Home Sweet Harlem — Restaurant in New York

I don't have enough words for how glad I am that I checked out Home Sweet Harlem.

I woke up today with a craving for diner food and Home Sweet Harlem was at a really accessible location, so we headed out to try it.

Upon entering, the restaurant immediately felt comfortable and friendly. We were confused because someone was setting up for a party, but Matthew was quick to welcome us, get us seated, and introduce us to the menu. My partner and I both had issues pulling up the menu via the QR code, but the menu is easy to pull up with a quick Google, so that wasn't an issue.

Matt provided some strong recommendations that helped me make the most of the menu's options for my first time dining. After he got us started, Natalie was one of the servers who served the food and helped with table maintenance. She was very outgoing and made me and my partner even happier to be there.

I got the shrimp and grits while my vegetarian spouse got the challah French toast. Every part of the meal was exceptional, from the flavor of the turkey sausage to the authentic feel of the shrimp and grits, complete with fresh-squeezed orange juice that tasted barely acidic and had the perfect amount of pulp. My partner and I had to take a few breaks while eating because we were both shocked by how filling and satisfying the food was.

Afterwards, Tash, the manager, came by to welcome us to the restaurant and told us about some exciting plans they have coming up in the near future. Not only are they setting up live musical entertainment, but they also plan to have a trivia and board game night on Wednesday nights for when kids get out of school, in addition to a lot of exciting artistic and cultural events coming up in a few weeks for Black History Month.

The food is exceptional and well-priced, the atmosphere is cozy and dynamic, and the employees all were sincere and friendly.

I'm not just glad I came to Home Sweet Harlem to eat, I'm genuinely grateful that such a positive environment exists in the neighborhood. I cannot...

Home Sweet Harlem holds a special place in my heart. I wanted the perfect venue to host my best friend’s Baby Shower and since we are Harlem natives, it was serendipitous that we found a place that took us back to our roots. We were able to rent the entire venue after hours on a Saturday and Ms. Donna and her staff were absolutely excellent! We had a full buffet brunch menu, complete with chicken, fish, shrimp, sausage, waffles, pancakes, eggs, potatoes, assorted drinks etc.- the entire spread was excellent. From the onset of the first call Ms. Donna was accommodating and organized. We discussed the seating capacity, the desired menu items, and add-ons. Prior to the event my sister and I went to brunch and sampled the menu in person. The food was so good that we decided to add on items! Ms. Donna had great communication via phone and email, which made for a very smooth event. On the day of the Baby Shower we were greeted by her staff and graciously allowed to enter early for the balloon artist to begin decorating. Her staff pre-arranged the tables to my specifications and cleaned and mopped as we were setting up to ensure that no unsightly florals were on the ground during the set-up process. We greatly appreciated the use her sound system to play our curated playlist as it saved us on musician/DJ fees. Her staff provided individualized drink service throughout the event and everyone noted how personable and kind they were-shout out to Tay, William, and Julian- you are jewels! The buffet was well organized and was served table by table for efficiency. I appreciate that she allowed outside food and beverage to compliment the included food package, and she even provided to-go containers for the remaining cupcakes for the guests to take. Having attended Home Sweet Harlem for both brunch and hosting for a catered event, I can attest that your experience will be top notch. At Home Sweet Harlem we truly felt at home and will be returning...

Home Sweet Harlem definitely has a homey vibe, and so does the food. If you don't feel like cooking and want to grab a bite, this is a great place.

However, for the price you pay, the last thing I want is just a home-cooked meal, which was the biggest issue. For just two people, the total cost came to a whopping $75, with each of us having only one meal.

Here is the run down on my food and experience. I ordered the shrimp and grits meal, which came with three sides: a salmon croquette, two eggs, and a biscuit.

Lumpy Grits: Although the flavor of the grits was great, they were lumpy. Some of the lumps were so large that the centers were practically uncooked, which was disappointing. The salmon croquette had great flavor but was made from canned salmon with the soft bones still inside. It was also a bit dry.

Biscuit: The biscuit was flat with the consistency of an overdone scone.

Eggs: The eggs were cooked to perfection! Yum!

Shrimp: The shrimp was precooked frozen shrimp so it distracted from the delicious sauce that it was in.

Service: The super-friendly staff made the subpar food experience worth the visit. GG was especially sweet and attentive.

There was a very long wait, which was hard to bear since there was only one other party, and they had already finished their food. Maybe they should serve something while people wait.

Atmosphere: The atmosphere had a grandma’s house vibe, which added to its charm. However, due to the summer heat and low air conditioning, the doors were kept open, which allowed some flies in.

My husband had no issues with his food but agreed it was not worth what we paid.

All of the cons could have easily been overlooked at a diner or somewhere where high-quality food is not expected. But with a final sticker price of $85.00, which included a mandatory 7% tip for parties of over one, Home Sweet Harlem cannot get a pass on lumpy grits no matter how wonderful...