Wilkes Dining Room . Mrs. Wilkes . Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House

Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room serves family style meals from big bowls at large tables the way that Grandma would. It is located on a residential street in Savannah’s most beautiful neighborhood.

Mrs. Sema Wilkes began cooking at a boarding house in 1943 and opened her little restaurant on Jones Street in 1965. This Grand Dame of Savannah Southern Cooking watched her business grow to become a Savannah landmark. Mrs. Wilkes died in 2002, but the tradition of Southern hospitality continues in her honor.

The restaurant serves family style meals from big bowls at large tables the way that Grandma would. When you are seated you will probably be eating with the people you were standing next to in line waiting to be seated. Each day brings a special menu, but fresh vegetables, homemade biscuits, cornbread, sweet iced tea and classic Southern dishes are always on hand.

On any day during the week you’ll find 3 good ole’ Southern main courses on the menu like: Southern Fried Chicken, Sweet Southern Baked Ham and Classic Beef Stew. In addition to those mainstays, on other days they feature comfort food classics like: BBQ Chicken, Homemade Meatloaf, Baked Chicken + Dressing, Sausage, Baked Chicken, Barbeque Pork, Roast Pork or Barbeque Ribs. You can check out what they offer on each day of the week on their website.

The Boarding House features about 10 classic down-home side dishes and veggies everyday like: Snap Beans, Rice + Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Candied Yams, Okra + Tomatoes, Rutabagas, Cabbage, Pickled Beets, Red Rice, Brown Rice, Collard Greens, Butter Beans, Macaroni + Cheese, Potato Salad, Black-Eyed Peas, Apple Salad, Macaroni Salad, English Peas + Noodles, Baked Beans and Coleslaw. You can check out what they offer on each day of the week on their website. See the link to the menu pages below. (Also, I am sure that the menu has to change from time to time because of supply issues)

Don’t plan to go to Mrs. Wilkes’ on Saturday or Sunday, or in January. The restaurant is open Monday through Friday for lunch only, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and they take the entire month of January off to go on vacation. They do not take reservations, so you might want to plan ahead and get in line because Mrs. Wilkes is just as popular with the locals as it is with visitors. They also do not take charge cards.

Go here for more reading, reviews, recommendations, rants and raves:
Mrs. Wilke’s Menu Pages
SavannahBest.com’s Tips on Mrs. Wilkes’
Savannah Magazine: Best Down-Home Cooking
32 5-Star Reviews on Yahoo Travel for Mrs. Wilkes
Best Restaurant in Savannah Georgia on Fodors.com (subject to change)
Mrs. Wilkes #1 Restaurant in Savannah on Tripadvisor.com (subject to change)
Southern Living Magazine Names Mrs. Wilkes One of the Best Regional Restaurants