passed), so we ordered glasses of wine, 3 appetizers (fried green tomatoes $21, short rib tacos $15, collard green dip $20) and the jerk chicken entree $39 (which came with only 1side) to share, plus an additional side of mac/chz $11. Because we already waited so long just to receive water, I figured it would be best to give him our entire order all at once. Now, I frequently dine at restaurants from the northside to the southside and have no problem paying for quality food and service. However, this was a very disappointing $200+auto 20% gratuity experience! The appetizers were good, but I felt that overall, the price points for the portions received were definitely not in sync (ex: 4 thin slices of breaded tomatoes topped with dollops of imitation crab meat for $21...really?). Then there's the burnt/charred/smoked jerk chicken. We've all had chicken before and are quite aware of all of it's parts. The thigh, legs and wings we received were so shriveled, dry and charred they were unrecognizable (again, $39). The shallow dish of mac/chz only yielded 3 tablespoons to share between us...smh. I really wanted to come here and write a glowing review, but felt that I needed to be honest and share my true experience. In my opinion and as someone who is very familiar with the ingredients/cuisine, if you're going to introduce unique soul inspired dining to Lincoln Park (which is different for most patrons in the area...let's be real), where there is already stiff restaurant competition, STEP UP the service AND the food to stand out and become a force to be reckoned with. Good luck. read more