This place is the bomb! We ordered a few different items. The beef short ribs, catfish bites, jerk chicken, and the chicken and catfish filet dinner, & collard green dip. Everything came out hot and fresh. DELICIOUS!!!!! The restaurant is a total vibe! Great music and ambiance, especially for summer nights. They had the picture window open in the front, and the breeze and view were amazing! The service was fabulous as well. They asked throughout our visit if things were ok. It was a great vibe! Also, the chef came out and checked on everyone and everything! This is a great addition to this neighborhood! I'll definitely be back. read more

Soul Prime - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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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

Im late in posting this review, I went last week but had an amazing experience. Chef Royce and her staff were welcoming and the space nicely designed. We had the fried green tomatoes with crab, delicious! We'll seasoned, breading was light and perfectly cooked. Wing special went fast, seasoning on point as was the sauce. Fried chicken dinner with mac & cheese and greens. Both accompanied the chicken perfectly. Their hot sauce topped it off nicely. It was my birthday so the staff sang to me and gave me a dessert. Thank you! It's BYOB for now but I see happy hour specials in the future. If you're in the neighborhood, stop in and try the food. You'll leave happy. read more

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Chef Royce is so incredibly welcoming to everyone, as is her staff. The food is outstanding! What a marked improvement for this space and neighborhood. We surely needed an original, authentically-southern restaurant! We really felt welcome and the staff and manager helped us choose the star dishes including smothered pork chop, catfish bites, fried green tomatoes with lump crab, and collard greens. We truly enjoyed ourselves and the vibe. Might I add the playlist is on point! Loved the food and people so much and will be back for brunch! read more

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Food was amazing! Atmosphere and music set the tone and the service was impeccable, thanks to Karen! Highly recommend!

Wow This experience was spectacular! This venue has an exquisite interior design concept every bit of the real estate is being utilized. Sunday Funday indeed ! Let me say this customer service is top notch at this level early in the game! I had been basically spamming their Instagram account hoping to be able to get a reservation. The business manager as I come to find out actually handles the social media and she was the one corresponding with me and even changing my reservation time for me last minute and I really appreciate it. I had mentioned that we're doing a celebration and they took it up a notch.Singing dancing a customized song for her, just that level of hospitality. You really don't see too much in the Midwest. Some came for branch and I can't eat shellfish and I don't eat pork but I really wanted to try those grits. So I talked to the wait staff and I was able to customize my grits just like the signature grits that they offer with the shrimp and sausage with veggies and signature sauce only. As I was to taste the shirt rib bowl Omg heaven with a little roll and eggs baby devine ! Right now it is BYOB without a court charge which is crazy. They provided ice ,I had my own bucket and bubbles and it was perfect ! Good food music great ambience A1 customer service please do yourself a favor and get there! oh free parking on the meters on Sunday! Perfect for Brunch with the girl or dinner with babe or celebration time ! read more

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Ahh! This used to be Taco Joint, remember that? This is Chef Royce's first restaurant in the area & it's upscale food at its best. I had Mix Cajun Greens. They were great but too salty. Staff and service is superb. PS. There liquor license is coming any week. read more

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**NEW RESTAURANT ALERT** Lincoln Park can now add "Upscale Soul Food" to its portfolio of great restaurants. With the soft launch of Soul Prime, patrons can expect their palates to be pleased by the various flavors of home cooked dishes that actually warm the soul. The food and beverages are made with love and ingredients that you will find in your grandmother's kitchen. The wait staff, hostess, cooks, chefs, and owners made the overall experience fun and enjoyable. This restaurant is our new neighborhood Gem! For starters, my guest and I ordered the Catfish Bites and the Collard Green Dip. When the bites were brought out to us, the aroma caught our attention as if we just walked into our grandmother's house for a down-home fish fry. Every piece was cooked to perfection and we devoured the entire appetizer! Next, they brought out "the dip". I can not explain how the chef got this dish to be so cheesy and creamy, and then to add collard greens.....? What a new take on chips and dip! We had to wash all of this goodness down with their speciality house lemonades. My guest had the lavender infused lemonade, and I had the peach lemonade. They both taste as refreshing as they sound. As we were enjoying our alcohol free drinks, our main dishes were brought out; Smothered Pork Chops with rice/gravy, mixed cajun greens, and a honey cornbread muffin along with The World's Best Baked Chicken with mac & cheese, mixed cajun greens, and a honey cornbread muffin. By this time, our mutual friend showed up and ordered the Fried Chicken N' Fish Combo. Envision dinner at your grandmother's house; down-home southern cooking but elevated! The pork chops and baked chicken were tender and full of flavor. The cajun greens gave a new meaning to traditional collard greens with a savory yet sweet taste. The rice and gravy melted in our mouths. The mac & cheese was a good blend of cheesy consistency, and the honey cornbread taste like a mini sweet cake. Are your mouths watering yet? EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING! I am confident that Lincoln Park has a new gem in the heart of the restaurant district located on Halsted street. It's New! It's Exciting! It's a Vibe! Go check it out, and tell them I sent you! read more

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Best to reserve it does get busy. Didn't really take long for us to be seated but to get served and get our food it took forever. The food was terrible very overpriced. For the brunch menu they don't have a lot of options wish it was more. read more

We (3 of us) finally got to try this upscale soul food restaurant and you really can't believe all reviews since people do have different taste buds. Chicken, greens, were seasoned just right and the ribs were tender and can we talk about the corn muffin but wow (Nice) Karen the wait staff was EXCELLENT and was very attentive to our needs. Service and food was top notch! Do take your wallet with you though it's pricey on extras. The Ambiance was great, music and table lights make it! I recommend trying it and I plan on going back for seconds. :-) read more

Soul Prime - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food and cocktails were delicious! Catfish, Mac & cheese and collard greens dip were my faves! read more

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I felt bad writing this review, but I have to tell the people the truth. The food isn't good at all, but this is a great spot for drinks. Keith Lee led me astray on this one. Mariah, the waitress, did a great job, but great service doesn't make up for awful food. My friend described the food as if something was off-- in her exact words, "It tasted as if the fridge went out for several hours and they cooked with that same food." There was a manager who offered to make it right, but you can't fix that. They need to gut all their recipes and start over. My friends spent over $200 still tipped very well and we didn't take any food home, left a lot of food on the table. read more

Ive been about 3-4 times between dinner and brunch. The food has been consistently good for me. The short rib is tender, the catfish is light but crispy and the fried chicken is fried just right. The corn muffins are light and fluffy. The sweet potatoes and macaroni are my favorite sides. I personally was not a fan of the greens/cabbage mix, but once I let the staff know they subbed for the sweet potatoes. My cousin had the pork chop with buttered rice and she really enjoyed it. We split the peach waffle and definitely recommend. I've also tried the fried green tomatoes, short rib tacos and catfish nuggets. I would get all of these appetizers again. The flavor lemonades are good, a little on sweet side but not as sweet as kool aid. The service is kind and attentive. The space is on the smaller side but it doesn't feel overly crowded even with a full house. Definitely one of my favorite soul food restaurants in Chicago! read more

I had an amazing pre birthday lunch with my sister! The cocktails were delicious! We shared fried green tomatoes as appetizer, and enjoyed every bite. After several minutes, we both decided to try the fried fish and were not disappointed! Red beans and rice and muffins completed our meal. Since I am a dessert person, I had to try the banana pudding! Although I couldn't finish it, I enjoyed several bites before asking for a to go plate! The music was inviting, the decor was beautiful and very clean! I even loved the bathroom! read more

Soul Prime - My pre birthday toast! Cheers! - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went Wednesday during happy hour - got the catfish bites and short rib tacos - both were so good...husband got smothered pork chops and grits, I got fried green tomatoes with lump crab - it was all pretty fabulous. Highly recommend!! read more

I'd like to Thank Chef Royce for the AMAZING experience and OUTSTANDING meal my wife and I had at Soul Prime. The food was delicious and it was the best food in a restaurant I've had since before the pandemic. Chef Royce was a delight and she made the experience more than memorable. I would highly recommend Soul Prime. I'll be a patron for life!!! read more

Soul Prime - Chef Royce was a Delight!!! - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This establishment was amazing!!! It was cozy, the customer service was top notch, and the food was EXcellent!!!!! We had an amazing experience.Everything I ate was DE'licious and don't sleep on the collard green artichoke dip!!! OMG!! My hats off to Chef Royce!!! We look forward to dining with Soul Prime again and trying the tacos and other items on the menu. read more

Our waitress was very nice and professional. When our food came out items were missing from both of our plates. My wife's came right out but I was finished eating by the time mine arrived so I had to take it to go. The manager came in yelling at staff, turning on air conditioning and spraying air freshener. Not a very good atmosphere. read more

THIS PLACE! Let me tell you. Never in my LIFE have I ever been in a restaurant that welcomes you instantly with joy, kindness, community, and of course amazing food. I felt like I was friends with the whole restaurant. The moment we opened the door someone greeted us saying we're about to have a good ass time and she was right! Then we entered the space and someone else is telling us about the food and how amazing it is and giving us tips on what to order. Then we sit at our table and everyone is just vibing to the music and it was just great. And the food....oh it's good. I came here just for a snack so I just got the collard green dip and the honey corn bread muffins. If you like collard greens and you like spinach dip this creation is there baby. It's so creamy and earthy. The tortilla chip you can tell they make themselves too which is a nice touch. The corn bread muffins...bro I would marry them. They are warm and sweet without being too sweet. It's just the perfect thing to make you feel right at home. I was able to get a couple bites of my friends short rib tacos and they were sooo good. So juicy, filling, and refreshing. My biggest regret is not getting the lemonade. Some of my friends got it and when they took their first sip they looked like they just experienced heaven. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a sip cause they drank it so fast The prices may seem a little expensive at first, but these dishes are packed with love and flavor and are honestly so filling. I personally recommend ordering a couple dishes and sharing everything cause believe me when I say you're going to want to try everything. If you come here just know you are going to have such a great time. read more

Food was excellent! Service was awesome. Not one complaint. Will def return. Reservations are highly recommended

Grossly overpriced, small menu. $40 for jerk chicken which turned out to be a bunch of tiny burnt jerk drummettes. Most items on the menu were fried, fried shrimp, fried chicken, fried catfish fried green tomato's all of these items at $20-$40. The restaurant is very small and the ambiance is non-existent. Loud music. They're charging fine dining prices for bar food and a bar atmosphere. $17 drinks. This place won't be around long. There are too many better tastier and cheaper options in Lincoln park read more

Food: we had fish and grits, greens, peach cobbler waffle, chicken and waffles. Everything was 10/10. The standout for me was the hot honey sauce on the chicken and waffle. It's perfectly crafted. I don't usually like waffles but they were amazing and soft but crisp. Ambience: the building is decorated really well. However, it is small. DO NOT get the parlor seats. It's in the hallway and people are constantly walking by. One table is right in front of the kitchen and that's quite annoying when trying to eat. Service: the service was great. The chef, Royce, was there and very polite. She comped our drinks due to a long wait. She spoke to us several times and it felt like speaking to an auntie. There are several items that aren't offered at brunch that I would like to try, especially after K. Lee's review of the short rib tacos. I'll definitely be back. read more

Beautiful place and excellent staff, even the owner stopped by our table. My friend and I enjoyed the selections and are definitely looking forward to returning for the dinner menu. Oh and we had the best server...She was awesome!!! I should have listened to her when she suggested another piece of fish. We do recommend preparing for the tightness of street parking and get the lemonade...as a sweet treat! read more

Soul Prime - Catfish & Creamed Grits! Cornbread muffins. The SP Breakfast Plate with Chicken & Waffles. - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food is good but service was poor for our group. Expect to wait 45+ minutes for your initial drink order, even longer for your appetizer and double it for an entree. Better places to spend your money at imo. Pros: fried chicken was great, sides are good. Overall, food was solid. Cons: wait staff was unorganized, forgets what you ordered. I really wanted to like this place but unfortunately won't be in a hurry to get back. read more

It's Chicago Black Restaurant Week! And my family and I have been trying to get here for the longest. Unfortunately, they did not live up to the hype. We started with a round of lemonades (strawberry, lavender, and peach). All of them were excellent! Very well made. We ordered the collard green dip and fried green tomatoes topped with crab. It took a while for our appetizers to come out, however the waiter was very friendly and checked in on us. The tomatoes came out first and they were okay. They were a bit firm. The crab was also just okay. The two items did not compliment each other well. Shortly after, the collard green dip came out and it was not good at all. It lacked flavor and the cheeses that were used for the dip was a poor choice. The chips that came with the dip, however, were very crisp and fresh. For our entree, we ordered the fried chicken, Mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, and cornbread. The fried chicken could have used more seasoning but we really enjoyed the homemade hot honey sauce that came with it. That pretty much was the flavor for the chicken. The sweet potatoes have potential. It wasn't sweet enough. The Mac and cheese was a catastrophe. We had to send it back. My family stated that it tasted like pizza cheese was used on the Mac and that it was simply noodles placed in a dish with cheese sprinkled on top. There was no roux used for it. The cornbread was fire! Nice, moist, and buttery! Definitely the star of the show. We took an order of the short rib tacos to go for another family member who couldn't make it to dinner and they stated that it was way too salty. Less salt and the taco would've been perfect. Soul Prime has a lot of potential and if there was a revamp of the menu items, I believe it can go very far. I'm not sure if they had taste testers on their food items before they launched, but that can also be of great benefit to them. Overall ratings: Lemonade: 5/5 Fried green tomatoes: 2/5 Collard green dip: 1/5 Fried chicken: 2/5 Sweet potatoes: 2/5 Mac and cheese: 0/5 Cornbread: 5/5 Short rib tacos: 3/5 Service: 4/5 read more

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The food is absolutely amazing and delicious let's start there. But most of all the service is what makes me keep coming back the customer service is Amazing and Wonderful I go to Soul Prime every single time I go back to Chicago and I live in Michigan so I'm kinda close lol so I go road trips and train rides to Chicago quite often. But I do remember and I'll never forget that the owner greeted me and served my food and even said my name in a way the whole experience was amazing so to be served by the actual owner and seeing her great service and energy and happiness just made this or stamped it for me I'll always get me some good Soul Prime it's taste good, you get great service and it looks amazing inside as well. Thank you Soul Prime read more

So I found this place on Eatery Chicago while visiting. Man was I blown away! Staff was great and friendly, they were playing some old movies by the bar which was great since it was a Wednesday raining night and I just wanted to relax and really enjoy my meal. Vibe was perfect and the food....... The food did not disappoint!!! The slow cooked chicken was SMACKING! That sauce was pure liquid gold My app was the dip which I licked clean even though my body was telling me to not eat all that cheese! The owner/chef came by, very lovely woman. We spoke for a bit and you can tell she puts her heart and soul into her cooking. I'll be back for sure next time I visit Chicago! read more

i was very disappointed with the service. the waiter was slow initially coming to our table. he had to be reminded to bring what we ordered. after we ordered entree which took an hour and half to come the waiter never came to the table during that time. the service was really below expectations read more

extremely disappointing! waited over 1.5 to be served our entrees. waiter avoided our table. Another waiter Sasha, thank you for trying to assist as best as she could. ambiance was ok couldn't enjoy due to being frustrated with wait time. Will not be returning. read more

When the honey corn bred muffin hit my mouth I levitated off my seat, literally the best I've ever had! We also ordered the fried chicken, cat fish, and Mac & cheese. Everything tasted super fresh and was sizzling hot and was super flavorful. The staff was welcoming and pleasant to be around. Definitely coming back! read more

Soul Prime - Cocktails - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely amazing. Second visit here and every bit as good as the first!! I wish I lived closer!! Ambience is perfect, drinks are fantastic, service is perfect, and food is heavenly. GET IN HERE!! read more

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The food was.... Very good! Well seasoned, hot when it hit the table! Collard greens dip!!! Who ever thought! Chef Royce and her staff a mist visit! read more

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I do not leave bad reviews at all but soul prime was a horrible experience. I had a party of 2 that waited over 45 mins to be seated. Which would be understandable if they did not tell me that there's only a 20 min wait. My order took about hour to come out. The fries were cold and the mac and cheese had to be sent back twice. Once because it was the wrong order and twice because it was nothing but cheese. They ended up comping the mac and cheese, but overall it was not a good experience. read more

Found Soul Prime in the area after attending a play at Steppenwolf. Was looking for shrimp and grits type of fare. Well when I arrived found out the menu had changed to more of a lighter fare was so disappointed but the owner was great and glad we stayed my son had the fried chicken and it was great you could hear the crunch. The collard green dip was good too. Great dinner and with great owner this restaurant is a great place to dine. read more

Overall, I liked it and would eat here again. Street parking. As the other reviewers stated there is a huge bar area and a small dining area in the back. I don't have a problem eating at the bar, though but I know this bothers some people. We had an early dinner reservation so there was no wait, but given the size of the dining room I can see why others did. We were originally seated at a small 2 person table. Since it was only the 2 of us in the back, the manager came back and moved us to a larger table. I had the fried green tomatoes, which were delicious. On the menu online they have short ribs listed, but the in-restaurant menu did not have it listed. I ended up getting the baked chicken. The chicken itself was absolutely yummy and the grits were good, but I did not care for the sauce. I would not order this again. They have an automatic 20% gratuity. I absolutely do not like automatic gratuities when the service is not excellent, and it was not in the case. I would not have tipped 20% if I wasn't forced. We saw the water guy more than our server, if anything he deserved the 20%. read more

Chef Royce, you have truly outdone yourself with the impeccable palate of options to explore here. The shrimp & Grits were to die for and the infamous Collard Green Dip made my taste buds sing! The staff are so friendly and attentive Which explains the cleanliness of the restaurant. I have told all of my family & friends about Soul Prime. Thank you to Ms.Tot & Hannah for always ensuring we have a remarkable and wondrous experience!! Signed, favorite Customers: Mel & Tyler read more

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The staff was good. We were greeted pleasantly when we arrived for our brunch reservation. We were seated at a table that was off balance. The busperson tried to correct the matter but couldn't. Luckily the table next to us became vacant and we moved - the hostess assisted in moving our drinks to the new table. The waiter took our orders. Unfortunately they did not have coffee and I really wanted coffee. Their lemonades were already sweetened with sugar. I ordered the pork chops and my friend ordered the catfish and grits and mimosa. The food was ok - my chops were lukevwatm, the rice tasted like it was leftover - not fresh - eggs were ok. The mimosa was a disappointment to my friend - not worth the $15. Her catfish was ok and grits were subpar. read more

We had a disappointing brunch at Soul Prime. The shrimp in their Shrimp and Grits smelled like ammonia. (This happens when shrimp isn't fresh and is decomposing.) The server had specifically recommended this dish as one of the favorites. Despite sitting at the bar, the service was lacking and it took a long time for the many staff to notice that drinks needed to be refilled. The short ribs were good. The movie playing at the bar with topless women was not what we would expect for brunch entertainment. read more

Terrible Terrible Service. Greasy food. Wait times for water and drinks alone were over 30 minutes. Food wait times even worse. They add automatic 20% gratuity and truly did not deserve it. Will not come back here. Just awful all around! Expected better from chef Royce and staff. read more

Everytime we come there. It's something. No tables, no room, we ate at the bar the first time. And still they make excuses for us. Today is that they are closing. It 7:30pm. I will never come here again. They suck. There are better places to go.?But let me be White. They are doing hoops there. Don't go there. I will never come back again read more