The Juke Joint Soul House — Restaurant in Bloomfield

I really love supporting black owned business and do so with empathy and some sense of understanding for our folks in the business sectors. So this is tough for me to write but it is honest.

I've ordered from TJJSH more than 5 maybe even 8 times each time considering what I previously mentioned. However, from the first time I ordered until I went in today to pick up my takeout order I've had an unpleasant experience each time.

Location: It is (in my opinion) not located in the best area and does not have parking. If you can find parking on the street during the summer you're lucky. Don't even bother in the winter because the narrow streets presents a huge issue especially during the snow season (They don't do delivery).

Ambience/Layout: The takeout area is not kept up at all and seems disorganized. (You can judge this yourself)

Ordering Takeout Over the Phone: The phone system is terrible and the voicemail box is always full. The pre-recorded message regarding the specials has not been updated since my first order sometime last year (2020). Whichever person answers the phone never seems polite nor enthusiastic about the call (sounding bored, sleepy, annoyed etc.)

Picking up Takeout: I've always opted for takeout because of the location and parking issue. Whenever I've been told my order would be ready in 5-10 or even 15 mins it has never been ready when I get there and I always have to wait at least 15mins (without an update on my order btw). There's no seating and the takeout area is a bit high traffic...understandably.

Food Size/Quality: While the food I've ordered has been ok for the most part (wings

This place is VERY lack-luster! Nothing to write home about. The ambiance is nothing special just a SMALL box with seats & tables. It's so cramp that every time one of the waitress walked by, they hit our table. Speaking of the waitress, not the friendliest. When we walked in one of the girls asked us "for here or to go" ...when we said "here," she handed us two menus & told us to go sit wherever we want. Slim pickings because most of the other seats were taken & one of the open tables was dirty. On to the food, I got the turkey wings. When my food came out, I was surprised because they were "smothered" turkey wings - nothing mentioned that on the menu. They serve them over a small plating of yellow rice. They were nothing special and a little on the cold side. I got macaroni & cheese as one of my sides (it comes with two) - they were "OK" needed a little salt & pepper. My other side was collard greens - some of the worst I've had ...I like to think of myself as a "collard greens connoisseur" so I know good greens when I have them. These were not good at all & had a sweet taste to them like they were cooked with sugar. The hot sauce helped somewhat though. I also ordered a side of potato salad - watery & too much egg. A waste basically! On to the cornbread - it was burnt on the bottom & had a funny taste like it was sitting there since the morning.

My friend had the fried lobster - she said it was "alright" - could've used some seasoning. She also had Mac & cheese with cabbage. The cabbage was disgusting! Over cooked with no seasoning. She also had the uptown which just tasted like Lipton Ice Tea. My friend insisted it had a funny taste to it.

Overall, I won't be coming back. I like to support black businesses but this place just isn't good. Also, they had a bug problem. Didn't even take my leftovers home because bugs were landing on my food every chance they can get. Nothing will make me come back! 2 stars for being...

The service is horrible. We waited over 1hour and 20 minutes. This was my first time going there. We wanted to sit in and eat. The waiter takes your order. Asked us do we want cornbread and she brings the drinks and cornbread and say that the last of the cornbread . So we don’t get cornbread with our meal. The waiter says no. Now we ok with that. The waiter comes back and say they don’t have collard greens or yams. Ok give us string beans and potato salad. 2nd time the waiter comes back and says she don’t have anymore potato salad. Ok so what do you have. The waiter says let me go see. 3time the waiter comes back and say they don’t have catfish or turkey wings. So all this time our food wasn’t getting cooked or prep to be sent out to us. All this time we had one drink and 1 piece of cornbread. I waited till the waiter brought the fried chicken out yes they had fried chicken cabbage and Mac and cheese out and left didn’t pay for anything. Now the man that said it’s a family business like he was running things trying to talk but I’m like you not trying to push the good out for faster service taking about they don’t cook much cause they don’t waste food like other restaurants. Yeah other restaurants don’t disappoint there customers like this one did, just because the food good the service have to be better. And the black community accepts this treatment. That’s why is hard for blacks to 100% support blacks when I ho to a restaurant that food wasn’t even all that got better treatment. I refuse to tolerate it especially when I know I can get better services. People was calling in and the take they order but when arrive they don’t have this that and this. They need to know what they don’t have before they take orders. They need...