50 Best Southern Restaurants near Long Island City

“Shocking amount of vegan/vegetarian options. They allow you to substitute pretty much any meat option with a vegan chicken!
As a vegetarian, I’ve never had Kentucky fried chicken or traditionally more southern comfort food like this so it was great to try it!

Staff was super friendly, we came in <30 min before closing by accident and they were very understanding and let us eat comfortably without rushing us.

Ambiance - standard “fast food” vibe“

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

“Awesome food and like the most of their dishes“

“An absolute gem in the UES! Delicious food, generous serving sizes, and a nice happy hour cocktail. I've now been a few times and I think there's something for everyone. Both the steak frites and the shrimp and cheesy grits were heavenly and I always get the mac and cheese to start. Great for a nice date or a solo weeknight dinner.“

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

“Great ambience, excellent service and delicious soulful food. I had an amazing experience 👍🏼“

“What can I say about this amazing restaurant, Bird Dog. Not only was the food absolutely amazing, tasty and presented perfectly, the staff was kind, attentive and extremely friendly. Bird Dog gives very New York vibes with a soft Southern hospitality touch. I’m not only saying this because I’ve known the owner/operator for over 15 years but because the food and experience was great! Recommend to any/all foodies local and visitors to the area.“

“Everything was so delicious the first time I ate there. I recommend going there all the time“

“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!“

“I love this place and I love the food and the service is amazing. I have a fav hostess she’s really kind always. She’s soft spoken and wears a trucker cap. I can’t recall her name but she’s the best. I recommend them to all who love great eats and a relaxed environment. It has an ol school feel which I enjoy.“

“Good little spot ❤️ Enjoyed ourselves“

“A truly delightful dining experience with small plates that don’t disappoint. We particularly loved the tartare, with finely diced tomato and a well balanced ginger sesame dressing. It’s hard to believe that the words “great beet hummus” but trust me! Also the persimmon salad with yuzu yogurt - wow. We also really enjoyed the play on a bagel and cream cheese for dessert - very fun and a great punch of flavors with the homemade strawberry jam. Will def return!

Pro tip: the bathroom is a must visit.“

“The mac and cheese is decadent, and the crunchy and tasty buttermilk fried chicken with soft biscuits is incredible, waffle fries quite good too. The only thing I didn't like was the hot honey, cause it was very hot but not sweet at all. The restaurant is inside the Time Out market, which is a great location right on the waterfront, with lots of good restaurants and seats, even though they weren't very clean, but the table service is very convenient.“

“Commodore in Manhattan's Lower East Side is a true gem, boasting a beautifully designed interior that perfectly blends a casual vibe with a touch of elegance. The build-out features warm wooden accents and stylish decor, creating an inviting atmosphere that's perfect for a relaxed meal.

The standout dish is undoubtedly the spicy fish sandwich. It’s a perfect balance of flavors, with a crispy exterior and a spicy kick that keeps you coming back for more. Paired with their perfectly seasoned French fries, it makes for a satisfying and delicious meal.

Overall, Commodore offers a great dining experience, combining excellent food with a charming ambiance. Whether you’re looking for a quick bite or a leisurely meal, this spot is definitely worth a visit.“

“The food and the presentations are wonderful. The atmosphere is beautiful not only with the waiters, but the patrons as well, took someone there today and they are coming back. And they are bringing back a family member“

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the cornbread was so good coming from a place called “Cornbread Brooklyn “

But there I was being assailed by the flavors and softness of their cornbread. I spent a few years living down South, and I can’t get southern food this good down there.

Their fried chicken was flavorful and crispy.

The Mac and cheese was maybe a little drier than ya mom’s mac on Thanksgiving, but if she brought this out you’d still have seconds.

And that Southern Twang was the Twangiest.

Will definitely drop by again“

“First time in Harlem, the best food hands down.. we ate everything on our plates!Customerservice. Great and friendly would definitely recommend definitely visit again. Will definitely continue to share how great Sylvias in Harlem was We also bought her seasoning and hot sauce“

“Honestly- this place is great! Almost everything I have eaten or drank here has been delicious. Recommend the hush puppies and green tomato martini, but everything is good. I don’t normally do reviews but I think this place really deserves it (as someone who grew up in the south)“

“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!“

“Come Stow away, come stow away with me! Couldn’t resist the temptation, but on the real, if you ever find yourself needing to break fast and enjoy a little hole in the wall, a rustic ambiance, and very friendly service, Stowaway serves. Tucked away in Greenpoint, Stowaway came up on a top ten list of places to check out and TikTok hasn’t let me down before. If you’re lucky to get either Miles or Sasha, you’ll be in good hands.

Of course the food served; started off spitting a blueberry pancake (pizza style); perfect size for three. The cake was made fluffy and the blueberry compote had that right amount of warmth and gooey. We each got one of the biscuit sandwiches and they were definitely a several steps up from any that you would get from Fastfood. A soft biscuit, perfect scrambled/runny eggs and a good southern sausage. I took a step further adding a side of remoulade at Mile’s recommendation; 🔥 choice. Also, stacking my hash brown on my sandwich, 👌🏾.

Note, they don’t do reservation but we got there round 11-12pm and they was seating for the three of us, but don’t dally.

Anyway, I’ll have to comeback and try some of their specials of day. The shrimp and grits across another table looked pretty good.

Either way, this is definitely my type of vibe I want as I break fast, so let me stowaway again on my next visit.“

“Excellent example of Cajun/Creole cuisine. Highly recommended.“

“I want to start off by saying the Art work and Decor is amazing and well thought out. I can see why people came by our table to take pictures (even though we were full on chowing down) but Nonetheless the server we had was so sweet and accommodating the environment was very welcoming...I will definitely be returning. I had the whiting grits and a salad with Salmon croquettes. And my best friend had Catfish Mac and cheese with collard greens. The food was on point, well seasoned and hot off the stove. I love a hot meal and it made me feel right at home. Another honorable mention the music was spectacular, perfect for the mood we were in. I loved it! 10/10 ❤️❤️❤️“

“Thanksgiving meal was awful, just awful. Nothing was sliced. Ni gravy. The meat was chopped up. Dressing was worse than stove top. Sweet potato pie was awful. Stale.no taste. Who is the cook in this place.

Paid $150 food was horrible . Never again.“

“Food is amaziing!!! Service is great and friendly. Try it out you will not be disappointed!!👍“

“a really great place. love the food. the picture service is nice, but i wish they warned you what was going to happen. it seemed like it was just a promotion for the restaurant, so we let them take the pictures. later we felt guilted into buying a $20 picture, which has never happened to me at a restaurant before. i was also bothered because if we were going to buy the picture, i would want it to be with the food. i even asked the photographer this but she didn't take my suggestion. if i had known we would later be pushed to buy pictures, i would have at least insisted on the timing to get a picture i wanted.“

“Excellent, friendly restaurant in the heart of NYC West Village. Thank you for a PERFECT graduation dinner experience for our family.“

“One of my absolute favorite meals this year. Service, vibe and food were all 10/10. Standouts for us were the spare ribs, wedge salad, seafood tower (the razor clams and smoked fish dip especially) and the prawns and grits. Great wine list as well. Highly recommend for a date night or fun friend/family dinner.“

“The spicy chicken biscuit omg toooooo die for so my husband and I saw many people entering this spot plus it was our first time. We heard mac and cheese, greens, and fried chicken. So we got a bucket of mixed chicken, two sides of Mac and cheese, and some collard greens (they make them with black eyed peas and tomatoes; totally different from any kind of greens I ever had and I definitely was left craving more. Nice little spot and such friendly people. Heading back very soon“

“I've been looking forward to trying this restaurants menu items. yesterday was only the 1st, for sure. I had a shrimp po boy, perfect, packed with shrimp, just the right sauces, really good. I took home a container of their vegan lentil soup which is better than my lentil soup. that's not a small thing. beautifully balanced flavor, really delicious. I can't wait to go back and try everything else.“

“Everything we ordered was really good. The calamari and scampi stood out, especially with that amazing butter garlic sauce. The wings were just okay because the sauce felt a little flat. Both the ribeye and steak frites were high quality and cooked just right. The mashed potatoes were easily the best side, super creamy and flavorful. I do wish the steak sauce options were better though. I also wasn’t a big fan of the fries. Just a personal preference but I’m not into that style of fries. What really made the night was the service. Amrita was incredible, very friendly, attentive, and gave great recommendations. She made the whole experience even better“

“Super endroit !! Service très efficace et très sympa“

“My partner and I were lookin for a soul food spot. He googled it n said they were one of the first ones to pop up. We drove from Queens to get it. N we were not disappointed at all. Especially, since we’re both super picky n food is our love language. We love tryin restaurants together. The restaurant is quite cozy n homey. When we got there it was a good amount of people, all different races n ethnicities. Which is a good look! Darryl’s was amazing. We were able to test some of our food before we paid for them. Everything was amazing. I got rice and gravy, fried chicken, potato salad and collard greens. My partner got Mac n cheese, collard greens, potato salad n breast bites(boneless chicken pieces). We also got their signature “soul lemonade”. We then decided to get their dessert “strawberry n cream pudding”. 5 out of 5“

“Average food, low average service. Sever took forever to approach table to even fill our water glasses. When she did, she took the order of the table next to us first, even though we had been there ten minutes before them. Forgot to bring my drink order. Didn't refill water glasses. Just didn't seem up to the job. Runny/watery queso and pretty generic tacos. It was a shame as we'd heard good things. Won't return.“

“I found this restaurant on Tik Tok and I’m sooo glad I did! I had the best oxtail I’ve probably ever had!!! Thoroughly satisfied with my experience and will be sure to go again whenever I’m in the area!! 🤌🏾“

“Chicken was delicious and facility clean“

“Excellent restaurant, highly recommended. We were there on a Monday night and ordered rib eye, cheeseburger with fries, chesseak with fries and the food was wonderful. Nicolas and Dilson served us wonderfully, you don't need to be behind them because they are always looking out for you. The atmosphere of the place is incredible, its decoration is impeccable and at this Christmas time it smells exquisite. They also have two excellent bars, pool tables and much more, of course we will return next time to dine at this place. Cesar Gasca“

“I had the pleasure of dining at Vera's, and it truly exceeded my expectations. From the moment I walked in, the warm, inviting atmosphere made me feel right at home. The staff was friendly and attentive, ensuring every detail of our experience was perfect. The highlight was the food. The barbecue chicken and sweet ribs were savory on the outside and juicy on the inside—mouthwatering. The collard greens and cabbage were seasoned to perfection. What I appreciated most was the authentic soul food flavor that reminded me of home. Great care and tradition are poured into every dish. Whether you're a longtime fan of soul food or trying it for the first time, Vera's is a must-visit. I’ll be returning soon! I highly recommend it for anyone craving hearty, flavorful soul food in a cozy setting.“

“Delicious food and more than generous helpings.“

“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 !“

“Had a wonderful experience. Food was delicious. So happy to know I have such a great place just 6 mins away from my house. Totally recommend Concettina!“

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

“The staff is amazingly friendly! Such a clean & happy environment! The food is great! Love it💕“

“I get tacos weekly! I’m obsessed!! Best Mexican rice I have ever had. The salsa/hot sauce is amazing! Taco shells never fall apart even after being reheated. Meat is always juicy and tender!“

“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!“

“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.“

“Enter through the Red Rooster restaurant walk down the stairs that’s the location of the club . Great music 🎶, food 🥘 and cocktails 🍸. You will enjoy listening to great jazz and I believe it becomes a club on the late hours of the night. Around minding . Elegant decor“

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

“This place is really good! The chicken is always cooked to perfection—juicy, flavorful, and just the right amount of spiced. The fries are crispy and delicious. On top of that, the staff is incredibly kind and welcoming, making the whole experience even better. Highly recommend stopping by!“