The Soul Food Lounge — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Soul Food Lounge – A Culinary Symphony Worth Every Penny ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Soul Food Lounge had been sitting on my must-visit list for ages, and when I spotted it on the Restaurant Week lineup, I knew this was my moment. And oh boy, oh boy—had I missed this, I would have kicked myself for eternity. Not only was this the pinnacle of my Restaurant Week experiences, but dare I say, it might just be my all-time favorite dining spot in all of Chicago.

Let’s get into the nitty-gritty because by the time you’re done reading, you’ll have a reservation locked in. This place operates on a reservations-only basis, and yes, it leans toward the pricier side, but let me tell you—every single penny is worth it. Their grand tasting menu (normally $69, but a steal at $60 during Restaurant Week) is a gastronomic journey. And to start things off on the right note, they serve complimentary lemonade with unlimited refills—and not just any lemonade. This was liquid gold. Crisp, refreshing, bursting with citrusy magic—honestly, I would’ve been happy just sipping on that all evening.

Now, onto the showstoppers—the food. With 12 mind-blowing options and only three picks allowed per person, making a choice felt like Mission Impossible. But we rose to the challenge and here’s what we feasted on:

🍖 Marsala Braised Pot Roast – A slow-braised, melt-in-your-mouth masterpiece, bathed in a rich, velvety Marsala sauce. The crispy herb vegetable medley added the perfect crunch, while the Thai honey Brussels sprouts brought an unexpected but delightful sweet-savory kick.

🦞 Italian Flame Broiled Lobster Alfredo – If decadence had a face, this would be it. The lobster was flame-broiled to perfection—smoky, tender, and succulent. Paired with creamy garlic purée potatoes and vibrant asparagus tips, every bite felt like a luxurious escape.

🧀 Truffle Lobster Mac and Cheese – Forget everything you think you know about mac and cheese. This dish was next-level. Velvety, truffle-infused parmesan met aged cheddar in the most indulgent embrace, while generous chunks of buttery lobster transformed it into a show-stopping masterpiece.

🍤 Carolina Creamy Shrimp & Grits – The epitome of Southern comfort. Plump, juicy shrimp nestled in a bed of the creamiest, dreamiest grits, with crispy bacon and fragrant garlic butter elevating the whole affair. This dish wrapped me in a warm, culinary hug.

🥩 Korean Glazed Short Ribs – A beautiful fusion of bold, smoky, and slightly sweet flavors. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, lacquered in a sticky Korean glaze that balanced heat and umami. The garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed broccolini rounded out the plate with elegance.

🐟 Smothered Catfish – A soulful classic done right. The catfish, fried to a perfect golden crisp, was bathed in a rich, savory gravy that soaked into every flaky bite. Hearty, comforting, and brimming with love.

And just when I thought the meal couldn’t get any better—the dessert. The grilled pound cake was nothing short of spectacular. Lightly caramelized on the edges, warm and buttery on the inside, it melted in my mouth with every bite. Paired with a luscious drizzle and a scoop of velvety ice cream, it was the perfect sweet finale to an already unforgettable feast. 🍰🔥

By the time the last forkful had disappeared, I was already mentally planning my next visit. The Soul Food Lounge isn’t just a restaurant—it’s an experience. A symphony of flavors, a celebration of soul, and an unforgettable journey for the taste buds. If you haven’t been, what are you waiting for? Make. That....

I saw a food review on TikTok and decided I needed to go when in town. I love a good brunch place especially if it’s black owned. I arrived at 12:08 for my 12 reservation due to a car accident. I called restaurant and mentioned I would be late. They were fine with that. When I arrived I was behind 4 women who were together and 2 more parties of 2 walked in directly behind me. After waiting about 15 minutes the part of 4 were seated at tables that were put together for 6. The other 2 were not there yet. I thought to myself, “if there are 2 parties of 2 and 1 party of 1, why not sit those 3 tables first, and wait for the rest of their party to arrive?” I was seated 40 minutes later. The hostess walked pass me and the group of four and asked two ladies waiting if they would like mimosas or water while waiting. I had to ask her would she bring me a glass of water also. When I was seated, I noticed there was a brunch menu only for $69. Not advertised as such on their website, not indicated in any review…but ok. Let’s do it. This included 3 meal choices and glasses of mimosas. The first glass of mimosa came after I reminded the waitress 20 minutes after being seated. I watched as she struggled with getting orders right for two other tables. I kept mine short sweet and to the point so I wouldn’t have the same experience. One other table sat down next to me and a patron questioned the brunch menu. She mentioned she only eats one of the options. And there was nothing else for her to choose. On to the food I ate. Short ribs frittata came out looking like one egg topped with cheese and short rib which had a sweet glaze on them. 8/10. Fried chicken breast came next with potatoes. Chicken was crispy and juicy, honey drizzle worked also. Potatoes were underwhelming. 7/10. The seafood and grits included 2 chunks of fried catfish, 1 shrimp, and a small portion of a fried lobster tail (maybe 1/4 of a 7 oz lobster). Taste: great especially the grits and sauce. But disappointed in the portion sizes of all of the dishes due to the price. 8/10. These need to be advertised as small portions or tapa style and it’ll make more sense. The food came out on saucers, not plates. And the mimosas should constantly be coming to the table. The final issue: my bill was almost $90 and showed on the machine as $69 + $19 in taxes. I commented on how high the taxes were and the waitress agreed. When the receipt came through my phone, it showed that actually tax was around $7 with the remainder being an 18% gratuity. Such a misrepresentation. Now technically I could have given more in tip or could have given less due to lack of quality service. But automatic gratuity is not advertised nor when you swipe to pay does it show as such. You can tell each item is cooked to order but I didn’t understand why it took so long or where the mix up came in at other tables with such a limited menu. I’d like to revisit maybe when I can order regularly and experience bottomless...

I wish I took individual pictures of everything but omg everything was delicious. It did come out warm, I just prefer my food hotter.

We got the grand tasting and chose the fried catfish etouffee, truffle lobster Mac and cheese, and the southern fried steak. **there was also a mixup in our order and we got to try the Korean Glazed short ribs; IT IS A MUST TO ORDER!! *

‼️KEEP IN MIND‼️When you order the grand tasting, it’s 1 per person. So we order one and an extra full entree (we got the maple fried chicken). Also the restaurant is small. They deserve a bigger spot for sure!

Korean Short ribs- 10/10, the flavor was there!!! It was savory, it was sweet. The meat was tender enough to shred. My boyfriend dogged the whole thing before I could even take my first bite 😂. We would definitely order this again.

Catfish etouffee- 7/10 for sure. The catfish was seasoned perfectly, however there wasn’t much going for the actual etouffee. If it came out hotter and not warm it would’ve been better.

Truffle Mac and cheese- 8/10 the smell of the truffle will throw you off if you’re not use to it. It was delicious even the day after. There were panko on top which wasn’t overwhelming, it was a light layer which I liked, my boyfriend is never a fan of it but he was still satisfied.

Fried steak- 8.5/10 the texture was throwing me off but it was actually good! The flavor was delicious and the veggies were a refreshing taste with everything we ate. I was happy the sauce wasn’t covering the veggies.

Maple fried chicken- 9/10 OMG. Crispy, juicy (besides 1 of them, the bigger pieces), flavorful. The chicken was delicious and the sauce was bearable since it is a sweeter dish. The side potatoes were bland but it was crispy and fluffy on the inside. It does not complement the sauce at all. We didn’t eat the pound cake though, nothing much to say on that (it was just a lot of food lol)

We got the complementary white wine and it was really good. It isn’t a dry wine which I like and I’m not even a big drinker.

We tried their hibiscus lemonade - 9/10 there was no lemonade flavor, not a strong hibiscus flavor either but it was refreshing and delicious, we ordered one to go. We also tried their mango lemonade - 9/10 and this was amazing! The flavor was there and it wasn’t too sweet. It reminded us of Dunkin’s “mango pineapple” refresher. We also ordered another of this to go.

we had no room for dessert and we took enough home for leftover lol as someone who use to work in the food/beverage industry, the service here was great! Great teamwork and communication...