The Manna House Cafe — Restaurant in Georgia

Psssssssssssssst,..............hey y'all, I'm whispering because i don't want the ladies in my life to hear this.........Wait.........let me look around first.............. Coast is clear. So I just ate at this place called The Manna House Cafe in Marietta on Fairgrounds.............Ooouuuuuuuwheeeeeee. When i tell you that that was some of the best Soul food I've ever eaten............Wait....someone's coming.........false alarm. Gotta be careful, don't want to offend the ladies who makes my sandwiches. Anyway, I ordered the Whiting 3 piece filet, rice/brown gravy and Macaroni and cheese......Deeeeeeeeeelicous. I'm talking smacking sounds delicious. While i was enjoying this tastefully homemade dish i heard what sounded like someone praying, i thought Wow! Great food and Church services..... The praying seemed to be coming from the back of the restaurant or from someone's radio........ Or so i thought.....My stomach kept bumping against the table and when i looked down to see what was going on,......... my stomach was doing this thing.....Like some sort of praise and worship dance ...... shouting and screaming like a choir.... Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Speaking in Tongues, (Manna Mannamannamanna), Praising Jesus ... Thank you Jesus, Thank ya Thank ya Thank ya. I told my stomach, Hey i know the food is great But Per-leeeeeaasse keep it down, the ladies in my life who make me sandwiches might hear you. They gone get mad. The service was excellent, clean environment, respectful staff, and hand sanitizers at the ready. I'm Def def Definitely GOING back. If you read this please whisper read.Thank you Manna....

I wish the food were good. The fried chicken was hot and crispy but lacked seasoning. Still, I can live with that because everyone's seasoning is different and some (I'm certain) will love it.

What's unforgivable is poorly done Mac and Cheese and yams. The macaroni was overcooked, under seasoned and had tiny clumps of tasteless cheese. It was inedible. As were the "candied" yams, which were just warmed canned yams. It just seemed lazy.

I wanted to like this place. Having a soul food restaurant nearby would be a win.

Now I believe their catfish and whiting are probably good. Those were the recommendations ahead of the chicken. I think they do proteins way better than sides. In fact, my yams had a fish bone sticking out of it which was 🤢

I thought the cornbread was good but needed to be warmed and served with butter.

Finally, I ordered sweet potato pie and couldn't take a bite. It had the smell of sitting there for too long. It was already pre packaged so it's hard to tell how long it's been there. I love sweet potato pie and it has an amazing aroma when freshly made. Even after it settles to room temperature. And since I was the only person eating in the place (just one other person ordered their food to go), I'm certain they don't have enough for traffic to cycle thru desserts so you know they're fresh.

This is, from what I can tell, a church owned restaurant. It's probably supported by it's members which likely keeps it open. I felt welcomed and I'm sure you will too. Just don't expect flavorful and...

The Manna House Cafe is an absolute gem. I spent just under $20 and left with enough food to last me at least three meals. For the price of a large combo at McDonald’s, I got a home-cooked feast that felt like a warm hug from someone’s Southern grandmother.

I had the country fried steak with white gravy over rice, mac and cheese, red beans and rice, green beans with potatoes, and cornbread. The steak was massive, thick, tender, and cooked perfectly. I wasn’t sure about the rice under it at first, but it worked surprisingly well. The mac and cheese stole the show though—creamy, rich, and packed with flavor. It might be the best I’ve had in years. The red beans and rice were a bit on the bland side for my taste, but nothing a little hot sauce couldn’t fix. Green beans tasted fine, probably from a can, but not bad. The cornbread was warm, buttery, and just right.

The space was quiet when I arrived around 3:30 in the afternoon on a weekday, with only one other customer. It felt peaceful. There’s a personal touch throughout the place—photos of the owner’s late mother are displayed proudly, and it's clear her recipes live on in the kitchen. This woman clearly knew how to cook, and her legacy shines in every bite.

I originally came hoping for oxtails or neckbones, but those are served at the chef’s discretion, usually once a week. I just missed them, but I will definitely be back to try those dishes. This is comfort food at its finest and a place I’ll be recommending...