Jacob Soul Food Restaurant

The story of Jacob Soul Food Restaurant is a heartwarming tale of community, family dedication, and an immigrant's dream realized in the heart of Harlem. ​The restaurant, located at 373 Malcolm X Blvd (Lenox Avenue), was founded by Rachid Niang, an entrepreneur from Senegal who was educated in France before making Harlem his home. He named the restaurant after his late father, Jacob, and it quickly became a neighborhood favorite after opening in 2009. ​The Great Story: Giving Back on Thanksgiving ​The most enduring story of Jacob's is its commitment to giving back to the community, which started just months after its first location opened. ​Despite being a brand new business, Niang felt compelled to show gratitude to the community that was supporting his dream. On their first Thanksgiving, he opened the doors of his restaurant and invited anyone in Harlem—regular customers and those who couldn't afford a hearty holiday meal—to dine for free. ​This tradition has continued for over a decade. Every Thanksgiving Day, Rachid Niang and his wife, Kim Lum Chan Niang, mobilize dozens of volunteers to serve hundreds of free, traditional holiday and soul food meals. Guests can choose from classic Southern dishes like roast turkey, candied yams, and macaroni and cheese, along with Jacob's everyday Caribbean and soul food favorites. ​The restaurant, known for its buffet-style selection of Southern, Caribbean, and Continental fare, is not just a place to eat; it's a true community hub built on family heritage and a deep connection to Harlem. ​Note on Location: The restaurant you are referring to is located at 373 Lenox Avenue (which is also known as Malcolm X Boulevard) in Harlem, New York, NY 10027.

Real SOUL food, every dish is made with love and great flavor. The staff was kind and welcoming. Good stuff right there.

We came from California to try this place we heard about. The food was delicious and plentiful. You pay by the weight. From the oxtails to the short ribs beyond, everything was good! The live music with the older gentleman and his guitar and the drummer and bass player, definitely made the place lively and fun! Good food, good music, what more can you ask for! Highly recommended..will be back!😋😋

I was genuinely looking forward to trying their food. We host a large luncheon every month at work, and I was hoping they could become a regular vendor for us, especially given their extensive menu. Unfortunately, the experience was very disappointing. The chicken lacked any flavor—completely unseasoned. Both the mac and cheese and collard greens were also severely under-seasoned and bland. Surprisingly, the sweet yams were the standout; they didn’t look like much, but they had a nice balance of sweetness and were quite enjoyable. The cornbread was forgettable, and the potato salad had an odd, off-putting flavor. Overall, the food left much to be desired. Down right awful. I also need to add, the staff was very nice. All smiles and very helpful.

The customer service was great and the food was everything you ever expect for soul food

Soul food in buffet style with many yummy food. I had salmon they made excellent, collard greens and asparagus also avocado salad, but my family tried almost everything… my daughter a meat fan she had BBQ rib, pepper steak and beef on the bones. My son and hubby pick up fired chicken and soft baked chicken with mac and cheese mashed potato and greens too. I seen they had oxtail, turkey, many different salad, fruits, banana bread pudding for sweets, You can take out or you can seat and eat . I choose outside sitting this place nice and clean, and can’t wait to eat that food .For me best on sunday especially if you don’t wanna cook or if everyone in your family wanna eat different combo.Also recommend people who works in the area the price is great for everybody pocket . This two on the picture was $21 after we took 3 more box and paid all together $50 so each box $10 these days for hot food is a bless. Today we stop by again!! Still the best soul food in NYC! I take again the avocado salad with crab,it was heaven… Ladies adorable at the cashier. The gentleman just bring out right on time my son baked chicken fresh from the oven,perfectly seasoned! It’s a long list from the food and all the good thing about this place! Told you a lot go,eat, enjoy! Thank you for the delicious lunch!!

Went to this recommended restaurant after taking a tour of Harlem. It is a buffet and they charge by the pound. A wide variety of food,beef,pork,chicken,fish, seafood,fruits and salads. Not just your standard soul food staples. Its not a fancy place,more clean cafeteria style seating and you bus your own tables I had several dishes like a whole fish that were very tasty. I tried several types of dishes and nothing was bad. I preferred the fish and jerk chicken dishes (not too spicy tho)and wish i had room for more veggies and dessert dishes. They charge more for meat only plates, $10.99(?)and cards pay an extra fee as most do now. There's not a lot of indoor seating but we went at lunchtime and there was plenty.

The buffet style food was delicious. The collard greens, mac and cheese, oxtails, fried chicken, fruits, salads, pasta, ribs, and more were laid out very appetizing. However, be aware that they do weigh your plate. That will affect the cost.

The flavors shocked me with their perfect balance. Workers display exceptional pleasantness and helpfulness, with rapid dish delivery. Each plate had perfect doneness. This place enjoys a well-situated location. This place deserves multiple visits, outstanding experience.

One of the few places post covid & post trump II's opening that's still got it. The fried chicken carried the meal, as before, with the yams being a worthy sidekick

Confession: I have scoffed at those who only prefer places within 800 feet of their front door, but I have been guilty of geographic laziness in shifting some of my business to another buffet because of its proximity to the D train. (And the other place is great too I just need to mix it up more). I was overdue for a classic combo of fried chicken, mac and cheese, collard greens and sweet tea. And yet I wanted to diversify, so I got a small amount of goat curry, which had a great sauce. I was coveting the lima beans and jerk chicken. If you know how much I eat, you know I handle eight or nine items. But if you know my food photography, you're aware that picture quality diminishes once you exceed four things on a plate (of course you can go one level beyond that if they're mostly reds and greens, see Pico De Gallo Waiver, Volune 2).

I've been here at least 10 times in the past year. It's a staple however I'm gonna take up a lil space and use my voice. Lately, I have 2nd thoughts before just going here on autopilot. I walked in a few times where everything is fresh on display and it is quite the sight. How so you ask? Sure, I'll explain. The food is giving GMO and the great value brand. It doesn't feel organic. I know places have to budget and save costs yet my stomach cannot tolerate it. Some of the foods are so large- carrots, cabbage, beans, I'm like why does everything look so big? I'll go as far to say that the foods flavors are electrifying as if MSG is being used. For clarification, this is just my thought. I don't feel our palettes and blood streams need to be shocked for food to satisfy us. I guess what I'm getting at is that I want better for us. At best, this is a once is a while treat. When I think of the overall health of the surrounding community, we can surely have these same amazing food options with healthier ingredients.

This buffet style soul food spot has all you want to. Has a dine in option, as well as many choices of delicious fresh soul food. There's also great desert options and drink options.

The variety of soul food is amazing!! My friend and I were also so grateful for the people letting us sit in and I hope we made sure we left the place cleaner than we found it. There is a microwave to heat the food as well. Paying by the weight of the food made me very conscious of the fact that the weight adds up quickly. There are side sauces to take to go as well. Make sure the containers are well sealed when taking to-go since the sauces can leak out when not handled well. The lighting is warm and there are indoor and outdoor seatings. Thank you to all who work here!

This is and remains my "must-go" stopping grounds whenever I fly into NYC (because you can take the M60 blue line straight next to this place and then take the redline down to wherever you need to go to Manhattan). So the location is convenient - and it's a great quick meal for when you're on the go. The food is a mixture of Carribean and soul food - pretty much a seamless mixture of both cuisines, which I guess is pretty common to see in Harlem. Insert meme of Marcus Garvey being proud (maybe). The buffet line is massive and has tons of different foods, so I think pretty much everyone will find something they like. Anyways, I think the quantity, price, and flavor of the food is unbeatable. Whenever I visit, I am EATING GOOD. It's basically a buffet style, which I think is the optimal way of eating food because you can try a little bit of everything. Where else can you pay $12 and get to try maybe 12 different things? From BBQ ribs, to coleslaw, to mac salad, to jerk chicken, to fried chicken, to collard greens, to ham to I guess grilled chicken if you're boring to even oxtail (wow!!!). Absolutely blows every trendy "tapas" or "small plates" place out of the water. You can try a bit of everything for like 18% the price. Anyways, it's basically $9 or $10/lb, which is a lot of food since we're talking pure meat and carbs going into my gullet. I have a pretty big appetite, but I think a $11 plate was more or less to make me very very full. The other great thing is that they're open pretty late - basically until like 9 or 10 PM on most nights. This is a bit later than most other comparable restaurants and very helpful for those of us who are getting off work or transiting into (or out of) NYC. Honestly, it's hard to find food this good this late most of the time, even in New York City! Anyways, highly recommended. It's my go-to whenever I fly into LaGuardia for good reason!

Jacob Soul Food Restaurant is a great place to come and get your fill without worrying about your wallet. Jacob's is a buffet where you weigh your food that determines the price you will pay. They are constantly managing the two twin sided buffets to ensure they are stocked and clean. One buffet is more oriented towards fruit, vegetables and salads and the other has your proteins, carbs, and some vegetables. I had beef short ribs on the brain, so that was the main mission on this Saturday afternoon. The rice with shrimp was conveniently next to the beef short ribs and their savory gravy. A few steps to the left was the mac n cheese and a few more steps to the left were the greens. Around the corner was fried chicken. I have been here before, well before I wrote reviews on Yelp when I only read the reviews. It's been a long time and there is another side to the restaurant with tables for seated service, but most people seem to weigh their food to go. You can pay for the food after weighing it and go back to the kitchen and request that your folding food cartons or trays be wrapped in saran wrap to prevent leakages on the way home. Their plastic bags are sturdy enough and up to the journey home walking and by subway. They need to be, given the variety and volume on offer at a great value at Jacob Soul Food. The chicken is good 'round the way fried chicken. There is not much seasoning to the batter, but that can easily be handled with some hot sauce to wake it up. I probably got about five or six drumsticks and an equal number of wings for you to keep a running total on the value proposition Jacob represents. The other tray had the rice and shrimp under about nine chunks of short ribs and gravy, greens and mac n cheese stacked in there. These are not the tender fall off the bone beef short ribs, but they are still decent. They are not tough and the gravy has that savory quality that has you wanting more. The shrimp and rice is perfectly cooked and it is a perfect accompaniment to the short ribs and gravy. The greens are perfectly cooked too. They are seasoned and are clean. There is no grit here. The mac n cheese is also very good with lots of cheese and perfectly cooked elbow macaroni. There is no baked crust, but that is the only ding. I don't know how much it weighed, but it came to $47 and change. I paid cash, but it will be slightly higher if you pay via credit card. For the amount of food, this is a very good value proposition. I am still eating the food and it would feed a person for at least four meals. Nothing here will be the best you've ever had, but here you can feed your family, everything is kept stocked and clean, and not be stressed over how much you paid in these inflationary times. The people here are good people and helpful. Jacob Soul Food is a 3.7 star experience!

I want to give a 3.5, I thought about giving this a 4. However I had more issues than I had positives. I start off with the positive, the food was good. Honestly, I'd come back again if someone wanted to. However there's better options in Harlem. That being said, let's get into my issues. The fried chicken wasn't very fresh. You're honestly better off going to Popeyes or KFC for fried chicken if I'm being honest. The Mac and Cheese was very cheesy however the noodles were flavorless. The candied yams weren't really remarkable. The best things were the BBQ chicken and Jerk chicken. I have no complaints about them. The jerk was delicious and spicy. Had a nice kick to it. The BBQ was delicious and sweet. The banana pudding was also pretty good. Too much cookies and the pudding wasn't thick. With all of that said, I had better version of everything on my plate elsewhere. I know people who can cook this food better than the restaurant. Honestly, if you grew up eating good soul food or home cooking, this can be a pass. There's certainly great options and nothing I had was bad. It was just ok. Like I'd said, I'd be willing to come back. Unfortunately this is a buffet style restaurant where you pay by the pound. I typically hate these kinds of places. It becomes a balancing act of not trying to pay too much while also having a fulfilling portion. I did allow myself to cut loose a little. It ended up costing me $21. For that much, I could've went to Amy Ruth's or Slyvia's. I did not feel like I got $20 worth of food. If I were to come back I'd put more effort on saving money. However I could see that being a small unsatisfying portion. Seems like I would be unhappy either way. If you enjoy this place, good for you. It's not bad food but not exactly top tier in my opinion. Although my three star rating is going against the grain.

I really enjoyed my food here! I caught this restaurant on the fly and a Harlem native told me it was a Harlem staple, so I had to try. Buffet style, soul food by the pound, with so many delicious options. I tried the paella, Mac-n-cheese, sweet potato, collard greens, fried chicken, and cornbread. Everything was well seasoned and didn't carry too much salt. Owners were friendly and there was a live band playing and singing music on a Sunday afternoon. Outside sitting area available, as well. I can definitely see why this is a Harlem gem. I would argue that their fried chicken is even better than Sylvia's. I would definitely return and try different food items like their baked ribs. Good eats.

Really good food for a really good price. Everything is fresh and packed with flavor. I ate for 2 days for about $40. Not the friendliest service, but I was in and out, so I didn't care. Clean environment.

Jacob's is a buffet style restaurant. The jerk chicken was seasoned perfectly, the yellow rice and beans were moist and the string beans were crisp delicious. There are a lot of delicious looking choices. The service is great, and the ambiance is nice and quaint. I would definitely go back and I'd recommend Jacob's restaurant in Harlem to everyone.

Food - 4/5, excellent seafood (loved the cod and the baked salmon, could eat it for days). Oxtail was well-seasoned but chewy and would need to be slow cooked for a better texture. Was so tempted to load up on mac n cheese, but limited myself. The mac was definitely cheesy and quality - I would have added salt or a saltier cheese. The cabbage was fine, as were the black eyed peas. I really enjoyed the avocado salad which was citrusy and fresh. Service - 4/5, it's self-serve and pay by the pound. The guy at the counter was nice and the guys in the kitchen seemed jovial. Ambiance - 4.5/5 - they have a large table area with plenty of seating for midday on a weekend. It's clean but not fancy. There was Michael Jackson blasting (which I love). Truly a Harlem experience. Price - it's $8.95 per pound if you mix cold and hot food. I ate a huge meal for $13, but am conscientious of what to get given something like yams would be super pricy bc of the weight. I think it is reasonably priced for post-pandemic nyc. I stopped in for New Year's Day and did my journaling here. Had a great time and would come back again for a meal alone.

Writing this as i eat. The food is yummy and fresh. Fried chicken was only okay. Its probably really good when its fresh from the kitchen. The oxtail was great and the ribs were bomb. Loved the collard greens and surprisingly loved the lasagna. I found the goat curry to be a bit chewy but was flavorful The staff was super friendly. They also have a small seating area with fans which stays surprisingly cool considering when you are right by the buffet it's sweltering hot. Prolly nice in winter but i was trying load my box as quick as i could in nyc summer.

Great Soul Food restaurant with a great variety of dishes to choose from for soul food lovers

Food is good. Service is OK but there is no ambience. they always have a great selection of food but now since Covid, there's never anywhere to sit.

Been a customer for 5 years and have to say I haven't been happy with the food lately. Food is starting to taste a bit bland. Not sure if they have different cooks but if so they're not that great. Food is starting to suck like Manna's (their food also went downhill and too expensive).

My daughter and I went here for soul food when we were in NYC recently over the famous Sylvia's because we thought we would get more variety with this place being a buffet. We were right. They have a hot and cold buffet and you take a to go box (or boxes!) and fill to your heart's content. I particularly enjoyed the baked salmon, fried chicken, baked chicken, cabbage, spinach rice, sweet potatoes, Mac and cheese, jerk chicken and the greens, even though they had the stems in them and I prefer without. My daughter had her faves in her box and it was hard to fit anything else, so we got an extra box of lasagna home. We ate in the dining room so our food wouldn't be cold. Even by the pound we spent under $40 for our meals with drinks. I like a little more seasoning (at least black pepper) and hot sauce on my food, but in adding those things, we greatly enjoyed.

I saw people dining inside and others buying plates to go. I bought ribs, turkey wings, bacon & cheese, collard greens and yams. The yams were the best item there. I spent $50 on 2 cartons of food. The 1st carton was a meal. The 2nd carton was mostly meat

Food , service and ambience was lacking, wouldn't take the ride from CT to go again. Was very disappointed.

All the food you can possibly crave and want. Weighed by the pound. Good to go spot or if you want to sit and eat you can as well.

I haven't been in a few years, but I used them for my Mom's repass, I ordered fried chicken, collard greens, I can't remember everything, it's almost 11 years ago now. They were so gracious, they even delivered it for me. I always loved their food on 129th Street and Lenox Avenue

What soul food place sells oxtail on weekends only? Terrible. Food was nothing to be thrilled about to be honest. Not much food either for the price. Not worth it.

So sad, but the food has seriously declined. This visit it was bland, over cooked and oily. Jerk chicken was burnt and super salty. Lasagna was sitting in grease. Cabbage lacked seasoning. Mac and cheese had NO flavor. Fried chicken was dry as the Sahara. Peach cobbler was an embarrassment and I threw it away. Come on guys! You need a new chef. This sort of decline is pathetic and will cause you to lose your loyal customers. This may be my last visit. Pity.

I don't know why they are writing these fake reviews about Jacobs on Lenox. I visited recently, and will never go back again. This is definitely not authentic black American soul food. Every thing there is in huge form. They do not even chop up anything right, as far as the cabbage and collards. I have never seen anything like what was supposed to be candied yams (huge). Macaroni and cheeses, terrible and bland. They basically did not have most of the dishes that they advertise to have. This is not Soul Food enough for me, and I will not be returning. It is more for African or Jamaican.

The door here was very good. The place is clean. I really haven't eaten at a buffet since the Pandemic. I happy that I am able to visit here at this time. The food is a little pricey. But everything is twice the price since the pandemic. They stay open late enough if you get off work late you can drop in and get a bite. I'll be going back soon. They have a large variety of different kinds of food. Also fruit vegetables and deserts

I came here for lunch. This place is located across from the National Jazz Museum. It's a buffet style restaurant that charges food by weight. It will cost an average of $20/ person to get a decent meal. They have a good selection of food. I had macaroni and cheese, collard greens, fried fish, calamari, yams, fried chicken and banana pudding. Everything was good and fresh. The staff were friendly. I would definitely go back if I'm in the area.

Didn't get in from New York til late because of the storms... got carryout from your restaurant yesterday. Omg, off the chain, the food, service, and cleanliness. Omg I will be back to New York. My BF dad frequents your restaurant all the time. I had baked ziti, mac and cheese, a taste of pigs feet, corn mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and fruit. This is the cleanest and freshest food bar ever.

Thank you Jacob's! You have listened to feedback and now are back to what made us fall in love with you in the first place. I was in the area and a friend said c'mon let's go to Jacob's. Willing to give another chance I am so grateful I have. We got the ribs, seafood rice, JERK CHICKEN, which was Superb!, Greens, Mashed potatoes, and my ultimate fav spaghetti! Everything and I repeat everything was Tasty, well seasoned and cooked perfectly. Will definitely add back to my food spots! Will use them for a catering order soon also!

What a great place! All of the food looked incredibly fresh, varied, appetizing, and there were staff monitoring us to use gloves (the staff seemed really nice), which in a self-serve setting during COVID I can appreciate! This is the perfect place if you felt like tasting a little bit of everything. I love variety so it was perfect for me. I got a box with a pork rib, oxtail, curry chicken, a bite of Mac salad and mac n cheese, bean salad, greens, a beef rib, and fried chicken. You can try a lot and the price is still affordable (it's weighed per lb.). Best thing is that my chicken was still crispy when I got home. Everything's was flavorful and delicious. I regret not getting some more of that chicken curry--it was so rich and complex in flavor. Will definitely return! There is also a good bit of outdoor seating, which is ideal for a sunny spring day like today.

Dependably good buffet at a reasonable price. Friendly staff from the owner to the kitchen help. As a treat: DJ on Friday evening

Buffet style . Weighed by the pound . I got beef lasagna. There wasn't one piece of beef in the lasagna . Only undercooked vegetables with no taste . The goat was too hard to chew and had nothing but bones and the "jerk" chicken was more like Spivey bbq . . The biggest Waste of $30 I ever spent . Please go else where ...

The food was good for buffet style food and the live music surprised me. I'm a born and bred New Yorker... that's a high bar to clear.

Grabbed a plate from here while roaming around H-town. I wanted to try something new in the area. This place probably (maybe) had an open buffet prior to COVID, but like many places, now charged by total weight. I believe my container came up to about $30-$32 total. The best part of the food was probably the seafood rice. It was DELICIOUS and the pieces of calamari, lobster, and everything else in it was flavorful and chewy. The Mac and cheese was "alright", I was expecting way more flavor but it wasn't as flavorful as I thought. I enjoyed it, however. The rice was alright as well, I can't say that the veggies and rice were WOW, but it was doable. I ended up not eating it entirely, as it didn't really have much flavor. The ribs were delicious, I did enjoy it and so were the oxtail. The oxtail were very meaty and flavorful and tasted great. Ultimately, I'd have to give this place about a 3/5. While it was good, it wasn't really mind-blowing and for $30+ I was expecting way more flavor and taste. I guess it's a give and take, since most buffet places make food in bulk which I believe doesn't taste as flavorful as when it isn't prepared that way. You may enjoy it, you may not -- but I do believe there are better options out there for soul food in the area.

This is the place to be! Im hesitant to make this review because I don't want it to become any busier but they truly deserve all the flowers and more! So delicious, great price, and never disappoints! As of now, they only have outdoor seating and take out!

Some friends had a taste for soul food and wanted to come here since they had eaten at this establishment before. Buffet is not my first choice for food. The food choices were too many for me so I just did the Fried chicken, candied yams, collard greens and black eyed peas. They were all good and seasoned well. They did have hand sanitizer but I didn't see everyone use it. I think it should be enforced. Seating is first come first served after you pay for your food. "Serve yourself" tap water was available for customers. The bathroom was really clean which was nice to see. Good place if you are with people that are not sure what they want to eat. They have almost every meat option, turkey, oxtails, beef and pork ribs, tilapia and salmon. Lots of vegetarian selections, mashed potatoes, assorted greens hot and cold veggies. Fruits, salads hard boiled eggs. Plenty of options for $6.49lb.

This is a solid 5* for me! I stalked this place as I was walking thru Harlem during the Xmas season. Even thought they were busy everything was on point, the food was presented well, the buffet itself was clean and organized. The staff was friendly and very attentive, the line went fast as expected. The literally felt like I was in the Caribbean, whewww the oxtails, jerk chicken, yellow rice with beans, and cabbage was out of this world goodness!!! The have plenty of food for all, vegans you will be satisfied as well. Pile on as much as you like, they weigh at register. I paid approx. $10 for my plate with no drink. The price is very reasonable for home cooked pile it on food. If I lived local I would never cook for any holiday, it was that good. This will be my place for soul food when Im in Harlem.

Those ribs do it every time. Delicious! My favorite are those rice and beans, ribs, yams, and collard greens. I wish they had the fried fish.

The buffet food was great, not as many options as I would've liked but I came too early. Got the Mac & cheese which was not too flavored, jerk chicken and salmon were my favorites and the corn bread. Also got sweet potato pie and carrot cake for dessert- the cake was dry so I wouldn't recommend getting that again. But all in all, a great take out spot for soul food. Paid $30 for two hefty boxes of food

The Jerk chicken is very very salty. I will not have it there again. I mention to the cashier and it seem like she had an attitude. Beware!!! Your health is important. Only in Harlem....

The rows of food looked so good but alas, the taste TO ME was just JUST. Buffet style at $6.49 per lb. The mash I had was flavorless. The ribs a bit on the tough side. The corn and string beans just like I would do it so I enjoyed those. I also enjoyed the caesar salad. The best thing for me was their avocado soaked in what seemed to be lime/lemon juice. That was so refreshing. I also liked their oxtail. If I'm in the area I'll be back as I wouldn't mind trying that fish I had my eyes on and....MORE AVOCADO! THE END.

After several referrals to check them out "Soul/Jerk food by the pound", we came in at 11am on a Monday. So the place was pretty empty. The buffet was ready to be taken down. Lol it was set up and everything smelled good & looked fresh. The hostesses weren't overly friendly or helpful. But the cooks in back were nice & all smiles. (Maybe they were flirting lol) I stretched it to a 4. Food-3, some good, some needed seasoning, but it was good. Facility-4, it was clean. Service-2.5, it was really nonexistent.

Hadn't been to Jacob in years. Sad to say I'll never go back. The food looked good at first glance , everything looked clean and they had a nice out door seating area. I got a nice visit from the food poisoning fairy and had to call out of work for 2 days.

Great establishment to feed my Soul! It's a Soul food buffet I thought only my grandmother could prepare. Delicious variety of Soul food that is calling me right now

The food is ok. There is no air conditioning. No one welcomed us. The ambiance is hot, no air conditioning but you can tell they work hard.

A lot of people have complained about their jerk chicken. I always take into perspective the person writing the review. If you are a person that's glutton and need to pack your tray with food because it is a buffet , then maybe . If you are a normal person and added a spoonful of rice and a tablespoon of vegetables then it is perfectly fine. -cleanliness includes bathroom -5 -staff-5 Food quality-4 -food tasting-3 1/2 mostly because I haven't tried everything also free ice or room temperature water is free. They label everything on top of the dish so you're not confused. Everything is displayed properly. It's very community friendly. I've tried quit a few dishes and it was very tasty and when they say home made it is I have tried, curry goat, jerk chicken,lasagna,beef ribs,rice and beans,mashed potatoes,meatballs,okra a tomato dish,asparagus,a bean dish,tomatoes,potato salad,jello with fruit inside. Macaroni salad. Best part almost every every sort of salad you can imagine. Simple garden to endive. The list goes on. I have tried quite a few more dishes, but I can't remember the name of it. I am not a person that likes buffets, especially a place like that. It's very ethnic and very cultural. So all the dishes there are made for all the different sorts of people in the community I guess you would say. There's so many other dishes I wanted to try as well I've been there twice but my friend lives in the neighborhood and they go there at least three times a week so I always said that you know when I go there I would like to try and I did two times and everything is top notch. Also, they had a numerous assortment of fishes and so many dishes don't let a few bad reviews ruin this place I mean it's like not just because if let's say something is free, you have to take it all you have to balance everything .

Today was my first time eating from jacobs soulfood the food was amazing!! The flavor of the collard greens was delicious the macaroni and cheese was to die for and the pork ribs was on point I will definitely order food from them

Okay so I am originally from suburban of NYC where buffet means you pay a set price and eat as much as you please in one sitting. In NYC its a little different it means you pay per pound for an assortment of food. I been to handful of NYC buffets which I dont like bc of the cost, lack of food variety etc etc. However Jacob's is not like that at all! The food is very fresh, they are constantly rotating their trays. The variety of food mainly Americans, Soul food, also have a great salad bar selection. I always end up spending $15-18 because they're so much great option. They created a buffet experience without taking away the quality of the food. One of the better buffets in NYC.

We were up in Harlem, and we came across Jacob; we weren't exactly hungry, but we could tell it was going to be good, because the small outdoor seating area was filled with boxes of food, and people were seriously chowing down. We peeked in, and it was a very active buffet line, with hot foods, and salads, sold by the pound, so why not try a small box full? This wasn't a fancy place, and the food is just what should be on. the soul food agenda (except no ox tail). Like corned beef and cabbage, baked short ribs, fried whole fish, okra, collards, beans? All of it was fresh and delicious. The line went fast, the trays were brimming with food, including turkey legs, bbq ribs, fried and baked chicken, and veggies galore. With all the competion on Lenox St, you have to be good, and Jacob was very good... We shared box full of enough for the two of us for lunch, for under $10! How can you beat that? You can't. Give it a try when you are on Lenox Ave!