I felt that I had to come here because this place looked old school. I remember going to some old school places in Atlanta so I figured this would be similar, yet not really. And what I mean by old school is a long standing business frequented by an older clientele. It reminds me of my childhood, I guess. I got some fried chicken with mac, it came with corn bread (not the sweet kind), and I could taste the home style cooking. I really enjoyed. I also got a cinnamon roll and a pound cake, and both tasted homemade. And it was all good. I guess I got no more to say. read more

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Great food and service! And a cooler full of cold goods was well stocked. Recommend highly for great soul food, and delicious desserts

Stopped by on my way to Atlanta traveling I-75. Great produce. I bought some beautiful tomatoes, fresh white acre peas & 2 whole sour cream pound cakes ($30) each. They cakes were fresh, Moist & tasted like a pound cake should. They greeted me when I came in the store & were very friendly & helpful. I try & stop in whenever I am in the Macon area. read more

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The staff are always so kind, the food is delicious (I recommend the fried chicken, mac and cheese, and the cheese straws!), and the sweets are so fantastic!! I love that they have an area to purchase jams and sauces and such, as well. The sweet tea is always southern sweet and delicious! Highly recommend! read more

Everything! The menu was limited and the food was terrible ! It was almost like going into the twilight zone ! read more

I purchased a pork chop plate over a bed of rice, cabbage greens, and sweet potatoes. It came with one small piece of cornbread and i also purchased a smapl drink. I was disappointed in both the price and taste. The porkchop was decent. It was a large size. But the crust just rubbed off. The crust was too soft or something. Its difficult to explain. The cabbage and sweet potatoes tasted like hospital food. The sweet potatoes were sweet but thats about it. When you eat at a soul food restaurant that has women who really know how to cook.. the dish will burst with flavor. The price was almost $17.00. That was way too much given the lackluster flavor and tiny portion sizes. The server was friendly but she shook the devil out of the serving spoon and i could tell management had more than likeky been on her severely to watch the portion size. I will be back to sample their other dishes. The staff was pleasant. read more

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What's that old saying...? Don't judge a book by its cover. Well, this cover screamed meat and 3, c'mon on it! The staff were very friendly, the place was cozy with some communal tables in the building, and the food was fresh and hot. The hot bar worked well. I chose chicken and dumplings, cabbage (I love cabbage but family doesn't- so it is a treat when I am traveling without them), and Mac and cheese- fantastic. You can chose between a roll or cornbread. I chose the roll- it was fresh and lovely. My entire meal (with water) and tip... around $12.50. Great experience and a local gem. read more

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I don't know where to start on this, if you enjoy southern food and southern hospitality, go no further besides being the most hospitable folks I have met. had fried chicken, collards and the famous Mac and cheese. Start with the chicken light and crispy skin, super juicy and tender meat. The collards were some of the best I have had ever eaten, a taste sensation, " try the famous and I heard this many times Mac and cheese it was the one of the best . They were not fooling and not to forget the corn bread . The manger makes you experience even better. Thank you all for a great meal and your great southern hospitality. If I'm even close to Macon I will make it back. read more

Dawson's Kitchen - Entrance - Bakeries Near Me - Macon, Georgia

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Love this place. I stop by every time I'm in Macon! From their fried chicken to their home made sugar pecans, it's always been a great spot to visit. They have some uniques foods and I highly recommend you stop by and get some to bring back home if you're not from here. It's actually a real local spot especially at lunch! read more

Delicious Southern food. We stopped twice for lunch since we liked it so much. Fresh homemade food.

Don't waste your time! Food is substandard. Building is a disaster! Serving food with no restaurant inspection. Department of agriculture allowing them to operate as a market. Inadequate lighting, very dirty interior. Exterior looks like it's about to collapse. read more

My husband had fried chicken, collards and Mac and cheese. Chicken and collards seemed a bit bland. We prefer more seasoning on both. He loved the Mac and cheese. We ordered an extra side of potato casserole and that had very good flavor. The cornbread is not what we are used. We prefer a sweeter and more moist bread. This was dry and falling apart. Sweet tea was great. Very interesting place as far as ambience read more

Love the food, the atmosphere. You feel like your home. Try the beef tips. Good prices, baked goods, and other food offerings.

Good home cooked southern food and desserts! Only open for lunch, not breakfast or dinner.

Delicious! Some of the best Southern vegetables in the state. Baked goods are fantastic too. read more

Dawson's Kitchen - Salmon patties, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, chocolate chip pecan cookie, and a scratch-made roll. - Bakeries Near Me - Macon, Georgia

Really wanted to like this place but our fried chicken was really dry maybe because the quarter chicken was small and overdone. Cornbread muffin was dry and tasteless. On the bright side and upping the score to 3, the Mac and cheese was delicious and the Mexican wedding cookies were great. Would return for those 2 items. read more

Staff is not friendly (specially kitchen workers). Food is mediocre and sweets are not good enough to consider visiting this place again.

Fantastic. Simply amazing. This place is an authentic, southern soul food place and the food is off the charts.

This is a MUST in Macon! I dream about there fried chicken and bread. Plus they have bakery items and canned items as well for purchase. The best meat and three place in town! read more

This is a restaurant and a bakery. Serving homestyle cooking with baked goods and vegetables for sale as well. My companion and I opted for the salmon cakes. I had rice, field peas, pole beans, and corn bread. The food was really tasty. The dining room is not large. There is outdoor seating. It was nice outside so we sat outdoors. The baked goods were pounds cakes, cookies, brownies, fresh made yeast roles, and lemon bars. We bought cookies. They were all delicious. This place is off the beaten path. There is an antiques mall next door that looked like it would have been fun to visit. You go through the line and choose your food and find a seat. Other meats included fried chicken and there were other vegetables and starches to choose from. I'd go back!! read more

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I'm a regular meat-and-two goer, and Dawson's was mediocre at best. I had a veggie plate: turnip greens, black eyed peas, cabbage, and green beans. The food was lukewarm. The greens were soggy and overcooked. I really enjoyed the cabbage and cornbread. Macon has much better Southern, meat-and-two restaurants to offer if that's what you're looking for. I'm scratching my head trying to understand why Dawson's is so highly rated. Perhaps I came on the wrong day (their menu changes daily) and got the wrong thing. The restaurant looked very promising, so I'm willing to give it another chance. Next time I will try the desserts--they looked divine. But I didn't have any sweets this evening. They also had grab-in-go pimiento cheese, soups, and other sides that I would be interested in grabbing on the run. read more

Pretty great place. Hidden gem in Macon for sure! Their salmon patties and mac n cheese were honestly delicious. Also they have an amazing selection of dessert including cakes, cookies, brownies, etc. Overall, service was top notch as well. I would caution that not everyone was wearing a face mask when serving food- which may be a deal breaker for some. read more

Dawson's was so good!!! While visiting Macon, we originally had planned to stop somewhere else for southern food. Luckily, the other place was closed and we ended up here. My friend who lives in Macon and was also a first timer said this was the best place she had been! I ordered the fried chicken with collard greens and mac and cheese. My meal also came with a roll. The chicken was fried to perfection - crispy on the outside but not dry on the inside. Full of flavor and very delicious. The mac and cheese was a perfect consistency of cheese and milk. The collard greens were the best I've had outside of homemade by my godmother. The staff was friendly and helpful. I even purchased some of their homemade hot sauce and peach preserves to take back with me to AZ and I'm so glad I did - the habanero hot sauce AMAZING. And I know good hot sauce, Im from AZ! For dessert, we had to try some baked goods. My friend and I shared a (huge) pack of cream cheese brownies that were perfect with a cup of coffee. She has since told me they're even better the next day (dang it for leaving them behind!!) read more

Dawson's Kitchen - Fried chicken, mac n cheese, collard greens and a roll! - Bakeries Near Me - Macon, Georgia

I've lived in Macon most of my life and never eaten here, but my husband suggested takeout on our way home one night. I'm so glad we finally stopped by! The food was soo good. The ladies behind the line were so sweet and patient with my two year old who wanted to order his plate himself. My kiddo usually doesn't eat much meat, but even he ate a ton of his food. We'll definitely be back. read more

Great service , like going to grandmas kitchen and trying to decide what to eat. Always comforting

I love this place. It's hard not to leave with a cart full of food, so many good choices. Fried chicken, yummy veggies and baked goods. Hard to choose. Menu varies daily but there is always something good. Heading into town next month & it's on my list!! read more

Found this place while traveling and it's honestly one of the BEST Southern restaurants I've ever eaten at. Everything was delicious, fresh, and homemade. You really can't get better than this! YUM. Make sure you get some cheese straws to go too! I will definitely be back when I'm in the Macon area again. read more

Dawson's Kitchen - Fried chicken, blackeyes, cornbread dressing, & fried green tomatoes - Bakeries Near Me - Macon, Georgia

This place has delightful and delicious cakes. We were gifted a pound cake and the entire family agreed how scrumptious It was. The crumb was light and the top was sugary. We ordered an entire caramel cake, a vanilla layer cake, a hummingbird cake, and half carrot cake. The vanilla was my favorite. It was sweet and tender and the frosting was so soft and delicious. I will be back for a lunch some time. read more

I've been wanting to visit this location because it has many fresh local vegetables and the menu looks delicious. When we arrived around 3:30pm, I was pleasantly surprised about how busy they were, so I took a minute to look at the different sauces, jams, deserts, soups, pimento cheese, and frozen vegetables. When the line thinned out for the cooked food, then we placed our order. We tried a little of everything. Fried chicken, smothered chicken, and beef tips and rice for the main meal. Then the sides were Mac-n-cheese, collard greens, and cornbread dressing and gravy. The chicken was fried to perfection! The smothered chicken was cooked in a cream of chicken gravy instead of a brown gravy, so it tasted like the holidays. The beef tips were nice and tender. The downside for me were the side dishes: the cornbread that was made for the dressing had a large amount of sugar cooked into it and I just hate soulfood that has sugar added. The collard greens could of been cooked down more and was heavily over smoked (seems like liquid smoke was used), and the Mac-n-cheese lacked salt and the bread crumb that was on top tasted like sugar as well! Please don't come here hungry or you will leave with the whole market! I removed a star due to the sugar that was in the cornbread, but overall I would return to this local gem. The highlight was the fresh frozen peas and beans, and the deserts for my family! read more

I love, love thus place. I was born in GA but now live up north. Every year I return to GA I eat here at least 3 times. The food is always nice and hot and plentiful. Their vegetables change daily and are always delicious. This is truly what I call good southern cooking. The deserts are all homemade. Not really a place to eat in, but they do have a eat in area. It's best to take it home. read more

Tucked into a side street in quaint Payne City you will find Dawson's. You are in for a treat. Walking through the front screened doors you will be transported back to a simpler time. The aromatic scent of comfort foods hangs in the air. Southern fried chicken, collard greens and fresh cinnamon buns just to name a few. Delicious baked goods just like Granny made them. Homemade ice creams including favorites from days gone bye. The banana is the real deal y'all. Don't forget to pick up fresh baked biscuits and rolls along with a block of hoop cheddar cheese before you leave. I couldn't resist getting 1/2 of a caramel cake and 1/2 of the hummingbird cake to take on my way. Did I mention the staff is just so friendly. Y'all come and sit awhile and tantalize your taste buds. This sweet little spot is definitely worth checking out. Hope y'all enjoy it as much as I did. read more

Super tasty. Sides like cornbread dressing and hash brown casserole were so delicious. The rotisserie chicken was a little dry but had good flavor. Loved the friendly folks working there, too. Great homemade baked goods, too! Loved this down home southern cookin' spot! read more

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We were road tripping and had to stop in Macon, GA overnight...being in the deep South my tastebuds were craving fried chicken. Unfortunately most of the restaurants are closed on Mondays and with a fried chicken search I found this place. It's right by the train tracks and looks like an old picturesque barn-like bldg, with a feint porch. With the sun setting it was like a location from a movie. That was nice. Another unfortunate thing was that it was nearing closing time. They had just a few items left in their hot dishes and luckily there were a few fried chicken pieces, the bottom of the bin for collards and some squash gratin, which was good actually. I gotta say the chicken was still juicy although it looked like it had been sitting there for a while. They had no more sweet tea by then, was left with soda choices. Everything is served in those white foam containers, which in my opinion should be illegal by now! On a bright note the sun was streaming in by the tables covered with green and white gingham table covers, which give a quaint and country feel, cozy in that respect. Mixed feelings on a whole. Really more of a country grocery store with some hot food, but come early! read more

Dawson's is one of my favorite restaurants. I don't live in Macon so it's one of those that I crave and can't have often! A friend of mine born and raised in Macon introduced it to me. And yes, I love the H&H and The Bear's Den but Dawson's is (also) something very special. The menu changes daily but always includes multiple Southern staples: chicken-n-dumplins, pork chops, fried chicken, rice and gravy, collards, green beans, butter beans, yams, mac n cheese, you name it. It's served buffet style but so surprisingly fresh and home cooked. It's an adorable restaurant next to the rail road tracks and apparently used to be a fabric mill from what I'm told. You order and eat on the left side of the restaurant; on the right side are wooden tables and displays of local veggies, locally made jams and sauces, baked goods from the Mennonite community including apple loaves, cookies (oatmeal chocolate chip pecan, lace cookies, sugar), and full cakes. read more

Great southern food restaurant that changes their menu on a daily basis. They also sale cakes, cookies, and other baked goods. Definitely try this place out! read more

Visitors to Macon always want to know where they can get authentic southern cooking. They should go to Dawson's instead of the Bear's Den or Jeneane's. Those places are good; Dawson's is much better. This is one of the best kept secrets in Macon. I won't go anywhere else when I'm craving southern cooking. Dawson's Kitchen has been around since 1996 and won a couple of awards (Macon Food & Culture Foodie Award for best southern cooking) so I'm really surprised that I'm writing the first review. I get the feeling that I'm breaking a code of silence among the locals by exposing this place. What sets Dawson's apart is the superior quality of the food. The veggies are really fresh and taste like they came from a local garden - not a can. Everything tastes like it was made that day from scratch. The meals aren't that heavy or greasy; they won't trigger a food coma like the other places. The sweet tea is divine. Love this place. read more

SO GOOD. Everything you read/heard is true. The dankest/creamiest/softest mac n cheese I've ever had. The girl behind the counter was super friendly and helpful. The "restaurant" is more of a store, however. Doesn't seem like the greatest date spot, but if you're trying to eat a decent amount of good southern food, this is the spot! read more

I have to leave a review for this place . I've eaten here MANY times since 2010 when a friend brought me here for lunch . Okay . Everything I have EVER had here is amazing . The lady who cooks , the people who work here , they're all so sweet and will treat you like they've invited you to their own home ! I always get the beef tips on rice with double mac and cheese when they have it certain days . Their mac and cheese is THE best ! I can't even begin to explain . The fried chicken is better than any fried chicken I've ever had to date . The cakes are amazing . The collards are amazing . And the cornbread !!! To die for ! This place may seem like a hole in the wall place for newcomers . But please try it . I will guarantee you'll be pleased and be coming back for more . 5/5 !!! read more

This is a nice stop when passing through Macon. Tucked in Payne City right right across the railroad tracks from Vineville Dr, this market packs a one-two punch of fresh produce and baked goods as well as some good southern comfort food in a casual environment. It's a great place to spend a couple of bucks on a great meal and also take home some dessert for family and friends... read more

Dawson's Kitchen - Chicken and Dumplings, Greens, and Brocolli Casserole... with extra hot sauce!!! - Bakeries Near Me - Macon, Georgia

Great fresh, hot food served by nice staff. The set up is great because when you enter you walk through the line and select what meal items you would like (different items offered on certain days so look over menu before you plan your trip). Everything we ate was hot and seasoned to perfection. There is also a bakery you can purchase pound cakes, strawberry cake, cookies, pies, muffins, etc. I would definitely recommend. read more