Oh-em-gee! The food at Pearls Diner was fantastic! I am a native of the area and have lived away for nearly 25 years. I consider myself a connoisseur of southern cooking and this was some of the best southern food Ive had (except for my mother and mother-in laws food). The fried chicken was seasoned perfectly. Crispy on the outside. Juicy on the inside. My mom and I had a variety of sides. Everything was fresh and hot. We went for lunch on a Monday and the restaurant was not crowded at all. The service was great. One of the chefs came over to our table to chat!! That was the highlight of our visit.We will definitely be back!
Another victim of Covid19. Open 11 to 2 week day and Friday night. If you enjoy eating on styrofoam and plastic silverware this place serves home cooking. Fried or baked chicken, meatloaf, fried pork chops, green beans, lima beans, mashed potato and gravy, mac and cheese, black eyed peas. Chicken was tasty as was the breaded pork chop. Service at the counter. One of the must go places in Laurel, MS.
Absolutely worth the visit! Yes, we are touristy folks who hit all the Hometown stops in Laurel. Pearls was one of the best! The fried chicken was FANTASTIC, and the pork chops were great as well.For my sides I got a delicious piece of jalapeño cornbread, rice with brown onion gravy that is TO DIE FOR, comforting mac & cheese, and the ONLY let down were the somewhat bland green beans. Thankfully there was plenty of Louisiana hot sauce to liven up the lazy legumes!This was a FANTASTIC meal and the price was fair. Seriously... get the fried chicken. Do it now!I would get there early. We showed up at about 10:35 am on a Thursday and we were 3rd in line when they opened at 11am. The line was down the street when they let us in. Enjoy!
We were super stoked to go to Laurel, Mississippi on our way home to Northwest Arkansas from Florida this week. We wanted to go because of the show Hometown on HGTV, it really is such a cute little town, we enjoyed exploring for sure! Lots of shops and good places to eat it looked like. This was a well rated restaurant for the area so we couldnt wait to try it! It was worth going to!This place was AMAZING!! Southern cooking at its finest! The hospitality, the food and the atmosphere in downtown Laurel, Mississippi is exactly what I was expecting and so much more!The food was DELICIOUS! Me and my daughter got the baked chicken and my husband and son got the fried chicken, all of it was flavored perfectly, just like grandma used to make! You could tell everything was homemade- the macaroni and cheese was SO GOOD!!! The mashed potatoes and gravy, the green beans, the rice... just so yummy!Our son has special needs and is nonverbal, he was a little fussy and let out a yell. A man from behind the counter brought him a banana pudding and said thats what he was mad about and couldnt wait to eat it! It was so sweet of him and my son LOVES sweets so he was very excited! It was a special treat he thoroughly enjoyed. The staff at the desk and the girls bussing the tables, everyone was just very nice and welcoming!
Pearl is as vibrant and exciting in person as she was on TV. She made us feel welcomed and appreciated. The food and decor was perfect. The fried chicken, pork chop, mac cheese, black eyed peas and candied yams were amazing. We highly recommend lunch at Miss Pearls.
I had fried chicken (dark meat), lima beans, black eyed peas, and mac and cheese. The chicken was really good, but the lima beans and black eyed peas lacked seasoning and the mac and cheese was ok.Overall it was a good experience, everyone was friendly and they were pretty fast getting the food out considering they were packed.Oh cheesecake was delicious.
Pearls was packed when we arrived around 1 P.M. and it took a little while to place our order, which is a good sign. When our order arrived at our table, my 1st impression was portion size was on the small size & some of our plates and bowls were chipped up so bad that they should have already been in the trash, but that didnt stop me from eating. I tried my Jalapeno Cornbread 1st, and was pleasantly surprised, as it was some of the best cornbread that Ive ever gotten from a restaurant, though it never tasted like it had Jalapenos in it and I only found one small diced piece of pepper in it, it was still GREAT cornbread. Now the Black Eyed Peas were just as good as the cornbread, but the portion size was more like a sample. Move on to the green beans and they were good, but couldnt compete with the Black Eyed Peas. Now on to the pieces de resistance, for which I spent two years trying to try to no avail, because an Auctioneer in Newton, Mississippi told me he had gotten the best Fried Chicken ever at Pearls. I had ordered the White Meat Plate that consisted of one Wing & one small or miscut Breast, which I had to wait for them to cook and that part is a Big Plus in my book, as I never mine waiting on fresh cooked food. I started off with the Wing and it was really good, while the Breast was as tough as old shoe leather, but I understand that Pearls had no control nor way of knowing the Chicken Breast was tough, that one falls on the Chicken Producers and the way they raise modern Chickens.Ronney had the Hamburger Steak, which came out smothered in Gravy, that he would rather they had left off, but their menu description didnt tell you this & the lady taking our order didnt ask him if he wanted it with or without said Gravy. He said the rice tasted like it had the same Gravy, and he too had also gotten Green Beans and a roll. He did say that the Hamburger Steak tasted like it was fresh made and not frozen. We passed on Dessert at $5 a serving.All in All the food itself was good, but the portion sizes were lacking, especially for a cafe/diner in the South, and even that would not have been a deal breaker, if the two plates with one meat, two veggies, a serving of bread, and a drink(mine was tap water), had not cost $28 and some change. For $2 more three people could have had just as good a meal at Mom & Dads Buffet in Petal, Mississippi, just a few miles down the road, and that would have been all you could eat.Though the damaged dinner ware was not a deal breaker, the portion sizes and the price were, so this was probably my first and last visit to Pearls as it just didnt live up to the hype.
We enjoyed the experience! Friendly team members, delicious fried chicken! The MacNCheese was Really good! My black eyed peas were a bit of a disappointment. Didnt have ANY seasonings, and even needed salt! But the cornbread was what a true cornbread should taste like! Loved it and happy to see sooo many other people joining the HOME TOWN movement!
The food was delicious! He got the pork chop and I had the baked chicken. There was some kind of delay on getting our order, but they compensated by giving us each a banana pudding to go. Definitely get the banana pudding...Youre welcome!
The food tasted like your grandma made it. They were worth the wait! I really enjoyed the mac and cheese. All the staff was extremely friendly. Great family owned diner. Beautiful downtown area.
Overpriced food with no seasoning. Dessert was not homemade. I expected more and got significantly less. Cracker Barrel is far better.
My wife and I went to Pearls. It is an old building, turned into a restaurant. The food was fantastic. I got meat loaf and my wife got fried chicken. They were both 5 stars. The sides were great as is the banana pudding. The staff are very friendly and work hard to please everyone. Pearls is the real deal!
My husband and I visited Pearls for lunch today. There was a wait, but it moved quickly after opening. The staff is very friendly. We ordered the fried chicken meal with sides. Our food was prepared in a timely manner. The servers moved efficiently to deliver the food. The owners son walked around greeting the customers. Nice touch! He took pictures with us as requested. We enjoyed our food. Shared our table with a wonderful couple from South Carolina. The owners son encouraged people to share space at tables. He stated that his mom, Pearl, likes doing that as well. Overall, a wonderful experience. However, the candy yams was a little too sweet for my taste. I would highly recommend the experience of eating at Pearls!
We decided to have a late lunch around 1...no lines! Sister got 3 veggies and said they were amazing! I got fried chicken, black eyed peas and rice and gravy! Chicken was cooked perfectly and wasn’t dry, veggies were hot and delicious! The corn muffin was hot and very moist! The diner took us back 60 years to lunch counters like this in South Carolina! The staff was so good and the place was clean.
There was a line, but it was quick. The meatloaf sold out 2 families in front of us, so my wife decided to go with Fried Chicken. I chose Pork Chop with Greens and Mac. It was very good. Glad we were able to get in on our first try.
This is a must stop on your trip. Fried chicken was awesome. Mac and cheese, peas, okra goulash was all great. They are very friendly and quick. Will stop again when we are in the area. ❤❤❤
Such a great experience! Had the fried chicken, mac & cheese delicious. Ms Pearl was so sweet, taking pictures and greeting people.. Great experience recommend you not miss when visiting Laura..
We visited Laurel based on the TV show. We just HAD to go to Pearls Diner.I thought to myself The place must be good, judging upon the line up!We got in there, got the run down on what to do. Order food, take a number and find a table. Found a small table,not ideally situated for us but we didnt want to take up a boot for just 2 people.As it happened, we got a small table that was situated where to line passed from the door to the order counter, and as a result we had the entire line gawking at our food as ate.We ordered the fried chicken, black eyed peas and green beans. The veggies looked like they came from a can and heated up. The chicken was blah and nothing to write home about. Furthermore it was as tough and dry.Not worth going to except if you want to tell all your friends that you ate there.
A little over rated. After waiting an hour to get in like all the tourists outside we got in. Very few choices so I hope you like fried chicken. We went in for fried green tomatoes and hamburger steak that they no longer have. Check out the online menu. Very salty and fried chicken was dry and tough. It was a fun experience except being disappointed by the food. We heard people leaving saying how great it was. I dont think they get much southern food. Friendly staff .we paid over $30.00 for 2 meals.
Great people! Very nice and accommodating. The food was excellent and the place was hopping.
Food was great!! Had her fried chicken,so juicy, crispy and tender!! Atmosphere was awesome, fun. Pearls sons were running the show, telling everyone how it works with ordering, menu, etc. They were great and entertaining!! So glad I had the opportunity to stop and experience Pearls and her food.
Best comfort food ever! Just like being at Grandmas house. Great southern hospitality! Loved meeting Betty. Definitely worth the wait in line.
My goodness gracious, this place was AMAZING!! My wife and I arrived about 20 minutes prior to the 11 am opening and sure were glad we did. The line forms so fast with eager guests anxious to indulge in quality southern cooking. The staff kept everyone in order and were very welcoming. I had the ribs and two sides, candied yams along with macaroni and cheese and none of these disappointed. Oh, and the cornbread, out of this world tasty!!! My wife tried the fried chicken and it was as advertised: hot, crunchy and juicy. The price of a meal for two is completely justified considering the smiles on our faces as we exited the restaurant. Cannot wait to go back and try another meal!
I wish I could give this place 10 stars! There was a line around the building 30 minutes before opening, however, we decided to eat there around 1pm. There was still a lime out the door! It was moving rather quickly though. We waited for about 30 minutes. We had the fried chicken & fried fish with collard greens, mac and cheese, and lime beans. We had pearls cheesecake for dessert. It was AMAZING! Mouthwatering. Best fried chicken hands down! The fried fish was perfectly cooked, juicy, crispy, and not fishy whatsoever. The sides were fresh! The cornbread was bomb dot com. And the service was excellent! We will be back! Well worth it!
We loved our visit to Pearls! We came in about 1:30 on Friday and it was lined up out the door. Everyone was so nice and kind and treated us like family. Pearl & her son was so kind to spend a few minutes with us. So humble and kind! Oh I almost forgot, the food was amazing.Thank You FromChatsworth GA
Great southern food with a hometown feel. Your food is served fast and hot. Staff is super friendly.
Fresh hot delicious food cooked to order. Reasonable prices and not a long wait!
Catfish was good and didnt take long. We were there on Saturday so they were super busy. Shared a table with two other couples from different parts of Alabama. That was fun and interesting for conversation.
I was really excited to visit Pearls after watching the spot they had on one of my favorite shows. I was surprised at how long it took, but more than anything... at how rude the employees were. Especially the ones that seemed to be in charge. Food was average... not bad, not great. I dont have a problem waiting for food, even if the food is not great -- but... I will not tolerate rudeness. Ill take my money somewhere else. Im pretty sure that the mindset of the owners are -- Good... you just do that! (Therein lies the problem.)
Disappointed. Went on a Saturday. Very short hours. Missed being able to eat there by 15 minutes. They close at 2pm. Lunch Only.
Quite possibly the worst soul food Ive ever had. Soul food without the soul, literally. All the sides taste off, the mac and cheese is bland, and the chicken is dry. They also constantly mess up orders. Its a mess. Dont waste your money there.
Amazing experience! Staff was very friendly local people were friendly. Very enjoyable would definitely come back again. We came all the way from Idaho to visit Pearls Diner.
We absolutely enjoyed ourselves with Ms. Pearl at Pearls Diner in Laurel, MS during Memorial Day Weekend. You are such a precious jewel to us. We enjoyed our time with you and your family/staff. We are praying for your Great Success! We will be back to see you. Love, Wanda and April
Not to be negative, just honest l,Not sure what the hype is all about..my fried chicken was so dry, and the crust tasted burnt, the Mac n cheese was nothing special and the plain cornbread had 0 taste. Not to mention the portion size is so small for what you pay for:::Unfortunately we waited an hour to get into this place, and one meal is 16$ per person including a drink. Just figured I would help someone out on the reviews since the ones I read weren’t clearly accurate or maybe this was just a bad day; not sure if we will be back.
Mrs Pearl sure does know how to cook some true Southern comfort food! My favorite thing I ever had was her corned beef on St Patrick’s day! But who am I kidding, it’s all so good
This Hamburger Steak Was To Die For, And The Banana Pudding Wasnt Far Behind. VERY NICE CUSTOMER SERVICE, ALL THE WORKERS WAS VERY FRIENDLY!!! MUST CHECK IT OUT
If traveling on I-59 south I recommend this traditional southern-cooking diner in the town of Laurel, a couple hours north of New Orleans.Outstanding baked sweet potatoes, black eyed peas, butter beans and fried chicken. Friendly, attentive customer service and very affordable.So glad we avoided the fast food joints off the highway and discovered this place. And we never even knew this place is the focal point of HGTV’s series “Home Town”.
We were a group of 4. We were the 3rd group to put our order in at 11am. We all got our plates and waited 30 minutes for the 4th plate to come out. We all finally ate and told the waitress 3 times that our friend had not gotten her food yet. After we had been sitting for well over an hour waiting she finally asked for her money back. 5 minutes later she got her plate!!! I chose 1 star but if there was an option for no stars I would have picked it. Oh, and the banana pudding and cheesecake are not homemade, the veggies are out of a can. The fried chicken was pretty good so I guess my 1 star is for the chicken.
This is a place you have to experience! We were 6th in line when they opened at 11a on a Tuesday. We walked back by at 12:30p and there was still a line. It does move fast!I had HB steak w/ black-eyed peas and awesome fried green tomatoes. Husband had same with fried chicken. All was good.Staff provided great service and were very efficient.A couple of ladies sat with us. You are expected to share a table with others which adds to the experience.
Too crowded. Food was tasty. Limited menu. Staff was outrageously kind. True slither hospitality. Darren and his brother pop out timely to go to each table to check up on service and to say thank you.
If you go to Laurel Mississippi this is a must go to place. Its AMAZING!!!!! The food was delicious and the staff was friendly and helpful. I recommend the fried chicken and black eyed peas and DO NOT FORGET the banana pudding for dessert. I will most defiantly be back.
Everyone we asked for lunch suggestions in Laurel said “you have to go to Pearl’s” so we did. They had some technical difficulties the morning we went, and they opened a bit late. The food was well worth the wait! I don’t even like fried chicken (I know, don’t hate me!) but, I’d eat fried chicken every day if it was from Pearl’s!! Great atmosphere and delicious food.
Very crowded heard so much about the food was not impressed. Mac and Cheese had a metal taste. No seasoning in the Black eyed peas. No bananas in the Banana Pudding 😢
Fun experience! Food was good and the place was mobbed! Four woman from Alabama invited us to join them and we had a blast chatting with them!
The best fried chicken and jalapeno corn bread was so good.
Very good! Its a very popular place to eat. Be prepared to wait. The food is worth the wait.
Great food and very friendly staff this is a must place to have lunch.
Great friendly staff excellent service and and really good Southern food
The meat and three diner Ive always wanted to eat at! Pearls was amazing! Delicious home cooking. I had the hamburger steak, turnip greens, sweet potato and cornbread. Not pictured is the BEST mac and cheese I have ever had. Dont get me started on the banana pudding! Makes me want to move to Laurel!
Can not get better. Wonderful meal!
You queue up to place your order, but it moves pretty fast. Then grab a table and they bring tour food to you. They had a full staff and we waited maybe 5 minutes for our food. I doubt if it was that long. I had their porkchop wit black eyed peas and turnip greens. Some of the best I ever had. Members of our party had the chicken and seemed to really enjoy it. If you want an excellent meal and a new dining experience this is the place you have to go.
Fabulous, home-cooked meal. Go early, fills up fast. I loved the fried chicken and fried okra.
Service was fast, however; my fried chicken was disappointing. Crust was tasty but the chicken was tough and dry.
The food here is absolutely delicious. It’s a small very clean diner. The staff is super friendly. The only person who cooked soul food this well was my grandmother. I also had the banana pudding, it was top notch. Definitely check this place out. I live in Louisiana but I’d definitely drive 2 hours to come back and eat here. We met Ms. Pearl the owner and she was the sweetest lady. She thanked us for coming and had us sign her guest book. 5 stars.
Delicious Southern lunch, the young people working the dining room were very friendly and helpful. It was busting at the seams, but they know how to work it. Worth the wait....we felt so welcome in Laurel MS.
I loved it. It was packed but had friendly staff and great service. Hope to go back one day.
What a great space to eat in downtown Laurel Mississippi. They were packed, open from 11-2 . Food is excellent but daily menu is limited.
Wouldnt have missed eating at Pearls Diner while on vacation!! Worth the wait and delicious southern cooking!!! A must eat! 😊😊
Ate at Pearls and was very disappointed. Chicken was terrible, no crust on wings, had to wait 30 minutes for food, they served other customers food that ordered after our order. Will not go back, prices are expensive, cost us 46.00 for 3 of us. Popeyes has better chicken and prices. We were very disappointed in the old part of town as well, nothing to do or see. Drove 185 miles one way to visit.
Sadly not worth the price. Overrated. Packed all the time. Ambiance was cute. Service was good and they try but the food is average. $15 for two pieces of chicken and two small sides was not worth it. Sorry but I stick with the facts.
Very good food! Friendly people.
Heaven on a plate! I had fried chicken (crispy, juicy, delicious), black eyed peas and mac & cheese (both pure perfection!). Service was quick and friendly. Spoke briefly with Ms. Pearl and her son, they were delightful. Do yourself a favor and dine at Ms. Pearls!
Good ol Southern cooking! I had the fried chicken with green beans and rice and gravy. You can tell that the chicken was breaded and fried there so Im guessing that the rest is too. Since they got such good publicly from Home Town expect a long wait but everyone working there was cheerful and happy to see you.
Saw Pearl’s Diner on an episode of HGTV and was intrigued. Passing through Laurel on our way home to Indy and decided to stop for lunch. We definitely were not disappointed. Food, atmosphere, and service were great. Had the fried chicken, greens, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread—all were delicious. It definitely is worth the trip.
Best fried chicken, mac n cheese, collard greens and some southern banana pudding! Can’t wait to visit again!
Good food, but it was hard to find a seat.
We had lunch at Pearls and was very pleased. Home cooked and delicious! So nice to see a family run business.
We believed the hype and good ratings and walked into Pearls at 1:00 on a Saturday afternoon. The line was to the door, but that’s okay. Good food is worth waiting for! We ordered at 1:15 (in line 15 minutes… still no problem). At around 1:35 I noticed those that who had been standing behind us had their food already. So I called one of the servers over and asked could she check on our two meals. At 1:45, several others were eating who came in behind. We called a second server over… same thing… asking her to check. At 1:55… my wife went up front and asked a third server. At 2:00… she stood at the counter and some man came from the back. No apology… only attitude, but they did bring out the food. It tasted about like a grocery store deli meal. Average. At about 1:05… the cook or manager or ??? comes out of the back and yells to the whole restaurant (dead serious… like out of a movie) that they will not serve undercooked food and it takes longer there because… yada yada yada! Well… half the restaurant had come in after us and was just fine scarfing down their Kroger deli lunch!Save yourself some time and frustration… don’t go to Pearl’s… don’t believe the hype! Ruined our trip to Laurel… we were so ticked!
Fried chicken was delicious. Candid yams amazing, greens were so good. Stuff was so welcoming, friendly & nice. Breath of fresh air. Dont let Long lines scare you away they move quick. Very great prices
Pearls was really cool. Felt like stepping back in time, food was great, staff was even better!
The food was fantastic! Had the fried chicken. Collards were amazing. The person taking orders was quite abrupt and just not very friendly. The nicest person in the restaurant was the young man who brought out our food and bussed the tables. Price was reasonable for a meat and two sides but not inexpensive either.
The red beans & rice are amazing! Everyone is helpful and good prices! Definitely coming back!
Fried chicken was over-cooked. Sides, yams/lime beans/black eyed peas/mac-n-cheese were good. Corn bread was dry. Store bought cheese cake and no banana banana pudding not worth it. And it was a bit pricey. Wont go back and wouldnt recommend them. Other places to eat in Laurel.
Food was wonderful as well as the staff.
Absolutely awesome service. The employees are amazing. The food is the best around. Love the atmosphere. Cant wait to go back!
Our family stopped by otw to Birmingham. There was a line to the door but the line moved along well. Staff was pretty decent, we luckily got a table. I have to break down food individually. Fried Chicken - Overcooked/very dry/gas station chicken was better/pork chop-loved it/Baked chicken-very good/collard greens-fantastic/mac n cheese-good/cornbread & roll-meh/green beans-ok/rice and gravy-not bad/cheesecake-nope/Ice tea-purty good. I stopped for the fried chicken so that part was a total let down but overall it was fun and different.
Delicious food & wonderful & friendly staff.
Wonderful atmosphere,friendly staff. Excellent Southern Food!!
If you visit Laurel, plan some time to stop in here! They are only open from 11 am - 2 pm, so you have to come for lunch. You place your order at the counter, grab some silver ware and find a table. They bring the food to you. We had fried chicken, mashed taters, Mac and cheese, green beans, rice and gravy, a roll and cornbread. Topped off with banana pudding. Everything was delish. Mac and cheese was cheesy without being greasy. Cornbread was MOIST - I don’t know how they do it! Mashed taters were REAL potatoes. Fried chicken was juicy - even the white meat. And the banana pudding - holy vanilla wafers - it was amazing. Imma need a nap.
I cant believe after 5 1/2 years I finally took a walk downtown and stumbled upon this place. I had the fried chicken meal with greens, rice with gravy and candied yams I think it was. I started with the sides first because they were so good. Ended up finishing them before I had the chicken. Chicken was up there with best Ive ever eaten. Food was very delicious and the price to me was just as great. I cant wait to go back. Two thumbs up and 5 stars from me.
Had lunch here today and it was the best diner food I think I’ve ever had. I had the hamburger steak with green beans and candied yams, and my daughter had the fried chicken with Mac and cheese and green beans. Food was served quickly and the service was great. If we lived in the area we would definitely be back, and if we’re ever in the area again, or even if we’re just passing by on the highway, we’re stopping in again.
Crowded, noisy, great food, Southern cuisine, great service. Stood in line, outside for 25 minutes. Tourist hot spot.
