I recently was in Cleveland for a short vacation and decided to stop by this place after a long day by Lake Erie, and loved it from the moment I walked in. Parking was a breeze, and the I was seated right away. The friendly server - who also doubles as the cashier - was incredibly welcoming. It has an extensive menu of some southern classics. While the decor was nothing to write home about, places like these are about the food, not the decor. I got the smothered pork chops with collard greens and candied yams. The chops were nicely spiced and salted, the gravy rich and deep with slivers with onions in it. The collard greens were the best I have ever had. If you're visiting Cleveland, this is a must-try. read more

This one was a disappointment. I'm sad to say while my Chicken and Waffles was good, my wife's Catfish was a tiny 4" filet that was either undercooked or their recipe is not very appealing. Either way, she was not pleased. Combine that with a rather dank dining room and marginally interested staff and this was an invitation to avoid a return visit. Sad. We loved the menu and the collection of foods. Had this have been good, we were ready to sample the whole menu on subsequent visits. read more

The menu is amazing! So many delicious meals and sides to choose from! Quick and friendly service....and help in choosing just the right dish. The food is fresh and authentic flavor. Everything we ordered was delicious! Wear your stretching pants because you won't be able to stop eating! This is a hidden gem' read more

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Hello from Cleveland, Ohio. On the road for a graduation. And you know when you are out vacationing you must try what the locals recommend. So here is my personal review of this place. Unfortunately it took a while to get our order because there is only one server, cashier, greeter. You name it this lady is outstanding. Kudos to her for keeping it cool when the place is full. I had the catfish fingers with mashed potatoes. It was the best I have had. The only one hung is that it was a bit salty for my taste. The mashed potatoes were also a bit salty but really good. The hubby had the catfish Po'boy with fries. And my son had the Philly cheesesteak with fries. We all shared some shrimp and grits. Delicious. And I had to try the purple rain drink. I am a big fan of Prince so I just had to have this and it did not disappoint. I'm he ambiance was great since I was with the family and there were other families there too. The only thing I did not like is that they have you go to the front to pay and we did not get a receipt. I can totally understand because the waitress/cashier was the only one. So thank you Cleveland for this experience. read more

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Service was great and friendly (I think her name was Lisa). The food was truly just so delicious. The portions were big. The prices very reasonable. The music was a chill Vibe. It was just a perfect afternoon, in good company, with fantastic food and service. There was everything to love about this place! read more

Southern Cafe - Fried chicken, sides and BBQ sauce - Southern Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

We stopped here one day while visiting the area and I have to say it was a great choice. My son had blackened catfish with yams and okra for the sides, I had smothered fried pork chop with grits and yams for my sides and of course we washed it all down with tall glasses of kool aid. Both came with a moist and tender jalapeño corn muffin. We also split an app of fried green tomatoes. The flavors were ON POINT. I have to say that the grits were amazing and probably some of the best I have ever had. The only thing taking it from 5 to 4 is it was super hot and the AC needed some work, also my sons meal came out a good 15 minutes after mine so I was nearly done by the time his came and I really wanted a smothered turkey chop but they didn't have any turkey. We also had some peach cobbler- very good! read more

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As ALWAYS I was hungry but for a small slim Lady like me, it gets to a point of being HANGRY. I was out on the West side of Cleveland running around and got to my point. My trusty Yelper to the rescue! I just did a search and let my tastebuds do the talking and scrolled to Southern Cafe. If I'm not going to do breakfast, make it soul food please. Now. When Cynthia greeted me, I looked sidewise. But you know there is affirmative action and she was just a good ass server. Didn't get anything wrong and I had everything without asking. And the best part was she did just the right amount of checking in and was ever so polite. Nice and clean place. Black owned and operated. The menu has a combination of all of your Southern comforts. We opted for the perch dinner that came with 2 sides (fried okra & Cole slaw) and chicken & red velvet Waffles with a half cup of grits. FIRST OF ALL WHERE IS THE CHEF BECAUSE S/HE NEEDS TO BE AT MY HOUSE EVERYDAY!!! Ya'll the food came out quick and HOT. It all looked good and was hot. My friend just kept saying the fish is delicious, the okra is delicious, I don't really like Cole slaw except with my fish and its delicious! Lolol I have to say my chicken was hot and crispy, the Waffles had a hint of cocoa, which I appreciated and my grits were freaking bomb! Yall we HAD to meet the chef. Andrew God bless you Brother. I pray goodness and mercy follow you all of the days of your life. Ya'll support the man doing his thing. The restaurant is on a quaint little street and very comforting inside read more

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There is metered street parking available here and the meters are free after 6. This restaurant has 2 dining areas and one of the best servers I ever had (sorry, I did not get her name). She was a triple threat, friendly, attentive and helpful. The food was prepared very quickly. I had catfish (1 fried and one blackened), yams, and cole slaw. The food was pretty good. I was teetering between 4 and 5 stars and decided to go with the 4. Please keep in mind that they are a cash only establishment. But if you forget then they have an ATM on site in the second dining area. They do have carryout service as well. You can call your order ahead and they will have it ready for pick up when you get there. I hope to visit this place again real soon. read more

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I called to place a pickup order. The guy explained they don't accept orders over the phone and I needed to order online. I go online and order the food. The guy calls me back a few minutes later to tell me they don't have the food I ordered and asked me if I wanted something else. I told him I just want a refund at this point. He told me he couldn't do that and I'd need to contact the third-party website that handles the orders for a refund. Five minutes later, while trying to figure it out myself, he calls me back to tell me the order has been cancelled. I haven't seen any emails confirming this yet so for now I guess I just need to trust and see... read more

Love the fried okra Catfish seasoned well Red velvet pancakes were wonderful. Service was good. read more

Hands down delicious! Exactly what I was hoping it would be. Great portion, great price, great staff.....definitely going back PLEASE open up shop in Medina, OH!!! Had Fried white chicken, with collard greens, grits, cornbread and grape cool aid for under $15 Coming back for peach cobbler....could not fit it in this time .....and Jazz, soul, R&B music through speaker system!....so happy they did not have pop music playing : ) read more

Southern Cafe - Southern Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

Here for work and looked up restaurants and came across this little gem. Food was great and service was amazing. Don't hesitate and check them out. read more

Southern Cafe - Red Velvet Waffles, chicken wings, grits and sweet tea. - Southern Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

Dined at Southern Cafe for lunch and was pretty pleased. The decor and ambiance is minimal but what the venue lacks in its adornments, it makes up for in character. The menu has most of your southern favs plus some Cleveland classics (soul rolls!). Also, our server was delightful and was incredibly patient with us. I didn't actually love my entree - the shrimp and chicken alfredo - because it seems to have a tomato base instead of a cram and cheese base. It was flavorful and well seasoned, just not what my palette was looking for. Next time I'll opt for the Soulful breakfast so I can try the catfish, fried green tomatoes, and grits. Metered street parking is plentiful and overall easy to access. I look forward to returning again soon to support a local Lakewood business! read more

I've ordered the fried chicken dinner here twice on UberEats and each time they only gave me chicken wings and no fried chicken breast or thighs or legs...the sides were good, mainly the okra and corn. However double or triple check your order or you will only get wings with the fried chicken dinner read more

Friendly service, good food. Came in on a Sunday at noon. Started with the Cleveland egg rolls, which were like southwestern chicken egg rolls. Outstanding! I ordered the Perch with fries and Mac and cheese. A bit disappointed as the fries were not fresh cut, but crinkle fries. The perch was good, nice small pieces of lake perch, but the breading was a bit heavier than I would have preferred. The girls had omelettes and French toast. All was good. Coffee is big, tastes OK, but not outstanding. Cash only. read more

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I'm always skeptical when I find a soul food restaurant, but this one went above my expectations. I first tasted the food because my daughter ordered DoorDash. I liked it so much I immediately ordered more! The perch was fried just right and the Mac-n-cheese was actually good! I was really impressed that they had real fresh cut fries because most places use frozen ones now. I would also recommend the soul rolls. I usually pass these up when I see them on the menu. I'm glad I opted to try them this time. read more

My goodness. I should've checked the back to see if my Granny was in the kitchen cooking bc this food right here?! This food right here?!? *in my Kat Williams voice* Look, I wanted to find the best soulfood in the city, so I hopped on Yelp and was directed here. I got in a little after they opened, around 11:45 and was able to pick my seat. There were so many delicious looking options on the menu, I didn't know what to choose. Being torn between the shrimp and grits (which I was told is appetizer that can also be as filling as an entree) and the chicken and red velvet waffles with grits, I went ahead with the chicken. While waiting, I ordered a purple rain, which was a mix of grape and lemonade kool aid. Yes! Kool aid is on the menu! Chyleeeee listen........ My food was out in like 15 mins, if that and it looked wonderful. I dove in head first. Good god almighty. Waffles were cooked perfectly and didn't have an overwhelming red velvet taste, chicken - you can tell it marinates and is fried just right. The grits - lots of people mess grits up..... not here. I asked for butter with my grits and my waiter brought it out but it was not needed at all! Nothing needed to be touched. I inhaled everything. I only wish I had more room to have tried one of the deserts. The service was great. The waiter was very attentive to everyone and had a very warm personality. The table down from me had a delicious looking smorgasbord going on as well! I saw greens, chicken, mac n cheese, and there were nice full portions of it all. This place just shut down every soulfood spot in Chicago with no hesitation. I was even told that they should be opening up another location soon. Get there!!! You will NOT be disappointed! read more

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Delicious from start to finish. We came for brunch on a Saturday morning, there was no wait. We were served reasonably quickly as well. We had the soul rolls due to the rave reviews. You must try them, it's like an entire southern meal hidden in a egg roll wrapper. We also had the soulful breakfast - catfish, grits (cheese added), fried green tomatoes, and toast. My eating partner had the chicken and waffles. Oh, they don't have juice juice, but a variety of different koolaids. Very much like going to grandmas As I said, everything was great. The soul rolls were a definite winner though. Can't wait to try tGeir dinner offerings. read more

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I have been going to Southern Cafe for years. Before the pandemic and now. I use to dine in but the inconsistency of the temperature makes it uncomfortable to sit down and enjoy the experience. In the winter time it is freezing inside and in the summer time its hotter inside then outside. The issue I have is the consistency of not having certain items and the lack of communication. For example I ordered a 2pc catfish dinner and my sides are always Mac & Cheese and Collard greens...Either out of catfish or collard greens and no communication prior if sold out. Yesterday 2/25/23 I ordered online for a 2 meal (2 pcs catfish dinner) sides : Mac & Cheese and Collards greens, Soul rolls and 2 pieces of chicken thighs with tip it was over $60. I get there in 28 minutes as mentioned on ready time. When I got in only waited an additional 5 mins or so which was great and I did not mind to only see I have 2 out of 4 things I ordered. Prior to checking my order I had spoke to the server and informed her if the soul rolls were in this order and she did not know that I ordered it and went to the back to check. In the meantime I checked my order to see I was given cabbage instead of collard greens. When she came back she provided my order of soul rolls and my 2 pieces of chicken thigh which was also forgotten I had told her my order is incorrect and I had ordered collard greens. She said they were out and she "tried" to call me. I received no call, no text, no email. I said may I please have an extra side of Mac as we do not eat cabbage. She said yes let me inform the cook. She then came back took my food and removed the cabbage and replaced it with Mac. I was glad of the replacement but shocked on taking the cabbage back after I already opened and checked my food. My questions are: Why is there so much inconsistency? Why not provide a to go container on the Mac instead of taking the containers back and reusing the cabbage after a customer touched the containers? Why is the server not double/triple checking to go orders? Why not inform the customer ahead of time when an item is out of stock? If a confirmation via text is valid then it should be kept and honored. I could understand if its extremely busy but when I got there only 1 table was there placing an order, a door dash employee and myself. No excuses when this has been going on for a very long time. After yesterday I will no longer come back nor recommend. The city of Lakewood should check the temperature conditions as well as that is ridiculous for customers and employees read more

On this cold Winter night in December, nothing sounded better than a little Cajun infused comfort food. Southern Cafe is available currently on Door Dash or by pickup. The indoor dining is closed and you will arrive to find your takeout order on a series of tables labeled with your name. Star of the show? SOUL ROLLS. These are nice crunchy egg rolls deep fried to a golden perfection, filled with collard greens, a smooth cheese sauce, corn and chicken that you dip in a perfectly tangy and spicy Chipotle mayo. We also ordered the chicken and shrimp alfredo which had such a nice spicy cheese sauce that was the absolute complement to the sauteed shrimp. The chicken was a teensy bit dry but with the creaminess of the sauce, an extra dip is all it took. I was really in love with the flavor! I wasn't crazy about the Cajun corn this time around, though have heard that it is typically spicier, it was a little too sweet. The macaroni and cheese was a smidge dry as well, but honestly neither were BAD. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place. For me, I would get a pasta dish very confidently in the future. I also thought their accuracy + quick pickup turnaround time was great. read more

I love the atmosphere. Waitress was very kind. Food was delicious, perfectly seasoned :). Definitely will be back for brunch read more

Southern Cafe - Delicious ! - Southern Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

We tried Southern Café for the first time last night. My blackened catfish with collard greens and Cajun cream corn was delicious and had great spice. My mother-in-law got the black beans and rice, which was a pretty meager portion for $5, and the soul rolls, which had a unique flavor and texture like a big southern egg roll. I took away a star since they did forget part of the order and I had to go back to get it, but otherwise food was good and we'll probably try it again. The location is also in an awkward place, but happy to support a black-owned business in town. read more

This place is so friggin good! If your looking for a good home cooked soul food meal look no further! I ordered both the fried catfish and blackened catfish dinners and they both tastes so good along with the most flavorful potatoes I could eat like three bowls. The cornbread was so moist it tasted like cake. I ordered by phone and picked up the meals by parking on street by the restaurant. read more

Southern Cafe - Front of restaurant - Southern Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

I got catfish and grits, I wasn't expecting to like it but it was sooo delicious! I 1000% recommend it. read more

Southern Cafe - Fish and grits - Southern Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

The food at Southern Cafe earns five stars in my book! Two factors took this overall rating down to a four: no AC and cash only. I'm hoping these two things will be improved upon as they build their business though. The service and the food far outshone these two factors, and I will definitely be visiting them again soon. I ordered the chicken dinner and chose the cole slaw and macaroni and cheese for my two sides. Another friend ordered the same with the house potatoes for a side, and another friend got fish. All of us were beyond pleased with our meals! The chicken was moist but not greasy, and the sides were all so good. If I went back, it would be hard to decide which sides to get as all of them we tried were so tasty. The cornbread muffins that the meals came with were also slightly spicy and the highlight of the meal. read more

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Wow. This was our second choice for brunch in Lakewood. I'm so glad the other place had a line out the door so we were compelled to come here! My favorite thing was the "Cleveland original soul rolls", egg roll shells filled with chicken, greens, beans and cheese sauce. Seriously, try these! Everything else was delicious, artful soul food. The fried okra was perfectly prepared with a delightful crunch. The grits were creamy and wonderful, and I'll bet their shrimp and grits are amazing. Fried chicken and red velvet waffles were a big hit with the kids. And that was just what we ordered. The menu is chocked full of dishes I can't wait to try next time! The desserts especially. Granted, I'm not from the South so I really shouldn't be talking about authenticity but I do appreciate the unique details. Like this is the first restaurant I've been in that served Cool Aide. And on the table is just hot sauce and syrup. Salt and pepper are completely irrelevant because nothing isn't savory and seasoned. I only have one very small caveat. I with they would serve real half and half not the those little shelf stable creamers. read more

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Red velvet waffles were great, chicken wings were young chicken which when fried forms dark marks on the bones and outside of the chicken. Wings french toast was great, grits were great. Make sure you bring cash. read more

Very disappointed with our first ( and last!) Visit. Started with call we got put on hold. After 5 minutes hung up and called back several times and the line was busy. Stopped in to place the order. There were only two tables with people dining. The girl apologized and had some excuse for why their phone was still busy. On to the food. Terrible. Makes no sense the chicken was obviously not cooked to order. It was so dry and all bones no meat. Sadly KFC is better if you are looking for fried chicken. The seafood pasta had overcooked shrimp. The girl gave us a complimentary dessert for our trouble recommending the peach cobbler. So bad it was canned peaches. With all the great past reviews obviously something has changed recently. Paying $15 for overcooked 2 pieces of chicken and waffles that were cold is so wrong. And even though their menu says fresh cut fries they switched to frozen crinkle cut. And the syrup comes in little packets from a distributor. It's sad when restaurants start cutting corners because that means something is wrong. I hope they can right the situation or they may not be around later. read more

Southern Cafe - This is $15!?!? The chicken was so dry and all bones. - Southern Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

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I was craving chicken & waffles for a while now so we decided to check this place out! Parking was ehhh...it's street parking here, but definitely manageable. The restaurant itself was a little hard to find for us, but once we were in we knew it was going to be good. The lighting is very dim with minimal decor, but the meal itself packed a lot of flavor. We got the soul rolls (highly recommend!) and the classic chicken & waffles. Everything was cooked perfectly, and there was plenty to take home for lunch/dinner. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience! I can't wait to come back and try what everyone else is recommending. read more

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NEVER COMING BACK. Here's why: 1. Service is trash. There were only 4 customers besides my lady and I and it still took 20 minutes to JUST to get some water. 2. After sitting nearly AN HOUR we were about to get up and leave when the hostess assures us our food is about to come out. We sit another 10 minutes for our food and some refills on f#cking water. 3. Food is straight up a$$. I ordered pork chops and I almost wanted to keep them incase I needed to replace some shingles on my roof. 4. OVERPRICED. They had the audacity to charge $34 for a meal that (according to the menu) should have only cost $23 AT THE MOST. Im assuming that was a "white boy tax". I've experienced this before and you're not gonna tell me it was anything besides that. 5. RUDE AS HELL. I got up to find the waitress so we could cash out and the chef (don't ask me why he wasn't in the kitchen) said "what chu want" very aggressively, told me to "sit down and she be there" also aggressively like I just insulted his mother, when I'm TRYING TO PAY THEM Never going back to this racist shithole again. Do yourself a favor and spend your money elsewhere read more

I really enjoy going here I've only had a couple issues with customer service the first time the chef himself corrected the matter and I respected him for that and dined again the other issue was with the menu o asked the young man his name several times he refused to respond and once they forgot to put my greens in the bag but I keep referring people to dine in it's hard to run a decent establishment things take time read more

The food here is very good but the management is terrible. Our waitress was pleasant even though she was inexperienced. The management, instead of trying to help, repeatedly chewed out our waitress and very rudely told me 'I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to her'. Good management will step in, help out, and teach when help is needed, not be rude and degrading. This was my second and last time going here. read more

Some if the best soul food in Cleveland! Great, small, simple restaurant. Downside is that it is really hot inside, I do not think they have a/c. Our server was very friendly, answered all our questions and was very personable. Great menu and the food arrived very quickly. We ordered the chicken & waffles. The chicken wings were enormous, juicy, crunchy and had great seasoning. The red velvet waffles were very yummy. They were cooked perfectly, crunchy exterior and soft interior. Also tried the catfish fingers, the cornmeal breading was nice and the fish was flakey and tender. For me it was just a little bit over salted. For our sides we ordered their mac n cheese which had great flavor, and also some of the cheese had crunchy parts which are always a winner! The grits were cooked perfectly, nice and creamy. And the collards tender, and had a nice kick. Don't let the unassuming exterior and the simplicity of the interior deter you, they are putting out some great food. read more

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First off, this place is AMAZING!!! The chicken and shrimp Alfredo had me in a trance. I mean I was really having an out of body experience. But the I tasted the greens and almost went into SHOCK... then get this, the peach COBBLER HONEY!!!! I could eat it everyday!!! This place makes me feel like i'm pulling up a seat to my grannys table! I will definitely be a return customer! And tell friends about this place! It's a must have in Cleveland. read more

There whole menu is good it's hard to decide what you want to get, I would def recommend the soul rolls I could have eaten 3 orders of them, it's like a little bit of all your favorite things in one. read more

Excellent authentic Southern cuisine in Cleveland! Staff was helpful and price portion were on point!

Love the soul rolls . Whoever cooks is awesome! I order a lot and nothing was ever bad

First time ordering from here. Seemless ordering online, all on line ordering should be that easy. We all had the fish, wife and kid got the perch and I got the blackened catfish. All was very good. The house potatoes blew me away, and cajun cream corn was spot as well. Definitely will return. read more

Definitely one of my must visits anytime I come to town. Food is ALWAYS fresh, I have never complained or been disappointed. Smothered pork chops and fried chicken are delicious. Choose any side, they are all good Prices are very fair but be aware they are cash only and they do offer a atm inside. Service is always on point, very attentive and on top of everything! Dylan took care of us this visit and was wonderful. I am VERY picky about where I eat and I will continue to return to Southern Cafe. read more

The food was just slightly below OK. Greens had an after taste. The catfish was very disappointing and rubbery. athe yams not sweet. The fried Chicken and breaded mushrooms were pretty good. High hope but a let down. read more