11/04/09

Charles' Southern Style Kitchen--NOT CLOSED!!!

by Nissim

Went there today, got my fried chicken fix, reports of this restaurant's demise are greatly exaggerated. (It's possible someone wanted all that chicken to themselves.) Worth a visit from anywhere.

• Pros: The Chicken is Kickin', the sides are divine.
• Cons: None unless you're a whiner.

09/03/09

CHECK OUT CHARLES KITCHEN 1 OF TH BEST

by ida bibbs

You feel the southern air. You feel like you are in the south it also looks southern . The staff also gives you that southern service(like in the country) I love their food my family also THEY are not short on the servings you will get full.

• Pros: Very tasty smother chicken and porks!!!!! my favorite
• Cons: Tight space if more than 5 people

11/13/08

Another one bites the dust

by jazzskater

Unfortunately, Charles' Southern Style Kitchen has closed. I passed there a couple of weeks ago and couldn't believe my eyes. The gates were down. It is a sad day. Good food at reasonable prices. I am hoping that it will open again.

10/22/07

Stick to your ribs ribs and more...

by susiecue4930

Went to Charles' on a total lark (it looked good) and what a joyful surprise. The ribs were out-of-this-world, the chicken was great, the greens were beyond compare and even the corn bread was moist and tasty. Plus, we sampled four different kinds of great desserts - including banana pudding that was swimming with sweet chunks of fruit. In fact,t he food was so good we all went back fro seconds -- and were unable to eat again until the following day.

Service was friendly, food was, of course, ready in an instant, and the whole experience was great - and will be repeated soon. My only reluctance is in sharing this review - for selfish reasons. I don't want the place to get so crowded that I won't be able to go back!!!

• Pros: the food, the abundance, the variety
• Cons: very small, no atmosphere

09/03/07

Finally someone who understands what soul food really is!

by milahj

I love this restaurant so much. I met the owner and he is so genuine and friendly, which makes writing this review a pleasure. This is hand down the best soul food restaurant in harlem or new york for that matter hands down. I am so sick and tired of people writing great reviews for Slyvias, or amy ruth. Tourists venture up north to see what harlem really has to offer in terms of food. The fried chicken is perfection, so is the yams, macaroni and cheese (very cheesy and seasoned well), beef ribs (very tender) etc. Everything is seasoned just right, nothing is bland. The service is friendly too. I feel like I am at home everytime I come here.

• Pros: food, service
• Cons: small space, but hey this is new york real estate

08/06/06

Glutton Heaven

by b00pi3flak3s

Combine virtually any chicken fast food joint with home style cooking and in unlimited quantities (yummy) you get Charles' Southern Style Kitchen. The place is ridiculously small and so is the buffet really, but with items such as fried chicken, potato salad, fried okra, mac and cheese, oxtail, sweet candid yams, etc. it is hard to lose. They actually accept credit card, which is a really nice. They have opened up a new east side location that is closer to the upper east side instead of all the way in Harlem. Hopefully it will be just as good as this one.

• Pros: Food, Service, Buffet
• Cons: Location, Small Space

04/16/06

Take Out

by blackberry2u

I must admit that the customer service at Charles' was quite friendly. Unfortunately the two sides I ordered from the take-out section were not at all impressive. The collards were not well seasoned and the macaroni had a brothy taste to them with no traces of seasoning to be found. It was so unforgettable that I doubt I will be giving them a second chance.

• Pros: friendly staff, decent selection, casual dining
• Cons: bland food, poor ambiance, over priced

04/06/06

Smack my MOMMA GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!

by dablakness

I went to Charles country style just to get a quick meal nothing spectacular, i had never been there before that night about a month ago but now I am a regular whenever I am in the area. the ribs sing to you the collard greens always taste just like Charles just picked them. The staff is friendly sometimes I don't want to leave, i would just go there for the hospitality of the staff if i had to ( but I would grab some oxtails on my way out LMAO).This is wonderfull place that you would surely make a regular spot.

• Pros: STaff, food, price
• Cons: Strange Hours

01/06/06

THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by lonniew212

This place is great. This is true "Down Home Cookin" no frills. This is one of Harlems Best kept Secrets and I hope it stays that way. And the ambience fits the food no frills - Everyone is a member of the family when they come here. Go and Enjoy all that is right in Soul Food!!!!!!!

• Pros: The Food , Charles , Staff
• Cons: Needs to Expand

08/23/05

Fried chicken and other delights dished out by the city's soul-food luminary.

by Contributor

The Scene
Charles Gabriel's Harlem restaurant is tiny, and it certainly isn't glamorous--plastic tablecloths and a large television are among the most arresting features of the decor--but it's friendly, and the food's great. Once you bite into the succulent fried chicken, you'll realize that's all that matters.

The Food
Charles' offers two plans of attack: takeout and buffet. Main dishes for takeout consist of whatever Charles feels like making that day, but the fried chicken is legendary, as are oxtails. Other specialties include salmon cakes, liver and onions, smothered pork chops, baked bluefish as well as sides like macaroni and cheese, collard greens and okra and tomatoes. The all-you-can-eat buffet (available for lunch or dinner from Tuesday through Sunday) features many of the takeout choices plus dishes like stewed beef, supremely tender barbecue ribs and a perfect potato salad.