Mom's Soul Groove

This place is incredible! 1. The staff are so lovely. We went three times on our visit to SF, and each time the staff working were charming, kind, and personable. Felt immediately at home. 2. The food will knock your socks off. The vegan options they have are so good, I'm not sure I can describe it well enough. The vegan "chicken" and waffles (breakfast or sandwich style) are AMAZING. Never tasted anything like it, and it perfectly captures my conception of Southern Comfort food. The rice and beans, slaw, and homemade hot sauce get a shout out too. 3. The atmosphere. Live DJs perform on the weekends, and it tops off the cool vibes that ooze off this place. Come and try it, then come back for more.

Chicken and waffle sandwich is delicious and not as heavy to eat as you might expect.

There's a reason this place was rated top 12 fried chicken places in the country by Yahoo News. This fried chicken...is so amazing....it's unlike any other fried chicken you've ever had. It's not just the chicken, it's the whole entree. The chicken itself is moist and delicious, but my piece also had no fat chunks on it to pick off, which is a common nuisance with chicken. It is also wrapped in bacon and fried in a fantastic buttermilk breading. Instead of merely atop a waffle, it is sandwiched between two smaller and crunch delicious waffles. Then there is a surprisingly amazing jalapeno slaw in-between the waffles that is a tangy cool and refreshing addition with just the tiniest baby kick to tingle your taste buds. (I'm very sensitive to spice, but it's perfect and not spicy at all.) Load it up with as much syrup as you like from the table and wow, you have one hell of a chicken-and-waffles experience. The store is very small with limited seating, and wait times can vary. My particular wait was over an hour, but the table of regulars next to me said they were having an off day and it normally never takes very long. Your mileage may vary.

I've been passing by Soul Groove for the past year, and I finally got to try it the other day. I ordered the Conundrum, which is their chicken sandwich with an egg. I also ordered a side of mac and cheese at the recommendation of my coworker who also happened to be there. I also got a bit of the bourbon maple syrup to go. The sandwich was delicious! It was piled high with the fillings. The waffles were very soft, and didn't have much flavor, so I understand the complaints I saw in some of the reviews. But I think their waffles were made to be used as a sandwich, because the flavor came from everything else. And though I don't think you're supposed to put the syrup on it, I did anyway, and it was awesome. It felt like a breakfast sandwich. The mac and cheese is very heavy, but delicious. Luckily I was very hungry because I devoured every single bite of both the sandwich and the mac. Normally, though, I probably could eat half of each and be full. The atmosphere is very casual, like a mom-and-pop shop in a small town. The surrounding area (the Tenderloin) isn't the greatest, but Soul Groove is worth the brave walk through it. I am coming back to try more items on their menu.

Food was on point. They have fake fried chicken for the veggie folks. Beer and wine. Everything is tasty, in the way that battered, waffle things should be in a diner setting. I usually go at off hours, so I can't speak for the rest of the day, but service is a bit slow, although super friendly.

Delicious! Try the chicken fried soul (waffle chicken sandwich)

We went early. Waiter was knowledgeable and helpful. I was going to order the jalapeño Cole slaw but she warned me it's not spicy. She brought a taste out for me to try. It was very good. But, yeah, not spicy . She also guided me on which beverage to order. I was torn between two. She recommended the sweet tea for a more authentic experience with the food. She was right. Collard greens were perfect. I liked the unexpected buttermilk dipping sauce that comes with the chicken. The batter was spades obedience well. Good crunch and texture. All three of us were happy. Will return again.

I love this place so much despite the fact that it takes a while for them to make the food. Presumably that means they are making it to order, because it takes a long time even when no one else is there. But everything I've ever had here is delicious. My favorite is the Vegan Fried Soul -- every time I get it I do a double take and think, "waaaaaait a second," because the fake chicken is THAT good that I always think it's real. Their sauces are fantastic and so is the sweet tea. Definitely my favorite lunch spot.