Shirley Mae’s Café

Had the ham hock with fried corn and turnip greens and corn bread.

Food was good, service was excellent. Highly recommend the sweet potatoes, they were delicious. It’s got plenty of character. Very nice and friendly people.
Only gripe was the beer, received a beer dated from 2015. It was very flat. Everything else made up for it. Definitely recommend.

A great soul food dive bar in Louisville. Friendly proprietor.
Limited, but good menu. I tried to go beyond my previous personal boundaries and I ordered the chitterlings and I probably should have stuck to things I know and like. The Jumbo Chicken Wings looked good, as did meatloaf, barbeque ribs and fried tilapia. I won’t order Chitterlings again, but I guess that I am glad that I tried them, once, at a true southern soul food place.
The sides are amazing, including the macaroni and cheese, turnip greens, and sweet potatoes. We had the «hot water cornbread» which was not like usual cornbread, it was a kind of fried glob of cornbread” and frankly, I would have preferred a more normal kind of cornbread, but this was unique and different.
(So, when you are someplace new, and they have really cool items on the menu, you sort of have to try them. I recommend trying the «hot water cornbread».)
Prices were really low and reasonable, so trying new things isn’t a big investment. Go for it.

Shirley Mae’s don’t need my review to tell people how good it is. People already know.
This place is the TRUTH.
When I asked how they cook their fried chicken, they replied, «we throw that sh-​t in a pot».
Well, whatever they do, the chicken was great.
The ribs were slow smoking out front, so I had to have some. They were sticky and sweet and tender.
The turnip greens were damn good too.
Hot water cornbread was delicious and came with a story…
Food is great. Beers are cold. And people are genuinely nice.
Love this place.

Put this place on your bucket list. If you get there a little early — say around 3:00, you might even get to visit with Shirley Mae herself.

Best food I’ve had in years. The greens! I wish I would have ordered the koolaid. Got the giant fried chicken wings and tilapia. The turnips! Service was great. Fried corn was great. Cheap beer!

A true hidden gem. Be prepared to chat with the owner and then go completely silent once the delicious fare is served.
Killer coleslaw, mac cheese, greens, pintos and corn. But the real reason you should pay Shirley Mae’s a visit? Hot water cornbread.
Also: check out the jam cake.

Today I had my most MEMORABLE moment in Louisville.
As I searched for some Kentucky fried chicken I found this soul food secret that is Shirley Mae’s.
This local black owned business is owned by a QUEEN which I now call my second grandmother as I got to hear her stories and feel the history of this blissfull place while getting filled on SOUL.
I’m SO grateful for the great finds traveling brings upon.
#RibsForDays#SleepingWithTheLadyBugsLiterally#LadyLuck#SupportLocalBlackBusinesses

Great soul food for a great price! My boyfriend, daughter and I ordered takeout from here tonight. This is the first time we had ever eaten at Shirley Mae’s and were pleasantly surprised. I ordered the fried chicken wing dinner with Mac and cheese and green beans. It was a very large portion which I split with my daughter. My boyfriend ordered the BBQ ribs Cole slaw and sweet potatoes. The ribs were tender and smothered in BBQ just how they should be. Everything tasted homemade and fresh. Ended the meal with the banana pudding, made with fresh bananas (delicious!!). A must try if you are in the downtown Louisville area!

Amazing! Great family service and even more delicious food. Great spot and much lobe to this place. I had the fried tilapia with the mashed potatoes and coleslaw. Yummmmm!!!

Ok, let’s talk about those greens!!! Fresh! Oh hands down! They add some sliced tomatoes and onions, and then you soak up the green juice with the hot water cornbread!
The cornbread was delicious! It was a lightly fried crunch on the outside, and a wonderful cornmeal filling on the inside.
The chicken wings are JUMBO! You could share with someone.
Overall, it was an unique experience. When you walk through the doors I actually felt like I was back in the 1960’s. Music and all. Older women cooking like back in the day. I swear Martin Luther King was going to walk through those doors and order some Jam cake and a cup of coffee.
Unfortunately, I could not taste the Jam cake or Peach cobbler due to the fact that they made front page of the newspaper!

This place is a perfect example of never judging a book by its cover. From the outside it looks like a dingy storefront. On the inside you will find one of the best dining experiences in Louisville. Its good old fashioned American Soul food. And its some of the best Soul food you’ll ever eat.
The staff is wonderful. They make you feel welcomed from the moment you walk in the door. You feel more like a welcomed guest in someones home than a patron at a restaurant. This building has a long history and the history is displayed beautifully by the décor and pictures on the wall. Our server showed us a picture of Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis standing right next to the booth we dined in. The whole experience was wonderful.
How was the food you ask? It was amazing. The deep fried corn bread alone is worth the trip. For my entrée I ordered the boiled ribs. I know from experience that boiled ribs have to be cooked perfectly or they turn into soup. These were some of the best I’ve ever eaten. They were cooked perfectly and were delicious. It was one of the best things I’ve eaten since I moved down to Louisville.
Not only am I going to sing the praises of Shirley Mae’s to the people of Louisville, I’m taking all my Chicago friends there when they come down to visit. Yes folks… Its that good.

The food was great the conversation and friendlyness hard to beat.
A treasure in Louisville everyone should visit.
The prices more than reasonable.
The lunch special a particularly great deal.
Will be back soon.

Luckily the original soul food restaurant we traveled downtown for was closed and Unilocal was there because we had our mouths ready for some «good» soul food and after a quick search and a glimpse at the menu we were on our way. Walking in the door to a mouth watering smell was as warm, welcoming and surprisingly cozy as the owner and her family was.
Once home the car ride anticipation was well worth it. Everything and I mean everything was delicious!, the grape Kool-​aid was the best !!! All any of us could do was moan and shake our heads with pure enjoyment!
This was a great find & once you step inside you will forget about the outside
Love it

It’s been a very long time (having been raised in Tennessee but living in Illinois now) since I’ve been in such an authentically soul/​southern food joint. Getting to thank Shirley Mae personally while she was frying the hot water cornbread and getting to know her daughter were only icing on the oh-​SO-​delicious-​food «cake.»

I got a meal here on Saturday for today and just got done having some of it for lunch. I had meatloaf, sweet potatoes, fried corn, and cornbread. I can’t imagine how good that corn bread would have been yesterday while it was crunchy … but it was still good. I have enough food for another meal later … the portion sizes were good for me. I also had the blackberry cobbler … ate it over two days and it is to die for.

If you are a staunch «judge a book by it’s cover» person —
this place is not for you
If you are the type of restaurant patron who will require a tofu and baby bok choy stir fry with quinoa and some herbal tea —
this place is not for you
If you are the type of person who goes to Europe and only eats McDonalds, or thinks the Olive Garden is the grandest form of haute cuisine ever —
this place is not for you
Who this place IS for are people who go to a place and are received warmly by the owner and her family. A place that is more like going to someones house to eat rather than a standard restaurant. A place that makes the most amazing soul food — mouth watering ribs, turnip greens that are so good I forgot to add the vinegar, mac and cheese that is velvety smooth and deliciously cheesy, and chicken wings that are so big they could be turkey wings.
But let me tell you, if you go for no other reason than this — there is an item called Hot Water Cornbread. They are fried little cakes that look a lot like flattened hush puppies. And they are TO DIE FOR. Hands down the best cornbread I have ever eaten in my life.
Yeah, you should go. And don’t say I didn’t warn you about the cornbread. You will be hooked and addicted same as me!

So disappointed. Cornbread was average at best. The meatloaf was so unseasoned. Brought it home and added lawrys seasoning. The fish and potato salad was fine. The pecan pie was superb.

The good: All the sides, blackberry cobbler
The meh: fried chicken, meat loaf, ribs, banana pudding, cornbread. Its okay. Just not really good.
If I go back, I will get a vegetable plate. Good service, cool place, reasonable prices.

Overview: Shirley Mae’s Café is a very low-​key, traditional soul-​food restaurant that serves favorites such as Fried Chicken, Pig Feet, and fried Pork Chops. It’s a family business with Shirley Mae and her children running the place. located a mile or two south of the Louisville downtown in a «shady» area of town. It’s seriously not a place you should bring a date, or even bring a nice car, but it is a very accurate example of traditional Southern soul food. Bring cash. Come for lunch for a small discount. Expect to pay about $ 12 – 14 for a dinner entrée (which include two sides each).
The Food: I tried several items here including the grilled chicken with dressing, the fried pork chops, turnip greens, macaroni with cheese, mashed sweet potato, fried corn bread and cole slaw… and I unfortunately disliked about half the items I ordered. I felt that the grilled chicken portion was very low, the pork chop was overly salted, the cole slaw had a bitter off-​flavor, the mashed sweet potato were overly sugared, and everything seemed to be unnecessarily slathered with butter. The only item that I was very impressed with was the fried corn bread which had both a wonderful crunchy exterior, a delicious, moist, soft interior.
The Establishment: With several men sitting in front doing nothing, a poorly lit/​oddly shaped interior, and its location in a very dilapidated part of town, it’s hard for me to recommend this location to most people.
The Service: Warren and his sister are quite friendly and very amicable hosts. I very much enjoyed talking with both of them, and is likely the reason why this place is so beloved by the Unilocal community. It’s hard to give an honest review of the restaurant when you like the owners and patrons so much.
Conclusions: Shirley Mae’s Café is a very authentic soul food restaurant run by wonderful people, but is unfortunately serves ridiculous unhealthy chicken and pork dishes and is located in an awful establishment. If you are a tourist, and have never experienced soul food, I would highly recommend Shirley Mae’s to you. On the other hand, if you have already have experienced Southern food at its finest, there is not a good reason to drive into this part of town.

Soul food is more than a type of food; there’s love on that plate too, along with hard work, tradition, and dedication. Shirley Mae can teach the soul food master class.
It’s a small place with bar and table seating. The first thing we noticed was the «good food ahead» aroma as we walked in. Warren (Shirley Mae’s son) met us at the door, showed us to a table, and described the menu.
We ordered a lot of stuff because we wanted to taste as much as possible:
Southern Fried Chicken Wings (they are huge)
Barbecued Ribs (the racks were finishing on the bbq when we sat down)
Chitterlings (sooo tender)
Ham Hocks (fall off the bone goodness)
Meatloaf
Baked Chicken & Cornbread Dressing (Sunday only)
Smothered Pork Chops (Sunday only)
Our sides were:
Turnip Greens
Green Beans
Pinto Beans
Fried Corn Off-​the-​Cob
Mashed Potatoes
Cole Slaw
Everything came with Hot Water Cornbread. We had enough food to feed 8 and brought all the left-​overs home for tomorrow. For me at least, today’s late lunch will also be dinner because I’m still full 4 hours later.
It was like being invited into this family’s home. Warren and Dee (Shirley Mae’s daughter) spent time with us telling us about Shirley Mae and Smoketown. After we ate, Shirley Mae and Theresa (Shirley Mae’s daughter) sat outside with us winding down a great meal.
Bring an appetite and time to relax when you visit!

Without a doubt, the best southern comfort food restaurant I’ve had the pleasure of finding. My friend and I wandered in one Friday afternoon and were greeted by the friendliest people and most delicious food we could have begun to hope for. We loved the place so much that we came back three times during our weekend trip.
I had the ribs, which were fantastic and literally fell off of the bones. If you go, you have to order a side combination of sweet potatoes and pinto beans. Be sure to mix them together well and you will never have them any other way.
I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough, and think it’s a requirement to eat here when visiting Louisville.

My boyfriend and I went to Shirley Mae’s during the UofL basketball game and it was the perfect choice. They had the game on behond the bar on large screens and it wasn’t packed.
Don’t let the outside scare you. Walk on in and you will be greeted by the most friendly server. I ordered the ribs and my boyfriend go the meatloaf.
The ribs were nothing super fancy or special, but what stole the show were the turnip greens. WOW! I’ve only recently in my life began ordering greens and smothering it with apple cider vinegar, yet I could say this is the best I had. They top it with onion and tomato (I opted out of the tomato as I am not a huge fan).
As the other reviews stated, the cornbread was really good. I dipped it in the juice/​sauce leftover from my ribs. Heaven.
As for the meatloaf, I was only able to steal a bite before my boyfriend devoured it. I thought it was really juicy and flavorful.

We are a lucky bunch of Louisvillians. If you haven’t eaten at Shirley Mae’s, you MUST! Shirley is there, always Praise Jesus, and cooks up whatever southern soul food you desire. I became addicted to her sweet potatas, her Love is in ‘em y’all! And you get the pleasure of meeting her Sweet and Beautiful Son and Daughter. Nothin’ but nice in Shirley’s Café!
Do yourself a favor and go to Clay Street to Eat and meet the best of Louisville. Thank you Shirley!

I had no idea that people this nice, food this good, or an atmosphere this authentic was even possible. This meal was historic. We were literally waving goodbye to the staff and the other customers when we left.

A diamond in the rough! We went for soul food. We got much more. Eating at Shirley Mae’s was an experience. It felt like I was walking into the movie «life» with Martin Lawrence, and Eddie Murphy. The classics they were playing in there, The history around you, the way you felt just sitting there, and then you get your food! I don’t think anyone will ever serve me sweet potatoes like that again. You better go on Sunday, because you get two additional menu items that can’t be ignored. The smothered pork chop was one of them, and I’m telling you, it just melts in your mouth. The turnip greens, and the hot water cornbread were delicious. Everything was perfect, even the sweet tea. Nothing was over seasoned, or greasy. Before this I had only experienced soul food in the deep south. I’m afraid they’re gonna have to step their game up to compete with Louisville’s best.

I want to be this place’s baby’s momma.
I’d never been here and the menu looked promising. We ordered a carry-​out for Snowpocalypse 2015; a series of homestyle sides, like green beans, mashed potatoes n’ gravy, collared greens, etc. along with a smothered pork chop and hot water cornbread. For dessert, we topped it off with a slice of pecan pie.
When we arrived to pick it up, not only was the order not ready but half of it was wrong. Thank Zeus. Because the wait afforded us time to sit at the bar and soak up the décor, oozing with character. As you walk in, the place runs like a long rectangle, north-​to-​south, with you facing the bar. To your left is the kitchen and a small area with classic eatery-​style tables and chairs that might fit a handful of people (watched over by a poster of Hillary Clinton and a menu board). To the right, the bar (lit by globed sconces along the rear wall, that covered in family and celebrity photos, Louisville Cardinal sports memorabilia) stretches toward a shadowed front of the building where the ceiling slants toward the floor and has posters stapled to it. Running parallel and opposite the bar on the east side is a row of dimly-​lit, semi-​circle booths, like something out of a gangster flick. A couple sat in one of these booths and watched a basketball game on the television. It seemed like a fine spot to grab a lonely drink, watch a game with some pals or snag a hearty meal in relative comfort all at once.
The owner (I presume due to being the only staff with a Cosby sweater pulled over a button-​up, face adorned with reading glasses) corrected our order and made a nice sleight of hand by suggesting he’d fire the person who messed it up if only it weren’t a family business. Touché’. I assume the long wait for the food was because they were making it fresh because it tasted straight out of a home kitchen (i.e. amazing). While the pork chop was absurd when combined with some potatoes and greens, the real highlight was the freshly baked, mini pecan pie (oh, that’s why it’s $ 6), fit for two or three.
If you’re in the mood for homestyle, American food, this place is amazing. Just go when you aren’t in a rush, like a lazy, snowy Saturday.

This is by far the best Soul Food restaurant I’ve been to in Louisville. I take back all my 5 stars at other soul food places! :)
Shirley Mae’s is located at the corner of Clay and Lampton, the entrance on the side of an old building that looks abandoned, right in the heart of Smoketown. It might seem intimidating as the area is known for crimes, violence and poverty but step inside its intimate setting and you’ll find warm, friendly and welcoming people.
Order right at the open kitchen counter to go or sit down and order with the friendly waiter. It’s a family run business, Shirley Mae and her older daughter cook, her son waits, and Dee, another daughter, DJs. The menu offers authentic soul food dishes like chitterlings, ham hocks, pig feet as well as other traditional fried chicken, ribs, fish dishes etc. Everything is made to order so be patient, it’s worth it. Our fried chicken came out pipping hot and huge, the fried fish crunchy and delicious. Whatever you do make sure you order the hot water cornbread, it’ll make you a lifelong fan. I was never a fan of corn bread but hers made me a believer.
The place is humble so don’t expect any fancy restaurant amenities. Bring cash and use common sense, don’t leave valuables in your car in plain site (as with any neighborhood). Dee made us feel so welcome, it was like coming over to visit a friend. It might be rough around the edges but everything inside shines.