McCutchen's Magnolia House — Restaurant in Scottsboro

This restaurant is inside a cute bright blue house in downtown Scottsboro. It's quaint outside and I think the dining experience is supposed to be evocative of dining at grandma's house, but the rather dirty, dim, and run-down looking interior doesn't convey that message.

The majority of the gravel parking lot is behind the house. I entered through a side door and immediately saw a hot bar. I'd later figure out this wasn't the "main" entrance, but it's clearly a common one given its proximity to the parking lot.

I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting a hot bar / cafeteria set up here. I did later figure out they do have a menu you can order from, but I was never offered one. Instead, the lady working behind the hot bar just looked at me like I'd grown three heads as I stared at the bar in befuddlement.

I was committed to trying the place, though, so I buckled down and tried to quickly figure out what to order. It's not at all clear what's available to you in what portion and for what cost -- is it a meat and two? Three? Can I have a vegetable plate? What about multiple meats? Is there bread? Dessert? Who knows!

I would later see a blackboard at the actual front of the house that had the offerings for the day written on it...but once again, doesn't help if you enter on the side from the parking lot.

They were out of a lot of items at around 1:15 on a Friday. I don't hold this against them too much as they do close at 2, but it was still a little disappointing. They were out of chicken tenders and fried fish and the hamburger steaks looked unappetizing, to say the least...so I asked if they could do a vegetable plate to which they agreed.

I wound up selecting mashed potatoes, buttered carrots, macaroni and cheese, and savory rice from the dishes that remained on the hot bar. I was informed that rolls would be out of the oven in a few minutes. I asked for a sweet tea to drink but was told a waitress would come take my drink order...even though the drink cups and the machine were right next to the hot bar. Just seems weird to have cafeteria style food service but then a waitress for drinks. But off I went to find a table to seat myself. They were doing a decent business despite being near to closing but I found a two-top that wouldn't lead to me taking up too much space.

The waitress who was supposed to get my drink order took several minutes to do so, which presented yet another problem as I wanted to start eating my food before it cooled. She did eventually come by and get me a glass of sweet tea, which wound up being far and away the best thing I had. It was really good sweet tea and I gulped it down...but no refill was forthcoming until I was taking my last bite, at which point she reappeared too late.

Sadly, the food was largely...not good. The buttered carrots were the worst offenders. They tasted like hospital cafeteria carrots. The macaroni and cheese was very watery and had a suspiciously Kraft cheese-like flavor. I got up after a few minutes to get my roll, which was fresh and warm. Definitely a Sister Schubert baked-from-frozen, but those are honestly fairly tasty, so whatever. The hot bar lady was abruptly a lot nicer when I came to get my roll and she offered me some of their homemade flavored butter, which I accepted, but upon examining it back at my seat I was put off by the texture and so just ate the roll plain. The savory rice had some extra veggies in it, which was nice, but it was oddly on the fairly-spicy side, which was...fine, but unexpected. Still, it was the most flavorful dish, so that was something. The mashed potatoes were the best food item. They were creamy and buttery and a pleasant texture. That's probably the only thing I'd eat again if for some reason I ever find myself here again.

On the bright side, it was cheap, at only $11 for lunch. But I didn't enjoy any aspect of my experience, and the sweet tea and mashed potatoes were pretty much the only saving graces. I'm glad to cross another establishment off my list "to-try" list, but that's about...

Housed in an extremely charming old Victorian home near the town's square, this restaurant consistently serves delicious Southern cuisine consisting of several options that includes a myriad of tasty menu options as well as a buffet where those in a rushmay choose their favorites. Upon entering, the character of the building is impossible to ignore. Rather than gutting the building in favor of one large dining room, tables are arranged throughout the lower floor of the home and include white tablecloths, seasonal flower arrangements, and comfortable seating. A friendly wait staff greet one near the entrance, happy to help visitors decide whether to try the buffet or to order one of their many menu offerings. Employees also cheerfully try to help them find seating that best meets their needs, whether it be a large dining room for a group, a more private table for a romantic or business discussion, or an open area where those dining alone may easily chat with local diners or simply sit quietly near a window enjoying the view. During one of my favorite visits, a very sweet elderly lady offered to take me on a personal tour of the building, pointing out which bedroom had been hers as a child, where they placed their Christmas tree and opened gifts, and the long, winding solid wood staircase upon which the children loved to play - what a treat! Southern hospitality and affordably priced home-cooked meals at their very best makes this restaurant very highly recommended!

Personal recommendation: Save room for their daily offerings of made-from-scratch desserts...

My mom and I havent been here in years and now I know why. We were so very disappointed. Its very crowded and very small spaces you can barely move around in that place!! No one greeted us when we walked in but there was someone standing at the cash register just staring out into the wild blue yonder. So we are like ok I know they are busy lets find a place to sit down. We eventually found a table and it was vert sticky and dirty. The waitress next to us was cleaning off another table. We waited and waited for someone to come take our order. Waited 10 mins or more. I know they are always busy so you would think they would hire more people or atleast hire fokks that know to work fast pace!! Like I said I was very discouraged...I might try again one day but this experience has left me questioning if I will ever return. I have had several other businessmen say they have had lunch there recently and it was so crowded they walked out. They were bummed they didnt even get to try the food. Ive heard good and bad things here lately also about the food but I won't rate the food until I try it myself. Everyones opinions are different. I really do love this place. Very historical and love the ambience but once you get in there its so over crowded its just...