If I could give this place ten stars, I would. You will have a wait when you get there, and you will wait no matter how long it takes. You cannot find a better place for a meal, or more kind folks running the place from top to bottom. And if your plate is too big to finish, feel free to take it home, because you'll want to save room for dessert. Magnolia 23 is a staple in our household. So long as we've lived within a 30 minute drive, it has been a great place for a Sunday lunch, or any other meal within the hours they are open. They treat you like family from the very start with the way that they take names for the line. It's natural to start a conversation with the people around you, because everyone has the same end game - a great meal. Once you're seated, it's never long before a waitress comes and takes your drink order. The menu for the day is posted on Facebook and written on the board on the wall, along with the sides and dessert options. There's no menus because it's a meat and two sides, plus a bread of either roll or cornbread. The seating is tables and chairs, although some areas have couches for seating, which is a nice change of pace. Today I got stewed beef with sides of mac and cheese, yams, and bread choice was cornbread. My other half got the country style steak, with sides of cabbage and rice with gravy, and bread of cornbread. The littles shared a fried chicken plate with side of mashed potatoes with gravy. They divided and conquered their food so fast I forgot to snag a picture of it. The stewed beef was perfection. So tender, and the juices went well with the cornbread. The yams were expertly spiced, and prepared with so much love. The mac and cheese was delicious, so I offered some to my youngest who promptly stole the rest of it. I did sample the country style steak, and it was so delicious that none was spared. I cannot wait to eat my leftover stewed beef later this week, as I knew I wanted to save room for dessert. We ordered two fried apple pies, and a slice of Hershey bar cake. Be careful with the fried pies - the filling turns into molten lava when heated, so despite the fact that you'll want to take the largest first bite, please be patient and spare your taste buds from their imminent demise by letting it cool a minute. The spices on the apple filling on the fried pies were perfect, and I savored every bite that I stole from my husband. My dessert was the Hershey bar cake, which I split with one of my littles. It didn't have a thick layer of icing, which was great. The cake had a nice crumb, and was sweet without being overly sweet. If you haven't been here yet, make sure to take note of their hours and then take a trip to Asheboro. Once you've finished your meal, feel free to take a stroll around downtown and know that you've just had the best meal around. Magnolia 23 is worth the price and worth the wait, because you will be blessed by the whole experience. read more

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Magnolia 23 used to be good, which makes our experience tonight all the more disappointing. We spent $50 on a meal that none of us particularly wanted to eat, and the decline in quality was hard to overlook. My husband ordered the country fried steak, which appeared to be made from low quality ground beef and was covered in thick, gelatinous gravy. My daughter's chicken pie looked and tasted like it had been sitting around for days. It was dried out, bland, and had an unpleasant, almost gritty texture. My chicken and dumplings were passable, but only after adding enough hot sauce to give them some flavor. The sides tasted like they came straight from a can, and the rolls seemed no different from something you could pull out of the grocery store freezer section. I understand that operating a small, independent restaurant is challenging, particularly when costs are rising and customers have less disposable income. I genuinely want places like Magnolia 23 to succeed. But cutting corners on food quality while continuing to charge prices that represent a meaningful expense for a family is not a sustainable solution. What bothered me most wasn't any single dish. It was the overall impression that quality and value are no longer priorities. This didn't feel like a kitchen having an off night. It felt like a fundamental change in what the restaurant is serving. The dining room was nearly empty, and unfortunately, after tonight, I can understand why. When families choose to spend $50 eating out, they deserve a meal that feels worth the expense. We certainly didn't get that tonight. I hope Magnolia 23 can find its way back to what made it good in the first place. I'd much rather support a local restaurant than a chain, but supporting local businesses shouldn't mean accepting poor quality food at a premium. read more

This IS Soul food my dudes!!! This is a mom and pop joint in downtown asheboro. Service and food are so comforting! Open on Sunday (limited hours) for the after church crowd. You won't go wrong with anything on the menu. Of course the fried chicken and collards were my fave read more

this place was delicious. They have a small menu to pick from they serve you immediately. The southern food was to die for we went here on our way to the North Carolina zoo and I give it five stars. read more

I haven't eaten at Magnolia 23 in a few years and was in Asheboro so I decided to try it again. The restaurant was full at lunch time but we didn't have trouble getting a table. The server was really nice and gave us plenty of time to order. I ordered the fried chicken smothered in gravy. It was good but I felt like the gravy was a bit lacking. I really loved the Mac and cheese! I also ordered a cup of chili and it was good but not amazing. We ended the meal with a piece of fried apple pie. It was very good! It wasn't too sweet but had a great apple flavor. Overall a good experience but it could have been better. read more

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Food: 5/5 Best southern comfort food I've had in the area Service 5/5: Fast! Ambiance: 5/5 Very cute. read more

Magnolia 23 - Fried chicken. Mac and cheese, green beans, and corn bread. - Soul Food Near Me - Asheboro, North Carolina

I think you really need to dine in as opposed to take out- The fried chicken is a blue-ribbon winner I am not much on country style "sides" so I won't comment on those lol. The cornbread is very good and the staff is always friendly. read more

While visiting Asheboro to see the zoo we found Magnolia 23 and its stellar ratings as our family dinner spot. I can say with confidence this restaurant deserves every accolade given here! We found parking easily behind the building and were given a warm and friendly welcome while walking up the stairs to the cozy porch before we even stepped inside. We arrived early since we knew this place was popular so luckily we had no wait on a Friday evening! We decided to try the catfish, fried chicken, and chicken & dumplings as our meats and a various assortment of the sides including collards, slaw, Lima beans, green beans, potatoes, corn bread and rolls. Absolutely every bite was inhaled, sadly I even missed a chance to take any pictures and my kids (7&9) couldn't stop remarking about how delicious everything was! The chicken & dumplings sold out right after we ordered so we felt lucky to try it too. The service was stellar and quick. HThe owner greeted many of the guests by name and took the time to chat with us and discovered our Wilmington connection- it was so refreshing to see this type of family run farm to table establishment and exchange local foodie recommendations. Next time we will definitely be leaving room for dessert! read more

The food taste like a time and place that no longer exists. Down home cooking at its finest. Waitstaff and Manager are top notch at what they do. Simply wonderful read more

Magnolia 23 - Spare ribs , crowder peas and greens with cornbread. - Soul Food Near Me - Asheboro, North Carolina

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We've been here many times and never left a review. Thought it was time to fix that! We had lunch here today and it was perfect, like every other visit in the past. Owner is always checking the see if everything is okay... Service is always excellent and the food very good too. Dining area is nice and relaxing. See ya'll again next trip to Asheboro ! read more

Loved our lunch. Arrived at 11:30am was warmly greeted. We were able to snag a table and the service was quick to get us beverages. Each at our table tried something different and all were very pleased. Portions are large. Food is hot. Taste is spot on delicious. We will be back soon to try more! read more

Magnolia 23 - Chicken pie, collard greens, lima beans and cornbread. - Soul Food Near Me - Asheboro, North Carolina

I went here for the Southern food, and they gave me a full serving of Southern hospitality on the side. I went on Sunday around lunch time, which means it was pretty busy, but the turnover was quick and I didn't have to wait as long as I thought I might. The menu was straightforward, but everything on it was really solid. I went with the fried chicken. They have a very wide variety of sides, all southern. I enjoyed every dish. The service was prompt and friendly. I was alone because I came by motorcycle, yet they still gave me a table, even though they could have saved it for a larger group. The menu is seasonal, so the next time I'm in Asheboro, I want to try them again read more

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Today we found ourselves in the Asheboro area and my wife did a quick search of our Yelp bookmarks and remembered she had bookmarked Magnolia 23 at one time. She quickly looked at their hours and saw they open at 11am on Sunday's (closed Saturday's, and Monday-Wednesday). She remembered all the love Magnolia 23 receives so she called even though it was before 11am to see if reservations were required. Lucky for us someone answered and he confirmed they do not take reservations and tables are seated first come, first serve. Our directions told us we would arrive within 5 minutes of opening, so we made our way there. We easily found 2-hour street parking available and later learned there is a parking lot immediately out the back door (which is actually the preferred entrance). Once we parked we headed to the entrance on South Fayetteville St. The building itself is very cozy and charming from the outside and my wife quickly showed me the outdoor area which is equally as charming and feels very southern. We walked in through the door and were immediately greeted by the owner, Don. He was welcoming and gracious even though we later saw a sign on the front door requesting that guests use the back door for entering and exiting. We suspect this allows for people seated at the front of the restaurant not to be crowded or interrupted by guests arriving and exiting. At the rear entrance there are restrooms and a small hallway which is out of the way of the customers seated. Don pointed us to the back of the restaurant and asked us to check in with another gentleman. The restaurant is long and narrow and we could easily make our way to the gentleman. As we walked to the back we could see most of the tables were occupied and they had just opened. We told him we had a party of two and he took us to a small table. We immediately fell in love with the place, it was comfortable, cozy and you could tell that for most people they were very familiar with Don, Doris and their team. We saw chalkboard menus at three locations throughout the restaurant and when our server arrived to take our drink orders we inquired and she told us their full menu was on the chalkboards. Today they offered five entrees, fried chicken with either white or dark meat, baked tenderloin with dressing and gravy, chuck roast, stew beef and Kansas City ribs. All meals are served with your choice of two sides (collards, cabbage, green beans, black eye peas, crowder peas, mashed potatoes, potato salad, mac and cheese, basked apples, rice, slaw, pintos, limas, yams and fatback) and either a roll or corn bread. We intended to take a picture of one of the boards but when we stood up to leave there was a large line of people and we couldn't easily stop and take a picture. We later found a picture of the menu on their Facebook page so we are including that as well. Our server stopped back in with our drink orders and asked us if we were ready to order. My wife decided on the fried chicken with white meat, and chose green beans and yams for her sides with a corn muffin. I decided on the stew beef with green beans, mac n cheese and a roll. We commented to each other that their concept of offering a smaller menu with a handful of entree choices and 10-15 sides along with a handful of desserts is brilliant. Don stopped in at our table and we enjoyed chatting with him. He told us that Magnolia 23 has been in business since 2009. My wife commented she had seen the article in Our State magazine and he was quick to point us to a picture on the wall which showed them featured in Southern Living and other magazines as well. It is clear he is proud of what he and his wife has done and it shows. The interior of the restaurant including the bathrooms is neat and clean and we noticed a sanitation rating of 95.5. Our meals arrived in a timely manner and looked incredible. They were piping hot and we dug in. We enjoyed each and every bite, it was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The town of Asheboro looks to be a special place and Magnolia 23 is a staple within the community. We also decided to order a fried apple pie served warm and our server offered us ice cream with it to which we quickly replied, "yes". It also arrived in a timely manner and tasted delicious. Like we said, when we left there was a large line of people waiting to be seated and we believe we overheard an estimated 30 minute wait. We lucked out today and timed it just right. We will absolutely be back and wish Don and Doris and their team continued success. read more

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This is some of the best Southern Cooking ever and I've traveled near and far and anywhere in between Virginia to Georgia (yes I am a foodie). Everything Magnolia 23 offers is so delicious!!! Southern Living and Our State Magazines found a gem with this one and rightfully so as its been featured several times. 10/10 recommend! The owner Don and his family definitely have a special talent and showcase it well with this small restaurant full of deliciousness. Also loved the conversations with both Jerry and Don as we waited. The entire staff was so genuine and friendly so much I even felt like family before I left... Fantastic fried chicken, fresh collards, homemade mac & cheese (w/ real cheese) and pintos with homemade chow chow- what you talking about!!! I left fuller than a tick on a big dog. If you are looking for some southern charm, good vittles and friendly conversations this is it but better get there early. Already planning my next trip for the ribs... This food is good to my soul. read more

Magnolia 23 - Pure goodness!! - Soul Food Near Me - Asheboro, North Carolina

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Another one of my Asheboro go tos! Check the hours before you visit because they do close between lunch and dinner and are only open a few days a week. Very southern charmish. They are always packed but the service is good and they get your food out to you in a reasonable amount of time. I've only dined in once, all my orders have been to go. Today, I had my 5 year old grandson with me. We entered through the front door to order take out but if you want to dine in you need to enter through the back door to be seated. We ordered fried chicken(dark) Mac and cheese, green beans and roll for my grandson and I had the chuck roast, collards, crowder peas, and cornbread. I also took some desserts with me, sweet potato pie, banana pudding, and strawberry nut cake. While we waited for our food, my grandson and I explored the outside area. There is definitely much more space out than in. Needs a little yard maintenance but would be great for a summer or early fall Sunday dinner with the family. Once again, I'm driving food from Asheboro to High Point. When we got home, I made my grandson a plate from the fried chicken plate and it was more than enough for him and for me to get a sample. Good food. Imagine grandma's Sunday dinner after church and this is what you will get from Magnolia. Chicken tastes like it was fried in fresh oil in a cast iron skillet. Green beans are seasoned, and Mac and cheese is baked. Chuck roast was tender and reference that of short ribs, could use a little seasoning but the beefy flavor made it tasteful. Fresh collard, not over cooked or oily. Crowder peas tender. Corn bread was a great combination with this plate. The sweet potato pie will remind you of Thanksgiving. Banana pudding was okay. Strawberry nut cake was good. Overall, if you're looking for a place to have some good southern food, this is it. read more

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We stopped in on a rainy Sunday for some good home cooking and Magnolia 23 certainly delivered on that! While their hood was broken so we didn't get to eat any of their famous fried chicken, what we did get was top notch and felt like it was coming out of your grandmothers kitchen. We got the Kansas City ribs which were fall off the bone perfection and the sauce overtop was amazing. We also got the chicken and dumplings and these were as good as any other chicken and dumplings we have ever had. Tasty, cooked perfectly. Can't complain about a thing! Our sides were also amazing, especially the collard greens and sweet potatoes. Our waitress was over the top friendly which we always enjoy when dining out. She catered to our every need and we are super grateful for her energy. I think the best thing about our visit was that the owner, Don, was visiting every table for a chat. Whether it was asking if it was their first time dining with them or catching up with regular patrons, it was so nice to see an owner taking pride in his business, as he should! These guys won best of Asheboro durinf Eat Drink Restaurant week and we will certainly be back when we are in the area! read more

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Service is always first class. I love the fact the owner is always making his rounds to meet and greet his guest. Food is always amazing. It reminds me of the love put into soul food. read more

Magnolia 23 - Yams, Collards and Cornbread - Soul Food Near Me - Asheboro, North Carolina

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Very grateful my wife and I stopped by. We looked for local places and found this place that seemed popular. The ambiance had a warm southern feel, with everyone including the owner, being friendly to us. I ordered the fried chicken and loved it. My Grandmother would make us this style of fried chicken that is lightly battered but irresistibly flavorful. If you are in town, this place is worth a try. (The green beans were very southern and soft, I should have order more of everything to go) Thank you for the food, I hope to travel back. read more

We enjoyed a pleasant dinner with friends at Magnolia 23. When we arrived at 5:30 on a Thursday evening, there were plenty of seats but by the time we left there was a line and others waiting on the patio at the rear of the restaurant. The food was very good. The chicken pie I ordered was moist and flavorful with the side of yams especially tasty. My dining companion spoke highly of her fried chicken and also thought the yams were excellent. For dessert, my lemon poundcake reminded me of this dish growing up while my dining companion thoroughly enjoyed the persimmon pudding. The restaurant, in downtown Asheboro is quaint and the decor perfectly fits the menu. Unfortunately, we were forced to park in the pay lot behind the restaurant, which was disappointing in such a small town. Our server was friendly and initially added to the restaurant's charm, but was forgetful and became much less attentive as the tables filled up. Magnolia 23 offers very good food at a surprisingly reasonable price. One thing to note is that the restaurant is obviously doing a substantial amount of business each evening, so nothing seemed as it were cooked to order. While not an issue for some dishes, like my chicken pie, other entrees like the fried chicken or fried apple pie dessert had obviously been cooked earlier and would have benefited from being served as soon as it was done. read more

Best fried chicken I've had in a very long time. It wasn't overly seasoned and fried to perfection. Yams and Mac n cheese were good as well. I will definitely be back! read more

Magnolia 23 - Fried chicken, Mac n cheese, yams and cornbread - Soul Food Near Me - Asheboro, North Carolina

Wow! Wow! Wow!! Some of the best fried chicken I've had. And the staff was very friendly and the atmosphere made you feel like you were at grandma's for Sunday dinner. The chicken pie was excellent and please get the Yams and the collards. Wow!! Get there early, there is typically a line. read more

Magnolia 23 - Chicken Pie - Soul Food Near Me - Asheboro, North Carolina

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Third time eating here and loved every single visit. The staff are friendly and efficient. Don always comes to say hello. In the past we've done the chicken and dumplings which are delicious and as is the fried chicken and every side we've tried. This visit we did the spring salad with grilled chicken. Had mixed greens, dried cranberries, grapes, strawberry, walnuts, feta, and chose the strawberry vinaigrette. Super fresh and delightful. And today we got to have Don's bologna burger which comes with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, cole slaw, and chili. Ordered it without chili but Don came by and convinced us to go with the chili. He says bologna is like hot dogs and if you go all the way on hot dogs then go all the way on the bologna burger. It was great but super messy. It's a first come first seated and you wait at the back of the restaurant for a seat. Worth stopping in for great food and lovely staff. read more

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Delicious home cooking... this place is a true gem. While it's a small location and parking isn't super convenient it is absolutely worth it. The owner greeted us and was so kind to get us settled in. Everything at the table came out quickly, HOT, and seasoned to perfection. read more

Magnolia 23 - Chuck roast + Cabbage - Soul Food Near Me - Asheboro, North Carolina

The food was absolutely amazing and would definitely recommend it to anyone! The ambience and service was incredible and as expected. The owner talked with us while we were eating and was a very kind and sweat hearted gentleman who truly cares about his customers. 10/10 would recommend!! read more

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Quaint spot in downtown with great service and a variety of options on the menu. Good southern feel for some down south food. read more

Magnolia 23 - Fried chicken dark with Pintos, Collards, and Rice - Soul Food Near Me - Asheboro, North Carolina

The food is scrumptious. I eat here often and have never had a bad meal. Meats are tender and vegetables are well seasoned. They have a large variety of desserts and they are all delicious. read more

The food was amazing! Great fried chicken. And the fried apple pies were just like my grandma made.

This was the best dinner of our trip and I already plan to visit them again when I am back in Seagrove in March! Downtown Asheboro- we parked on the street and crossed over to Magnolia 23- we got there just after they opened and they were already busy! Our B&B host recommended them for good southern comfort food and they delivered!!! We also overheard other guests brag that the fried chicken was the best they had ever tasted! Sold!!! I gleefully ordered the fried chicken plate with green beans and yams. John got the steak and gravy plate and we ended up also taking chicken and dumplings with us to go! I regret not having enough room for dessert! The iced tea was delicious, the food just deliciously done! The prices- wow, I was thrilled to get a scrumptious meal for a great price! Service was stellar and I loved that the owner comes by and checks on the tables! They thought we had been there before and I teased the owner that it must be me they are mistaking- but who else out there has teal hair!!! Apparently my doppleganger is in that area- the owner insisted there is a woman who looks just like me- short hair, bright colors! Too funny. He had me put a pin in his map to show we were from Jacksonville, FL. Just good food, good people and a wonderful small business! Loved every minute and every bite! read more

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Best fried chicken I have ever tasted. Mac and cheese was really good too. This is a must stop if you are in the area. I do not live anywhere near by but I would make the drive just to eat here again. read more

So happy to have visited this gem in Asheboro. We had fried chicken and catfish-both perfectly prepared. The owner, Don, visited with customers and truly made everyone feel welcome. Glad we stopped in! read more

Excellent fried chicken and collards. Tasty persimmon pudding for dessert. Friendly service and comfortable ambiance. Owner came out to our table and welcomed us as first time customers. Will return. Highly recommend. High star rating is well deserved. read more

Magnolia 23 - Fried chicken dinner (white meat) with my lady. - Soul Food Near Me - Asheboro, North Carolina

Wait!!!!!! Why haven't I been here before!?!? (Other than the fact it's almost 30min from home) IT TASTES LIKE GRANNY's HOUSE! This lunch really took me back. Don and Doris are the sweetest!! They greet and thank each customer as they visit each table to make sure you're okay. The menu changes daily, but lunch and dinner are the same options. The fried chicken was just like Grandma used to make. Crispy and not greasy; you can taste the love. The collard greens were ON POINT! When I say that, I mean they were tender, with a light sweetness, no large stems, just PERFECT! The potato salad was great, not mushy, slight sweetness from the sweet relish. The cornbread was not the jiffy box type. It's the homemade style with cornmeal. The sweet tea isn't over sweet and mixed with the lemonade was a perfect Arnold Palmer. I can't wait to return!!!!! The owners treat you like family and it's like walking into 'family's' house, sitting down for a meal. read more

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This place is wonderful. With a limited menu it gives great food a chance to be cooked . You must try fried chicken at least one . Everything we have eaten here has been great . The owner is another wonderful part of this restaurant. He always comes around checking on your meal . This is a small place and can require a wait but it's worth it . read more

WOWZA Our 1st visit. Maybe the best "SOUTHERN" food fair I've ever had. Keep in mind I was born in the Bronx. Fried chicken PERFECT Mashed Potatoes with gravy hot and SMOOTH, heck the green beans were steaming after 5 minutes. Roll and 1/2 and 1/2 ice tea. Service over the top. If I could rate it higher than 5 I would. It's all about the food and service here. Don't miss it read more

Good food with a down home charm. The service was prompt and courteous. This is a high volume restaurant so get there early.

Absolutely incredible! We stopped by on our way back to Charlotte and not only was the food top notch but the hospitality was hard to beat. The owner, Don, checked on us no less than 4 times. We tried the fried chicken, brisket, Mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and green beans - everything was ridiculously delicious! read more

Magnolia 23 - Soul Food Near Me - Asheboro, North Carolina

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Owners are wonderful and the food is the best in the area. It's our go to if we want a yummy homemade meal.

Best fried chicken in the state. Lightly breaded and fried to perfection. Just a great place for true southern cooking.

Amazing all around, worth the wait! Fried chicken is delicious! My one year old loved the baked beans.

I absolutely love this place. It's quaint, has a great atmosphere, and the best food around!