Ericka B

Harlem staple right here. Had some of the best meatloaf and mashed potatoes ever…perfect comfort food on a chilly day. still thinking about it. Casual, clean, friendly…in the heart of Harlem. Highly recommend.

Demetrice “DEE” Dunlap

My 1st visit, found them searching black owned restaurants in NYC. They appeared to be closed from outside bc it was dark & we almost left. So glad we came in. The younger man & older man whom we spoke to upon entering were a little rude & we were thinking about leaving but glad we didn't. The guy that brought out complimentary corn bread & water was nice. Our waitress Charmaine was great, good energy, nice & friendly. Let me tell y'all about this food... this food made up for any negative vibe I had at 1st. Complimentary cornbread was so good. I had fried shrimp, string beans & mashed potatoes w gravy. This was so delicious, my family members had barbecue ribs, shrimp & grits, meatloaf. The portion size is enough for 2 people. We ordered desserts to go, sweet potato pie, peach cobbler, pineapple coconut cake & double chocolate cake, these were huge portions also. Everyone really enjoyed their food so much we're thinking about coming back to NY from MD at least once per year just to patronize this establishment. That's how good the food was.

+7

I Am Sharon

I have been eating at Amy Ruth's for over 20 years. It is a classic part of my routine New York City experience. Every time I am in the city, I stop here for some classic soul food. ALWAYS! Food: I am a creature of habit, so I always get the President Obama special - fried chicken with macaroni and cheese, and collard greens. Sometimes, I'll add potato salad and usually treat myself to banana pudding. The banana pudding is deadly, no sinful. Location: It is in the heart of Harlem (uptown) on 116th and Malcolm X Blvd. Short walk from the 2/3 (green line Express) trains. If you're driving, there's usually plenty of parking on Malcolm X Blvd. Dining Options: Over the years, the inside dining has changed. Where takeout is now located used to have dine-in tables, but that all changed years ago. They also used to have upstairs dining, although I don't think that's no longer an option. If you get seated on the left side of the restaurant and there's small children there, BEWARE!! There is an echo on that part of the restaurant, so fussy children yelling and/or screaming can easily become unbearable if you're trying to enjoy your meal with some sort of peace. Its like they have a microphone. Restaurant: The restaurant is one big artistic mural full of many popular and renowned black artists, mostly performers, but some politicians. Menu: The menu is broken down in homage to some of the black community's greats. For example: Barack Obama's name is how they identify the fried chicken dinner. Amenities: I am funny about public restrooms. I typically never use them, holding my bladder until I can get to a restroom that I trust and know (preferably at home), but the bathrooms here are always kept very clean. I usually stop here on my way back home from NYC, so I stop in the bathroom to freshen up before the long drive back. Now, its an old Harlem building, so keep that in mind, but you can expect a very well stocked and cleaned bathroom experience. Competition: I don't fool with the other soul food restaurants in Harlem. No, ma'am. Only Amy Ruth's. Its been tried-and-true since Day 1. I love this place and the staple waitresses who have been working here for years. If you want good soul food, go to Amy Ruth's.

+4

Sofia C

Some of the best tasting food I’ve had in a while. I loved everything from the food to the walls filled with icons. It wasn’t fancy, just straight up soul food. Big portions, great service, great food. I never leave reviews but hours later I’m still thinking about how good it is!! Even my leftovers held up!

Lindsey B

I didn't know what I could say other than it was amazing. I loved the food here. This place was the highlight of my good experience and it came on a whim. Staff was great, Kool aid was great. We both got "The Ludacris" which was wings, and two sides. Let me tell you, you are getting your money's worth here.

+1

Matthew Miceli

Excellent service, awesome staff! Great vibes in here, beautiful decor, felt so at home. Their house made sweet tea was out of this world! Had the Reggie bush, fried chicken dunked in honey, choice of white or dark meat, I went white. Very juice, very crispy, seasoning was so damn good, and the honey made it perfect! Comes with 2 sides. I had collared greens, first I've ever had and they were out of this world , and the candied yams were delicious! Can't wait to go back. Complimentary corn bread was delicious!

Alon Grinshpoon

This place is a great soul food restaurant! 🍴 Amy Ruth's in Harlem 🗽 serves an wide selection of delicious 🤤 dishes 🍽️ such as fried chicken 🍗, waffles 🧇, sandwiches 🥪, salads 🥗, and more all named after historic American 🇺🇲 figures. Definitely try the Honey 🍯 Glazed Chicken 🐔 Sandwich with Fries 🍟 and get a side of Mac and Cheese! 🧀 They also start you off with free cornbread! 🍞 Staff 👨‍🍳 and friendly,. service is quick ⏲️, and they have lots of indoor seating.🪑 Recommended that you arrive early ⏰ to avoid waiting in line. 👥 I wish I came here more often!

+5

Xiaohan Wu

I came here because of the recommendation from a YouTuber. The fried chicken is REALLY GOOD!!! The flavor is just right, not too salty at all compared to a lot of fried chicken places. At first I thought they baked or roasted the chicken before frying it because of the color and the texture inside, but they told me it’s just raw chicken fried. Very interesting! It’s not the juicy kind of fried chicken that I’m used to, but it’s not dry at all. And I really enjoyed it with maple syrup — this is the first time I eat fried chicken in this way! The collard greens really amazed me — I’ve never had this kind of flavor before! Now I understand why I never liked southern American food before I came to Amy Ruth’s… it’s only because I’ve never had such good southern American food before! Corn bread also tastes pretty interesting. I guess they put brown sugar in it? Next time I’m in NYC I really want to try the chicken and waffle and honey dipped chicken.

360 MAGAZINE

Amy Ruth's is one of Harlem's last treasures. Genuinely southern and delightful. Easily the East Coast version of Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. Mac, yams and greens are the best sides. The fish is fried to a crisp but they also offer oven-cooked versions. One of the best atmospheres with no embellishments. Great place for a celebration and/or large parties. In addition, the list of beers and wines is at a reasonable price and the starter servings are generous—you can share them. On the whole, the staff is friendly, fun and fabulous. Really glad we could rediscover this place. I can't wait to bring our LA cohorts here. KUDOS to the management for running a tight ship from front to back.

+3

Food is super good service amazing cozy ambiance \nThank you for the hospitality we will be back!!!

food is super good service amazing cozy ambiance \nThank you for the hospitality we will be back!!!

Food is super good service amazing cozy ambiance \nThank you for the hospitality we will be back!!!

Food is super good service amazing cozy ambiance \nThank you for the hospitality we will be back!!!

A consistent neighborhood staple with amazing food, service, portions and prices. You can never go wrong with stopping in here for a homey comfort meal whether with a group or solo. They run a pret…

A consistent neighborhood staple with amazing food, service, portions and prices. You can never go wrong with stopping in here for a homey comfort meal whether with a group or solo. They run a pret…

This place has the best fried chicken, and I've eaten a LOT of fried chicken, even in the southern states. It's very well seasoned, crunchy on the outside with a juicy, fall off the bone inte…

Had dinner here recently and the meal was fabulous. A long wait-but well worth it. Great service and clientele made it a fun experience.

Had dinner here recently and the meal was fabulous. A long wait-but well worth it. Great service and clientele made it a fun experience.

Was visiting and had the pleasure to eat some of this yummy soul food. Can i just say the mash potato's were the fluffiest and butteriest i've ever had. The seasoning on the chicken was delicious t…

Great size portions, excellent service, reasonable prices! A great place for lunch or dinner! I've eaten here several times and they are very consistent!

Best fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and sweet potato pie I've ever had! Wonderful service and I love all of the murals.

Very nice and hospitable while also joking and around with you to make you feel comfortable, I also loved the music and setting of the restaurant was extremely peaceful. Also the food felt like it …

We came about 10 years ago, on our previous trip to New York, and we came back last week: the quality has remained unchanged, the place is bigger and better organized. The service was courteous and…

We were greeted with 10/10 hospitality and the single most amazing cornbread. Our waitress Tasha, was friendly, just like a family member welcoming you for a Sunday meal. The food !! Chicken and …

Stopped in for dinner before going to the Apollo Theater. Food was very tasty with friendly service. I do recommend the vegetable plate with cornbread.

Great service and amazing food. We had the chicken and waffles and the BBQ ribs and chicken - both were cooked to perfection. Can’t fault anything and highly recommend!

The food was amazing. It was hot and fresh. The complimentary corn bread with the smooth butter was nice to have while we waited for the main course. It’s conveniently located a half a block from t…

Okay had both Sylvia's and Amy Ruth's. Amy Ruth's fried chicken is way better. It's crispier skin and has spices & seasonings. Definitely better fried chicken than Sylvia's. Sylvia's chiken has no seasoning and bland. The fried okra was delicious here.

Rudy de los Reyes

The fried chicken was stupendously good. Crispy outside and soft inside. The ribs were very good too. The corn bread was fantastic. The walls are plastered with famous black icons. A bit dark inside though and could use a little more lighting.

Edgar Faure

The Tommy Tomita, fried chicken wings on a waffle was pretty unique and tasty when ate them with maple syrup. But the core value of this restaurant was warm atmosphere filled with friendliness of people (both staff and customers). I felt as if I had a glimpse of Harlem culture through the short lunch time.

walumweya waluka

It was vibe was there in 25th august on holiday for my nieces 10th birthday to NYC from London so thought it be good chance to try soul food. The waitress was so lovely very patient with us given that we hadn’t tried it before well authentic american soul food that is. Forgot her name but she’s a star Enjoyed candied yams (uk orange sweet potato basically) very tasty it was a little bit too sweet for me but that’s the points i guess either way it complemented my smothered turkey wings which was full flavour very savoury . I find turkey to be a bit drier than chicken but for me i was able to enjoy so thats a plus. Sister loves vegetables so enjoyed the Okra They are not stingy the chef wants to feed you because our plates were full , you might feel overwhelmed but you won’t complain about the portion sizes. My niece couldn’t finish her plate , it’s funny coz it looked like she didn’t eat it and unfortunately we couldn’t take it back because we had no microwave at the hotel otherwise that would have got waxed down for breakfast. It’s a shame there was no kids menu coz that was a waste of food but thats fine because it seems like a more mature / adult setting . I did like there interior of seeing influential black people on the walls. Overall great experience , great food. I would come back Lol love corn bread carried that back to the london🤣

My best friend and I visited on a cold Saturday night and were promptly seated. We called in advance to ensure that there was no wait. The food came out pretty quickly and the restaurant was pretty q…

My best friend and I visited on a cold Saturday night and were promptly seated. We called in advance to ensure that there was no wait. The food came out pretty quickly and the restaurant was pretty…

My best friend and I visited on a cold Saturday night and were promptly seated. We called in advance to ensure that there was no wait. The food came out pretty quickly and the restaurant was pret…

I tried to give Amy Ruth's another chance but I wish I would have saved my money. I ordered the fried shrimp with potato salad and Mac + cheese. No No No. The shrimp has a strange after taste. …

I tried to give Amy Ruth's another chance but I wish I would have saved my money. I ordered the fried shrimp with potato salad and Mac + cheese. No No No. The shrimp has a strange after taste. The …

It pains me to write this, but it needs to be said. My daughter and I have been coming to Amy Ruth’s every Thanksgiving for six years. We made the trip when we lived on Staten Island and we continued…

We had the fried chicken in honey which was absolutely fantastic, as was the candied yams. The catfish was good, and the chicken wings just enormous and good. The cheese & macaroni was over…

We had the fried chicken in honey which was absolutely fantastic, as was the candied yams. The catfish was good, and the chicken wings just enormous and good. The cheese & macaroni was overwh…

We had the fried chicken in honey which was absolutely fantastic, as was the candied yams. The catfish was good, and the chicken wings just enormous and good. The cheese & macaroni was overwhelmi…

On a trip to NYC we popped over to Harlem to try some local soul food. We were not disappointed and the food was just what we'd hoped for. The smothered chicken & waffles was great, as was the ma…

Reviews are a bit of hit-and-miss, it seems, but for us at lunchtime, all was well. Tables quite socially distanced, and some nice murals but mostly a diner-like atmosphere but come here for the f…

We ordered a take out late one Sunday afternoon. The online was inaccurate and outdated. The 20 minute wait turned into 40 minutes. My ribs were undercooked and did not fall away from the bone l…

Classic Soul Food Specifically And ONLY Do I Recommend Chicken & Waffles… Needs To Be Renovated Need Better Tables And Chairs Customer Service Is

Andrew Hodges

Great reputation, but sort of a tourist trap vibe. Overpriced, slow service, better than average food. Probably one and done.

Lisa Kim

We tried the waffle with catfish and the smothered chicken with mac and cheese and mashed potatoes at Amy Ruth’s. The food was flavorful and satisfying, and the waitstaff were friendly and attentive. However, the experience was dampened by an unpleasant smell on the floor, which reminded us of a toilet. It was a bit off-putting and detracted from an otherwise enjoyable meal. They might be doing renovations.

+6

FIVE STARS FOR SHARMAINE. Sharmaine was friendly and patient. She truly treated me as a guest. Unfortunately, back of house was another thing altogether. I ordered the pork rib/fried …

We celebrated a successful gymnastics competition in Harlem with a visit to Amy Ruth's! 😋 Customer service was top-notch, and the food was flavorful - loved the cornbread and my chicken and waffles. However, my daughter had a rough go with the beef ribs (sour taste, ended up throwing up). Sides were hot and fresh, but suspect the ribs might've been off. Thankfully, she's recovering after 24 hours of rest. Appreciated the hospitality and congratulatory vibes 🏆. Not sure if we'll be back, but glad we got to try it.

I'malwayssunnyevenwhenitrains

Somebody burnt the cornbread Visited on christmas eve. Loved all the artists/famous contributions to our culture. Great old school music was playing but it was so low i could barely hear it and couldnt get into the vibe. This was a huge reason why the atsmophere was rated so low. I forgot the names of the order because this restaurant has a unique way to advertise what it sells. Everything is associated with a famous person. The green beans i ordered were mushy and obviously canned. They didnt offer butter with the cornbread but that didnt really matter since it was severly overcooked anyway. It was a very disappointing experience, but i still had a great time with my boyfriend. I ordered some glazed chicken that was good but mostly bones. He orded whiting that had no flavor to me. He put hotsauce on it. We just joked about the food and talked about the famous people painted on the walls. Maybe in its heyday it was awesome, but now its just sad.

Salmon was Dry (NO SAUCE) as it states , Mac & Cheese (NASTY) as was other sides...\nCatfish wasn't cooked right , Shrimp was overcooked & crab cake was black & hard...ALL OF $80 very disappointed NE…

salmon was Dry (NO sauce) as it states , Mac & Cheese (NASTY) as was other sides...\nCatfish wasn't cooked right , shrimp was overcooked & crab cake was black & hard...ALL OF $80 very dis…

salmon was Dry (NO SAUCE) as it states , Mac & Cheese (NASTY) as was other sides...\nCatfish wasn't cooked right , shrimp was overcooked & crab cake was black & hard...ALL OF $80 very disappointe…

0/10. we waited for 4 whole hours !!! very unprofessional. wouldn't recommend going to. they ran out of half of what was on the menu. to be specific the Mac and Cheese , String beans , Rice , Turke…

EEEEEEYUCK! I spent $130 and regret it so bad. Our first day in New York and six of us ate at Amy Ruth's Downtown. I had the fried catfish, macaroni and collard greens. It was the nastiest soul f…

They feel wayyyyy off the cliff! This used to be the spot! No more. Food is mediocre, one young man did not speak English, the place no longer has that "at home" ambience. Waitresses were nice thou…

Some friends and I visited on the 3rd there was no ambiance the man that seated us was rude it took forever to get our food and the food was just mediocre . Will not go there again. The restaurant wa…

Some friends and I visited on the 3rd there was no ambiance the man that seated us was rude it took forever to get our food and the food was just mediocre . Will not go there again. The restauran…

Some friends and I visited on the 3rd there was no ambiance the man that seated us was rude it took forever to get our food and the food was just mediocre . Will not go there again. The restaurant …

This place is not one my favorite places to be anymore. I order the chicken and waffle and the waffle was horrible. I couldn’t eat it. I showed the male waiter, who is sweet by the way the waffle and how it’s wasn’t good to taste and I asked if they can adjust the price since I already ate the fried chicken. Manager basically said it cannot work and this was order after 8PM. The waiter was great but the manager is horrible for not understanding what was served to me. I will not offer my money and time ever again. No stars