Messi Soul Kitchen - Riverside

4270 Riverwalk Pkwy Ste 104, Riverside, CA 92505, United States
+1 951-840-5962
$$$ Soul food restaurant
(422 Reviews)
Price Range $20–30

Messi Soul Kitchen - Riverside offers a genuine soul food experience nestled along Riverwalk Parkway. This spot is best suited for anyone craving hearty, comforting Southern-style dishes served in a casual, no-frills setting where the focus is squarely on the food and warm hospitality.

The restaurant’s rhythm quickly becomes clear: it draws a steady flow of locals who appreciate generous portions and authentic flavors, especially on weekends when popular items like oxtails tend to sell out fast. Because of this, arriving earlier rather than later helps secure favorites before the midday rush. The dining room fills up quickly, but the vibe stays friendly and bustling rather than noisy or rushed.

Messi Soul Kitchen centers its menu around classic soul staples with entree plates that include two sides and cornbread. Sides like mac and cheese, collard greens, and red beans come highly praised, often cited as delivering the kind of rich, home-style seasoning one hopes to find in this genre of cooking. For those who know their soul food, the oxtails stand out for falling off the bone, though they do carry an extra charge and are popular enough to run out early in the day.

The people working here leave an impression as much as the food does. The staff are consistently described as warm, attentive, and patient, adding an extra layer of comfort especially for first-timers or those ordering to-go. The restaurant offers ample parking and straightforward counter service, making it ideal for families, office workers grabbing a takeout lunch, or anyone wanting a filling, flavorful meal without fuss.

Though currently transitioning locations—from a brick-and-mortar to commercial kitchens in Norco and Riverside—the emphasis remains on maintaining quality through pickup, delivery, and catering options. This makes Messi Soul Kitchen a notable part of Riverside’s local dining scene for casual soul food lovers who value authentic taste and approachable hospitality in a relaxed environment.

Highlights
Has fast service
Serves great dessert
Popular for
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Good for solo dining
What they serve
Serves comfort food
Serves food
Quick bite
Serves vegan dishes
Serves wine
Best for
Serves lunch
Serves dinner
Has catering
Serves dessert
Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible car park
Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Parking
Free of charge street parking
Free parking lot
Plenty of parking
422 Reviews
Rachel Sigritz

03 Jan 2026

Absolutely the best soul food . I've been looking for a while. The young ladies are so sweet, treat you with such hospitality. Took 4 plates home and a Kool Aid. I will DEFINITELY be back ASAP. They are all working so hard.

JoeAnne McCormick

12 Dec 2025

My aunt and uncle took me to eat. They raved about this place. There's plenty of parking. It was there. I was empty when we got there. Yeah, but within the 5 minutes, the place was packed. They, we're out of oxtails, and that's what they say. Saturday, they have oxtails, it was about yes. At 3 o'clock and they were sold out. So we were left with smothered, pork chops or chicken or pot roast. We went with the uh, some other pork chops. I had greens, Mac and cheese, which was creamy, cheesy, very good. Everything was seasoned well. N was plentiful, so if you're looking for some good soul food in Riverside. This is the place

Kali Kimora

29 Oct 2025

Food was Amazing and you definitely get your money worth . The taste A1 The oxtail fell straight off the bone. Will definitely be coming back

Adela Larry

06 Oct 2025

My first time today and I absolutely loved it! Not only was the young lady serving the food so patient, sweet, professional, attentive and kind. She went over and above. The food DELICIOUS. Big servings. Worth every $. I will be returning. And I had the mac with this fire!!!

Janae Price

03 Oct 2025

Whoo Hoo! They’re just relocating. As they close the Brick and Mortor thry will move to a commercial kitchen in Norco effective 10/3 and another commercial kitchen downtown Riverside in November. Pickup, delivery and catering will be available at both locations. The food is delicious!!

Trayci Thomas

30 Sep 2025

We were visiting Riverside from Cincinnati and saw this place on TikTok. The food was the soul food we were looking for! Everything was so good! We should've ordered one of EVERYTHING! We had the Baked Chicken, Pot Roast (both comes with rice), Mac n Cheese, Greens, Sweet Potatoes & Green beans. Oh and that buttery, slightly sweet, melt in your mouth cornbread! Whew Chile...Enough food to share with 4 people! I gave 4 stars because we waited about 40 minutes for food that was still cooking. (Chicken, Greens, Mac n Cheese) The wait was worth it though! We'll be back

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