Sylvia's Restaurant

(212) 996-0660

328 Lenox Ave
New York, NY 10027 40.8087 -73.9448

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Neighborhoods: Harlem, Uptown

SYLVIARESTAURANT.COM

Years in business

Established in 1963

Hours:

Monday To Saturday From 08:00 AM To 10:30 PM Sunday From 11:00 AM To 08:00 PM

Price:

$$

Last updated 6.23.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Live Music, Brunch, Prix Fixe Menu, Private Rooms

Cuisine:

Southern, Traditional American

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Sylvia's Restaurant

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

It's one of the city's best-kept secrets: Most New Yorkers think it's either just for tourists or out of the way. It's two blocks from the subway and yes, there are tourists, but Sylvia's is also a neighborhood place where everyone is welcome, prices are low and the food is church-supper delicious. It's vast and cavernous, though, built to hold 450 souls, and not thin ones, either. The menu is a greatest hits list of soul and Southern favorites. The fried chicken is eternally wonderful, among the best in the city, though the ribs can be a little dry, as can the pork chops. Entrees come with a…

Editor's Tips

The Extras:
You can take Sylvia's home with you. The restaurant stocks take-home bottles of its famous hot sauce and barbecue sauce.
What to Drink:
For something different try the creamsicle pina colada.
Know Before You Go:
Sylvia's is homey but mammoth--and it produces a lot of noise.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “The service was good but for such a famous restaurant and the prices charged, I thought the ambiance would be better.”
  2. “The atmosphere is touristy; the food is tasteless, heavy, and rarely made from fresh, natural ingredients; the wait staff is hurried; and the bill of fare comes with the tip already included - even for parties of two.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “If the red velvet and chocolate cakes are as good as the coconut, I will be quite happy.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “House special cocktails were superb.”
food quality
76.36000156402588% positive
  1. “Not only is the food not up to par, the service is bad, rude and uninformed.”
  2. “tourist trap; I'm gonna keep looking for good soul food”
  3. “The mac and cheese and greens are delicious.”
  4. “Therefore, I have many people from NC ask me where to go in NYC for good soul food.”
  5. “Sylvia's has been around for a long time and in the beginning the food was great but since she has been getting all of these tourists in her.”
  6. “ate at Sylvia's 20 years ago and the food was wonderful.”
  7. “Great soul food at great prices!”
  8. “The chicken was nasty.”
  9. “Poor customer service, decent soul food”
  10. “If not, I plan to return again by myself since I love breakfast food!”
  11. “The fried chicken and waffles were to die for - the waffles were so delicious, no syrup necessary.”
  12. “Now the food is just decent.”
  13. “Sylvias is a nice place to to go soul food, without paying too much.”
  14. “loved the food at Sylvia's.”
  15. “The service was slow, the wrost soul food I ever tasted.”
  16. “The meal I had was very good, smothered pork chops, garlic mashed potatoes & collard greens.”
  17. “The chicken and mac & cheese was very good.”
  18. “Fried chicken was good.”
  19. “LOVED the potato salad!”
  20. “The chicken and macaroni & cheese was so good.”
  21. “Good food, bad service”
  22. “thought it was going to be some of the best food I had ever eaten.”
  23. “Went on a Saturday night in hopes of finding good soul food.”
  24. “Love the food at Sylvia's.”
  25. “The food was great and the service was good as well.”
  26. “The food was the worst, like an earlier reviewer said, it taste like food just came out of the can and then it wasn't even hot.”
  27. “The food was so bad that I stopped off at CVS for a bag of Lay's potatoe chips afterwards just so that I could have something with flavor.”
  28. “The service, unlike the food, is awful!”
  29. “Needless to say, the food was horrible.”
  30. “give Ms. Woods and her family credit for keeping the business running for 45 years, but I cannot help but think the place is preying on tourists who are eager to tell people where they've eaten, not people genuinely interested in good food.”
  31. “Fried chicken was good, the sides are also great (yam & sweet potatoes were yummy) Too bad there were no corn bread served.”
  32. “Whatever the reason, when someone asks me where to get good soul food, I don't even mention Sylvia's.”
  33. “great food for the cost”
  34. “The service was horrible, the bathroom filthy, and the food wasnt good at all.”
  35. “The atmosphere is touristy; the food is tasteless, heavy, and rarely made from fresh, natural ingredients; the wait staff is hurried; and the bill of fare comes with the tip already included - even for parties of two.”
  36. “Great food, some faults”
  37. “Great food and great service.”
  38. “This is probably the best soul food I have ever eaten.”
  39. “The food is delicious and nutritious and the prices are reasonable but the overall dining experience is sub-par.”
  40. “The fresh fruitpunch went perfectly with the meal.”
  41. “If this restaurant wasn't so centrally located and the food (and lunch specials) weren't so good.”
  42. “Loved the food at sylvia's, waiters were very nice.”
  43. “am not a hot sauce lover, however, I really like Sylvia's hot sauce, which is why I ended up buying a bottle to take home.”
  44. “If I were you I'd really consider going somewhere else to eat if you like good food.”
  45. “The braised rib was off the chain, as well as the candy yams and green beans.”
  46. “sylvias isoverrated since letting her children run the resturant food quality has gone done she went commercial and the canned food is a digrace to my memories i was happy all the times when my parents brought me from college all i wanted was sylvias coll”
  47. “My aunts took me here and the food was good.”
  48. “rumour. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the food is delicious.”
  49. “Mac&cheese and banana bread pudding were a little too dry but enjoyable nevertheless.”
  50. “Our suggestion: There are 14'000 wonderful restaurants in NYC, any Deli or Diner in the city serves better food then this tourist trap called Sylvia's!”
  51. “The food wasn't good five years ago when I lived there and, from what I've heard since her children have taken over, it's even worse now!”
  52. “The food is good and no, they do not add the tip.”
  53. “But the entrees were dry and tasteless (I had ribs, Mother had chicken).”
  54. “The spare ribs tasted fetid, the fried fish soggy in oil, the rice and cornbread decent, the best was the collar greens - the experience far from the promoted "OH SO UNIQUE”
  55. “Good food, service needs improvement.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “Sylvias is a nice place to to go soul food, without paying too much.”
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. “If not, I plan to return again by myself since I love breakfast food!”
service
65.91000080108643% positive
  1. “But bad service is just bad service.”
  2. “Poor customer service, decent soul food”
  3. “Sylvia is extremely friendly and very attentive.”
  4. “Good food, service needs improvement.”
  5. “The service was slow, the wrost soul food I ever tasted.”
  6. “The service is a little slow.”
  7. “The food was great and the service was good as well.”
  8. “give Ms. Woods and her family credit for keeping the business running for 45 years, but I cannot help but think the place is preying on tourists who are eager to tell people where they've eaten, not people genuinely interested in good food.”
  9. “Great food and great service.”
  10. “The service, unlike the food, is awful!”
  11. “Good food, bad service”
  12. “Therefore, I have many people from NC ask me where to go in NYC for good soul food.”
  13. “You may have to wait to be seated but the service is great.”
  14. “The waitresses at the counter-area seem to always be involved in some indepth conversation with their friends and the dining room service is slow and a bit inattentive.”
  15. “Loved the food at sylvia's, waiters were very nice.”
  16. “The service is decent, I was there twice on saturday nights, never waited more than 15 minutes to be seated, and things were prompt after that, even though they were really busy.”
  17. “The staff though was real nice and friendly.”
  18. “Not only is the food not up to par, the service is bad, rude and uninformed.”
  19. “They knew I was a tourist and the service was very good.”
  20. “The service was horrible, the bathroom filthy, and the food wasnt good at all.”
  21. “The atmosphere is touristy; the food is tasteless, heavy, and rarely made from fresh, natural ingredients; the wait staff is hurried; and the bill of fare comes with the tip already included - even for parties of two.”
  22. “The service was good but for such a famous restaurant and the prices charged, I thought the ambiance would be better.”
value
71.4300012588501% positive
  1. “The food is delicious and nutritious and the prices are reasonable but the overall dining experience is sub-par.”
  2. “was disappointed with Amy Ruth's and that place is way more expensive than Syvlia's.”
  3. “Great soul food at great prices!”
  4. “The prices are just too damn ridiculous!”
  5. “The service was good but for such a famous restaurant and the prices charged, I thought the ambiance would be better.”
  6. “The prices are good.”
  7. “Highly recommended and worth the trip.”
wait time
40.0% positive
  1. “The service is a little slow.”
  2. “The service is decent, I was there twice on saturday nights, never waited more than 15 minutes to be seated, and things were prompt after that, even though they were really busy.”
  3. “Sylvia's has been around for a long time and in the beginning the food was great but since she has been getting all of these tourists in her.”
  4. “The waitresses at the counter-area seem to always be involved in some indepth conversation with their friends and the dining room service is slow and a bit inattentive.”
  5. “The service was slow, the wrost soul food I ever tasted.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

09/15/11

GREAT FOOD, OUTDOOR SEATING :)

by skruppa1

We were going to Red Rooster but when we got to the place they said they had a leak in the basement and were shut down for the day.. wondering why it was so empty when we heard all the hype!

We saw Sylvia's down the block and decided to try it out. I got Chicken Waffles and they were delicious.. This seems to be the less-commercialized and more historical soul food spot in the area.. food was great and we sat outside :)

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/08/10

Not good but GREAT!

by DavidLucil

I took my wife and kids here and thought it was absolutely delightful! I got to meet Sylvia Woods and even members of the family. This is a family owned establishment which made it an even better experience. Somebody told me to go to Mannas..and that is owned by a Korean women ? Why wouldn't I go to a southern style restaurant owned and operated by people from the South instead. I LOVED IT!! Kids LOVED IT As Well. And Sylvia Woods was a sweetheart. Food was delectable!!

  • Pros: Best Soul Food and Environment in Town
  • Cons: Slow Service on Occasion
2 Star Rating: Below Average

08/08/09

Good food, bad service

by mishoopo

The hostess will tell you the wait is just 10 minutes but if the waiting area is mildly crowded you'll be waiting for an hour. Don't agree for being seated close to the entrance. It is like a train stop. It is too tight and too much back and forth. Remember to ask for everything at once because your waitress, although nice and friendly, might disappear for 20 minutes during your meal. The food is delicious and nutritious and the prices are reasonable but the overall dining experience is sub-par. I wish they will get it together and get more organized. I guess this will not happen soon since they don’t have to do that… customer will be still come there anyway.

  • Pros: Big portions, good prices
  • Cons: Uncomfortable, long wait, bad service
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/28/09

Best Soul Food in NYC BY FAR

by lizzyred

Visited Sylvia's this past Sunday for their soul food bruch - unreal! Our waitress (Lee?) was so sweet, chatting with us and just being extremely friendly. The fried chicken and waffles were to die for - the waffles were so delicious, no syrup necessary. The fresh fruitpunch went perfectly with the meal. For dessert we ordered sweet potato pie, pineapple coconut cake and banana pudding - the banana pudding should be illegal. Everything was wonderful, and so was the live music. Can't wait to go back!

  • Pros: chicken & waffles, desserts
  • Cons: none!
2 Star Rating: Below Average

05/10/09

Poor customer service, decent soul food

by rabbi2000

Cons: We (my wife and I) when to Sylvia's for Mother's day. The first thing we noticed was that the staff seemed like they were mad at the world. Our waiter focused on one table (anglo) and ignored ours (african american (AA)) totally. At the end of dinning he even told me to get my own toothpick instead of him providing the correct level of customer service. As far as the food, the banana pudding contained hard banana chunks and seemed thrown together. The mac & cheese was very dry and lacked cheese.

Pros: The braised rib was off the chain, as well as the candy yams and green beans.

Overall: I support purchasing and dining in AA establishments to help the AA communities prosper, but not at the sake of good customer service. Sylvia needs to really evaluate her staff. Its time for a upgrade!!

  • Pros: Good candy yams, string beans, braised rib
  • Cons: Poor service, i.e. bad attitude, dry banana pudding, mac

The Details on Sylvia's Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • good soul food
  • bad dining room service
  • very attentive sylvia
  • good service
  • favorite place
  • delicious mac
  • worst food
  • just too damn ridiculous prices
  • good fried chicken
  • very good mac n cheese
  • famous restaurant
  • recommended highly
  • good experience
  • tasteless entrees
  • enjoyable bread pudding
  • delicious collar greens
  • real nice staff
  • just great everything
  • good rip
  • big chops
  • good red velvet
  • like good food
  • very good meal
  • very dry cheese
  • bitter taste