Carolyns Cuisine in East Meadow
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East Meadow, Nassau County, New York, US
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Site: https://www.carolyns.kitchen/
- Monday:12–7PM
- Tuesday:12–7PM
- Wednesday:12–7PM
- Thursday:12–7PM
- Friday:12–9PM
- Saturday:12–9PM
- Sunday:Closed
I’ve eaten here a few times and honestly the food is very mediocre at best. Had the Mac n cheese and it has a really grainy texture and very weird taste to it. The fried chicken was okay, doesn’t really give me a southern feel though. I had it one time and it felt a little undercooked so I didn’t finish it. I always want to try other things on the menu to redeem the ones I previously had but it turns out they are not always open, like all the time. And even times they’re open, they close super early. From the looks of things it’s not a very successful business, but aren’t you hurting yourself when you’re so inconsistent with times they open. I would love to support a black owned business but y’all gotta do better.
I found Carolyns Cuisine online and went to taste for myself and I enjoyed the food. I had to coordinate the repass for the passing of my aunt and I ordered chicken, whiting, catfish, greens, and yams. Everyone enjoyed the food and took to go plates. Thank you to the staff for all your help with getting everything to the car. I highly recommend them.
Ordered take out here for the first time. Was not really impressed with the food. My order was the 3pc Fried Chicken, Mac & Cheese, Rice & Beans, 2pc Whiting w/ 6pc Shrimp and Fries, Fried Okra and Hush Puppies.The fries were crinkle cut fries, while there was a good portion, they tasted flat and unflavored. Even with some added salt, it didnt help. The Hush Puppies were large, corn meal covered in flour. At first I thought they were Jamaica fried dumplings, as they had the shape and look. However, they seemed to absorb the oil they were cooked in, as if it were the same oil used for the fries and everything else cooked in oil.The fish was good, but the fried shrimp were small and so-so. As for the fried chicken, this was good as my wife enjoyed it. We were evenly split over the Mac & Cheese, I thought it was ok along with the rice and peas. These portions were smaller. The fried Okra was a disappointment for her, as this is one of her favorite side items.Not sure if this is indicative of the usual fare from this resturant as I have not experienced this before trying the take out on their limited menu.I would recommend allowing customers to choose the sides as their regular menu suggests, as I would not have done fries or the salad option with the fish.Maybe when things return to normal, we might give it another try. But for now, Im not sure Id pay for another take out meal at this time
The Mac n cheese egg roll is delicious. However the service needs improvement as some food was undercooked, some sides weren’t served or cold, the menu is incorrect, and the hospitality is mediocre. This place has potential, just needs more help and more thorough training. Definitely worth a try.
Came here with my wife on a random Thursday afternoon. Place was cute and cozy. We ordered hush puppies, fried whiting and fried chicken. Sides were Mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and cabbage. Everything was delicious. Carolyn (I believe it was her who helped us) was also a delight. Everything came out very prompt even though she informed us she was on her own at that time being that they just opened. I would definitely recommend giving them a try. If your a fan of soul food you should for sure find this place a nice little hidden gem. Ooooooo I forgot to mention the peach cobbler!!! A must have when you try it out. We’ll definitely be back soon.
Ive taken out food from this restaurant over the last two or three months, sometimes two or three times in the same week. The food is always fresh and cooked to perfection. Over the Thanksgiving holiday I experience what sets this establishment above many other restaurants, I was late ordering food for our Thanksgiving meal, even though she was over booked with orders, she still fit me in. Thank you and may you have much continued success. I would highly recommend Carolyns not only for dinner but also for any occasion you would need excellent food.
The restaurant was clean and the staff was very friendly. We tried a few different dishes. The food was fresh and cooked to order. The fried chicken was well seasoned and the collard greens were very good. The catfish, hush puppies and mac & cheese were also very good.We will definitely be back again!
The food is absolutely delicious and is always cooked fresh from the kitchen! The entire staff is also extremely friendly and kind as well. I’ve only ordered twice so far but each time has been a great experience. I highly recommend this restaurant and I hope everyone takes the opportunity to support this amazing business! The Mac and cheese is my favorite dish so far!!!
Pleasantly surprised. I looked for favorable reviews and this restaurant had impressively 4.5 or greater in all categories.I actually driven past the location; expecting a larger store front. Upon entering you see a newly renovated restaurant polished and clean. The menu and hand sanitizer at the entrance. I selected the Fried Whiting with (2) side orders: Mac & Cheese, Collard Greens with a freshly baked piece of corn bread. My disappointment was I should of ordered more😂. I paid $10.00 and tipped $10.00. for take out. The food was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend you take your family and friends; you will not be disappointed.
I was craving some southern food and I picked Carolyns because of all the reviews and the location, boy was I wrong, the food took so long to come out and we were the only ones in the restaurant, I still thought as long as the food is good Ill be happy, I ordered the Mac and cheese and it was so salty I had to check my blood pressure and the chicken was not how a smothered chicken should be, I was really disappointed 😞 and hangry, never going there again.
So I last night I had a taste for some Soul Food. I read an article in Newsday about the best Soul Food in Long Island and I chose Carolyns I had already had been to 2 of the other 5. Brother Robinson Genesis Soul Food in Hempstead had closed and that was my goto spot. So, I decided to take a drive with my wife and try Carolyns Cuisine. If you are coming from the West it is on the right hand side next to the Wantagh Pkwy on Hempstead Turnpike. I couldnt find it at first because of the change in daylight savings time the light to illuminate the sign hadnt been on yet.I walked in and it is a small restaurant but was very clean, nice wood decor, love the placemats, smelled like good food, with a nice bar at the end. The young lady who greeted us was polite and patient. Although you could scan a QR code and bring up the menu on your phone she still offered me a menu which I appreciated. I ordered the fried chicken, mac and cheese, yams and I ordered some banana pudding. My wife ordered the fried shrimp, mac and cheese, collards, and peach cobbler. They prepared the food as we waited for a short while. The owner was extremely pleasant and expressed that she hoped we would enjoy our food. She even spoke with me for a while. I cant lie I was so hungry from fasting that day, when I got in the car, I said Let me try a piece of chicken (I had 3). Man! It was exactly what I was looking for!Upon arriving home, we sat down and dug in. Ive been eating smaller portions so I thought Id leave one piece of chicken left... nope! Everything was delicious. Really flavorful. Met my expectations and exceeded in some areas. Two things though: 1. This is not a cheap meal, it is meant to be a sit down restaurant, so prices although not expensive were $45. Its not breaking the bank but I believe Brother Robinsons used to be cheaper (but the service was iffy and it was buffet food that you chose from). This is prepared as you wait. 2. the shrimp looked lonely in the take out container. It might have been 10 shrimp but in the main compartment of the container it didnt look like a lot. I dont usually give out 5 stars because nothing is perfect and you cant give out half stars but even if I could Id say its pretty close to 5 stars. We will be back and this place will certainly get busy!
I wish i could give this place a negative star. The turkey legs were so dry that it gave me food poisoning for a week and a half. Looks can be very VERY decieving. Im not going back there. If u want explosive diarrhea for a week, Carolyns Southern Comfort Cuisine is your spot.
If you want some delicious, fresh, savory food this is the spot to go. The staff is so friendly and welcoming. The restaurant has an amazing decor and is a nice intimate dining experience. I had the chicken dinner with her yams and potato salad. Let me tell you, I had a food coma! Highly recommend, definitely check this place out
So disappointed that I didnt come in sooner! But after having the whiting, which I must add was cooked to perfection & so tasty with cabbage, I am totally looking forward to trying EVERYTHING on the menu!P.S. my taste buds were happily dancing with every bite of fish!
I loved the place the intimate space and decor was perfect the good amazing. I had the chicken and waffles... It was so good I got a order to go for the next day... The owner / chef was great she took a picture with me and her son Jordan made us feel at home... Definitely going back
First time at Carolyns... Great Experience! From my phone call to inquire about the hours to picking up my food...Excellent! Everyone was friendly and helpful!The food was delicious! Fried chicken was Fresh and seasoned well!I will definitely revisit ... Carolyns will be in rotation!The restaurant is decorated very nice...Great Atmosphere!Good find on LI !
I am in the area with work and found this restaurant with great reviews and decided to try today. 1st menu is Great!! Vegan options, vegetarian options, beef ribs,, chicken, variety of fish! I ordered fried whiting sandwich, potato salad and hushpuppies. There are no substitutions for sides, or no slight upcharge. I suggest upcharging instead of full price for substitutions. My sandwich did not come out as described, but owner did make it a point to bring out the missing piece. Bbq chicken lunch special was not available at the moment I came in (a little after 12 pm) Hushpuppies were okay. Server could be more attentative. Owner was extremely attentive and invinvolved. Lastly,as per my profession/career I am a proponent for small business survival & hopefully you all take criticism as building blocks, not as a negative. Thank you
Amazing service! Amazing food! I ordered only 4 days prior to my event due to having lost my original caterer and Carolyn had no problem accommodating my order. Fried Chicken, fried fish, smothered chicken, garden and fruit salad! 5 stars my guest were raving about the food I wish I had business cards to give them ! thanks again
We stopped in after searching and although it was quiet for a Saturday night, the food was AWESOME!. They are in business at this location little more than one year. I ordered the BBQ fried chicken and it was super delicious! The string bean side was OUTSTANDING. Mac and Cheese egg rolls were a real treat. The wait staff was very friendly and accommodating. I highly recommend this place!!.. .support your locally owned shops and restaurants))))
There is two entries for this same restaurant. This may be a disservice to the owner as the reviews are being split between the two. The food was ver very good and I would definitely eat here again. Desert was so-so and I would pass on it in the future. Definitely try the Mac n cheese egg rolls as I would go back just for those!
I enjoyed the food I purchased for myself. I ended up getting a lunch special, dinner platter and dessert because I wanted to try a variety of the food, I cant eat certain dishes without the other, and because I live more than 40minutes away. Im a first time customer but I will be returning.
Outstanding food and friendly service!! This was one of the best meals Ive had in a while. I ordered the barbecued fried chicken which was amazing. It came with 3 pieces of chicken and 2 sides for a very reasonable $14. I chose mac and cheese which was superb and potato salad which was right on the money. The food was so great that there were no leftovers. I highly recommend this restaurant and will be definitely returning in the very near future.The turkey wings are next on my list!!!
I ordered a big food order last minute at 6pm (They close as 7) and not only was the food exceptional but the quality of the food was consistent with each plate!! I am a caterer so I know good food when I have it and this was perfect! Portion sizes amazing! Great customer service and great food!!!
This place is just what is needed. Great food, great hospitality, pleasant staffed, family owned business. The owner has actually fed the homeless and those in need during the high point of covid! May they forever be blessed and have a long run in the restaurant world, for generations to come! Try their fresh food and youll be a steady fan, guaranteed!
This is by far my favorite spot, my favorite dish is the 3 piece chicken dinner. The chicken always taste great as well as the mash potatoes and mac & cheese. What alot of people dont understand is this food is cooked to order. If you want fast food go to McDonalds, cause home made food is not going to be done in 3 minutes. The wait is worth it I highly recommend this place
The food was absolutely delicious. Everything was seasoned just right (not too salty). The first time I ordered fried whiting greens and mac n cheese. For dessert the banana pudding- so good. My family wanted order the next night which I ordered the turkey wings which was again delicious. Folks are complaining that they are slow but the meals are made fresh to order.I highly recommended. The customer service is also superb.
I went to Carolyns cuisine last night for my first time. I kept seeing it coming up on my Facebook feed read the reviews and my husband and I figured wed give it a try. I had the fried chicken, mac n cheese and collard greens. He had the beef ribs, green beans n rice n beans. The ribs were tender and delicious. The chicken was good, mac n cheese was delicious and the greens which had no meat were seasoned to perfection. The staff was so friendly and made me feel right at home. Not to mention it was my birthday and the owner came out and said happy birthday and gave me a free desert. I will definitely be a repeat customer. Kudos to an excellent staff job well done.M. Jackson
I was introduced to Carolyns by my next door neighbor as both of us have Southern roots the food is so good it reminds me of my own cooking and i love the corn muffins .This restaurant has an extensive menu that covers breakfast lunch and dinner today ill be dining in for the $6 lunch special the staff is friendly and hospitable ive seen white customers as well as blacks customers dining in.
Excellent Mac and Cheese, sweetened Iced tea and cheeseburger. The burger was cooked perfectly with a soft brioche bun, the Mac & Cheese was flavorful without being greasy (which is hard to do), and the order was ready on-time with no problems. A nice place that I’d love to come back to. I can’t wait to try the fried fish. Recommended!
Pros: they are now staying open later on the weekends Friday and SaturdayThe customer service is greatThe Mac and cheese is great this the best Mac and cheese I have had at a restaurant on the east coastThe only con was that when I got my hush puppies no tartar sauce was served with the hush puppies
Im surprised this place has vegan food! I recently became vegan and was missing their food quite a bit but when I saw there was a couple vegan options on the menu I decided to try it. I am honestly impressed! The vegan sausage and peppers were delicious! Thank you for including these options.
This place is a disappointment. Its Unprofessional and they dont value their customers Anyone who is thinking about placing a catering order should not waste their TIME or MONEY! I gave Carolyns 1 star because there are no negative rating on this. So many people say support black businesses yet unfortunately when you do you dont get great service.I ordered a catering order from Carolyns. I went to the restaurant personally to set the date and give a deposit. The date was set for September 5th. Carolyn and I spoke a week before confirming that I wanted to add BBQ chicken to my order. I was scheduled to pick up my order at 3pm on September 5th.September 5th I called Carolyn at 2:45 pm to let her know I was on my way to pick up the order. She paused and says wait your order is for today???? I thought it was for the 15th. At this point I am freaking out my guest were scheduled to arrive at 4:30 for a sit down dinner and all Carolyn could tell was to calm down...really? How could I calm down. Carolyn said shell get it done by 4:30 and at this point what choice did I have but to wait. Just know that I placed a pretty big order. I ordered 2 full size pans of Mac and Cheese 1 full-size pan of collard greens, 1 full size pan of sweet potato soufflé, 1 full size pan of fried chicken and 1 full size pan of collard greens. I knew this wouldnt end up the way it should. At 4:50 Carolyn calls me to tell me the food is ready with the exception of the catfish and fried chicken but that it would be done shortly. My husband heads out to pick up the food and ends up waiting another 20 minutes by the time he gets to the venue with the food it is 5:30. My guest have now been waiting 1 hour with less than 1 hour to eat because the dinner was scheduled from 4:30 to 6:30.How could anyone possibly cook all of that food in that amount of time without short cuts. The Mac and Cheese was runny and the top was charred. The collard greens were hard and bitter and the bottom of the pan for the sweet potato soufflé was burned. It was clearly a rushed job. Im so disappointed!!!Clearly customer service is not on the top of Carolyns list!!!! She inconvenienced me and my guest knowing that I was pressed for time and the error she made the least she could do was offer to deliver the food. Im not looking for any handouts but the right thing to do would be to offer a discount or even add something to the order. Make your customers feel valued even when you nade such a horrible mistake!!! To add insult to injury she sends food that was clearly not her best work. It was rushed and embarrassing to serve that food yo my guest. She has lost a customer and all of my friends who order from her. Unprofessional is an understatement.
Amazing Soul Food cooked to the T!!! I had the whiting, macaroni and cheese and collard greens. The whiting was seasoned to perfection, Mac and cheese scrumptious and the greens very tasty. The Decor and ambiance are very nice and the owner came out to greet everyone. It is a small spot, but intimate enough to enjoy a good sit down soul food dinner. 5 Stars just go and try it!!!
Living in Levittown, there are not much (if any) black owned Southern cuisine in the area so of course I was excited to discover Carolyn’s in East Meadow. I love my fried chicken full of flavor but full of flavor is different from loaded with salt. The chicken was unbearably salty inside and out. The chicken leg was fine but when I got to the two thighs, I just couldn’t. I must say though, the collard greens and the mac and cheese were pretty good. Hard to find good grits now a days though. Grits were surprisingly bland and full of lumps. Overall, there’s room for improvement. 3 stars.
Got a BBQ Chicken Breast dinner. HORRIBLE! Didnt get a Chicken Breast w/bone got a CUT UP Chicken Cutlet. Was expecting what EVERYONE EXPECTS, A Baked Chicken Breast. Both my relative and I HATED OUR DINNER. The Potato Salad was decent. Desserts and Dinners are VERY OVER PRICED and the Dinner portions are KIDDY SIZE. VERY SMALL PORTIONS NOT WORTH THE HIGH PRICES. WE will NOT be returning. Think TWICE about going here if you want genuine SOUL FOOD.
Ordered Whiting Fish for mothers day. Carolyn went out of her way to make up big tray of fish last minute for me. My mom will be 102 in July and Carolyns fish was all my mom and family kept talking about. How much she and they enjoyed it. It is wonderful to have found a new restaurant in the area that has great food and great customer service. If you want excellent food and awesome customer service Carolyns is the place for you. Thank you for your help in making my moms mothers day great with your great cooking. Seeing her eat and enjoying her meal so much at that age was wonderful.I would give Carolyns 10 stars if I could but I could only give 5 as it is the max. Thank you Carolyn and continued success. Definitely one of the best soul food restaurants on long island..
Total reviews rating 4.3
138 Reviews for Carolyns Cuisine 2023:
Review №1
2022-04-17It was my first time visiting! Very nice place.. the owner came out to introduce herself.. I got my food to go.. the food is very good!! I will definitely be back 🙂
Review №2
2021-12-24I am the owner of a health and wellness company. I hosted a vision board event for small business owners such as myself. I asked Carolyn if I could hold the event there and she was so accommodating. My guests and I enjoyed the use of the space and most importantly we enjoyed the food and her staff were warm and welcoming. My guests were happy so the event was a success. I look forward to doing more events there!
Review №3
2021-09-29A beautiful hidden gem! The restaurant is so clean and food is made to order. Not only is the restaurant immaculate but the food is delicious! Everything I ordered was so tasty! The owner is so nice and personable, you can tell she puts her heart into her cooking! Thank you so much for making me feel so welcome! I will be a regular customer at Carolyns Southern Comfort Cuisine!
Review №4
2022-01-27I was craving some soul food so I researched some places in the area. Came across this gem. Went in to dine in and ordered the Mac and cheese roll and the hush puppies. The Mac and cheese roll was bomb dot com and the hush puppies paired well with the sauce. In addition i ordered the potato salad with fried whiting and shrimp. Everything was cooked fresh and made to order. The most enjoyable part of the meal was also having the owner and chef herself Carolyn talk to us and ask us how everything was going. I thought that was wonderful and really a personal touch that other restaurants should also consider doing. Thank you for a great experience will be back :)
Review №5
2021-12-15The food was AMAZING!!! Support this wonderful black owned business! The food is made fresh and the service was great! You won’t be disappointed at all. The catfish dinner with Mac and potato salad was on point!!! Lemonade was great too!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Review №6
2022-02-25My daughters and I ordered last night and they said to give you 5 stars. They loved your chicken strips and I love your mash! It was all yum. Will definitely order again and tell our friends. Oh & the lemonade we loved! The best Ive had.
Review №7
2021-09-10Just moved into the neighborhood and WOW glad I walked in to Carolyn’s! The chicken was tender melted off the bone, the cornbread was airy and soft…mac and cheese was great. This is probably the best place to get lunch - I got the lunch special…all this food was 7$ !! It was amazing! Would definitely come back. They got themselves a forever repeat customer!! Support local businesses!
Review №8
2022-02-02Food was delicious. I had fried chicken mac and cheese and collards, everything was well seasoned and fresh. Order ahead if you are short on time because its made to order but so worth the wait. I found them on a Google search for soul food and now Im hooked. Cant wait to try the rest of the menu items.
Review №9
2021-10-10Delicious! Some of the best fried fish we’ve ever had. Everything is made fresh to order so it takes some time, but it’s well worth the wait.
Review №10
2021-07-18The Mac and cheese egg roll was sooooo good. I would come back just for that! Fried chicken was really good. Tasty and perfectly crisp skin. My waffles (had chicken and waffles) were undercooked and couldnt eat them. Food is made to order, so come here with time. No alcohol served.