Sylvia’s Restaurant

  4.3 – 8,838 reviews   • Soul food restaurant

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Sylvia’s Restaurant, the “The Queen of Soul Food”, was founded by Sylvia Woods, in 1962. Established in the historic village of Harlem, Sylvia’s is a community favorite, known as the world’s kitchen. Serving authentic soul food for over 60 years, this icon remains a culinary must-visit for foodies.

Harlem landmark serving generous helpings of Southern comfort food since 1962.

✔️Breakfast ✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out ✔️Delivery Sylvia's Restaurant 10027

Hours

Friday11 AM–10 PM
Saturday11 AM–10 PM
Sunday11 AM–8 PM
Monday11 AM–8 PM
Tuesday11 AM–8 PM
Wednesday11 AM–10 PM
Thursday11 AM–10 PM

Address and Contact Information

Address: 328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027

Phone: (212) 996-0660

Website: http://www.sylviasrestaurant.com/

Menu Photos

Order and Reservations

Reservations: sylviasrestaurant.comresy.comtripleseat.com

sylviasrestaurant.com

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Related Web Results

Sylvia’s Harlem Restaurant | Queen of Soul Food

Established in the historic village of Harlem, Sylvia’s is a community favorite, known as the world’s kitchen. Serving authentic soul food for over 55 years.


Book Your Sylvia’s Restaurant Reservation Now on Resy

Sylvia’s Restaurant, the “The Queen of Soul Food”, was founded by Sylvia Woods, in 1962. Established in the historic village of Harlem, Sylvia’s is a …

Reviews

tclarke881
5-Star Family Brunch at Sylvia’s on a Chilly Saturday!
We took the family to Sylvia’s for brunch on a cold Saturday, and it was the perfect cozy spot to warm up with some classic soul food. The ambiance is warm, welcoming, and full of that iconic Harlem vibe—felt like stepping into a piece of history.
I went with the fried chicken paired with collard greens,mac and cheese and it hit the spot: the chicken was crispy, juicy, and full of flavor, and those collards were tender and seasoned just right. My son got the chicken and waffles—he devoured it and said it was really good (high praise from a picky eater!). My husband ordered the chicken with mac and cheese, and he loved every bite—the mac was creamy and comforting. Oh and I can’t forget the complimentary corn bread mmm soo good!
Overall, the food was hearty, delicious, and exactly what we were craving. Portions are generous too! Our waiter was fantastic—attentive, friendly, and made the whole experience even better with great service.
If you’re in NYC and want authentic soul food in a family-friendly atmosphere, Sylvia’s is a must. We’ll definitely be back! Highly recommend this place!
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Yuelin Li
Classic soul food spot I’ve had on my list for a long time.
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and there was a live band when we visited — not just background music, but actually pretty solid.
We ordered fried chicken, fish, and chicken livers.
The fried chicken was crispy and enjoyable
The fish was mild, fresh, and clean-tasting with no fishy smell.
The chicken livers were very straightforward and rustic — crispy bits with a rich gravy
Oxtail was sold out, unfortunately.
Overall a pleasant experience. Worth stopping by if you’re nearby, but probably not a destination trip. Street parking around the area wasn’t too bad.
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Veronica Hunter
On Saturday, I ignored the weather by dressing in layers to take the train from Hamilton train station to Penn Station NY. Once, we reached Penn Station, we requested assistance to find the A subway without going outside. The A subway took us to Columbus Circle and 59th St. We remained inside to find the D subway to Arthur Ave, Bronx, NY.
The subway dropped us off at 188 St and we walked outside to Arthur Ave to find Italian Pastries and Breads. We bought biscotti, bread sticks and prosciutto bread to take home. After indulging in sweets and coffee, we walked to 182-183 St to take the D subway to 125th St in Harlem. We arrived at Sylvia’s Restaurant around 11:00 Am for lunch.
I had the Barbecue ribs, Collard greens and Makers Mark. He had fried chicken with side orders. The attentive woman taking our menu choices was cheerful to us. I explained to her that I originally wanted to visit Harlem in the mid 80’s, but I was told to forget about attempting to experience Harlem.
More than 36 years have passed but I never forgot to dine at Sylvia’s Restaurant and experience Harlem.
Vhuntermassage LLC
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tonintae
My Husband and I love Sylvia’s, for Valentine’s this is where he wanted to eat. We drove 4 hours from DC and went on Sunday afternoon. As always they never disappoint. I loved the gospel music playing as we enjoyed our food. We both ordered chicken and waffles, he got fried and I got smothered, the gravy alone should be in a jar for sale We will definitely be back again once there’s no more snow here in DC and in NY!!!
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Susan N.
Comforting and delicious soul food in Harlem. Take the trek up for the Fried chicken, candied yams, collard greens, potato salad, and world famous ribs.

Staff were very warm and welcoming. Live music and singing played through the restaurant as we dined. Worth visiting!
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Stacy Lewis
Service with a smile was great! So was the hospitality. Our waitress was pretty busy so she wasn’t able to give top notch service but our needs were met. The food… myuah! Delicious and down home. This will not be my last visit to Sylvia’s. We met people from the US and those visiting from abroad. Don’t skip Sylvia’s!
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Govind V
I visited Sylvia’s after seeing it featured on the YouTube series Worth It, and it absolutely lived up to the hype!

The food is soul-warming and full of flavor. The fried chicken was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside — easily some of the best I’ve had. The BBQ ribs were tender and coated with a delicious, tangy sauce. The collard greens had that comforting, slow-cooked depth of flavor, and the mashed potatoes were creamy and well seasoned. And of course, the cornbread was a highlight — warm, fluffy, and perfect with a little butter.

The portions are generous, the presentation is inviting, and you can tell everything is made with care.

The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, with a classic Harlem charm. We sat in the covered outdoor section, which was comfortable and had a nice view of the neighborhood. Service was friendly and attentive, making the whole experience even better.

If you’re in NYC and want true comfort food with history and heart, Sylvia’s is a must-visit. I’ll definitely be coming back.
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Vanity Duran
Sylvia’s was good. I’m visiting from Florida and went because of its history. It’s nice to see the restaurant still maintain its charm. The service was a bit slow though and I heard that with the new owners, the vibe has changed. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the mac and cheese that came with complimentary cornbread. I drank my light meal down with Sylvia’s Uptown drink which I’d assume is her version of iced tea and lemonade. The space is cozy yet very spacious. It’s almost as if you’re stepping back into time going down the timeline of all the class act guests who’s stopped by.
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Tanisha Knott
Yes the food was good, BUT… Visiting my stepdaughter in New York for Thanksgiving 2025, She suggested Sylvia’s Soul food Restaurant in Harlem. We made reservations for 5, for 5pm. We got seated at 5:10pm. One person received their food around 6pm (she ate by herself). The 4 of us got our food at 6:36pm. OVER AN HOUR LATER. We were told that the one person at our table got their food first because they thought it was a single order. The waitress apologized but did not ask if we wanted to talk to the manager. So one of our guest asked the waitress if we can get a 10% discount due to the long wait. That’s when the waitress said we need to talk to the manager. The manager came and gave us 10% off. Also, the waitress never brought out the dessert until we asked for it (comes with the meal.) the sweet potato pie came out cold. HOWEVER, the food was really, really good. The greens were delicious, cornbread delicious. the cornbread stuffing was delicious. Yams, mac and cheese, Turkey… delicious. Our desserts— came at the end and we took it to go. We also saw another waitress with a visible irritated face. But we take it as she didn’t want to work on Thanksgiving. Next time— she should take the day off.

But Would I go back. Absolutely! The food was bomb! But I would go on a non-busy day. I don’t cancel until the second strike.
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Michelle Shao
Best soul food we’ve ever had! We ordered the bbq ribs and fried chicken combo, and it came with two side dishes. The portion was very generous so we barely finished. The rum punch was good too. The cornbread was warm and crumbly, 10/10.
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