EJ’s Soul Food

I just ordered takeout lunch there today for the 1^st time after finding out about it on Unilocal.The reviews have been pretty trustworthy. The crab cake was DELICIOUS and that’s coming from a previous restaurant owner that became tired of eating crab cakes. Although fried, the crab cake was still seasoned very well (i’m sure they use Old Bay) but very lil filling and mostly jumbo lump crabmeat. I did, however, pick out small pieces of shell, a few too many times, but that kind of thing is sometimes inevitable. The fried pork chop was not breaded but still pretty good but for the dinner price, I thought I would have gotten 2 pork chops but there was only 1 in the entrée. The sides definitely need improvement — fried okra and mac & cheese. The fried okra was definitely frozen and somewhat bland. The mac & cheese is like the instant kraft cheese and mac seasoned with pepper. I was hoping for homemade baked mac & cheese. I should have tried the collards instead. I havent even eaten the cornbread yet because it came out COLD. what’s up with that? I’ll take it home and warm it up. So for a pork chop entrée and 1 crab cake, I paid $ 18 and change. the wait (for take out) was very short. She even brought it out to my car and gave me a 15% discount card for my next visit. They were very nice. Offered me water during the wait. And informed me of their live jazz music on saturdays from 6−9pm. I try to support black businesses so I’ll probably give it another try.

Not sure what all the rave is about but I wasn’t impressed. We had the meatloaf and the seafood combination. The portions were small and they just weren’t good. Cornbread is very sweet and probably should have icing on it instead of soaking it in gravy. First time ever that we have had pink cole slaw. I guess the only shining moment was the chocolate cake. I probably will not go back.

When you think of soul food, I think of Southern favorites served in large portions and cooked with some love. My favorite, Southern Flavor in E. Raleigh closed down earlier this year so I was hoping for a replacement with EJ’s in downtown Cary. Step inside and you’ll immediately notice the spartan surroundings, we’re talking plastic table cloths on card tables and a counter with large menu as a backdrop. While you can order at the counter, they do table service for eat in’s. I ordered up the fried fish, collards, mac n cheese with a side of corn bread, some EJ’s classics.
The dining room was busy and 15 minutes later the food comes out. A nicely laid out plate with nice side portions. The fish was fried to a bit dry, which was fine by me. Skin-​on whiting fillets crisped up a bit. The collards were solid with a bit of tang and the mac n cheese was creamy. Corn bread may have been the highlight: sweet, moist with a lot of corn meal texture, yum. And while the overall lunch was satisfying, it could have been seasoned a bit better. There was no ketchup or butter on the table, no condiments period. And tartar or cocktail sauce was not served with the fish.
I like the concept of EJ’s but understand that while my friend and I picked higher priced items on the menu, the lunch tab was $ 30 before tip for the two of us. So I gotta scratch my head a bit here. For the money I probably could have eaten at Lucky 32 in a plush dining room with great service for lunch. I really think EJ’s needs to re-​think their pricing or improve the interior. I would love to see this place succeed but the formula needs to be tweaked, good luck EJ’s!

Yum! I wouldn’t call this soul food — but it is made from the soul. Me being from Texas, soul food consists of smothered pork chops, ox tails, greens, black eyed peas, etc. but that’s ok with EJ’s.
The food is FULL of seasoning and reminds me of grandmas yummy home cooked meals! The crab cakes had mostly crab and you can tell all was homemade. We have NOT had anything like EJ’s in Cary for a long time and I hope they get to stay.
Though the décor is very simple — you can see that it’s just because they are new. I am sure once they start rolling in the dough, the décor will improve!
EJ is the cook and the owner and is so warm. She comes out and serves plates, asks how things are and her charm is so exquisite — she had the whole restaraunt buy her banana pudding with her charm (yum! By the way!)

Very friendly folks. Lots of space for big groups and a crowd. No-​frills setting, where the focus is (rightfully so!) on the food. Large portions — and each entrée comes with two sides and a carb. I got take-​out, and my husband and I were able to each make a meal out of my single order. I opted for the fried chicken, and I was honestly a little disappointed. I wanted the crust to be crisp, but it was more chewy/​mushy, as if it had been fried a while ago. Now, the mac n’ cheese, totally different story. I was told it’s made with eight cheeses… the result is this magnificent blend of delicious! The collard greens were too briny for my taste. But the cornbread absolutely should not be missed. Sweet, not dry… it was: almost: pound-​cake-​like in flavor. There are lots of great soul food places in Durham, so I wouldn’t go out of my way for EJ’s; but for folks in Cary, this is sure to be a win!

EJ’s soul food is a gem waiting to be discovered by all the hungry food lovers in the Triangle. It’s located in the heart of downtown Cary, right on Chatham Street.
My husband and I stopped in last night, and had a wonderful meal. The menu is filled with all the delicious down-​home favorites you would expect out of a soul food restaurant: fried chicken, meatloaf, grilled pork chops, ribs, and… crab cakes? Now that’s a soul food offering I have not often come across. But the owners, EJ & Mr. Jones, are retirees from Maryland, which would explain their crab-​stuffed, lightly seasoned & flavorful crab cakes. «No fillers – just crab!» they proudly exclaim. That is one thing not to miss on this menu. Honorable mention goes to the meatloaf, which is my comfort food of choice. Well-​executed, and smothered in homemade, peppery brown gravy.
The sides are equally delicious, and varied — mac & cheese, baked beans, fried okra, potato salad, sweet potatoes, collards, etc. The mac and cheese is a gooey, cheesy tour-​de-​force. Rumor has it that it’s made with 8 cheeses, and you’ll believe it when you dig in. The baked beans are tender, sweet and smoky. All entrees come with the 2 sides & bread. We tried the sweet and moist cornbread, and the flaky biscuit. Both were housemade and delicious.
And as if that weren’t enough, I grabbed a piece of dark chocolate layer cake to take home with me. It was a moist, chocolate-​y midnight snack that went perfectly with a glass of cold milk. It reminded me of the kind of desserts I used to get at church potlucks as a kid. It’s the type of homemade I’m not lucky enough to come across much anymore.
We had the pleasure of chatting with the eponymous EJ during our dinner. She’s a sweet, no-​nonsense gal who cares about the food she puts out, and makes you feel like you’re in her home. Just like home, she’ll greet you at the door, tell you about the food, and send you home with a hug and a slice of pie. Mr. Jones is a quiet force in the kitchen, working hard, and smiling all the while. After 40 years of marriage, these lovely folks have chosen our area to retire, and spread the love with their food.

Just ate there for lunch today. The meatloaf w/​a brown pan sauce was awesome and the sides were banging. I got mine to go, but everyone that I met that worked there were pleasant folks. They just very recently opened and are still settling in but yada yada yada… the food is dmn good. What a pleasant edition to the very diverse Cary food scene.

This brand new restaurant in the heart of downtown Cary is a wonderful addition to the community. The fried chicken was excellent, but the cornbread, mac and cheese, and home fries were even better. The mac and cheese is made with 8 cheeses and tastes divine.
The restaurant is very simple, with folding tables and chairs, but it is very clean and the folks who work there are very nice. Food is available either to go or to dine in. The slices of cake available for dessert are very well priced, freshly made, and come in generous slices ($ 2.25). There are daily specials and it appears that every meal comes with 2 sides and a choice of bread. An added bonus – they are open on Sundays from noon to 5.
The restaurant has only been open for 2 weeks now and wasn’t very busy, but hopefully the word soon gets out about this hidden gem. We will definitely be back!

Good, simple, home-​cooked, Southern, comfort yumminess. Best meatloaf I’ve ever had. I look forward to trying the pork chop.

This is a wonderful new restaurant in the heart of Cary serving home cooking with lots of friendliness. The décor is still very simple with folding tables and chairs, and food is served on Styrofoam plates — but that will quickly become unimportant after you start eating.
We started with dessert, apple pie for me and chocolate cake for my wife. Both were premade and served at room temperature. My pie was delicious, with homemade crust and an apple filling that was sweet and lemony. My wife’s cake was a slice of bundt cake and was moist and delicious.
We then moved on to the main course. My wife had the meatloaf with brown gravy, broccoli, home fries, and a roll. She found the meatloaf delicious and called it the best she has ever eaten. The home fries were also delicious, sort of a hashbrown mashed potato. I had the cajun fried chicken (breast and wing) with home fries, string beans, and cornbread. The chicken was great, moist with a wonderful crust. The string beans were stewed down southern style with lots of flavor. The corn bread was wonderful, very sweet and moist. I wish it had been served hot, but that would be my only critique of the meal.
Throughout the meal we talked with our waiter and the rest of the staff, who were very friendly. We are already planning our next trip back, when I will try the pork chop!
Pros: Food is all home made and delicious, staff extremely nice.
Cons: They have a small kitchen so that limits their menu a little. Also it would be nice if they served the bread and desserts warm.