Spaha Soul

"This is such a special experience! The owner is very particular about each detail that fills the space. From the fresh flower cuttings on the table, the meticulous plating (as best showcased on the crab cakes), the personally curated artwork, and the music that permeates the cozy space. The operation seems to have three people at most: the head chef/owner, a sous chef of sorts, and a live musician. The owner and head chef, Artist, is incredibly kind, welcoming, warm, fun, and just a consummate host. You will feel welcomed here. Be patient as you wait for your perfect bites of soul food. We started off with the scrimps, which were served in a lightly spiced roux and deliciously little sliced peppers and onions— accompanied with a delicious side of buttery cornbread. We moved on to a righteous soul food cypher: rosemary fried chicken, baked mac and cheese, collard greens, and sweet potatoes. Every bit was good. We finished up with the crab cakes, which the musician from Maryland testified were the best. We agree! Fluffy, perfectly seasoned, and delicious. As for the music, the guitarist, Andrew, asked us some questions about what we like to hear, and upon finding out we liked a certain jazz guitarist, proceeded to play a whole album. Unreal! This is a very special place. Bring your lover, your best friends, your dear family, and whomever else deserves a special night made just right. We passed by this place in January 2020, and decided we’d go in the Spring— what a wash that was! So we were really glad that SpaHa Soul survived the pandemic restaurant industry downturn. We can’t wait til we come back again, this time with some friends! Attached are some pictures of the food and space. Unfortunately we didn’t even think to take pictures of the chicken and co— we just jumped in to see what was good!"

"Completely excited to find a southern food spot that is so welcoming and the food is delicious! The owner was soooooo understanding of my allergies and made the food with understanding. He was honest on him trying to keep his business open on his own throughout these harsh times serving and cooking in his own so a bit of a wait but completely worth it! The music and space outside is so calming and relaxing for a night out in a soul food mood. Thank you again!"

"One of the nicest experiences I've ever had at a restaurant. It was so beautiful inside. From the music, the decor and the personal service. The food is made on the spot and you need a reservation but trust me, it's so worth it"

"Was very interested following the NYT review. This restaurant apparently takes reservations only, but I managed to get in without one. For a 15-25 seat restaurant, they only had 2 staff. The service was friendly, but it ends there. The food service was slow, and for such a restaurant, the execution was not great. It felt like the chef was very distracted, as he was managing the front and the back of the house. The other server was also frequently going out to buy stuff for the kitchen. For drinks, they have a BYOB concept. That really means go get your drinks from the deli next door because we ain't serving any. The food was also not great. Had fried chicken with Mac and cheese. The chicken came well brined and was juicy, but the chicken was very soft on the crust. You could taste the flavor in the batter, but the execution was not there. Not impressed especially when I'm going to consume that many calories."