Is Sylvia's in Harlem a TOURIST TRAP Now? Iconic SOUL FOOD Review
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- Опубликовано: 5 июн 2023
- Sylvia's in Harlem is perhaps Harlem's most famous restaurant. It is also one of the most famous restaurants in New York City in general. The restaurant was opened by Sylvia Woods in 1962 and has been serving American Southern style cuisine and Harlem soul food for more than 60 years. Located on the Harlem 125th street, just a few blocks away from the iconic Apollo theater, Sylvia's is located in a prime spot in a bustling neighborhood. However, Sylvia Woods passed away in 2012 and in recent years the restaurant has received mixed reviews. Some say it's still the iconic NYC restaurant it always was and is making the best Soul Food in Harlem. Others say it's past its prime and that Sylvia's is overrated and a tourist trap. Those critics often will say they prefer Amy Ruth's, Red Rooster, or Melba's.
In this episode, we hit up Sylvia's restaurant and try to Sylvia's fried chicken, the famous Sylvia's barbecue ribs, the famous Sylvia's corn bread, Sylvia's mac n cheese, and Sylvia's collard greens. We seek to provide an honest review that does not take hype into account, either positive or negative. We hope you enjoy this Sylvia's Harlem review and the soul food mukbang!
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Restaurant Deets:
Sylvia's
328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027
Photo Credit:
Sylvia Woods
Link: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
License: creativecommons.org/licenses/...
That waiter was super helpful and knowledgeable, that’s rare nowadays.
Sounded like a waitress
@@bigvito69 It was a waiter
A good server who knows the menu, and makes suggestions is so rare today!
@@bigvito69 sounded like a gay man
The children know their stuff!
Major props to the waiter. Saved you money which ultimately possibly lowered his tip. That interaction alone is rare these days. Used to hit up Sylvia’s on Sunday Gospel Brunch where Miss Sylvia would greet each guest and walk to each table to check on their meal. Brought my parents from Ohio, who knew Miss Sylvia from her product line, she spoke to them for about 5 minutes and they were very impressed by the entire experience. R.I.P. Sylvia.
OTOH, good service and saving the customer a few dollars should be rewarded with a better tip.
Sounds boring. I dont like Gospel.
@@samuraidoggy Why don't you join me Dog? I'll have the chef cook up something special for you.
I have frequented Sylvia's since the 80s. The food there is still good, but if you had been a customer when Sylvia was alive, you could tell the difference. It's still pretty good, but not what it used to be. Thanks for the review!
Yeah, I'm sure it was less about profit and more about the love of cooking. I don't blame anyone for going for a good profit to taste ratio. At least in his case, they seem to be doing a good job of that.
I’d agree with that. It’s still excellent and I wouldn’t want to talk anyone out of going, but back in the day it was one of the best restaurants in the world. Now it’s just a very good one
I haven’t been since I was a child in the 80’s
Grew up in Harlem and been visiting since the 70s. The food was good until Miss Sylvia passed away. The food and service now is not that great. It is not crowded on Saturday nights anymore, and they are losing thousands of customers for some reason.
@lindaaldridge johnson 6 I concur with your comment. You are dead on
I love the fact that the server offered a way of saving money on recommending combination platters. A lot of servers do not nor do they know the menu .
The dish is called baked macaroni and cheese.
It is baked hard and the base is an egg custard, not a bechamel sauce base.
I tend to avoid the crowded soul food joints, because the food just tends to not be the same as I get at a smaller lesser known spot. And once a soul food place gets labelled "the place to go" or gets famous the quality goes, portion sizes go down and the prices go UP.
I agree..
Exactly
I love that you share the interaction you have with the waitstaff . Service is always the most important part of my dining experience. Service here seemed just lovely 😊
Yep I try to include it when I can. Service was excellent!
You did it right too! That mac and cheese is just how I like it. Baked and not creamy. Honestly I feel full just watching this video. Thanks for filling up for the cause
You're welcome! I will sacrifice my beach bod to showcase these places for you all
You should have ate dinner mixing food and eating a little this and that. No one eats all their chicken, all their ribs, three bites of greens, and expect the Mac n cheese to be hot and delicious. The mixture of eating everything together makes it soul food.
My father always told us, "The best compliment you could ever give a good cook is to say nothing while your eating. (not implying you are talking too much, you are doing a video) You are quiet because you are enjoying what had been cooked for you. Silence says everything that words can't". That must have been really good food cooked for you then. RIP Miss Sylvia. and Daddy.
Great review my man. BTW the meat in the collard greens use to be pork mainly hammock meat but today most are made with smoked turkey. I really dig your manner of critique. I'm subscribed now lol. Keep up the good work.
I’ve never seen anyone close their eyes when biting into their food. This dude has a personal moment with each bite.
You gotta watch Mark Weins.
He didn't close his eyes it just looked that way due to his slanty ching eyes.
@@aeugenegray That guy is cringe
@@justicedemocrat9357 racist much?
Cutting off a sense makes the others stronger.
Sylvia food ( to me ) is so overrated, and that dry mac & cheese says it all 😆. But, I don't think that it's a tourist trap. If that's the case you can say that about NYC as a whole.
Well said.
I went to Sylvias for first time with family this month (june 2023). Half of us loved it and the other half didn't or felt it wasn't worth the price. I fell into the group that LOVED it and enjoyed everything i ate there (I ordered the veggie platter with mac n cheese, vegetarian collards, green beans, and rice). Soul food is tricky when eating it at a restaurant because your gonna always gonna compare it to what your mom/grandma/aunt cooked growing up. Overall, I'd 100% reccomend Sylvias!!!
If the expectation is too high, people can be easily get disappointed when the food is actually good or pretty good but not great,. Folks don't take into account that it is their first visit with super high expectations.
The price is not all that bad for an institutional restaurant. It’s similar to the price of a meal at the Cheesecake Factory.
I don't think it's an unreasonable price as it was a lot of food
"the butteryness of the butter" that's world class food reviewing right there😁
I went there in 1997 and Sylvia came over to our table and talked to us! I came from CA to visit family in NY! The food was good! It was an awesome visit to see Harlem!
That looked delicious! Now I’m hankering for fried chicken, ribs and, collards at 5 AM!
Well done UA.
I ate there about a month back, and I thought it was very good.
And as an avid BBQ'r, you don't want fall off the bone ribs, you want bite off the bone ribs.
The best ribs, should pull cleanly from the bone, but leave a well defined bite mark.
I agree
That all looked really good. I would have put that hot sauce on the Mac n Cheese also! Great review .
Well done UA! Your honest review and style is a breathe of fresh air. Keep up the great work!
Great review UA! Those ribs look so gooood!! Keep the vids coming 👍
Been to Sylvia’s once like 10 years ago and loved it. Fried chicken was amazing. Looking forward to going back.
Nice detailed review that is real and straight to the point.
Glad I found your channel. Great video! Looking forward to checking out the rest of the content, subscribed! PS: Competition BBQ ribs aren't supposed to fall off the bone. They should have a bit of a bite (light pull) but super tender, sounds like what you had.
Great updated stop at Sylvia's! I first ate there in about 1972! Glad you had a good experience! So, so many wonderful stops for ribs & chicken in Harlem!
Ribs and chicken looked great! It seems like everyone has a different opinion on how they like their ribs. Those looked exactly how I like my ribs. Tender but not mushy.
It was all tasty!
Anywhere where the staff point out ways to save money and have better value is starting off well! Looks worth a visit.
Gosh it must be scary living in NYC now with those prices being the norm.
Wow, what a great meal you had there, UA! Everything looked delicious. I also happen to like Mac and Cheese made a little on the dry side. Next time I'm in the city, I'll definitely check this place out. Thanks for the video!
Big fan on what you do thanks keep up the good work
UA found the perfect food channel recipe. I think people enjoy the levity of the channel, the goodness of the food, and to be honest, the lack of pretentiousness. The world can only have so many videos about how "food is our way of talking to our ancestors and this food is our way to respect that." Just good food, good dude, and great vids. Keep it up!
Suggestion: take a bite or two of each item while they’re hot and fresh. That wasn’t fair to the Mac and Cheese.
I aways enjoy your description & videos. Thanks
More than the restaurant, I am impressed by this reviewer. I love to cook, and I can tell from his remarks he is trying to be objective as possible, always--and I say this after seeing several of his videos. If you are trying to improve yourself, you have to be honest, and I can see he is doing that, trying to analyze exactly what he doesn't like. Some other reviewers seem to love everything they taste; I won't disparage them because they do a service by introducing us to a whole variety of foods, although they are often sponsored by the places they show. It is really refreshing to see such integrity in reporting.
Wow that food looked incredible…I can see it’s worth trying. You can’t let the Mac get cold and hard to taste it, You had to try it right away to give it an accurate and fair review
He a lot of times talks a bit too much.
Good review as always. I will advise anyone going to 125 and Lexington to be careful especially the 4,5,6 subway area. Gets very dangerous at night and is always sketchy during the day, lots of mentally unstable people and crime has plagued this corner.
"Mentally unstable".
No!!!
They're on drugs.
Thank you!
Or you can just walk the streets, mind your business and head over to Sylvia's without a problem. Crime is everywhere...
Yes!! Be very aware
@@6time686Thank you my East Coast friend. I walk around there in the evening all the time! Like my momma used to say, “walk like you goin’ somewhere “!!!🤣🤣🤣
I'm glad to know Sylvia's is still around...I have a friend coming to visit in September... she's bringing some friends from Chicago and I took her there when she was last here a few years ago... want them to have a good time and get some good food...New York style...
great review the food looked really good thank you
You're welcome!
Another nice review well done
Just wanted to say thank you for your videos love them ....
Thanks for watching!
Not a big fan of this place after working there as a waiter and discovered that they put the fried chicken in a warmer where it sits until ordered. Prior to working there I went to dinner for the first time , service was good, vibe was nice but luke warm chicken didn’t quite do it for me. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it until I got a job there then it all made sense!! It’s been sitting in a food warmer!!!!! Yes it is a tourist trap , but still worth checking it out at least once I would suggest Melba’s Ms. Sylvia’s granddaughters Resturant the experience is amazing and the food is delicious!! I’ve also had the pleasure to work there as well! Such an amazing place and Ms. Melba is the bomb!!
Lol so you got fired?
@@apeshit111906 no not at all just moved on .. lol
Keep doing your thing brother, videos are great
I'm gonna try them out for myself on my birthday.But I'm glad for the positive review from this video maker.
If the cornbread is hot, trick is to cut a slit in top of the muffin with your knife that goes about halfway down to the middle and then put the pat of butter in it and it will melt and dissolve throughout the whole muffin. A bbq place I used to go to would do that with all their cornbread muffins and now I do it every time when I get those type of cornbread muffins.
The cornbread is always complimentary. It's my favorite item at Sylvia's.
Hey there UA. Good to see you back.
love your honesty ... tell it like it is
Love your style and method of presentation
I do not live on the East Coast. I just found your channel and enjoy your honest reviews. New subbie now!
Ham hocks are in the collards! Yes!!
Baked Mac and cheese is my favorite, I like it drier, myself!
Thanks, so glad I found your channel.
I haven't been to Harlem in over twenty years, but when I did go Sylvia's was a must go. I don't know if they are the same, but I wish them well.
Some of us like the drier crunchy Mac and cheese. Not a fan of the wet style. Everything looks delicious.
First video i saw of yours and you're doing a great job! keep it up! I subbed up so i can see what you're up to next!
Thanks! I'm glad you like the vids and great to have you onboard!
Great job, man! 🍻🍻
Great first impression with the help.
Awesome review UA. Glad the food was better than those negative reviews!
Indeed! I was pleasantly surprised
Another great video!
Thanks!
As a Southerner, try the hot sauce on the greens next time.
Another great video
I recently went with a friend of mine who grew up in Harlem. She halfway enjoyed the food, I loved it, and the service was great!
the butteryness of the butter...amazing stuff UA
haha. What can I say, I'm a real wordsmith
Awesome review, UA! Come to Los Angeles, I’ll show you the taco spots lol
Speaking of BBQ UA , all your followers and I , await the time you decide to step out and do a Texas BBQ crawl ( franklin / Goldees/ interstellar).
That will be epic as are most your videos ! Can’t wait for it
That was one of the best waiters I've seen in quite awhile, excellent work!
Great review UA. I'd love to see you review Jollibee!
Not a bad idea!
Everything looks incredible, except the Mac and cheese, but the service seems great....looks good and your facial expressions made my day, know you enjoyed yourself 😋😆😉
Another great video. You need to get your own show on the food channel.
That would be cool!
Prices in and around the NYC area have gone up. Breakfast in the Lower Hudson Valley of NY runs $20 plus tip per person.
Going to NYC today, have eaten at Sylvia's before in 2017, amazing food, best cornbread Ive ever had in life. UA loves Ruth Annes, may have to a showdown!
I think the mac and cheese is "southern" style. They usually add eggs into the mac and cheese which is why it held together. Just regional preferences :)
$26 for one piece of chicken, 3 pieces of ribs, one serving of greens and mac. A little pricey if you ask me. 😅
Some foods you just can't let them sit getting cold before you eat, mac n cheese is definitely one of them, another one is mc donalds fries lmao
Man you did it up right again , love your videos and your opinions. Keep up the great work !!
Thanks!
I love that Sylvia's is the only Restaurant that serves chitterlings and it does on Fri and Sat no other place has them BBQ in queens does hog maws and that's it Brooklyn and Bronx and Staten Island have none. Only Manas on 126&8 have them to go
Smothered pork chops are good and chicken is good I still love the place
FYI when eating soul food you take a bite of meat then take a bite of sides mix the flavor around you’ll enjoy it more
Yep don't let it get cold
Interesting idea!
Wrong! I always eat the meat separate from the sides. That is the way you like it lol
What the hell are you talking about lol
Who told you that bs, stop making up bs. How about if you want real soul food it would be down south not in New York.
Thanks for the Road Trip ....Do Love Ribs, Chicken and Greens,,.OOOYEA
When I do Greens I always put in either small Pices of Ham or Pork,
whatever I have left over in the Frig. Good Eats.... Can't wait till Your next
time ....
Sounds delicious!
I was there many years ago, and just looking at this mac n cheese, tells me it has deteriorated. So sad.
YES. TERRIBLE food, terrible customer service and the food i received represents soul food that is laughed at and disrespectful
Wow in Australia we can’t get soul food, there aren’t any restaurants that I know of who sells that type of delicious and comforting food 😍
Wow, in all of Australia? Sounds like I need to open up a spot out there 😏
In Australia you lack the diversity for a soul food restaurant. Plus your country's history of how they treat the Indigenous Aborigines, tell us all how you feel about Black people and our culture.
@CarltonBeckfordDozier66 . Australia currently has 8 senators and 3 members of the House of Representatives who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. How many Indigenous elected representatives does the US have? Last time I checked, the US treats Native Americans like crap... not to mention 400 years of slavery. Also, fun fact: Australia is one of the most diverse and multicultural nations on earth. We have an increasing number of African restaurants, just not soul food - which is an American invention.
@@CarltonBeckfordDozier66 that’s a stupid Al reply and so very not true
@@kwoylee5617 thank you
Why don't you take a bite of chicken then mac and cheese than ribs then collards that way everything tastes how it got served.thars why the mac cooled down.
Yup, I don't get how anyone eats like that. The whole point of having multiple proteins plus multiple side dishes is to taste how everything complements each other.
Loved this review. I used to go to Sylvia’s and the ribs were the move, not the chicken!!
It says.... Triple X - HOT!. For sure innuendo marketing and has nothing to do with the scoville scale lol :) Great video! As always. :)
Ribs look perfect! You need to have that slight pull, then you know they're cooked perfect
They were awesome!
Iconic NYC restaurant... used to work up in East Harlem and tried it one day after work... love the wings... and love their chicken and waffles... really good
I was gonna get the chicken and waffles originally but I wound up getting their $26 chicken and rib combo instead. Next time I'll go for the waffles!
This should be interesting to hear!! Go gettem UA!!!
Hope you liked the vid!
subbed... great waiter and review
Mini peel-off ramekins for butter &, yet, no honey? You've got to be kidding me. UA, when do we eat? Those pork ribs look deeeeeeeeelicious. 👍
I went there some years back and the candied yams were the best I’ve ever had.
You should try the poutine from "Le petit Quebec" or "La belle Province" you tried a fancy version
Even the classic cause la banquise is the nest level place
Poutine is a common dish we have everywhere in quebec
Truthfully speaking, although several moons back, I thoroughly enjoy a Sunday Jazz Brunch there at the ATLANTA location....had always heard our New York location was a bit touristy...will see with my own eyes on any upcoming visit 🗽
It’s hard to know whether restaurant food is overpriced or not anymore, it’s much easier to recognize a good deal
Sylvia's chicken and waffles was fantastic!
And the waiter did a good acting job BRAVO all for a heavy tip
FYI fall off the bone ribs are actually not ideal and means overcooked, as you would overcook that best portion of the meat that attached to the bone. What you showed here is actually the optimal level of how the meat should fall off.
I first went to the location in Atlanta and was kind of disappointed. I thought it would be better in my favorite city, New York. But, it wasn't that great either. The ribs were a little tough and obviously were baked and not smoked on the grill, which I expected. The potato salad didn't have much flavor nor the collard greens. I went back at another time and did enjoy the breakfast of salmon cakes, grits, and biscuits.
Their potato salad was the best I ever had back in the 80s.
I moved to NYC in 1986...a lifetime ago. Once a week I would head to Harlem. Dinner @ Sylvia's & then over to The Apollo Theater. That went on for several months..
It was better when Sylvia when living. Sad to say this is typical of many places when the original owners retire or die it don't be the same
The food was more delicious back in the days, It has another taste now, Not as great as back in the 80s. New to you, old to the real harlem folks!😊
I feel the same way about Dooky Chase in New Orleans. Since Leah Chase passed the reputation is keeping the place alive. Service was horrible and food was just ok.
That happens sometimes.