The food here is amazing! This is a place where you have to order the same thing twice because you definitely would not want to share. The portions are huge and can be easily spread out for two or three days and at a very reasonable price. I ordered the smothered pork chop that didn't need a knife to cut it. I wish I knew how they made it so tender. read more

This is not a vegetarian friendly restaurant. The green vegetables (cabbage, greens, etc) has some type of meat used for flavoring. The corn was under cooked and not seasoned well. Everything else was ok. Can't say I will return but perhaps the meat plates are better? read more

The Good Life Cafe - Candied Yams, Corn, Mac and cheese - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice clean spacious new location with good food and accommodating staff. Thank you for hosting our group meeting. read more

The Good Life Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been here about three times now. The last time I had the smothered chicken. It was okay, a little soggy and not well-seasoned. The Mac n cheese was also okay. The sweet potatoes tasted like they came out of a can so I didn't eat many of them. The cornbread was dry. I wonder if this was a miss because I went on a Monday instead of over the weekend. I've liked the food here better in the past. I'll try again and may update my review. My dad really enjoys their food. read more

The Good Life Cafe - Smothered Chicken - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Customer service is honestly horrible! The attitude of the young lady that took my order was really nasty and seemed like she didn't want to be there. The food is TRASH! This does not live up to the Chicago I know! The Mac n cheese was so bad I never tasted something so bad before! The pork chops tasted like they were cooked the day before, I wanted to take my food back but seeing how the girl at the front acted with my first interaction I decided it wasn't even worth it. Absolutely disgusting they honestly should be closed because I don't know who's keeping them in business seriously! read more

The restaurant was very clean. The dining room was welcoming. I ordered the smothered white chicken with green beans, greens and a side of macaroni. All my side dishes meet or exceeded my expectations. However the smothered chicken gravy was undercooked so it tasted like uncooked flour. I returned the chicken and replaced the order with meatloaf. I wasn't impressed with the meatloaf. They gave me two pieces of meatloaf with barbecue sauce. Also the meatloaf wasn't soft and juicy. The meatloaf is traditionally made with tomato sauce or paste. Overall I left hungry and very disappointed with my meal. The last item I feel was not inline with the area is the meal price $23.14. read more

The Good Life Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Was in the area and decide to stop. I probably won't be back, portion served were small for the price. And the food was just okay. I ordered two dinners; beef short ribs and pot roast. When I think of pot roast, I was expecting carrots, potatoes and gravy. All I received was Dry roasted beef. I should have asked and not assumed, that's on me but it wasn't an enjoyable meal. The short ribs dinner was nothing to write home about. For the price I expected better read more

Excellent service and very clean also restrooms staff very courteous menu easy to read

I ordered the turkey wing dinner for $27 with dressing, corn and cabbage. Portion size was kinda small and the turkey drum sticks were small and not tender, the seasoning overall was bland. I may give them another try in the future. read more

I have been eating soul food since the pandemic, and before the fire, the food at The Good Life Café was top-notch. However, since they have reopened, I can confidently say that this is not authentic soul food. Soul food is rich in flavor and made with love and care. Unfortunately, the quality at The Good Life Cafe has taken a huge back seat. The food is no longer the same, with lots of shortcuts taken. The lack of people who know how to prepare and cook soul food is evident. The containers that the food comes in are about 20% smaller, along with the portions served. They hide behind a curtain, and you can no longer see your food being prepared, and now I understand why. The peach cobbler was all bread, with no very dry juice I have never seen or had dry peach cobbler which was all bread there was no real crust, and maybe three peaches in total. Service was extremely slow, and they ran out of food hours before closing. This shows lack of good management and preparation Sunday is probably your busiest day how can you not have enough food . It is no longer worth the money or the wait. This is very sad. The dessert tasted like something off a food truck. I gave some to my aunt she spit it out and ask were I got this from. When I walked into the restaurant, I could not smell the food cooking, which is a red flag because it seems like it was prepared somewhere else or by someone with little experience cooking soul food. My girlfriend got sick from eating the mac and cheese and spent the day in the bathroom. We threw the meal away; it was not worth taking back and complaining about. The corn bread was not corn bread but cake dough Quality took a huge back seat here, and the customers were all complaining. However, in a very professional and business-like manner, I must express my disappointment and loss for words. Avoid this place. I will not be back any time soon and will not recommend this place to anyone. read more

It was a Saturday afternoon and I was heading home from visiting a friend in Chicago and I was in the mood for some good down home cooking and the Good Life Cafe was suggested by my sister. We ordered the jerk chicken, baked chicken, spaghetti collard greens and yams. Everything I tasted was seasoned well and delicious but the star of this show was the collard greens, candied yams and baked bone in chicken. Cornbread muffins came with the order and that cornbread was devoured instantly it was exceptional! I ordered my food to go because the inside of the restaurant was nothing to write home about so I kept it moving. They could improve on their customer service skills because when I sampled the food and asked for a spoon she pointed at the counter instead of communicating to me that they were on the other counter. I'm returning to try the fried catfish it wasn't on the menu at the time I ordered. Overall great food at a reasonable price. read more

See all

Customer Service sucks a** , always have somebody with a attitude taking the orders . Example i order fish spaghetti and dressing. Got my food dressing was looking wet Ï told her I'm sorry no gravy . I kind you not this lady mix the gravy up with dressing and put it back on my plate & the spaghetti is a -10 it taste like pizza read more

i live in the neighborhood, so i've tried this food several times. this food is absolutely horrible !! it has no seasoning, barely cooked, too expensive, very small portion. everything about this food is all bad. not to mention the owners are on a watch for a tip. they need to improve the taste, portion and cook time. they are trying to serve this large neighborhood but not putting in the time to make suee the food is in good standard for the people. please dont waste your time and money going here. i see no change. the owner. the wife has a nasty personality. i will never go back there again. read more

The food is consistent and the mission of this place is commendable. Too often the plight of the youth on the south side is spoken about without consequence. It is refreshing to see action being taken to invest in the next generation. Any given day you will see high school student both serving and assisting in the back. Hats off to the Good Life Cafe! read more

The food I had today was overly salty and when I brought it back I was told no refunds or exchanges. And this wasn't the first time I received salty food I haven't eaten there in a while and I won't be coming back . read more

I really wanted to like this place the owner always post very appetizing food on social media . But unfortunately that was not the case in the restaurant Service - every server including the Cook was confused ... Dressing had no season Peach cobbler was mushy and lacked flavor Meatloaf was pretty good Yams and greens not even worth reviewing Rock hard corn muffin No cranberry sauce read more

The Good Life Cafe - The only thing edible was the meatloaf - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is horrible all around from the food to the customer service. First time I came here I was empress but after the first few months everything changed food is not the same any given Sunday you can get ok food or terrible. The guy at the counter is rude not to me but to all the others before and after 'me by the time I got to the counter I gave him no room to be rude. They don't have condiments I ask for hot sauce at a soul food restaurant and they said they don't have hot or give out condiments food was under cooked or burnt. Don't go ave your energy and money. read more

The food is excellent and the staff has great customer service The Mac and cheese is delicious. The greens are perfect. read more

So good.. I come here every few days and it is always so good.. The meatloaf, smothered pork chops are there sides the pot roast on Sundays it is just like home read more

This was not what I expected. I was disappointed by the aesthetics of the resturant, it appeared that the food had had been prepared some where else & brought to this place in pans. The food was not pleasing to me at all, most of the food I had, had a metallic taste to it. It was expensive & not worth the money. I had high hopes for the food after all of the post and reviews I saw on social media. I along with my family was very disappointed. I would have rather cooked my self! I was just disappointed the food was sub par, not for me! I will not go back, try at your own risk! Different people have different tastebuds, I didn't enjoy the food, maybe you will. Go ahead & take a chance, good luck! read more

Ok first and foremost so NOT call!! Go inside and get your food. Second, if this is what is produced every visit, then these 5 stars are worth it! Only thing missing is the dressing and that's because it's only served on Sundays which I will be making a stop back to try as well. read more

A friend brought my dad a smothered pork chop dinner with greens, rice, corn muffin. The greens was too salty and the smothered pork chop wasn't seasoned enough. read more

I come to this restaurant at least once every 3 months. Today's service was not what I was used to at all. The greens were VERY salty, with pieces of bone from the meat included in the greens, red beans were placed at the bottom of the container with rice on top, no "juice" leaving them very dry. The barbequed chicken was EXTREMELY dry as if it was cooked yesterday and reheated today. The black eyed peas, as well as the red beans, tasted canned, with no flavor. The mac and cheese was fresh, but salty as well. The dressing also was dry, with big pieces of chicken/turkey skin included within it. I have come to expect better from this establishment, so I hope they improve their service. read more

I have visited here on several times and felt it was time to make a review. The restaurant offers lot and street parking. The restaurant usually offers a variety of meat and vegetables options of soul food. One of the owners is usually always present to supervise staff and run the register for purchases. The owner is always friendly and welcomes you when you walk through the door. However, the staff need training in that area. The staff are rude and not friendly. The food is usually hot and fresh and they are replacing low items as soon as they can. Some of the food lack some seasoning as you have to season it up when you are ready to eat. The restaurant offers plenty of tables and booths for you to sit down and enjoy your meal. If you are in the area and looking for a wholesome soul good dinner, please stop as they are black owned. On my next visit if the customer service is better, I will update my review. read more

See all

The food is consistently good at the Good Life Cafe. I usually alternate between the baked chicken and catfish, and both are always on point. The portion sizes are also awesome. Especially for the catfish. The sides are really good too. The dressing is delicious. The potato salad is exceptional. The cabbage is tasty. And if you want something a little more low key, their beans and rice is solid too. They also sell jerk chicken here that's tasty too. Every time you step in, they'll greet you, which I love. It really does make you feel like you're family there. I implore you, if you want some solid soul food, check this spot out. read more

I'm sorry to say but the food was very disappointing, especially after reading reviews before deciding to go. The dressing was Horrible! The yams lacked seasoning and the food did not look appealing! Customer service was good but not the food! read more

I arrived at this restaurant at 7:35pm and as I looked inside they were already closing up, turning the lights off with bags in hand ready to leave. The problem is that they are supposed to close at 8pm. I waited and they left the building at 7:43 which is the time of this writing. I just tried them for the first time a couple of days prior and the food was pretty good so I thought I'd give them another try. After this I won't be back. This is a bad business practice and a waste of my time. read more

The Good Life Cafe - the radio in the car - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

First time here & everything me & my co-workers tried was DELICIOUS from the Mac & Cheese to the Greens and Smothered Porkchops!!! The great customer service and quick service. We will surely be returning read more

Best Place to Stop when you want a Home Cooked Meal ! The Staff is Friendly, Clean and the food is DELICIOUS!! Please do yourself a favor and try this place if you are looking for some really Great Soul Food. And if its crowded don't let the line scare you, it moves fast ! read more

Ok so it's Fiday afternoon 4:00 o'clock ish and my husband and I are hungry,we decided to try The Good Life Cafe ,11142 South Halsted,Great choice my husband went there and brought back a bag of goodness , catfish, greens, stringbeans, cornbread, yams and black eyed peas. I will go back there and try everything!!! The young lady on the phone was exuberant, and very courteous. Please yall check them out you won't be disappointed. read more

I stopped by The Good Life Cafe for Sunday dinner today, I was greeted in a very friendly manner the place was very busy for both dining in and takeout . We had a choice of at least 6 main courses and 10 side dishes. Although busy the line was moving along and serving size was good . The dinners were very good and we were all very happy with our choice. We will be back and soon! read more

Wanted to try their food because the owner posts and it always looks amazing. Stopped by early on a Saturday afternoon and ordered a dinner for me and one for my mom so we could try different things. The people were extremely nice, the portions were great for the price and the food was delicious. My mom is a complainer about food all the time but she even said the food was really good and seasoned well. I even had enough left over to take to work for lunch. Will definitely be back. read more

We drove from Wisconsin passing several high end restaurants passing through I-94 Lake County, and the better North Shore restaurants. We wanted to buy Black, and support BOB's. I place a massive order for two people. As I watch the server plate my food, I saw her scraping the Mac N Cheese pan. Fresh was brought out, I asked for that instead. I did not get it, the platinum blonde woman (the owner presumably) told me she could not swap the item out but due to the line. The Corporation I am employed by thrives on "Putting People First". No consumer is to walk out the door unpleased with a frown. The exchange was so unprofessional, her partner came to the register, asking the situation, she over talked me and refused to allow me to answer the question he asked. I spent $60, in which is truthfully appetizer money, for 2 dinners that we passed hundreds of upscale high end places that I usually frequent to come to with the naked eye a dive. Not to mention several counter people had no gloves or hair nets, the food was sloppily plated. Just basically take this shit, pay, and eat. Food is very tasty, but the experience ruined the desire to ever spend money again. read more

The Good Life Cafe - Was supposed to have been four sides greens thrown on the top of string beans. - Soul Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I ordered two meals they had no meat of my choice (it was all out), so I got just the order of sides (3) each to-go tray. The charge if I had meat with the sides would have been $20.94, the charge for (3) sides not filling the tray compartments was $19.34 with taxes. WHY???!! We got little or nothing in this tray. No offers of a extra piece of cornbread or anything. These outrageous prices that restaurants are blaming on the Pandemic is ridiculous...Shame on you. I will not be visiting here again. read more

I set myself up...I had high hope for some deliciousness. Whomp whomp, failed miserably. The food tasted bland and did not live up to "soul food" that I know. Turkey, meatloaf, green beans, dressing, sweet potatoes, was a NO for me. The mac and cheese was the most tasty. Was disappointed about the peach cobbler cake....just ugh! I won't be back. read more

This is a great family owned restaurant with great food and service.We ordered the baked chicken and the pork chops which were both delicious. The sides were terrific particularly the greens and sweet potatoes. The staff was friendly and very professional. I will be going back again!! read more

We (my wife and I ) ate here a week ago. We found it by looking on Google. A simple dinning room and you pick out your entrees as you walk by a glassed-in hot food counter. They load up your tray as you choose any of the wide variety of choices (ribs of beef,(*****) several kinds of chicken, greens, potatoes, rice, corn bread, etc etc.) all really good and generous portions. The owners were there (really nice family) and they also run the place. They did tell us that we are eating food from the new chef. It was really gooooood!!! read more

Good food and exceptional service one of the best soul food restaurants in Chicago. It's refreshing to see a black owned business focused on quality and fast service. read more

Sometimes it don't be the food or the restaurant. It be the service, so after all the days I been going to this restaurant I never seen such a young lady be so confident and comfortable with working, with peoples that be so rude . I mean people attitude change But not hers . She always happy I seen her get snapped at and she still had a positive attitude: but let me get to the point this is a great BLACK OWN BUSINESS the food is amazing but they need to show some kinda appreciation to my girl TAY . Thanks you tay for being such a hard working young lady. read more

Chicken was raw and so were the porkshops my poor employees wasted lunch on this place never again