“I'd always get at least 1 of the following from any food place I visit: good food, good service, a reasonable price, or a nice environment. Congrats to Sylvia's for being the first to get none.”
H3
All 105 rated mentions, most helpful first
“I'd always get at least 1 of the following from any food place I visit: good food, good service, a reasonable price, or a nice environment. Congrats to Sylvia's for being the first to get none.”
H3
“Very under seasoned fried chicken where you can clearly see which parts had seasoning and which were bare; it's as if someone spilled seasoning over sections of the chicken but they didn't bother smoothing it out for even distribution. Ribs were TOUGH and chewy and straight up plain; they try to mask it by dumpling BBQ sauce over it.”
H3
“Yeah I went to Sylvias and it was very mediocre tbh. Collard greens were so bitter, the smothed chicken somehow tasted dry underneath, and the ribs were very...eh?”
H3
“7/10 - all very good, especially BBQ pork ribs”
H2
“Amy Ruth was better than both. NYC don’t have great Soul Food”
H2
“Sylvia's is better than Amy Ruth's, IMO.”
H2
“Sylvia's in Harlem is an institution and worth visiting.”
H2
“I remember it being marginally better than Sylvia's with much better service and larger portion sizes.”
H2
“Finally got to try them earlier this year, and the smothered chicken was fantastic.”
H2
“Sylvias hasnt been good since the 90s”
H2
“I think Sylvia's hasn't been good since the 1980s”
H2
“Check out the various Southern/Southernish restaurants (Sylvia's, Amy Routh's, Sweet Chick, etc).”
H2
“Amy Ruth’s best cornbread trumps Sylvia’s cornbread all day everyday.”
H2
“Sylvia’s is the worst meal I’ve had in NYC. Bland flavourless food.”
H2
“That said, I think at this point jolliebees and popeyes has better and more consistant fried chicken.”
H2
“I like Sylvia’s if you’re going for a non-sauced chicken”
H2
“Sylvia’s is the best soul food in harlem. Been going there since ‘97”
H2
“I found Sylvia's to be extremely mediocre both in terms of food and service.”
H2
“Sylvia's is booty cheeks. 3 piece w 2 sides ran me like 30 bucks, and the chicken was dry”
H2
“The food is incredibly overrated. Their only attraction is their history.”
H2
“Soul/sourhern - make the trip to Harlem and go to Sylvia’s, Amy Ruth’s or (less old school) red rooster”
H1
“Sylvia’s.”
H1
“Sylvia’s sucks. Went there years ago, and have no desire to go back.”
H1
“It’s been pretty bad for some time sadly”
H1
“Sylvia's has never been great in my opinion. Life long NY native and I've had better soul food at many other spots that are now gone—Copelands, Wilson's, Wells, Two Steps Down, Shark Bar.”
H1
“Sylvia's, Melba's, Amy Ruth's, Charles Pan Fried, Manna's, Red Rooster.”
H1
“I say avoid Amy Ruth's and Sylvia's. They are old time Harlem institutions, but NOT the best Soul Food.”
H1
“Sylvia's is the queen of soul food for a reason.”
H1
“Sylvia’s can be meh depending on what you get.”
H1
“I would pick Amy Ruths, Red Rooster, Sylvia's, Spoonbread.”
H1
“Sylvia’s is just an Instagram post.”
H1
“Sylvia’s and Amy Ruth’s are good for that in Harlem.”
H1
“Sylvia's in Harlem is an institution for Soul Food. Worth the experience if you're from abroad.”
H1
“Focus on what you cannot get. Soul food (Sylvia’s as mentioned above)”
H1
“Amy Ruth's and Sylvia's if your in a pinch.”
H1
“Sylvia’s has always been garbage”
H1
“Sylvia’s”
H1
“Sylvia's in general does have really really really delicious chicken and it's just a great place overall for a birthday dinner IMO.”
H1
“Amy Ruth’s, Sylvia’s, checkout Harlem”
H1
“Harlem is wonderful: Sylvia's &/or Marcus Samuelsons Red Rooster.”
H1
“Do NOT waste time and money at Sylvia's in Harlem.”
H1
“Sylvia’s has great fried chicken. Some people think it’s too hyped but I love it”
H1
“Sylvia's”
H1
“I don’t think any of them are exceptional (but perhaps I’m also not the biggest fan of soul food). I’ve also found them to be quite inconsistent, and I wouldn’t recommend any of them unreservedly”
H1
“Sylvia's in Harlem is the classic go-to soul-food joint.”
H1
“I’d say Sylvia’s and red rooster FAR outclass this place”
H1
“People might tell you to go to Sylvia’s, but Charles and the Amy Ruth are better imho.”
H1
“Sylvia’s”
H1
“For my money Melba’s wipes the floor with Sylvia’s.”
H1
“Oh Sylvia's chicken and sides were definitely worse, but they're both on my list of places to not try again.”
H1