Yolanda's Place — Restaurant in Kokomo

This is going to be a sorta long post. As much detail as possible. I went here on the strength of a foodie I personally know. The food was bought for a family of four. 3 men, one woman. The order was Jerk Chicken Tacos, then 2 orders of 12 piece Lemon Pepper wings with fries and bread. I will list the good things, then the bad, or things that could improve. First, the logo or signage is pretty cool looking. Bright and distinct, easy to recognize. Second, the chicken was very good to me. Cooked all the way through, seasoned well, flavor was pleasant. I loved the taco. Each of us had 1 taco and 6 wings. Third, the eating and waiting area was clean, organized, and had a old school restaurant vibe. Fourth was the cook who constantly gave us updates on the food. They cook the food fresh, which is the reason for a long wait time. I don't mind the wait if the food is gonna be done right. So, in this case , I MIND! More on that later. Fifth is the ease of getting into and out of the parking lot. We went at night, about 50 minutes before they closed, so that might play a part, so take that into consideration when going.

Now the things that were bad or could improve on, smh.

1. As soon as you pull into the parking lot, there is a grill on a flat tire taking an entire parking spot. Pull the grill closer to the restaurant or put it away. Refill the tire with air. Bad look as soon as you pull up.
2. I tried to place my order after looking at the menu, and they were out of seasoning for the flavor I wanted to try. It's not hard to stock up on seasonings. If you are out of something, you should be proactive and let the customer know before they even get close to telling you their order. Awareness and accountability need to be from the top down. Nobody knew or wanted to be responsible for it. It could be the same problem at a chain restaurant, and they inform you as soon as they sense your presence.
3. After paying for my food, I wasn't offered a receipt. I always get a receipt no matter what because I do my numbers on what I spend in the month and where I go. She didn't even ask if I wanted it. After putting the money in the drawer, she turned to do something else. Could have been an honest mistake. But the way she did it looked as if most customers don't want it so she just stopped asking everyone, and assumed I was like other customers. I am not. She gave me the copy she had for the restaurant. Please, don't get me wrong, she had no attitude about any of this, so don't think she did.
4. My order was missing the bread and 1 wing. Now some people might think "Ah, it was just 1 wing and a little bit of bread, no big deal." Wrong, it's my money that I got from my profits from a sale I made earlier that day from working my business. I didn't see a wing missing or know the bread wasn't there because the food came on foil pans and were covered. It is a half hour drive back home from Kokomo. It was discovered when the food was placed on the plates.

My wife didn't think the food was good enough to go back and spend the type of money that was spent on it. It was good to me, but I believe it could be way better considering I am choosing to come here rather than Popeyes which is within walking distance from Yolandas. I usually check out the restroom in the establishments that I go to, this one I did not go in. With all that was said, would I go back, maybe. The food was not bad. The prices are higher than a chain restaurant, which I expect. But to feed a family off of that and not everyone like the food, nah. So this is my review of Yolandas. I hope this helps....

Food: had a lot of flavor and portion sizes were on par with the pricing. The jerk fries were delicious, chicken was tender and juicy. The salmon bites were a little dry but breaded well and had a nice flavor. The collard greens and candied yams were excellent. If you’ve never been before I’d recommend the jerk fries either steak or chicken.

Service: the staff were very kind, when I went they were down two cooks and I’m sure that my service was NOT the normal. My reason for 3 stars is because although I was well pleased with the staff’s friendliness and owning up to their mistakes, I can’t help but note that three of the four orders that were picked up while I waited (an extra 30 minutes) for my food had been incorrect with what the customer had ordered. If I go back which I most certainly will and the service is much smoother I’d give it four stars. Again the staff working were friendly and corrected their mistakes but I can’t help but note how many mistakes were made by staff.

Atmosphere: I’m giving 3 stars because there was a decent amount of seating and as of the writing I believe Yolanda’s has only been in there new building for about a month, some more decor would help but there’s room for improvement and I’d like to see more things on the walls. I’ll revisit in a month or two and see if they’ve gotten settled in to their new location.

All in all I’d say the food itself was very enjoyable and I’m happy that Kokomo has a soul food restaurant to give a variety of cuisine to the city. I hope Yolanda’s the best and would be very happy to see them become a staple restaurant in Kokomo and even expand. I give it 4 stars because of the unique cuisine in the area that tasted delicious and again I really believe that the issues that arose during my visit were flukes but I’ll need to visit again to...

Review of Yolanda’s Place Jerk & Soul Food – A Soulful Surprise in Kokomo

So there we were, aimlessly scrolling through “food near me” like a couple of hangry treasure hunters when Google dropped a pin on Yolanda’s Place. We took the bait. And friends, this wasn’t just a hidden gem—it was a full-on buried treasure chest of soul food glory, right there in Kokomo, Indiana. Who knew?

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted like family—like the kind of family that actually likes each other and cooks ridiculously well. I don’t have DNA results to confirm this, but I’m convinced everyone working there is related by blood, marriage, or shared seasoning secrets. And you can taste the love—every bite was like a hug from someone’s Southern auntie.

I ordered the jerk chicken dinner with cabbage and collard greens, and let me just say: that chicken came with attitude. Spicy, flavorful, and unapologetically delicious. The cabbage and greens? Tender, savory, and clearly cooked by someone who understands the assignment.

My husband ordered the catfish dinner with mac and cheese and candied yams. He got suspiciously quiet halfway through his plate, which means one of two things: he either blacked out from happiness or was too focused on not sharing. Either way, I respect it.

And the best part? We hadn’t even finished eating before we were already planning our next visit. “Next time, I’m getting the smothered chicken,” I muttered like a person with a deliciously dangerous plan.

10/10 across the board. Yolanda’s Place is the real deal. If you’re anywhere near Kokomo and not eating here, what exactly are you doing...