South Gate

One of the best soul food spots I’ve been in a while it is very upscale great service and the owner was a magnificent person who came by our table said hello chatted for awhile and they gave us a dessert bring your own bottle of wine and it is a beautiful night

I really, really want to give this spot five stars. The owner is super nice and customer service oriented. When it first opened as the case with most new restaurants, it was rock star worthy in terms of service and good quality. However, the last few times that I’ve gone there have been disappointing. For starters, the prices for some of the entrees are unreasonable, $ 14 for a fried chicken dinner is absurd. Not to mention the portions don’t equate to that price point. Then the flavors are hit or miss. I’ve had really good food there and I’ve had food that was not good at all. I guess it depends on the cook of the day. It’s usually empty, not too many customers at least during the times I’ve gone there which varied between lunch, dinner, weekdays and weekends. There is a long wait to get your food whether you’re dining in or ordering take out. I’m hoping that things will change, that the food quality will go back to where it was when it first opened and stay consistent. This place certainly has great potential because I’ve witnessed it some time ago. I’d say definitely give this place a try, it’s a roll of the dice and formulate your own opinion but don’t get your hopes up because you may end up being disappointed.

Really wanted to love this place but there were a few things that turned me off during my first visit. Made a reservation for 8pm; we were seated promptly as the restaurant wasn’t packed. We ordered the salmon cakes as an appetizer and the waiter told us they didn’t have enough cakes for one order. At that time, we told him to bring the order regardless (we just wanted to taste the salmon cakes; didn’t mind getting less than what the order was supposed to include). He agreed to bring us the salmon cakes; we also ordered the entrees (in my case, fried whiting, Mac & cheese and candied yams). It took a while before we saw our waiter again as we were wondering where they appetizer was… The next time we saw him again he was bringing out appetizer and entrees altogether as if that’s a normal thing to do. Oddly enough; the salmon cakes were the only thing that was actually piping hot. All the other food was lukewarm at best (and for whatever reason they decided to include some chicken wings in the salmon cake order as if to compensate for the missing cakes… Kind of weird especially since one of us don’t eat chicken and wouldn’t have asked for that substitution). Aside from that, the food was well-​seasoned and tasty but it was hard to enjoy because it wasn’t hot enough. At about 9:15pm; we were done having dinner and were given the check in a rush… Weren’t even asked if we wanted desert before the check was printed out (mind you, they close at 10pm so the rush felt unnecessary). I doubt that I’ll be back.
Ps: we ended up going to another restaurant to get dessert because obviously these people were eager for us to leave.

I had been looking forward to trying this place for a while and it didn’t disappoint. We got take out last night: BBQ pulled pork with mac & cheese and potato salad, and catfish with mac & cheese and yams. First of all, the pulled pork had some burnt ends in it… our favorite! Catfish was delicious, too. As others were saying, maybe a slightly larger portion of the catfish would have been better, but it was enough for me. We look forward to a dine-​in experience in the future and would recommend it to others looking for a nice dinner out. My husband wished the corn bread was «cornier»…whatever that means! The only disappointment was that they had run out of brisket. We will have to come again so that we can give it a try.

I’ve eaten here twice — dine in the first time, take out the second. The dine-​in experience was the better of the two. The pulled pork was simply slamming; the yams were the sweetest I’ve ever had; the salmon cakes and chicken fingers were fried to perfection as well. Pretty good Uptown too.
Not sure what happened with the takeout. Food wasn’t quite up to snuff. But I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and eat here again.

I took my mother to this restaurant for her birthday. Ambiance was great, food was excellent and the staff was responsive and polite. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a nice cozy location with great food.

Everything was great including the service! Collard greens, mac and cheese, black eyed peas delicious! Cornbread was awesome. I tried to be a little healthy and order grilled chicken which was tender and delicious. My side was also coleslaw and I loved it. My dad got the fried chicken with white meat. Because the cuts were so big, you definitely didn’t get the usual KFC fried chicken. You get MEAT and the crust is just a bonus If you want greasier try getting the dark meat fried chicken. Appetizers shared were wings and fried clams. Delicious. My sister and brother got brisket, I tasted it and it was awesome. My brother loved his sweet potato pie. The service was on point and they could not have been any more welcoming. We will definitely be back!

We enjoyed the meal at South Gate tonight. Loved the collard green and macaroni, they were so good. My husband loved the Ribs. Will go back and try many more dishes. Oh and the sweet potato pie. A MUST HAVE !

Ever since we passed this restaurant a few weeks ago my wife who loves Southern food has been asking me to take her there. So finally last Friday we were able to go over for lunch. So it begins…
First for lunch they open the door exactly at 12 pm. I think 11:30 am is better. We got there a few minutes before and literally waited outside in the cold. Not good.
Second NO LUNCH MENU. So be prepared to pay full dinner entrée prices. So with entrees $ 14 to $ 20+ you could be looking at $ 50+ for lunch. By the way you may think I didn’t like the people. Not the case. Our server and the owner, Matt were so nice and friendly, just maybe need to make adjustments to the routine.
Ok so we check out the menu and decide on Brisket and Ribs. You get 2 generous sides plus corn bread bread. Well… Brisket was not ready, Ribs not ready, Collard Greens not ready. Matt told me the ribs and brisket take many hours in the smoker. They want to do it right. So don’t have it on the menu at lunch. We were the only ones that ate there that day. Another couple left after the same limitations. Once again — LUNCH MENU. Affordable options with some of your strengths.
I wanted to leave but really wanted to try the food.
I ordered Fried chicken, hush puppies, potato salad along with the corn bread.
Good portions. Fried chicken really really good. Hush puppies too greasy. Potato salad just under cooked. A little too firm but flavorful. Corn bread ok.
My wife ordered Whiting filet, with the Mac and Cheese, Candied Yams and the cornbread. The Whiting was really good but my wife would have preferred that the skin be removed before frying. Not sure if it can be done but it would have been more enjoyable. Mac and Cheese a little dry and the yams were good.
Summary: Would I go back? Sure for dinner. There is definitely some really potential but execution not there. Frustrated when what I want is not available and some sides missed the mark. Too expensive for lunch. Have some sandwiches, soups salads and get people interested in your food. Empty on a Friday lunch should be telling you something. Open and be prepared 11:30 am not exactly at 12 pm. Get people in, wow them and they will return.
I wish Matt the best and hope he reads this review and takes some of the suggestions to heart. By the way the drink, Uptown, which is half sweet tea /​half lemonade (like an Arnold Palmer) was very good.

The food was okay… and we had to wait a hour for our food and it was only 4 tables occupied… smh!

Such a great new local place. Food was delicious and well executed, service was friendly and attentive. Portions were generous, prices reasonable. We had the fried chicken (crispy and well seasoned on the outside, moist and juicy inside) and brisket (tender and flavorful) and were not disappointed. Sides (collards, Mac n cheese, candied yams) were delicious, too. We waited a bit for food to come out but it was well worth it. Go if you’re in the mood for some great comfort food or if you’re a bit bored with the usual local options and want this gem to stick around. We hope they do, because we plan to return.

Make a gym appointment right after making your reservation! This is hearty food in generous portions. Fried chicken wings are very good and large. Pulled pork is tangy. Corn bread is fresh and tasty. Hush puppies and country fries are not for those on diets. Choices for those avoiding meat and fried food are not many, so be sure they meet your desires.
The patrons around me seemed both very versed in southern cuisine and very happy with their meals.
Prices are very fair – and it is BYO.
Nice setting with excellent Motown music in the background. Very nice staff.
I wish them very good luck in this previously bad luck location.

Good nice atmosphere quite, portions are priced well. Can be a little bigger so you can have some to take home, Sides was good Yams eas the best, Catfish small portion for fish, tea was very good.

Dinner for four. Would give 3 ½ stars.
Ordered:
–classic Southern fried chicken– very good– not greasy, moist chicken with a good crispy batter
–fried whiting– extremely salty which is a shame because it could’ve been delicious… if it wasn’t over-​salted, it would have been perfect
–BBQ pulled pork– delicious
–brisket– just ok because it was not tender… it was almost steak-​like
–fried potatoes– wedge cut with a flavored coating which is not my thing since I prefer them plain
–collard greens– delicious
–mac and cheese– too mushy… I would suggest undercooking the macaroni before baking it so the pasta doesn’t become overcooked mush
–brown rice– good
–cole slaw– good
–corn bread (comes with every entrée) — very good, moist
Service was good. We plan to return to try the ribs and the wings and we definitely would return to get our fried chicken fix.

Being a transplanted southerner I was looking forward to having a «down home» meal. Went in around 8:30pm on a Saturday night and didn’t have to wait to be seated, as other reviewers have posted, nor were they busy, as there were several open tables. The sides were a good listing of food I grew up with, but they are missing grits, which, to me, are difficult to find in the Northeast and what I miss the most. Having been in New Jersey for quite a few years now, I have been able to find decent ribs and fried chicken so I opted for the catfish, as good pan fried fish has not come about on many menus around here. I went with the black eyed peas and mac and cheese as sides. We also ordered the hush puppies, another authentic food from my upbringing, as an appetizer. The fish coating was delicious, however the fish itself was either previously frozen or outdated, as it had the distinct taste of not being fresh. Corn bread was really good and not too sweet. The black eyed peas were a salt lick, and missing a smoky flavor that typically comes with the ham. In fact they were so salty that even my dining companions reached for water after trying mine. The macaroni was a bit soggy and over cooked while the cheese was bland and tasteless. The hush puppies were good, however the waitress forgot they were meant to be an appetizer and we had to remind her, so they came out after the entrees. But, she didn’t charge us for them, so I appreciate that she caught her mistake. My co-​diners ordered the fried chicken and beef ribs. Both were good, and their sides, collared greens and coleslaw were delicious as well. Overall, we were disappointed, as we agreed that the majority of the menu items didn’t reflect what we think of as southern cuisine and have found equally or better fried chicken and ribs in other restaurants in New Jersey. If they are open New Year’s Day and serving Hoppin’ John, I hope it’s less salty and more flavorful. If they add grits, chicken fried steak, chow chow, okra, corn cakes, pan fried pork chops and home made biscuits, we might come back.

R I B S. Ribs!!! They were incredible. Literally fall off the bone

Just ordered takeout from South Gate. Fried chicken, Mac & cheese, corn bread, hush puppies, and collard greens. Order was ready in 15 min and it was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend if you are looking for someplace different to eat. Will definitely be a repeat customer.

Exceptional food. I will go back often to dine. The ribs are some of the best I have had and I am a huge rib person. They were smoked in an actual smoker. This is southern cooking at its finest. Staff was great and the owner very welcoming. He even brought us over some brisket to try after our meal was complete. The yams, hush puppies, and corn bread was out of this world (you get two sides and corn bread with each entrée)! The fried chicken was moist and flavorful. Would highly recommend! Bring some wine or beer for it is BYOB.

This place has fantastic customer service and great music. I was under the impression that this restaurant was Southern BBQ, but it’s really just soul food. That being said the food was fairly priced and had decent taste. The collared greens were phenomenal, but the mac and cheese did not have much flavor. Brisket and ribs were both fairly tasty, but nothing great. The fried chicken here has the potential to be fantastic if they just used chicken with more meat on the bones. Overall I enjoyed my experience here and would likely go back. An added bonus is that it is BYOB.

We were thrilled to have such a wonderful Sunday lunch at this cute new place! We tried the brisket (comes smothered in sauce FYI), whiting, and ribs with sides of candied yams (our fav of the meal), collards, potato salad, and cornbread. Everything tastes fresh and made to order, even down to the tartar sauce! The chef came out to ask us how we enjoyed the food and was very friendly, although she won’t be giving away any hints to her secret candied yams recipe anytime soon! The servers were attentive and friendly, which is rare these days! We will def be back– and soon!

Stopped by with my mom last night… I ordered catfish, Mac and cheese and collards. I had no complaints about my order. Catfish was seasoned well.
Also the owner is really nice. I will be back to try some other entrees

So disappointed and still hungry… the wings were burnt and greasy…

I want to like local restaurants. I always hope they do well and I’d like nothing more than to see Park Avenue lined with quality places to eat.
I was excited to try South Gate after hearing good things. You can’t go wrong with some good fried chicken.
I couldn’t drive home fast enough after picking up two orders of dark meat fried chicken. It certainly smelled the part.
The enjoyment ended there though. I’m not sure if this was intentional, but the fried chicken was burnt on the outside. If this was a mistake, I’m not sure how you let two orders leave the kitchen like this. If this is how it’s made then it’s just not very good as it’s also lacking flavor.
The mac and cheese is decent as are the collard greens. The fried potatoes are ok, although you can taste the butter. I wasn’t even excited by the corn bread.
But none of that really matters — it’s all about the chicken and I’m afraid it’s just not good.
Café Alba’s food was much better than this and they couldn’t make it work. Unfortunately, I think this spot on Park Ave. that is a graveyard for restaurants is probably going to claim another one.

Tried it for the first time with my wife tonight. Terrible wait time of 1 hour and 10 minutes before we got our food. Painful painful wait especially for kinds because appetizers and entrees come out at the same time. Quality is not worth the wait at all! People were frustrated and many walked out and went to the pizza place next door.
I got the chicken and it was ok, the coleslaw was very good but they undercooked the potatoes. The catfish was good. It took 20 min and 3 times of asking to get my soda. If you are hungry and/​or you had kids, this is not the place for you. Might not be a bad idea to order take out.
If they don’t fix this problem, this place won’t stay open for long… And that’s sad. Too bad there was no manager/​owner there. They need to know because they do have a good potential. I won’t be back there anytime in the foreseeable future.

Food was awesome!!! I had the chicken wing appetizer which was heavenly. The grilled chicken, catfish and whiting which was very delicious and flavorful. I have been here 3 times and have not been disappointed.

Where do I begin… Let me start by saying I wish everyone reading this could taste everything I am about to talk about. We started with the Chicken strip appetizer, it looked good, tasted great and even sounded amazing as you bit into it. I had the brisket and my fiancé had the ribs. Ever since he moved to the area he has been searching and taste testing for the best ribs… We found it here! The waitresses and owner are just as amazing and made us feel like we were right at home. You have to come here for some great southern cuisine!