The Southern Mac & Cheese Store

Mm’mm mm’m! Want to have a heart attack before you’re 40? Then come check out The Southern Mac & Cheese!
Just kidding. But no, really — this is the heartiest, cheesiest mac I’ve ever had. With 12 standard varieties plus a creative daily special or two, if you’re a mac and cheese fan, this is the place for you. Everything I’ve had has been absolutely delicious, but my two favorites are the white cheddar truffle with breadcrumbs and the BBQ brisket.
The portion sizes may look small, but don’t be fooled — two orders for three people is MORE than enough. That also makes it some of the cheapest food per calorie in the area. Individual orders are $ 6 – 9 each, and they’re way more than a single person can finish in a sitting.
If you haven’t tried their mac and cheese, you need to get here. It’s really just that good.

Believe it or not, I am still a virgin — as food trucks go. I know that Chicago has been taken in a whirly craze of meals on wheels, but I somehow «managed» to escape it. Not that I have been really trying to, mind you.
It just never happened.
Sometimes it’s just how things are. Nothing’s wrong with you. It’s not you… it’s the world.
The ultimate piece of evidence? Recently, I decided to actually come in the office JUST to have an excuse to taste the trend with my truck-​veteran friend. Twitter out and ready to go — we soon found out that our corner of the world was not favored by mobile shacks that day… quite unusually so.
I am telling you — the universe is conspiring against me.
Next best thing? Go to an ex-​suspect, and get lost in the rich, creamy deliciousness of mac and cheese. I doubt there is anything better to temporarily make you forget rejection. Fearing lines, we ordered online and walked to the store for pick up. The place was delightfully empty, our stuff ready to go and we even sat down to savor our treat.
I went with a wonderful concoction of pepper jack, cotija and jalapeño and was not disappointed. The flavors were spot on, the consistency — perfect, the temperature — just how I like it. $ 7 for a nice portion of heaven that I tried (successfully, I am proud to say) not to wolf down in one sitting. No complaint. The store itself is large and comfortable but has a distinctive «corporate» look to it even reflected in the packaging — plastic with pre-​made labels. That came as a surprise for such a small operation. It’s as if they were getting ready to conquer the world, golden-​arch style. Who knows?
If mac and cheese makes it to the Top 10 healthy vegetable list one day — you will see me here on a daily basis. In the meantime… I will still try to track down a truck. I need help.

i have never been in here before, just passed it on the way walking around downtown.
I ordered the beef brisket mac — it was good. Not great, but good.
However — they want to charge 3.59 for one bottle of tea. A regular bottle — 20 oz. PARDON ME? Are you INSANE? Someone obviously wasn’t paying attention in marketing class.
Maybe if they come down about half on the pricing, they’d sell some more. I can’t imagine anyone paying that much for a bottle of tea, when you can go next door and get a bottle of another brand for 99 cents.

My visit to The Southern was very good and I was impressed with the food. That led to me to discover they have an outpost only serving mac & cheese (pretty good idea actually) and located a block away from my office. A few weeks ago I gave it whirl because nothing sounds better than a bowl of noodles and melted cheese during a Chicago winter (though I don’t know if this qualifies as a Chicago winter).
The store is surprisingly large with plenty of seats (I was expecting a small counter) and the menu is surprisingly large with 12 different mac options. I went with the truffle white cheddar. All varieties are served in a small metal container that probably gets thrown in the over when an order is placed and then they bring it right now (or put in a bag for takeout). My truffle cheddar was fine but nothing distinctive. It was hot on the table but I can imagine it losing heat quickly on the trip back to my desk. I also found myself using a lot of hot sauce to spice things up and add character. The other surprise to me was pricing. All of the options are priced from $ 6.99 to $ 7.99 which includes the basic original to the pulled chicken. That’s not cheap for a small bowl of noodles, especially when Pastoral is across the street.
Maybe I’m being too critical but I don’t know if quick serve mac is an easy concept to execute, especially in the face of hard value sell. I didn’t hate my lunch and will likely return to try something new because we all need to options at lunch. I really like the flagship restaurant and the brand they are creating.

I have only ever had Southern Mac by accident. I didn’t even know it was a store until recently, and have only seen the truck in passing, which usually doesn’t stop in any areas I’m in (maybe this is deliberate). I thought I would never have mac and cheese from this truck. It was getting dire and sad.
Then all these TRAYS show up in my lunch meeting from SM&C. I had the mental capacity to deal with two flavors: truffle white cheddar and original. I thought one would be awesome and the other good but boring. I was wrong about which one I thought would be which. Truffle mac is tasty but very… white cheese flavored. The truffle isn’t overly truffle, but the cheese blend just doesn’t pack as much punch. Maybe I just don’t like white cheddar. The original, on the other hand, kicked ass. Like a thicker version of Noodles and Company mac and cheese, baked, with crunch on top. It’s not saucy (a pet peeve) — it’s dense, and very little liquid. I could have eaten a serious and embarrassing amount of this, and probably did. In front of my boss. I got it for free but I’d pay for it, if that says anything.
I have few occasions to be as deep in the loop as this little shop’s storefront is, but if I was ever wandering around Lake St. or lucky enough to catch the damn truck for a change, I would be eating that original mac to the point of health hazard.

We all know the Southern Mac makes great macaroni and cheese to suit any palate. The ooey gooey goodness is good for vegetarians (love the truffle mac and the artichoke variety) and meat loves alike (mac and cheese with hot dogs or brisket? yes please!) But did you know the Store also carries great salads? It’s true! I’m a fan of Annie’s salad which has mixed greens, pistachios, dried cranberries, apple bits and cheese. Now you can add a small side salad to your mac and cheese to add in some healthy veggies. Good stuff all around!
Oh, AND you can get trays of mac and cheese to go. Superbowl Sunday anyone?

This place is delicious, but it’s not one of my top-​tier lunch spots. I’d definitely go back if I was craving some comfort food like I was today. The BBQ Brisket Mac n Cheese really hit the spot. It was creamy, meaty, and the noodles were not mushy. Excellent. Service was prompt & polite. They also have Tab and a bunch of fancy soda’s I’ll try next time.
I gave it only 3 stars because I feel the portions are way smaller than the food truck’s portions. Now, yes, I still got full — no problems there, but I was kinda hoping for leftovers like I did with the food truck. Also, their pop machine is off (I know, not a giant deal, but the Cherry Coke didn’t have enough syrup, but the Coke Zero had like no fizz. Odd. Whatever).
I got a salad, which was silly. I think I just felt guilty and ordered some vegetables. Their desserts look pretty amazing, though.

Who doesn’t like a 1,000 calorie comfort food lunch? I passed the inconspicious store front for nearly 3 months before realizing it was a restaurant rather than a 7 – 11 type bodega. Speaking of bodegas, my mind quickly drifted back to S’mac, the Manhattan equivalent, at least in concept, not execution. Unfortunately, the creamy cheese lacked flavor, but I’m guessing didn’t lack calories.

It snowed like crazy yesterday, so while everyone else was heading home from work early, Mr. J and I decided that we’d pick somewhere to walk for a hearty meal to enjoy the snow. Considering that it was also National Cheese Lover’s Day, we decided on the Mac and Cheese Store.
We arrived and walked into a bright, cheese colored store. It was super clean and Johnny Cash played over the sound system. It was a good first impression.
Prices are cheaper at the store than they are on the truck. The portions are smaller too, but considering how rich the dishes are, that was a good thing in my eyes.
I ordered the mac n cheese with BBQ sauce and pulled pork. It was creamy and good. Mr. ordered the special which had andouille, onions and green peppers (I think). It was ok but not nearly as creamy and flavorful as mine was.
I will say that I wish they had more options for hot sauce. A little sriracha probably would have been outstanding on Mr’s mac n cheese. They only offered plain tabasco and one other kind of hot sauce. If it were me, I’d probably invest in about 15 different kinds of hot sauce to offer– but I guess that’s just me.
They have a meal deal for $ 3.50 that lets you add a salad and a drink to your mac n cheese order– which is a good deal since separately a salad costs $ 3.99, but there was no way I would have been able eat my mac and cheese AND a salad though if my plans didn’t make carrying leftovers inconvenient, then it probably would have cut down on the massive amount of calories I consumed.
The guy at the register was really nice and our food was brought out to us once it was ready (which was fast since no one else was there yet). Good music kept us company while we were there and it was a pretty good experience. We were prepared to brave the snow again and our mac n cheese kept us warm on our journey.
I’m glad I don’t live or work closer to this place, because it would be dangerous! But it was perfect for a snowy, cold night and I’m glad that we tried it.

Can’t ask for a better meal on a rainy day than some of this mac and cheese. I had the pepperoni, which had tons of meat as well as mozzarella and a little basil. Contrary to other reports, the mac was tender and the cheese was perfectly melted. Even the breadcrumbs were nice and crunchy. Sure it’s a little pricey, but you get more than enough for one meal (so you’ll most likely be eating it twice)…

As a big mac & cheese lover I was excited to check out this new spot with two of my good friends. In our shared excitement and hunger we ordered three entrees– the smoked bacon, blue cheese, and mushroom m&c; the roasted artichoke, spinach, and goat cheese m&c; and the truffle infused white cheddar m&c. Oh boy oh boy.
We dug in hard, and quite enjoyed our first few bites. But after a couple minutes we shared a sort of group grimace as the richness of the mac and cheese hit us. We tried valiantly to finish what we had started, but there was absolutely no way it could be done. It’s definitely not necessary to get one order per person, and I would maybe have a salad as a side haha. While everything was pretty good, I think I’m more a fan of creamier mac and cheese versus the overwhelming cheesiness. Minutes after the three of us parted ways on public transit the texts started– «Gahhh I feel gross.» «I want some fruit, or tea.»
Prices are a bit steep but the portions as mentioned are big. They also offer student discounts, so make sure you take your ID! (No matter how long it’s been since you graduated…) Long lines weren’t a problem– we met around dinnertime on a weekday and the place was so empty for a second I wondered whether it was closing time.

I’ve been waiting to try this place ever since it opened but had heard horror stories about long lines, so I kept putting it off – until today. I arrived around 11:45 AM hoping to beat the lunch rush. Mission accomplished. In fact, this place was so empty, I wondered at first whether they were even open. Once I walked in, it became clear that there were a few people there, but there was no one in line. I ordered the spinach and artichoke mac n’ cheese, which was handed to me about 2 minutes later. Since I intended to take it back to my office, it didn’t bother me that they put it in a bag. With tax, it did cost a little over 8 dollars, but I honestly do not feel this is overpriced given the portion size. This was a HUGE serving – easily enough for 2 lunches. So far, so good.
I have to say, however, that once I tried it, I wasn’t blown away. Maybe all the hype led me to have higher expectations than I should have. It was definitely good, but not great. I felt like all the cheese kind of overpowered any spinach or artichoke flavor that could have existed. That said, I will probably return at least once more to try a different kind.

Oh hell ya!
Although this isnt someplace that I would eat at that often because its got to be too fattening, it is great when you are craving comfort food.
Its downright good mac and cheese! I had the white cheddar truffle. The cheese was perfect with a hint of truffle, not overpowering. They have about 15 different varities and I plan on coming back to try more the next time I crave mac & cheese.
Its a small storefront with a bunch of tables and a bar against the wall. You get the mac and cheese in a foil pan kind of like a frozen dinner and there is really enough for 2 meals.

Mac and cheese was never in my diet until I moved to the Midwest. Southern Mac and Cheese REALLY knows how to do mac and cheese right. SUPER DELICIOUS!
The storefront of this place looks really small, but inside is actually quite large and spacious. We ordered the smoked bacon and the spinach and artichoke with goat cheese. We were the only ones there on a Saturday morning so service was fast and friendly. However, it took about 10 – 15 minutes for our food to be made. I’m not quite sure if thats the normal wait time or not, but if this place was previously a food truck, I would have thought the food was pre made and ready to go.
Portions are large and each dish lasted me about two meals for me. Can’t wait to try the other dishes on the menu!

Good:
– Different
– Fun (love the orange walls)
– Tasty (although not super tasty)
Meh:
– A bit pricey
– Gave me gas
– Even though we were sitting down, they brought our food to us in bags. Kinda strange. I know that’s their standard thing to do. But it sorta made me feel like I wasn’t supposed to stay and enjoy it. There’s plenty of seating.
It’s fun. But a little too pricey for lunch. If you or someone you know haven’t been here, definitely go. I’ll go back whenever I want to change up my lunch routine.

Gourmet Mac n Cheese — how can you go wrong with this one?
Story has it that their truck was doing so well that they just could not adequately please their constituents via a restrained truck, hence the store. I tried the artichoke mac n cheese and my friend tried the sun dried tomatoes one. The portions are a good size and for $ 9. They also hold themselves to very high standards of service — always a plus!

I saw that they opened one block from my work, so I had to check it out. My truck experience was ok (truffle pasta had an artificial taste to it, see my truck review), but I had a great experience at the store.
It looks like nothing from the outside, I heard several people (and I agree) that it’s really easy to walk right past. (It’s beside the 7Eleven) Inside is very spacious, though, and has plenty of seating.
I had the artichoke spinach goat cheese and it was rich, creamy and delicious. I really can’t expand more than that. My friend had the buffalo chicken version (minus the cheese, lactose intolerant) and enjoyed it as well.
Yes, it’s pricey for mac and cheese, but you get huge portions (the other half is sitting in the fridge ready for tomorrow’s lunch!). Given that it’s not the healthiest lunch option I won’t go every day, but I’ll certainly be back.
Sidenote: I don’t get why people are comparing it to Pastoral. One has gourmet sandwiches, and one has giant servings of cheesy macaroni. Other than being on the same block, there’s really no way to compare these.

It’s nice to have some other options downtown but I was not blown away.
Artichoke, spinach and goat cheese — creamy and very flavorful. Does taste similar to spinach artichoke dip. Definitely a little pricey for what it is.
Old Fashioned — A mix of american and cheddar cheese. Meh, it’s better than most mac and cheese options near my work but is velveta-​like to me.
Atmosphere — I was there about a week after the opening so it pretty full. There is seating, but it is limited.
Service — Surprisingly fast and friendly. This was my favorite part.
Also, they have some fun bottled soda for something different.

It looks as though there is a lot of hit and miss with Southern Mac’s new location in the Loop. I work across the street and decided to give them a try last week with a few associates from the office. My mac and cheese was a lot like James V’s review below. It was dry and crusty on top as though it had been reheated or sitting under a heat lamp. I could handle the crispy aspect of the dish because it was moist underneath, but the pasta tasted a bit al dente and as James notes — «chewy.» The taste left a lot to be desired as well. It was just so-​so, which is a little disappointing since I have heard quite a bit of good things about Southern Mac.
I’m giving them 3 stars because my work associates’ dish was delicious according to them. And, I am guessing the consistency issue is one related to the fact this restaurant just opened. I’ll also add, I don’t think it is fair to rate a restaurant on a single visit. So, I’ll give them a little time to get into the groove and try them again within the next few months so I can update this review.

A food truck goes brick and mortar!?! This was my first thoughts as I saw they were opening up a restaurant not far from work. My other thought was awesome! Mac and cheese nearby and within reach at all times. This could be dangerous for my waistline. It’s tough enough to catch them on their route without lines and with a limited selection.
Luckily, the brick and mortar store solves that problem. Instead of having to decide on a limited menu, they have a wide variety of mac and cheeses available divided on the menu by meat or veggie. They also serve salads. I haven’t had a salad at The Southern or on the food truck, so I look forward to trying it.
I checked the Twitters and Facebook yesterday and saw that they were doing a preview. The store itself is simple with a chalkboard like menu, a case of specialty sodas, and cupcakes! Nommers, cupcakes and mac and cheese! Since the restaurant is located near a college campus and tons of office buildings, I can see this being the perfect spot for mac and cheese lovers galore.
When I got there, the wide menu selection impressed me. I get to try all of the mac and cheeses without a limited menu or lines! Yeah! I went for the elusive chorizo and pepper jack! It was delicious. Also, it comes in two sizes: small and large, so you can get your mac on without increasing your waistline from those delicious carbs. I also got a soda. They’ve got a good soda selection with the regular ones as well as red cream soda! My eyes lit up when I saw this! Red cream soda! Yes please! The chorizo mac and cheese was awesome! The packaging is different from the food truck and stayed warm on the walk back to work. It was still piping hot as I sat at my desk and indulged in my husband’s favorite mac and cheese.
I can’t wait to go back and try more mac and cheese. Go get your Southern Mac on!