By Matt Mueller Culture Editor Published Apr 19, 2017 at 2:16 PM

Avid NBA fans are used to scratching their heads and firing off fiery tweets when it comes to former star and current TNT studio analyst Charles Barkley and his hot takes. And last night was no different – though not for those in the culinary know here in Milwaukee.

Going through the postgame Bucks/Raptors highlights, the topic briefly dipped into one of The Round Mound of Rebound's other favorite hobbies: eating. During the conversation, the analyst gave a shoutout to "this great soul food place in Milwaukee called Perkins."

Yes, MJRLEAGUEChop, Charles Barkley did just say Perkins in MKE has good soul food – but he's not talking about the chain of Denny's Lites. He's talking about Mr. Perkins' Family Restaurant, 2001 W. Atkinson Ave., and as painful as the following statement may be to some of you to accept, Charles Barkley is very much right.

The North Side eatery has been a soul food staple since it opened in 1969, the small location cozily playing host to neighbors and big names – including obviously Sir Charles. 

It's not the first time Barkley's given the soul food spot a shout-out. Back in 2009, he found the time to name-drop the restaurant during TNT's coverage of a Cavaliers-Trail Blazers game. Of course, it was in the middle of a not particularly glowing rant about how Cleveland and Milwaukee are "the same dreary-ass city." But hey, at least we've got Mr. Perkins' (and, amusingly, Barkley almost immediately backs off maligning Milwaukee when – surprise! – host Ernie Johnson notes he was born in the Brew City).

If you don't want to take Barkley's word for it, however, he's far from the only familiar face who's found a good meal at Mr. Perkins'. Packers and Bucks players searching for a taste of soul-infused home cooking could often be found digging into a plate, while Barkley's fellow '90s NBA greats Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen would often make a stop during their playing days when the Chicago Bulls came into town. And those are just a few of the famous faces – whether from the world of sports, pop culture or politics – that you could find gracing Perkins' "wall of fame."

Considering its Milwaukee Black Restaurant Week, a week of specials and meet-ups in the hopes of encouraging diners to patronize black-owned businesses throughout the city, the timing for Barkley's primetime shout-out couldn't have been better. So head on over – and if you don't love it, well, that's just one more thing you can add to the long list of Things Charles Barkley Is Wrong About.

Matt Mueller Culture Editor

As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.

When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.