R&J Sea & Soul — Restaurant in Hawthorne

Yesterday evening, I ordered 15 pieces of whiting, 20 medium shrimp and an order of fries. I also ordered a slice of red velvet cake. I placed the order late in the evening and picked up around 8:30pm. By the time I got home, the food was still hot but upon biting the shrimp, I was immediately put off by a foul odor. The shrimp were also overcooked. The fish was not only under-seasoned, it was hard and rubbery. The cake was very dry. By the time everyone in my family started eating, it was 9pm and the restaurant had closed and wouldn’t reopen until today at noon. I refrigerated the rest of the food.

I called the restaurant at noon today, as soon as they opened. I politely described my experience and asked the woman on the phone what my options were. She spent the next 16 minutes searching for my order, arguing with me (and the kitchen staff) about the quality of the food stating that her 40 other customers never said anything and then finally telling me that she would re-make the order as a one time courtesy but that I would have to pay a $5 service fee.

I told her that I refused to pay the fee and after more arguing with me as well as the staff, she told me to just come back and return the food and that she would make it over.

My husband returned to the restaurant within 15 minutes of our call. Upon arrival, the woman opened the original boxes and inspected the food, even going as far as biting the shrimp and fish that had been refrigerated overnight in my home. She said that the shrimp didn’t have a smell today and she didn’t have a problem with the fish, stating that it was international whiting, not domestic whiting, claiming that perhaps that’s why we didn’t like it. The woman then tried negotiating with my husband, offering to make less food since some of the original order was missing. The majority of our order was still boxed and untouched. When my husband showed her the red velvet cake, she stated that her son always says that it’s dry but customers never complain.

My husband refused to accept less than the full order so she finally agreed to remake all of the food.

The new order was hot and freshly made but upon biting, the shrimp smelled just like it did last night. The fish had a very bad taste which was easy to detect because it wasn’t seasoned well. The only part of the meal that was salvageable was the fries, which were basic freezer fries.

My husband told the lady that we won’t be returning and she had the nerve to ask why. Please read the other reviews. They are right. And the customer service...

I stopped here about a month ago because I was very hungry and it was on the way to work. I had a feeling that this was not a place that I wanted to purchase food nor support when I called to inquire and place an order but, I tried to keep an open mind. I asked the lady who answered if they accept credit card payments and she starts telling about EBT card payments. I could not get a word in edgewise. She finally answered the question at the very end. I tried to overlook that experience and proceeded to place my order. But, by that time, my better judgment was telling me not to do it.

When I arrived to pick up my order, she told me the total and I questioned why it was so high. She told me the amount of the individual charges and I said, "I thought you said this item was a specific amount?" She then tells me that it is a premium item. I told her that I did not know that it was a premium item and that when I first called and told her that I had never been there before and asked what the choice were for sides, that should have been mentioned. Then, she gives me a completely different and higher total amount. So, I said, "I thought you said that the total was this amount?" Then, she starts supposedly explaining the charges to me again and tells me yet another, different, higher amount. At that point, I told her that she keeps changing the amount, I did not want it, and I walked out.

The treatment and service is lousy. It is obvious that the people running the place are trying to take advantage of those native to the community. In other words, it is not authentic soul food made by black people. I will not return and support this place and I would not recommend...

I recently dined at Soul Food, and while the restaurant offered a classic soul food menu, the overall execution fell short of expectations. The pervasive issue was excessive saltiness, which affected nearly every dish I tried. The Cajun potatoes, which should ideally boast a vibrant blend of spices, were overpowered by salt. The catfish and shrimp, while cooked to a decent crisp, suffered the same fate. The coleslaw, a dish that should offer a refreshing counterpoint to heavier flavors, was unfortunately soggy and watery. Finally, the macaroni and cheese, a soul food staple, was rendered unpleasantly salty. While I appreciate the effort in offering these soul food staples, the excessive saltiness significantly detracted from the overall dining experience.

And to top it all off the customer service was horrendous. The person taking the order seem to have an attitude with every customer that came in if I could give it a negative five stars I would but I can only give...