Kelsey and Kim’s Southern Cafe
3 Stars
Kelsey & Kim’s Southern Cafe
201 Melrose Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ
609-350-6800
Kelsey and Kim’s Southern Café is located somewhat off the beaten path in Atlantic City, NJ. Do not let the strip mall location of this restaurant fool you. It is a great little find away from “the scene” in Atlantic City. (Big Baby disagrees with this statement)
We went to Kelsey and Kim’s at about 6:30 on a Tuesday night. Big baby had barbecued pork ribs and two side orders of French fries. Mama foodie had blackened salmon, black eyed peas and rice and broccoli. We shared a basket of cornbread. Big baby did not like his food. Mama foodie did like her food.
We apologize for the quality of the pictures in this review. We were having a problem with the camera on the mobile phone.
Big Baby says:
Atmosphere: 2 Cleanliness: 4 Food: 5 Service: 3
Average Score: 2.5
I wanted to like this place again because the first and second time we went there the food was a lot tastier, the acoustics were better and the service was a lot quicker. This time I was disappointed.
The décor was a bit dated, but I don’t expect décor to be fancy. The acoustics were atrocious. If a kid whispered to their mother at the corner table in Siberia, the entire restaurant would hear it. Everyone else would be making so much noise that there would be no need to whisper.
The restaurant was relatively clean, but the bathroom was disgusting. Toilet paper and puddles were arranged on the floor so randomly that you would think that they were placed there on purpose.
The food was quite good, except that the barbecued ribs had so much barbecue sauce on them that you could hardly taste the ribs and the macaroni and cheese that another dining companion was having tasted like green mush painted yellow. The corn bread was amazing. The fries were average, but they were cross-contaminated by the barbecue sauce on the same plate.
The service was very slow. It was accurate, but it was very slow. I say you should not have anything with barbecue sauce because they put way too much on it. I’d prefer next time not going.
Mama Foodie says:
Atmosphere: 6 Cleanliness: 7 Food: 9 Service: 8
Average Score: 7.5
I have to disagree with Big Baby’s assessment of Kelsey & Kim’s. I have loved the food at this restaurant since the very first time went there a few years ago. I always look forward to our beach vacations because I know that for one of our meals, we will make the trip to Atlantic City for some good Southern food.
The atmosphere and décor are nothing special. However, the walls are painted in cheerful colors, and the general feeling of the place is a lively one. I have to agree that the acoustics are pretty awful. When the restaurant is crowded, which it was on this Tuesday night, it can be difficult to hear your dining companions.
The restaurant was very clean. I could see into the kitchen from where I was sitting, and I didn’t see any red flags there. The ladies room was another story. The trash can was overflowing, there was toilet paper on the floor, and the floor was wet with who knows what. To be fair, we were there at the end of the day, and I suspect the rest room is not checked in the middle of the dinner rush.
We come here for the food. Big baby mentioned the cornbread. He is right. It is amazing. It is moist and rich. I make good cornbread, and this surpasses my own. The blackened salmon was also excellent. The blackening was just spicy enough to give it a nice kick, but not so spicy as to make you reach for something to cool the heat. The black eyed peas and beans were good, but we were all disappointed that the restaurant had run out of baked beans. One of our dining companions ordered the macaroni and cheese. I have to say this also falls into the “as good as homemade” category.
I had no issues with the service. Our server was busy when we were seated, so another server took our drink order. When our waiter came over, he was friendly and attentive. The food does take a while to come out, so be prepared for that. Once the food came, our orders were accurate, and the wait staff checked back frequently to see how we were doing.
Overall, I place Kelsey & Kim’s in the highly recommend category. I think about the cornbread in between visits. Not many restaurants can make that claim.
Sam Saber says:
Atmosphere: 7 Cleanliness: 6 Food: 9 Service: 8
Average Score: 7.5
Kelsey & Kim’s Southern Cafe offers a delightful dining experience. The high point definitely is the food. The restaurant itself is a nice enough place, but if you like Southern cooking, this is one of the best spots in the Northeast I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying such cuisine.
The atmosphere is pleasant enough. To be fair, the acoustics are bad: this is a loud restaurant. Aside from that one detraction, the interior is well laid out and decorated tastefully. This place is not too full of itself, and it isn’t trying to send any kind of message: it’s clear that the emphasis is where it should be, which is on getting good food in front of guests. The bathroom is utilitarian and functional.
The restaurant is clean. The bathroom could have been better; although given the traffic in the restaurant, I’m hard pressed to see when maintenance might have been worked in. Even so, it was neither overly sloppy nor showed signs of neglect. The restaurant itself was solid from a cleanliness perspective.
The food is dynamite. The cornbread is absolutely first rate, moist and flavorful. The gumbo was some of the best I have had outside of New Orleans. I was sad to finish it because I was enjoying each spoonful so much. The beef ribs were superb. The meat was fall-off-the-bones tender, yet still maintained a pink hue inside, seasoned with just enough barbeque sauce to make them a perfect balance of piquant and sweet. The portion size was dead on, leaving me satisfied without the gorged feeling which often accompanies great Southern cooking. The sides were excellent, with the broccoli acting as a green counterpoint to the meat.
The service was good and attentive, albeit slow. It is clear that regulars get priority treatment, but the level of service was uniformly high. The different courses showed up together, which meant nobody was left waiting to eat. Our server checked back regularly and not once did I feel pressured to hurry up or that I was being up-sold.
If you’re in the Atlantic City area and have a hankering for Southern, Kelsey & Kim’s is the place to go. This is the best Southern you’re going to find north of the Mason-Dixon line.
Gourmet Grannie says:
Atmosphere: 7 Cleanliness: 7 Food: 9 Service: 6
Average Score: 7
Greetings! I recently was the Guest Critic for a dinner at Kelsey and Kim’s Southern Cafe. I found the venue to be small & cozy, with a cheerful (if slightly loud) atmosphere. We were seated after a short wait. The restaurant seemed full and we were at the end of the dinner hour. We started with a shared basket of corn bread which had to be the best ever, moist and rich. My meal was grilled salmon, which was delicately spiced and cooked to perfection. I added mac and cheese and coleslaw for my sides. The mac and cheese was tasty, but with perhaps a little too much cheese making the texture slightly gummy. The cole slaw was lovely. There was simply no room for dessert, although the variety of cakes looked wonderful.
I found the service to be adequate except that I had to ask twice for a fresh fork after I dropped mine on the floor.
I would definitely go back but this time I would have to try one of the desserts!