21 Best Southern Restaurants in New York

“Came here on a Tuesday evening and I strongly suggest visiting this establishment! It boasts a charming and comfortable atmosphere, good music and great with attentive staff providing excellent customer service. I highly advise making a reservation; we arrived to find it empty, but within five minutes, it was bustling with people.“

“Can’t say enough amazing things about this place. The portion sizes are HUGE and everything is delicious. Prices are beyond reasonable especially for nyc. Our waiter, Josh, was extremely friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu items. Highly recommend!“

“Thai and Italian are my favourite cuisines. We called in to Ray Mee Thai on a Friday night - without a reservation. The service was snappy, and the food was superb. We're in the LES for 5 nights. We'll be back before we leave. Sweet, sour, salty & bitter. Yum!Edit. It was so good, we went back on the next night (Sat April 27th).“

“My daughter and son took me to Sylvia's on 4/27/24 for my birthday. We drove up from Philly, my sister and son-in-law was there as well. Food/service was excellent. Atmosphere was good. Our waitress Ms. Olga was a true blessing, her attitude and her politeness, matter of fact it was Ms. Olga birthday as well. They sang to me, I really enjoyed myself. Today is Monday, I'm eating my leftover ? for lunch. I had seafood combination, yams, mac&cheese. I pray one day I can visit again. The weather was cold so we ate and drove back to Philly. Normally I don't eat at restaurants, this was an excellent day for my 67th birthday ???God bless you all????????“

“Great service and good food. Initially I was told I could only order food to go because someone was having a private party and they were prepping but then the man behind the counter walked me through the menu. He then suggested I have a seat and could eat in if I wanted. I chose to dine in and the food was fabulous. I got the bacon egg and cheese biscuit. They did not have the cheddar jalapeño biscuit I asked for but they added extra cheese to my sandwich to compensate. The biscuit was crunchy in the outside and soft on the inside. I'll definitely be coming back to try the chicken biscuit and all the different compound butters.“

“My sister and I went to Urban Vegan Kitchen for the first time this week. We both absolutely loved it. The food, the service, the vibe…all great. I had the “chicken” and waffles and my sister had an empanada and chips, salsa and guacamole. All delicious. Can’t wait to go back and try everything on the menu.“

“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.“

“Very lively friendly restaurant run by American African. Love the ambience the friendly crowd! Love the southern fried chicken eggnog waffle, The beef rib was super tender , it is a must try. They have unique cocktails too, the Strawberry Hennessy was very special!Gender-neutral restrooms, Good For Kids, Good for Brunch, Dinner, Private Dining, Compostable containers available, Covered Outdoor Seating.“

“Recently hosted my birthday party at Printers Alley and had the best experience doing so! It was a large party (50+ people) doing an open bar and the staff could not be more accommodating/generous before and during the event. I felt well taken care of throughout the night and the experience was overall very enjoyable and ran very smoothly. Would definitely recommend if you are considering for a large party or just a general night out!“

“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“

“My son said "Blue Smoke has the best brisket in NYC and maybe even TX too" I agree with him. The seasoning is perfect, the meat is super tender and moist, it just melts in your mouth, and we loved their homemade tortilla chips. It was our first time trying it. We started making bites with layers of mac n cheese, mashed potatoes, a piece of brisket w/their delicious sauce on top of their homemade tortilla chip, and to top it off, we would add a calbee hokkaido butter chip so both sides would be crunchy with savory gooey perfection in between. It's difficult to find a better bite and now we want to order it again now.“

“I love their food! Tasty, clean and fresh. The portions are good too.Services is great and friendly. It’s small but quaint. It’s ran by a sweet family.. I definitely recommend them!Vegetarian options: They have rice n peas, cabbage plantains, delicious“

“Service: 4/5 Food: 4/5 Ambiance: casual, chill, lively A little understaffed, but jovial. Limited seating, best for solo dining or couples. What I Ordered: - Biscuit Bowl (Everything Flavor): a classic. eggs, bacon, potatoes, biscuit, cheese, peppers - a little bit of everything - Malcom Sandwich: SO JUICY. SO CRISPY. not at all spicy, so get extra sauce on the side. would recommend.“

“The food was amazing! It was seasoned very well. The staff was friendly. We enjoyed ourselves. We had a party of 15 and they didn't miss a beat. It was a bit pricy for some items but worth it. Very large portion sizes. I will definitely be eating here again!“

“Look No Further For Your Tex Mex Fix than Javelina . Frozen Margaritas , Lone Star , Yellow Queso , Fajitas and the list goes on . Everything hit the mark for us . The tortilla chips are pure perfection . Just the right thickness & not greasy . Our only suggestion would be to put some Texas sports or any kind of sports for that matter on the TV . Having Bob Ross on the set didn’t fit the atmosphere . When we asked we were told they weren’t aloud to put on sports ; Nevertheless , Service was good & there are a few tables outside too . Btw there’s another location on 18th if you are down that way . Ya’ll enjoy them both .“

“Great spot for drinks and food with a chill atmosphere and the perfect music levels to enjoy a conversation. Pricing is right and portions are big. Southern inspired food and drinks and good service. Will definitely be coming back and would recommend anyone to try it. We came around 7 on a Friday no reservation was needed.“

“This family owned small business in the east village is truly one of a kind. Try the rotisserie roasted chicken with potatoes! It’s a twist on French cuisine with all the ambience of a curated art gallery and botanical garden in one place. Come for the food, stay for the incredible vibe!“

“I was introduced to Jacob's Pickles recently when meeting a friend at the Moynihan Trail Hall. He insisted on finding food as soon as he arrived from Washington, D.C., refusing to venture outside the building. So, we headed to the food court and stumbled upon Jacob's Pickles. The enticing aroma from the kitchen beckoned us, especially with its unique southern-inspired menu, which particularly resonated with me being from the south. I opted for the barbecue chicken-loaded fries as a starter, which turned out to be a substantial meal in itself. The portion size was exceptionally generous, prompting me to take some home. It's rare to find such generous portions in New York City without breaking the bank. Additionally, I indulged in biscuits and gravy and mac-and-cheese with two friends. I recommend treating these dishes as a family-style dining experience due to their size. Although Jacob's Pickles in the train hall lacks a dedicated dining area, the hall provides a pleasant space to enjoy your meal, provided it's not too crowded. While the food was served in a reasonable amount of time, it did take a bit longer for the barbecue chicken-loaded fries. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Jacob's Pickles and look forward to returning when my friend visits again and inevitably demands immediate dining. It's safe to say where we'll be dining next time!“

“For Breakfast, I bought French Toast and an Omelet.Most bodegas in the area don't make French Toast (a few don't know what French Toast is), so I was fortunate to discover that this place makes French Toast.There isn't much room to eat inside the place, so I think it's mostly take out orders.My food was ready relatively quickly. Approximately 5 minutes and the food itself was fine in a basic way.“

“It was a good experience. most for the ambience and the place that seems to be a more local experience or conoceurs. I was happy at the beginning with the service, but later the waiter just forget about us and had to chase them for any additional thing like the check, sinc ethey didn't offer us to check desserts. The drinks were really good, the food was ok, but I was really expecting more since I've had better Eggplant parmegiano at other places.“

“I recently had knee surgery and a friend gave me a $100 Grubhub gift card. I love soul food so this was the perfect use for the card! The food came fast and BOY was it good! We shared the seafood gumbo, thick and chunky with fish and vegetables, and my husband liked the catfish strips. I got the sampler with collard greens, hoppin' john, and candied yams as my sides. My husband got the ribs. The ribs were moist and meaty, the lightly breaded catfish was *chef's kiss*. The chicken was also excellent although I would have liked it slightly spicier. The sides were as good as can be! I LOVE collards and these were perfection! This was my first time eating hoppin' john, and it was delicious. I'll definitely order it again. There was also warm cornbread. Altogether it cost just under $100. A lot of food for the money and we had leftovers.“