Yoolks On Us — Restaurant in Portsmouth

I was sort of disappointed. I had seen pictures and was really excited to try this place today Based on the pictures I saw online I truly was expecting my food to at least be good. Well if im asked how my visit was I can only say it was alright. Why? Well let's start at the beginning. When we entered a sign said wait to be seated so we did, but no one came so we were unsure of what to even do. Big turn off for me but I waited because the music was nice and I was vibin'. Finally a man came over after several other people came in and said we could sit over there. We had no clue what he was talking about but ended up on a sofa to wait to be seated. We also aren't sure who the man was as we didn't see him anymore. After about 30 minutes of waiting because they were very busy we were seated at a table. I had no problem with the wait because I expected great food. Our server asked if it was our first time there, it was. So he gave us the run down which I liked. We placed our orders and waited quite some time for our food to arrive. Again not a problem. I've learned to wait because of a lack of help. Once our food arrived we were so excited because it looked so delicious, not the case. So my collards were not seasoned at all but were sweet, very disappointing and confusing. We also had Shrimp and grits which was plentiful but bland. Needed salt and sharp cheese. Now the cornbread was good. Moist and sweet but too small, I could have used a bigger piece. The crab cakes were ok, I loved that they were fried and well seasoned, a good portion and not much filler, but they also were not lump. But that was ok because they tasted ok. $15.99 for two crab cakes, two sides and cornbread wasn't bad but it should at least be good...not just ok. Also our server was ok...he wasn't very attentive. We had to keep getting his attention to ask for things like utensils😳 napkins and refills. I don't like an inattentive server. We also had a turkey club with fries and eggs Benedict with crab cake and potato hash which were alright. Im not saying you shouldn't try them I really think you should and be your own judge I just don't think it measures up to all the hype out there. My pictures even look like the food tastes great but not the case...

First and foremost I would like to say this was my first time here. I ordered steak (med well-well- done) scrambled eggs and cheese with potatoes. Once I received my food I started with the potatoes first which was marvelous the scrambled eggs and cheese secondly which was also great and lastly the steak. Once I cut into my steak it was bloody and had the smell of raw undercooked meat which immediately turned me off from continuing to eat the steak. I called them to speak with a manager asking for a refund and she tell me she could not issue me a refund because I used a card which is what they required in order to place a order over the phone. However she proceeded to tell me that I could not receive a refund but I could order something at the same value. I said okay what do you recommend and she said the catfish keep in mind I already spent 40 bucks. So I said okay that's fine once again compromising. I sat and waited for my food just to receive it and the catfish crust was so hard it look like McDonald's fish fillet patties after sitting all-day(mad) Furthermore the potatoes was burnt on one side as if someone forgot about them and grab them at the last minute. Also when I got there I was asked if I wanted to sit inside or outside on the patio I told the young lady I would like to sit outside on the patio(crowded on inside) by the time my food was ready the young lady came back and told me that I could not sit on the patio because it was too early in the day. That wasn't a good reason why I couldn't sit out there. Keep in mind my food was wrong in the first place. I try to support businesses as much as I can however the service I received today was very disappointing I would not return or recommend anyone to come here that was one of the worst experiences I've ever had in...

I rarely leave negative reviews, but after sitting with this experience for 24 hours, I still feel compelled to share it. We first attempted to visit the Yoolks On Us location off Portsmouth Blvd. Despite the door signage and online hours indicating it was open, the location was closed. That should’ve been our first warning sign, but we decided to give their original Washington St. location a try instead.

Right at the entrance, there was a sign stating that an automatic 18% gratuity would be added to all dine-in orders. However, this was never mentioned by the staff during our visit, so hopefully all customers happen to read the fine print. The restaurant was busy, but you could still hear the soft background jazz, which was honestly the highlight of the experience. Unfortunately, the positives end there.

Be aware: the only drinks that come with free refills are soda and coffee. Tea, at $3.50 per glass, is not included. The food was disappointing across the board. My husband’s meat lovers omelet was small, barely the size of a folded appetizer paper plate. The potatoes were cold, and the toast wasn’t even toasted. My plate (eggs, sausage, and potatoes) was also cold, and the blueberry pancakes were overdone and chewy. Our server never checked on us after the food arrived. We decided to just finish what we could and leave, and only finally saw our server when they gave us the bill, 30 minutes later.

In total, our bill came to $55, including the automatic 18% gratuity, for one omelet combo, one blueberry pancake combo, and two teas. For comparison, two All-Star Specials and two teas (with free refills) at Waffle House runs about $35, and the food is always hot.

Maybe we caught them on an off day, but between the cold food, lack of service, and price point, we won’t be back...