One of my family members loves southern food, so as a family we decided we would try this place out. We saw it on Diners Drive-Ins and dives. Guy Fieri thought it was good. Good enough for him. Good enough for us, Right? Wrong !! First of all when we walked in you could have heard a pin drop. We were apparently the only people there that were not of color. We sat we ate our food well kind of mostly it was slop so it stayed on the plate and went out with the trash that it looked like we will never be back to this place or trust Guy fieri again, this place is awful and how it got on TV I'll never know. read more

This was the worst experience that I have ever had at a restaurant. The service was horrible, the food was late and the meal was incomplete. French toast was burned and dry and the fried chicken was terrible. I have eaten better fried chicken at Albertson. read more

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Small place with a friendly staff and great food. Definitely worth checking out. Sweet tea, chicken and greens; what's not to like?

Fantastic fried chicken and even better red beans and rice! Corn cake was great as well. Authentic food, made to order and worth the wait. Parking is tight, interior is a bit dated but the history makes the atmosphere. Super people and great service. Portions are ridiculously huge, go hungry and bring a pillow for the car ride home! read more

Visiting my son who recently moved to Tacoma and lives walking distance away from delicious southern food. Four adults plus five kids nearly maxed out the place's ability to seat us, but we all had great meals. We started with fried okra and fried green tomatoes. I'm from Alabama, and the fried green tomatoes are some other best I've ever eaten. Some of the fried cuisine was clearly new to our grandkid's New Tacoma friends who joined us for dinner. Granddaughter: Do you want to eat some okra? Granddaughter's new Tacoma friend: (shakes head no) Granddaughter: It's a fried vegetable. Friend: (confused look) Granddaughter: You don't fry your vegetables?! First, the portions are large. If you order an appetizer, I highly recommend sharing a main course--meat and two sides and a corn cake. Fish was excellent, and you can get two fillets. Our young girls split a pancake breakfast. Boys and adults ate a variety of fried fish, fried chicken, and liver with onions plus a host of sides. Save room for the corn cake included in main course meals. Most folks apply maple syrup to this unbelievably good 'extra'. Stay hydrated by selecting one of many lemonades. Strawberry lemonade is a house specialty and great selection. We had ours with the whipped cream. Remember that I said to share the main course? That's because you want to save room for the massive portion of peach cobbler as your dessert option--at least that'a what we chose. Two portions fed the entire table. Why not five stars? This is clearly a neighborhood favorite with many to go orders (but I highly recommend dining in). While the staff were all cheerful and helpful, they were also clearly working beyond max capacity. I'm accustomed to this in the South, so I'm not surprised to find it here either. I just don't have a 4.5 star option. Service was great and the food was well worth the moderate wait. We'll be back every time we come to town! read more

Southern Kitchen - the outside of the restaurant - Southern Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Came here during the pandemic for the first time on our way to Mt. Rainier and WOW I wish I had known about this place before. We got the bone out catfish dinner with candied yams and cornbread dressing as sides ($15) and 3 drumsticks ($10 with no sides). With 2 pepsis and tip, it cost $30 and was more than enough food for two people! The fried chicken was so moist with light crispy batter, this was my favorite while my husband preferred the catfish. Everything was delicious and filling. Recommend calling in advance for takeout as it takes 20 min for them to prepare food. Also a win win to support a small black owned business! read more

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My personal favorite restaurant in Tacoma. Everything is amazing but I especially recommend the Cajun catfish strips. Also, the cornbread stuffing is one of the best things I've ever tasted. Can't fail to mention the sweet tea as well, fantastic. Besides the amazing food, you will not find better service anywhere you look. The staff makes you feel like you're at a family gathering and never lets your drink get empty or fail to check on you. The vibe in this place is immaculate all around. A true gem. read more

This spot provides curbside and take out order, you are also able to sit outside. street parkibg and a small parking lot with a mechanic shop attached to the building. Unfortunately the food was not too good some of the worst I've had although hey you're welcome to try and make your own decisions I went with friends I ordered pancakes bacon eggs and I wanted my hash browns crisp and the hash browns were served very undercooked I didn't even eat the eggs and I nor did I touch my bacon I ate one pancake because it came with three they're pretty big pancakes my stomach started hurting after eating half. my friend ordered a piece of butterfish along with a hush puppy that was somewhat stale macaroni and cheese and the cheese was not melted it kind of slid off the noodles along with greens that were very bland and not well seasoned in a cornbread pancake that literally broke off in your hand when you touched it . I unfortunately did not take pictures of my order I forgot to because I was so very disappointed but you do see the pictures I have provided when I hope this review helped you I wish this restaurant well they did remodel a little bit on the inside and they are renovating I'm along with renovating the menu but for myself my friends I will not be entertaining this restaurant again!! PS You can call in orders and price point was about 40 bucks for all the food that we ordered thanks for reading bye for now!! read more

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I wanted to like this spot so bad but Y'ALL!!!!! Everything was so under seasoned. We had to add salt/pepper/cajun/ hot sauce to EVERYTHING we ordered. There was NO flavor! read more

The food is wonderful, the service is just as you would expect, and the southern ambiance is on point. I will definitely be coming back!

The only reason I am giving this place an extra star is because I support family owned, black owned businesses in all parts of the country. I've been here a few times, busy and not busy, and each visit has been more disappointing than the last. Service is not the issue it's the food. I'm spoiled and I know it, but don't advertise that award winning peach cobbler as any type of winner when you box it up for take out & know when your customers open it they'll find canned peaches in some kind of vanilla pudding type of mush and several pieces of dried up pie crust thrown in too... I was not at all happy! Not to mention the catfish was mushy, the fried chicken was not fresh nor crispy, and the greens were marginal at best with all 3 of those items having very little flavor. Best part of the meal was the yams, and that's because they were at least warm enough to melt some butter over... My first visit was brunch, and I told myself it had to be because they were really busy... my order was standard biscuits and gravy... nothing else and nothing special other than a side of soft scrambled eggs... I got my order, the eggs looked like they'd been plated 20mins before the biscuits n gravy which the biscuits were COLD in the middle and the gray was luke warm and creamy white fresh out the can or jar, not home made! I tried, I really did, but I left with a heavy heart that day after paying $30 with the tip for what I could have got at Dennys for a third of that price and much better food too... read more

Great food I had eggs bacon and hashbrowns . These are one of best breakfast I had in along time. Also if you did not know. This place was on Dinner drive and dives read more

Live the food here been here a handful of time! Everything I've ordered has been amazing! I like the old school feel of the place! Try one of their lemonades. read more

Southern Kitchen - Catfish Fillet Breakfast!!! - Southern Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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I was on a soul-food challenge that showed me there are a lot of great, black-owned, restaurants in the Greater Seattle Area This time we took a trip down the I5 to #SouthernKitchen for an award winning meal! It was cool to see all of their award plaques from #Yelp, and #TheFoodNetwork" on display! How about the food? We enjoyed the flavor and consistency of their "Butter Fish", Catfish and Chicken... all fried of course, along with their Mac & Cheese, greens and tastes of their red beans & rice and yams.... Don't judge! We didn't eat it all! (Treat Meal) REAL TALK We definitely enjoyed the food! Solid all the way around! Great portions too! We can't say it's are most favorite soul-food visit so far, but definitely a great place to visit when you're in #TacTown Afterwards, we enjoyed a cool picnic across the street in the school parking lot read more

Southern Kitchen - Southern Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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The restaurant has a relatively small dining area and was pretty full when we arrived, but thankfully we were able to grab the last remaining table. I'd rate the food at 3 stars and the service at 5. I'm from the South and maybe that's why my expectations weren't quite met. Mango lemonade: delicious but pricey at $4.95 in my opinion. Fried green tomatoes: probably the best dish we ordered. Great salty seasoning with the batter and paired with the dip, delicious! Fried catfish: the fried batter came out a little soggy and the fish seemed a little undercooked. Not super impressed with this one. Biscuits and gravy: thought the gravy was tasty and liked that it was a little thicker (which I prefer over runnier gravy). However, the biscuits were kind of grainy and crumbly in texture when you break it up, rather than the buttery and flaky that I love. Cornbread pancake: I thought this would be amazing but turns out the pancake is just too dense and the cornbread flavor is somehow overpowering--no matter how much butter or syrup I added, the flavor of the dense cornbread didn't really let those added flavors come through. Cajun fried chicken thigh: I liked the crunchiness and spiciness of the fried batter. This was second tastiest after the fried green tomatoes. Side dishes which included sweet yams and mac n cheese: both were okay. I liked that the yams were very sweet. The server was super nice and helpful so that's ultimately why I did not rate 3 stars. read more

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Let's start by saying my wife grew up in South Georgia(Valdosta) and lived there over 50 years. We retired to this area in 2019 and have searched for good Southern Cooking. August 11th, 2021, we found it at Southern Kitchen! The fried catfish, fried okra, Mac-N-Cheese, red beans and rice, cornbread dressing and gravy, collards, hoe cake(corn cake), hush puppies and Sweet Iced were on point. No way to eat it all so a to go plate was needed...and then came the peach cobbler. Don't miss out on the cobbler. Share it. You won't believe how large it is! Service was fantastic even on a busy Wednesday. All Covid-19 protocols were in place. We will be back. And bring friends. Thanks again. read more

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For being so far removed from the south, this little spot in the PNW encapsulates the essence of southern food with precision and flavor. This is my second visit in 2 days. The red beans and rice are Good. The beef used in the greens threw me off at first, but it works (not everyone eats pork). The wings are good if you eat in or take out. That Cajun catfish capture my attention. Definitely give this place a try. read more

I absolutely loved this place. The server was incredibly hospitable, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was conducive for families. We ordered the following: Entree: BBQ Beef Brisket Sides (included w/ entree): Collard Greens and Mac N Cheese Entree: Cajun Catfish Strips comes with Corncakes Sides (included w/ entree): Candied Yams, French Fries Drinks: Strawberry Lemonade - Best lemonade I've ever had We had to move to a 4-person table with only two people because our entire table was covered with food. After all of this food, and a very generous tip, our costs came out to less than $100. The only thing I wish was improved is the maintenance of the the restaurant itself but it's a very family centered place to eat. I'm excited to go back. read more

Amazing! I ordered catering for a work event with young adults. Everyone was excited about the event--even my presenters were calling it "the southern kitchen event." There was so much food! It is a great value. They were so easy to work with. And it was all delicious. We are using them for more events this year. read more

I finally visited Southern Kitchen, which had been bookmarked for days on days. While in the area for a meeting, I decided to get dinner at Southern Kitchen before hitting the traffic. For how much praise it's received, I gotta say, I thought I was gonna like it more. But I'm glad I visited. I walked in and was immediately greeted by an employee who told me to sit anywhere I wanted. The place felt like going to your friend's grandma's house. There were colorful table settings, a bar area that leads into the kitchen and photos of all those famous people who've eaten here before, like Kevin Hart. I really like soul food, specifically, catfish. I've been spoiled by my bestie's grandma who makes the best cajun catfish, and ever since I first had it, I'm always on the hunt for a place known for catfish. Southern Kitchen is one of those places. I ordered the catfish plate, which came with two catfishes and your choice of two sides. After speaking with the employee, I settled on the mac and cheese and the cornbread dressing. For a drink, I ordered a mango lemonade, which came in a gigantic mason jar with whipped cream on top. Before my meal came, I was given a corncake, which was basically a pancake that's made with cornbread. Freaking amazing! I was trying not to fill up on the corncake, but it was hard to resist, especially with some buttah and syrup. This is a must try! When the food came out, everything looked appetizing. Yet, the catfish seemed to be overly fried and had way too much batter. Much of what I tasted was the fry instead of the fish, which is of course, not what you want to taste. It wasn't nearly as flaky as I had hoped, since the fried skin really took over the fish. However, the sides were good. My server mentioned that the mac and cheese was his favorite and I could see why after trying so. The mac and cheese was thick and creamy and good. The cornbread dressing was comprised of cornbread with gravy on top, which was also tasty. But there are a handful of sides to choose from, which may make your decision even harder. But all I can say is that the catfish, unfortunately, is not what I'd recommend ordering. Next time, I really want to try the brisket or fried chicken. Overall, I loved the friendly and hospitable staff, the mango lemonade was delicious, sides were solid, and portions were large. I was just disappointed with the catfish. Yet, I would definitely come back, in search of that entree I end up loving because I know it exists here at Southern Kitchen! read more

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OMG!! Fabulousness!!!! Everything was wonderful! I recommend the platter no matter what time you go! A lil it of er'thang! read more

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Food was amazing and service was the best I've had in a really long time. Would def recommend.

Great customer service the food was fantastic single portions can feed a family of two over all it's perfect ambiance is very cozy feel like I was at home. read more

I used Southern Kitchen for a caterer for a work event and they were fantastic! Customer service, delivery, and food presentation was fantastic! We had so much food, that folks got to take some home! Thank you Miss Gloria, Marques, and the other lovely gentleman that delivered! Will be using you all again! read more

Not only was the food delicious, but the customer service experience was amazing!! So refreshing to be greeted with kindness & hospitality! We are from the Midwest, and we felt like we were home! read more

Southern Kitchen - Hush Puppies Fried Green Tomatoes Catfish Fillet Delight Cornbread Dressing Candied Yams Country Gravy Mac & Cheese Corncake - Southern Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Was so looking forward to great soul food. Made the drive intentionally, and when we went in the greeting was NONE. Then when asked if I was picking up, I said we would like to order and the man turned his back and said over his shoulder- tell me when you are ready. I had to ask if the only piece of plastic on the counter was the menu. He kept his back to me and said. Yes. Never turned around once. My husband and I decided we did not want to order from a business that could not be bothered to welcome our service or offer us a menu. We left to find a different business to support in the area. read more

Southern Kitchen - Easy to find location- corner with visible signs - Southern Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

In town for a wedding and had lunch with a good friend. Great customer service and food, was not disappointed. Loved the catfish most,

WOW, went there today for the half chicken Dinner with greens & mashed potato's with gravy.....best tasting chicken ever tasted, saw the owner on Triple D'Souza food show and he wasn't kidding as will be back for breakfast as loved the menu and the friendly service....yum yum yummy read more

Awesomeest place for soul food in tacoma. The owner work tirelessly to Make customers feel appreciated and well- fed. Prices are typical of today's times. Room is small.. but very classic read more

If you think of sourthern cooking greasy spoon then this is the one place you should go in Tacoma. 15 years later I come back, and this place is hopping. John is still behind the counter greeting people. If you leave here hungry it's your fault. read more

Southern Kitchen - Little bear and mama bear enjoying a mango sweet tea! - Southern Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

We came here because I've been craving mashed potatoes and gravy. I'm from Missouri and grew up on home cooked comfort food--all the things on Southern Kitchen's menu. The fried chicken here was super good. The rest was super disappointing. My husband's catfish was seasoned oddly (a lot of oregano? Something was strange) and my chicken fried steak was very unappetizing (mainly in appearance...the taste was so-so). My kids got the fried chicken which is the only thing we'd have again. Biggest disappointment--fake mashed potatoes. That just seems inexcusable at a southern comfort food restaurant! The instant potatoes and Mac and cheese reminded me of what you'd get at a Golden Corral or a cafeteria. Wild. The servers were very friendly but overwhelmed with customers in the small restaurant and we had to ask each time for refills on coffee and water and for silverware. The place has a fun vibe but doesn't feel very clean. I had a bug in my water which happens but didn't help me get over the ick feeling. read more

I wish I would have tried this restaurant sooner! We had the chicken fried steak with country gravy, red beans & rice, and macaroni & cheese. We also had 2 lemonades and hush puppies. Everything was SO GOOD! The service was top notch too and this made our experience even better. I look forward to returning and trying more items. Come with a huge appetite! read more

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Passing through and wanted some chicken. Thought we would give it a try. Luckily we were a bit after the lunch rush so we found onsite parking. Plenty of open seats. Had the sweet tea. It was good. Had the platter which consisted of chicken, catfish, and two sides. I had the red beans and rice and corn. Service was great. Food was great. Would come again. read more

Very nice atmosphere, music was great, customer service was even better. Now to the part you're all here for, the food: I ordered the 6th Ave Platter. It came with catfish (Cajun or regular seasoning, I ordered regular), 2 pieces of fried chicken, 2 sides, a hush puppy and cornbread. The fried catfish was without question the most fire piece of food on my plate. The candied yams were solid, I thought it could have been sweeter. The Mac and cheese was great once I added a little salt and pepper. The chicken on the other hand needed help. It was nice, hot and crispy, but lacked flavor as if they forgot to season the chicken. If it weren't for that, I would have definitely given them 5 stars. All in all, I would go back again! read more

Southern Kitchen - 6th Ave. Platter: Catfish Fillet, fried chicken, Candied Yams, Mac & Cheese - Southern Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Fantastic! They accommodated five of us quickly and delivered delicious corn cakes to get us started. We had catfish, fried chicken, and brisket. Our sides were mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, which were seasoned perfectly and definitely homemade. We will be back for sure! read more

Southern Kitchen - Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese - Southern Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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We were really excited to try this place and it made our expectations even higher to find out it was on DDD. It took an hour for the food to come out and we had one plate come out at a time in 15 min intervals afterwards. We ordered 2 pancake platters, the 6th ave platter, and the bacon & cheese omelette. Quite disappointed on what we received, the food was bland and some of it was cold. The catfish strips were delicious though, it was soft and moist, but everything was very under seasoned. read more

Southern Kitchen - 6th Ave Platter w. a side of Mac and Cheese & Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy - Southern Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Going to this place on a weekend, you're asking for a wait time. I'd definitely try to find a less popular or busy time to go. The chicken was absolutely delicious and worth a revisit. The kitchen seemed a little overwhelmed with orders when we went. They were building plates for both the in-person guests and the delivery options at the same time. I'd like to revisit during a quieter time to get a better idea of their service. The flow of being seated, ordering, and eventually paying wasn't intuitive. I would also caution visiting on a warm day. There wasn't any a/c and with the fryers going on in the kitchen, it made to space a little uncomfortable. But seriously good food. read more

Absolutely incredible spot. A community space for people of all walks, come on Sunday for bumping friendly vibes. Waiter Ben, like all staff here, is always killing it with makin you feel like an old friend. Incredible service all the way around. The food the food!!!! their grits are next to heaven, never had a dish here I wasn't blown away by. Only hope is that they will move away from styrofoam for to-go boxes, keep the love going by protecting our earth from products like that which never degrade. read more

Southern Kitchen - Veggie Southern Garden Omelet Breakfast with Grits and Homemade Biscuit - Southern Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Fresh and tasty food! Clean restaurant! Friendly service! Family owned! Really enjoyed our food! Stayed a bit after they closed because we lost track of time. They were so gracious to us as we quickly left. Definitely worth eating here for the excellent service alone! read more

Food was super yummy. Tiny place with slow service. A lot of to go orders going out fast. We waited about 40 minutes for our food. When the manager came in (I hate I forgot his name) was more than accommodating and had superb customer service skills. I ordered Fried butterfish which I never had, red beans and rice and some tillamook cheddar Mac and cheese. The butter fish was really good and fried hard just like I like it, but the fish was to soft inside. I won't eat it again. The red beans and rice and the Mac and cheese was also good. My daughter had a bacon cheeseburger (they forgot the cheese) and the bacon was beef bacon (neither of us had it before), it was ok. They should specify the bacon the use it have is beef bacon. My boyfriend didn't like it. It was really thick. I would give this restaurant 5+ stars but the wait was so long. If I'm ever in the area, I'll go back. read more

Southern Kitchen - Butterfish, Red Beans and Rice Mac and Cheese - Southern Near Me - Tacoma, Washington