38 Best Southern Restaurants near Hackensack

“Hoy es nuestro aniversario and nothing better to indulge ourselves!!!-my wife and I had a great time at Rosa Mexico specially with Margaritas and Guacamole made by Kevin Quito at the River side Square Hackensack NJ“

“Went 1st time today for my Birthday - it was GREAT!💙👍“

“you think your grandma is in the kitchen. you really won't believe hiw good all the food is.“

“Melba's has been on my bucket list for quite a while and I finally got to mark it off! It was all that I thought it would be and more! Our server, Brian, was phenomenal! The experience and food were priceless!“

“The food and service was amazing!“

“Someone who’s from Texas and been here for work it’s really hard to find some true southern flare and this place answers the calling when it comes to that and glad that I’d gotten to make the trip over here to try it out. Also will most definitely will be back again.“

“I was there for takeout for the first time last week ~ All I can say is Yum and will order from them again Even spoke with the man who makes the food himself! Thank you!“

“Amy Ruth’s is more than a restaurant—it’s a piece of history. ❤

You can feel the legacy the moment you walk through the doors. This iconic Harlem restaurant has served countless legends and has been part of so many unforgettable moments in the community. It was truly an honor to experience it for ourselves.

Now, let’s talk about the food… we were definitely being greedy! 😂 We ordered the salmon croquettes, Chicken & Waffles, waffles, candied yams, collard greens, and macaroni & cheese, and every dish was made with that authentic soul food flavor that keeps people coming back for generations.

If you’re looking for a restaurant that combines rich history, Harlem culture, warm hospitality, and outstanding soul food, Amy Ruth’s deserves a spot at the top of your list.

We’ll definitely be back the next time we’re in New York!“

“extremely professional, courteous. clean establishment, John and Simone ARE GREAT FOLK. Food is delicious!“

“Was in Printers Alley this weekend with my parents for the first time staying in a hotel nearby and found this place really nice and chill with good food, loads of TVs for games with a big NFL game on while we were in - We sat at the bar as a lot of the tables were reserved but Thomas was so nice and took great care of us while checking in regularly with us to make sure we were okay while also giving my parents a laugh and recommendations on what to do around the city. Can't fault this bar at all and will definitely be back next time in NYC!“

“I love the gluten free options. It's one of few restaurants in the city where you can get a large variety of gluten free food that is actually delicious. The staff are friendly and the service is great! I highly recommend Wonder in the Lenox Hill area.“

“The popcorn soft serve is actually so good. I thought at first it was going to taste like pure butter, they’re is actually a nice balance of butter, salt, and a flavor that can only be described as butterscotch I suppose. They also stack this ice cream super high, so for the price you really get your money’s worth. I also got the bag of biscuits. They were buttery and tasted really homemade. I honestly ate the whole bag in a day because they were so good. The butter they came with was also really good. I can’t wait to come back here so I can try more!“

“Food is great. Great beer selection“

“love this best kept secret“

“The atmosphere was amazing , staff was polite an courtesy, The hot wings are AMAZING!!Perfect Date night atmosphere! Management was polite an on point with every customer! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I’ll be back !“

“Was in the area and decided to try Bobwhite Counter at the Jacx&Co food hall. It was a good experience with server Meagan A. I went for the Truffle Aioli Chicken Burger, and the hand-cut fries with the choice of the black truffle aioli dip, and a sweet tea. Very tasty and crispy. The fries were perfect and tasted good as it is fried with tallow. Gourmet quality food in a food hall in LIC. Thank you. Will visit again

Updated Edit for second visit on April 19th:
Hi Bobwhite Corner (Owner) thank you for your response, appreciate it.

Yes, I will definitely go back

Which I did on April 19th around 11.15am (lunch), my first visit for this review was on April 17th around 6.45pm (dinner)

My first visit was great as mentioned in this review.

However, my second visit wasn't that good. Not sure if the restaurant just opened for the day at 10.30am, and the food in my opinion didn't seem like it was made fresh, maybe heated up from the previous evening's batch.

The chicken in the burger didn't seem hot enough and crispy like my first visit. And the fries were soft, not tight and crispy like my first visit.

The second visit, I had the #2 Burger with the Chimichurri Aioli, and had the fries on the side with the same flavor dip of Chimichurri Aioli.

I was kinda hungry, so I ate the burger and the fries without getting a re-do. I did however give this feedback to the server Meagan A.

I would give this second visit a 3-star based on the quality of the food, which was way different from my first experience. I think maybe the kitchen cooks up a fresh batch from 3-4pm for the afternoon/night, as I saw the kitchen crew cooking around that time.

The service crew still deserves a 5-star.

I hope the management can look into this, so that I will not be disappointed in my next visit, whether for lunch or dinner.

Otherwise, I may then choose to go around dinner time as opposed to the brunch/lunch hours.

Thank you for your time and attention to this feedback.

Please see the second pic for the second visit on April 19th, you can see the Chimichurri Aioli on the side 😊“

“What a find!!!! This new Vietnamese find was so delicious!!! The food is fantastic, service is excellent and ambience is really so pleasant. Loved this place and will definitely be back, soon!“

“A very special evening with my 93 yr old Godmother. Food was excellent. Pasta was cooked perfectly. Service was impeccable Special honor to have Chef Sal stop at our table Our favorite place in the city“

“Great place, mini diner, fantastic breakfast.
Atmosphere? Lol, Google doesn't understand how humans value space, it has the Atmosphere of a traditional lunch counter, which is fantastic for a lunch counter. Come here for food, it's great!“

“we ordered 2 orders of fried catfish, 1 with sweet potatoe fries and 1 with Mac&cheese, and also a side of collards. everything was made FRESH. crispy and delicious fish & fries, super cheesey Mac and the collards we're great! not the first or the last time I will order from here. reasonably priced for fish around here.“

“when here for flick week and is the best sea-food in nyc thank you“

“Excellent spot food service Very friendly Beautiful blonde waitress had to throw that in“

“great underated place“

“The hospitality is always on point when I dine there. The food is delicious. A nice small intimate setting. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others.“

“The food is good. I must say the fried chicken on the day I went was way to salty. The Mac and cheese is very good . I also had their pasta is excellent when they make itThe last time I went the music was way to loud, difficult to give your order.“

“Great food Great staff Brisket is absolutely amazing“

“Chicken tenders are juicy❤️“

“The food is past amazing mac&cheese, oxtail, chicken, how about the menu is Top-tier, this is the food spot, before heading to Atlantic City, customer service is great,leave your own attitude outside and everything will be peacefully in order. Thanks Sis you nailed it. Respectfully A SouthPhilly Native“

“Good food 🥘 and the atención to costumer very nice 👍“

“Roti in HARLEM! 🇹🇹 Tasty! 😋“

“If you have a taste, for some great home cooking, make your way to Maggie's! A small family run joint, where the food is made with soul and love! The meatloaf, yams and greens, are crave worthy and the cabbage, mac n cheese and ribs will make you wish you bought more! I have eaten Soul Food, from way South to NYC, in homes and restaurants and Maggie's rates up there with some of the most delicious, I've had. As they say down South, "they put their feet in that food"!!!“

“Chicken is good! Seasoned & flavorful! Fries good too! Mac & Cheese needs to go back to the basics.“

“Went for the first time 01/22/2026 with the spouse . Service was excellent. TeAra the general manager her husband and the bartender Kwame were excellent. Beverages were excellent and highly recommended. I would recommend to anyone to go on a nice night with the significant other or to have your meetings“

“Popeyes never fails when it comes to tasty chicken. The flavor is always great and the honey biscuits are one of my favorite things on the menu—always delicious.

Sometimes the chicken breasts can be big or small, so the size isn’t always consistent, but overall the food is still really good and satisfying. Definitely a solid spot when you’re craving fried chicken. 🍗🍯“

“Una queja de atención por llamada, es una chica. No atiende bien, no tiene paciencia y te habla mal. Después rico el chairs y Chijaukai. Siempre como ahí pero por llamada ya ni más. Deberían contratar a otra chica para llamada.“

“I had a great experience.. food was delicious. Anthony took my order and was so pleasant and patient. Anthony made sure I had everything I ordered he went over and beyond. Excellent service Five stars all day“

“Had the brisket, ribs, Texas slaw and deviled eggs. Glad to find they had no sugar in the slaw or dry rubs. The food was all very good, brisket was moist and flavorful, but lacked the smoke ring and smokier flavor I love. Added to one of my return spots if I'm in the area again.“