Soulveur Bistro

Stopped by here for lunch today. They are located right off of Hull St next to Sheets. You would miss it if you were not looking for it. I didn't even see the sign until I began walking to the entrance. We were met at the door by the hostess and seated promptly. The dining room was on the small side, but was tastefully decorated with photos of African American musicians. We were presented with the menu, which I was disappointed because it was only the lunch menu. I had perused the dinner menu on the website and was looking forward to trying one of the entrees. Nevertheless, I ordered the Shrimp Po Boy and my companion ordered the vegetable platter, consisting of collard greens, sweet potatoes and mac & cheese. There was a bit of a wait for the food but everything came out fresh and hot. I noticed immediately, however, that my shrimp still had the tails on them. Being that this was a sandwich, I feel the tails should have been removed before they were fried. Despite this oversight, I thought the shrimp were seasoned well and the sandwich was good. It came with sweet potato fries, which were also very good. The mac & cheese and collard greens on the vegetable platter were good, the sweet potatoes, not so much. They could have been sweeter and it just seemed like they were missing something. For dessert, we tried the bread pudding. There was a bit of a wait for the bread pudding (there was only one other party of 3 in the restaurant). The bread pudding came out warm, in a sizeable square shape, big enough to share. It had whipped cream on top, but surprisingly had no raisins in it. While I enjoyed the flavor, I definitely think they could raise it up a notch by adding raisins and serving it with vanilla ice cream instead of whipped cream. Overall, I thought the food was good. The prices, however, were on the high side. At these prices, I would expect that I wouldn't have to peel the tails off my Shrimp Po Boy and that my bread pudding would have some raisins. This is a new restaurant, I think this is their first week, so hopefully these things are corrected.

Was really hoping to give this place a 5 star rating, but the ball was dropped badly in making a positive first impression. My husband and I went for dinner on a Sunday evening, other than us, one other family was dining. I'm pretty observant of things, especially when it's a first for me. The man who led us to our table did not exude any friendliness at all, however he was quite personable with the one other family, coming to check on them more than once, while ignoring us completely. He was not their waiter, perhaps he was the owner. Our waitress was very nice, giving good service. The chef came to our table to see how the food was, this was nice. While the food was tasty, we felt it was a bit overpriced for the portions we received. My $22 pork chop wasn't exactly what I expected from how it's described on menu, also the food temperature could have been hotter, rather than warm. My husbands $24 steak was tasty, but it shouldn't have been $24. I really enjoyed the cheesy potatoes, just not hot enough. Pretty small space, not very warm feel, but great pictures on wall. I understand this place is fairly new, which is why any opportunity to wow your customers, should be utilized to the fullest. The location is really close to us, but the jury is still out as to whether or not we will return. When it comes to my dining experience, I don't mind traveling a bit further, paying a bit more, for the excellent customer service, as well as delicious food. I hope this place succeeds, and more importantly, I hope the staff understands that it is crucial to make certain EVERY customer has a pleasant dining experience . Mingle with each customer, especially when there are only 2 occupied tables. If the man who led us to a table was indeed the owner, he missed the mark in a huge way in making a positive first impression with us.

Food is good old fashioned style soul food but with a great modern artistic vibe. Small and intimate seating with friendly chef. My only issue was that the young waiter didn't know the menu at all. He couldn't recommend anything. He couldn't even tell us about the muffins/bread. Hopefully he will actually try the food himself and get better educated about where he works

We have eaten there 6 times and they have only been open a week.... obviously, we have enjoyed our meals. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and the food definitely delicious! My favorite is the catfish, cheese grits, collard greens, pound cake, bread pudding, fried green tomatoes, peach salmon, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, shrimp & grits, sweet potato muffins...... all mouthwatering delightful. I am positive all items on the menu will be equally as delicious and will continue to return to dine with this great team of people.

Thursday night dinner for two. The space is intimate, tastefully decorated. Staff is warm and knowledgeable. Food was delicious!!! We had the BLT salad ( fried green tomatoes to die for!), gee chee paella ( great curry spice), and shrimp & grits (huge shrimp cooked perfectly with cheesy grits). We will definitely return.

It's unfortunate when a restaurant you frequented and enjoyed when they first opened begins to go downhill quickly from the customer service to the food. My last three attempts were disappointing. Regarding taste, I enjoy the catfish the most, but the portions have decreased from (2) whole pieces to (2) half pieces. I have photos to prove it and waitresses have finally admitted it. The meal with two sides still costs $16. If you want more, it's an additional $3/half. My sides no longer come to me hot or fresh. I typically order the green beans and either fries or cheese potatoes. The most recent visit this week was my last straw. Since the fries are plain, I asked for the most popular condiment of all restaurants - ketchup. The waitress tells me they've run out of ketchup! Say what? And on a Friday evening? She walked away without even asking me if she could get anything else in replacement. The green beans used to be perfectly cooked with a slight sweetness and flavorful. Lately, they come slapped on a plate (instead of the small bowl they used to come in) scorched/overcooked, and overly sweet. The cheesy potatoes were once again sent back because they don't taste fresh and they are always, always just barely warm. The waitress asked how was everything and I gave her my honest opinion about my disappointment. She took my plate as if she was going to correct the issue or comp my meal. Neither happened. Yet, I was still charged the entire order. Sad to say, things just aren't the same. I referred many people to this restaurant. I fully support when the food and service is good. My feedback is coming from a positive place. Please properly train your staff and more importantly, hire great chefs who care about their product, presentation and consistency.