In the not so wide world of Soul Food in Phoenix, my ranking would be:
4. Baby Kay's (although I hear things have recently taken a nosedive here)
3. Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe
2. Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles
1. Stacy's Smokehouse
Hubby might flip 1 and 2 since he has an addiction to the waffles. The best he's ever had, he says. They are very good, and so is the chicken, but I have recently discovered Stacy's superior version. The sweet tea is hella sweet to the point of total saturation, and everything is swimming in butter (Matt Poole must have taken this idea from here). The quality of the egg cookery varies quite a bit, and so does the red velvet cake (the last time I had it, it was burned).
Will any of the inconsistencies keep us from returning? Hell no. It's one of our absolute favorite dining experiences in the valley. We go as often as we think our hearts can take it!