and behind me is one of the great institutions

here in Harlem, Sylvia's Restaurant.

(audience cheering)

They've been making and serving soul food here

since 1962.

Sylvia Woods' family still runs the place.

They've agreed to let me serve soul food today

in the restaurant.

What could go wrong?

What could go wrong?

This is one of Sylvia's granddaughters.

Is that right?

Yes.

And your name is--

Zaqura.

Zaqura?

Yes.

But people call you--

Z.

OK.

This is going to shock you.

Mm-hmm.

I don't know much about soul food.

Main ingredient, when you're dealing with soul food,

is love.

So, you have--

Oh, love!

Yeah.

We had none of that growing up.

(audience laughing)

Yes.

There was no love in the house,

let alone enough leftover to put it in the food.

Everyone has eaten at Sylvia's.

Not everybody has.

[Conan] Not everybody.

But most people.

There is Liza Minnelli.

Mm-hmm.

OK.

[Conan] Is that Denzel right there?

[Zaqura] That is.

OK.

There's Ice-T.

[Zaqura] Yup, mm-hmm.

Look at him.

He looks so mad all the time.

(audience laughing)

That's probably him

after you've just told him a really funny joke.

(audience laughing)

And there's Bill Clinton.

[Zaqura] Mm-hmm.

Everyone's having fun in this picture--

(audience cheering)

Except the Secret Service guy.

There's no joy in his life.

(audience laughing)

Liza Minnelli, again.

[Zaqura] Yes.

[Conan] She keeps these in her Purse.

[Zaqura] Yeah.

She comes in.

She orders a bunch of soup.

You're off getting it.

(mimicking hammer pounding)

(laughing)

Come here.

Look at this.

(laughing)

Look at this.

Liza Minnelli, again!

(audience laughing)

That's three times for Liza Minnelli.

That is.

This is bullshit.

(audience laughing)

How do I get my photo up here?

Would that be hard to do?

No, not at all.

But here's the problem,

this is the face I make in my photo.

Check it out.

(camera shutter whirring)

[Zaqura] That's gotta stay.

Z, I'm ready to get started.

How do I begin?

Bam.

[Zaqura] Boom.

OK.

(audience laughing)

Be honest with me.

How does the hairnet look?

[Conan] It's not cute?

But--

(audience laughing and applauding)

I'm not a white girl.

(laughing)

I'm a dude.

Not like that.

[Conan] I'm getting nervous to--

We love you though.

We love you.

I love you, too.

I'm a very pretty white girl.

(audience laughing)

Does Z ever go over the counter?

(laughing)

Wouldn't that be faster

than actually the way you're doing it?

There we go.

Here you go.

Perspiring a little bit.

(audience laughing)

Just wipe down the pornographer's sideburns.

(audience laughing)

And the jewelry.

(audience laughing)

Do you mind if I just get in here for a second?

Nah, man.

Go for it.

This is the best chicken I've ever had,

and you know what I love about it?

It's free.

He's paying for it.

(laughing)

(telephone ringing)

All right.

Hello, Sylvia's, in operation since 1962,

Harlem's premier soul food restaurant,

best soul food in Harlem, best place to get it,

only two blocks from the Apollo Theater,

Malcolm X Boulevard.

You gotta come to Sylvia's.

They hung up.

(audience laughing)

[Woman] And then you click sign in.

What number was that?

I don't know how to do that.

This is like a nuclear launch code.

Why does this have to go through the Pentagon?

I will try to use this system,

but I just took money out of your ATM.

(angelic music)

(audience laughing)

(classical music)

(audience laughing)

What would you like?

Would you like some waffles?

Would you like some biscuits?

Would you like chicken?

Do you want dark meat, white meat?

You want it smothered or fried?

(laughing)

Listen, I get off of work probably in 10 minutes.

I think I'm getting fired.

(audience laughing)

If you want to show me around the neighborhood.

(laughing)

Hello, Sylvia's.

Yup, 1962.

Best soul food in Harlem.

Yup.

Come and see three, count 'em three,

photographs of Liza Minnelli for no reason.

(audience laughing)

I'm Conan, so good to see you.

Jessie.

Jessie, good to see you.

You're a Yankee fan?

Of course I am.

What are you?

Red Sox.

Get out of here.

Why this guy is here?

Red Sox?

Well, what the hell?

What are you talkin' about?

Listen, you're in my restaurant, OK?

I've been working in Sylvia's for 45 minutes.

You can't come in here and tell me that my team sucks.

I've got one question for you.

Go ahead.

It's always Yankee, Giants.

You are Yankee, Jets.

You know what I think?

Giants suck this year, and you switched to that team.

(audience laughing)

You're a lucky guesser.

(laughing)

Is that what you did!?

I knew that's what he did!

You're good, you're good.

You have a Giants jersey at home.

Yes.

You buried it--

Or another one.

In your backyard, and you're wearing a Jets jersey.

Sir, I'm giving away cakes today.

That's for you.

You take that one home with you.

(audience laughing)

What are you trying to kill me?

Come on.

I'm diabetic, man.

You're trying to kill me!

Just take it.

Give it to someone on the street.

(telephone ringing)

All right.

Hello, Sylvia's.

Yes, free cakes today.

Free cakes today--

That's a--

For everyone that comes in.

(audience laughing)

♫ Birthday

♫ Happy birthday

♫ Happy birthday to you

Yeah!

(group applauding)

♫ Happy birthday to you

♫ Happy birthday

♫ Happy birthday

♫ Happy birthday

(audience laughing)

♫ To you

I don't know.

I thought that I did a pretty good job today

and showed that I got better as time went on.

I made some mistakes early on.

Is there someplace here I could work?

(water rushing)

(audience laughing)

Well, I'm not working the counter,

but I'm still working at Sylvia's,

and that's pretty cool.

Sylvia's, clean dishes since 1962.

(audience laughing)

[Man] We need clean plates!

I'm hurrying!

(classical music)

(audience laughing and applauding)