Our friends have been here before and wanted us to try it out since it's been around since 1955 -- that alone made me curious! It's located right in the heart of downtown Tucker, with plenty of parking on the side and a spacious interior, including a private dining room for large parties. We came around 2:30 PM, after the lunch rush, so it wasn't too busy. The setup is cafeteria-style -- you grab a tray, walk down the line, and let the servers know what you'd like. Everything is à la carte, with entrées around $6-$8 and sides about $2.50-$3, so you're looking at roughly $15 per person for a full meal -- not bad at all. Everyday they have a different set menu of what they serve so you get a mixture. We ordered a bit of everything. I'm a big meatloaf fan, so I had to try it -- but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my hopes. It didn't look very appetizing and the texture was overly ground and slightly gritty because it was a bit dry. It comes with your choice of gravy or marinara sauce, but honestly, I would've preferred some classic ketchup on top instead. The fried fish was mostly batter with very thin fillets, so there wasn't much substance there either. The country fried chicken, however, was the highlight -- large portion, well-cooked, and flavorful. Just note that once you add the gravy, it loses that crispy texture and becomes soggy. The sides were decent but nothing memorable, and the bread and hush puppies were pretty dry. Since everything is counter-service, there isn't much staff interaction. You pay upfront, find your own seat, and when you're done, you just leave your tray -- there aren't any trash cans to clear your own table. Overall, the experience was just okay. It's a neat place with history and friendly vibes, but the food didn't quite hit the "soul" level I was hoping for. There are definitely other country-style spots I'd try before coming back. read more

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My wife and I went to the restaurant for dinner. She ordered a vegetable plate. I ordered fried chicken and vegetables. We both enjoyed the service staff and their professionalism. The ambience was nice. We enjoyed the overall experience. read more

When I was at Magnolia room last week, the person next to me in line told me to go to Matthew's bc it's better so I came here. He was wrong. I got a lot of food for under $30, but the only thing I would eat again is the fried okra. I'm leaving the chicken pot pie on the plate. It's under seasoned and has a weird flavor to it. The green beans were good but kind of taste like they came out of a can. The black eyed peas were fine. I'm taking some dessert to go so there's still hope those are good. Glad I didn't get a to go plate for tomorrow. I love southern/soul food, having grown up in rural Georgia. This is not a good example. The staff is all very nice and friendly. read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Chicken Pot Pie, Green Beans, black eyed peas, coconut cake, and Chocolate Cream pie for under $30 - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

It's good got a good vibe. Food is good. Portions are large, I have good variety and steamed cabbage. Which is a definite plus

Let me first day that the staff was wonderful, with smiles and great energy. I truly appreciate excellent customer service. I have been here once before a few years ago and had the meatloaf plate and it was yummy. Went there today and got a piece of their "renowned" fried chicken, some liver and onions, mac & cheese and some blackberry cobbler. I don't mean any harm because I know this spot is a national treasure but I found the food to be about a 5 on a scale of 10. The chicken had very little and I mean very little seasoning to it, the liver wasn't horrible, it just lacked flavor and the texture was kind of spongy, them mac& cheese was good and the cobbler wasn't bad, it was just super sweet and could have used a little citrus juice or zest to offset the sugar and make it more flavorful. Twenty bucks is a lot to spend for lunch and I wished it could have been spent on better food. Not sure I will make a third visit or any after this one. read more

Great food & friendly employees. Everything was fresh and desserts were to die for. Their Strawberry Shortcake is the best in town.

First time visiting, and I had really built up my expectations due to a friend's reviews. Unfortunately, I was a little let down. You order cafeteria style, choosing what you'd like as you walk along the serving trays. Servers load up your selections on your plate and you move down to the end to pay, then seat yourself in one of several dining areas. The prices were very reasonable, but I felt that the food was quite average. FOOD: We tried several different protein selections: Fried Chicken, Pot Roast, and Chicken Tenders, as well as a few sides: Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, Southern Greens, Cornbread, and Salad. The skin on the Fried Chicken was crispy, but the meat was a little dry. The Pot Roast was overcooked, and everything could have used a little more seasoning. It's possible that since we visited shortly before they closed, that the food may have been better earlier on. Overall, Matthews Cafeteria is a cool place, and the staff was friendly, but the food was just okay. I would give it another try, earlier in the day, so I could get the food when it comes fresh out of the kitchen. read more

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5 of us went for dinner. 2 had the catfish which they said was good along with the veggie sides. Peach cobbler was pure sugar & no taste. 2 of us had the fried chicken, no taste and dry! Coleslaw & mashed potatoes were good though. The 5th person had the chicken & rice along with a piece of chicken fried chicken. Again no taste and the chicken steak was un-eatable with who know what that gravy or sauce on top was. Only drinks available were iced teas or lemonade or water. The roast beef and meatloaf in the main entree serving area looked unappealing. The place was clean though. Don't understand how this place has been in business that long & it wasn't cheap either. $6 for a piece of pie or cake in a cafeteria style setting and even they didn't look that good. No potatoe salad was available even though there was a dedicated spot for it. 3 of the group did not like the Mac & cheese either, said Stouffers is 100% better and that is not saying much about the quality. Overall, look elsewhere for Southern style food, as this was a one and done experience. read more

We had lunch at Matthews Cafeteria at Tucker. The food was delicious! The Egg Custard pie was amazing We will go back for sure! read more

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During our trip to Atlanta, we decided to try Matthew's Cafeteria for breakfast, and we chose an amazing spot. Eggs may be made to order as well pancakes. There's every breakfast meat to choose from, even fried chicken. How freaking cool is that. But I would like to highlight the large pork sausages my God TuhDayyyy!!! Listen, LindaBob'n'Ya'll... them dang gone sausages that they cut in half and servem up and out over that petition... Just tell the Lord Thank You. #NuffSaid #O'anHallelujah But 1 last thing... we just wanna know, Frank and I, WHO BE THE SUPPLIER and / or WHAT'S THE BRAND of them there big sausages? SO SERIOUS MATTHEW'S. Way Y'all get'nem from? Do share tell us nigh. And thanking you in advance. OVER & OUT til we meet again by God's special grace. -FranknKimm read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

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We live in the area and have been to Matthews numerous times for lunch or dinner. It's always good. It's not fancy, nor is it particularly cheap, but the food is solid home cooking served up cafeteria style. I've had the fried chicken, chicken livers, hamburger steak, turkey and dressing, port tenderloin, chicken fingers and many other items over the years. No complaints. They give you plenty and the servers are efficient and courteous. You can tell they have lot of regulars. One of these days I will try the breakfast. read more

You get a truck load of food. My plate was so full, I couldn't see the plate. But, you get a truck load of very mediocre food. Think of hospital food with a little bit more seasoning. And the lady at the register took advantage of me being new there and charged me for something that she said was included. So if your sole purpose is to be a glutton, then come here! read more

Economical prices. Friendly staff. No long lines. Good place to eat family dinner!

Been coming to Matthews for years with my dad who LOVES this cafeteria style restaurant!!! This is in downtown Tucker, GA. Very very small town, not much of anything, but CUTE & very friendly Southern Hospitality from this community. There is a nice outdoor patio area & inside has been very updated & is super cute. The chairs are NOT comfortable or sturdy, but they sort of fit with the decor. Walk in, get your tray & utensils- napkins too. First on the line are salads & desserts. Salad is JUST LETTUCE- nothing else. Keep going down the line & choose your main dish, served by very nice folks, then choose sides/veggies, then drinks & condiments. This is a water, sweet (or not) tea & lemonade joint. No alcohol!!! For $37.97 for 2 people is a great lunch- this included an 18% tip!!! Sat down & enjoyed my dads company for an hr & a half. Here are pics of the menu, posted on the wall- nothing fancy!! Down home cookin'! Oh, and YES!! This WAS on Diners, Drivin's & Dives... one of the TOP PLACES guy has been!!!! So go & enjoy! Bring your appetite!! Pics of our meal! I had the baked chicken, salad, green beans & fried green tomatoes, with water. read more

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Thurs always thanksgiving Sweet potato soufflé Turkey stuffing casserole No Collards --- not sure if Mac n. Cheese,, Correction ~~~Turnip Greens, Brown Rice, Sweet Potato Soufflé, , Broccoli Casserole All good read more

My rating of 3 is a gracious one. It was closer to a 2.5. We ordered Fried Chicken Breast, green beans and mac n cheese and 2 Fried Chicken Wings and an order of cornbread dressing. The Chicken - the breast was huge. It was pretty. The crust had a really bad taste. The chicken meat itself was ok. Not great, just ok, hot sauce helped it out. The wings - one was on the verge of raw or had been previously frozen as the meat was oh so very dark...could have been dark meat. The second was average but then again the skin, which is my favorite part, had a very strange taste. I had to add salt and add salt. The Veggies - The Mac n Cheese tasted like it was Kraft and it needed both salt and pepper. The green beans, if you are going to serve canned green beans please season them. They had no seasoning. Salt and pepper helped a lot. The cornbread dressing, not homemade had enough salt in to for all of the food on our plates. The biggest winner was the ice for the soda and tea. That wonderful crushed ice. Service is cafeteria style. It moved quickly. Service was friendly. Can't recommend. Fifteen/Twenty years ago I said I would never return. I did because I keep reading good things about the place. Think it is nostalgia. read more

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I used to eat here when I lived in the ATL and always enjoyed the southern cooking that beats any other cafeteria my parents took me to (aka - Morrisons). Went with an old high school buddy that never ate there before, even though both of us worked together right across 285. Got the fried chicken, greens (of course) and fried okra. Got there before the rush (always a downside) and enjoyed our dinner with someone celebrating their 80th birthday. This is down-home cooking, though prices have really been raised since I ate there 20+ years ago! read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Fancy cups - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

I've heard about this place for a while and finally had a chance to go. I went on a Friday afternoon for lunch. It was fairly busy but no long wait or anything. This is cafeteria style so you grab a tray and walk down the line picking out food you want. The day I was there they had fried chicken, meatloaf, pot roast and catfish. Plenty of sides and desserts as well. I had the fried chicken, squash, mashed potatoes and corn bread. The food was generally good. No major complaints but also wasn't blown away either. The chicken legs were delicious but the breast was a little dry. Squash and potatoes were tasty. I didn't like the cornbread. The lemonade was very good too. Similar to chik fil a. The only real problem was they don't post prices so I had no idea what I was spending until I was spending lol. To give you an idea, my meal was about $20. I will definitely go back and try other things. read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Fried chicken, squash, mashed potatoes and gravy, cornbread - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

My brother suggested this gem. He had seen it on DDD. It was amazing. I hate fried chicken, greens, and mashed potatoes with gravy. Topped it off with strawberry shortcake which was delicious! read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Dinner at Matthew 's Cafeteria - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

Matthews is the real deal. Southern/soul food cooking at its best. Matthews has been around for years for good reason. I don't think the recipes have changed over the decades and that's a great thing, because they are clearly quintessential southern cooking at its best. So many of the customers are regulars that you feel as though you've walked into a family reunion! This is a must visit for anyone who wants to experience down home southern cooking in Atlanta! read more

I use to eat here all the time! Moved away and came back craving the world best fried chicken-and at 6:15pm, food was cold and dry and AWFUL! Mac and cheese was cold and rubbery, the cheese wasn't even melted. Chicken is flavorless and dry which is unusual for dark meat! Something here has changed besides the updated interior! The two people behind me had returned to the line from the dining room to complain and exchange their food. The place is empty which surprised me upon arrival as there use to be a line! But now I know why! Bland, cold, dry and more expensive than ever! I won't ever be back unless new ownership is established. Such a shame-this use to be an awesome place with the most amazing fried chicken! PS The pictures you see on this site-with the red checkered table cloths-are OLD pictures!!! Back when the place was good! read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Cold gelatinous Mack-n-Cheese - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

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I just had the fried chicken and it had no flavor at all it tastes like fried flour. The Mac n cheese the same very bland not even the cheese had any flavor. Now the breakfast casserole was very good and the cold slaw Was good. The prices are good but they need some flavor in their food. Please for the chicken add some garlic, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper and some adobo. For the Mac n cheese cook the noodles in some chicken broth mix some goat cheese for that ump. read more

I've been meaning to update my review of Matthews for awhile now. With the year drawing to a close, I wanted to get it in. I have been back to Matthews at least twice now since my original review, and both times have been remarkably better than the first. I appreciate that they have maintained drive-up curbside service all through COVID, which makes things super easy on a tiring day after work. I usually call in my order ahead of time, pull up and pay, and it'll be out rapidly with a smile. I went with my original order of turkey and dressing, greens, cornbread, and cranberry sauce on the past two visits that I've been back. The visit prior I had ordered potatoes also, but instead of being thin like my first visit, there were whole big chunks of unmashed potato, so I haven't ordered them since. In any case, the rest of the meal both times has been excellent! It's like they got a new chef or we came on an off day originally. The food was well seasoned and much more impressive than our first go here. I've been fully satisfied with the food and service as of late, and with curbside and reasonable prices I'll definitely continue to return. I mean, who doesn't appreciate the opportunity to order homestyle Thanksgiving plates year round? read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Turkey and dressing with greens, cornbread, and cranberry sauce - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

Overpriced. And, for the most part bland, bland as if it was made for children with food allergies. What did I have? Brunswick stew. Very good, not bland best thing I had will get that to go sometime. Fried Chicken, it's better from Publix. Macaroni and cheese, bland one note. read more

Food was bland,barely warm. Way to expensive for what I received. Had heard about Matthews for several years and finally had the opportunity to go. Staff were polite. Banana pudding,roll and tea were good. Fried catfish,fried okra were cold. Mashed potatoes were lukewarm. It's a one and done in my book. read more

Good food, just too expensive to be eating there everyday, unless u have it like that. The average worker can't afford to be spending almost 20 dollars a day on food period. A lot of their food is either thrown away or given to the workers at the end of the night, due to high prices. They have regular customers who help make sure the money is made, or those high prices make sure the money is made. I know for a fact a lot of their food is still there at the end of the day. They are good people though! read more

$19.78 before tip for lunch cafeteria food. That's before tip -Fried chicken , mashed potatoes, green beans , a deviled egg and iced tea . $25 with tip for cafeteria food read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

Food was good but it's very pricey for what it is. I understand that restaurant costs have gone up everywhere. But my meal (meat, 2 veggies, roll & tea) was the cost of what I'd expect at a sit down restaurant, not a cafeteria. I'd return bc of food quality, but would get only 1 veggie & water to compensate. Staff were nice. read more

Matthew's is known for it's fried chicken. They should be; the fried chicken was great. I've heard about their buffet for years. I can't believe I had never tried it before. The staff were friendly and efficient. The sides were great. I had mashed potatoes and gravy and squash casserole. Both Southern favorites and both were great. They offer are a host of comfortable seating options. Matthew's pretty much lives up to its well deserved reputation for serving high quality, traditional Southern fare. We will definitely go back and next time, save room for dessert. read more

It was terrible. The food was gross - maybe a flat teaspoon of corn in the mush and they called it creamed corn??Cabbage had no flavor. They grossly over charged. The cost for water ranged from free for a tiny glass to $2.00 for a styrofoam cup. The place wasn't clean, the customers were loud and inconsiderate. Tables right beside each other. It was wonderful 10-15 years ago but I'd rather eat a PBJ sandwich at home than ever go back. Just Gross read more

5 Stars every single time I go! Daily specials are always great. Although it changes, here is an example. See photo. read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Weekly special menu - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

Solid place to go grab a quick lunch. Very tasty. Reminds me of an old time place with some meats and sides. Service was very fast as well. Real classic soul food. They claim some of the best chicken in the city and it's extremely good. The ambiance is pretty much like it could have been in Mayberry but waaaay more diverse lol. read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Fried Chicken, collard greens, sweet potato soufflé - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

This was our first time here. The restaurant had a lot of diners, so we decided to do take out. We placed our order in line and the waitress came to our car and took our order. I ordered chopped turkey, dressing, mustard greens and Mac and cheese. My son and his friend had chicken fingers, mashed potatoes and broccoli casserole. I also ordered me my son and his friend the banana pudding and I ordered a strawberry shortcake. My son end up eating the strawberry shortcake. I don't eat bananas, so I didn't eat any dessert. His friend said the banana pudding was delicious. My son and his friend liked the chicken fingers and mashed potatoes. They wanted plain broccoli, but the restaurant only had the casserole. He said it was ok, so I'm fine with that. I added some lemon pepper on the turkey and dressing, to give it some more flavor. If we're in the area, and it's not that crowded, we will dine in and I can add more photos and give a more detailed outcome. I'll try the liver and onions next time and my husband said he will try the restaurant's food. read more

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Been coming here since i was a kid and it's never disappointed. I moved out of ATL but ever time I visit, I must stop at matthew's. Good southern comfort food. The best fried okra ever, I could eat a whole plate. They recently redid the floors/tables/chairs which makes it a way more comfortable experience than the old chairs. read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Fried Chicken with fried okra, Green Beans, and cornbread - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

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Loveee this place. Anytime I tell someone I live near Tucker, Matthew's Cafeteria is one of the first things they mention. It has great atmosphere with major summer camp cafeteria hall vibes. The prices and food are both great. The menu rotates daily, but we typically visit on Fridays and Sundays (they're closed Saturday.) My favorite things to get are the strawberry shortcake, chicken & rice casserole (Friday) and chicken & dumplings (Sunday.) Matthews is a local icon, so check it out if you haven't already! read more

Same age as me, so 'a classic' A Tucker staple. Everything is good, I adore their creamed corn,fried okra and elem school style rolls! We often get dressing at Thanksgiving/Christmas read more

Not sure why but this visit wasn't as interesting or as tasty as I remember prior to pandemic maybe upping my home cooking during the past few years has changed my taste buds and expectations? It's a solid meat and two sides place, they portion for you and are generous. I had two fried chicken thighs turnip greens and cabbage. Chicken is tasty the sides are cooked the good all southern way till they almost melt in your mouth lol. Prices SEEM TO have increased like everywhere else it's not a bargain for lunch any longer in my book. $15+ which included a 15% tip is a bit expensive for lunch and I know their cost to do business increased like they say in Jersey what are ya gonna do read more

Im not a fan of buffet style places but I have to admit that this place was pretty good. I came here because I had no choice. My coworker on this business trip brought me here and I had no say on the matter. That said, the food was fresh, the staff was friendly and the place was clean. I wouldn't complain if I was forced to come back here again. read more

Matthews Cafeteria - Southern Near Me - Tucker, Georgia

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Good home cooking. Fried okra was nice and crispy- not over battered. Some things could use some salt and pepper- turnip greens needed hot sauce. Blackberry cobbler was delicious. read more

We came by for dinner and we totally loved it. Between the two of us we ordered turkey and dressing, broccoli casserole, sweet potato soufflé, deviled eggs, a fried pork chop, mac and cheese, and scalloped potatoes. Neither of us could finish all of our food and we took it home. Everything was delicious and well seasoned, no condiments needed. We eyed the desserts and they looked incredible. The portions were gigantic and the pricing was reasonable. We are absolutely looking forward to coming back when we want some country cooking. read more