10/02/09

Enough already!

by Blessed1

This was one of the first restaurants my wife and I went to upon arriving to the DFW area.

We went there for lunch and we both thought it was average at best. Wasn't even close to what I call real "soul food'.

I got my co-workers to go there for lunch. Once again the food was average (the fried chicken was EXCELLENT).

Our time was limited and they were unable provide correct checks, or change to ANY of us. It took 15 minutes (there was only one other couple there) for us to finally get correct change after our meal.

I decided to give them another try this week (I was alone). Saw where they having a lunch "special" (5.99).

The waiter told me a drink was included in the special but when I went to pay, the owner said the waiter was new and the drink was NOT included in the price.

I feel if the waiter gave me inaccurate info., then THEY have a training issue, new or not. NOT my fault and the owner should have not charged me.

I thought about trying to explain to her, from a customers perspective but didn't think she would understand my point of view.

I'm still in search of a quality restaurant that serves good soul food.

• Pros: Atmosphere
• Cons: Not well managed

09/15/08

Awful food. Things have changed.

by xigalu

This place has changed. I had been to this restaurantt a few times and was very impressed with the great food. Even though I had read a bad review which said it was different I took my family back at the beginning of August 2008. And it was awful.

The prices have gone up and the quality of the food is way down. Service was slow even thopugh there was only one other table occupied on a Friday night. The decor has been changed also.

I ordered the smothered pork chops, which in the past had been melt in your mouth delicious with a white pork gravy with fantstic flavor. This time the pork was tough and cold and a had a small amount of canned brown gravy on top. The macaroni and cheese was dry and cold with very little cheese. All the side dishes for the whole family were barely room temperature. Most had to be sent back to be reheated. Most of the dishes did not seem to be "homemade" anymore, like the canned gravy.

No one in my family finished eating their dinner. We went elsewhere for dessert. I do not recommend this restaurant to anyone anymore, which is sad because it used to be so good.

09/12/08

Absolutely Horrible

by AmandaWD

"Best pork chops in town" "Best baked mac and cheese" That is not what I got from Ms. Mary's Southern Cuisine. My pork chop was extremely greasy, dried out and overcooked. It was hard to cut and very hard to eat. The baked mac and cheese NASTY! It was dried out not cheesy at all very overcooked and undercooked. Some of the noodle were very hard. The mash potatoes looked like they had been stuck in the microwave and cooked on high. Everything I had there was extremely nasty. This was just my meal I have not even mentioned my daughters or my husbands. I am a hometown southern and what I ate was not southern food. Also lets not forget the sweet tea. I am not sure what they put in it but I could not stand to drink it and I am a sweet tea kind of gal. I am never going back again and would not recommend it at all. Have you heard of the show Kitchen Nightmares! It stars Chef Ramsey. Maybe I should call him to review it or maybe it just needs a chef that knows real southern food.

• Pros: NONE THAT I FOUND
• Cons: FOOD HORRIBLE

08/31/07

Is It Over?

by martia

I grew up eating Southern cuisine in Mississippi, and I have enjoyed Ms. Mary's on several visits, usually during the lunch hour. Unfortunately, as of this writing (08/31/07) things seem to have changed. The service is nothing special now -- pretty much like what you'll find in a lot of places with waitstaff on automatic pilot. The meatloaf was a little dry and somewhat tasteless with some kind of tomato concoction slopped on it. The vegetables (green beans and yellow squash) tasted as though little effort or real seasoning had been added, and the corn bread tasted almost sour. The peach cobbler was a good as ever, though. Even the decor has changed somewhat with an overemphasis on cheap-looking art depicting stereotypical, or at the very least, done-to-death images of Africans or African Americam jazz musicians. All traces of the family history that had previously been depicted or hinted at seemed to be gone. In a nutshell, today's meal did not taste like good Southern cooking, the dining room had no down-home personality, and the service did not feel like anyone there was really into or had a clue about Southern hospitality. It's really sad to think that something so good might be ending.

• Pros: It's still cheap and easy to get to.
• Cons: The service is run-of-the-mill.

06/15/07

MS MARY IS BEST SOUTHERN FARE!

by bablit

This place is ALL ABOUT real home cooking! We ate there tonight on a whim because we were hungry and it was right in front of us!

The fried pork chops were inside juicy and outside crispy just like my grandma woulda cooked em. You get two big ones! The macaroni and cheese is to DIE for! You can taste the real butter. Now, I'm not a cornbread lover...but these little goodies are the tastiest, the moistest that have ever passed thru these lips! We also chose the tangy marinated cucumber and tomato salad...It was FABulous!

Dessert was German chocolate cake! Moist and melt in your mouth goodness!

Ms Mary's food TRULY IS home cooking...No wonder the place is crowded! We eat out a lot and we've eaten at some really fancy expensive places, and this one is tops in our book now! We live in Grapevine and the drive is definitely worth the satisfaction of the pallette. The wait staff is exceptional and down to earth friendly, too.

The prices are unbelievable..we got two full dinners, drinks and dessert for under $25. You just can't go wrong here.

• Pros: home style flavor, plenty of parking, easy access, great wait staff
• Cons: No cons

04/06/07

Ms. Mary, will you MARRY ME?!?

by cupped

When you ask people what type of food they like, you will normally hear answers such as steak, sushi, italian, etc. So when I mention to people that my FAVORITE type of food is home cooking, they're like, "WHAT, you like LUBY's," but after I bring them to Ms.Mary's, it's out with steak and sushi, and in with pork chops and meat loaf!

I highly recommend the SMOTHERED pork chops along with the BAKED macaroni and cheese and either fried okra or mashed potatoes with gravy. I also recommend it washing it all down with NOT just TEA, NOT just Sweet Tea, but with some SOUTHERN SWEET TEA!; it's tangy, refreshing, brisk and cool to the core. (excuse me, my mouth is already watering....ok, all better now). I haven't tried their pies and cakes but I intend to the next time I go.

The price is about average, it's not too cheap, although they do have a lunch special around $5.99 but I've always had the main entrees which average out to $8-$10. Also, the location is right off of I-35 which you really can't see from the highway but it's still an easy find. Service is speedy and accurate and they welcome you as if you were part of their family. The decor and ambience is elegant but with a "HOME" feel so dressing up is not necessary, it's very casual.

Once again, I HIGHLY recommend this place and who knows, the "Ms." in Ms. Mary's might soon be "Mrs.," hahahaha.

P.S. I've even seen Anthony Henry, the starting cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys, come and eat here, GO COWBOYS!!!!! GO Ms. MARY's!!!!!

• Pros: Food, Price, Location, Service
• Cons: Nothing really, if I HAD to chhose a con, it'd be that it's a little cramp.

11/24/06

Best Southern Food around

by grannyhoff

A very pleasant restaurant. The "grilled" options are great. I really liked the pork chops. The ice cold lemonade is very good.

• Pros: Really authentic home-cooking
• Cons: Can't think of any

09/01/04

Southern charm abounds at this authentic home-cooking establishment in Carrollton.

by Contributor

The Scene
Butter-colored walls decorated with sepia-toned family photos and faux magnolias on the creamy cotton tablecloths create an aura of bayou enchantment in the most unlikely spot--a strip center off I-35. Ms. Mary and her kinfolk are on hand to fill a tea glass or chat about the impressive display of homemade pies and cakes.

The Food
Contrary to popular belief, not every Southern dish is fried. Health-conscious diners may select the "grilled" option. The pork chops are thick and juicy with a pleasant hint of brine. Meat loaf made with high-quality ground sirloin and heavy on the garlic is a triumph on par only with the side of mac and cheese. If the gut permits, indulge in one of Ms. Mary's three-tiered cakes, fried pies, fruit cobblers or bread pudding.