In Richmond’s Jackson Ward, Mama J’s Kitchen glows with the feeling of a neighborhood gathering spot. The dining room fills quickly once the lights come on, with families, friends, and solo diners all settling in as if they’ve been here before.
The menu leans into soul food traditions: fried chicken with crackling skin, catfish fried golden, brisket slow-cooked until tender, cobbler sweet enough to end the night right. Every plate carries a sense of history, rooted in family recipes and care passed down through generations.
Specials move fast, often gone by the time dusk settles, so timing matters. What lingers most, though, is the comfort of food that feels as steady as the community around it.
Fried Chicken, Dark Or White
The sound of a bite through the crust is its own music—skin shattering just enough to reveal juicy meat below. Dark cuts stay especially tender, while white offers clean simplicity…