Pork belly appetizer was amazing! The music was great! Especially what they stated playing after the live band stopped.

I realized tonight that I have never tasted chicken in my life until now. Authentic Jerk Chicken was on the menu and don’t bother with any other source! This picture is after I took a few bites and actually had to stop eating to post this!!! 9/10: Gotta ad the Vegan Jumbalaya! Omg this is utterly heavenly!

We went to Alvin and Friends for Valentine's Day. The food was excellent, the live music created a perfect ambiance on Valentine's Day. The service needs a lot of training, but that should not stop you from going. Alvin makes up for that by addressing all his patrons personally. We highly recommend Alvin and Friends.

Loved it...Alvin came over to make sure all was well 👌

+1

Amazing restaurant to host you and your guests!

First time here for a quick date with hubby and omg the food was the best southern food I had in such a long time ! The owner was so nice to us and our server was very consistent and kind ! Def going back soon

Always a great time. Food Always on point and I love the ambiance.

I LOVE this place...food is amazing (thank u Chef and kitchen crew), staff makes u feel like family and Alvin is incredibly gracious. Go there....NOW ❤

We had a great time at Alvin and Friends. The service was amazing and Alvin himself was walking around greeting guests. It was really welcoming and I liked all the paintings. They had a live trio with piano, drums and saxophone which was fun. The food was delicious. I appreciated the vegan section of the menu and the rest of my group enjoyed the salmon, jambalaya, and corn chowder. We also tried the lemonade, sangria, and famous rum punch. The desserts looked so delicious - next time!

One of the best restaurants I've ever been to. I was shocked to find a restaurant of this caliber in New Roc. No disrespect to New Rochelle but restaurants like this are usually reserved for the city. The food, the service, the music, everything is top tier. Look at my plate! Need I say more?

Went to Alvin and Friends today and had the pleasure of meeting Alvin. I ordered the bake & shark to go, and Alvin asked for my honest feedback on it since it was recently added to the menu, so here it is... The bake&shark was delicious and probably the closet you'll get to Trinidad bake & shark while in New Rochelle! I wish I'd order 2!! Great job on the flavors, and the bake itself was soft and not greasy! I give it 2 thumbs up!!

Nice restaurant. The food was great. The staff were friendly and helpful with menu choices. We will definitely be going back!

Amazing Night at this Black-owned restaurant serving Southern and Caribbean cuisine. Alvin was in the building; he stopped by our table "old school style". His partner took our picture, guess we'll be on the website soon.

Food was great. Meatballs was amazinggggggggg, very tender and tasteful ! The rum punch was everything as well.

Great food, fun atmosphere and amazing owners and staff. This is a must visit restaurant. Highly recommend. Food is delicious. Stay for the drinks...

Drinks, appetizers, dinner, dessert, service, ambiance, live music, everything was on point. There wasn't a single dish or drink we didn't like and we talked with Alvin for a while.....real good guy.

There are not enough words to express our families gratitude for the 60th birthday celebration held for my brother Anthony on April 25th 2021. This establishment rocks. We were so well catered to. We can not thank Gwen and her awesome team enough for the spectacular job they did. Thank you Thank you Thank you.

The spot has the vibe most or all with enjoy. The event space is just right and the staff top notch

Food was good but the fried chicken wasn’t seasoned a lot of taste nasty

+3

Food is really good, nice friendly environment. We had a good time.

The food, the atmosphere and the live music is amazing! I really enjoyed Bertha Hope and her band! Lovely tunes sung while enjoying my food

Always a vibe. Great service too. Food is great, esp Oxtail, Mac and cheese. Alvin's is 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 Update. 2022 The oxtail is not the same anymore. Tastes much sweeter than I'd like. Still a good grown vibe and environment, but the food is not rocking the boat much.

Good food and friendly atmosphere. Great for date night of family dinner. Even a 5 year old was dancing to the live band :)

This place is A-MAZING!! The music and ambience is so cool. Alvin does all the artwork. Super cool! We shared the black bean avocado salad w ginger vinaigrette dressing (light, not overpowering) and the fried chicken and smoked turkey greens. I’m from Louisiana.. spent time in the Caribbean.. and I have never had greens this good!! Collard, mustard and kale. ….and the rum punch.. is like none other.

My first time here and I absolutely loved it. The staff here is amazing, I met the chef and the the owner Alvin and both were such beautiful spirits. The food was beyond delicious and their rum punch drink will surely hit! I will definitely be going back. I never had such were cooked lamb

Food was great, service was excellent and we got to meet Alvin. Plus there was a jazz band performing. It was an awesome evening experience.

This was my first time at this amazing establishment. The Service was top notch, the food was amazing. The. Rum Pinch is the best I ever had. As a Bronx native now residing in Baltimore, I always enjoy my time at local treasures. I will def make this my Brunch place whenever I’m in the city. The owner genuinely cares about his team and his establishment. That is a rare find. Kudos! To Delroy our waiter!

This place is fantastic. Ive been addicted since 2015 at a holiday party!!! Fried tomatoes, collard greens, catfish and grits, and pistachio cheesecake are amazing!!!!! Anything on the menu is thumbs up!! Oh and Alvin's rum punch is superb!!!!

That was my first experience and by no means the last. I hosted my 35th birthday party there May 2018 in the n the Private Room and i had the time of my life. First, Jazmine was phenomenal, and not to mention Alvin (the Owner) my heart melts at the exceptional service he gave me and my guests, the servers was fabulous. I would highly recommend and I would definitely dine there again and host a party there again. YOU ROCK TEAM ALVIN. (Take a peak at the transformation of the Private Room)

The food, atmosphere, and service were all outstanding in their own way! 10/10 I would recommend this to anybody in the New Rochelle area, or Westchester in general!

It was stupendous!! My group thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! Alvin came over and introduced himself, his beautiful daughter Bella took care of us. The food is fantastic. Enjoyed everything we had. Went for Sunday brunch. The saxophone player was very good. Definitely becoming a regular!

This place gave me New Orleans vibes! The food, the music, the ambiance and atmosphere was 5 star! The entire family had a great time and it was good to see the owner walking around, interacting with guest and gave me a real personable feel of caring for the customer and his establishment. Now I just can’t wait to bring my wife back for a dinner date with just us two.

+1

I was here for a private event that was more about the gathering of the people than the food. For this reason, I wanted something light. The food is good and the people including the staff and owners are such a great vibe! You immediately feel like you are amongst friends who could be your family. 🤩 Great place that has a vegan menu larger than seen at many restaurants not specializing in it. I had the jerk artichoke dip. It was good. However, it seemed a little shy of the jerk flavor I was hoping for. I suppose they don't want it to be too strong for those not used to the intense Caribbean heat of such spices. I would love to see them have optional strengths like mild, medium, or hot. 👀 Well worth a visit not only for the food, vibe, people and location-there's more... The restaurant is adorned with the grabbing artwork of it's owner, Alvin Clayton. It's the kind of art that makes you want to know who's in it and what they are doing. For me, I love to answer these questions myself. I craft stories to suit what I see from my perspective and then spend hours, sometimes days wondering if my version is any where near the true inspiration of the work. Alvin's creations I hear are getting around and was seen in "The Best Man-Holiday" movie. Just go and have some food and well as a conversation with Al and his wife Gwen who are warm and friendly hosts.

I tried the slow cooked oaxtails with rice and peas. All I can say is wow. This has to be the by far the best oaxtails I ever had. The rice and peas was very flavorful. The cabbage was good. I also tried the vegan jerk chicken meal. Wow. The owner Alvin came over and spoke with me. He’s a very nice guy. He definitely wants to get to know his customers. I definitely will recommend this restaurant to friends and family. This is a nice after work spot. They also have a live band on Sunday afternoons.

+4

Inviting and friendly staff. Atmosphere was refreshing, clean and enjoyable with the beautiful sounds of a pianist. To start , we had cod fish fritters and Trini doubles , which were freshly made and served warm. They were delicious. I had Alvin’s rum punch. It was amazing The birthday girl had what looked like a lime martini. Our main course was oxtail dinner and seafood jambalaya served hot. The meal was scrumptiously delicious . I could taste the coconut, diced peppers and onions and the seasoning was just right. I couldn’t eat all of my dinner, so I took some home. The birthday girl had peach cobbler. Our amazing server sang happy birthday. I had warm amaretto bread pudding with ice cream. It was delicioso. We had the pleasure of meeting the owner Alvin. Overall, we had an awesome evening.🌹

We've been here a couple times. Love the food and the ambiance. We're slowly eating our way thru the menu. The owners artwork makes it fun and the staff is attentive.

Loved it. Drinks were well mixed, service was polite, Attentive and nice. Menu is little limited but all entrees looked delicious. I really appreciate being able to converse with my date without having to vociferate. The Pianist playing beautifully in the background really set the mood. Also appreciated the vegan options

Black owned and operated with a stellar vibe. We settled in to the cozy setting after a short walk from the garage. There was a set up of a band and a black piano to the right as we walked in. We had a reservations so we were seated quickly. Once seated it was easy to admire the black art on the wall that was actually painted by the owner… how neat is that! Our first encounter we were greeted with corn bread squares that were moist and sweet. As we nibbled we were all so impressed by the tablets that served as menus. Our appetizers consisted of mango wings ( a little spicy), calamari (crispy) and codfish fritters were just tasty bites! The drinks of choice was Jamaican rum punch which gave a very nice kick. The other drink Alvin’s punch was not the favorite for our group. The after taste wasn’t appealing. The Restaurant Owner/Artist came by and introduced himself giving our experience a personalized touch. All of the food was great! The collards were a lil spicy for us but it kept your tastes buds woke. I definitely would go again the ambiance was outstanding!

+6

Live band and great food equals phenomenal taste! I absolutely loved the doubles, Trinidad would be proud. The drinks we heavenly so I enjoyed every moment. The Artwork is amazing as well.

Looking for a spot to host a celebration for up to 50 family members? Alvin & Friends. Where can you have an after-church jazz brunch with your peeps? Alvin & Friends. A cute place with intimate corners to pop the question? Alvin & Friends. The food is nice, the vibes are always right, and the artwork on the walls are for sale courtesy of the owner/artist. Also, there’s parking right across the street.

First off, it was great to go to a venue where the atmosphere was inviting from the beginning. Since it is New Rochelle, you will be paying for parking but the New Roc area is still a must. But the focus is on this establishment with its decor including fine wood placement that gives it that cool vibe. The art work throughout and the room we were able to have our event was spacious and inviting. Everything on the menu was great as our guests had a great time. The rum punch and the hopper are necessary drinks to order. Oxtails..excellent! Ribs fell off the bone, the salmon was cooked to perfection and the Fried chicken will make you feel like you are never going to a fast food place again. If you are in the Westchester area, go to Alvin & Friends!

+6

The owner was wonderfully nice, the servers did an excellent job. Food was great all around and served very fresh. Live music was a ton of fun. Cannot recommend enough.

Feeling the live piano, the rum punch was hitting (shit I had 3 wasn’t driving) didn’t know NewRo got busy like this. Yeah I will be back Fran the waitress was mindful of the menu and Fine too 😉 we ain’t even get to entrees yet I’m feeling this joint 10 out of 10!!!!!

The food was so delicious, seasoned to perfection. I got the corn and crab chowder for an appetizer and the catfish po boy for dinner with a side of collard greens. Everything was absolutely delicious. 10/10 DO RECOMMEND!!!

Came here for a birthday dinner & had an amazing time! Food was good, the vibes weee giving, like the whole ambiance was comforting. Not much black owned restaurants in westchester and this is definitely in the top 5 for me. I was back the next day to try some more food because was great the first time.

What a stand-out special spot Alvin & Friends is…the high tech menu, savory Southern/Caribbean food, and the stunning gallery of oil paintings made by oh so charming owner Alvin himself. Stop him as he strolls the restaurant chatting with diners to learn of the restaurant name’s history - it involves of a NYTimes 4-star review 😊 it’s the little details that matter, and those shine through here!

Lovely ambience and decor and very friendly and gracious host/owner. The brunch selections were very tasty and creative. I would definitely return to try more menu items, which, from the pictures, looked as good as what we ordered.

Sharonda C

I celebrated my birthday weekend at “Alvin & Friends” with my mother, and we had an amazing experience. The service was excellent from start to finish. We started with the chicken empanadas, and Tostones followed by the seafood pasta, both were delicious. For dessert, I enjoyed a walnut brownie and my mother had the double chocolate cake. We were pleasantly surprised that the owner, Alvin, was there and personally greeted us. His warm, welcoming energy made the evening feel even more special. The food is immaculate, the atmosphere is inviting, and I would definitely come back and recommend this restaurant to others. Parking was also easy, I found a spot on the street not far from the restaurant.”

Tahmina B

Some of the best Caribbean (West Indian) and Creole food (both Haitian and Black American) food. The service was great. Food was incredible. The menu is truly a tapestry of food from the African diaspora. Recipes passed down through generations and to the islands. 10/10 stars

Rachel Anthony

Alvin & Friends is amazing — great food, great vibe, and even better people. The owner is truly fantastic: welcoming, personable, and clearly passionate about the restaurant and guests. You can feel the heart behind the place. Always a great experience and highly recommended.

Kevin German

Alvin and Friends is easily one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. I came some time ago for a wonderful dinner, and everything from the appetizer to the entree and dessert were so so good. The restaurant is beautifully appointed with very tasteful artwork. The service was quick and attentive, and food came out quickly. As a nice touch, Alvin came around to all the tables to greet everyone and ask us how their food/experience was. Will definitely come back again soon!

Regina Brown

I had the fried chicken, collard greens and Mac & cheese. Everything was great. Our server was very attentive. We met Alvin. What a wonderful young man.

Mae Jefferson

I was taken here for my birthday and I swear I had so much fun and the food was amazing! Oh and we met the owner. He is a wonderful, caring man!

Meli H

The oxtail was okay. I really enjoyed the seafood pasta which consisted of salmon and shrimp. Also had a nice spice not too over powering. I also tried the sangria with the cognac and the sorrel with Jamaican rum. Which was also very tasty. Very nice decor. And great service

+6

SONDRA ROBERTS

Great food, professional staff and a positive energy atmosphere. The owner is a wonderful and gracious host. A great eatery for dates, dinner with friends and family or a treat for yourself. The live jazz is an added bonus!!!

Kathy Hazard

What a wonderful eclectic atmosphere and vibe. The owner..Alvin absolutely made us all feel like we were old friends. The live Jazz form an amazing 89 yr old black female pianist was the cherry on top of this already amazing brunch ! I cannot wait to return .

Sari

It was a pleasant first time experience eating at Alvin & Friends. We booked a reservation prior and were able to get our seats quickly upon arrival. We were given corn bread while reviewing the menu, a nice little snack while waiting. For starters we ordered the chicken empanadas and the 3 combo appetizer. For entrees we ordered the glazed salmon, oxtail, buttermilk chicken and shrimp on grits. All were delectable, smooth and flavorful. For dessert we shared the chocolate cake and ube ice cream, both were rich and delicious, highly recommend. The service was wonderful, the servers were timely and attentive, very pleasant people. It was also nice to meet Alvin, greeted our table and asked how we were doing as well spoke to us before we left. Additionally, there was beautiful live music playing that really brought the ambience together.

+1

Chalise Gee

Made reservations for my sons 18th birthday! The food was delicious, portions were good and drinks were hittin!! Service was good although it was only myself and maybe 2 other families so that worked out in our favor as far as attentiveness is concerned. I do recommend 10/10

Majid T

Warm and upscale, Alvin & Friends in New Rochelle offers a delicious blend of Southern and Caribbean classics. The walls are adorned with vibrant artwork, and on select nights, live music adds to the lively atmosphere. Rum Punch Meatballs - Tender and flavorful, generously coated in a rich rum punch barbecue sauce. Plus, the portion size is just right! Beef Empanadas - perfectly flaky and filled with tender, flavorful beef. They’re delicious on their own or paired with the flavorful creole sauce. Beef Taco/Catfish Taco - Both so good, it’s hard to pick a favorite! Each is served with flavorful chipotle and rum punch barbecue sauces, adding the perfect finishing touch. Catfish w/ Black Eyed Peas and Four Cheese Macaroni - Crispy catfish coated in a thick batter and topped with flavorful Creole remoulade, is packed with great taste—though it could be a touch less crispy on the outside. The four-cheese macaroni is absolutely delicious, and the black-eyed peas make for the perfect complement, especially for someone like me! Walnut Brownie - a truly satisfying dessert, featuring a perfectly baked brownie with walnuts adding a delightful crunch. Topped with creamy vanilla ice cream, it creates the perfect balance of warm and cool in every bite.

+1

Mama Love

We had a great time for Candy's birthday dinner. The food was great, and the owner, Alvin, the owner, came to our table to see how we were doing. I thought that was a very kind gesture on his part. The atmosphere was great, a live jazz band entertained while we ate. I must say we really enjoyed ourselves at this restaurant. The food was very good. I had the catfish, grits with black eye Peas, Candy, the birthday girl, had seafood pasta, Diane had the catfish, grits without black eye peas, and Tarsha had the Catfish nibbles with side of peas and rice. Drinks were good, and my peach margerita was different. The mojiot wasn't a hit, but the coconut martini was a hit. I recommend Alvin and Friends

+16

Andre Vialet

I went to Alvin & Friends for brunch and found the restaurant warm and welcoming from the owner down through the staff. The servers were very attentive. I was impressed with the artwork that surrounds the entire space. Also, there was a musical group that performed during my visit who were excellent. We tried the restaurant because of the Caribbean/Southern menu. I would recommend a visit.

+7

Richard E

Another spectacular meal at Alvin & Friends. A lovely atmosphere was to be had this Valentine's Day with live music on the piano, nice furnishings, and even nicer company. The artwork is really something else and is lovely to behold on the walls. The staff is warm, welcoming, and attentive. The food will blow you away and in my times coming here has never failed to satisfy. If you want one of the best dining experiences in New Rochelle come to Alvin & Friends!

+18

The quinoa salad and jerk chicken rasta pasta was very good. The Ube cheesecake was so yummy. I had to get one to go.

Great food, great service and great ambiance. Live music was awesome!!

The decor here is beautiful, live jazz, great food and got the opportunity to meet the owner Alvin.

Celebrated my daughter's birthday with a Sunday Great menu, good food. Alvin stopped by to say hello. They had the live entertainment to sing Happy Birthday . We enjoyed ourselves immensely. Even ordered food for dinner!

The food was good and tasty. Loved the live music they had during the afternoon. Owner was very friendly and came to greet us at the table. Service was good and very friendly. The Rhum Punch is a must try when there. The art on the wall of the restaurant was beautiful. There is indoor and outdoor seating.

Carrying a blend of southern and Caribbean delights. Alvin and friends is the perfect place for a family outing, date night or a spot to relax with friends. Food takes a bit of time to make it to you but the wait will be worth it.

Nice place to enjoy southern cuisine. You have to reserve. Nice to see the owner greeting every clients table. Must mention: they can improve the entrance.

Yummifabulous! What a wild blend of Southern and Caribbean cuisine from several different islands. The wine selection will please all those who know. Warm cozy feel even though it is spacious. Everyone smiles as if they all know and like each other, patrons, servers, live musicians— it must be the tone set by Alvin himself. Thank goodness they’ve re-expanded the menu (post-covid). More and more yummy stuff to chose from using their Uber fancy digital menu tablets. Good food that is worth waiting for while you relax with a perfect mojito or rum punch (or two or three, yes they are that good!) The complimentary freshly baked sweet buttery cornbread is sinful. Go ahead, ask for more, I sure did😆 BTW, the missing star even after my 7th visit to Alvin’s (just this week again), is still because of the not-too-impressive food-presentation/plating. These succulent and delicious morsels can be presented with much more finesse and artistry. My suggestion is a culinary course or onsite training from an expert.

I enjoyed the live band. The food was good. However the waiter never came to check up on us to see how we were doing. I had to ask another waiter to see where our waiter was to ask for a the check. Took off half a point for that. Other than that, I had a nice time, in a nice environment. I rate 3.5 stars for me.

+1

Alvin & Friend is a nice, warm and cozy place. The ambience and decors are amazing (The wall arts are painted by the owner himself - Or so I heard). The staff is extremely friendly and welcoming. The location is superb and there is (paid) parking literally right out front. They offer indoors and outdoor dining. Not sure whether that's typical, but I went on a Saturday and they had a live band playing. The food is good. Feels like a mix between Cajun and Soul food. The only areas where I wish for improvement are the food seasoning (I was missing that kick that one usually gets from eating Cajun food) and the price of food (definitely on the pricey side). Overall, I and a great time at Alvin & Friend and definitely felt like I was a long time Friend!

+1

James VIDEO

Most people in my party enjoyed there food. Unfortunately I didn't. I got the oxtail and was disappointed. The gravy of the oxtail is equally important as the meat itself. They served the plate with very little gravy. I had to ask for more. Also, the gravy should be thick and it wasn't. It wasn't what I would expect from a carribbean dish. My wife had shrimp and grits and she enjoyed.

carlos morocho

The atmosphere is very tranquil. Had the fried chicken , mash potatoes and Mac and cheese. The sides were amazing. Creamy and full of flavor. The chicken was dry and flavorless. Also got to try the oxtail and that was tender and amazing. I had an appetizer of the wings and artichoke. Those wings were amazing full of flavor.

+1

Enjoyed being at Alvin‘s and Friends with the company that I was keeping. The appetizers were fantastic and the entrées were very good. The service was fantastic. I would dine here again so why give it a three overall. The two misses for me was that my entrée should've had a vegetable included instead of two starches. The biggest miss for me was the cocktails. The cocktails tasted more like a mocktail. The beer on tap had an off taste to it..if the cocktails were better, I would’ve stayed a lot longer and spent a lot more money. Next time I’ll order a straight bourbon or reposado tequila. The bar needs to get better. This place has the potential to be the premier spot in that area. Please get better at the bar.

Really wasn't impressed... fixed Mother's menu... no substitutions . Wanted a take out order but was told a 8.05pm the kitchen was closed. Ok it's a kitchen by design Gas bill was due . Smh Give it a try. ... I will try again on a none holiday 🙃

+6

Went recently for brunch and I can say the menu had a good selection of food and the atmosphere was great with live music and the owner there when you walk-in. Service was really slow though with only one waiter taking care of all tables ( -*). I ordered the buttermilk fried chicken (dry/not seasoned well), mac & cheese (Good) and collard green (Good) (-*).

Our experiences here are always underwhelming. Once the Chicken in my brunch Chicken and waffles had so much Grissell it wasn’t edible. Tonight it took over an hour to get our drinks (simple 1 or 2 ingediants) and then desert never made it to the table. I hate to say it but why would I support this establishment? The Owner makes the rounds but how bout hiring another bartender or getting behind the bar and making some drinks himself. See you never!

Went here with my friend and didnt have a great experience at all, I just paid for my drink and left, a man who wasnt my server tried to recitify it but I was over it. Also this is not a Southern cruise spot, more like a Carribean Fusion spot.

So went for brunch, the Atmosphere is inviting and workers were extremely friendly. Alvin was so nice walking around asking how we were doing. As for the food, it took quite long to come and for the price I expect a little better quality of food and presentation. The grits were grainy and usually shrimps have a nice gravy to mix with the grits. As you can see from photo it was very greasy and way to much peppers to cover up the 4 shrimps underneath. Someone ordered a breakfast burger and thought there would be a burger but it was a English muffins with ham and cheese.

The atmosphere is delightful, the owner is very pleasant and approachable. However the real issue and question at hand is the food is the WORSE!!! THE FOOD HAS NO SAVORY AND IS PREPACKAGED FOOD! IF THERE IS A COOK THEN HE NEEDS TO BE RETRAINED!!! THE CHICKEN IS EXTRA CRISPY WITH NO SEASONING AND DRY, THE COLLARD GREENS IS TOUGH LOADED WITH SUGAR AND SOME TURKEY PIECES THAT HAS NO TASTE, THE RICE HAS A MILD COCONUT FLAVOR AND THAT'S ABOUT IT WITH THE LITTLE BLACK BEANS ARE HARD AND NO SEASONING!!! THE BILL IS OVER PRICED FOR SUCH SMALL PORTIONS AND NOT TASTY FOOD IS A REAL DRAW BACK. OTHER PARTIES HAD OXTAILS WHICH WEREN'T PLEASED OR THE CATFISH WAS SUPER DRY OVER COOKED AND GRITS WERE SUPER SWEET!!! JUST AN ALL OUT BAD EXPERIENCE WITH THE UNSAVORY OVER PRICED FOOD!!! IF THE FOOD WAS DELICIOUS I WOULD HAVE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT PAYING! BUT I WAS ROBBED AND THE 20% TIP IS INCLUDED IN YOUR BILL!!! SO I SPENT $165 FOR FOOD THAT I WOULD NOT GIVE TO MY PET!!! HE NEEDS TO REVAMP THAT ENTIRE MENU AND GET A FEW REAL COOKS IN THAT KITCHEN THAT ACTUALLY CAN COOK CARIBBEAN AND AMERICAN SOUTHERN SOUL FOOD!!! FAR AS THE STAFF THEY HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE COMING AT YOU. YOUR WAITRESS WAS NICE, BUT YOU HAD 3 DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES BRINGING ITEMS TO YOUR TABLE. FOOD, HOT WATER, COLD WATER, YOU SHARE VARIETY BOX OF TEA DISPLAY WITH OTHER PATRONS THROUGHOUT THE RESTAURANT... NOT THE BEST CHOICE.... THE ENTERTAINMENT IS WONDERFUL. LIVE JAZZ BEING PERFORMED BY A GREAT PIANIST, CELLO, AND SINGERS THAT HONESTLY WAS THE HEIGHT OF STAYING AT THE RESTAURANT!!!

Alvin & Friends is a beautiful restaurant that has great jazz groups as well as play great jazz while eating when there are no groups. Too bad the food isnt great. I dont know what southern food they're trying to make but none I have ever eaten. They have garlicky calamari with a cucumber sauce or something which is horrible. There's some kind of red sauce which is not marinara and I didnt taste garlic so i cant even explain the taste to you. The salad looked delicious it was supposed to have a ginger dressing which I thought would taste like the Japanese dressing but again it was lacking. I tasted very little ginger and a bitter aftertaste of something. You know that the salad dressing makes the salad so this did not make the salad. It needed salt maybe some vinegar to bump it up. Hubby had the jambalaya which tasted pretty good and I had the chicken roti which was good as well. I got a side of collard greens and I hate when they're cooked til they're soggy/mushy instead of crisp and tasty. They have a little kick but again the flavor was horrible. Southerners know how to make collards do I don't know what cook he has in the kitchen cooking his southern food but soggy greens are not good.😜😜💯 I saw peach cobbler on the menu so you know southern pies are usually the best; again a miss. The peaches were cut in cubes, not cute, and I asked for vanilla ice cream on it which there was something white with blue and pieces of fruit but it didn't taste like vanilla ice cream. Not something the southerners would want to claim trust me. I'm nervous to go back & try other things on the menu but would love to keep going back to listen to good music in the beautiful restaurant. There is beautiful art all over the restaurant & if Alvin did it himself then he has a great talent. The staff are nice, the restaurant is beautiful and the music playing compliments digestion of your food. I'll try again because of those things..

+6

Schnell Blanton

Waitress was not sure about the menu items and said the chef would come by but never did. Had to ask twice for my glass of wine that I ordered. I ordered fried chicken. It was fried so hard and one of the pieces was a chicken back (I think)

Michael Miller

We enjoyed a family reunion and we were able to have a conversation across the table even with the piano, which starts about 8:30 or so. The music adds to the enjoyment of the meal. The menu is very limited, maybe 6-8 entrees and an equal number of appetizers and desserts. My favorite, the chicken with waffles is no longer available. Most of the dishes are deep fried, so be prepared. This is not a BYOB; but the drinks are good, I recommend the coconut daiquiri

We came here on Mother’s Day with a large party (9 people) and were told that they’ll only be serving from their brunch menu. There were long wait periods between greeting our table, taking our drinks,and receiving our drinks. Then we had a server change. She was kind and made sure it was correct as she recalled it back to us. The “complimentary” cornbread was gummy and dense. The food came out a decent amount of time later, but the portions reminded me of a funeral repass. A 1/4 cup scoop of your 2 proteins and 3 sides. For my plate, I orders the shrimp and fried chicken with Mac and cheese, waffle and a side salad. The Mac and cheese was bland and the only flavor came from the smoked Gouda- some pepper or more seasoning would’ve made it better. Also, the waffle was stale and bland. The fried chicken - to which I received only one small fist sized thigh, was heavily breaded and when I did taste the meat it was Dry. I received 3 pieces of shrimp. This was actually tasty. The overall consensus of the quality of food here was terrible. Which was shocking because last year the food/ dinner time was much better, atleast a 7/10. Today was a whopping, thunderous 0/10. I acknowledge that they were understaff but there was no relief obvious by management or reconciliations for mistakes made. I commend them for making it through but the entire process/brunch time suffered…at least for our table. Lastly our dessert was not brought out and wee waited 45 minutes before we had to go and ask about our desserts. Overall, won’t be coming back!

Well to start I went for Mother’s Day with my 3 small children. One an infant so I didn’t have to order anything for him. To start there was no kids menu, so I ended up having to buy for my 6 year old a chicken breast meal. The meal was more expensive than my pasta. It was $40 for one chicken breast sliced up with yellow rice and vegetables. My oldest daughter and I both got Rasta Pasta one with chicken and the other with shrimp. I also ordered a sweet tea and two sodas. Now I did go with my siblings and their children as well. Our bill came up to $500+. Three 6 year olds a nine year old and an 11 year old. I booked online, the online portal says the restaurant doesn’t open until 5pm, we really were looking for a place to do brunch but a friend of my sister recommended this place so we gave it a try. Now the gratuity was $80 and the tax was about $40. So for myself and my two small children I ended up spending $180 for chicken and shrimp pasta? The menu I saw online is really what got us to go and give it a try and none of those items were available. I’m never one to complain but I had to leave a review for this because I can’t even say I wasn’t disappointed. Also the server forgot to bring out my drink with all the others I had to remind her twice and when she did bring it out I was already half way through eating. For $80 gratuities I feel like we should of had better service. Last but not least refills weren’t included so we had to pay $5 a refill for fountain drinks which we did not.

An organization was hosting an event at this venue. The food was not good. The macaroni was hard and over cooked. The whitings weren’t only small but mostly bread - rather than fish Finally the collard greens were over cooked and had too much sugar. Finally the food arrived and it was barely warm.

Have ordered from Alvin twice and did not like it both times. They screwed up the delivery both times, the food is mediocre, the portions are small and way overpriced. But the absolute worst part is how bad the fried chicken was; I swear it must have been frozen or reheated and even then was not cooked all the way through and bloody. Sorry Alvin, we’ll never be friends!

I didn’t write a review the first time because I genuinely like to give places a try, support local business, etc. However, after my husband spent $150 dollars for a Mother’s Day meal which we couldn’t even substitute sides, no option to order anything else normally available, sub par food that was NOT eaten and dismal service at best, the review had to be written. My husband ordered fried catfish & grits. Catfish looked like it was frozen as opposed to fresh and fried til it was dry. He took a few bites and that was it. I ordered the lamb chops which came with garlic mash & yams ~ who wants double starch, but again, can’t sub ~ fine. That was red flag #1 but again, trying to go with it because it’s Mother’s Day. The lamb chops were nasty and I don’t know what they were trying to do with those itty bitty pieces of yam, but NO. And if you are looking for decent portions, this definitely is not that type of venue. As for the service, dismal and inconsistent, with the exception of the two ladies who welcomed us in and the young man who poured our water, it went down hill from there. Our waiter, although polite, just seemed overwhelmed & preoccupied and no, it was not busy. I would hate to see what it’s like when they are busy. The left doesn’t know what the right is doing. The young man bringing out the food looks confused wandering the floor with peoples food. Not my vibe at all. We’ll stick to Harlem when we want real soul food and don’t feel like cooking it ourselves. Alvin’s friendly demeanor can’t fix this. I tried again but was left sorely disappointed. We will not be spending our money at this establishment again.

Felicia F

Came here with a friend to grab a bite to eat and to catchup. There was a DJ playing on a Friday which made it pretty hard to hear eachother because it felt like a club. We ordered the catfish tacos and the shrimp tostones. The shrimp tostones was 3 mashed plantains with a curry sauce on top that has 2 micro baby shrimp on top lol. It was okay but not worth the $. The fish tacos came out the first time with nothing on them … no sauce nothing and they were dry with no flavor. The waitress took them back and said they would remake them (only took 1 bite). I quickly asked if I could replace them with another dish because I didn’t think they were good and she said she could not change out the order. So of course it came back out and I still did not like them and they were still dry and flavorless. I ate the 2 tacos because I was hungry and did not want to go back and forth with the waiter anymore. All in all the food was extremely subpar and not worth the money. Maybe just come here for drinks and to catch a vibe. Ended up spending $70 for 2 small plates and a drink that were not great.