Jamillah's Garden Soul Food — Restaurant in Philadelphia

I tried the food again (2 weeks after my initial visit, but this time I was treated to a platter by my companion. I ordered the bbq ribs with 2 sides of mac & cheese, and her had the fried chicken platter with sweet potatoes and mac & cheese. My ribs weren’t nearly as tender as my first visit, nor was there enough bbq sauce, the mac & cheese, although it was ok, clearly wasn’t made by the same person. I tried a piece of my companion’s fried chicken and it was bland. I really wanted to like and support this place since it’s a B.O.B. and I had such a great time conversing with the other customers, but I don’t think I’ll return. Like the old adage says…”Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me” If I am a fool for the 3rd time, it’ll only be to try the fish hoagie. Went to Jamillah’s Garden yesterday to get myself and my mother platters. I ordered the beef rib platter with mac & cheese and greens (comes with a free piece of cornbread), and my mother got the fried chicken platter with potato salad & greens. As I waited to place my order and for my order to be filled the camraderie with the other customers was absolutely wonderful. After paying $58.08, I left a $10 tip and spent an additional $6 for a piece of cheesecake. I went home and opened the platter in which both were incorrect in regards to the sides. I got greens and cabbage (YUCK🤢🤮), instead of mac & cheese and greens, my mother got greens but didn’t have any potato salad, I also didn’t get cornbread. I went back to infom them of their error and watched as the 2 women whispered back & forth. The woman at the register who takes the order had an attitude and even rolled her eyes as she whispered back to the woman who bags the food. Both receipts clearly showed what was ordered. I told the lady at the register that I didn’t get any cornbread, and with much sass and attitude she said it wasn’t out yet when I was there 10 minutes prior to my visit; given the option, I would’ve waited since I had such a great time conversing with the other customers. The woman at the register was very unapologetic, but the Sister bagging the orders did apologize. The food was EXCELLENT! The mac & cheese was some of the best I’ve had. The ribs fell off the bone good even though I didn’t have enough sauce. My mother enjoyed her food saying it was very tasty. I will patronize them again, next time I WILL NOT leave a tip and I definitely will check my order before leaving I would’ve given them 5 stars if it wasn’t for the mixup with my order and especially...

Having just opened about a month ago [alongside an infamous visit for the one & only J.L. Jupiter (a Foodie YouTuber‼️)], Jamillah’s Garden Soul Food & BBQ 🍗🍖had peaked my interest and anticipation ever since a client of mine showed me the J.L. Jupiter YouTube video that popularized a resurrected Philly staple [originally know as Balil’s Garden, according to my client].

Beforehand, my client attempted to call ahead to put in an order. However, they couldn’t even get ANYONE on the phone📵Hence, I decided to go over in person to access the atmosphere. 🤔 Once I got over there, after finding parking on 68th, I was floored at how CROWDED the place was!!!! 😳😲😦 I mean, once I placed my order, I had to wait for 1 1/2 HOURS 😴🥱😮‍💨before finally receiving what I initially requested, which was the: Fish Fried Rice Platter w/ Collard Greens & Candied Sweet Potatoes ($30)🐟🥬🍠 Rib Platter [1/2 Slab of Ribs] w/ Mac & Cheese & Potato Salad ($25-28)🍖🧀 🥔🥗 Chicken Wings ($12) 🍗 Bread Pudding ($5) 🥮

After all that waiting, holding the door for people, letting people know to order up front as other people lingering inside already HAVE ordered, side chatter with other customers, I finally made my way back to my client with nearly $80 worth of food in my hands. 😵‍💫

Once I finally settled in with a platter of a little bit of everything, I couldn’t wait to dig in.😋As soon as I finished everything on my plate, not only did I wish I ordered more, but I also thought that all that effort was worth it!!!! 🤤😋🥰 In other words, I am definitely vouching for all that J.L. Jupiter proclaimed about the food he & I ordered. From the tenderness of the Rib to the cake-like texture of the cornbread, I was thoroughly impressed 😃 and wide-eyed 😳🙄as I traversed from each side and main dishes. 😍 My only concern is the wait time for the food in general. ⏳I could DEFINITELY wait for an hour for THIS food, However, in a world where I find myself consistently on the move based on my erratic schedule, I’d prefer to have my food as soon as humanly possible. Then again, you’ve got to respect the LOVE 💗 that these wonderfully artistic chefs put into this SOUL Food ☮️ as I can’t remember the last time I fascinated myself with what I had eaten in front of me. What these seasoned vets need are MORE HANDS ON DECK, ESPECIALLY behind the counter. Not to mention they’re also looking for a driver to do deliveries. So, if ANYONE out there is looking to serve as a person dedicated to the art of either serving, delivering, or crafting delicious food, PLEASE do not hesitate to provide your assistance to these FINE Folks as they establish themselves once more into our Philadelphia...

I've wanted to try Jamillah's Garden since it first opened and had lines out the door. Today, I ordered the fish hoagie, which is what everyone talks about. I was impressed.

The whiting was perfectly cooked: moist, flakey, indulgent Omega-3 fatty acid goodness. Crunchy exterior, golden brown and speckled with seasoning. It was light and crisp, like real Philly-style soul food. I really don't know why so many places insult their customers with heavy-battered thick and eggy coating, or worse, yellow corn meal dust that tastes like old fryer oil. Jamillah's does it right. Their fried whiting is truly soulful.

The hoagie is served with cheese, which is unnecessary because it doesn't really add anything, but it doesn't detract either. Of course, there's shredded lettuce and sliced tomato. And they squirt it with this sweet and tangy sauce that's almost like a Cajun remoulade.

Everything is stuffed into a whole wheat long roll that can barely contain the oversized portion. Seriously, this sandwich is huge. Big enough to feed two people. But it's so good that you'll want to finish it yourself.

I went with my teenaged son. He ordered a cheesesteak hoagie. His review: it's gasss!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥!!!

To be clear, I'm usually wary of anyplace that advertises "soul food." Usually, it means everything will be blanketed in Lawry's seasoning salt and overcooked until it's hard and dry, until you can't distinguish what you're even eating, and then, they cook it some more to make sure there's no moisture left anywhere. Not Jamillah's. They know heat and fire. They know herbs and spices.

What else do you need to know? The service was super friendly. Even the cooks went out of their way to say hello and make sure we weren't waiting too long. Of course, there's no ambience, but that's okay, it's a take out place.

I'll definitely be going back. I want to try the platters. I want to try the side dishes. I bet they make real-deal collard greens.

Go. Don't hesitate. This place will satiate your soul...