This is great soul food that might sell out quickly, especially on a Sunday afternoon/evening. The people who work there are so friendly and nice! I did not realize that it was carry out only; since the wind was bad on the day I went, I gave the atmosphere (the outdoors) 4 out of 5. I also enjoyed chatting with the other patrons as I waited for the food, and am already looking forward to returning.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Baked Chicken, Meatloaf
Marie T
They are still serving out of the window, so make sure not to make any plans to eat inside.The Mac and cheese, delicious! The dressing, baked chicken, and turkey were a little dry. The chitterlings used to be my favorite, but they were off this day.I will definitely try it out again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dressing
FOEChief
Carryout window only at the time I went. Food was prepared fresh by the order so it may take some time. Food was good. Meatloaf outstanding, corn bread insane, smothered pork chop decent just not as seasoned as one would expect for soul food. Food all tender and seemed fresh. Good history around building and about establishment. Must try for smoketown area. From NC and the food was good enough.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Cornbread, Meatloaf
Jeremy P
We’ve been wanting to eat here for years, so today we made a drive down from Indy. Everything was amazing and really enjoyed the conversation with the guys.Have to say, the cornbread was the best I’ve ever had…will be making another trip soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Live Fit
Love it!!! Plus it’s a black restaurant ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Barbara Mucker
What can I say the hot water cornbread is the absolute best the greens and sweet potatoes are amazing and the chicken is ? I live in Nati and make it a point to get me some of the best soul food ever whenever I go to Everything pairs so nice
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Harley Kreighbaum
The food is the most delicious food I have ever had. The service was amazing. Definitely coming back!!
The food was Deliciousk a real soul food restaurant can't wait to go back for more!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Fish
David Buttz
Best fried chicken ever. My lady loves the water cornbread. Chess pie is delicious. It is just good food. They only have chicken wings on the weekends, but 3 of them per order was plenty. They are large. We also had the meatloaf and it would melt in your mouth. Mmmmm my mouth is watering just thinking about it.This was my second time to Loiusville and my second time to eat at Shirley Mae's Cafe. If my travels take me back to Loiusville I will eat there again.It is an interesting experience. You walk up to a door in the side of a brick building. The menu is on the wall. Order your food and they will cook it and bring it out to you, in your vehicle if you like. It may seem strange to some, but believe me, it is some of best southern cooking I have ever had.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Meatloaf and Chicken Wings, Macaroni and Cheese
E N D O.
i love the cornbread and the pecan pie. my order was ready on time in neat containers. the staff seem to really take pride in their job :)
The smothered pork chop, sweet potatoes and turnip greens were the closest thing I’ve had to my mom’s cooking since she has been gone. Got in “trouble” and a good laugh for asking for unsweet tea though, so pay attention ;) Sat on the patio while dinner was cooking and had a good time listening to local neighborhood chitchat.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spare Ribs, Macaroni and Cheese
Dave Schaller
We were in town for a few days and were leaving that day. We wanted to try something local before we flew out later in the afternoon. We drive over to “Smoke Town” a Black neighborhood in Louisville.The cafe is walk up with a few tables in front. It seems most people do take away. The staff of the restaurant were awesome. The younger of the two men had an almost freakish ability to manage names of all the customers …I was sorta jealous. He was cool and busted my chops for not ordering any green vegetables with my lunch special (I'm not sorry though).The other patrons were very cool and we met some of the locals who go there regularly, including an older couple clad in their Sunday church duds.The only downside, the food took forever, We waited an hour or more. The wait got more pleasant when the younger man walked across the street and put on some great music at the bottle shop.We had planned to eat there. The weather was amazing! But, we weren’t anticipating the long wait, so we had to take it to the airport and eat there.Now, for the best part….the food was totally worth the wait. I got the meatloaf with Mac and cheese and sweet potatoes. My wife got the chicken wings with Mac and fried corn. The portions were generous and everything was outstanding.The chicken wings are really fried chicken. They’re huge and some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted. The sides were solid and the two fried biscuits were almost like a dessert!The regulars told us the long wait that day was really unusual, so I wouldn’t get too hung up on that. Other than that, it was a coollunch spot. I’d totally go back or recommend them to friends. Definitely fits the role of what I like to call “a local gem.”
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Philly & Wing Combo
Jabari W.
So we came to support Shirley Mae's as we've done so for many years. My husband had a friend who volunteered to buy our food today when he pulled up to bring the money a Nappy Afro head old woman with dirty clothes on and a mustache (she was a worker there) ACCUSED him of dealing drugs from the car. It was the furthest from the truth she refused us service as well as made a complete unnecessary scene cursing us out but to add insult to injury she completely stereotyped this black man for no reason. They can view the cameras they will see she was completely out of order, rude, mean, and disrespectful to us for no reason at all. She looked dirty and shouldn't have been preparing food anyway. Needless to say We get enough stereotypes from other race we definitely don't need it from our own people. DO NOT SUPPORT SHIRLEY MAE's since the mom is gone the food isn't that great anyway. PLEASE TRY BIG MAMAS SOUL GOOD RESTAURAN I promise you will get better service. Sincerely, APPAULLED
Toni J.
This is the first time I been to Shirley Mae Cafe since covid. It's set up where you can't enter the building, you have to place your order outside the door. I had to wait 30 minutes before i could place my order and another 10 minutes to get it. The up side is that the food was great.
Ed Z.
Amazing food. Amazing price. Amazing, friendly, and personable service. Highly recommend to anyone looking to try some Kentucky chicken wings and looking to support local buisness.Wheelchair accessibility: Outdoor dining area, easily accessible to anyone in a wheelchair.
This is great soul food that might sell out quickly, especially on a Sunday afternoon/evening. The people who work there are so friendly and nice! I did not realize that it was carry out only; since the wind was bad on the day I went, I gave the atmosphere (the outdoors) 4 out of 5. I also enjoyed chatting with the other patrons as I waited for the food, and am already looking forward to returning.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Baked Chicken, Meatloaf
They are still serving out of the window, so make sure not to make any plans to eat inside.The Mac and cheese, delicious! The dressing, baked chicken, and turkey were a little dry. The chitterlings used to be my favorite, but they were off this day.I will definitely try it out again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dressing
Carryout window only at the time I went. Food was prepared fresh by the order so it may take some time. Food was good. Meatloaf outstanding, corn bread insane, smothered pork chop decent just not as seasoned as one would expect for soul food. Food all tender and seemed fresh. Good history around building and about establishment. Must try for smoketown area. From NC and the food was good enough.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Cornbread, Meatloaf
We’ve been wanting to eat here for years, so today we made a drive down from Indy. Everything was amazing and really enjoyed the conversation with the guys.Have to say, the cornbread was the best I’ve ever had…will be making another trip soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Love it!!! Plus it’s a black restaurant ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What can I say the hot water cornbread is the absolute best the greens and sweet potatoes are amazing and the chicken is ? I live in Nati and make it a point to get me some of the best soul food ever whenever I go to Everything pairs so nice
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is the most delicious food I have ever had. The service was amazing. Definitely coming back!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Meatloaf and Chicken Wings, Spare Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, BBQ
The food was Deliciousk a real soul food restaurant can't wait to go back for more!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Fish
Best fried chicken ever. My lady loves the water cornbread. Chess pie is delicious. It is just good food. They only have chicken wings on the weekends, but 3 of them per order was plenty. They are large. We also had the meatloaf and it would melt in your mouth. Mmmmm my mouth is watering just thinking about it.This was my second time to Loiusville and my second time to eat at Shirley Mae's Cafe. If my travels take me back to Loiusville I will eat there again.It is an interesting experience. You walk up to a door in the side of a brick building. The menu is on the wall. Order your food and they will cook it and bring it out to you, in your vehicle if you like. It may seem strange to some, but believe me, it is some of best southern cooking I have ever had.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Meatloaf and Chicken Wings, Macaroni and Cheese
i love the cornbread and the pecan pie. my order was ready on time in neat containers. the staff seem to really take pride in their job :)
Restaurantji Recommends
The smothered pork chop, sweet potatoes and turnip greens were the closest thing I’ve had to my mom’s cooking since she has been gone. Got in “trouble” and a good laugh for asking for unsweet tea though, so pay attention ;) Sat on the patio while dinner was cooking and had a good time listening to local neighborhood chitchat.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spare Ribs, Macaroni and Cheese
We were in town for a few days and were leaving that day. We wanted to try something local before we flew out later in the afternoon. We drive over to “Smoke Town” a Black neighborhood in Louisville.The cafe is walk up with a few tables in front. It seems most people do take away. The staff of the restaurant were awesome. The younger of the two men had an almost freakish ability to manage names of all the customers …I was sorta jealous. He was cool and busted my chops for not ordering any green vegetables with my lunch special (I'm not sorry though).The other patrons were very cool and we met some of the locals who go there regularly, including an older couple clad in their Sunday church duds.The only downside, the food took forever, We waited an hour or more. The wait got more pleasant when the younger man walked across the street and put on some great music at the bottle shop.We had planned to eat there. The weather was amazing! But, we weren’t anticipating the long wait, so we had to take it to the airport and eat there.Now, for the best part….the food was totally worth the wait. I got the meatloaf with Mac and cheese and sweet potatoes. My wife got the chicken wings with Mac and fried corn. The portions were generous and everything was outstanding.The chicken wings are really fried chicken. They’re huge and some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted. The sides were solid and the two fried biscuits were almost like a dessert!The regulars told us the long wait that day was really unusual, so I wouldn’t get too hung up on that. Other than that, it was a coollunch spot. I’d totally go back or recommend them to friends. Definitely fits the role of what I like to call “a local gem.”
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Philly & Wing Combo
So we came to support Shirley Mae's as we've done so for many years. My husband had a friend who volunteered to buy our food today when he pulled up to bring the money a Nappy Afro head old woman with dirty clothes on and a mustache (she was a worker there) ACCUSED him of dealing drugs from the car. It was the furthest from the truth she refused us service as well as made a complete unnecessary scene cursing us out but to add insult to injury she completely stereotyped this black man for no reason. They can view the cameras they will see she was completely out of order, rude, mean, and disrespectful to us for no reason at all. She looked dirty and shouldn't have been preparing food anyway. Needless to say We get enough stereotypes from other race we definitely don't need it from our own people. DO NOT SUPPORT SHIRLEY MAE's since the mom is gone the food isn't that great anyway. PLEASE TRY BIG MAMAS SOUL GOOD RESTAURAN I promise you will get better service. Sincerely, APPAULLED
This is the first time I been to Shirley Mae Cafe since covid. It's set up where you can't enter the building, you have to place your order outside the door. I had to wait 30 minutes before i could place my order and another 10 minutes to get it. The up side is that the food was great.
Amazing food. Amazing price. Amazing, friendly, and personable service. Highly recommend to anyone looking to try some Kentucky chicken wings and looking to support local buisness.Wheelchair accessibility: Outdoor dining area, easily accessible to anyone in a wheelchair.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5