I was having one of those I don't feel like grocery shopping or cooking days. So I decided to head over to Billie's Black.
Billie's Black is a modest Soul Food restaurant located on a tree lined street in the heart of Harlem. The restaurant is pretty easy to find as they have a rather large awning. Billie's Black is a full survice restaurant that includes a bar. It appears you don't need reservations, but since the dining room is not that large would suggest calling ahead - Especially on the weekend.
The restaurant is very causal with a "home-y" feel. I arrived on a weekend night close to closing so there were only two tables seated and they were both near the end of the meals. There were also a few people at the bar.
I took a seat and waited...and waited...did the staff forget I was there? Finally I ordered the BBQ Chicken wings as an appetizer and the Catfish for my entree.
While waiting for my appetizer, I noticed that there is a lot of art which adds to the unique ambiance of the space. There is also a performance space.
About 10 minutes later my "BBQ" chicken wings showed up. They are fried chicken wings with a BBQ hot sauce on the side? WHAT? I was left shaking my head. The wings weren't very good, they tasted if they may have been frozen. Two minutes later my entree arrived. Was there a miscommunication in the kitchen? Pushing the wings aside I start in on my catfish which is perfectly cooked. The greens were a bit over cooked and the Macaroni and Cheese was solid.
One thing I hate about any restaurant is horrible service. That can make or break a restaurant and Billie's Black is a violator.
The price for the food was a bit of a head scratcher as well. In most restaurants I would get two catfish filets here I clearly received only one. So I dont think the price justifies the price.
To be fair, I did visit at the end of the day, so I'll need to return for a Brunch service.
Billie's Black
271 West 119 Street
New York, NY 10026
Phone: (212) 280-2248
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