The Clayton Café in Clayton GA is an unexpected jewel in North Georgia. Located on Main Street, the Café has been completely renovated in the last year, the decor is lovely. The wait staff is excellent. They are open seven days a week for breakfast and for lunch until 3:30p. My bride had the western omelet and pronounced it excellent (a pretty rare rating from her). I'm a big fan of chicken livers and these are good - and more than one person can eat in a single sitting. The onion rings are "real" onion rings and the batter delicious. The place holds about 20-30 patrons so get there early. Net: Food very good, service excellent, ambiance very good, prices reasonable. Here's a link to their website: https://claytoncafe.com/ read more

Well, it's down a couple of stars. I'm not from Clayton, but we love this little town and visit it often, last trip in January 2026. I noticed the window sign said "Angie's Clayton Cafe" and whilst being seated at 11:45AM on Tuesday June 2, 2026, noted the wall art had changed, no more local memorabilia, and the menu is now a well worn, two sheet pieces of copy paper. No problem, the place was nearing capacity per usual and we did get a window seated table. But, then I noticed, no collard greens on the menu. So, if you read my earlier reviews, you will note that I have eaten at quite a few "meat and three" style country diners and that I also know how to cook this food at home. That's a big qualifier, because Clayton Cafe had become a part of our destination trip to Clayton from Greenville, SC. It was just that good, a notch above the crowd. I didn't find this experience to be the same. The decor, service, ambiance was the same. Even the same crowd starting a 15 minute table wait shortly after noon. Business has not suffered, but the food is not the same. Overall, everything was less flavorful, more bland. The highlight, the white sawmill gravy was piping hot and flowed well, not a gloopy mess and I like that it was served on the side. The country fried steak was tender, but it had less crunch on the crust and was significantly bland - pepper and salt please. The green beans had a small chunk of meat involved, but they too were very bland and lacked a depth of flavor expected from the hamhock, the biscuit was good, but not the buttery crusty biscuit if yore. The okra was straight up flour breading with no cornmeal in the mixture and that's a game changer on this dish. Fried chicken was good. Squash, or squash casserole was a bland mess and left uneaten. Don't get me wrong. This three star rating means "OK". It's still a good meat and three. It's just not an exceptional meat and three as experiences my multiple prior visits. So that's when I asked the server if the restaurant had changed owners and yes, in April 2026. Well, there ya go, but Bon Chance to the new owners and Godspeed towards the hard work and keeping it going. Obviously, a full house lunch crowd on a Tuesday in June shows positive momentum. I'm just saying, pay attention to flavor, both in depth and complexity, to make these Southern standards stand out from the meat and three crowd. read more

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For decades Clayton Cafe has been the mainstay great cafe breakfast and lunch for locals and tourists. I have not been back since June of this year. My family of 5 had breakfast and it was beyond disappointing. Eggs cold, bread NOT toasted etc. New owners need to get back to basics or lose their franchise name! read more

We wanted a hot breakfast while in town for a wedding and this cafe was so charming. We ordered a variety of breakfast dishes like the corned beef hash, omelets, and eggs. The biscuits were delicious and not too dry, but the corned beef hash was a little too salty (even for a fiend like me) and my omelet was both under and over cooked. Even if the food was ok, I have to call out the exceptional service we received. Our waiter was kind and attentive, clarifying whether we wanted sweet or unsweet tea (my California ass forgot I was in the south now), warning us the kitchen was running a little behind due to the morning rush, and in general being a gem of a human being. I'd come back for that treatment! Logistics: - limited street parking in front - indoor seating only read more

Clayton Cafe - Veggie omlet with grits and biscuit - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

I had a great time at Clayton Cafe. I was seated promptly on a Sunday morning and was immediately served coffee. The menu is great and has something for everyone. My partner had the All Star Breakfast and a side of toast. He was really impressed by the everything sourdough, really unique but delicious. I had the french toast which was amazing, but I must say the biscuits... they were just perfect. The service was great, cute vibe at the restaurant, really good time! read more

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family owned, farm to table restaurant. excellent service and extensive menu. breakfast available during opening hours. Enjoyed a very satisfying and reasonably priced lunch. Recommended. read more

Clayton Cafe - Exterior of cafe - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

I've heard great things about the sandwiches - however we were there for breakfast-walked around town window shopping for 45 minutes waiting for the restaurant to open - so we were the second couple to arrive. We ordered the breakfast special - and it was truly the worse breakfast I've had probably ever. Everything was cold, sausage and sausage gravy were the worst I've ever seen - unappetizing at best - hash browns were palatable but the biscuit tasted day old. Coffee was good. But a lot of people I've met since love this place --- so I wonder - cooked in advance of opening and maybe microwaved? Do better. read more

I used to love this place for home cooking.I was shocked to see it is now 1/2 the size it was.The food was disappointing now.Chicken and waffle both overdone. Grits cold even after we asked for a hot bowl the second time. I had looked forward to going there,but will not go again. read more

This place was amazing. My son couldn't get over how rich and creamy the macaroni and cheese was, and I absolutely loved the cornbread muffins. They're like dessert before dessert! Being from Texas, I loved that they had white gravy for my chicken fried steak. Our waiter was amazing, and even saying happy birthday to my son for his 14th birthday... and sang Very well! Clayton isn't adorable downtown area with lots to offer, and the Clayton Café was a jackpot lunch spot! We will be back read more

My fiancé and I stopped here for lunch after our early morning sunrise hike atop of Black Rock Mtn. I had the chicken pot pie and he had the hand breaded chicken tenders and everything was delicious, the ambience was awesome and the service was excellent. This was a spur of a moment stop as we were both hungry from our morning hike. Highly recommend to anyone who's looking for a good place to eat. read more

Clayton Cafe - Chicken pot pie - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

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Food is wonderful and the service is top notch. It is a favorite of ours when visiting Clayton. We love the Fried Green Tomatoes.

Very busy place! Everyone was really nice and the food was delicious. We got some of the cornbread muffins and they were to die for!!

Food was fair. Service was great. Ambiance was fair. Prices were way too high for the amount and quality of the food served.

We really enjoyed the Clayton Cafe! I had a delicious veggie plate and my husband got a great burger. Everything was so good and our server was very pleasant. read more

I was invited to Clayton by a friend who took me to Clayton Cafe. The bartenders were very friendly and were really on top of things. Both of them displayed a positive and helpful attitude and it was apparent that they really enjoyed their job. The service was top notch. Clayton Cafe has a great vibe and is the perfect spot for an ice cold beer. read more

The hostess was incredibly rude. When she sat us behind a wall I asked could we have a window seat. There were 4 open tables. She sat us at a 4 top in the middle of the restaurant when my husband asked what was wrong with near the window she nastily replied it about sections. Not the customers?! read more

We dined here for breakfast while visiting friends! We were welcomed with a smile and the atmosphere was very inviting! We chose the Clayton Allstar with scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, grits or home potatoes, and biscuit with sausage gravy! It was all delicious and ample servings! We look forward to dining there again soon! read more

Clayton Cafe - Scrambled eggs, grits, bacon, and buttermilk biscuit with sausage gravy! - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

The restaurant was very busy but they had a good system of getting people in and seated as quickly as possible. I enjoyed the corn and crab chowder with the cornbread muffin. Our waitress was friendly and the food was served quickly. The decor was cute. Drinks were served in mason jars. The room isn't very big so the noise level was louder but not bothersome. read more

We ate here while visiting Clayton weekend. Disgusting. The eggs were SWIMMING in butter and tasted of butter. The bacon was flimsy and home fries over cooked. Don't waste your money. We used to love coming here, but it seems to gone down hill in quality. Go try somewhere else. read more

Clayton Cafe - Eggs in butter. Disgusting. - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

Cute little diner in town. Service was great. Very friendly staff. Food was good. Sausage gravy and biscuits were tasty. Grits were on point. read more

I grew up eating here, and live here part time. After the new owners bought Bonnie out, I gave it a try with an open mind. It is was just okay. Nothing really wowed me. After a recent post on Facebook promising that they brought back all the old favorites, I decided to give then another try today. I was really disappointed. The fried green tomatoes were horrible. They tasted like they were previously frozen, tiny, tasteless with a weird hard coating. The sweet potato casserole had no flavor, lack of butter or creaminess and the pecans on top tasted rancid. The green beans, were edible the okra was, alright. The corn bread tasted very dull, as if they used plain flour in them, I couldn't even finish it. I really miss the older versions of these foods but they lack love, butter or something. Very unfortunate. read more

Clayton Cafe - If you like hockey pucks, these fried green tomatoes are for you. - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

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The food here is great, however not the same feel as it used to be since Bonnie partnered. It is now designed mostly for tourists and the price and the atmosphere reflects it. The hours also are changed. It was once a great café where you would get real Down to earth southern Georgia food. I will still eat here but I miss Bonnie's Clayton Café. read more

Awesome food. Grilled livers were amazing and portion was huge. Sides are good. Wife had fried chicken and it was crispy good. Highly recommended. read more

Update: We had stopped by our once favorite restaurant in Clayton that I had reviewed in the past, and it has totally changed. From the menu to the decor. Wasn't terribly pleased with the new offerings, which was limited. Cabbage casserole? Gone! The restaurants wall of local history? Gone! I suspect the original owners sold the restaurant and this is the result. I moved my rating down to 2 stars due to the now cramped atmosphere and the plain Jane menu offerings. And especially because of the lack of the cabbage casserole... : ( read more

Terrible service. Food not hot. We really wished it had been better. It definitely was not!

My favorite stop in north Georgia! Always excellent food and wonderful friendly service!! Typically I find something I like on a menu and order it every visit. At Clayton Cafe the fried pickles are always ordered but I change my order every visit and love everything I've eaten. Clayton Cafe makes the absolutely most delicious fried pickles served with a spicy ranch dressing. Ate here yesterday on our way through town and woke up wishing we could go back for lunch today. read more

Clayton Cafe - Fried green tomatoes, Mac and cheese, cabbage casserole, squash casserole, cheese biscuit, chicken caprese sandwich with broccoli salad. - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

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Food? Excellent... as in excellent enough to purchase the $40 cookbook excellent. Atmosphere? Excellent Server's? Amazing! Company culture? EXTREMELY HAPPY If you are a grumpy person please stay home, everyone else... the wait in line is worth it. read more

Clayton Cafe - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

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Once again we returned to Clayton Cafe. I guess the new owners are trying but there continue to be issues. I got the hamburger steak which was cooked as requested but the topping was not. Onions were sautéed correctly but I was not expecting raw green bell peppers. The cornbread muffin was undercooked and sweet. Definitely not Southern cornbread. Sadly the grilled haddock is no longer offered because the fried haddock was overcooked. While the table configuration is improved the service is still below expectations. Two servers were standing chatting for 5 minutes (I noted the time) and when I finally got one to respond she said she would get my server. Servers who help each other at least get beverages help the entire restaurant. Our server was in such a rush to drop off requested items (spoons, tartar sauce, more tea) that she didn't hear the entire request and then had to make a second or third trip. This is inefficient. We were not given the option of ordering dessert so did not try one. I guess I'll give it one more try. Here's hoping for improvement all around. read more

Clayton Cafe - Fried green tomatoes. No dipping sauce available at the time of our meal. These were tasty - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

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What a delight!! The food was delicious! I the fried catfish, light and mild. My husband had fried chicken and a friend had chicken tenders. So good!! Our server was polite and helpful. The cafe was a wonderful and a fun place. Highly recommend. We will be back. read more

No longer can you get good home cooking , fresh baked pies and cakes, delicious salad, salads, and vegetable. The same people are not running this restaurant that made it so good for the last many years. read more

Amazing service and good is delicious. We love the fried haddock, the eggs Benedict, Caesar salad, fried chicken and the FGT sandwich! Cute decor and homey feel! read more

Amazing food, amazing service, and on their was so well made just the perfect little place for this town.10/10 would recommend.

A local gem! Best collard greens I have ever had Great food and service Can't wait to come back read more

Absolutely delicious! It is not "fast food" but worth the wait! The servers are attentive and will keep your glass full. The fried chicken was so moist and so much flavor! The BLT on Wheat with Sweet Potato Fries was perfect. The bacon was thick and fried just right and the wheat bread was yummy! We will definitely be back!! read more

Clayton Cafe - BLT on Wheat Bread with the yummiest Sweet Potato Fries! - Southern Near Me - Clayton, Georgia

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Cute place! Delicious sweet tea. The best fried green tomatoes I've ever had. Service was great!

What an amazing lunch! I had the fried chicken plate--delicious!!! The servers were outstanding and kind to sit our group together. I loved having NO background music nor tvs. Our group enjoyed a perfect lunch. Thank you! I'll be back. read more

I did like Clayton cafe at one time. But it's under new ownership, and the quality of the food has gone downhill. Like many restaurants during Covid. They went down in quality and up in price. I did like the fried chicken. But last 3 or 4 times I got it. It was very dry. And they have a daily menu on the wall for sides. And that's gone downhill. It was always full of different local fresh food. But now it's just a few. Alsothe new owners decided to take a good cafe area and turn it into a steak and seafood place. Wasn't opened when it last was there. So that side if the restaurant is closed for renovation. The service of the restaurant is good. As most restaurants anymore .. more tables than staff can keep up. The place is clean. But I will say that like most restaurants in a tourist small town, they stay busy read more

Love what they've done with the place. Great ambiance and friendly staff. We had Bailey and she was attentive and very sweet. The food was great. Loved the honey garlic buffalo sandwich and sweet potato fries. Met the new owner Scott and he was friendly and funny. Excited to see what they do in the future. This may be our new favorite place in town. read more

We went to the Clayton Cafe in Clayton, GA. Such a cute and welcoming gem! We like to go to non franchise restaurants. Everything is home made and delicious! This local restaurant is top notch! We got the fried green lightly breaded tomato, with shredded lettuce BLT and homemade mashed potato's. It tasted amazing with the homemade mayo. We also got the homemade breaded chicken tenders. The breading tasted delicious and the chicken was very tender and juicy. The coleslaw was a cream base and didn't disappoint. Our server Janay was the sweetest. So polite and answered all our questions. She went above and beyond the typical server! Everyone was so nice and polite from the hostess, another server checked with us to see if we needed anything to our server Janay! We would definitely recommend this local restaurant!! We will definitely be back before we leave. read more

We eat here all the time. Love the food good southern cooking. Service is always good. They have a great variety of sides.