We went on a Sunday around 1pm, and that was the perfect time because we just beat the crowd. We were eventually seated, but we had to wait until our entire party arrived. (We were only waiting on 1 person) I was skeptical about trying this place out, especially after reading the reviews on Yelp, but I decided to give it a try anyway. I thought this place was only takeout, but to my surprise they have a large dining room. When we were seated, the table was not entirely clean. We were sat by the windows, which were extremely cold due to the air seeping in from an old mail slot. (It looks like it was an entrance at one point) During this time in the winter, it made it extremely cold and uncomfortable and while I was eating, I had one hand in my pocket literally. Anyways, the food was AMAZING! Everything was well seasoned, just mmm mmm good! In the reviews I read, I saw that a lot of people were complaining about the portion size being too small; I think that's with the takeout orders because the portions they give when you dine in were very generous. I had enough for leftovers for another meal. The service was not entirely slow, but once they were crowded, it did become hard to find our server after that. Overall solid 4 out of 5 stars. I will be back for more. read more

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Tucked outta the way in a plaza almost thought I had made a wrong turn. I watched people going in and decided I better hurry up since it was a beautiful Sunday evening I expected a crowd. Nice place, friendly staff, and yes it was busy. My Bestie told me that her and her church group ain't there often and that they're never disappointed so I was excited and yes, it was very good. I enjoyed everything I ordered my only complaints. Were the food could've been a little bit hotter, no butter served with the cornbread and I wasn't crazy about the dressing and gravy at all, but my mac & cheese was on point. The yams were perfect and my greens were some of the best I've ever had was just a hint of heat to them. I ordered catfish fried and it was very good as well. Even the tartar sauce was good and I don't do tartar sauce often, but I didn't come with any hot sauce. prices were reasonable, and I enjoyed myself I left a full and happy I will definitely be back read more

Urban Soul - Salmon, green beans, baked beans, mac & cheese, yams, greens dressing, and gravy - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Never disappoints. The oz varies but the seasoning, gravy, batter- is made from the soul. Mac n cheese , eh- not my favorite and can be inconsistent in texture. read more

Urban Soul - Country Fried Steak - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

I'm glad to see urban soul taste is still there however for carry out the portions are ridiculously small the scoop I just couldn't believe it very disappointing especially for the price almost 5 dollars. Maybe dining in is a little different. It sure looks like it in the pictures the pictures look fine. Well, I expect the same portion for carry-out... read more

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I sent this letter through the contact page on March 4 on the restaurants website. I have heard no response. My phone number was included in the letter. I also posted a shorter review on the day of while at the restaurant. March 4, 2026 Urban Soul Restaurant Detroit, MI To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally bring to your attention a concerning experience that occurred at Urban Soul on Sunday, March 1, 2026. I have been a customer of Urban Soul for years, returning even after stretches of time in between visits. Over the past three months, I have dined at your restaurant three times. I continue to come back because the food is consistent, reliable, and excellent. Until this most recent visit, the service has also been professional and exceptional. I have recommended your restaurant to others based on both the quality of the food and the service. On a previous visit in January 2026, our food was significantly delayed. When we brought it to our server's attention, she handled the situation promptly and professionally, explaining that the kitchen had mistakenly prepared the order as takeout instead of dine-in. We appreciated her responsiveness and returned again because of how well the situation was handled. I understand that mistakes can happen, and that was not an issue. Unfortunately, my experience on March 1 was entirely different. My mother and I arrived around 2:30 p.m., fully expecting a wait since Sundays are typically busy. We followed the process outlined by staff and added our names to the waiting list. We waited at least 40 minutes and were next in line for a booth that had just been vacated and was being cleaned. At that point, a woman and her child entered the restaurant. We informed her of the waitlist process and the approximate wait time. She then flagged down the manager and stated that her husband had called ahead to place their name on the reservation list. I was not aware there was a call-ahead option, as I had always understood the restaurant to operate on a first-come, first-served basis. The manager immediately directed her to take the very booth my family, and several others, had been patiently waiting for. Multiple customers witnessed what appeared to be someone being seated ahead of at least three groups who had been physically present and waiting. Another waiting customer and I brought this to the attention of the support staff, who stated they were unaware that the woman was on the list. Shortly afterward, that staff member exited the building. We then spoke with a waitress in an orange shirt, who had previously provided us excellent service, and she offered to have a table cleaned and set for us quickly. We also asked to speak with the manager. At that moment, the manager was taking the order of the table that had just been seated ahead of us. When we attempted to get her attention, she stated she was busy and dismissed us. I attempted again to calmly address the situation while she was assisting another table, and she responded by accusing me of impeding her work and stating that I would not be served because I was questioning her decision. I should note that a separate waiting customer, not myself , approached the newly seated table to express that others had been waiting longer and that the situation was inappropriate. This occurred in front of other seated patrons. Several diners and waiting customers removed their names from the list and stated they would not be returning because of the behavior they observed. The level of dismissal, hostility, and unwillingness to address a reasonable customer concern was shocking. As a business owner in Detroit myself, I understand busy service environments and what good customer service looks like. Being busy does not justify disregarding paying customers who have waited patiently and are simply asking for clarity about the process. I have taken a few days before writing to ensure I am clear-minded and measured in my response. While I am less angry than I was in the moment, I remain deeply disappointed by the disrespect shown to customers that day. After leaving, I called the restaurant and asked to speak with the owner. I was given the name John T., as well as the names of the managers on duty (Shatara or Stephanie). After providing a description, I was told the manager involved was Shatara. The deeper issue appears to be a lack of clear coordination and oversight of the waitlist process. There seemed to be no one clearly responsible for managing it, and when questions arose, the response was defensive and dismissive rather than professional and solution-oriented. I can no longer return or recommend the restaurant in good conscience unless this matter is addressed. I would appreciate a direct response that includes an acknowledgment of what occurred, steps being taken to establish a clear and consistent waitlist process, and assurance that customer concerns will be handled professionally going forward. LSM read more

First up they were a bit short staffed, however our server Areana (spell check) was amazing. It was four od us with various specific things we wanted and how we wanted items prepared. She took care of all of our requests flawlessly. I had two catfish filets, mac, and collards. Everything was well seasoned the catfish was fried just right not like some places where they leave it in the grease. The mac was not too dense with just the right amount of cheese and the collards had a nice little kick to them and we're not soggy or crunchy. I The rest of my table had the veggie plate (4 sides) and cornbread. The country fried steak, 4 wings so we pretty much had every side on the menu. Everyone was happy with their food, and the temps were on point. The music in the background was a good volume where you could have conversation or get up and dance if you wanted to get loose. Overall if I ever come back to this city I will eat here again. read more

Urban Soul - Catfish Fillet - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Urban Soul food located downtown Detroit, MI. Food: In a group of four (4), three (3) ordered short ribs and the other catfish. Our sides were cornbread, Mac & cheese, collard greens with white rice and gravy. The short ribs were as advertised, so tender and the brown gravy was on point. The Mac & cheese was just like I like it... cheesy with tender noodles. I was surprised with the cast iron bread, just like mama used to make, the white rice and gravy was just as delicious. Service: Our waitress was so nice and accommodating! I appreciate her pleasant personality and attentiveness. She made the experience all the better. Ambiance: This establishment is good for any size group. They offer carry-out also. The dining area was a little dim however leaning and orderly. read more

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Visited this restaurant on Sunday. Food was really Good. Service wasn't great at all. we didn't have anyone come Over to greet us or take our drink order for over 15 minutes. Once food came no one came by to check on us and see if we needed anything Until we were done eating. Ambiance of the restaurant was just ok. read more

We visited Urban Soul for a special family dinner to celebrate two birthdays, and as someone visiting from out of town, I was excited to try a local favorite. The overall experience was warm and welcoming--especially appreciated as we came in from the Michigan cold. We were seated quickly, and the atmosphere had a cozy, down-to-earth vibe that made us feel right at home. The food itself was delicious and full of flavor--truly soulful cooking. We rated it 4 out of 5 stars and would've happily given a full 5 if not for one unfortunate surprise: a Wendy's condiment wrapper that turned up in the collard greens. While we understand things happen in a busy kitchen, we were disappointed that no one from management came out to apologize or even acknowledge it. Our server mentioned she spoke with the back-of-house team, but no one followed up with our group directly. A simple apology would've gone a long way. That said, our waitress was fantastic--balancing multiple tables with grace and still managing to keep everything running smoothly. Our meals came out promptly, and we had every condiment imaginable at our fingertips (and, clearly, beyond!). Despite the unexpected "extra ingredient," we chose to laugh through it and enjoy the night. At the end of the day, we were just grateful to be together and celebrate more years of life. Urban Soul has a lot going for it, and I'd definitely give it another shot--with hopes for both great food and a little extra care from the team next time. read more

Urban Soul - Our "surprise"! - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

The food was good it's always good . The food is always fresh . I do have to order for pickup first and wait at least 30 minutes because they are really busy on Sunday's and that's when I go the most . The wait could be long . The prices are fair and the lady in checkout was really nice and the place seems clean! read more

Food was okay. The service was good. I had the collard greens, meatloaf with gravy and macaroni with cheese. I had the carrot cake for desert. read more

The service was awesome and our waitress was super nice. The food came out hot and it was very good. I highly recommend it.

I ordered a carry put only to get home and see my macaroni and cheese was super OLD. I called and was told to bring the side back. I was so pissed that I decided to return the whole dinner. When I brought it back to the restaurant they refused to refund me. I had to clown to get my money. And they called the police on me. I live all the way on the westside to have to bring this downtown. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS BUSINESS read more

Urban Soul - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

I really was going to give them 2 stars but my sweetie loved his meatloaf so up 1 we go. Let me say we spent about $40 for 2 which was our cheapest dinner all weekend. They have an online order system that doesn't have all menu items or any desserts. No problem. I will just add dessert when I get there. Didn't see options for dine in? Arrive about 30 minutes for pick up. The online option said 15-20 minutes but anyone who eats soul food knows to double that time. People are standing n sitting around. I just got in line in front of the window. When I requested dessert got some attitude. We only doing pick up someone in the back yells out. Aren't the desserts cooked already? And your order system has no dessert listed. I said forget it but my sweetie wanted some pie so I walked out and let him deal with that. I got fried chicken, mac n cheese, dressing, and sweet potatoes. I wanted to throw the chicken out. Almost broke my darn tooth. Hard, dry and overcooked. I ate 1 leg and let my man have at it. The sides were above average and as my man loved the meatloaf they get 3 stars. For me, its not true soul food if you can't cook fried chicken read more

Urban Soul - Hard dry chicken - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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Hi! I have been purchasing the Country Fried Steak from Urban Soul for three years and sad to say that this last time was my last time going there. They normally have great service, however I was surprised at what I found in my green beans smh. I have left photos below. Please look through your food before eating it. read more

Urban Soul - Photo of insect inside of my green beans and full image of food. - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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I've been coming here for years... yesterday I picked up my food and it was all canned, from the glory greens to the nasty sweet potatoes. WE CAN TASTE THE DIFFERENCE. If we wanted canned food we could cook that at home. Y'all should be ashamed. Nothing abt yesterday's meal was fresh the sides were dry and nasty. Y'all lost me as a customer I won't be back. I almost want a refund I threw the food in the trash. read more

Take out only! Covid will mess up something s, I'll tell ya.The food is still good but the portions are smaller. The collard greens are hands down delicious! Mac and cheese is ok. Fried pork was crispy on the outside tender on the inside. Carrot cake is four layers it's used to be full of nuts, pineapple and carrots and it was really moist and the cream cheese frosting was delicious but they cut back on the amount of ingredients it might be box because the texture is different but for almost $7, I'll pass next time. There's a walk up window to place your order or you can call it. Go give them a try. read more

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Usually you can count on the food, but today it looked different, it tastes different, chicken had dark spots and had a different smell I don't know what's going on I guess I'm gonna have to let my stomach tell me what is and what isn't , But I learned a valuable lesson I'm gonna start checking my food every place I go because sometimes you'll get anything! read more

Urban Soul - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Definitely a mixed review Went in for a quick bite, and ordered lunch to go. The menu has all the classics and they make it easy to order over the phone or in person. Now, I'll blame it on the heat and limited separation of the kitchen from the pick up window, but it was not enjoyable to wait 30+ minutes for food while hearing an employee be sent home. Some may see it as unprofessional, others may just take it as comedic relief. Hopefully this isn't a pattern everyday. When it comes to the food, I tried the catfish, greens, candied yams and cornbread. Solid food. Catfish was crispy and not too salty. Yams were perfection. Greens were tender and well balanced. The cornbread wasn't jiffy and was solid. The tartar sauce may be homemade, it was delicious! Overall good is solid. Plenty of parking space for you to wait for your food. Customer service was ehhhhh. Would come back to try the desserts alone as they looked amazing on the menu. read more

Urban Soul - Catfish Fillet and Sweet potatoes - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Half slab rib dinner was good, but corn bread wasn't sweet. It was busy on Sunday because of church and football. We waited 45- hour. It was really busy but the music gave a good vibe. read more

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I have always had really great meals and service at this restaurant. If you place an order online to-go, they will pack it perfectly, and it will be ready in a timely manner. My family and I dined in a lot before the pandemic, and I'm sure will dine-in again soon. read more

I had short ribs and mashed potatoes and they were delicious. It was quite a nice portion as well. They're understaffed and need more help. My mashed potatoes and the short ribs were delicious and I highly recommend them. read more

I eat here about once a month, just because I like soul food. I usually call my order in (when they pick the phone up, which is rare), but I always end up having to wait at least 30 minutes for 1 piece of catfish and 2 sides. The green beans and yams are usually good, but the catfish doesn't seem fresh and the Mac and cheese is often dry. I'll probably continue to visit until Steve's gets later hours. Update: I eat here about three times a week. The wait is long and the phone ordering process is the worst I've ever seen. They never answer the phone, and when they do you have to wait for forever to place an order. I'm too tired to cook most of the time. And with this stay at home order in place, my options are limited. The food is usually good. But, having to wait half an hour to place an order is ridiculous. They need to implement an online ordering system or get a multi line phone. Duh read more

Urban Soul - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

My son wanted to have dinner at Urban Soul on Saturday. Even with the low rating I was hopeful. We were seated quickly, the waitress came and took our order right away, even though there were a couple of large party groups in the restaurant the same time we were there. it took about 15-20 minutes before our food arrived. I was fine with that I just didn't want my food to be cold. I ordered the catfish, mac n cheese and sweet potatoes. the food was hot and tasty. My son ordered the fried chicken, mac n cheese, sweet potatoes. we were both satisfied with our dining experience. read more

If you're in the mood for some pretty decent soul food the Urban Soul is a good spot. Located in the strip mall with the Dollar General on Lafayette just west of St. Aubin where parking is free and plentiful. The restaurant is spacious and clean with tables and booths (even a few extra large booths). There is a separate window just inside the front entrance for carry out orders. We visited at lunch time and there appeared to be only one waitress, "Ro". She was extremely friendly and worked the room constantly but as the place became more and more busy with the lunch crowd, she became stretched more and more thin. Nevertheless, the service was good and she was as attentive as she could be. The food was downright tasty! We ordered from the lunch menu which had good prices. We tried a broad sampling of the menu including the short ribs, baked chicken, dressing, greens, yams, Mac and cheese, and cornbread. Everything was obviously made from scratch, seasoned to perfection and came in good portions. The peach cobbler for dessert is a great way to top it all off! read more

The food here is always on point. I cannot not will I have anything negative to say about the food. However..... For my wife and I to have waited an hour and twenty minutes for our food is completely unacceptable! Urban Soul, you gotta do better. It was busy, but I have to imagine you are used to that. There is no way that simple Meal of fried and baked chicken and a couple of sides should have taken that long! I watched an elderly lady next to us wait even longer. While I may be back on a week day, I am certainly never coming back on a Sunday! Not to mention, we didn't see our waitress for at least 50 minutes. She was gone and I mean gone gone! I know what I am getting when I go to a soul food restaurant, but to not be checked on and left to Wonder what's going on is unfathomable. I have been dining with you all for a very long time, so I can say, I expect better. That wait and the moderate service ruined my Fathers Day! Get that wait time together! read more

The food is pretty good. They are close by and have the soul food we are all craving. Lots of variety... Greens, potatoes, yams, chicken, Catfish, and more. Apparently there is a way to order online but I couldn't figure it out. They close at 7 pm not 8, and if you call after 6 pm, they may not answer because they are so close to closing read more

The food here is OK, but overly salty and expensive. But I'm not gonna even go into the food because the service is so f****** abominable I wouldn't set foot into this place ever again. They've always had really bad service here but after the last time when it took over an hour to get my food and the kids they have running the joint wouldn't even respond to me talking to them until they felt like it, talking on the phone, eating food at the desk, playing and talking to each other for minutes at a time and blatantly ignoring the customers waiting, etc. I'm sorry I don't have time to pay anybody to be treated that way. If whoever owns this place knows how these kids are conducting their business and are ok with it, man I don't know. Maybe it's that hard to keep people in a job like that. I've noticed low paid service industry workers are becoming more and more blatant in thier disregard of any etiquette whatsoever at work since covid. Sad. read more

We stopped in to have lunch on a Sunday. It was around 1:30pm and the NAACP Conference was in town. We were seated by the host then greeted by our waitress. The food was fresh and good. Although the dressing was in between moist and semi-dry, it really didn't have that home cooked, soul food taste that I've experienced. I ordered pork chops, greens, macaroni and cheese, and dressing. The family ordered chicken and waffles, meatloaf, sweet potatoes, rice and black-eyed peas, and the cornmeal fried salmon, black-eyed peas, and greens. The cornbread that comes with the meal was mediocre. It was in the dry side. If I lived in the area, I wouldn't come back, I would go to Beans & Cornbread. read more

Urban Soul - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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Just awful this was my first visit . I had been craving dressing all day and after my purchase this is what I received. read more

Urban Soul - This here is dressing - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

HORRIBLE!!! The staff is ghetto, unprofessional, be smelling like alcohol, flies be in the food, kitchen area is dirty!!!

Great carryout soul food. They are very busy most times and it can be a wait even if you order online or by phone. Hoping they can reopen the dine in but I am sure staffing that now iwould be difficult. Had pork ribs and sides. They are still adding a "covid surcharge" to each order to avoid raising prices on manu items that angered one woman in line getting her carryout and it appears they have raised some prices. read more

We've ordered carry out several times and almost ate in once. I've tried the vegetable plate a few times. EACH TIME the greens were SALTY, the green beans were SALTY, the dressing was dry and bland, the corn appeared to be canned. (I've even asked I advance if the veggies are salty only to be told mo, and only to be disappointed yet again. Why so much SALT? You guys know fully well that this is a problem in our community. I cannot waste any more money here. This restaurant is so close and the menu held such promise. I cant begin to express my disappointment. A 2 rating is because my husband has been fairly satisfied. read more

Wow what a find! The best meatloaf I've ever had - even better than moms. Green beans were delicious and the corn bread dressing was over the top. read more

This was not my first visit. Most of the time the food is ok, but this time was Terrible. Two meals that was well over $40.00 dollars. The smothered pork chops was extremely salty!!! The ribs was BURNT!!! The only reason I'm giving two stars is because the sides were ok. I will not return read more

Urban Soul - Burnt ribs. Both sides - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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If I could give this place negative stars, I would! We went around 1pm while visiting Detroit on a Thursday afternoon. The place was nasty! Dead flies and food under our table! Table top sticky. Baby high chair had crumbs and gunk stuck in every crevice. Our waitress Connie is evidence that not everyone should be in customer service. She was very rude and short. Even with my toddler! When asked a simple question her response was "It's in the menu" then my husband asked a question and her conclusion was "....just as the menu says" as she smacked her lips. The food is definitely not what I consider soul food. Pro: They had a pretty good playlist playing if you could ignore the commercials after almost every song -_- Next time we're visiting we will continue to go to Beans and Cornbread as we've done in the past. This place doesn't come close. read more

Although they are very short staffed, the food is beyond amazing. So much flavor. Definitely would come back.

Food was good. I had their Mac and cheese, greens, yams, cornbread, and rib. It was 6 ribs that came with it. The ribs were cold and the cornbread was not all that but everything else was good, hot and fresh. The cashier wasn't very friendly and the food is expensive and the food was expensive. read more

Urban Soul - Ribs, Mac and cheese, yams, and greens. - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

You know, urban soul is definitely not my go-to, but I was pleasantly surprised the last time I went. There was ample seating on a Sunday (after church time!) and the service was great. My main disappointment was with the macaroni, when that isn't amazing I'm kind of underwhelmed. The green beans were also overcooked and the cornbread was dry and bland. The catfish, dressing and yams were really good though! It was priced okay. read more

Urban Soul - Southern Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

I had the pleasure to do to Urban Soul a couple of weeks ago for lunch. I was truly impressed with the restaurant, it's staff and of course it's food. I was dining with a friend and they ordered the pork chops and I ordered the catfish. So we shared our protein and had the best of both worlds. Both the catfish and pork chops were cooked to perfection. I also got the collard greens and rice and the greens were perfectly seasoned for my taste. We also each ordered sweet tea and it was strong and sweet just like Aunt Mary made down in Mississippi. The next time I go to Detroit I'm going back to for more delicious soul food. If you're in Motown, I suggest that make plans to go to Urban Soul. You will not regret it. read more