Mama Kin

We came here because we wanted southern Cajun food. Was disappointed that they changed their menu and no longer served jambalaya and other entrees. It’s now quick bar type food. We ordered: -Lust for life wings -Catfish tacos -Loaded fries The food was delicious. 6 wings had a sweet taste from the honey drizzle. Loaded fries was our favorite with lots of crispy bacon, nacho cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo. The drinks were inexpensive, average $13 for cocktails, $8 for beers, and $11 wine. The vibe was chilled with all locals. They have nights for karaoke, improv, theme nights, live music. Two story with an upstairs loft. Great hang out. Free street parking after 6pm. They have a back gated parking lot that cost $6 an hour or $30 all day.

It's def a vibe! We went for the R & B brunch. DJ was great, played music from way back to some current stuff. Host put us right next to the dj and it was loud. We were moving closer to each other to try to hear each other's conversation. So if you plan to talk with your group and don't want to yell at each other, I'd sit outside or in the back. Outside was really nice with a cool breeze too, it got a little warm inside. Cool size bar, lots of different drinks, cocktails were $13 (not bad). There's a 2 for $15 mimosa deal and you go to the juice bar to add your choice of flavor, there were 5. (Strawberry lemonade, mango, peach, guava & OJ) Brunch menu has several choices. Classic eggs Benedict, good, only flaw was the most important, the hollandaise was way too runny, thicken that up and it's great. The chicken fried steak, good, maybe don't chop up the steak and ease up on the salt in the gravy. Others in our group ordered the jambalaya nachos, tacos and classic breakfasts, they said their meals were good. If we go back, it's probably just to drink.

Went to this place for St Patrick's Day evening and had a really wonderful time. The Caribbean Cajun style food was delicious and there are many options to choose from and also has a very nice bar. Saturday that's replaced the old Cafe Stritch, a great jazz bar and restaurant and that was a mainstay for many years but did not survive the covid years. However this place is a very worthy replacement and I'll definitely be patronizing it. The entertainment was awesome, a jazz pop band was playing with really fantastic rhythms, excellent vocals, great music, and they really put themselves out there for the performances. The vocalist had such fantastic range and dynamics that it was a treat to listen and watch. If you catch this band, Sweet Hayah, I really recommend them.

Such a great experience, highly recommend!!!! Go to place for live jazz, blues with great atmosphere, food, and drinks!! Mama Kin is 5 stars on all points - great vibes. You have to try their Cajun and soul food. So cool to experience such cool bands.

Amazing local music venue where you can support local musicians and enjoy incredible music! Wonderful cocktails created by a very accommodating bartender. 🍸 The kitchen serves amazing homemade and authentic Cajun Creole cuisine!

We went to Mama Kim at our searchive music on a Friday night in San Jose and man the blues band was on point! The bartenders were very kind and fast. We had the Cesar salad and the chicken wings. The wings had great flavor but were not crispy at all. I would return. The searing is ample and a good location in downtown San Jose.

Brunch is such a vibe!! Food is very good and has tons of flavor. DJ plays all the old school cuts and the MC keeps the party going! Definitely recommend especially if it’s your birthday!

If you love live music and amazing delicious food you've found the right place. They have live music 7 nights a week and the weekend boogie brunch serves southern classics that won't have you singing the blues. They have an excellent list of signature cocktail and the bar tenders and food service staff always have wonderful suggestions. Go for a good time. Eat. Drink. Be merry!

This place is a vibe !!! Music is on point, decor is nice, bartenders are friendly and fast. Food is GREAT Reason for 3 stars is the disorganization, overbooking and management false promise We made bday reservations for brunch, when we got there they seated us way in the back, and also seated us at a table that didn't accommodate all of us ( too small) Manager apologized and promised us that when a table that is closer to the front becomes available we would be moved closer and also promised us a free bottle as compensation Unfortunately none of that happened Our server was overwhelmed but and did the best he could under the circumstances but obviously things could have been better Parking is street parking only or you can pay for parking in a private parking lot

We came here because we wanted southern Cajun food. Was disappointed that they changed their menu and no longer served jambalaya and other entrees. It's now quick bar type food. We ordered: -Lust for life wings -Catfish tacos -Loaded fries The food was delicious. 6 wings had a sweet taste from the honey drizzle. Loaded fries was our favorite with lots of crispy bacon, nacho cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo. The drinks were inexpensive, average $13 for cocktails, $8 for beers, and $11 wine. The vibe was chilled with all locals. They have nights for karaoke, improv, theme nights, live music. Two story with an upstairs loft. Great hang out. Free street parking after 6pm. They have a back gated parking lot that cost $6 an hour or $30 all day.

This is a nice place with cool vibes. I want to come again in a different day. 1st things 1st!! I went to brunch on a Saturday and there was an entirely different menu. Disappointing because i knew what i wanted to order. I ended up getting a burger. I can't complain. It's was delicious!!

Came here for drinks and the live music. $10 cover for Friday night. The bar was excellent. Got my drink quickly and the bartender was courteous and friendly. Mama Kin is a beautiful lounge. Plenty of space for people and a wide selection of food. Full bar. The music is incredible every single time I go. Such a great vibe for late night in DTSJ. I highly recommend checking out Mama Kin.

Mammaaa Kim! First time heard about this restaurant was through Instagram and I had the opportunity to visit here for my sister's birthday. I'm going to rate this place a 3 and here's why.. **The Good** We made reservations and we were there on time and we were seated right way. The ambience was giving what I seen from Instagram! The DJ, the vibes, and just the whole brunch vibe that is expected! It was a 90s day and I can honestly say we had a great time! I would give it another try. THE FISH & GRITS WAS MY FAVORITE!!!!! Unfortunately it wasn't mine lol but I had the chance to try it and mannnnnn that stuff hitting fasho! Everything was regular **The Bad** We ordered after 20 minutes of vibing and drinking our mimosas. Once the waiter took our orders we thought everything was fine until she returned 45 minutes later telling me and my friend there they were out of the southern fried chicken fried steak! The problem isn't them running out but after 45 minutes?!!!!!! I immediately was annoyed by that so I ended up just ordering eggs and bacon because everybody food was already arriving and waiting another 45 minutes was out of the question!!!! Overall a 3/5 but I would try this place again and ima order the fish and grits in hope that if they're out of something, we are immediately notified!

Went for R&B brunch the weekend before Juneteenth. It's so fun here! Mimosas were 2 for $15. The staff are all nice and chill. The music is perfect. The food is good. Mimosas are really just a glass of champagne and you get your own juice to add to make a mimosa. They had several juice options like guava and mango which was fun. Tequila shots are $11. Luckily they were having a Juneteenth promo of 3 different shots for $7 which I took back to back, wish I had known about it before I bought tequila shot because they were mixed drink shots and so good. The eggs Benedict were amazing. The country fried chicken steak was a bit too salty but still good. Ambience and staff were fun. Would definitely go back again!

The food was very good especially the chicken and grits was really delicious. I had a poached egg on top wasn't too cheesy and had enough salt and flavor. I think the chicken gave it a good kick too. My boyfriend got the French toast. It was all right. He really liked and enjoyed it I think for me I would've rather had syrup on it but less calories so that's a win. The vibe was very nice. It seemed like it's a good place for the girls to come with their girlfriends or as a date they had music playing in the background , a DJ and someone walking around with a microphone , spicing up the songs. it does get pretty crowded in there. People were up ordering a bunch of shots. Seems like it's a girls/girls place to drink eat and turn up. They have a really cool mimosa bar in there and up to five flavor to choose from. The champagne is filled to the brim of the glass so you were able to just put a drop of OJ, guava, mango, & strawberry. Wish I took a picture of my champagne.

My boyfriend and I came for dinner on a Thursday night and it was basically empty... service was super friendly and helpful, but food really wasn't anything to write home about. The cornbread and chicken were good- the chipotle butter that came with the cornbread wasn't my thing but the cornbread by itself was great. Seasoning was good on the chicken, though a tad oily. I was excited for the mac and cheese but it wasn't really anything special- I had expected breadcrumbs on top and some more excitement, but I guess overall it was pretty good. Portion was large so I took half of it home. Music was loud and it's dark inside but that's probably because it's more of a bar than a restaurant. Might come back for drinks, but not for a meal.

Visiting SJ & came here for brunch on Saturday. The DJ had the music was on point. We were there a bit early so the crowd was slowly picking up. The service was quick and easy. I ordered the Just Breakfast. My food wasn't the best but you if you're going for music & drinks this is the place to be. Definitely If you love a good day party brunch

The atmosphere is such a vibe. Loud music, good music, all the employees are great, food was delicious. I recently went for a birthday and we had the best time. DJ takes you back to when music was good. People even danced! If you're looking fun, place is definitely a vibe!

This place was a phenomenal spot for my cousin's 30th! They had a Mimosa tower with a bunch of juice options. The food was delicious brunch options. The service was accurate and fast even though we were group of 12ppl. The DJ and & MC were so much fun, they really put their souls and voice into the party by making the birthday ladies feel special. It was so much fun to be on the dance floor!

First time here for brunch on a Saturday afternoon for my girls birthday and we had such a good time here. The location is great had no problem with finding parking. the atmosphere at Mama Kin was very welcoming loud good music. The food was delicious very flavorful and the mimosas kept coming. the service was great very fast and a very lively friendly crew. The dj and the guy on the mic was definitely amazing. This spot is Great for a birthday brunch or just wanting to eat and listen to some good music.

My friend called the day before to see if we could get a reservation but they were full up but then told her that we could drop in. But when I got there and tried to get a seat, there was a snafu where they said they didn't take walkins. I think it was maybe a new staff person who didn't know. There were a ton of tables that seemed to be open and also tables in front. I think their brunch with music is very popular and there were a couple of large parties. This definitely seems like a fun place and the music was great. I also felt like our server was very helpful and came out often to check on us. The food was so-so. I got the fried chicken and waffles and the chicken was really good but the waffle was not really exciting. (I had a better waffle at a hotel buffet last month.) They were out of several of the things on the menu which was a little disappointing. My friends ordered the biscuits and gravy and said the gravy was "sour tasting" - dunno if that was that it was missing something or just not to their taste. I did feel like it was all a little pricey. I did like the mimosas where you could add flavors of syrup to it - a cool touch. I would be interested in checking this place out at dinner and it does seem like it would be a fun place to go at night.

オープンマイクの日に訪れたMama Kinは、最高の雰囲気でした。お店に入った瞬間、若者ばかりかと思いきや、そうではなく、年齢や職業を問わず、投資家の方から心理学者まで、様々な客層が集まっていて、誰もが歓迎されている感じがしました。 タコスバーガーも非常に美味しく、新しいシェフの腕前が光っていました。料理の質が高いにもかかわらず、価格は手頃で、コストパフォーマンスが抜群です。また、飲み物の種類が豊富で、選ぶのに迷うほど充実しているのも嬉しいポイントです。 さらに、店内のインテリアも素敵で、落ち着いた雰囲気を楽しむことができました。音楽、料理、サービス全てが揃っており、リラックスして過ごせるMama Kinは、ぜひまた訪れたいお店です。 あえて改善余地のあるところを指摘するなら、フライポテトが焦げていたという点だけです。まあ、猿も木から落ちるし、それぐらいなら許せる範囲内だね。また来ます！！

My niece recommended this place for Mothers Day. I brought my mother and mother in law for this advertised brunch This comment is just for Mother's Day brunch. My wife would have enjoyed it but my mother and in law is a different story They had a limited menu and we experienced items running out. I feel that items ran out because our server was slow and we waited for her for a long time between ordering drinks and ordering food. The food was just good. It was small portions. They did focus on the mimosas but that was it. I did like that they had a DJ and they attempted to provide a fun environment. There were people having a good time so that was cool too. I would try this place again, but minus the mothers. Also just remember if you are looking for service like a formal restaurant this is probably not the place as they probably do not focus on service but on fun

With a heavy heart, I am updating MamaKin's first yelp review. Thank you Andrew Saman for serving the SJ music community! Sorry to hear ManaKin is CLOSED. SJ Merc article by Sal PIzzaro: https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/01/14/downtown-san-jose-restaurant-music-venue-closing-its-doors/?utm_email=94E3C59385B504DCE4C5D41BCD&lctg=94E3C59385B504DCE4C5D41BCD&active=no Post by Andrew: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEx5IGPSQpD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

My sister has seen this place posted several times on social media, so my friends and I were curious. When we got there, we couldn't tell who was an employee and who was a customer since only two employees were wearing t-shirts with the business name on it. The rest were wearing regular unidentifiable street clothes, so we kept accidentally asking random customers questions. Unprofessionalism at it's best. However, our server Kevin(?) was the best. He was polite, dressed correctly (shirt with business name), and really nice. 5 stars for him! The food was horrible. The grits were crunchy, gritty, clumpy, and undercooked with a kids sized scoop. The shrimp was overcooked, and rubbery. The poached egg looked as though they used an x-small baby egg, and tossed it on top of the grits. The choose your own mimosa counter was great. Poor presentation, and overpriced meals. So, eat before you go and enjoy the music and bar specials when you get there.

Yessss!!! Yes!!!! And yesssss!!!! A time was had!!! A group of friends and I went to this establishment for a birthday celebration. The music was everything. The vibe was nice and the food was good. Great service and great staff! I will definitely be back! I absolutely LOVED it!!!

This was my first time at Mama Kin's and I was pleasantly surprised. Based on the reviews I was a little skeptical but kept an open mind. We went for a friend's birthday on a Saturday (6/22) for their R&B Brunch, the service was pretty quick but it also wasn't super busy. Some people in our party ordered the champagne tower which was sent back because the champagne was flat - the server was unable to find fresh enough bottles to bring out another one, so we went to the bar instead He did mention they'd been having an issue with that. I got the 2 mimosas for $15, they popped a fresh bottle so it was cool. Yes it is Andre, so do with that info what you will lol. The juices were up at the bar so you self serve those in your glass of champagne. I got Mango and Peach. Now for the food I'm glad I read the reviews first lol I ended up getting the country fried steak and let me tell you, it was . The gravy was good, not lumpy & the seasoning was on point! Someone tried mine and ended up ordering it for themselves. Would definitely recommend. The eggs were ok. I substituted the house potatoes for grits - BEST DECISION. I had read the potatoes weren't that good, so I'm glad I swapped it out. Grits were also it was more on the savory side, but I eat mine either way (iykyk), so I was happy! They had an orange slice and strawberry on the plate - it felt very out of place and honestly not needed. Others in our party tried the chicken and waffles, catfish and grits, and pancakes. Overall they were also pleased. They did have to ask for the syrup to be warmed up because the waffle was cold Ambiance was cool, again not super busy so that was nice. The DJ was going around taking pictures and videos with people to try and liven it up. Didn't do much for me, but it was cool. There were fans to keep it cool as it was a hot day. Overall, I was pleased. And I'd even go back. I'd like to see what Sunday is like though, so I'll go a different day next time.

Drink: Anything for Selena was great! If you like coconut I recommend it, but that's where my recommendation ends. Service: meh at best. Food: mediocre. We had the chicken fried steak and the cube steak was SO TOUGH, but the potatoes were spiced well, but could have used a tiny bit of salt. Glad they had a couple different hot sauce options. Others said that the biscuits were good. Some ordered the shrimp and grits. I had a bite of the grits and broth. Once again, spiced well but needed a bit of salt to truly call it well seasoned. The bathrooms were abysmal. Dirty toilet paper outside of the dispenser and wet. The only saving grace was the seat covers being present. Unfortunately I didn't use the restroom until AFTER I ate. Otherwise, I would have never ordered. No food service establishment should have a bathroom so disgusting. 2 stars is generous. Much room for improvement.

Fun place. Had my son's recital here. Enjoyed the food, drinks with great musical performances by kids. Service was good and prompt. There is ample interior space for a crowd to fit in. Cool Karaoke bar!! There is additional seating upstairs.

Mama Kin is definitely an interesting experience. We came on a Friday night around 9:30pm. They had live jazz music and performers which we did have to pay $10 to enter for. There was outdoor seating though so I'm not sure if you would have to pay to watch the band from outside. There's seating upstairs and downstairs. You order food and they give you a number to take to any table. It was very crowded so it was hard to find a good spot to eat and watch. The upstairs couches were also taken by VIP's as we were told. I got the last note burger and fries. It was very delicious. I am not much of a sauce/condiments fan when it comes to burgers but I actually enjoyed their house sauce. I would have ordered more to try but was full from the day already. I hope to come back to try more.

Most places were closed on a Wednesday night, and I was exploring places to eat. I lucked out and found a restaurant that kept open until 130am. Come and check out Mama Kin. This is the spot to get southern comfort food and hospitality. The staff were friendly and attentive. The guests and the regulars were comfortable to be themselves and sang their hearts out. It's a nice way to spent the evening in the middle of the week.

Service was attentive and helpful. Menu for the night was different than online, but that means to me the food is based on what's in the market, not frozen ingredients. Tacos were excellent, mac and cheese wonderful, burger yummy. Beer and wine reasonably priced and the pinot noir was a excellent selection, whatever it was. But it was Wednesday-- karaoke night! So, no cover charge but a lively supportive crowd. No matter the level of talent or genre selected, all were accepting. Excellence earned a whoop or extra clapping. Definitely worth visiting on a live music night or an open mic night.

This place is def a vibe! Walking into Mama kin, we were greeted with a smile and sat down instantly. We were given a water and asked if we wanted anything else to drink. Me and my fiancé decided to go with a mimosa. It was actually buy one get one free! The only thing I would change is, they handed us our mimosa and then left. Here's the catch, it had no juice in it lol I was so confused. We started catching in from the other tables that the juices were at the bar and you had to serve yourself haha that was pretty cool but it would of been nice to know from our waiter. I posted all the flavors they had! All of them looked delicious! I went with the mango and it was really good! For the food, I ended up choosing the chicken and waffles and my fiancé went with the chicken fried steak. Food came out in like 5 minutes it felt like lol super quick. Here is how we rate our food. Chicken and waffles 8/10 Chicken was seasoned really aggressively high was good! I'm not used to too much salt so it was a bit salty for my taste but the sweetness from the waffle was the perfect mix! Dish was good but I felt it was missing something. Over all, super good! Chicken fried steak 8/10 Protein was cooked perfectly with a delicious gravy! The potatoes were okay, could of been better. Usually places include a side like toast but we didn't get anything else. Overall, solid dish! I really think this place is a brunch vibe! I will be coming back for the cool mimosas and the other mixed drinks they offer! Plus, their dinner menu looks delicious! Wishing this restaurant the best as it is a San Jose hidden gem! Come on down and try a drink and some food, you won't regret it!

If you're going Bar Hopping and want to end the night on a soothing note. Mama Kin is the vibes. Came in on a Friday night around 10pm and the band was going hard. To get access into the bar if a band is playing there's a cover fee but that fee is going directly to the band which is good so you can support local artist. The layout of the building has the floor open to the performers and a little dance stage while the back and middle of the building has seats and tables for drinks and food. Where the place loses the star is the selection of beverages as my friend and I got up to the bar and when we began to order we were told our selection was out. It would've been nice if there was an indicator of what they had and didn't have. Which ultimately came down to just grabbing modelos. Fun night, good vibes and would love to come back to check other performers and maybe grab food next time.

Food was awesome. I had the shrimp grits. The restaurant was hot definitely need AC. TVs need to be on for the football games.

FIRST TIMER, brought out by a friend, came on a Saturday. But I hear Sundays are better. Wished they played more 90s / 2000s music but song choices were OK. I had the pulled pork Benedict.. should've went with what my friend got.. her steak was ON POINT . My pulled pork was definitely DRY. Also, I heard the usual chef wasn't in that day. Staff were friendly and attentive. Will come back again... but on a Sunday. I'll get the steak next time w/ the Benedict, and hold the potatoes, please.

The Nashville Chicken Sandwich was soooooo good! Just the right mix of flavor and heat! Mac and Cheese was amazing too! Great atmosphere and friendly staff!

Mama Kin is located in the heart of downtown San Jose. There is public parking lots and metered street parking until 6pm. My wife bought tickets for the live band to see a friend who was performing. Though, it turns out that we didn't need to if we were eating at the bar/restaurant before 9pm. If after 9pm there is a cover charge. I think the event site could have mentioned that. (minus 1 star). We went to listen to a performance of Tony Lindsay and Friends. Tony, World Renowned Singer of Santana. Our friend, Eddie Mininfield, who played saxophone has played with Prince, Sheila E, Aretha Franklin, and various other artists. Their performance was 11/10. Food: The menu changes, but tonight we chose: Smoked Chicken & Cajun Hot Sausage Jambalaya - This was very flavorful and had a slight kick. Highly recommend trying this dish! Mama Kin's Southern Fried Chicken - It was 2 pieces of chicken (thigh and drumstick), cornbread, rice and beans, and salad. The chicken was good; it had a nice crunchy fry on the juicy chicken. Andrews Wildflower Honey & Garlic Wings - tangy, with a little Tabasco or hot sauce in the sauce. They were just ok. Red Beans & Rice - Not as many beans, it had more rice. This was just ok. French Fries - thin crispy, hot fries. It came with ketchup & a ketchup/mayo sauce. Garlic Fries - same thin crispy fries tossed with garlic, parsley, butter(?). Chocolate Bread Pudding - Very decadent and chocolately sweet. Key Lime Pie - typical sweet and tart. It was thin. But, I liked it, but my wife thought it was too sweet and she likes sweet desserts! Service: Friendly, welcoming, they came around to tables and cleaned off the dirty dishes during the live performance. Complimentary self-serve water and silverware/napkin. Ambiance: Bar atmosphere. Mood lighting. They have inside and outdoor seating options, as well as, a 2nd floor sofa/lounge area. They have separate Men and Women restrooms.

My wife and I ate at Mama Kin this past Friday during the South First Friday art show. This is the first time we tried this location since it was Cafe Stritch (which we always enjoyed). The food menu is now mostly Cajun and it is good. We arrived around 7pm and there was no line to place a food order. You order at the counter, pay, and then they give you a numbered sign to place on the table. When the food is ready, they find your number and deliver it to your table. There was no live music at that early hour. My wife had the Catfish Po Boy sandwich ($21), which she thoroughly enjoyed. it came with French Fries which were ordinary, but she said the sandwich was very good. I had the Jambalaya ($23), which was great. Nicely spiced with plentiful spicy sausage and a delicious flavor. It is good to find a tasty Jambalaya. The quantity served was plentiful (I had enough left over for another meal at home). I recommend it!

Good vibes, awesome R&B music, savory food under the warm sun= HEAVEN! My body and taste buds were on a viiiibe! The chicken and waffle was tasty AF. The biscuit and gravy was bomb. The gravy stood out fasho. The only thing was the parts of the buttery biscuit that the gravy didn't hit, was dry :/ and too crispy. Middle biscuit was nice and soft though. Vibe- Live DJ & MC interacting with the crowd slappin' 90s R&B... man that vibe was on point! Make sure to call in for a reservation bc this spot gets packed real quick. Try and walk in though bc sometimes they'll have a vacant table available. Service was slow bc the joint was busy, but worth the wait.

R&B Brunch Review The music was great. There wasn't much dancing but everyone was bopping and singing along. The catfish and grits were yummy. The catfish wasn't oily at all and the grits were smooth and cheesy. Service was amazing and our server Monica was fantastic. Very attentive even though it was super busy and hot inside. What I didn't like was the 757% markup on the "champagne." Andre sparkling wine is $7 a bottle but they wanted to charge $60. No thank you. The cocktails are yummy and my favorites are the Raspberry Beret and Anything for Selena.

I came here to see Vudaje a few weeks back! I never had the chance to come here back in the Cafe Stritch days but it seems like Mama Kin has a good thing going! The drinks are average price but tasty. I would definitely come back for another show. There was plenty of seating which was also a nice change of pace.

Visited the restaurant during brunch and enjoyed the live DJ, food selections, and I had the fish & grits which was very good. I loved the 2 for 1 mimosas bar with the variety of juices. The waitress was warm & welcoming and seam to keep up as the restaurant got busy..

First time here. Came to see Dre Scott in early July. Awesome show! He came home to a great crowd! The only negative is there's no air conditioning. With the hot summer weather and crowded space, it was a bit overwhelming. Aside from this, the servers were friendly and attentive. I forgot to take pictures of my food, but it was delicious (fish tacos). I believe my husband had the catfish poor boy. Would come back here to try the weekend brunch and other upcoming shows

Went to this place for St Patrick's Day evening and had a really wonderful time. The Caribbean Cajun style food was delicious and there are many options to choose from and also has a very nice bar. Saturday that's replaced the old Cafe Stritch, a great jazz bar and restaurant and that was a mainstay for many years but did not survive the covid years. However this place is a very worthy replacement and I'll definitely be patronizing it. The entertainment was awesome, a jazz pop band was playing with really fantastic rhythms, excellent vocals, great music, and they really put themselves out there for the performances. The vocalist had such fantastic range and dynamics that it was a treat to listen and watch. If you catch this band, Sweet Hayah, I really recommend them.

I recently tried this place out for the first time for their R&B brunch. The music was great but because it was so loud, I lost my voice having to shout over it. A week later and I'm just now getting my voice back. We did sit in the back for this reason, but still had to shout. I'd recommend sitting outside if you're looking to catch-up and converse, and only sit inside if you're looking for the party aspect, because you'll be shouting the entire time if not. That being said, great vibes though. The one dish I tried (the shrimp and grits) was alright. I've tried many when I travel to the South, and this was a tad liquidy for my liking. I'd prefer if it wasn't so soupy and the flavor was stronger. Maybe it needs to be simmered down into the polenta? We did like their juice options for the mimosas; they offered a variety (including guava, mango, OJ) that you're able to pour from a spigot into your glass or champagne yourself so that you can control the amount of juice. They do not currently offer bottomless at this time, do offer 2 for $15. Shots were expensive though. Overall, good music and vibes, okay food, and noisy environment. I'd recommend if you're looking for somewhere to get turnt.

Dropped by on busy Saturday afternoon. We sat down at a table near the entrance as there was a large party in the back. We waited a long time to be attended. Drink order was taken and there was a self serve mimosa area which was nice. Food order was finally taken after almost 40 mins which was really outrageous but management came out and apologized. DJ was going and place was really loud to even have a conversation. Definitely not a place for kids. Fun place for drinks with friends. Food was very good hence the reason for 4 stars. Which service was better over all food was very good

Came here for RnB brunch recently and sat outside on a hot day. Loved that you could hear the music from outside. It was still super loud so couldn't imagine being inside. Brunch had a good selection and tasted great but wasn't anything too special to me. I feel that this is more novelty with the dj and music plus their mimosa tower which could be so much fun with a group of friends. I think you're coming here for the great vibes. Not to say the food wasn't great but it isn't something ai'm going out of my way for. I got the benedict and the blackberry whiskey cocktail on their menu. No complaints about the benedict but the drinks could be more balanced. Our server was super helpful though and the staff were very friendly. Was bummed they didn't have any avocado :(

A rat-tale to remember! I took an out-of-state colleague to Mamma Kin's for open mic night last Wednesday, 11/20. I arrived at 6:40 PM, but the doors were locked, even though their website and Yelp said they opened at 6:00 PM. Confused, I called, and they confirmed they opened at 6:00 PM. After I explained the doors were locked, they told me to try again. When I returned, the door was finally open. Once inside, I wasn't sure if I should order at the counter or wait for service, so I had to ask. I was then handed a menu but had to request water and silverware as well--it felt like I had to ask for everything. When my food arrived, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. At first, I thought it was a cat, but then I realized it was a rat running out of the kitchen! Another customer walking by saw it too, and we exchanged shocked looks. He confirmed, saying, "That's right, you just saw a rat." The workers in the kitchen noticed we saw the rat but completely ignored it. The rat stayed under a shelf behind the register, and no one addressed it or even tried to remove it. After a few minutes of this, I told the staff, "We're going to leave." The worker responded, "I completely understand," clearly aware of the situation. This was beyond disappointing. The community needs places like Mamma Kin's, but with poor service and rats running freely in the dining area, it's impossible to overlook these issues. It's shocking how comfortable the rat seemed in the middle of a busy restaurant--who knows how many more there are?

Great place for drinks and . Definitely loud and hard to carry a conversation with your party but overall a fun place to check out. Service was great!

So much fun going besides the good food coming out of the kitchen. The Music is on point so before you know it you've stopped eating and now you're dancing! My kind of restaurant

I am so glad this place opened. As you may know, it's the old spot of Cafe Stritch. And when you're there, you get the same amazing vibes that Cafe Stritch had. Super friendly staff who clearly love being there as much as the patrons. The drinks are great and affordable and the food is also tasty and not overpriced. We came on First Friday. Music started a little after 9. We got there at the perfect time: we got food, drinks, were able to snag a seat, and got comfy before the music started. We'll be back! Make sure you bring cash for tips! Tip musicians!!!

Funky good place. Good vibe, good drinks, good music, good food. We will be back for more.

We took my god-daughter to brunch and this place was BUMPIN'. The R&B was blasting, the place was packed and the food was delicious and mimosas were flowing. We were there for the food, but definitely coming back for the atmosphere and drinks. I need to round up the crew for our next round!

Love to see new places open in downtown, esp new businesses that aren't the majority food places in San Jose. Southern food is hard to perfect and this is exactly why this place is just getting 3/5 from me. Super cheap prices should of been the indication that it was soso. Yes, it looks good, but the taste just doesn't hit. Most things are frozen. I had to ask for the fries and mac to be re heated. Yikes. Wings - Just did not hit Garlic fries - always good but overly salted po boy - I enjoyed this but the catfish to bread ratio was off. Too much bread. For $21, this was not cheap. Fried chicken - not bad. The last note burger - large burger, lacking seasoning jambalaya - it was just not good mac n cheese - pricy and tasted like low quality cheese. I did however enjoyed the music very much and would return to listen to music and drinks.

I was so happy to stumble across Mama Kin while strolling along the SubZero art festival on a Saturday evening. This venue used to be Cafe Stritch, my favorite jazz venue ever!! So I was sad when it closed during/after the pandemic. But Mama Kin is just as charming and beautiful, with a similar vibe as before... sure the music is not exactly the same, but I appreciate all kinds of live music. This night, they played some jazz funk and it was great! The live music started at 9:55pm, and ended around 1:05am (though the venue closed at 2am). Because of the hiatus, all of the furniture looks brand new and in good condition, the set up is a bit different (facing a different direction, since the stage has moved) both upstairs and downstairs and doesn't look as cluttered. And there's still a cute seating area outside, with vines covering the patio. The alcoholic drinks are good, but we ordered two standard cocktails and apparently both of them were spicy, lol. Our lips were burning after drinking them and we had no idea why.... I'll let you know if I find out their "secret ingredient". Maybe the bartender touched some jalapenos?!? They serve food till 11pm, but the menu's pretty small. The quality of food is pretty good, not quite 5 stars, but close. The garlic fries were the perfect balance of flavor, not too strong on the garlic, crispy on the outside, fluffy inside. The wings are only offered one way.. it tastes both sweet and savory, the consistency really good, juicy. The burger was nice and juicy too, but otherwise did not stand out in any other way. The customer service is great, as expected. The bartender was super friendly, and the other employees patiently answered my many questions about the new place. Second day being open, this place was pretty busy, not as crowded as pre-covid, but still somewhat packed. I look forward to more good times and hopefully to become a regular (again) at this venue... now Mama Kin :)

This is such a fun spot downtown. They alternate activities every day from trivia and karaoke to jazz jams and DJs. They serve soul food and have a full bar. All the staff I've interacted with here are super friendly and willing to converse. The vibe inside can feel a little grimy and divey though because I think the facility is just old.