Evelyn's Food Love

This is a fairly new establishment that has a LOT of potential. Plenty of parking and it's small and cozy. Food portions are a bit small for the prices, but they provide a nice variety of food choice for all types of eaters (i.e. fish, chicken. Beef, salads, etc.). Turkey burger is decent. The chicken was yummy and definitely had you craving for more. Service is nice and they are happy to answer any question about the food. It's definitely worth giving them a try.

This is a neighborhood gem to say the least (BYOB). More business establishments need to go in this area. The customer traffic was steady and diverse. Upon arrival, we were told they no longer serve breakfast and now only serve foods buffet style. Anything fried is cooked fresh, otherwise everything else is already prepared. My friend ordered the shrimp and grits and said it was so amazingly delicious she couldn't believe it! She went on to say she typically only eats her own, glad she ordered it. So with that being said, it's highly recommended. My Fiance and I ordered foods to share, the baked chicken, ribs and meatloaf which come with 2 sides. We ordered the mixed vegetables, mashed potatoes and corn on the cobb. The quarter dark peice of chicken and mixed vegetables were good. The ribs could have used a bit more seasoning or bbq sauce. My 2 favorite things we had, the hush puppy and waffle. They told us the waffle didn't need syrup and they were right! A must try if your in the mood for soul food or something close to home cooking. The moral of the story. Please support local business, especially in areas that are challenged, disadvantaged, etc., it's the only way we will change our communities if we use our buying power and the resources we have to make a change. Remember, we all have the power to make a difference. :p

Listen!! Evelyn's Food Love is definitely a hidden gem and now dining hot spot on the South side of Chicago! If I could describe this place in word it would be...FRESH!! The quality of each item on the menu is top-notch...no complaints. The ambiance...FRESH...the customer service...reFRESHing!! I can say that without hesitation because I've had just ALMOST everything on the menu. The moment you enter the place you feel the love and smell the love and passion that is put into preparing each dish. Good things come to those who wait so just know that when it's crowded you may wait a little longer for your food. It's not a fast food joint so I don't expect my food to come out well, ummmm fast. The ambiance is very urban trendy, relaxing chill vibe and the staff from the front to the back are absolutely wonderful. It's a great place to visit frequently if you, well ummm...love food. The soul food, seafood, brunch, burgers, etc., etc., etc. are just "fyelicious" goodness!! I implore you to check out this fabulous dining hot spot nestled on State Street in the Washington Park neighborhood. When you visit Evelyn's Food Love, please try the following: anything from the "soul" food menu, the catfish po'boy, the apple cilantro turkey burger (Listen, fyeliciousness), and anything from the dessert menu! I cannot wait to get back there for their weekend brunch and try these peach cobbler and red velvet pancakes I keep hearing about! I say Kudos to Chef Evelyn and her team for bringing this much needed dining establishment to the South side. Keep doing what you're doing. I look forward to frequent visits to Evelyn Food Love and each time I go I plan to bring a new guest with me!

Love this place, some of the best customer service plus the food is great. The menu has specials every day keeping the options fresh daily

This food was so savory and delicious!!! We will be back for more!! So happy my daughter was able to have lunch here with Santa today! #RepresentationIsImportant #ShrimpandGrits #Soulfood #Savory

Evelyn's Food Love was my choice for my #Thanksgiving sides. I ordered quarter pans of her yams, garlic green beans, black eye peas & rice, and dressing because I knew everything would be delicious. And it was! Just mouth-watering, finger-licking goodness. I've eaten there before and will be back. This holiday season or just because, consider giving yourself a break and allow this #smallbusiness #chef to do the #cooking for you. #PayItForward #SupportBlackBusiness #BlackWomanExcellence

Had a wonderful lunch here, the food was absolutely delicious and I loved the freshly baked cupcakes! Ms Evelyn was dynamic, warm and welcoming. Highly recommend!

What isn't there to love about this place? Friendly staff, great home cooked food and a friendly environment.

Okay, so on Mother's Day, I had THEE BEST Soul Food I've ever purchased from a restaurant! Now, anybody that knows me already knows how picky I am but BABY........This food was FYE! I had a Cajun turkey wing with dressing, Mac and cheese, sweet potatoes and collard greens mixed with cabbage. Cel had prime rib AND short ribs, mashed potatoes and asparagus and Mac and cheese and my Mama had baked chicken with all the sides I had. It was delicious and plentiful because I was eating it for two days!!!! The picture doesn't even do the food any justice. It was so flavorful and good!!! It was Thanksgiving on Mother's Day. I'm getting upset right now because I don't have anymore #itslapped #evelynsfoodlove #youdbetterhavesome Evelyn's Food Love 5522 S. State, Chicago Run over there, you won't be disappointed.....

Haven't even had the damn food but the lady with EVELYN on her apron gas the worst damn attitude ever, horrible customer service. I ask the prices of the sides and basically doesn't want to tell me the prices. Then states "I don't want to tell you the prices of the sides" mind you it was only 4 fucking sides!!!! I wish the original order taker had continued taking my order, she was very pleasant. The owner if she was is just horrible!!! If you order anything don't let her serve or wait on you for carryout. Please let this food be nasty! I try and support my Black Business but this type of service I can't deal with.

Listen!! Evelyn's Food Love is definitely a hidden gem and now dining hot spot on the South side of Chicago! If I could describe this place in word it would be...FRESH!! The quality of each item on the menu is top-notch...no complaints. The ambiance...FRESH...the customer service...reFRESHing!! I can say that without hesitation because I've had just ALMOST everything on the menu. The moment you enter the place you feel the love and smell the love and passion that is put into preparing each dish. Good things come to those who wait so just know that when it's crowded you may wait a little longer for your food. It's not a fast food joint so I don't expect my food to come out well, ummmm fast. The ambiance is very urban trendy, relaxing chill vibe and the staff from the front to the back are absolutely wonderful. It's a great place to visit frequently if you, well ummm...love food. The soul food, seafood, brunch, burgers, etc., etc., etc. are just "fyelicious" goodness!! I implore you to check out this fabulous dining hot spot nestled on State Street in the Washington Park neighborhood. When you visit Evelyn's Food Love, please try the following: anything from the "soul" food menu, the catfish po'boy, the apple cilantro turkey burger (Listen, fyeliciousness), and anything from the dessert menu! I cannot wait to get back there for their weekend brunch and try these peach cobbler and red velvet pancakes I keep hearing about! I say Kudos to Chef Evelyn and her team for bringing this much needed dining establishment to the South side. Keep doing what you're doing. I look forward to frequent visits to Evelyn Food Love and each time I go I plan to bring a new guest with me!

Saw this place on the Hungry Hound and had to try it. Decor: Nothing to scream about, plain simple, and neat. Seats about 40 peeps, and it is BYOB. Shared bathroom, small but clean. There is no direction as to how you order your food, you pretty much have to ask the customers. Anywho, you order at the counter, get a ticket and wait. Food: My daughter ordered the Baby Catfish, Spaghetti and Broccoli. The fish was ok, needed some seasoning, as did the pasta, it was really bland. The broccoli was very over cooked and bland, no crunch to it at all. I ordered the Shrimp Crawfish and Grits. That was probably the best I've ever had, bar none, delicious. Service: Certain items are cooked to order. They told us it would be a 20 minute wait on the fish. Your number is called when your food is ready. We waited 52 Minutes, we ordered at 2:28pm and received our meals at 3:20pm. SO NOT GOOOOD!! And the worst part of this experience was the Styrofoam containers, plastic utensils, yuk... Will we go back, sure in about 6+ months. They seriously need to work on their time management.

A good friend of mine recommended this place & despite them closing relatively early in the evening I made an extra effort to get here ASAP. His suggestion was solely the lobster tails & boy was he right! They were damn near seasoned to perfection! The three small tails came with a large serving of regular french fries. I also had the Shrimp & Crawfish with cheesy grits & I have to admit that the dish lacked flavor overall. Lastly the fried Catfish, corn & squash were equally as bland. Although I got 3 complete entrees I felt that the place was a bit overpriced. There's free parking on the street starting after 6pm which is also the time they close. Overall I'd return but the only reason would be the extremely tasty lobster tails. The staff are some of the warmest people you'd ever meet also.

Let me start by saying this review is long over due. I've eaten from Evelyn's 5 times this year and that's a lot for me . I'm always greeted by Evelyn's warm and kind spirit. The first time I vishe explained to how the menu changes everyday and the sides change as well. I'm in love with the baked flavorful catfish , cheesy and creamy baked macaroni and I need the recipe to the cabbage mixed with the greens lol because they taste like heaven . I promise next time I visit I will try something new but I just can't give up the cabbage with the greens .

The shrimp and crawfish cheesy grits have changed my life.... seriously! I swear I've not tasted shrimp and grits that can compete with EFL shrimp and crawfish cheesy grits. Each time I order it taste exactly the same, good af! After a night on the town the next day I need a hearty meal that's not too heavy but also not too light to revive me... This is my go to spot, my go to meal! As far as I'm concerned EFL's shrimp and crawfish cheesy grits dish is a part of Chicago's culinary legacy just like mild sauce and Harold's chicken. Hands down the best! As long as she's open and serving this dish(and please don't stop) I'll be ordering it! Thank you for fulfilling your dreams and opening this restaurant and teaching the world how shrimp and grits are REALLY done!

Every now and then, I need some good home cooked food and now I can get it daily at Evelyns. Did you try the Catfish Po Boy? Have you had the banana pudding cake? I have and now understand the meaning of Food Love.

Went into today with my boyfriend . The food was tasty but cold. The rice was salty and overcooked. The gravy was thick and clumpy. The cornbread muffin taste like it was deep fried in fish grease.

Nice clean establishment however they need more employees. If you're dining on a Sunday this place is packed!!! Food was very good BUT portions are very skimpy & a little pricey. I will be back to give another try. Peach Cobbler is a hit!

So happy I stopped here ! I was driving pass on my way to church and I saw people sitting at the window bar eating & became curious. I stopped in just to see the menu & they were putting out the hot food (it was exactly 12pm). I originally wanted breakfast but was told it ends at 12, but the food that was brought out looked so good i didn't have taste for breakfast anymore! I wanted to try The crawfish shrimp & grits but the hot food was sooo appealing I just had to go for it. & I knew it was fresh because they were just bringing it up! I decided to go with the roasted chicken mac & cheese & greens. The chicken was AMAZING! The sides were good & the greens were cooked with smoked turkey (a winner for none pork eaters like thy celfiè) ! The Food was so good I planned my next Sunday date there! That's when I'll try the shrimp & grits! I hope it's just as good!

Came here after seeing it on tv, love soul food, love the south side, so hey, why not? I will say this: try to call ahead (if someone answers the phone...jeez!) because we waited over 45 mins for food and folks just kept coming in throwing the staff off their pace. All of that aside, it seems Ms. Evelyn knows her stuff. Everything we ordered (jerk chicken, smothered chops, rice and beans, mashed potatoes) was delish and worth the wait. She even compensated for the wait with mouth watering slices of buttermilk pound cake! We will be (phoning ahead) back! Thank you kindly

Well, they don't seem to be open consistently which is quite irritating. I have to send my kids or family to other soul food places instead. You go one day cool, next day private event, next day only open 4 hours. Idk I'm trying to support..

The food exceeded my gustatory expectations on every level. As a woman of color who supports black business especially women, Evelyn's Food Love is a forever lock in. Exceptional fresh food. She has my dollars plus. I'm passing her cards out to all of my hard working friends that enjoy great food.!

Saw this place featured on the Hungry Hound so I decided to check it out. If there was a half star, this meal could not earn it! Ordered a take out of a catfish meal with mac-n-cheese with greens. The greens were spicy but NO flavor! The macaroni and cheese should be called, "Mac-NO-cheese" & the fish was HEAVILY breaded with an egg-battered coating and I questioned whether it was really catfish! Then ONE BURNT hush puppy to tip it off! The meal was DISCUSTING and a TOTAL waste of time, energy, effort and my hard earned money! If you like good soul food, don't bother, find someplace else to go. This meal was absolutely HORRIBLE!

At work we try to eat at different places and we picked this place. I didn't enjoy any of my food. NONE OF IT. Afterwards I asked around the office and we all had the same issue, no seasoning. Evelyn does not love food, she can't with the bland stuff she's serving up. We opted to try again later just because sometimes you need to give people a second chance. We got Evelyn herself on the phone to take the order and you would have thought we were bothering her. She had the nastiest attitude ever. Who would have though that placing an order for food at a restaurant would require such nastiness. Ultimately we decided against giving the food a second chance. One was enough.

Evelyn's Food Love is a major go! This is my favorite Saturday spot. All of the food here is heavenly when it hits your mouth. You have not had an excellent meal unless you sit down and give this place a try. The desserts are awesome. Posted some pictures. Get down to Evelyn's! It's just good!

First of all, EVELYN, is so graciously sweet and inviting. She is more than just the owner, she takes orders, she gives the BEST hugs and she will speak to you AND listen to you!!!!! Ok....now the food...I'm the BIGGEST fan of the Chicken and waffles. First of all, the waffle..my God......the waffle is flaky like a croissant (you have to say croissant with the French accent and drop the 'nt')....it is sweetly glazed with a dry coating of goodness!!!!! It is like a pastry....and the chicken..perfectly seasoned and crispy, crunchy and good!!!!! Man!!!! Oh Man!!!!! EVELYN's is the BEST feel good restaurant. Such good vibes. Some of my business partners and I sat there for brunch on a Sunday afternoon and laughed good laughs....ate love food, and just enjoyed the atmosphere of good music. AND this establishment is BYOB!!!!! Yaaaassssss

It's been a long time since I've been to a black own restaurant. My husband saw it in tv and had me to meet him over there. We got there about 30 to 45 minutes to closing. Service was great we even met Ms Evelyn she was making sure we had everything we needed after her long busy day. The food was great loved that fried fish and greens were great tooo! I will be back to patronize Ms. Evelyn. Oh her place is beautiful too felt comfortable eating there. Keep up the good work!!!

I Love eating at Evelyn's Food Loves. Always Amazingly, Delicious food, Friendly staff, Reasonable prices and Clean.

Food is absolutely tasty!! Some of staff can use a little bit more of a welcoming spirit but Evelyn is always nice!!

I have been to this lovely place for the second time and the food was just as good as the first time. I had the crawfish shrimp and grits it was amazing. Evelyn is so amazing. She makes you feel so welcome. I bought my nephew for the first time and she came out and taked to him like she knew him. Who can not love a place that can make you feel so welcome. Will be going again.

First time at Evelyn's. I had the shrimp etoufee which was outstanding. Full of flavor and plenty of seafood. My wife had the smothered pork chops. I honestly can't tell you which one we enjoyed more. They both were so flavorful and delicious. Perfectly seasoned pork chops and gravy. I hate to say it, but better than my mom's. We also took the liberty to enjoy three different desserts. Also of which were delicious. I'd highly recommend going there. Nice relaxing atmosphere. Looking forward to going back and having more of their menu.

Fried lobster tails in shells smells like the Caribbean. Light crunchy batter complimented the fresh meaty lobster. First visit. Will be back soon!!!!

The atmosphere was pleasant. The hostess was delightful. I ordered the Cornish hen, sweet potatoes, cabbage, Mac and cheese.. I don't care for fried food so I really don't know why I ordered fried Cornish hen but it was just ok only because I prefer baked. The sweet potatoes and cabbage were delicious. My only complaint is my food wasn't warm however I would definitely go back.

This is an excellent choice for southern comfort food. This restaurant serves a variety of entrees and on Sundays thy offer soul food. Me and my mom had their catfish special and it wasn't greasy but delicious. The green beans and spaghetti with meat sauce was great. If you are health conscious, particularly with high blood pressure or diabetes, the food is prepared without the extra stuff that would add to those conditions. In other words, it's low sodium and not over saturated with sugar. I highly recommend the peach cobbler. It was so good. The atmosphere and location of the restaurant was nice and free parking. It was truly a great experience and I will be back.

Very good! Saw this on hungry hound and had to try. I had fried chicken, greens mixed with cabbage, macaroni and cheese, and peach cobbler. Everything was delicious. The fried chicken is made to order and hot, the mac and cheese was full of flavor (I think I tasted smoked gouda), and the peach cobbler tasted like my mom's. This place is a must try!

I LOVE this place. I'm not a foodie, but I genuinely love this food and have recommended it to countless friends who share the same love for the food.

The food here was absolutely amazing! I had no idea that this location existed until I watched Hungry Hound. And because I watched Hungry Hound apparently the same day as everyone else, this place was packed and swamped! It was a lil inconvenient because all orders were backed up, however I had some time to kill so I just waited around. The manager was very kind and gave everyone a 20% off card on their meals due to the wait. She was very polite and also apologized for the inconvenience. I had Roasted Catfish (SO GOOD) black eye peas, and double steamed broccoli with carrots. I am so happy that I waited I will be back, and this time I will bring more friends and family.

I was in town for Thanksgiving weekend. Came for the first time on Friday and had to return before leaving town because I wanted the crawfish, shrimp and grits. She remembered that I preferred less "juice" and accommodated my preference! This will be a "go to" spot whenever I am in town. Probably the best shrimp and grits dish I have ever had.

I had Evelyn's amazing food at a work event recently. It was fantastic! Best hush puppies ever. Even the smells from the food caused people to stop by and see what was going on and try to find out where we got the food. I highly recommend Evelyn's Food Love to anyone who wants a flavorful and memorable meal.

Pretty good food and pleasant staff. I had the chicken and waffles. It was pretty good and just enough for me. My friend had the shrimp and grits. I had a taste of that and it was pretty tasty. I would go back...

Great food and a nice clean atmosphere. I ordered the shrimp and grits and it was delicious. I also had the strawberry parfait which was good as well. The owner was very friendly and treated me like family. The staff were very professional as well. Looking forward to returning again with friends or family.

My kids took me here for Easter!! The owner Ms.Evelyn is a beautiful, very loving person! I had the short ribs, sweet potatoes, and cabbage mixed with collard greens!! Everything was delicious!! PLEASE try this place out, she has different menus doing the week!!

Went to Evelyn's on 55th today. The shrimp & grits were the highlight. That specific dish, I'll give a 3/5. Everything else... disappointing . The chicken was mad bland. Ribs were over salty. Sides ranged from bland to just okay tasting.. Also, even if you order "for here", you'll get plastic and/or styrofoam containers. Kinda sucks tryna cut a waffle in a foam box. They have different items depending on the day, so I'll give it another visit to redeem this go around.

i love the great service, food, and awesome hospitality at evelyns food love! the food is delicious & portions are perfect for the reasonable price! so far everything i have tried is good! my family was very satisfied with their meals as well! my nephew is very particular about food at new places. he was very impressed. my dinner tonight was delicious! i definitely give you all 5+ stars! i will be back to try more things on your menu ms evelyn! we will see you all soon! my friends love those peach pancakes and i love the red velvet pancakes!

Evelyn needs to check her quality control. Cornbread dressing dry and flavorless, mac and cheese, lack luster, order your meal and go sit down and wait for name to be called. No table service. Like mv donald style order pick up and return to your seat! Desserts delicious! BYOB cool. Has potential.

Open kitchen with staff nibbling fries in plain site! Oh my, oh...why? Food: pleasantly pleasing portions. The end.

This food is NOT southern AT ALL! The greens are mixed with cabbage the taste is bland and they put little bits of garlic. How do they know everybody eats garlic for it to just be in greens. That's not even normal. The macaroni and cheese taste like a white person made it. meaning NO TASTE AND WATERY. WHERE IS THE CHEESE. Catfish filet was ok. I give this restaurant 3 thumbs down.

AMAZING!!!! Better than your mama's cooking...yes I said it including my own moms lol it was a bit of a wait but so worth it. Everything I ordered (ribs,chicken,greens,spaghetti,and black eye peas) was Full of flavor. Hands down make you wanna dance. Service was nice but the wait will almost make you want to walk away. I'll give them a pass they were just tv the evening before. Must go

Saw what I thought was a hidden gem on Hungry Hound this morning, so I decided my sister and I would go after church. Boy were we highly disappointed!! When we got there we didn't know what to do there was dining room seating, but no wait staff. After sitting for about 20 minutes we asked the gentleman at the next table how do we order? He stated we had to go the counter and order. We went to the counter to order and was told breakfast was over, so I said ok I'll order lunch. Then I was informed lunch starts at 11:00am, it was currently 10:15am. So I asked what can I order and I was told well from 10am-11am they are really closed, but since we were there they would fix what we wanted, so I'm thinking ok cool..Not!!! I asked for the liver and onions and was told they don't even offer that, but it's clearly listed as a pictured item. Then I asked about the salmon croquettes and was told they don't sell them on Sunday's clearly it's on the menu as a breakfast lunch and dinner item. As orders were coming out I noticed everything was treated as a carry out paper containers with plasticware. Now I don't know about you, but if I'm dinning in an establishment that is not fast food I would appreciate real plates and silverware! I'm sure the food is probably good, unfortunately my sister and I will never know, because we just left. Decided to try 5 Loaves on 75th St. Boy oh Boy this place is excellent and had every item on the menu. The salmon croquettes is to die for!! I hope Evelyn's get it together, but for now I'll pass.

The food was delicious and the staff very friendly. I highly recommend the creamed spinach!

I have been there a couple of times, and while most of the food is ok, they must get their act together when it comes to management and customer service. It is a shame because they could really be a go to place, especially for those of us in the neighborhood who enjoy a nice dining experience and really want to support a local business. I am going to give them (much) more time and hope they get better, but for now I will make my own shrimp, crawfish and grits at home while I figure out how to make a banana pudding cake!

I was really excited to try the breakfast items on Evelyn's food love menu however when we got there they said they no longer serve breakfast. They did not have anything that go in the cooler because they said it had just went out. We could order from what was written on the wall and a select few items on the menu. All of the food is really expensive for the very small portions that they give you. I had the pork chops w/gravy, mac & cheese, and cabbage. I had two small pork chops about the size of my phone and I have a small time the first pork chop at 8 tasted good couple of bites into the second one I did not like it the macaroni was cheesy but not seizing at all no salt and pepper anyting the Cabbage was just okay I didn't eat all that either they brought a hushpuppy out to the table when I was halfway through the meal. I just wasn't impressed with the food at all I would not go back there. Also the hours posted online I'm not the actual hours of service so I waited outside for 45 minutes before I was able to go inside

Stopped in last Sunday, ordered macaroni and babyback ribs, don't think I'll ever be returning. The macaroni tasted rank, and the ribs tasted as if they had been reheated multiple times.

This is my favorite spot on the South side. The amazingfoid is amazing and you can taste the love in each dish. The crawfish, shrimp and grits is killer. Another favorite is the catfish and shrimp po boy! Get there early on weekends to avoid crowds. There is a demand for the breakfast and soul food.