Sylvias Restaurant

The wait staff is very nice. The restaurant is clean, warmly lit, and smells amazing. Now the important part - the food - is amazing. I had oxtails, string beans, and Mac and cheese. The oxtails were very meaty and generous. They give cornbread on the side which is very tasty and sweet, almost dessert like! I don’t live in New York but if you’re a visitor, stop by - you’ll love it. The subway ride from time square is a breeze.

I had to pay a visit to this Harlem’s institution! Sylvia’s has been an iconic landmark for more than 60 years now.I had the pleasure to go there for lunch with friends a few days ago and to indulge in a true Southern classic: fried chicken and waffles. The crispy, golden-brown chicken was perfectly seasoned, with just the right amount of crunch and juiciness in each bite. Paired with the fluffy, buttery waffle, it was a delightful balance of savory and sweet.The chicken’s flavor stood out—comforting, with a touch of spice that complemented the rich syrup drizzled over the waffles. The combination is a simple yet satisfying dish that captures the essence of soul food. The warm, welcoming atmosphere at Sylvia’s adds to the overall experience, making it feel like you’re at a family gathering. You can find pics with all the most important people, politicians and celebrities from the past several decades on the walls.Service is extremely good and efficient and ready to give you informations about the place at any time. We had to wait to be seated but the guy in charge of leading us to our table was so kind and accommodating!For anyone seeking an authentic Harlem dining experience, Sylvia’s delivers on tradition and flavor. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, this spot is a must for anyone craving a taste of soul.

We were looking for a breakfast place but none was open, saw Silvia’s and entered, despite ‘tourist trap’ concerns. We asked how long was the wait - they said 50 min, but were friendly and offered to wait in a back room. They called us after 30 min. Food was straightforward comfort with no false notes. Smothered Chicken was soft and smothered with gravy, beef ribs were great, and so was Fried Chicken and Waffle . Collard greens on the soft side.

Harlem first timers, let me introduce you to Silvia’s. Chances are, you may have already heard of them because so many people have eaten there. Their brand of soul food deserves special recognition because the family behind the business adhere to traditional recipes and deliver that finger-licking goodness day in, day out.We had a delightful dinner experience: sitting in the back corner of the outdoor dining area, looking across a lively turnout of dinner guests while enjoying our delicious Catfish Fingers, Cornbread, and colourful cocktails. The staff were friendly, and the food was good.For mains, it was difficult for us to look past the classics: we had the BBQ Beef Short Ribs and Down Home Fried Chicken. Both worked well with our selection of side dishes. The Mac-n-Cheese and Collard Greens dampens the sauciness of the Beef Short Ribs. The Candied Yams and String Beans balances out the crunchiness of the Fried Chicken. Sylvia’s signature hot sauce was also a bit of fun to have on the side.Before leaving, we made sure to walk around to check out the many photographs hanging around the restaurant. Sylvia’s is really a lot more than just a restaurant. It’s a museum. Overall, a must visit when in this neighbourhood.

Came to New York and was told that I should try this place out. It was very popular and the food was very good. I wont take anything away from it. The fried chicken dinnerI had was seasoned well. My sister had ribs, which were basically boiled and covered with barbecue sauce. The wifes pork chop dinner was seasoned well to... cooked perfect. The kitchen seemed to be a little backed up and struggled to keep up with the current orders. Our wait time to be seated was about 45 minutes which may be okay. , If in town, please try them out for yourself. We stayed in Manhattan. An easy way to get there is to catch the C train from Penn Station Get off at 125th street and look across the street and there is Sylvias.

Longstanding soul food restaurant with accompanying atmosphere you go back in time. You’ll find locals and tourists dining here. Restaurant is a bit noisy but that’s part of the experience. Great for larger group dinners. Service is quick. Staff made suggestion where to put the stroller, which I appreciated. Although I am not an expert on soul food; it seems traditional and is tasty especially with Sylvia secret sauce. Only negative is the limited choice and poor quality of wine but that’s not where you come for here anyway.

I had the pleasure of dining at Sylvia’s in Harlem, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish! The food was absolutely delicious and full of authentic flavor. I ordered the chitlins, collard greens, and candied yams, and each bite was a perfect blend of seasoning and comfort. The hot sauce on the chitlins added just the right kick! My friend ordered chicken and waffles, and they were perfectly golden and fluffy with a side of crispy chicken—classic soul food at its finest.The portions were generous, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting, perfect for enjoying a meal with friends or family. Sylvia’s truly captures the essence of Southern comfort food. If you’re ever in Harlem, this is a must-visit spot. Highly recommend!

So let me say what I liked the cornbread stuffing was good . The cornbread they served before the meal was good as well,staff was pleasant food came out quickly.The macaroni wasnt macaronin it lacked cheese and consistency. The veggie green was cool the fish had light seasoning and for the price was small. The stew turkey was bland the chicken was light seasoned. If you want to get the historical experience of this restaurant go but for me a 3.5/10.

Sylvia’s is a neighborhood classic. Reliable service and a quality meal. The fried chicken is delicious. The ribs fall right off the bone. The cornbread is perfect. If you are in the mood for classic soul food then Sylvia’s is it.

From the delicious food to the classic music and the friendly staff we had such a great time!Our Server India took excellent care of us and also helped us decide what to order. I highly recommend Sylvia’s 😀

Im from St. Louis. The food was amazing, the place is really small and intimate. They do have outdoor seating, but its getting colder out. I didnt get a really good look around it was like a 15-minute wait period it looks to be to sides to the restaurant, but they were only serving on one side and the outside, But Im too sure. This place serves soul food and when I mean the food was amazing!!

First time in Harlem, first time at Sylvias!My wife and I came here for dinner this evening and we had the most wonderful timeNot only was the food out of this world! (the chicken is incredible especially paired with the homemade hot sauce) but the hospitality was great. The restaurant has such a warm, welcoming atmosphere and Geanette treated us ever so wellThank you for everything! We will openly recommend this to friends, family and look forward to returning soon

Sylvias no longer serves breakfast or breakfast food. However, they do have grits and eggs available. You can place a to-go order or by table service. Nothing electronic about the process. Traditional take your order table side. The food was hot and fresh! They bring warm cornbread and butter to the table. I enjoyed fried catfish, grits, and eggs. My niece had the shrimp and grits. The grits were flavorful and creamy, and the shrimp were huge! Nice portions of catfish and the fish were fried to perfection! The menu is soul food, and the atmosphere is nostalgic Harlem family vibe. I enjoyed my experience.

Too good. I was hoping to not get dissapointed given that most popular restaurants usually degrade in service or quality. However, Sylvias was heaven for us.Got the Ribs and fried chicken combo with candied Yams and mashed potatoes, and Cornbread. I wouldnt say it was exceptional, but it was what its meant to be. True soul food. A proper southern plate.The sassy sauce and the cornbread were so yum. Lovely service as well.Peach Cobbler was great again.Would try the fried pork chops next time.

Wowwwwww is the first word that comes to mind. I decided to come here because of the rapper/Chef Action Bronson! The wait wasn’t bad at all. The area is full of places to eat and shop so while I waited I went to shop a bit. I had ordered two of the fried chicken meals with two sides (garlic mash & mac/cheese). I got white meat(breast and wing) and I also ordered dark meat(thigh and leg). I have to say that was the best garlic mash I’ve ever had and I had to pause while eating because it was so good that I was eating so fast!! I had the cornbread for dessert because I was stuffed with the food! I would definitely like to dine in the next time and order something diff! I also would definitely recommend this restaurant. Great service & delicious food! Once you’ve taken a few bites you will know the food was made with love! Who doesn’t want that feeling when eating?!

RAEN HAS THE BEST SERVICE. GIRL SHE GAVE me a time and a half she’s so full of energy and made sure all my needs were taken cared of love her and give her all the stars

Now this restaurant is one of the best soul food here in New York. It was tasty and everything is gorgeous. I’m highly recommended people who wants to try this restaurant.

I have been hearing about this place my whole life. Finally made it to Harlem so I had to try it out. They did not disappoint. A Reservation was helpful, they also have a to-go window. I had to get black eyed peas for New Years day Im thankful for that. The food was great and my chicken was fried to perfection.

Delicious southern lunch at Sylvia’s today. The pork ribs and shrimp/cod dishes were delicious. Our server was fun and friendly. Great experience. Also there were no lines or wait for lunch at 130 pm.

We had fried chicken & waffles and a sweet potato pie here. Everything we had was delicious. Simple and yet good flavours. It is however a bit pricey compared to other places cooking similar dishes. The ambience could have been better. Still, I recommend it if you want to have the nostalgic experience. After all, many famous people like Beyonce visited this place as far as I’ve seen from the pics hanging on the wall.

Sylvias offered delicious food, atmosphere (we dined in the enclosed patio) and great service. It did take a while for our food to be brought to us but it was worth the wait! The cornbread muffins are the best Ive ever had in my life. The Mac n cheese was perfectly cheesy. I cant say anything bad about whats on the menu. I will be visiting again the next time Im in NY.

Amazing food and attentive staff. We loved everything and wished we had a bigger stomach to eat everything!

I always wanted to eat there. However, I live in New Jersey. Finally, last night, at the age of 72 years old, I crossed it off my bucket list!!! It was worth the trip to NYC. The food was outstanding, and the waiter and waitress were so professional. Thank you for a lovely evening, and the food was out of this world!!!

I had a great experience at Sylvias. In addition to the food tasting great. I received exceptional customer service from Jason. I called the restaurant a month later looking to retrieve a receipt for my business and he went above and beyond to get this receipt. Usually, they dont hold receipts that long but he took the time to figure out how to find the receipt in their system and text me my receipt within 15 minutes after the phone call. Jason, was extremely courteous and really helped me out.

Customer service and the hot cornbread were excellent other than that only come here if you want soul food with no soul. If you’re use to down home southern cooking like my Grandma use to make you will be disappointed. I just wanted to experience the famous Sylvia’s but my fried chicken and Mac n Cheese were bland. I didn’t even eat a lot of my sweet potatoes. My waitress asked if I wanted them to go and it was an immediate no. It just tasted like boiled sweet potatoes with sugar no nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nothing that screams soul food. I’m sorry I have to give a bad review but I hope they really revamp their menu if they want to be considered one of the best soul food restaurants. Customer service was great though.

This is one of those places that you have to eat at because it’s a New York Institution. There are many tourists from all over the world 🌎 here. Several homeless people asking for handouts as well. Out door seating is available. Live music 🎶. Overall the food is good. The smothered pork chops were the star. The fried chicken was good, but not the best we’ve had. The staff was nice but the service was slow. Reasonably priced. Give it a try and you decide.

Great food + down South hospitality = return customer. I didnt have a reservation but the hostess was able to accommodate me at the bar. I dont usually like to sit at the bar at restaurants but the bartender did me right. I went there just for the chitlins which they only serve Friday-Sunday. The live music with the pianist and soloist were a bonus.

This place is so iconic and famous that I was expecting it to be all hype and not that great.I walked in expecting an average experience but what awaited me was lip smacking fare and great service.Dont forget I was excited though as Id never eaten soul food before.My waiter Sean helped fix my wobbly table with wads of napkin. I WAS LIKE AH, WOBBLY TABLES HUH....will the food be good....?I ordered mac and cheese, collard greens and smothered chicken. Sean told me nah, what you should try is the BBQ short rib. I said yes youre the expert here.Best food ever or was I just hungry? Dunno, was an excellent meal !!Seeing how much I was enjoying myself. Sean then shouted me an Arnold Palmer, which I did not know off, to round out an excellent first soul food experience.Thank you Sean and thank you Sylvias.

Raen served us very well. All the service was excellent.

Visiting from California. This is my first time in New York City. Harlem is on my bucket list of things to do. Sylvias and The Apollo, of course, were high on my list. I arrived for lunch on a monday around one oclock. It was not too busy, and I asked to be seated at the bar since I was by myself. Staff was absolutely lovely inattentive. I ordered smothered port chops with greens and potato salad. The pork chop was simply divine. Fall off the bone tender. The gravy accompanying, it was delicious as well. I was disappointed in the greens and the potato salad. My thoughts are, if you are looking at going to Sylvias, for incredible soul food, your expectations may be a bit high. I decided to chop my experience up as once in a lifetime pilgrimage two a black owned famous soil food establishment that has been visited by celebrities, presidents, and the like. As part of Black culture, visiting Sylvias is definitely a notch. I can say what I did. Love about my experience is the diversity in the clientele. I met two lovely ladies from Chicago, and we got to chop it up for about an hour getting to know each other. All in all, as a Black American, I decided to look at my experience at silvias as a bucket list item that t I can check off off my list.

Amazing restaurant in Harlem. Sunday afternoon gospel was amazing regardless of the religion. Overall, it was a very powerful, active, welcoming vibe. Chicken was on another level, and the mac&cheese with traditional collard greens was one of the best meals Ive ever had. Rum Punch cocktail was also highly recommended. Cornbread was very warm and delicious. Its just phenomenal. 100% willing to come back again as soon as possible.

Amazing food, atmosphere and service. Glad to have visited 🙏

Nice historic restaurant in Harlem. We ordered the Smothered chicken and Harlem chicken and both are very good.

Even on a busy sunday after church, with no reservation, our party of 4 was sat in less than 45 minutes. the food is fantastic! the portions are large so youre getting your moneys worth. we got the chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, with collard greens, mac n cheese, and cornbread (that was given complimentary at the start of the meal). our server was friendly as well. such a nice brunch! and right off the 125th 1 train so easily accessible. we also saw lots of families so I could see it is kid friendly.

My first experience of trying soul food in the US, and I really enjoyed my lunch time visit here.I chowed down on corn bread, collard greens, mac & cheese, ribs and fried chicken, and was blown away by how simple the food was and tasty it was. The fried chicken especially, was hands down the I have ever had, wow. Washed it all town with a sweet iced tea, which was good too.The staff were wonderful and great service all round, nobody does it like Harlem baby!

I went to Sylvia’s over the Holiday weekend and although the food was great the wait time for me and my family almost spoiled the experience. It was very busy and there was no actual appropriate wait place for me and my family to wait for the half hour that we did.India was very attentive and made the experience better once we sat and the food was very good!

So much food! Loved the ribs! Maybe less gravy on the smothered chicken… feel bad for the only waitress who was running the whole outdoor dining service by herself. Amazing place. Will come back to try other items on the menu.

Portions are large. Food is good soul food. We had fried catfish, fried chicken, Mac n cheese, potato salad, greens, yams, pickled beets and corn bread.

I had the chicken and waffles on a trip here with my wife and two friends, but it seems like I was the only one who enjoyed my food. Everyone else had some issue with their food, but my chicken and waffles was one of the best ones Ive had in a while at a restaurant. The chicken was really crispy and the waffles tasted pretty good, but my wifes grits looked and tasted bland and unseasoned. I feel incline to give them a 4 star for now despite the issues with the other others, but I think it was good enough. I really like how the food came in closed container with utensils coming in sealed plastics. Ive had some weird and disgusting experiences with servers touching food while bringing them to our tables at other places; even before the pandemic.The drinks were quite expensive considering they only had 1 refill each and they were in the small plastic cups. Im not sure if the drinks are all $5.50 each because of the close containers, but it was still enjoyable.They have a mask requirement, and vaccine requirement for inside sitting, but they do have outside sitting for non vaccinated guests.

Sylvias is absolutely amazing. I love their food from my 1st time going. The last time we went i wasnt fond of our waiter but he didnt ruin our time or the great food we always get. Id recommend going at an earlier time so you can beat the traffic getting into the city. If you want or NEED some soul food you have to go to Sylvias! Omg I forgot about the Uptown. DRINK THE UPTOWN!!!

Sylvias was definitely NOT what we expected. The people there are very welcoming. Our waitress was great. The place looks very pleasing. However, the food there was not as special as people claimed to be. Most of them had too much salt. We had:Catfish Fingers, they were good, crispy but the salt was a little too much.Sylvias Down Dome Fried (a quarter fried leg) which comes with 2 sides. I chose Mc& Cheese and Collard Greens. Fried Chicken is DELICIOUS. Collard Greens are very salty, tough, worst I ever had. MC&Cheese is pretty much some cheese pour on top of boiled pasta.Sylvias World Famous BBQ Pork Ribs w Smothered Chicken which comes with 2 sides. We had Potato Salad and Candied Yams. Smothered Chicken is EXCELLENT!!!, Pork Ribs are barely seasoned, and fried and they poured some kind of watery BBQ sauce on it before they bring it to you. Potato Salad was good. Candied Yams was ok. They do have delicious cornbread. Sylvias Uptown drink ( 1/2 lemonade, 1/2 tea) was too sweet.The price range was ok

The hostess was super nice. We were seated outside despite an inside reservation. I liked the heat lamps to keep you warm. My food was just ok. The cornbread muffins were really good. My family member didnt like the sweet dressing. I had the salmon ,Mac & cheese and yams. Over all it was just ok.

My first and last time, my husband ordered chicken & waffles (hard). I had shrimp, traditional collards (nothing but stems at the bottom) and Mac & cheese (taste sweet).I don’t see why everyone seems to rave about this “place”. (2 thumbs down)If you aren’t use to “Soul food” like Momma makes, I can see why you would think it’s so good.However, the drinks were on point! (2 thumbs up)Sorry, but my first experience wasn’t a good one. We will not be returning.

Been a very long since Ive written a bad review but this restaurant deserves zero stars. I feel bad for everyone, like myself who didnt do research before coming here. First red flag is that it wasnt packed on a Saturday at dinner time. Once seated, it took 15 mins for someone to take our order and it wasnt even busy. I ordered fried chicken with greens and mac and cheese. My fiance got the same sides but with the beef rib. 50 mins later we were still waiting for food AND a drink. When I asked about the drink, I was told that the bartender had stepped away. Mind you, I ordered a non alcoholic drink..... another 20 mins goes by and we finally get our food. Let me tell you, the greens were the most disgusting greens Ive ever had. They were...sweet. Tasted like someone added tons of sugar to them and they were inedible. Even hotnsauce couldnt save them. The mac and cheese was terrible too, barely any cheese except for on top. My fiancés beef rib was a rip off. It was not what you would expect and was slathered in sauce. The waitress didnt check on us once, and when we were finished we waited another 20 mins for thr check. Terrible food, terrible service. I talked to a few locals afterwards and they told me I should have went to Amys. To top this all off, we both felt sick the rest of the night. Dont do it yall

We wanted to visit 6 years ago but time did not permit. It was worth trying again. Very upbeat vibe with soul atmosphere. The food was amazing ESPECIALLY the mac-n-cheese. Would definitely make my way back from Texas to Harlem to try again

From start to finish, Sylvia’s was a wonderful experience! My husband and I had reservations for a date night, and when we arrived, we were greeted promptly by a host who had great energy. When we were seated, the dining room had a great vibe with good music, that kind of gave a lounge type vibe. We started with the Sangria, which was pricey at $20 each for a large, but it was strong and delicious! Next, we received cornbread which was phenomenal! I knew at that point the food was going to be bangin! My husband ordered the Chicken & Waffles which was amazing, and I got the Whiting with greens and Mac and cheese which was also delicious. However, the star of the show was the fried prawns!! Babyyyy, if you don’t get nothing else, make sure you get those! We finished off our dinner with the Peach Cobbler which was tasty. The entire experience was top notch, and we can’t wait to go back again!

We visited this location for dinner during a visit - the catfish bites were not actually catfish (was whiting) we had a variety of dishes, baked Mac and cheese (taste sweet) and wasn’t baked, no seasoning to taste. fried Whiting was bland to taste, collard greens were tough and had the stems on them still. The cornbread and desserts were delicious and the cocktails were great too. Service was phenomenal but the food expense was a huge miss! None of us ate our meals as we were all disappointed in the taste - servings were plentiful too

We had the pleasure of being served by Raen during our visit, and she truly made our meal unforgettable. From the moment we sat down, Raen greeted us warmly, was incredibly attentive!We can’t wait to return and hope to have the pleasure of being served by her again!

Sylvias is a whole vibe! Came to NY to visit family and we stopped in Sylvias. There was about a 30min wait but well worth it. We had a large party but the server handled everything with ease and was very attentive. Lets jump into this food... I ordered the fried chicken, greens (just like how my grandmother makes them) and yams.. whew!! Amazing, chef kisses!! I will be back on my next trip to NY!

The atmosphere was great, DJ a little loud if you wanted to talk to the person you are at the table with but a very upbeat vibe.The service was great when our food was taking a little longer the server and manager came over to let us know.The reason I gave the food 4stars was everything was great but not a WOW especially the mac and cheese which didn’t even seemed baked they must have ran out and had to throw another pan in quickly and didn’t have time to let it bake not to mention someone was heavy on the salt. I am a person who judges a soul food place with their mac and cheese and it could have been better. Overall a great place!

Legendary place that’s worth going to at least once. I liked the cornbread the best. Fried chicken wasn’t the best I’ve had but it was pretty good. Unfortunately, service was a miss. Our order must have been lost in the shuffle and we ended up waiting for almost an hour. The pace could be better.Loved the nostalgia and the walk down memory lane with photos of the founding family along with famous people.

I am a NY native and I cant remember if Ive ever been to Sylvias BUT I went today, and they definitely did not disappoint. It was a pretty long wait but it was so worth it. The corn bread the smothered chicken and waffle, all I needed was a blanket and a pillow and I would have been knocked out. I would come here again and again. I loved it.

Iconic soul food restaurant in the heart of Harlem. We were there for the Gospel brunch which was an amazing experience. Very friendly staff and great food. The candied yams are a must! You definitely will not leave hungry.

I stopped in with a sista friend of mine who REALLY loves Sylvia. Shes been going since 2005. We were warmly greeted upon our arrival by the staff. Jeanette, our server was delightful. Our meal was SO good! I had the smothered pork chops, with mac n cheese and some garlic flavored string beans. My friend had fried whitings with mac n cheese and the traditional collard greens. We ordered another basket of that delicious corn bread. We really ENJOYED our meal. I should have taken a picture of my empty plate with nothing left but the pork bones. LOL! And just looking around at the other tables with various dishes, I would say they ENJOYED their meal as well. Theres nothing like good food and good service.

The kitchen was very backed up the day I went. Our food took well over an hour to arrive. Normally, I wouldnt blame the restaurant for that, but our waiter didnt check on us once during that hour and my water glass never got refilled. We got a free dessert for the wait, which tasted good, but our entrees werent worth the hype. It was also almost impossible to find our waiter by the end of the meal. We had to wait almost 15 minutes for the check; I was so ready to leave that I put cash on the table and basically ran out of the restaurant. Not a good restaurant to spend 3 hours on your Saturday night at. I will give them credit for their sweet tea, however, as it was the best sweet tea Ive ever had.

Great food and service came.up from Chelsea to try this place out and it didnt disappoint!Had corn bread and chicken wings to start. It was the weekend and I ordered the beef short rib and fried chicken special. Tons of food and couldnt finish it allMy only criticism is that a soda was 5 dollars.

My husband was determined to go to Sylvia’s because the last time we went , the wait for take out was 45 minutes and we had to get back to Jersey . This time we had more time in the city so we were able to wait . The food was good , but the portions are sub par. I’ve gotten platters from the Chinese place with more fish . 1 piece of fish is insane for their prices. My daughter asked for dark meat with her chicken platter and received a quarter piece of chicken . Sylvia’s will not see me again . If you do take out , check your platters before you leave .

Sylvias has been on my list for quite some time! Im so glad that my family and I were finally able to go. The food and service were exemplary; every dish was just as amazing as the next! The manager was very attentive to the needs of every diner; we did not have to ask for a single thing!Looking forward to going back!❤️

This restaurant is great! It is an interactive part of history. The food is excellent, I had the chicken and waffles with a side of Mac and cheese. The chicken was fantastic, I heard the table next to me ordered dark meat only, didnt know that was an option, going for that next time. The Mac and cheese was very good but very savory and sharp cheese forward. My date had fried chicken and garlic mashed potatoes. She raved about the potatoes. Only points off were service was a little slow but, theyre always busy.

This place was recommended by my aunt. My wife and I were finally able to check it out. Overall experience was 5/5. The long Island was really strong. The cornbread was a great start to an awesome meal. I will return. Our server was Lamar and he went above and beyond!

The fried chicken was just simply delicious. Take out time wasnt long either. But it wasnt busy when I ordered

The macaroni and cheese, fried chicken and waffle were great! Food came out fresh! The only negatives were that the black eyed peas were okay and the pork chops were extremely overcooked. Other than that, the atmosphere and service was great.

I was in NY celebrating a friends birthday. Reservations were made by the host. Once everyone in the party showed up we were seated. The waitress took our drink orders and then returned to take out dinner orders. The food came out fairly quickly and was delicious. I ordered the wings as and appetizer to share and then ordered the smothered pork along with greens and potato salad. It was a great start to a great weekend celebration!

I had a great time dine in at Sylvia’s service was awesome, atmosphere was amazing so many memories on the wall make you time travel, FOOD was amazing fried chicken was delicious seasoned to the bone! Cornbread was out this world had to ask for second I would definitely recommend, I’ll be back Sylvia’s!

Just visit this past Saturday 10/19/2024 , customer service was excellent, atmosphere was great if you want to experience historical culture then go for it , it look like visiting with family on a Sunday made me very happy . Food wasn’t giving, food came out in a timely manner but I look at my chicken and instantly was turned off I thought maybe 1 wing just had hair on it but when I look closer it was very hairy on all 6 wings , mac & cheese only had cheese on top and yums was bland I couldn’t even mix my yums with the Mac it was no juice. Corn muffins was a hit I literally took my whole meal to go and then threw it away. And our bill was pricey 196.00 I went for the experience I got a picture but don’t know how to post it .

Oh yes, Sylvias! Can you imagine enjoying something, pausing for 25 years and coming back to the same enjoyable experience. That is Sylvias. I last ate Sylvias when It was also in Atlanta, Aback in the late 1990s. Coming here to the original Harlem Sylvias location provided me with great authentic soul food as it did a couple of decades ago. The food, nostalgia, service, and patrons are as good as they come. Order any soul food item off of the menu, enjoy it and indulge in great conversation while having a true historic soul food experience. I wish Sylvias many more great soul food years, and you can help by coming here and dining with great food and Harlem history. By the way, take a scroll around the restaurant and view the historic pictures from Michael Bloomberg to Denzel Washington and many more who came to Sylvias.

Got Sylvias down home fried Chicken with the candy yams and mac and cheese sides, total $30 with tax and tip. Chicken was nice and crispy, mac and cheese was really good, candy yams were sweet and tender. Overall I give an 8 out of 10.

I lived in NYC (Brooklyn) for over 20 years and never really went to Harlem, especially for food. I have been missing out. I always knew about Sylvias, but just never took the time to actually go; I am glad I finally did.There are only a few ways to do soul food, and Sylvias does it right. The fried wings were perfectly fried and tender. The mac and cheese were not too cheesy (which I love) and the candied yams were delicious. I will definitely be back.The service was good too - thats not always easy to find.

Tried Sylvias for the first time. It was fairly quiet when we went so we were seated quickly and our waitress was very friendly. Tried the fried catfish as an app. The fish was seasoned so nicely and it was cooked to perfection. It was delicious. Had the lunch special with fried chicken and a side of mac and cheese. The chicken skin was some of the best Ive had. Extremely crispy and well seasoned. My only so-so was the mac. It was seasoned well, but it was very dry; I prefer a creamy mac. It was more like macaroni with cheese sprinkled and melted; no roux made with cheese added to make a sauce. My partner had the chicken and waffles and it was very good. The waffle was light and fluffy. Some other patrons started chatting us up and we had some laughs and felt very welcome as tourists. Overall a positive experience.

It is true what they say, Sylvias food really feeds your soul like a warm hug even on a summer night. We went straight for the classic and it was a dive into a magical world full of flavour and a feeling you cannot express. Cocktails wise I had the rum punch and the Harlem blues and they were both fab. The collards were very nice but full of liquid, I would have preferred less. The lady manager was kind and talkative while the staff in general very cold. They have a range of their own product like a chilli sauce and they also do takeaways.

Absolutely delicious! Friendly service today plus fantastic catfish and sides. Their cornbread is some of the best I’ve ever had! Highly recommend. Nice outdoor dining space available with fans was pleasant even on a hot day.

Sylvias doesnt disappoint. A staple for southern food in nyc. The food has consistently been good for years .Everyone has their favorite. The smothered chicken is mine.Support the local places before theyre gone.

When in HARLEM, Sylvia’s is a must. Came by on a sunny afternoon, after a 45min wait for two- we were seated. ****Greeted by server “K” ( Kavan) and he was SO PROFESSIONAL. You can tell when someone loves their job and he does!! **He made the experience. Great suggestions, visibly present when needed and touched back frequently. This server definitely adds to the value and experience.Food- had the chix/ ribs combo with string beans ( a bit bland) amazing sweet yams and tasty Mac and cheese. Also ordered was the chicken and waffles. Had a sweet blue cocktail and enjoyed the cornbread. Old r&b/ Motown played in the background. Great experience! Go check it out. Yes it’s in a safe area and the patrons eating are both tourists and locals 🤍

I came here before heading to the airport as a way to kill time, as my flight kept getting delayed. The cornbread was soooo good. Nice and fresh. A great sort of cinnamon like taste. I ordered the combo seafood plate and got the fried whiting and BBQ shrimp. The whiting was tasty, although a bit thin. The BBQ shrimp was very good and perfectly cooked. The greens couldve used some more salt and seasoning in general. They were a bit bland. Candied yams were excellent. The Mac and cheese was good but definitely couldve used more cheese. I also ordered a rum punch which DEFINITELY punched loll. It was so strong that I only needed one. I didnt like the seating there though. I was out way in the back by the emergency exit, with the servers continually walking in and out, almost bumping my table and letting flies in.

The food was DELICIOUS!!! My husband and I had the smothered pork chops and they were so tender, we didnt need a knife. I dont normally like baked mac n cheese but theirs was very cheesy and good. Im from Texas so I eat a lot of soul food and I must say this is a restaurant a traveler must visit, if you like a good soul food meal...oh and the cornbread tastes like cake to us..😊

Baaaaaby!!! I’ve been going to Sylvia’s for over 30 years! The last time I went, Ms. Sylvia was still alive RIP. I heard they’re been chanted but now, I can speak for myself!The food is soooooo good!!! Omg. Everything I had was delicious. Even the pale azz potato salad. LOL The catfish, cornbread, collards, oxtail, ribs, string beans, man and cheese….EVERYTHING.I’m so happy for the family. The third generation is doing their grandma well!!!!

Delicious food, as expected. Best part is the young staff of eager wait folks. Really made my 1st visit nice. Ive lived in NY for 35yrs & never made up here.

Not really what we expected. Chicken was nicely seasoned and moist. Pork chops were also nicely seasoned and very tender. The rest left a lot to be desired. The cornbread was dry and had an odd taste, the greens were too sweet, and the ribs were par-boiled.

I order the BBQ ribs with a side of collard greens and potato salad. The ribs had no flavor and was just smeared in bbq sauce the collard greens had no seasoning. I order the peach cobbler which taste old and oily. It had that kitchen test of something sitting for too long.

My negative review is NOT for the food which, is great. I, however have a problem with Sylvias restaurant charging $25 for a small plate of Mac and cheese, $25 for a small plate of candy yams(see picture of receipt). This is pure GREED or at best a terrible lack of judgement, especially on Thanksgiving Day. I live in the community and have been a supporter of this restaurant. Lately, it seems they have forgotten the community that made them.

Coming from Chicago. Sylvia came highly recommended for dinner. Had reservation for 8 for 7:30pm. It took 30 minutes before our orders were taken. Ordered smothered pork chops. 20 minutes later our server comes out and they dont have anymore smothered pork chops. Was told the kitchen closes at 8:45pm. So we got plain chops. My wife ask for gravy on the side and they bring a side dish of gravy to the table, they ran out of smothered.

The service was great and everyone was lovely! Loved the ambiance and it is important to me to support black businesses. With that, the food was unfortunately just okay (very instagram-able, though): wasn’t well seasoned and on a good day I could’ve cooked a better meal at home.

The iconic restaurant was everything I was expecting. Food was excellent. Restaurant was filled with memorable pictures of famous guest that have eaten there. Music was great and wait staff was friendly. Will return if ever in New York .

Sylvias is a MUST!! So delicious!! Very nice Staff with quality soul food!! From the corn bread all the way to the delicious chicken, ribs, Mac and cheese and greens! Mr. Lemar and Mr.Jason were exceptionally wonderful making sure our 1st experience was a success!! I must say they definitely pleased us!

Was a little worried this place wouldnt live up to the hype. Concerns were immediately put to rest. Tremendously warm welcome from some of the most professional wait staff we met in the USA. Food was SUPERB and theres no way you can leave this place feeling hungry. Highly recommended.

Very good. Be careful with that rum punch. Its 🔥!!! Very good. Everything was very good. I would say when you call for reservations, specify inside or outside. Will return.

This place was ok!The restaurant truly is an establishment and you feel that the moment you walk in. There are photos of celebrities dining here, and when you taste the fried chicken you understand why!The fried chicken was truly the star of the meal. Seasoned super well (probably brined) and crispy. However, almost everything else was lackluster for me. Didnt like the collard greens, candied yams were too sweet, the mashed potatoes and potato salad were good, and the grits were not great. The waffles that came with the fried chicken were good and fluffy, but nothing crazy.Service was great even though it took a while for the food to come out. The owners / general managers came out and made rounds of the tables to ask if the diners were okay, which I really appreciated. The best part was the amazing live music, for sure!Overall, great place but food just fell a bit flat for us. Reasonable prices, and may suit a different palate than mine! Worth checking it out.

The customer service was on point. The staff was great from the door to when we were seated and served, dor thr most part. I will say the seafood smell was extremely strong. They may need a better air purifying/filtration system. I had a smothered and a fried pork chop with green beans and my meal was delicious. I ordered that same entree to go for my son. That entree was $30. I also ordered 2 sweet potato pies to go. They were delicious as well, but overpriced. One 4 inch pie was $11. I could have made one or two 9inch pies for the price I paid. Overall I would patronize this place again.

We just ate lunch there today with my family. This place looks great and has a nice atmosphere. We were disappointed in the service/ food when the waitress asked us an extra charge of $8.00 because my 2 daughters wanted to split a meal of fried chicken. So instead of paying 24$ we were charged 32 $ USD (43$ CAD) which is for a dish of fried chicken with sides of mashed potatoes and Mac and cheese. We are from Toronto, we never experienced anything like that before. The food was OK but overpriced. Wasn’t worth the hype.

Omg Sylvias lived up to the hype. Chicken fried perfect, all the sides had to be made in Heaven. The best soul food Ive Ever had. The cons, we waited 15 minutes for drinks, 45 minutes for our food. Staff was nice and respectful.

The food was better than I had the last time I visited. Everything was hot and delicious! I had the fried chicken/dark meat ribs, mac and cheese, greens, sweet potatoes, and corn bread. It all warmed my tummy! I like the chicken better than the ribs.

Too much wait. 1h40 of wait on a Sunday for brunch ruined a little bit the experience for us. Staff is nice, comfort food was okay (huge portions) weve missed the music because we waited so long.

Cornbread is probably the best ever. Ribs are very good. Everything else is mediocre to below average. The host was somewhat rude and short with us despite it being a slow night.

We were visiting new york foe Easter weekend and I had to try Sylvias before I left. They did not disappoint. People were super friendly and the wait was about 35 mins. I had the smothered fried chicken with greens and mac and cheese with green and peach cobbler. I will return when I am in the area.

The service is excellent, very attentive. The food is amazing. From the corn bread, which are the best, to the fried chicken, mac n cheese and garlic mashed potatoes, everything we tried was delicious. They have a set price including a drink.

One of the best places Ive ever eaten at and definitely a must go spot in NYC. I would recommend coming here if you like amazing food and a good atmosphere.

I probably should have taken the pic before I started eating... Sylvias is a MUST every trip I make to NY. I immediately make my reservations and then take the subway to 125th/Harlem. The food has been consistently amazing, and so has the service.

Service was great. Food was hot and delicious. I will definitely go again when I am in the area.

Went to this storied restaurant for Sylvias Down Home Smothered Chicken & Chicken Tenders. Pretty good comfort food!

I had the grilled fish and fried shrimp. I chose gritted and grilled because I wanted to taste the batter. Both were good. The Mac n cheese was ok it could have be a little more thicker and the greens tasted like a combination of fresh and canned so no 5 star rating for me. Our server took a minute to take out order even though we told her we would be ready when she came back with our water. She dropped the water off and went to another table causing us to wait at least another 10 minutes with her no where in sight. The tea flop or Arnold Palmer depending on where youre from was good. The cornbread was great. The food was good enough for my husband to order some to go. There are no pictures of that plate which had the greens. But others at the table ordered them. Considering we were a large party of 8 the wait was only about 20 minutes. I like to cook so me giving a place a 5 star for soul food means they are authentic as much as possible. But canned greens or that taste of it is a no no for my taste buds. So thats why they didnt get a 5 from me.

The plates are big so you get tough money’s worth. The waffles and chicken were crispy and the seasoning was very good. The Mac and cheese tasted like my mom’s with a lot of flavor and I think a few different cheese.This is a must try if your in the area and the bar had music and people dancing this was an amazing experience. Would definitely come back when I’m this far uptown again.

If you want some good chicken and waffles come to Sylvia’s! The food here is so good. The chicken is nice and crispy, the waffles are nice and toasty, the Mac and cheese are nice and cheesy, and the corn bread are delicious! That being said, every place that haves good food also have people waiting. So be prepared for a wait. However, they do serve food in the counter. So if you are a single party or a party of two you can always order food at the counter!