I kept hearing about this soul food spot, so while I was in the Wethersfield area, I decided to…read morestop by and see what the hype was about; Soul Bowl's Restaurant. I later found out they have other locations as well. When I arrived, I noticed this is more of a grab-and-go spot. There is no seating area for dining in, just a small waiting area with a couple of chairs. Parking is street parking, so keep that in mind when stopping by. I ordered in person, and I have to say the service was quick! Within about seven minutes, my food was ready. As soon as you walk in, you can see the menu and even see the kitchen area, which I always appreciate because you can get a feel for how your food is being prepared. The employee who greeted me was very friendly and welcoming. You can also order online. I ordered the seasoned rice, shrimp, mac & cheese, and collard greens bowl. First impression... the bowl looked beautiful and was put together very nicely. Everything looked fresh and appetizing. The shrimp was sautéed in a garlic sauce and had great flavor. The mac & cheese was definitely a highlight, very cheesy! When I put my fork into it, the cheese stretched and expanded the way you hope a good mac & cheese will. The collard greens were good, although I'll be honest, I've had better. They still complemented the bowl and added that classic soul food feel. At first glance, I thought, "Is this going to be enough?" But after eating it, I was completely satisfied and full. The portion was actually just right. The price was reasonable and within the range of what many restaurants are charging today. What makes this place stand out to me is that it tastes homemade and I love fresh food made with care. My only suggestion: PLEASE consider adding cornbread to the menu (hopefully soon ). A piece of cornbread would complete this bowl meal perfectly! Overall, I would definitely recommend Soul Bowl's. Great flavors, quick service, friendly staff, and that homemade comfort-food feeling. I'm already curious to try more from their menu! What should I try next?

The soul bowls at this location are extremely good! If you enjoy soul food it's fresh and it's…read morereally good! I order the bowls with the collard greens, sweet potatoes and chicken. At the bottom of the bowl there was a bed of rice. The soul roll was really good too!

Your mouth waters when you walk through the door. You also will smell like bbq when you leave but…read moreyour belly will be full. Enjoy some delicious pulled pork with tangy sauce. Love it with coleslaw and cornbread

Wow this is the real deal felt like I was in North Carolina!…read moreThe sauces are amazing. Love the Alabama White and the North Carolina mustard Some of the best cornbread I've ever had. Two brisket sandwich sandwiches we love them and the bun was fantastic! Love the chili feels more like a Brunswick stew but my goodness it's good... Great portions and very hospitable! Nice clean place! Food was ready when I got there! All in all a great experience! Nice thing is I don't have to go to North Carolina to get the real deal! I'm sure we'll be seeing Chester again real soon!!

This is my only go to spot for soul food in Springfield. The food is freshly prepared ( order…read moreonline or call ahead) so there will always be a wait. The chef is so polite and welcoming. Give this place a try.

5 stars is not enough. The folks here are absolutely friendly and treat you like family. Food is…read morebeyond good. 5 stars do not do it justice. I got the salmon with the chef recommendation lemon pepper sauce and greens and Mac and cheese. Everything is beyond perfect. Greens are cooked to perfection. Not too mushy and not too firm, Mac and Cheese is firm and gooey. Salmon is so damn tender it is almost hard to eat. Across from MassMutual center so I am positive this place has to be packed before games or events. I can't recommend the place enough.

If you are looking for an intimate ambiance paired with excellent food and top-tier service, this…read moreis the perfect restaurant for you. Everything we tried was flavorful and cooked to perfection, and the staff went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience. Highly recommended!

Was very impressed with this hidden gem of an establishment. Our server Kyle was amazing, very…read moreattentive and on point. Would definitely come back here when I'm in Connecticut. FOOD: Very good and flavorful just how soul food should be and taste. Excellent selection of food items to choose from. AMBIANCE: Like your typical breakfast/brunch ambience. The lighting was just right. ENTERTAINMENT: They have a DJ playing 90's & early 2000's R&B and hip hop. Was pretty awesome made you want to dance while you were eating. Good feel good energy in here. Just a note that it is a tad bit loud with the music but not in an offensive way, kind of a day club in Vegas type of way. SERVICE: Our server Kyle was excellent! DRESS CODE: Casual *YELP ELITE REVIEW DISCLAIMER: These opinions and experiences are my own and may not reflect other's experiences and views of the establishment. I will always provide true, factual & unbiased reviews.*

Came here on Sunday night and it was one of the best restaurants I've been to in some time. We sat…read moreoutside since it was August, dog friendly deck and our waitress gave our dog a water bowl. Inside was lively and the bar looked very cool inside. I got the Fried chicken Sandwich and it was the best chicken sandwich I've ever had, super juicy and the sauce on it paired very well with the chicken, the fires were seasoned perfectly, couldn't stop eating them. Food came out pretty fast around 20 minutes after ordering. I also got the confetti milkshake for free because the table behind us were sever tow instead of one, it was good, typical milkshake but I will be back to try the other flavor. I signed up for their rewards program and I'll definitely be eating here again to try their other food!

I had the mushroom burger and it was absolutely delicious. I wish I had gone with the potato salad…read moreversus the old bay mac salad. The potato salad was sooo good! I did also try some of the siracha wings. They definitely have a kick to them and I generally like spice. There was plenty of seating outdoors and indoors. The seating was nearly all taken though and the wait time for outdoors was 45min. I would recommend calling ahead if possible but you could possibly get a bar seat quickly.

Hometown spot, right off a two lane highway, you'll find a small corner restaurant with some tasty…read moresmoke coming off the top.. that's Thomas Smokey pit stop! Service was very friendly, prices a little high, but bbq is crazy these days so you kind of expect it. Tried the three meat plate, with a side of bbq beans and cornbread. Ribs: tender, not fall off the bone but great rub! Brisket: rather dry but I wouldn't throw it away Corn bread: dry and did throw away Baked beans: delicious!! Great little spicy flavor. Hot links: my favorite part of this dish! Wasn't a standard flavor, not too spicy, and had a great snap to it. Overall, decent experience, nothing to write home about. Very limited seating, stools only. Come hungry, good size portions.

First Timer to Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop BBQ in Manchester, CT yesterday. I did the 2 plate meat w/…read moreone side. Went with the Ribs & Brisket and collards. Place is smallish, but there's a counter with a few stools if you want to eat inside. Service was very friendly & efficient. Brisket was good -- tender and moist. Nice bark too. Ribs had a smokey flavor, I liked the rub they used. But a few were borderline tough. Collards were excellent. Overall, this is decent "northern Q", I would definitely come back again if I'm in the area. Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop BBQ is a solid 4 Star rating, IMO, and that's coming from a guy who consumed a lot of Q in northern Alabama when he lived down there.

*** DO NOT ORDER THROUGH THE YELP APP OR GRUBHUB*** Use DoorDash only…read more It was my first time ordering online, so I made this mistake tonight. I showed up for my pickup only to find that they didn't get my order. The staff told me that they only do DoorDash I had to cancel the order with GrubHub and then replace my order. Thankfully, there was enough of what I needed to get an order to go. Now that I got the unpleasant part of the story out of the way, let's talk about the amazing place that Southern Dishes is. If you've din d in a traditional southern food restaurant before, you'll recognize the setup. Meals are served cafateria style, that are portioned for you by the staff. You place an order at the counter and grab a seat or wait to be called if you're going to-go. Once your name is called you grab your tray and bring back to your table. Tonight's trip was a simple kid's meal of a (large) fried chicken strip (white meat) and mac and cheese for my son and a large collard greens (made with turkey). Having had all three before, I can vouch for their yumminess. I would be lying if I didn't say that I shared a few mouthfuls of the mac and cheese. This is the bomb, or whatever everyone is calling it. The mixture of cheeses, these crispy top, the well cooked pasta...it's the trifecta of the perfect mac & cheese. If you like collard greens, these are legit southern greens, not like the other ones that restaurants try to pass off as the real thing. The potlikker (liquid from the greens) is amazing. Other mentionables are the fried chicken, the fried fish and of course the wonderful banana pudding! For an authentic southern meal in CT, make the drive to Meriden. You will not be disappointed.

So good. Huge portions. Highly recommend. Honey cornbread is worth the trip alone. Great staff,…read moregreat food

Went for brunch on Father's Day. We didn't have reservations so we sat at the bar. The Bartenders…read morewere attentive, great attitudes and thorough. The food was an amazing and the drinks were great. The music was great. They started brunch with DJ Craig G and he was amazing. I will be back !!!

It depends on the vibe you are looking for. We went to an after dinner vibe and it was old and…read moreslow! I know I'm not the youngest chicken but my girlfriend saw her church deaconess there. Now maybe that was just the night because there was definitely a live show happening. But we went in and came out. I can can't judge the food or drinks but it was definitely an older crowd vibe there.

Went in to order but they hadn't opened yet but this restaurant seemed very nice. The owner was…read moreextremely kind and friendly, will definitely be returning soon.

Food is great - Seasoned to perfection and good portions . Can't wait for the full service to open…read morenext month .

Sandra's Next Generation has been my absolute staple in the community for over three decades…read more Sandra Pittman has been cooking in this same location since 1989, and I've been eating here consistently since 1995. It is, without question, the best soul food in the state. I have no problem running down I-91 from Hartford just to get my food because the quality and taste are on a level that nobody else can touch. Don't let the neighborhood fool you; this is a masterclass in authentic cooking. Sandra and her husband Miguel have been running this place for over 30 years, and that level of dedication shows in every single dish. The food has the kind of soul and precision that defines the elite dining scene in Connecticut. If you want the real deal--the standard that every other soul food spot is measured against--this is the only place to go. It's a class act that has stayed true to its roots for over 30 years.

The food was excellent but we went into sticker shock when it was time to pay up. We looked at the…read moreonline prices and EVERYTHING was substantially higher than the prices listed online. Shante's Plate was $3.50 more, extra fried pork chop was $1.00 more, plain deviled eggs were $2.50 more, dark meat chicken was $1 more. Our three meals came to $14 more than we were expecting based on the online posted prices, this is almost a whole meal and on a bill of what should've been about $70 total this is a 21% increase!! I know the price of food has gone up significantly lately, but clearly no one has updated the prices on their website. Bad business practice.....