Is Sylvia's in Harlem a TOURIST TRAP Now? Iconic SOUL FOOD Review

Sylvia's in Harlem is perhaps Harlem's most famous restaurant. It is also one of the most famous restaurants in New York City in general. The restaurant was opened by Sylvia Woods in 1962 and has been serving American Southern style cuisine and Harlem soul food for more than 60 years. Located on the Harlem 125th street, just a few blocks away from the iconic Apollo theater, Sylvia's is located in a prime spot in a bustling neighborhood. However, Sylvia Woods passed away in 2012 and in recent years the restaurant has received mixed reviews. Some say it's still the iconic NYC restaurant it always was and is making the best Soul Food in Harlem. Others say it's past its prime and that Sylvia's is overrated and a tourist trap. Those critics often will say they prefer Amy Ruth's, Red Rooster, or Melba's.
In this episode, we hit up Sylvia's restaurant and try to Sylvia's fried chicken, the famous Sylvia's barbecue ribs, the famous Sylvia's corn bread, Sylvia's mac n cheese, and Sylvia's collard greens. We seek to provide an honest review that does not take hype into account, either positive or negative. We hope you enjoy this Sylvia's Harlem review and the soul food mukbang!
Like and Subscribe if you like my vids!
Restaurant Deets:
Sylvia's
328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027
Photo Credit:
Sylvia Woods
Link: commons.wikime...
License: creativecommon...

[@Derek_T]

That waiter was super helpful and knowledgeable, that’s rare nowadays.

[@bigvito69]

Sounded like a waitress

[@uaeats]

@@bigvito69 It was a waiter

[@Lawomenshoops]

A good server who knows the menu, and makes suggestions is so rare today!

[@MrBjorn6]

The children know their stuff!

[@NoMetsNoNetsNoJets]

That salt got him! That hot sauce = extra salt tho...

[@lindaaldridge-johnson6110]

I have frequented Sylvia's since the 80s. The food there is still good, but if you had been a customer when Sylvia was alive, you could tell the difference. It's still pretty good, but not what it used to be. Thanks for the review!

[@turkeyman631]

Yeah, I'm sure it was less about profit and more about the love of cooking. I don't blame anyone for going for a good profit to taste ratio. At least in his case, they seem to be doing a good job of that.

[@monkeyballs512]

I’d agree with that. It’s still excellent and I wouldn’t want to talk anyone out of going, but back in the day it was one of the best restaurants in the world. Now it’s just a very good one

[@loirinlancaster3]

I haven’t been since I was a child in the 80’s

[@deedeelife1032]

Grew up in Harlem and been visiting since the 70s. The food was good until Miss Sylvia passed away. The food and service now is not that great. It is not crowded on Saturday nights anymore, and they are losing thousands of customers for some reason.

[@maliklo6965]

@lindaaldridge johnson 6 I concur with your comment. You are dead on

[@nicholettenae4609]

I love the fact that the server offered a way of saving money on recommending combination platters. A lot of servers do not nor do they know the menu .

[@WWExploring]

That was one of the best waiters I've seen in quite awhile, excellent work!

[@robinabernathy2829]

I tend to avoid the crowded soul food joints, because the food just tends to not be the same as I get at a smaller lesser known spot. And once a soul food place gets labelled "the place to go" or gets famous the quality goes, portion sizes go down and the prices go UP.

[@glennusher4160]

I agree..

[@charisejackson7353]

Exactly

[@xc7525]

I love that you share the interaction you have with the waitstaff . Service is always the most important part of my dining experience. Service here seemed just lovely 😊

[@uaeats]

Yep I try to include it when I can. Service was excellent!

[@drothberg3]

Suggestion: take a bite or two of each item while they’re hot and fresh. That wasn’t fair to the Mac and Cheese.

[@typerk]

You did it right too! That mac and cheese is just how I like it. Baked and not creamy. Honestly I feel full just watching this video. Thanks for filling up for the cause

[@uaeats]

You're welcome! I will sacrifice my beach bod to showcase these places for you all

[@etphonehome132]

The dish is called baked macaroni and cheese. It is baked hard and the base is an egg custard, not a bechamel sauce base.

[@melissagahn]

My father always told us, "The best compliment you could ever give a good cook is to say nothing while your eating. (not implying you are talking too much, you are doing a video) You are quiet because you are enjoying what had been cooked for you. Silence says everything that words can't". That must have been really good food cooked for you then. RIP Miss Sylvia. and Daddy.

[@AccessDude61]

Great review my man. BTW the meat in the collard greens use to be pork mainly hammock meat but today most are made with smoked turkey. I really dig your manner of critique. I'm subscribed now lol. Keep up the good work.

[@disneycrazii]

I went to Sylvias for first time with family this month (june 2023). Half of us loved it and the other half didn't or felt it wasn't worth the price. I fell into the group that LOVED it and enjoyed everything i ate there (I ordered the veggie platter with mac n cheese, vegetarian collards, green beans, and rice). Soul food is tricky when eating it at a restaurant because your gonna always gonna compare it to what your mom/grandma/aunt cooked growing up. Overall, I'd 100% reccomend Sylvias!!!

[@jaypaladin-havesmartswilll5508]

If the expectation is too high, people can be easily get disappointed when the food is actually good or pretty good but not great,. Folks don't take into account that it is their first visit with super high expectations.

[@jakeMontejo3272]

I’ve never seen anyone close their eyes when biting into their food. This dude has a personal moment with each bite.

[@aeugenegray]

You gotta watch Mark Weins.

[@justicedemocrat9357]

He didn't close his eyes it just looked that way due to his slanty ching eyes.

[@jakeMontejo3272]

@@aeugenegray That guy is cringe

[@jakeMontejo3272]

@@justicedemocrat9357 racist much?

[@govinda102000]

Cutting off a sense makes the others stronger.

[@YASTravelsEatsWell]

Great updated stop at Sylvia's! I first ate there in about 1972! Glad you had a good experience! So, so many wonderful stops for ribs & chicken in Harlem!

[@margaretgray4170]

I went there in 1997 and Sylvia came over to our table and talked to us! I came from CA to visit family in NY! The food was good! It was an awesome visit to see Harlem!

[@peachesb-georgia1125]

I'm glad to know Sylvia's is still around...I have a friend coming to visit in September... she's bringing some friends from Chicago and I took her there when she was last here a few years ago... want them to have a good time and get some good food...New York style...

[@gtppilot]

That all looked really good. I would have put that hot sauce on the Mac n Cheese also! Great review .

[@charoncrosby2647]

You should have ate dinner mixing food and eating a little this and that. No one eats all their chicken, all their ribs, three bites of greens, and expect the Mac n cheese to be hot and delicious. The mixture of eating everything together makes it soul food.

[@mattnsac]

Nah some families make it like that. Its just the style. Im with UA, I like it in bachamel sauce so its gooey even when its cold, but thats not how everyone does it.

[@brozors]

The price is not all that bad for an institutional restaurant. It’s similar to the price of a meal at the Cheesecake Factory.

[@uaeats]

I don't think it's an unreasonable price as it was a lot of food

[@danielpushman9597]

That looked delicious! Now I’m hankering for fried chicken, ribs and, collards at 5 AM! Well done UA.

[@konradmaerzluft985]

Been to Sylvia’s once like 10 years ago and loved it. Fried chicken was amazing. Looking forward to going back.

[@pandstar]

I ate there about a month back, and I thought it was very good. And as an avid BBQ'r, you don't want fall off the bone ribs, you want bite off the bone ribs. The best ribs, should pull cleanly from the bone, but leave a well defined bite mark.

[@ronnie1315]

I agree

[@EzeICE]

Yes! I definitely agree

[@jimmy2thymes916]

Ribs and chicken looked great! It seems like everyone has a different opinion on how they like their ribs. Those looked exactly how I like my ribs. Tender but not mushy.

[@uaeats]

It was all tasty!

[@tiffanyi5645]

Wow that food looked incredible…I can see it’s worth trying. You can’t let the Mac get cold and hard to taste it, You had to try it right away to give it an accurate and fair review

[@yellowbug5113]

He a lot of times talks a bit too much.

[@roboliver9980]

Anywhere where the staff point out ways to save money and have better value is starting off well! Looks worth a visit. Gosh it must be scary living in NYC now with those prices being the norm.

[@lesliesawyer4640]

More than the restaurant, I am impressed by this reviewer. I love to cook, and I can tell from his remarks he is trying to be objective as possible, always--and I say this after seeing several of his videos. If you are trying to improve yourself, you have to be honest, and I can see he is doing that, trying to analyze exactly what he doesn't like. Some other reviewers seem to love everything they taste; I won't disparage them because they do a service by introducing us to a whole variety of foods, although they are often sponsored by the places they show. It is really refreshing to see such integrity in reporting.

[@jasonc8247]

UA found the perfect food channel recipe. I think people enjoy the levity of the channel, the goodness of the food, and to be honest, the lack of pretentiousness. The world can only have so many videos about how "food is our way of talking to our ancestors and this food is our way to respect that." Just good food, good dude, and great vids. Keep it up!

[@Noway673]

I'm gonna try them out for myself on my birthday.But I'm glad for the positive review from this video maker.

[@Power2Think]

Nice detailed review that is real and straight to the point.

[@michellelogreco3351]

Ham hocks are in the collards! Yes!! Baked Mac and cheese is my favorite, I like it drier, myself! Thanks, so glad I found your channel.

[@Pintexx]

Good review as always. I will advise anyone going to 125 and Lexington to be careful especially the 4,5,6 subway area. Gets very dangerous at night and is always sketchy during the day, lots of mentally unstable people and crime has plagued this corner.

[@diamondsparkle9967]

"Mentally unstable". No!!! They're on drugs.

[@a.p1971]

Thank you!

[@6time686]

Or you can just walk the streets, mind your business and head over to Sylvia's without a problem. Crime is everywhere...

[@justsandy4381]

Yes!! Be very aware

[@donnamiranda8880]

@@6time686Thank you my East Coast friend. I walk around there in the evening all the time! Like my momma used to say, “walk like you goin’ somewhere “!!!🤣🤣🤣

[@mapleleaf902]

I do not live on the East Coast. I just found your channel and enjoy your honest reviews. New subbie now!

[@RobRoyR8R]

I haven't been to Harlem in over twenty years, but when I did go Sylvia's was a must go. I don't know if they are the same, but I wish them well.

[@jeffdumpster1470]

"the butteryness of the butter" that's world class food reviewing right there😁

[@jessenguyen9894]

FYI when eating soul food you take a bite of meat then take a bite of sides mix the flavor around you’ll enjoy it more

[@johnkovalicky3389]

Yep don't let it get cold

[@uaeats]

Interesting idea!

[@blushbaby5278]

Wrong! I always eat the meat separate from the sides. That is the way you like it lol

[@bouldersmashing]

What the hell are you talking about lol

[@lilcourtny08]

Who told you that bs, stop making up bs. How about if you want real soul food it would be down south not in New York.

[@leighwilliams325]

Not a big fan of this place after working there as a waiter and discovered that they put the fried chicken in a warmer where it sits until ordered. Prior to working there I went to dinner for the first time , service was good, vibe was nice but luke warm chicken didn’t quite do it for me. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it until I got a job there then it all made sense!! It’s been sitting in a food warmer!!!!! Yes it is a tourist trap , but still worth checking it out at least once I would suggest Melba’s Ms. Sylvia’s granddaughters Resturant the experience is amazing and the food is delicious!! I’ve also had the pleasure to work there as well! Such an amazing place and Ms. Melba is the bomb!!

[@apeshit111906]

Lol so you got fired?

[@leighwilliams325]

@@apeshit111906 no not at all just moved on .. lol

[@terryb3388]

love your honesty ... tell it like it is

[@jermainerobinson4678]

Keep doing your thing brother, videos are great

[@sandeepsreekumar5451]

Speaking of BBQ UA , all your followers and I , await the time you decide to step out and do a Texas BBQ crawl ( franklin / Goldees/ interstellar). That will be epic as are most your videos ! Can’t wait for it

[@calebthegod9871]

I’m from Tennessee I visited Sylvia’s in like 1997. I guess if you don’t grow up with soul food then you don’t know what thing should taste like. I had the ribs, collard greens, Mac and cheese, and corn bread. The sauce on the ribs had a vinegar base to it that was to sour. When you go with ribs you want a little sweetness to it. The greens where just plane and the Mac and cheese was plane. I would give the taste 5 out of 10. I promise on my children’s life it’s not that good.

[@willlazenby1050]

If the cornbread is hot, trick is to cut a slit in top of the muffin with your knife that goes about halfway down to the middle and then put the pat of butter in it and it will melt and dissolve throughout the whole muffin. A bbq place I used to go to would do that with all their cornbread muffins and now I do it every time when I get those type of cornbread muffins.

[@jeffs.4313]

Well done UA! Your honest review and style is a breathe of fresh air. Keep up the great work!

[@matthewelliott2213]

Awesome review UA. Glad the food was better than those negative reviews!

[@uaeats]

Indeed! I was pleasantly surprised

[@jorgelopez683]

Big fan on what you do thanks keep up the good work

[@Cneph1964]

The cornbread is always complimentary. It's my favorite item at Sylvia's.

[@theblaclens5100]

Everything looks incredible, except the Mac and cheese, but the service seems great....looks good and your facial expressions made my day, know you enjoyed yourself 😋😆😉

[@selinamack3574]

I recently went with a friend of mine who grew up in Harlem. She halfway enjoyed the food, I loved it, and the service was great!

[@benjaminstarks4071]

Hey there UA. Good to see you back.

[@ViolinistWilliam]

Loved this review. I used to go to Sylvia’s and the ribs were the move, not the chicken!!

[@ddiablo999]

Great review UA! Those ribs look so gooood!! Keep the vids coming 👍

[@rmarkley79]

Glad I found your channel. Great video! Looking forward to checking out the rest of the content, subscribed! PS: Competition BBQ ribs aren't supposed to fall off the bone. They should have a bit of a bite (light pull) but super tender, sounds like what you had.

[@alainlalonde]

It says.... Triple X - HOT!. For sure innuendo marketing and has nothing to do with the scoville scale lol :) Great video! As always. :)

[@KosterBenjamin]

First video i saw of yours and you're doing a great job! keep it up! I subbed up so i can see what you're up to next!

[@uaeats]

Thanks! I'm glad you like the vids and great to have you onboard!

[@harlemgirl]

Sylvia food ( to me ) is so overrated, and that dry mac & cheese says it all 😆. But, I don't think that it's a tourist trap. If that's the case you can say that about NYC as a whole.

[@Ira88881]

Well said.

[@roughstyle24]

Just wanted to say thank you for your videos love them ....

[@uaeats]

Thanks for watching!

[@frankcarone3769]

great review the food looked really good thank you

[@uaeats]

You're welcome!

[@KDUB1970]

Going to NYC today, have eaten at Sylvia's before in 2017, amazing food, best cornbread Ive ever had in life. UA loves Ruth Annes, may have to a showdown!

[@genebigs1749]

Wow, what a great meal you had there, UA! Everything looked delicious. I also happen to like Mac and Cheese made a little on the dry side. Next time I'm in the city, I'll definitely check this place out. Thanks for the video!

[@minderoded2383]

the butteryness of the butter...amazing stuff UA

[@uaeats]

haha. What can I say, I'm a real wordsmith

[@amyzhang4798]

I think the mac and cheese is "southern" style. They usually add eggs into the mac and cheese which is why it held together. Just regional preferences :)

[@No85Limits]

Iconic NYC restaurant... used to work up in East Harlem and tried it one day after work... love the wings... and love their chicken and waffles... really good

[@uaeats]

I was gonna get the chicken and waffles originally but I wound up getting their $26 chicken and rib combo instead. Next time I'll go for the waffles!

[@thebigmoo]

Ribs look perfect! You need to have that slight pull, then you know they're cooked perfect

[@uaeats]

They were awesome!

[@RR-fg2rl]

I love that Sylvia's is the only Restaurant that serves chitterlings and it does on Fri and Sat no other place has them BBQ in queens does hog maws and that's it Brooklyn and Bronx and Staten Island have none. Only Manas on 126&8 have them to go Smothered pork chops are good and chicken is good I still love the place

[@BoomerLoveforGenZ]

Some of us like the drier crunchy Mac and cheese. Not a fan of the wet style. Everything looks delicious.

[@doctorphibes1280]

You should try the poutine from "Le petit Quebec" or "La belle Province" you tried a fancy version Even the classic cause la banquise is the nest level place Poutine is a common dish we have everywhere in quebec

[@knowitall6180]

One of the thing I remember from a month-long visit to Germany a few years ago was how I was able to find some really, really good deals on food at the grocery story. Usually it was stuff that simply had to be sold that day or thrown away, and it was marked down considerably. If you wanted to, you could simply walk to the grocery store every day, buy whatever was on sale, and just make a day's worth of meals out of that. There's just not an equivalent system where I live in the US. Grocers would rather throw food away than to heavily discount it.

[@cocoaorange1]

You can get very good discounts at certain grocery stores.

[@AussieAngeS]

Wow in Australia we can’t get soul food, there aren’t any restaurants that I know of who sells that type of delicious and comforting food 😍

[@Jeanology]

Wow, in all of Australia? Sounds like I need to open up a spot out there 😏

[@CarltonBeckfordDozier66]

In Australia you lack the diversity for a soul food restaurant. Plus your country's history of how they treat the Indigenous Aborigines, tell us all how you feel about Black people and our culture.

[@kwoylee5617]

​@CarltonBeckfordDozier66 . Australia currently has 8 senators and 3 members of the House of Representatives who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. How many Indigenous elected representatives does the US have? Last time I checked, the US treats Native Americans like crap... not to mention 400 years of slavery. Also, fun fact: Australia is one of the most diverse and multicultural nations on earth. We have an increasing number of African restaurants, just not soul food - which is an American invention.

[@AussieAngeS]

@@CarltonBeckfordDozier66 that’s a stupid Al reply and so very not true

[@AussieAngeS]

@@kwoylee5617 thank you

[@SV-lk3ki]

Another great video. You need to get your own show on the food channel.

[@uaeats]

That would be cool!

[@happywong1671]

I aways enjoy your description & videos. Thanks

[@brandoncarpenter9681]

It’s hard to know whether restaurant food is overpriced or not anymore, it’s much easier to recognize a good deal

[@flashhughes1675]

As a Southerner, try the hot sauce on the greens next time.

[@louisgambong]

Great review UA. I'd love to see you review Jollibee!

[@uaeats]

Not a bad idea!

[@dontbedummy8101]

FYI fall off the bone ribs are actually not ideal and means overcooked, as you would overcook that best portion of the meat that attached to the bone. What you showed here is actually the optimal level of how the meat should fall off.

[@harlembaseballhittingacade4998]

been going there for 35 years, i take all my friends who are visiting NYC, and they always have loved it,Ms Woods was a beautiful person, family had no money and was hungry and she feed them all, and gave them enuff food to last a week

[@markkasper7281]

Another nice review well done

[@reneejohnson9256]

To get the best taste of the greens. Take a bite of greens, and a bite of cornbread, or sop the cornbread in the green juice! People be missing the experience! The food looked delicious!

[@aeugenegray]

Bro, greens are bangin no matter what. As a whiteboy that grew up in the south. It's my favorite food in the states. I'm a greens fiend

[@johnsradios484]

Prices in and around the NYC area have gone up. Breakfast in the Lower Hudson Valley of NY runs $20 plus tip per person.

[@Calilyfe95]

I feel the same way about Dooky Chase in New Orleans. Since Leah Chase passed the reputation is keeping the place alive. Service was horrible and food was just ok.

[@cocoaorange1]

That happens sometimes.

[@lenaely6146]

YES. TERRIBLE food, terrible customer service and the food i received represents soul food that is laughed at and disrespectful

[@JUSTBEINGPATTI]

isn't it smoked turkey in the greens? It looks delicious. I went in the 70s and recall it being good. The Beef Ribs. Why do you keep emphasizing "self proclaimed". I don't recall you saying that at the stiffer establishments. Maybe I missed it. You probably should have eaten the sides "with" the rest of the meal. That is real soul food mac and cheese. Not the flavorless pasty liquidy soulless one. This made me want to cook some beef ribs, fried chicken, mac and cheese, , potato salad, corn bread, and greens. ☺

[@cathymorton2272]

The food was more delicious back in the days, It has another taste now, Not as great as back in the 80s. New to you, old to the real harlem folks!😊

[@richlopez5896]

There's no smoke ring on those ribs. Those greens were likely cooked with hamhock. Your first bite should've been the mac n cheese while it was still hot.

[@turtlepowersf]

There's not supposed to be a smoke ring. It's not possible to create a smoke ring with oven baked ribs. The chances of any soul food spot having an actual wood smoker is pretty slim. Unless they advertise themselves as BBQ and Soul Food.

[@annamartin3489]

I first went to the location in Atlanta and was kind of disappointed. I thought it would be better in my favorite city, New York. But, it wasn't that great either. The ribs were a little tough and obviously were baked and not smoked on the grill, which I expected. The potato salad didn't have much flavor nor the collard greens. I went back at another time and did enjoy the breakfast of salmon cakes, grits, and biscuits.

[@thanGacao]

I watched the video with the rude waiter at the airport steakrestaurant before this. This waiter is a saint

[@jessef.81]

Awesome review, UA! Come to Los Angeles, I’ll show you the taco spots lol

[@rohan286]

Love your style and method of presentation

[@govinda102000]

Great first impression with the help.

[@johnkovalicky3389]

So everything looks okay and I like my chicken little bit salty it's most likely been put in a brine overnight that's what keeps the chicken nice and moist and still get a real crispy skin and with the spare ribs you want to bite the meat off the bone and not have it fall off like Chinese style but yet tender was that all worth 26 bucks plus tip probably not but thanks for your honest review remember don't let the mac and cheese and the collard greens get cold you got to take a little bite of each as you go along

[@abdulx549]

Soul food sorry chicken 🍗 should not be salty

[@communitythemecreator]

Sylvia's chicken and waffles was fantastic!

[@SrAJones-ns7sx]

And the waiter did a good acting job BRAVO all for a heavy tip

[@code_6]

Mini peel-off ramekins for butter &, yet, no honey? You've got to be kidding me. UA, when do we eat? Those pork ribs look deeeeeeeeelicious. 👍

[@jonsmith848]

I moved to NYC in 1986...a lifetime ago. Once a week I would head to Harlem. Dinner @ Sylvia's & then over to The Apollo Theater. That went on for several months..

[@alexworm1707]

Some foods you just can't let them sit getting cold before you eat, mac n cheese is definitely one of them, another one is mc donalds fries lmao

[@tripp540]

Great review. Next time, try a bite of the mac and cheese first

[@IdeasDontBounce]

$26 for one piece of chicken, 3 pieces of ribs, one serving of greens and mac. A little pricey if you ask me. 😅

[@soupafi]

UA, when you get back from China, do Utopia Bagels next. The owner Scott is awesome.

[@Nsayles]

Can't wait till this dude hits 100K subs to say I was there in the beginning

[@josephwebster6345]

Ribs look like cafeteria food. That would not fly in the south.

[@rooseveltjulien743]

UA you're a celebrity passing through Harlem. Keep going

[@RaymondMullen-t9j]

Thanks for the Road Trip ....Do Love Ribs, Chicken and Greens,,.OOOYEA When I do Greens I always put in either small Pices of Ham or Pork, whatever I have left over in the Frig. Good Eats.... Can't wait till Your next time ....

[@uaeats]

Sounds delicious!