New Austin Soul Food Eatery Has the Internet’s Stamp of Approval 

What began as a West Side food truck known for its boldly seasoned jerk meats has found a permanent home — and an eager audience — on Madison Street in Austin. 

Tee’s Soul Food Kitchen, which opened its brick-and-mortar location late last year at 5623 W. Madison St., has quickly emerged as one of the community’s most popular new dining spots. A steady stream of positive reviews on social media attests to the buzz that followed the restaurant indoors after years of food truck success. 

The popular Chicago food influencer who goes by Shanikky said she traveled to the West Side to order the jerk chicken, a small rib tip meal, and an ox tail dinner. 

“[The ox tails] were worth every dollar and minute I waited. They were meaty, juicy, flavorful throughout, and they didn’t skip on the actual tail,” she said in a praiseworthy review on YouTube. 

Online foodie Roc Child raved about the fried catfish, calling it “seasoned, crunchy, flaky,” before adding that he didn’t even need any hot sauce. 

The kitchen built its reputation on jerked proteins, particularly rib tips and chicken, and those remain the stars of the menu. On a recent visit, the pork jerk rib tips lived up to their reputation. Ordered with fries generously covered in sauce, the dish delivered a deeply satisfying balance of smoke, spice, and sweetness. 

The bark on the rib tips was especially notable. Dark, well-seasoned, and intensely flavorful, they evoked the kind of slow-smoked backyard barbecue during summer cookouts. In the middle of winter, the effect felt almost transportive. The meat itself was tender and pulled easily from the bone, though some pieces leaned on the fattier side. Even so, the overall experience remained indulgent rather than off-putting.

The fries, softened slightly under the sauce, served more as a vessel than a side, soaking up flavor and reinforcing the unapologetically hearty nature of the meal.

While it may still be early in its brick-and-mortar life, Tee’s Soul Food Kitchen has already established a clear identity of soulful, assertively seasoned comfort food rooted in barbecue tradition and neighborhood energy. 

For diners craving something that feels familiar yet exciting — and for those nostalgic for the taste of a summer cookout — Tee’s delivers.

For more information, call (773) 289-7858.