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Went here with my family for sunday brunch. We ordered several different dishes. The food took a bit long to come, but I now know why. Everything is made to order from scratch. Best grits ever! All the dishes were very flavorful and not greasy at all, not even the fried chicken. The banana pudding is reason enough to come here. Very highly recommended.

When I think southern cooking I think of delicious flavorful comfort food. and that was what I was expecting from cardinal. Im sorry to say I was very disappointed. I love bbq so I ordered the bbq platter, for about $20 I felt th portion was small. It came with 2 small slices of brisket that were dry and bland, ribs that were fatty and tough, and sausage that was bland. my wife got the fried fish that was good, and we shared our sides, collard greens, black eyed pees, and pickeled eggs and they were all bland, salt would have helped. I had high expectations but was really let down.

First of all, get the sweet potato pancakes, they are unreal. I didn't believe it either, but just trust me. The restaurant was pretty cold since the door kept opening and there's not much to stop the winter air from coming in. The waitress was nice, but it took around 45 minutes to get our food, and the palce didn't seem crowded. The table next to us ordered something at the same time as we did, and ours came at least 20 minutes after theirs, which wasn't cool. But that being said, I will definitely be coming back here. Just be prepared to wait a bit, I guess perfection takes time.

My wife and I and another couple had dinner here recently, and everyone came away very, very happy. The food was awesome and very authentic. Three of us each ordered BBQ platters with ribs, pulled pork, and brisket and it was excellent. I was in heaven, I'm not even sure I looked up to participate in the dinner conversation. There are about a dozen sides to choose from, but naturally I got the Mac & Cheese and it was insane. Just the perfect amount of fresh black pepper on the top to five it some bite. The desserts were tasty, and even though there was no chocolate on the menu I had a solid piece of pecan pie. I found the beer list to be small but diverse, and perfectly priced. The service was attentive and very friendly. As for the decor, it's no frills, though the lower level has a touch more ambiance, whereas the scenery on the ground floor is people-watching through the windows, which most New Yorkers love anyway. Finally, the bill did not hurt our pockets, and everyone had leftovers. I would 100% recommend going here if you are looking for flavorful Carolina BBQ without NYC prices.

I'm from North Carolina and love my home so much that I go back every other month or so to visit. I didn't have high hopes for Cardinal. Southern food in NYC is a joke ... Especially in hipster incarnations. But OMFG -- the fried chicken is the truth! Cooked to order, it comes out hot and juicy with nicely seasoned crunch. The collards had the right balance of vinegar and sugar and were appropriately "mushy" like we eat them at home. And the baked macaroni was peppery and with perfectly "orange cheese"... (Gouda, gruyere and fontina have their place ... just NOT in southern macaroni and cheese -- "macaroni" if you prefer, but never "Mac and cheese"). I'm skeptical about pulled pork in NYC -- my family is from Eastern NC -- but given my initial experience with the Cardinal, I'm planning to try it the next time. If I can resist the chicken, that is. By the way -- $17 is (almost) blasphemy for fried chicken ... BUT the chicken is worth the sin and the portion size makes it suitable for sharing (or leftovers). Plus it's cheaper and an effective substitute for a visit back home. I'll happily fork over the $17. My only complaint is how far it is from my UWS apartment (though that's prolly a good thing for my waistline)! I can't wait to get back to explore the rest of the menu. FYI -- the chef is a NC boy (Asheville). It shows. Yum!

Only had the fried chicken sandwich. Great crispy batter fried in clean oil, super moist thick white meat. I'm from the south and love southern food, and I especially love when it's upgraded from the truck stop quality I grew up with to a more upscale version. This just means better ingredients and prepared carefully to maximize taste!

I've lived in the deep south and this is the best greens and chicken plate I've had in NYC.