Rocco Smith
Las Vegas, Nevada, is a city where many people go to gamble, dance, drink, and be merry.
It’s a hot spot for bachelorette/bachelor parties, birthday parties, weddings, and all kinds of celebrations.
But many people don’t know that it’s also home to a wide range of delicious soul food.
Soul food dates back to the Transatlantic Slave Trade in America, where black American slaves would have to get creative with whatever scraps they could get.
Over time, this cuisine has evolved into a delectable and unique method of cooking that people all over the world love.
Although there are unsurprisingly many excellent soul food restaurants in the Deep South, there are several great names in Vegas.
So without further ado, here’s my list of the best soul food restaurants in Las Vegas.
Gritz Cafe
1911 Stella Lake St #150, Las Vegas, NV 89106
Phone: 702-255-4748
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Gritz Cafe is a homey, hole-in-the-wall type of place in West Vegas — near Mario’s WestSide Market — that serves up some of the best soul food in Vegas.
The portions are large, and the food is absolutely delicious.
Be sure to try their famous chicken and waffles, which come smothered in gravy.
They have a man grits bowl and lots of egg dishes, perfect for a groggy morning.
And don’t miss out on a side of their yummy biscuits and gravy as well, especially if you go for breakfast.
EllaEm’s Soul Food
Revere Marketplace, 775 W Craig Rd, North Las Vegas, NV 89032
Phone: 702-823-4444
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EllaEm’s Soul Food is a comfortable soul food spot with a local feel, located north of the city center near Craig Ranch Regional Park.
I like going to EllaEm’s for country fried steak, rice & gravy, liver & onions, and red beans & rice.
But they also, perhaps surprisingly, have delicious red snapper.
I find their snapper is always grilled to perfection, and it goes great with classic soul food sides like collard greens and mac & cheese.
Plus, you can order kool-aid at this restaurant, which is my childhood dream come true!
Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles
325 Hughes Center Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89169
Phone: 702-483-4311
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If you’re looking for a fun and funky place to get your soul food fix, look no further than Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles.
This place, near the Hughes Center and Wynn Golf Club, is a bit more upscale than your typical soul food restaurant, but the prices are still reasonable, and the food is absolutely amazing.
They have all the classic soul food staples like fried chicken, waffles, green tomatoes, and black-eyed peas.
Like EllaEm’s, they also serve a tasty homestyle watermelon kool-aid, which is one of my favorite things to order here.
I also love that the bar at Lo-Lo’s serves drinks in a mason jar, adding to the fun yet relaxed atmosphere.
Lola’s
1220 N Town Center Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89144
Phone: 702-871-5652
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Don’t mistake Lo-Lo’s for Lola’s, as these two places are quite different.
They both have lively, cozy environments with a bar, but Lola’s specializes in Cajun-style soul food, thus offering a different array of southern eats.
The jambalaya is probably my number one pick here because it is seasoned to perfection and loaded with the best ingredients.
My advice: get the bowl, not just the cup!
Mississippi Mary’s Soul Food Cafe
3923 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102
Phone: 702-333-1374
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Mississippi Mary’s Soul Food Cafe — locally referred to as M&Ms — is a cozy, traditional restaurant in the Westgate Shopping Center.
I stick to two main things at this soul food spot — the catfish and the beef short ribs.
They also have great chicken and waffles, but you can find better chicken and waffles in other restaurants, so I prefer to stick with catfish and short ribs.
They also have cornbread pancakes here, so clarify if you want regular cornbread versus these pancakes.
I like them both, but I find the cornbread pancakes unique.
Soul Foo Young
1216 W Owens Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89106
Phone: 702-539-0333
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Soul Foo is a creatively named restaurant that fuses together soul food-inspired dishes with Asian-inspired cuisine.
This West Las Vegas restaurant, located near Kianga Isoke Palacio Park, is one of the best soul food restaurants in Las Vegas if you want a heavy, greasy, ultra-tasty meal.
Think about a plate with fried wings, macaroni & cheese, french fries, and — to top it all off — Chinese-style shrimp fried rice.
What more could you possibly ask for, namely after a big night out on the Vegas Strip?
If you have any space left over in your stomach, don’t hesitate to finish the meal with a peach cobbler or caramel cake.
Soul Food Cafe
7320 S Rainbow Blvd #112, Las Vegas, NV 89118
Phone: 702-998-9780
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Soul Food Cafe is the place I go for BBQ ribs.
It’s located in Spring Valley near Cougar Creek Park, so it is a bit outside of downtown but is worth the trip simply for its delicious BBQ sauce.
I end up putting their BBQ sauce not only on the ribs but on most sides too, including mac & cheese and red rice & beans.
My friends have enjoyed their red snapper, which is grilled quite nicely.
Just make sure to remember to bring cash because they only take cash or CashApp.
Yardbird Table & Bar
3355 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: 702-297-6541
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Yardbird Table & Bar is one of the most popular restaurants in all of Las Vegas, not just for their southern food but for their overall dining experience.
Yardbird is located in The Venetian hotel, right on the Las Vegas Strip.
The restaurant has a refined yet fun vibe, with an open kitchen and a lively bar scene.
The menu at Yardbird is quite extensive, but make sure to try their signature chicken & waffles and the shrimp & grits.
The chicken & waffles come with hot honey, and the shrimp & grits are served with tasso ham gravy — both dishes are mouthwatering and will leave you wanting more.
Vegasville Hot Chicken
2950 S Decatur Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102
Phone: 702-354-6193
Vegasville Hot Chicken is playing on the renowned “Nashville Hot Chicken” for its name and menu options.
Like Soul Food Cafe, this casual food joint is in the Spring Valley area and serves Nashville-inspired meals such as Nashville hot chicken sandwiches and Memphis wings.
They also serve a Vegas spin on these dishes, offering items like “Vegasville wings,” which are breaded instead of naked.
They have all the sides you could hope for, including but not limited to yams, baked beans, potato salad, mac & cheese, and collard greens.
It’s a newer spot than many of the restaurants on this list, but it’s certainly worth giving a try!
Onedia’s Southern Cuisine with Sugarr_K’s
2987 Las Vegas Blvd N, North Las Vegas, NV 89030
Phone: 661-585-0989
Another newer restaurant and catering service in North Las Vegas, near Poker Palace Casino, is Oneida’s Southern Cuisine with Sugarr_K’s.
Onedia’s Southern Cuisine specializes in catering and promises that all its chefs are culinary grads with years of experience.
Not only will they deliver tasty southern-style food to your event, but they can also provide DJs, photo booths, and other party rents.
In terms of food, they specialize in juicy, tender ribs, but they can likely make you any type of southern food you request!
Annie’s Kitchen
1212 D St, Las Vegas, NV 89106
Phone: 725-214-6062
Annie’s Kitchen is a no-nonsense soul food eatery in West Last Vegas near Ethel Pearson Park.
This casual joint has the best southern-style BBQ I’ve had outside of the South, and I was truly impressed by how delicious their BBQ sauce was.
I got the ribs and chicken and shared it with my partner, which also came with two sides.
They have the best ribs in the city, in my opinion, but if you’re not a fan of ribs, their chicken is also juicy and delicious.
I got baked beans and mac & cheese on the side, and both were quite good.
But next time, I’ll go with the tamales since it’s harder to find those in Vegas.
You may have to deal with a long line of cars, especially near prime lunchtime, so either get to Annie’s early or be patient — it’s worth the wait!
Ditmos Cafe
2067 N Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108
Phone: 702-463-1285
As mentioned above, tamales can be challenging to find in Vegas — especially good ones.
However, if you forget to order them at Annie’s Kitchen, simply head to Ditmos Cafe, near the North Las Vegas Airport.
They specialize in tamales and have the best tamales in the whole city.
Plus, you can fill your plate with other soul food like potato salad, mac & cheese, and oxtails.
Since it’s near the airport, Ditmos is the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat after landing.
The Hush Puppy
7185 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89117
Phone: 702-363-5988
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The Hush Puppy has two locations in Vegas, but I frequent the one on Charleston Blvd, West of the city center.
This long-running southern restaurant has a lot to offer in terms of both common and unique southern dishes.
You can stick with the basics and get fried catfish or baby back ribs.
Alternatively, you can get a little outside of the box and choose an alligator tail or frog legs for dinner.
These unique options are delicious, and you won’t be disappointed.
I still like the classic dishes, but it’s worth trying for the novelty alone.
And, of course, you can expect delicious hush puppies from a restaurant called “The Hush Puppy!”
Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken&Mack Ribz
3333 S Maryland Pkwy #11, Las Vegas, NV 89169
Phone: 725-204-8664
Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken is a straightforward restaurant in the University District where you can get reliably tasty and crispy chicken, fish, and shrimp.
Their macaroni and cheese are hit or miss, but it’s been cheesy most of the times I’ve ordered it.
I stop by Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken when I’m in the area, but I tend not to go out of my way for it.
Not because the food isn’t tasty, but because their business hours aren’t always accurate.
If you’re in the University District area, I would certainly swing by and cross your fingers!
Mama’s Kitchen
Multiple locations
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If you’re looking for a welcoming, friendly environment to get po’ boys, Salisbury steak, and oxtails, I will head to Mama’s Kitchen — especially the one on W Lake Mead near the Pearson Community Center.
The food takes some time to get, but I always say that the best things happen to those willing to wait, and that couldn’t be more true at Mama’s Kitchen.
End your meal with their delicious peach cobbler.
I love it because I’m obsessed with cinnamon, and they don’t hold back on it!
Final Thoughts
So there you go – the best soul food restaurants in Vegas.Vegas has the nickname “Sin City” because of its massive gambling scene, among other interpretations.
And if you feel like getting a bit naughty with your diet as well, there are plenty of great soul food restaurant options to choose from.
From classic comfort foods like fried chicken and waffles to more unique items, you can find plenty of tasty eats to line your stomach before a night on the town.
Looking to grab drinks with a view of Vegas? Check out these rooftop bars for a breathtaking view!
Did we leave a restaurant out of this list? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll make sure to check them out!
Best Soul Food Restaurants in Las Vegas
- Gritz Cafe
- EllaEm’s Soul Food
- Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles
- Lola’s
- Mississippi Mary’s Soul Food Cafe
- Soul Foo Young
- Soul Food Cafe
- Yardbird Table & Bar
- Vegasville Hot Chicken
- Onedia’s Southern Cuisine with Sugarr_K’s
- Annie’s Kitchen
- Ditmos Cafe
- The Hush Puppy
- Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken&Mack Ribz
- Mama’s Kitchen
