The Most Scrumptious Soul Food in Washington

Mid Atlantic Seafood

★★★★☆ 4.2 (860) • $$

"Food was great the yams off the chain. Fried chicken was good. No crowd ordered online and food was ready when I walked in the door."

Carolina Kitchen Bar & Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (766) • $$

"Carolina Kitchen has been a staple in thr DC area for awhile. This is the first time I did delivery. The food was packaged thoughtfully for delivery, making sure my fried foods wouldnt get damaged. I can appreciate that. My only big grip was that i didnt get gravy with my mash potatoes. If I would have gone in person that would have been an option."

Ruby's Southern Comfort Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.8 (591) • $$

"My last visit to Ruby's was disappointing at best. Sinha really the same food in the new building? Oh and no Mac and Cheese..."all out"...how does that happen. I guess the rent for the new place has limited the ingredients. And for the price I'll stay away...for now.BTW this isn't a knock on the service or the people. They are still good the food just isn't as good as it used to be."

Miss Toya’s Creole House

★★★★☆ 3.5 (618)

"I experienced Miss Toya's Creole House the first time recently. I loved the music and aesthetic of the restaurant! A lot of space for big parties if you choose to go in a big group. I just went with my aunt! My Aunt got the sangria which was huge and she said very delicious it had a popsicle at the top for decoration which we thought was cute. I had the shrimp and grits and it was so good very flavorful the grits alone were too good but with the shrimp it took it to a whole different level! And it tastes good the next day I definitely recommend the shrimp and grits. I cannot wait to go back and try more items off their menu! Our server was so sweet and very attentive!"

Florida Avenue Grill

★★★★☆ 3.5 (559) • $$

"A staple in the community and an icon that stood through the civil right movement! You want good ole fashioned soul food with a combination of history and welcoming new trends, then FAG is the place! They are undergoing renovations and have added a new upstairs section, which is awesome- I gave the new consultant some ideas for improvements :-). Whether a native or visiting, this is a must on the list of places to dine!"

The Hitching Post Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (368) • $$

"Honestly everyone and everything here was good.1) Turkey necks2) Lamb 3) Drinks... I live in the south so of course I have opinions about southern cooking. This place is doing it right ;)"

Andrene's Soul Food & Caribbean Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (339) • $$

"I absolutely love Andrene's Soul Food & Caribbean Cafe. I ran across this spot on the humble. I was in the area because the traffic was detoured. I had a taste for Caribbean cuisine so decided to give it a try. I'm so glad that I did. I had the chicken curry and my son had the curry goat and oxtails. It was BOMB!!! This is my new spot. I had been looking for a good spot since Sweet Mango closed."

Henry's Soul Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.9 (271) • $

"I haven't had soul food in DC in years because most of the places have been hit or miss with food quality. Henry's gets a 10/10!!! Crispy fried chicken like my grandma would make in Tennessee or down south at my alumni college Jackson State. The portions are large and the food is yummy!!!! Tip: Call to order your food in advance or the wait can be long. There is no seating only carryout."

The Rolling Rib

★★★★☆ 4 (255) • $$

"The food was hitting and holding! OMG the greens and ribs were bomb! I had to wait for the ribs because they were still cooking. There was so much I could not finish. I love this ole style soul food joint."

ELife Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.7 (293) • $$

"One of the only Vegan spots in this area. Fresh, pretty good. Very nice staff and customers. Wish there was a sense of urgency - took 30 minutes to get food in the takeout line."

Ka'ribbean Fire

★★★★☆ 4.1 (208) • $$

"I went during lunch, and their plates were affordable. The food was pretty good. And the service wasn't bad at all. I definitely would visit it again. I had the jerk chicken. I loved their sauce!"

Mrs. K's Motel and Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (222) • $

"Hidden Gem! Totally the best service and food along 301S. I've been coming here for years and although a wait, NEVER a disappointment. From breakfast to lunch I have never had a "bad" meal. The cost point is also nostalgic, pocket friendly. If you're ever looking for a guaranteed great meal and service - STOP BY!"

Southern Blues

★★★★☆ 3.8 (186) • $$

"Great soul food! I love their cabbage and my boyfriend loves their chicken box. I am gluten free so I typically either get the vegetable tray or baked fish. The sweet potatoes and potato salad were tasty as well. The staff is friendly and helpful and I always get to go but the ambience is clean and welcoming.I highly recommend!"

Pinky's Eatery

★★★★★ 4.5 (107)

"Pinky's catered a birthday party at the American Legion, Post 206 in Chesapeake Beach today. The food was incredible! Keith fried fish on location as well as burgers, hot dogs and Chicken. Tiffany served pasta salad, potato salad, the world's best Mac'n Cheese, greens were to die for, fresh sweet potatoes, salad and a few other items. If you are looking for someone to make your next event special, consider Pinky's. You will not be disappointed."

Carolina Kitchen

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (304) • $$

"Welcome welcome welcome. When someone asks where can I get soul food I send them here. They always give robust portions of food. My favorite is the beef tips and I always get greens and yams. This place doesn't miss period."

Suga & Spice

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (174)

"Girl's day out and first visit. The establishment is very clean, polite staff and plenty of options. I ordered the seafood omelette with cheese grits. Both items were cold and asked for another serving of grits. The eggs were topped with crabmeat and shrimp. Unfortunately, it was much too salty for consumption. The others in my party thoroughly enjoyed their meals. All agreed that the eating utensils should be upgraded as what we used was of poor quality. I would definitely make a return visit and request no salt especially if you're already using Cajun spices."

Dodah’s Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.3 (104) • $$

"Came for lunch and it was great! All the food taste so REAL! And the benefits are that it's super healthy. The service was great. The ambiance was great.Would 100% recommend!"

Fireman's Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.9 (126) • $$

"It's okay for overpriced "ok" food. The Yams had too much vanilla extract and the mac n cheese had too much egg. I ended up throwing it out. They do wingettes not wings, just wanna point that out there. The guys were sitting outside posted up lol. I probably won't go back. The place was empty. Service was good, no complaints, I cook so I know what's bomb and what ain't lls."

Open Crumb

★★★★★ 4.7 (79) • $

"Coming back to say still really love the food here. My favorite is definitely the curry goat stew (that had now been permanently added to the menu). I also had the prime roast for my Christmas dinner and it was soooo good! Everyone loved it! The customer service is always amazing. Peter, who I normally speak with, is soo accommodating and and all around awesome. Pro Tip: I would call ahead and order ahead so you can grab your food when you get there. Items I would recommend: Capitol Hill Crab Cakes Curry Goat StewChicken Sandwich"

My Cup Runneth Over Southern Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.4 (69) • $$

"I received a gift card to this restaurant, and I had not heard of it before. It was definitely my loss for not hearing about it. We ordered two catfish and shrimp platters and a few sides, and our total was about $65. The fish and shrimp were cooked perfectly and the hush puppies were small bites but I appreciated it. The only thing I wish they had was some homemade tarter sauce. The packets just doesn't match the greatness of the catfish. The wings were flavor-full and crispy. And the sides were just as good. I will have to ration myself because I will be here everyday! Ok taking a nap now..."

Doro Soul Food

★★★★☆ 4 (81)

"If you're looking for fried chicken bursting with flavor this is your spot. I got the two piece chicken that included a small piece of cornbread. It wasn't myfirst choice but it was all they had left. The chicken was drip drip drippin. It was perfectly cooked and nicely battered. The flavors are definitely different than your original fried chicken. Cornbread didn't do anything for me and was a bit more on the dry side, but the chicken is great."

Keith & Sons Soul Food Cafe

★★★☆☆ 3 (114) • $$

"The food was so good for dinner that I had to come back the next day for breakfast. I've seen many opinions of the food so here is mine. If your looking for some soul food--- this place is for youIf you don't mind seasoning on your food (I know I do!) --this place is for you. If your from the south or the Caribbean islands and you want something that taste like yo Mud (if u don't know thin ya douno) dipped her big toe in---this place is for you!My son and I almost ran back up here and smacked the people in the back after we tasted our food!For dinner we had Salmon Cakes with Candied Yams & rice and gravy. I got what I craved... chitterlings and Mac N Cheese Meatloaf. Then I went back for breakfast and tore up someFish and grits and eggs. Sooo yes, I loved it! The portions were huge! The morning crew was nicer than the evening crew. But I didn't go to make friends. I went to eat and the food was BANGING!"

Addie Love’s Soul Food Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.6 (77)

"Look here, idk who cooked this cornbread but KEEP MAKING IT !! Today my food was extremely freshly made & tasted Amazing. Whole meal 10/10"

Horace and Dickies Seafood of Glenarden

★★★☆☆ 3 (108) • $$

"It's maybe my third time here & my second experience of disappointment. TL;DR: I highly suggest that you check your order, especially your take out order thoroughly before leaving. THOROUGHLY! Don't do a quick check. Move your food items around to make sure they are accounted for.I ordered online which was fairly easy as the food system denotes what's in stock or sold out (this will be important later).I arrived & was handed my order; I wanted a printed receipt but the staff that handed me my order said he was heading out & to ask the cashier. I decided since I had to wait on the receipt to take a quick look at my order (it is plastered all over the store to check your order before leaving; I reallywantedmy dessert so I took heed).I noticed the cake that I ordered wasn't in the bag; just then the staff that handed me my order was coming back in the store. He asked had I gotten my printed receipt; I told him I was still waiting to be helped but I didn't see my cake. He said "oh, this is what happened, we ran out of what you ordered"...1. why not tell me that when you handed me the bag? Why leave it for me to "discover" when you knew it wasn't included? 2. Or why did the ordering system allow me to order it? (perhaps they had just run out of it) He allowed me to select another option. I checked & the other food items looked like they were accounted for.I got my printed receipt & left.It wasn't until I got home & was plating my crabby fries with shrimp that I noticed the shrimp wasn't there. I thought when I looked in the store that it was smothered under the crab dip. (The order was for crabby fries with shrimp, not the add-on option)The cost of food prices in general is high for orders not to be accurate. And while customers do bear a level of accountability, the establishment should too - even after the customer leaves. It was obvious to me that the staff knew my dessert wasn't bagged because it was sold out but handed it to me without alerting me anyway (the slice of cake is $6) & I don't know the story on the missing shrimp (which was an additional $4 more than just the crabby fries order). So had I not checked my order I could've been out about $10 of a $40 order because of the establishment's mistake. I didn't bother to return or call, I took the loss but I know, if there's a next time, to check my order thoroughly."

Nice N’ Spicy

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (88) • $$

"The food was tasty, but the portion was not adequate. I ordered oxtail, rice and peas, plantains and 3 coco bread. The coco bread was awful, it was dry and had no flavor. The oxtail was not the normal diameter; it was cut in half or one normal piece looks like it was cut to make three pieces. I will not be back. I spent over $40.00. The plantain was dreadful, it was over ripe and soaked in oil. I had to throw the plantains and coco bread away."

The Players Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.8 (61) • $$

"It's a little old fashion and may need to be updated a bit but the food is clean and delicious! l like the way that the food is delivered and it taste so good, especially the spaghetti and the potatoes or Western fries. It's a good place to get a great meal."

Levi's Restaurant

★★☆☆☆ 2 (204) • $$

"Service here was absolutely amazing. The staff were very friendly. James was the cashier and displayed such amazing hospitality to me. The process to order was smooth and the wait was not long. The pork ribs and yams were delicious! I probably wouldn't try the Mac n cheese again. I would be back to try more next time."

Levi's Restaurant & Catering

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (130) • $$

"I just tried there mobile order app was a nice and smooth process the food amazing as always I'll give this visit an 8 due to them forgetting my wife's rice"

Southern Peach Bbq & Soul Food

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (114) • $$

"Had the queen dinner. Pulled pork sandwich. Was FIRE!!! Loved the fish. Was fried to perfection. Shrimp tasted great. Mac n cheese was good. I saw some bad reviews on the Mac n cheese but I thought it was good. Highly recommend. I ordered on Uber eats. It came pretty quick. Greet service. I highly recommend."

Johnny Ray's Sultry Soul Food

★★★★★ 4.7 (32)

"Ok, so I didn't feel like cooking was craving a little would food and so I hop on Yelp to find that there is a new soul food spot in silver spring. If you're not looking for it you'd almost miss it it's tucked on a back street across from a bunch of body shooed there street parking and a very small parking lot with about 4 spots to the left of it. Anywho I called to order ahead but they were out of whiting so I opted to go in and order. What we had: Sticky wings- 10's across the board perfect mix of crunchy and sweet hint of heat. It's their take on mambo sauce and I must say it's better than traditional mambo. Salmon plate: I got it medium and I was surprised that it was cooked to perfection and I think it's glazed with that same stick sauce. ALSO A HIT! Mac- I am picky about Mac, but it was good it has a hint of sweetness which as a Mac girl it I wasn't expecting but once I got over the shocker was good! (It took me 2 seconds) Greens- they used smoked turkey instead of pork, I really prefer my greens savory these also had a him of sweetness, they were good just not my preferred way of them being prepared. Catfish- we requested it fried hard and it was delicious. Fried okra- I do not like okays my partner ordered this and he was a fan. I tasted it and it was actually good, a tinge bit salty for me but on a scale of a person who would rather stare than eat okra it was pretty tasty. The customer service was great. The staff was really friendly and personable. The place is also super cute inside with nice colorful are and some tables for dine in which was a pleasant surprise. Because I thought it was just a carry out. Over all it is most definitely worth a try!"

Miss Toya's

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (67)

"Had a great time eating brunch at Miss Toyas. It was a slow day when I visited but do recommend making a reservation as it did start getting busy towards the end. Our server was very attentive and gave us suggestions when we were deciding between options. For the appetizers, we had the salmon bites which were not that great. They were fried a little too hard and became dry. The main courses were the lamb chops and fried chicken with eggs and potatoes with a side of pancakes. The food was good but a little on the dry side. I really liked the pancakes, they were a generous portion and had the perfect sweetness."

Carolina Kitchen

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (61)

"Treated myself to a "cheat meal" for lunch so I decided to give this newly opened location a try. Because it was lunch time, I did take out instead of dining in.Upon entering, I noticed that the restaurant's decor was well put together and very appealing -- it was so colorful and inviting with flowers, elegant chairs, and cultured portraits. Definitely much better decorated than other Carolina Kitchens I've gone to. Thankfully, there wasn't a line for takeout so I was able to just walk in and place my order. The overall spread looked good. I got the fried whiting, collard greens, and black eye peas. My food was flavorful and thoroughly cooked . I also got a buttered cornbread muffin and it was good also! The taste of the food was similar to the taste to the food at other locations that I've tried, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but most times the food tastes different pending the location. I guess the franchise deserves a "A" for consistency.Overall, my experience was okay -- not bad but also nothing to rant and rave about."

Mid-Atlantic Seafood

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (60) • $

"This is the perfect afternoon pitstop when you are hungry for something delicious. The food is fresh cooked so be prepared to wait for the cooking time of what you ordered. The food arrived hot and fresh. The portions were generous and everyone at my table, enjoyed their meal. I absolutely would return."

South Pride Seafood and Soul

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (45) • $

"So first time at this place, and I went for lunch and got the 3 fish 5 shrimp two sides. Sea trout is the fish I choose, and it didn't disappoint. But the best thing I liked about this place was that they accept and do a military discount . Oh and there half and half sweet tea and lemonade mix was"

B.B.U. Kitchen Bowie

★★★★☆ 4 (24)

"So glad we finally have a real soul food spot in bowie. The wings were fried perfectly, and the greens were seasoned to perfection. I took off one star because the candied yams weren't the best. I'll definitely return to see what other goodies they have on the menu"