Jackson and Goodwin Soul Food — Restaurant in Garfield

As I'm about to write this review, I read a couple of the others! Man listen, I don't know what the majority of these 5 star reviews are, or who wrote them, I can tell you that my trust in google reviews is up for questioning now for sure. Unfortunately I tried this place twice! First time I ordered the fried fish dinner, I can't remember what sides I ordered. All of it was horrible. I kid you not. I mean come on, a so called black restaurant who can't season fish!? I waited like 25 minutes for the fish, the guy said, O! We make our fish fresh to order,so I'm excited, thinking I was gonna have some really good fish. I feel bad about writing this because the ppl in there are pretty nice, they gave me a few things to try, I should have known then to just leave because everything I tried was not exciting to my taste buds at all. And the price I paid sheesh! That was the first time maybe like from in the spring. Fast forward to two weeks ago. I was hungry, just wanted something to eat, some soul food, I said, well, the place is still in business,maybe they switched cooks, and I didn't feel like driving. So I decided to give them another try.smh. It's a long story but, I go there, I said to myself,I'll get some chicken. Well, again,they would have had to fry the chicken,he said maybe like 20 minutes,I'm like naw, I'm good, I can go sit down in a restaurant for that long,I'm standing in this little area for that long, sorry,I don't like little one way in and one way out spots and no seating anyway. After going over the menu,the guys like hey, you can take this order of chicken,someone hasn't picked it up! I'm like,looks like it's been just sitting there,not even under a heat lamp,naw! I'm good. I said,just give me a small container of collard greens and yams,I'll just eat that. He gave me my order,to my surprise it was over 10$ ! Mind you, a chicken dinner with two sides is I think 13$... I just paid him and left, didn't even complain. Got home, the yams are from a can,and collards were tasteless. I said, well! That's what I get. I got into an argument with my girl, I said, well if you would have cooked it would not have waisted over...

I was looking for something different and this place popped up, so i took a drive to Garfield. Heads up, it's not where your gps brings you to, it's around the corner on the cross street.

Stepped in and was greeted by the nicest lady who immediately offered me a sip of their "uptown" drink - a mix of iced tea and lemonade. It was quite tasty.

That was just the beginning of the warmth that this establishment exuded, they were super nice and friendly. They asked my name, but I forgot to ask theirs. As I waited for my food, she began bringing me samples of the sides and desserts. She had me sample the banana pudding (she asked first if I ate bananas) - this was super flavorful of banana, as another review said, not just vanilla pudding with some sliced bananas in it.

Beyond that, she brought me a little piece of frosted banana bread, a dense, rich flavorful lemony cake, and a frosted pound cake. The lemony one was my favorite.

Next came a bit of sweet potatoes, with huge flavor that I haven't really experienced before in a dish like this. She also let me try the mac and cheese (great spices in it!) and collard greens (tastes just how you expect!), as well as one of their "French fries" which is a round slice of potato, really good and so much more interesting than normal fries. She brought this out with her rib sauce to taste/dip, which was also good.

She also had some great conversation about boxing and bringing the neighborhood together.

When I got my food, it was bursting out of the takeout container and she had to use a rubber band to keep it closed.

The cutlery set came with A dumdum lollipop and a piece of bubble gum as well.

I ordered: 2 piece fried chicken - leg and thigh with mac and cheese and collard greens and cornbreak. They also added a few fries in, coleslaw, and hot sauce.

The chicken was tasty, but the pieces were huge! The cornbread was dense and sweet, delicious. The coleslaw was super creamy.

I'll be back and I'd encourage anyone nearby to...

I came in on a tough day, just looking for some good food to lift my spirits and I left with so much more. I had been meaning to try this place, and it completely exceeded my expectations. The food didn’t just taste good it fed my soul. Every bite was full of flavor, love, and care.

The fried chicken was perfectly crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. The collard greens were seasoned with love tender and full of flavor. The sweet potatoes? Absolute perfection smooth, rich, and just the right touch of sweetness. I had a sample of the grits, and let me tell you they were top notch. Creamy, buttery, with just the right texture not too thick, not too runny just that perfect Southern-style comfort that sticks to your ribs in the best way possible.

And then came the desserts… whew. I had samples of the carrot, strawberry, banana, and candied apple cakes, and every single one was a hit. Soft, moist, and bursting with flavor. The crunch of the candied apple cake was an unexpected delight that I’m still thinking about. But the standout? Their banana pudding with homemade custard hands down the best I’ve ever had. Creamy, smooth, and made with care you can taste.

But what truly sets this place apart is the people. The owners welcomed me like family. Their kindness and genuine warmth created a space that felt more like a home than a restaurant. It's rare to find that kind of energy, where you feel seen, appreciated, and fed inside and out.

You don’t just eat here, you experience it. The atmosphere, the conversations, the sense of community it’s all part of the magic. The food is exquisite, yes, but the hearts behind it are what make this place unforgettable. I’ll definitely be back, not just for the meal, but for the love that...