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    Southern Love

    4.7 (394 reviews)
    ModerateSouthern
    Closed 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Order Southern Love Takeout or Delivery

    Southern Love Photos

    Business Info

    SOUTHERN LOVE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Southern Love

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    Reviews With Photos

    Sean Y.

    Was told this place was the move for southern food and it did not disappoint! Parking is a challenge as there isn't much of it...but we got lucky and found a spot up front! Ordered the catfish and grits, the bacon, egg, and cheese, and the chicken and biscuits with gravy. Everything hit! The biscuits are some of the better ones on island and the grits were solid! The chicken was seasoned well and the catfish had the perfect fry on it! Only wish was the sweet tea was served with refills in a bigger glass as the little mason jar didn't last long! Will definitely be back!

    Banana pudding
    Joanne S.

    We came to dine here party of 9 at 630p. Nephew suggested it for a family dinner. This is a small restaurant and we should've probably gone earlier, but work schedules did not permit, therefore 7 of us sat at the bar and 2 at a countertop table. There are 3 patio tables outside that seat 4 or 5 if you squeeze together. There is no AC available and its probably 'cooler' outside to dine, because the stove and oven are constantly running. There are fans which help, but luckily it wasn't a hotter day. I don't know the owners name, he is the only one cooking. He has a cashier, server, hostess all of 1. Just the 2 of them serving everyone who seems to have come at once. He did a great job and it was nice to be able to see the food being cooked, plated and served. They pretty much stay on top of things. Food does take a little longer to be served, but it was certainly worth the wait. Everything was delicious and hot. All the bones were left on the empty plates. My personal favorite is the pork chop. Collards and cornbread were available and they do sellout. Cornbread was very moist. I also liked the Mac daddy...I think i might try to replicate that at home. They do alot of takeout orders as well. If im in the area again, I may do takeout or come when they first open. Forgot to mention the desserts. Blueberry cheesecake, banana pudding and peach cobbler. All delicious, but my favorite is the pudding. Yum

    Fried chicken biscuits and gravy.  YUM!
    Matt O.

    I don't know how I haven't heard of this place, yet after trying it out for the first time, my expectations seem to have changed a lot after the visit. It was a pretty good first time visit despite the very small seating in the restaurant. And now the food... I had to pick between the BBQ sliders and the Chicken biscuits and gravy. And, for the price, they definitely gave me a good amount of chicken in correlation to the biscuit. The bites I got from the chicken and the southern gravy were really delicious. Eating the chicken with the biscuit and the gravy, a lot more pleasant there. I didn't really need the Louisiana style hot sauce. Chicken, spot on and crispy...the biscuit, light, delicate and soft... There's not really much I can find a complaint on, and the presentation looked so inviting to eat. I can definitely tell they put so much heart and soul into their food, and it comes out presented well. Next time, maybe I can try the BBQ sliders if I ever come across this place again. Thanks, Southern Love, you really made my day.

    Stephanie L.

    For a slow and quality meal - this is your place to be. And I don't mean slow in a bad way, but slow in the sense that you get to sit, enjoy your conversation with your companion, and see the kitchen in action carefully assembling all components of your meal. This is the furthest from fast food, and you cannot come here with the expectation of fast food. I enjoyed the best fried chicken in my life here. Freshly battered and fried. Accompanied by a beautiful potato salad, collard greens, and a tasty piece of cornbread. I would order an entire pan of that cornbread if I could. And you should definitely get a side of that potato salad. My boyfriend enjoyed their mixed plate which had rib ribs and a few other items, but I was too concentrated on my food to care about what he was eating. We came around 6 PM on a Saturday night and were served our food just after 7 PM. We were incredibly lucky because while we were sitting at the counter, we saw numerous parties try to come in to dine in, and there was no space available. Takeout is always an option, but you still need to wait for your takeout so be patient, walk around to the Sake shop down the street and come back in an hour to pick up your piping hot food. Parking is extremely limited so pray to the parking gods that you score a stall in front of the restaurant or try your luck on the street and take a short walk down.

    Okra
    Jonathan C.

    Really enjoyed dinner here this Monday night. I want to come back for brunch and try the shrimp and grits. Parking is limited in front, we were lucky to score a spot. It was full when we arrived but luckily there was a table open for us. The food is really flavorful and piping hot so careful on the first bite.

    Brunch menu.
    Cynthia W.

    He was talking about chicken and waffles a couple of days ago. So yesterday morning, I looked up a few places and I'm glad I found this one. He didn't know where we were going, just drove him here and he was super excited when we parked and saw southern breakfast. The moment we walked in, we were greeted by the friendly owner. Very clean and nice inside. We were the only ones in there and they have an open kitchen concept as we sat at the bar. It was almost like we had a private chef as we watched him cooked our meals. Everything fresh. He got the chicken and waffles with a side of cheesy grits. I got the biscuits and gravy. He said automatic 5 star! Lol. He said everything tasted amazing. He loves how the cheese was made in the grits, not just sprinkled on top. Chicken was lovely fried and still moist inside. I really liked the flavor with the country style gravy. Soooo delicious! This is definitely one of our favorite places we ate during our week vacation here in Oahu.

    Outside
    Mimi L.

    Have been meaning to check this place out for awhile. Glad we finally did. The chef owner and the woman who served were so friendly and kind. The place is simple and clean. Nice bathroom available to customers. Parking can be a challenge but that's how it is with lots of places in town. They played really good music. Like real music. We arrived a little after the lunch rush so missed out on grits and biscuits which we were told are their popular items. Darn it. What we did have (fried chicken and catfish po boy) was really yummy. We will definitely come back for dinner and to get some of those biscuits and grits !

    Catfish Po' Boy Sandwich / side salad
    Candice L.

    Unassuming spot in the busy side streets of Kakaako. Parking is a bit limited with only six spots in the front, but it's worth it if you park a little further and walk over. The owners are very sweet and very attentive and offer amazing service. The brunch menu varies from the dinner menu, so I'll definitely have to return and try the mac & cheese, and some of the other classics i've heard they have. I got the catfish and grits which was surprisingly light. The breading for the catfish was so well seasoned although I did wish that the catfish was a little bit more substantial. The grits was different from grits i've had before and it balanced really well with the catfish. The sweet tea was phenomenal, and they offered a refill, which I thought was very generous. My friend thoroughly enjoyed the catfish po boy and you can pair it with a side salad or chips. There were consistently people coming through so that's how you know the food is good. The outdoor area is cute and the indoor area allows some bar seating which I liked. Will definitely return to try their dessert menu, which include a banana pudding/cheesecake, or crusted cobbler. And the dinner menu is going to be a must!

    Fried chicken and biscuits with country gravy
    Jeffrey T.

    Soul Food Worth Sharing at Southern Love Rare to find Southern food in Hawaii, but Southern Love hits all the right notes. They do not call it soul food for nothing. We ordered the fried catfish with grits, fried chicken with biscuits and gravy, and a side of fried shrimp. The batter on everything was perfectly seasoned and crisp without being oily. Get there early because they can run out of biscuits or grits toward closing. We enjoyed every bite. Be sure to get the sweet tea to wash it all down. Free refills. It is a small operation with counter seating where you can watch the chef cook, along with a few umbrella-covered tables outside. Everything is made to order, so a little patience goes a long way. Ask to confirm, but it looks like it is BYOB since they do not serve alcohol. Located near the corner of Queen and Cooke Street, there are a few parking stalls in front or metered street parking within a short walk. Final bite: Southern Love doesn't just feed your hunger. It feeds your soul and your cravings, one crispy bite at a time.

    Catfish sandwich
    Cheryl T.

    Food was amazing. Had the Po Boys Catfish sandwich with a salad. It was outstanding! Service was quite pleasant. We ate inside but they also have outdoor seating as well. Homelike atmosphere.

    Outside seating
    Jackie W.

    Located on Queen Street. Nearing the corner of Cooke Street and Queen Street. The restaurant is next to Anytime Fitness. Parking is limited right in front of the restaurant. I parked near the park on Cooke Street and walked over. Lots of street parking along Cooke Street. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating. The interior of the restaurant was very nice, and modern. The service was great. They don't give tap water but you can purchase bottle water so you may want to bring your flask. The food was excellent! I initially thought the portion size was on the smaller size but it was perfect. I was full. Everything I ate was good. The potato salad was yummy, the best part was the fried chicken.

    Menu
    Angeleena M.

    I came for the sweet tea and fell in love. If you are craving a sweet tea and a good yap session the outdoor seating was the place to be. From the food to the vibes it felt like being in your mommas back yard eating some good food with family. The service was amazing, they were so kind, it was only 3 people and they were awesome. The ribs were juicy and the yams were cinnamony goodness. The mac and cheese had an insane cheese pull that had me shoveling it in. The corn bread wasn't my personal jam but I know thats my fault because I am into dry and crumbly cornbread but this was exactly what my friend had been looking for in cornbread. I also had to try the cat fish and it was crispy with a good little kick. This lovely place will for sure be seeing me again and probably soon.

    Chef Chris Love with a few orders
    Rand E.

    The food was awesome! A word to the wise...it may not be ideal to come on a Saturday night around 5, unless you don't mind waiting and waiting. There's only 1 chef and 1 sous chef with tons of takeout and dining in orders so we waited 2 hours to be served. (Versus a 45 minute wait for takeout). Had their fried okra, collard greens, catfish plate and mac daddy bowl. Great crispy but moist okra and catfish! But the star for me was the mac daddy bowl...creamy macaroni and cheese topped with shredded tender pork and beans.

    Chicken Biscuits N' Gravy, Chicken N' Waffles, Cheese Grits

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    2 months ago

    Wow what a great place, between all of us we had several different types foods and we all loved it. Would definitely recommend it.

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    Page 1 of 10

    Ask the Community - Southern Love

    Is there a place nearby to buy alcohol? And also then bring it into the restaurant

    There's Longs on ward

    Is it BYOB?

    Yes

    View All 3 Questions

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    Chili & rice, sides of mac n cheese, tater salad
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    Wow, I have no words…read more I'm writing this as my wife and I are sitting here for 20 minutes and no one has even come up to us.... I counted 2 tables have been addressed before us that came in after we had sat down... I had to grab the bus boy just to start making us water! This is starting out the worst service I've ever experienced but maybe they're understaffed? Oh wait... no cuz there's 5 people behind the bar laughing and talking?! I'm so lost - but the food looks good so I'll keep you updated after we eat the food...if we ever have the chance to order... update: The food did come out within 10 minutes of finally ordering. Didn't get any utensils, didn't get any of the sauces, had to ask the people sitting behind us if they had an extras and got em from them... Out of the 6 sauces, and this is personal preference, only two I would actually use, but if you don't like water sauce this ain't your place. They're all super liquidy but again that's just preference so no biggie. Brisket = extremely dry - like sand, no sauce no seasoning/flavor Sausage = extremely average. Little spicy nothing to write home about Turkey and bacon melt = very generic - hard to mess up a sandwich but again just simple Mac n cheese = box kraft is better - this is like D tier Fries = crinkle cut and actually solid

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    Original sauce
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    Booths along the wall and tables in the middle

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    Booths along the wall and tables in the middle

    Southern Love - southern - Updated July 2026

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