Sometimes, restaurants by celebrity chefs feel like vestiges of a different era, an era dominated by Food Network and TV personalities, an era that carved out a different class of chef that wasn’t quite the prestige of fine dining, and yet had the name recognition of the masses at a time where American popular food culture was dominated by franchises and buzzy restaurant groups. There was a time, not all that long ago, where these were the sought after tables that people would flock to. These days, restaurants of this category are still popular. These chefs are still respected, collecting headlines with each new endeavor. But there’s something comforting about a restaurant that has gotten past its hyped days and settled in to be a neighborhood mainstay. That’s how Red Rooster feels.

Red Rooster opened back in 2010, a very different time for food culture, and for the city. Helmed by Marcus Samuelsson, who by then had already become a known face on TV, the restaurant was named after a Harlem speakeasy from the 1930s that once drew names like Nat King Cole and James Baldwin. These days, the restaurant itself has earned an institutional status in the neighborhood, one that people travel uptown for, and one that the locals return to. It feels special, a bit fancier (and a bit more corporate polished) than Harlem’s older mom and pop soul food spots, but it still feels accessible. Past its buzz, it’s aged into something more approachable, a space that can feel shared by locals and tourists.

Brunch is the way to go here. Come on a sunny day and the restaurant spills out onto the sidewalk. Inside, the colorful, texture-rich dining room is anchored by a horseshoe bar in the center, and a stage that often hosts live music. Sure, it feels a bit art directed compared to the truly lived-in feel of other neighborhood restaurants, but altogether, it matches what’s on the menu. Heavy on the comfort, with a bit of a chef-y creative edge.