Sweet Georgia Brown will usually have a long line of hungry customers trailing outside its doors, waiting to get in and get a heaping serving of home cooked soul food served cafeteria style.
On a recent chilly Sunday, the Oak Cliff restaurant, located at 2840 East Ledbetter Drive, was packed with churchgoers dressed in their Sunday best and winter coats as they enjoyed food that warms the soul: fried chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese, turkey wings and meatloaf.
February marks Black History Month, a time to examine historic monuments in Dallas that still hold significance for the city’s African-American community.
“It’s home cooking, but with a lot of love,” said Walter Williams, the restaurant’s owner, as he sat in a booth in the back of the iconic south Oak Cliff restaurant.
The eatery is more than a restaurant. Customers say it is a generational gathering place for the city’s African-American community to trade stories and fellowship all while chowing down on Black southern dishes.
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Sweet Georgia Brown started with humble beginnings and with the willingness to learn, Williams said. The restaurant carved a spot in the heart of the Dallas’ Black community because of its ability to forage and sustain relationships with its customers through generations of families.
Williams recalled how in his 34 years of running the restaurant, he’d rarely missed a day. He attributes his perfect attendance to his dedication to making sure the food he serves his customers is of the best quality.
Isaiah Williams places a tray of turkey wings on the line during the lunch rush at Sweet Georgia Brown, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
“It has evolved over time,” Williams said. “I mean, we weren’t as good as when we first opened up as we are now. It took a lot of practice. It was a lot of trial and error, and we’re still trying to improve. We always try to improve the product, no matter what.”
Hearty servings from humble beginnings
Williams grew up in New York as a ward of the state in the Hillcrest Center for Children. His family’s roots originate in Georgia, which influenced the restaurant’s name, he said.
He said he mainly did two things while at the institution: Cook and play football.
“At first, I didn’t want nothing to do with cutting onions and tomatoes,” he said. “But it dwelled on me over time.”
A customer prepares to pay for his meal as other customers order during the lunch hour at Sweet Georgia Brown, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
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His athletic skill helped him land a professional football career playing for the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings. He retired from football in the 1980s, and his financial investments led him to Dallas.
It took him two years to remodel an old, vacant Burger King into Sweet Georgia Brown.
He chose Oak Cliff with the community in mind. The area was home to a prominent Black community. Williams said he wanted Sweet Georgia Brown to provide Southern-style cooking in large helpings, so an entire family could get full.
“We also recognized that we couldn’t just fix a plate, we had to fix a plate almost like for the whole family,” he said. “If you look at the portions, they’re pretty healthy and the need is still there.”
Most of the menu is served in plates, with an entree and as many sides as a customer wants. Hot links, catfish, fried chicken, okra, beef tips and yams are just a few of the historically Southern dishes offered.
Lorenzo Brightman slices ribs for customers at Sweet Georgia Brown, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
Soul food dishes perfected over time
Williams said perfecting the menu took a lot of time and learning.
“You got to practice,” he said. “You got to practice how much salt to throw, sugar, it’s practice. We don’t use measuring cups back there. You got to know what you’re doing.”
Dressing is one of Sweet Georgia Brown’s most popular sides, Williams said. Customers will come in some days, find out it’s not on the menu and go right back out the door, he said.
The menu was also shaped by years of reviews and critiques from customers, Williams said. A rememberable critic was his one of his first customer, Tuskgee airman Homer Hogues. The owner keeps a picture of him on a shelf in the restaurant after Hogues died in 2023.
As Williams retold the first day Hogues came in, he laughed. Hogues sampled everything. Williams said the man would shrug after each bite and move on to a different item before finally purchasing something.
Williams said he was offended until the Hogues explained himself.
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“He said, ‘Look, the reason why I’m doing this, you’re not Luby’s, you’re not a lot of these other established restaurants. You’re just now getting started. I’m trying to give you a favor. I’m trying to let you know the do’s and the don’ts.’ And so, he kept coming every single week. Without fail, he’ll come.”
A lot of people gave Williams the same advice, he said. He accepted it. With the help of his customers and locals he hired, the popularity and reputation of Sweet Georgia Brown grew.
Offering comfort and connection
During a recent visit, Krystal Turner, 32, and Alisha Evans, 38, shared fried chicken, which included a breast, wing, thigh and drumstick, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes and green beans — all for $40. They also ordered dressing and a slice of German chocolate cake for dessert.
The two left church and were in the mood for soul food, something Turner said is hard to find in North Dallas, where she lives.
“When we first took a bite, I was like, this reminds me of my grandmother,” Turner said. “This is exactly how my grandmother used to cook and she’s not here anymore, so it’s just great to feel close to her while being here.”
There’s a convenience with having a restaurant that offers comfort food that’s sometimes taken for granted, Evans said. Dishes like dressing can take hours and many ingredients to make, she said.
Sometimes, family members who were known for making certain dishes sadly pass away. When they’re gone, Turner said the recipe they most likely followed by memory is lost, which is also a loss of history.
“It’s literally a catalog of who we are, who we have been,” she said. “ We can trace the roots of all this food back to our ancestry.”
Many return due to loyalty, Williams said. Throughout the years, when someone was low on cash or a family came in, he said he’d always make sure they were well-fed.
“If they’re short, let them make it,” he said. “I would say about 90% of the time the people come back and take care of their obligations. They’ll tell you ‘thank you for taking care of us.’”
In the three decades Sweet Georgia Brown has been open, 77-year-old Morris Caro Sr. has become a regular with zero complaints.
“I eat it all,” he said. “It’s all good, I haven’t found anything bad here at all in all the years.”
Every time Caro brings his grandson to the restaurant, he gets him a 25 cent gumball from a machine. The first time he brought his grandson, he got a gold gumball, winning a free case of soda.
“They take care of me,” Caro said. “Sometimes I come here and buy dinner for everybody. I think that’s what kind of place this is.”
Owner Walter Williams watches customers are served during the lunch hour at Sweet Georgia Brown, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
Williams said the food served at Sweet Georgia Brown is sometimes labeled as only soul food and put in a box due to the cuisine and where the restaurant is located. The food isn’t categorized under a single label. Williams said one for sure thing is that the food they serve is always made with care and provides comfort to anyone who walks through the door.
“As far as what we actually serve, it’s just basic food,” he said. “Food that we season down with a lot of love and a lot of soul.”