Cleo's Southern Cuisine

Review Highlights

Cleo's Southern Cuisine is a family-run soul food restaurant in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, named after the owner's grandmother Cleo — whose portrait in a white fur coat greets you at the door. Keith Lee visited during his Chicago food tour, sending his sister inside to order so the staff wouldn't recognize him. Despite only a few customers ahead, the food took an hour — and when the server handed over the bag, she warned, "hold the bottom, be careful, it's a lot of love in there."

• ·Grilled salmon plate with rice and honey cornbread muffin — The salmon is fresh, light, and well-seasoned, a welcome break from all the fried food. The honey cornbread muffin is glazed like a cake — sweet, buttery, but with an unexpected saltiness that Keith describes as a "salty cake, almost." 8.7/10 for the plate.
• ·Fried catfish — "This might be a 10, girl. This might be a 10." The catfish is so tender it falls apart under the lightest pressure — flaky, buttery, and perfectly seasoned even without sauce. Keith says it replaces the best catfish he'd ever had. 10/10.
• ·Chicken wings with BBQ sauce — Crispy, juicy, and notably large. "That's one thing I learned about Chicago — y'all do big chicken. Ain't no wing dings. These are whole wings." The BBQ sauce takes them to another level. 9.2/10.
• ·Mac and cheese — The only miss of the meal. The cheese is chunky, almost like a cheese curd, and the sauce seems to have broken. "The flavor is good, but this texture — I'm a texture person, I can't get over it." 2/10.
• ·Pineapple candy sweet potatoes — A standout side. The pineapple cuts through the heavy spices and sugar, making the dish surprisingly refreshing. "Sweet potato by themselves are 9 out of 10 for me." 9/10.

"I see why people call this the best soul food in Chicago," Keith says. While he acknowledges he hasn't tried many soul food spots in the city, he calls this hard to beat — high praise given the 10/10 catfish, 9.2/10 wings, and 9/10 sweet potatoes. The 2/10 mac and cheese is the lone disappointment, but the catfish alone is worth the trip.

About

A family-run soul food restaurant in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, named after the owner's grandmother Cleo. Consistently ranked among Chicago's top Southern restaurants, it also offers catering and personal chef services alongside its regular menu.