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"Shut Up and Eat It" is the motto at this ever-expanding down-home, downtown soul-food operation. Grungy hipster locals chow down on carb-heavy comfort food amid garish thrift shop paintings and a porch door that never stops slamming. It's Louisiana meets the Loisaida as surly servers spoon heaping portions straight from a steam table onto your plate and Dominicans play dominoes on the sidewalk outside. Choose from a list of Mama's Basics (fried chicken, meat loaf, grilled salmon, etc.) with choice of side order, including mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, honey-glazed sweet potatoes and fresh green beans--all for 10 bucks. Mama's Bar opened next door, with some seriously inventive cocktails that use fresh seasonal ingredients from the restaurant's kitchen. — Andy Bailey and Whitney Lawson

Mama's meat loaf with mac & cheese, $11