shirley mae's cafe

my girlfriend and i ordered take-out from here.  she had the fried chicken and i had the bbq ribs.  it was absolutely amazing.  the chicken had a crispy light breading that was very flavorful.  my ribs were meaty and very messy....the way bbq ribs were intended.  the bbq sauce was very good.

i am particular about my coleslaw and don't care for many out there. shirley mae's coleslaw was excellent. 

we had the banana pudding, that i would highly suggest you try.  the perfect ending to a fantastic meal.

the staff was very friendly and the restaurant has a really cool vibe to it.

i would recommend this to anyone that is a fan of southern dishes.  i look forward to sharing my great experience with friends and family.

thank you for a delicious meal!  i can't wait to come back and try other items on the menu.

shirley and her family will treat like.... well...family! 

the food is fantastic. i recommend the wings, mac n cheese, greens, potato salad, and of course her hot water cornbread!

my only recommendation would be to add potato wedges, and that's only because i know they would be incredible if made by shirley. 

you cannot beat this place for flavor, value, service and experience!

the location is very urban, but everyone in the neighborhood, church and surrounding are hospitable. stop reading this and just go! 

warren, shirley, and the rest of the family will take care of you.

soooooo gooooood. had chicken wings, pigs feet, and hot water cornbread.....awesome. wings are just fried chicken, but they are cooked with love. the hot water cornbread is incredible, and i don't care for cornbread. the pig feet were good, my cholesterol levels went up on the spot. can't wait to get back and try the other offerings.

how water cornbread is the best i've ever had

i got black berry cobbler wow it was fresh out of the oven and was great!!!! shirley mea is great . the urban upscale decor and rustic southern architecture you gotta see it


-----18 jan, 2014-----

this the most authentic southern soul food you can get in louisville . this is food made from the heart made just like grandma made. i can't wait till i'm in louisville again. i would recommend dressing up it is real classy place

best soul food in town. fresh cooked from scratch everything is so delicious. and the portions are generous. fish and jumbo wings cooked to order, bbq ribs, ham hocks, pig feet, meatloaf, chitterlings, porkchops in gravy, turnip greens, sweet potatos, potato salad, mac-n-cheese and hot water conbread.
its an old building and you will be surprised at the history of miss shirley mae and her kentucky derby events. she is the founder of the issaac murphy award and her daughter's art work is beautiful. theres an old picture of joe louis right next to the picture of miss shirley and whoopi goldberg behind the bar that was most likely taken from across the very spot you're standing to view it. check out (the f-stops here} website. miss shirley and her daughters are honest and will speak their mind so don't be shame lol. and when they are on a roll with the jokes, they will have you crackin up. she and her daughters are some hard working women and they deseve recognition. shirley mae's cafe' is well worth the visit and the money.