Pile Fried Chicken and Collards at a Harlem Soul Food Counter

Jacob Restaurant anchors its stretch of Malcolm X Boulevard, its red awning glowing over an enclosed sidewalk dining room. Inside, the steam table does the talking. Trays of fried chicken, saucy barbecue wings, collard greens, and mac and cheese line up behind the glass, with oxtail and baked salmon holding down the heavier end. A full salad bar runs alongside, and the bright avocado and citrus toss gives lighter appetites a real option. Cornbread rounds out the plate, and dessert means peach cobbler or banana pudding, both done the long way. The dining room stays busy from the lunch rush onward, and catering trays head out the door for parties across Harlem. With 4.4 stars from more than 3,000 reviews, this is a neighborhood table people keep circling back to.