Gilbens Bakery — Restaurant in Philadelphia

Let me start by saying, I’ve been here a few times. I’ve had breakfast, the Po Boys, and Sunday Dinner. The food is good. Really good. Getting the Soulfood Sunday dinner has become a exercise in patience and futility and I can’t do it anymore. This past Sunday, August 9 just left a lot to be desired. First, I ordered online which they were only doing online or walk up orders. Ok. We ordered a few platters. I really wanted the stuffed salmon but it wasn’t available online so I opted for fried chicken and I’ve had it before, it’s usually buttermilk golden fried wings. So I get there, 15 mins after my pick up time (which was a hour from the time I ordered), food isn’t ready. No big deal, I’ve done this before so I wait another 20 mins and ask for a status, they tell me it’s not ready. Then I hear the lady saying their online system went down so they are just getting orders in. Oh God. So I ask again, she said they are working on it. My food is ready about another hour later, which is a total of two hours after I ordered, which I stood outside in the heat for a hour of that waiting for my food.

Now I heard they had run out of fried chicken while I was waiting for my food but since no one said anything to me I thought it didn’t apply to people who had already ordered. I did glance at my food before leaving but when I got home I noticed my fried chicken wasn’t wings but a half chicken, it’s wasn’t crispy and was extremely dry. I was livid. Don’t change and not tell me, and the chicken wasn’t fried the same way probably because they improvised but don’t do that without notifying the customer. You don’t get to make the choice for me. My entire meal was ruined by the long wait and them substituting my main without asking.

They have got to get the ordering system together, the wait times are ridiculous. There has to be a better way and I hope they figure it out and stay consistent so they can continue to prosper because as I said, the food is really good. I won’t be back for a while because my last experience left a lot...

GILBEN'S Food is DELICIOUSLY AMAZING TO THE PALET!!! In a city that's known internationally for its food, particularly some good Soul Food dives, Gilben's Bakery and Specialty Sandwich Shop has to be one of the best Black owned-takeout Restaurants in the city of Philadelphia. I first learned of Gilben's through WDAS's own Radio Commentator- Patty Jackson when she did a live-video review a few years ago and then thru some relatives, who come all the way from the other side of the city just for the Fish Sliders and the Po' Boy Sandwiches alone! My goodness are they GOOD! They give these nice little healthy portions of fish on a bun served with a side chips all for a nice price that makes it even more worthy to try.

SOUL FOOD SUNDAYS...Is what it is ALL about for me in particular, because if you're like me and you're in the mood for some really good traditional with a slight nudge-soul food, then you better run and not walk on Sundays ordering! Starting with the Turkey Wings, that are succulent and tasty and are a customer's favorite. The Fried Fish platter which is good, the Smothered Pork Chops are to die for and of course, what I call the Gospel Bird-lol! Fried Chicken which is everybody's favorite as well as baked or Curry Chicken. All of that along with some really well put together Side Dishes such as the Collard Greens, Butter Garlic Broccoli, Potato Salad, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, some good ole' Fried Cabbage, Buttered Corn, Candied Yams and some close-your-eyes- 5 Cheese-Mac & Cheese. The Prices are excellent and the food is worthy! But don't stop there! There are so many delicious delights to try just from the Sweet side of the Bakery menu. The Lemon Glazed Pound Cake, Marble pound cake, the myriad of Cheese Cakes and much much more. So be sure to drop by and check it out!!! Avoid the rush and try to get there a little early, especially on Soul Food Sundays, it is crazy sometimes but well worth the wait!!!!...

We must do better. Just because an establishment makes tasty food does not dismiss the other factors that matter when it comes to buying take out food. I’ve been to Gilbens several times really wanting them to do well and be a place I recommend however on several occasions I was disappointed with the way service was handled. Once I went to the soul food side and wanted a Turkey Wing platter with potato salad, after the counter person dished the wings I requested potato salad and was told they were waiting on someone to bring the potatoes, I didn’t want anything else so I said never mind which was met with an attitude and a statement of “I wish you hadda told me that “. No sign was posted about what they didn’t have and it’s not my responsibility to read minds, it’s their responsibility to be prepared and forthcoming. On another occasion I ordered a simple salad and had to wait a ridiculous amount of time for it because the person making the salad was making another dish that took a lot of time, solution could have been to explain the wait time and give the customer the right to decide if they want to wait, that’s why I dislike paying first because now it’s a hassle getting my money back, a tactic commonly used. On other occasions the wait time on the hot sandwich side on a Friday/Saturday is ridiculous and always confusion. Their food is tasty but not exceptional and even if it was you do not get to continue to waste my time and expect a...