Congregate Kitchen & Lounge

Eric Parker

First time going. The food was pretty good as well. The young man named Kevin who took care of us was great. Price is moderate according to today's prices. Overall it was a good time. With the NFL playoffs going this will be a fun place to watch it.

Jamaica McQueen

My time at the restaurant was amazing! The staff, Michelle and Kevin were absolutely the best. They were very attentive, kind, and a pleasure to be around. From the food and beverage recommendations as well as the info regarding peak times, hands down they were top tier!

Sara Rae

I was suggested this place by someone for brunch (I’m from Minnesota) and I’m glad I took the opportunity. Bottomless mimosas were so good and well worth the price. Our bartender was very attentive and made sure to keep the mimosas coming. I had a chicken and veggie omelette that was very good. I loved the vibe, great music playing the entire time with someone doing karaoke every once in a while. I believe the one gentleman was the owner? But he was very friendly and personable. Great experience.

Bartholomew Harris

First time there this past Sunday. Found this place and we took my mother-n-law there for her birthday and we were not disappointed. The food was definitely on point, service was great and the people were friendly. We will definitely be back again...!

Beverly Harding

Loved this place! The food was absolutely delicious. I had the waffles and wings. The taste of the waffles was exquisite, and the chicken was perfect crispy and perfectly cooked . My husband had the catfish and grits. He said the catfish was crispy and cooked just right. He loved the flavor of the grits. They also offered a Sunday brunch which was very reasonably priced and offered lots of delicious items. The staff was very nice as well as friendly. I loved the chill vibes. The music was very enjoyable. It was a place you were in no hurry to leave. Highly recommend.

Francisco Flowers

Went here for the first time and it completely blew my expectations. Shouts out to chef Spoon all the food was amazing. The fried chicken tho was absolutely exceptional. Some of the best I’ve had in the city! And its blacked owned. The staff really took care of us. Very grateful also an honorable mention is how playa the whole facility is! Definitely recommend!

Anny Slim

LOVE Congregate! Ever Since I Tried Them Out I've Been Going! Baby The Mimosas!!! You Missing Out They Have a VARIETY of Flavors! GREAT Food Options! The Sweet Potatoe 🍠 Fries Had Last Night Were JUST CHEF KISS 😋🤤 Great Affordable Food! The Owner Actually Speaks to His Guests! Good Vibes! It Actually Is A Second Home For me Not Just a Bar 😇

Alexis Gant

Stopped by for a Monday happy hour and was pleased with the service and value. Happy hour will be seeing me again for $5 lemon drops! Fried pickles were my favorite appetizer- fried crispy, seasoned well, and excellently battered. I’m looking forward to checking out their Tuesday night karaoke.

Jay Ignite

The BEST french toast sticks I have ever had in my life. The service was amazing. I went with two other friends and they loved their breakfast tacos. The drinks were great as well. Food was reasonably priced too !

We had a great experience at Congregate Kitchen & Lounge, and Kevin really made the night. He was friendly, attentive, and clearly knew his craft. He took the time to recommend drinks based on what we liked, and every cocktail was perfectly made. Even while juggling a busy restaurant, Kevin kept things moving smoothly and made sure everyone felt taken care of. His energy and professionalism added to the overall vibe of the place and made our experience even better. If you’re planning on visiting, ask for Kevin — he’s excellent and a big reason we’ll be back.

Our first visit, but not our last. The service was excellent (thanks to Kevin!) and the food was delicious! Hits included the biscuits and meat gravy, the pancakes, and the waffle and eggs. The tater tots have a truffle parmesan seasoning that was raved about. Best of all, the chef is willing to accommodate for allergies!

OMG!! Kevin sent this experience OVER THE TOP. The Big Bacon Biscuit was a hit with my hubby and the Spanish Coffee was to die for! Made fresh. Ambiance was perfect: chill down to earth upscale. Thank you so much for the best experience!!

Tori is a fantastic bartender! Even on busy nights, she remains upbeat, attentive, and happy to answer any questions or requests. I’ve visited multiple times and have never had an issue with her service. Congregate is definitely worth checking out for good food and relaxed, low-key vibes.

Amazing experience! The food, drinks, and live music were all on point, but what really made the night unforgettable was our server, Yaya. She was attentive, knowledgeable, efficient, genuinely kind, and made sure everything was perfect. Excellent service from start to finish — Service like hers makes you want to come back again and again.

Dayna W

Our first visit, but not our last. The service was excellent (thanks to Kevin!) and the food was delicious! Hits included the biscuits and meat gravy, the pancakes, and the waffle and eggs. The tater tots have a truffle parmesan seasoning that was raved about. Best of all, the chef is willing to accommodate for allergies!

Anna Jackson

We had a great experience at Congregate Kitchen & Lounge, and Kevin really made the night. He was friendly, attentive, and clearly knew his craft. He took the time to recommend drinks based on what we liked, and every cocktail was perfectly made. Even while juggling a busy restaurant, Kevin kept things moving smoothly and made sure everyone felt taken care of. His energy and professionalism added to the overall vibe of the place and made our experience even better. If you’re planning on visiting, ask for Kevin — he’s excellent and a big reason we’ll be back.

gabbie green

Tori is a fantastic bartender! Even on busy nights, she remains upbeat, attentive, and happy to answer any questions or requests. I’ve visited multiple times and have never had an issue with her service. Congregate is definitely worth checking out for good food and relaxed, low-key vibes.

ungeanetta richards

I had an amazing experience at Congregate, and Yaya truly made the visit special. From the moment we arrived, she was welcoming, attentive, and so professional. She checked on us often, made great recommendations, and had such a positive energy the entire time. Customer service like this is hard to find—Yaya went above and beyond. I will definitely be back and will be asking for her again!

R T

Amazing experience! The food, drinks, and live music were all on point, but what really made the night unforgettable was our server, Yaya. She was attentive, knowledgeable, efficient, genuinely kind, and made sure everything was perfect. Excellent service from start to finish — Service like hers makes you want to come back again and again.

Will totally be back here for another date night or just for dinner. The vibe was vibing! The music was not too loud; you could actually hold a good conversation. The restrooms were nice and clean. The food!!! Whew those lamb chips were so good and tender. Now my asparagus had an aftertaste but they were tender was well. The drinks were amazing. Again, I will definitely be back soon.

Went around brunch about an hour after they opened. We were the only ones dining in so we were seated immediately. Off top the tables were clean, windows not so much. Our server was very nice and it was a pleasure to have her. They offer line dancing classes on Saturdays which was pretty cool. Mimosas were great. My husband ordered the catfish and grits and I ordered the shrimp and grits. The hush puppies and biscuits were amazing and surprisingly the best. I think my next statement is based on preference. I think they should offer a different sauce for the grits. It reminded me of a biscuit gravy. It would be nice to offer a traditional Cajun gravy or tomato based gravy for the grits or give patrons the option to choose which gravy they want. It wasn’t bad but wouldn’t be my go to if I go back. Prices were reasonable however they did charge an automatic 18% service gratuity which I have mixed feelings about..but since our server was good I didn’t mind. Overall we decided if in the area, we would drop in for the drinks and those biscuits lol..

Came here for brunch and had a great time. They have inside and patio seating, we opted for patio seating but the wind picked up and they had no problem letting us change our minds and move inside. They have a warm, intimate ambiance which would make this a great place for a date or a girls brunch. The menu has great options and the staff was happy to make recommendations and help me navigate my food allergies. I really enjoyed their shrimp and grits, everything was seasoned nicely and the grits were creamy. Their harsh browns come nice and crispy and our friend had the chicken and waffles and kept raving about how well the fried chicken was seasoned. Definitely will be coming back for a happy hour to explore more of the menu and drinks!

LovelyTee 84

Went around brunch about an hour after they opened. We were the only ones dining in so we were seated immediately. Off top the tables were clean, windows not so much. Our server was very nice and it was a pleasure to have her. They offer line dancing classes on Saturdays which was pretty cool. Mimosas were great. My husband ordered the catfish and grits and I ordered the shrimp and grits. The hush puppies and biscuits were amazing and surprisingly the best. I think my next statement is based on preference. I think they should offer a different sauce for the grits. It reminded me of a biscuit gravy. It would be nice to offer a traditional Cajun gravy or tomato based gravy for the grits or give patrons the option to choose which gravy they want. It wasn’t bad but wouldn’t be my go to if I go back. Prices were reasonable however they did charge an automatic 18% service gratuity which I have mixed feelings about..but since our server was good I didn’t mind. Overall we decided if in the area, we would drop in for the drinks and those biscuits lol..

CJ

Will totally be back here for another date night or just for dinner. The vibe was vibing! The music was not too loud; you could actually hold a good conversation. The restrooms were nice and clean. The food!!! Whew those lamb chips were so good and tender. Now my asparagus had an aftertaste but they were tender was well. The drinks were amazing. Again, I will definitely be back soon.

Chelsea Martinez

Came here for brunch and had a great time. They have inside and patio seating, we opted for patio seating but the wind picked up and they had no problem letting us change our minds and move inside. They have a warm, intimate ambiance which would make this a great place for a date or a girls brunch. The menu has great options and the staff was happy to make recommendations and help me navigate my food allergies. I really enjoyed their shrimp and grits, everything was seasoned nicely and the grits were creamy. Their harsh browns come nice and crispy and our friend had the chicken and waffles and kept raving about how well the fried chicken was seasoned. Definitely will be coming back for a happy hour to explore more of the menu and drinks!

Z Bryant (ZJB Creations)

Pretty cool place in the Willowbrook area, good parking, very settle environment!!! I ordered the hott honey and garlic parmesan wings!!! Along with a shrimp caesar salad!!! I gave it 3 stars!!! Not a fan of the food!!! Customer service was ok, wasn't bad but just okay could've been better!!!

This was my first time. The bartender or waitress guy needs to go . Service was slow. I asked for a salad and he never came back. We finally moved to the bar to get better service.And it was only 3 people in the place. It’s hard to find good help but the owner needs to be looking.

Tammy Pitman

First time going and was excited about the website stating an affordable experience. Food prices weren't bad, but horrible quality. Burnt nachos, really?! I thought it may have been their recipe with something dark in the chip ingredients, but no, they tasted like they looked...Burnt! One of the easiest and most profitable items for a restaurant. The cook is responsible for the food, but for some reason, I'm always appalled at the server because they should be flat out arguing with the person who prepared it BEFORE they just bring it out to the person they're going to force a tip on (unfortunate if the cook gets a cut). You would rather waste it than loose a customer. Karaoke was fun and entertaining. The atmosphere is nice. Crowd was weak, but it was a Tuesday, so maybe it will pick up, but descent stop if you live near. By the way, I'm getting use to the enforced tips Lol but your servers need to still act like their tips actually rely on GOOD service to survive. If I knew my tip would suffer, there's no way I would serve MY guests subpar food. You would take ownership and personally be accountable for their experience.

Our waitress Yaya was the best. The food is a no! I had red beans and rice. My rice was hard. My sister ordered the chicken egg rolls which all you tasted was cream cheese tasted nor saw chicken. The wings weren't seasoned well or cooked thoroughly. The owner was rude. If someone tells you it's your 1st visit to your establishment you could've been more welcoming but sucked. If you're going to play live music, maybe create a small stage or platform for the band. Atmosphere was good and the drinks were good. Just because you're the owner doesn't mean patrons are irrelevant except your regulars.

Charnessia Clark

Our waitress Yaya was the best. The food is a no! I had red beans and rice. My rice was hard. My sister ordered the chicken egg rolls which all you tasted was cream cheese tasted nor saw chicken. The wings weren't seasoned well or cooked thoroughly. The owner was rude. If someone tells you it's your 1st visit to your establishment you could've been more welcoming but sucked. If you're going to play live music, maybe create a small stage or platform for the band. Atmosphere was good and the drinks were good. Just because you're the owner doesn't mean patrons are irrelevant except your regulars.