Where To Eat Smothered Chicken At A Harlem Landmark

Sylvia's Restaurant is Harlem's landmark soul-food kitchen, opened in 1962 by Sylvia Woods on Malcolm X Boulevard near 126th Street. The menu holds to the classics, with smothered chicken, barbecued ribs, fried whole fish, collard greens, and candied yams carried out on heavy plates. Weekends bring a gospel brunch that fills the dining room with regulars and visitors alike. Come hungry and order the smothered chicken with a side of mac and cheese, the plate most tables build their meal around. A 4.3 rating across more than nine thousand reviews reflects decades of steady turnout.