Manna's Soul Food Restaurant Reviews

I went and tried Manna's on 125th street on the recomendation of the hostel I was staying at and it's good. after a long day walking round manhatten the selection of soul food on offer was great and they sell it by the lb. Probably not the best in Harlem but for the price it takes some beating.

We ate here as it was our first trip to Harlem. I was amazed at the cost of the food because it was so good and the prices were reasonable. Come prepared to search or a place to sit down though...this place is always hopping. The selection of food was amazing and it definitely leads the way in soul food restaurants. You will not be disappointed!

Two dual sided buffet stations stocked full of every type of classic soul food dish you can think of - including chicken and seafood multiple different ways. Don't skip out on the dessert case filled with classics like red velvet cake, coconut cream cake, and sweet potato pie. We will be back for sure the next time we visit New York.

We couldn't get into some of the trendier places to eat due to lineups so chose to go here. It's a steam table type of place, nothing fancy but boy the food was great! You load up and pay by the pound. People who worked there were friendly and stopped by to talk to us like they knew us. They seemed happy we enjoyed the food. Lots of fruit and salad, macaroni and fish, meat, chicken. We loved it!

Just when I thought Soul Food could not be healthy. I have been wrong before but never like this. I ate at Manna's in Harlem on 125th street a couple times within 3 days. One morning I had the Salmon balls and grits. Absolutely delicious. Then I tried the sweet potatoe cookies, thinking they were going to be boring. O MG, those things should be called "sneak attack." They are FABULOUS!

Soul food lovers will love this plce, it's great. The food is amazing and it was cheap, as you pay by weight. I filled my box right up, adding a little of everything only came up to about $13. I ate till I was full and then took the box back to my hotel for later. The restaurant it's self was nothing special, but who cares I was just focusing on the food... Love this place.

I don't know what happened but Manna's used to taste so much better than Jacob's sadly NOT anymore! I don't know what type of cheese they used on their baked Macaroni and Cheese but it definitely is imitation cheese which is a big no-no when it comes to baked macaroni and cheese just HORRIBLE! My granddaughter who just loves baked macaroni and cheese took one bite and threw the whole container in the garbage. She told me to please get from Jacob's from now on. The candied yams HORRIBLE not cooked enough and no sweetness anywhere. The stuffing was so crunchy like who ever cooked it just opened a bag of breadcrumbs and threw it the mix. I never ate crunchy stuffing before in my life, and the cornbread was orange like they used a food coloring or they used the cheapest corn mix on the market. Very expensive place but I wished I could get my money back. Extremely disappointed. I will stick to Jacob's from now on much more tastier and the food is well done.

In New York, good inexpensive meals are hard to come by. I almost passed this restaurant up because of its cafeteria style, but I'm so glad I didn't. Manna's doesn't have much in the way of atmosphere, but the food was amazing and so inexpensive! As a vegetarian, I wasn't sure I'd find much to eat at a soul food restaurant, but the baked macaroni and cheese was to die for, as was the avocado salad. The spinach salad and green beans could not have been fresher. Everything was wonderful and cost me just a little over $6! I will definitely go back again.

Suggest bypassing the 'big name' soul food places nd go straight to Manna's. From the outside it's nothing much to look at - just two huge food stations in the middle and basic tables around the edges. You help yourself to what you want. The food was delicious including classic soul-food dishes, a big range of meats, salads, vegies and deserts. Great for travellers who want the feel of home cooking. It's charged by weight - so you only pay for what you eat, whether that's a little or a lot. The three of us ate a lot and it cost us a total of around $40US. We went back several times.

I visit new york very often but only ventured in to Harlem twice. I've been to the famous "Sylvia's" and was very disappointed (all hype and no satisfaction). My second vist to Harlem I was leary (not of the neighborhood). I walked right around the corner from "Sylvia's" on 125th street and spotted Manna's Soul Food Restaurant. Looking at the restaurant from the outside is hard to imagine the culinary delightful surprise waiting inside. I decided to take a chance and walk in (since it was buffet style, if I didn't like what I saw I walk right back out. "Trust" you will not be disappointed and the price is reasonable. Upstairs dinning are is comfortable. Make this a stop while in Harlem. If you can try to get there around 11:30 just after they open on Sundays to avoid the crowds.

The best meal in New York! Choice, variety and balanced!!! On site or to take away !! And what’s more, it’s really cheap!! Concept: what you want and pay by weight.

This was not my first trip to manna's. I was introduced to it by a young man at lunch one day - and- oh my! oh my! oh my! This is the real deal. Locals of all types, sizes and varieties agree, too - as they kept coming, going, sitting, staying. For homemade "soul" food - why go to some "fancy" place - this is a steam table with a salad bar, as well. And, I say, if you can get fruited jello as well as cooked cabbage, peach cobbler, and three different kinds of chicken - well - wash it down with the sweet tea and then go take a nap. The ONLY reason this is not a five is that they sometimes get enthusiastic with the music (straight up old skool motown this visit) and it needs to be turned down a bit.

I had my first Soul Food experience in this place in Harlem and the food was absolutely fantastic. Pick a box, pick some food from the buffet and pay for the food in weight. Very easy and the food was fresh and warm. New hot food came several times the 2 hours i was eating here. They had everything. BBQ ribs, Turkey Wings, Banana Pudding and so much more. If you would like to try Soul Food in New York. You have to visit Manna's!

Convenient Harlem location. Buffet style with various soul food dishes. Food was good; prices per pound were reasonable. Seating was a little limited and tight. It's awkward walking to the front with your plate to pay and then back to a table. Check out the mac&cheese and jerk chicken.

It was like heaven to walk into this place and see all the dishes on offer. They have a hot bar filled with lots of different dishes and a cold bar with salads and fresh fruit. There is also a mouth watering array of desserts. All of the food looks great and thankfully tasted the same. I tried a littIe of a number of hot dishes my favourites were the roast turkey and stuffing, the candied yams, the fried chicken, the fried plantains and the okra dish. The banana custard dish is to die for and I felt so guilty that i bought a container of fruit. The fruit was very fresh and good quality. I had to go back the next day and get more. There were some different dishes as well as most of the above and peach cobbler. I got the fruit again, it makes me feel less guilty for eating all of this calorie-laden stuff. I'm here for another two weeks and plan to do a lot more walking, well it is New York. Great staff too! Go for it, it's fantastic.

Folks if you're ever in Harlem you need to try this place, street soul food that tastes so good, local atmosphere where the locals ushered us in with words of praise for the food...it is a cafe style place where all the locals seem to love...what more can I say!

This place is a gem in Harlem. We stopped in for breakfast and then came back again for lunch. The food is awesome. Buffet style with so many options. Best of all the service was great. The cook even took the time to give us tourist tips.

You can chose of many things, both warm and cold. There are very friendly staff. Everything, what we took was very tasty.

I loved that there were so many options at this restaurant, and that for around $5 I could get a meat and 4 small sides. The food is weighed, so I was able to try little bits of several things as opposed to restaurants that give you 2 HUGE portions. I gave Manna's 4 stars instead of 5 because the meat I chose had quite a bit of fat, even though it was deliciously cooked I couldn't give it 5 starts based on that. However I would definitely eat there again, I would just be more careful when choosing portions.

Manna's cooking is delicious, it has all the southern trimmings and more. The buffet allows you to sample and taste everything from soup to nuts. There is something for everyone's palate. It's in season every season.

Harlem on the top! eating well in new york and spending the right amount is a dream but in this popular place everything comes true. A crazy choice of food, fresh and good ingredients and, a paradise for eating vegetables in an excessively carnivorous city. Friendly atmosphere and satisfactory prices

Went to do the Harlem Hush Hip Hop Tour on a Tuesday afternoonwith my son and stumbled on Manna's Soul Food around the block from the Apollo Theatre. Very good soul food! Pay $6.99 per pound. Lots of delicious choices, everything and I mean everything was delicious. There's even a Seafood menu in the back they can cook special for you. Bathroom was clean too. Also close to the A and B subway station.

We would visit again in a heartbeat so much choice of delicious, flavoursome hot and cold food. Everything was delicious and tasty - only matched by the fast and efficient service. Loved the concept of only paying for your plate when it was weighed and we were more than happy with the low prices and high quality of our plates. Nice to be able to find authentic food at such good prices -please support this great business.

If you’re in Harlem and need a quick dinner or lunch try Manna’s. I’ve been eating at Manna’s since the early 1990’s. There is wide selection of food to choose from; the buffet style tables will be to your liking. Just be careful what you pile in your food container. Things can add up pricey and fast. There is soul food, Caribbean food, a salad table and desert. Try the collard greens, mac n cheese, ham, jerk chicken, turkey, stuffing, potato salad and carrot cake.

Manna offers a reasonbly priced and delicious meal. The fried chicken, macaroni and curried potatoes were some of our favorites but I'd skip the peach cobbler.

If you want to taste some truly delicious soul food while in New York - try Manna's at Harlem! Baked Macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, pig feet, black-eyed peas - you name it, they serve it! My personal favorites are the candied yams and the chicken stuffing. And for dessert - try their bread pudding, it's great! The buffet is not only tasty but also reasonably priced and I guarantee you will be stuffed when you leave the place!

Yes, lovely food. But please do skip the usual "salad bar" offers (and the jelly dessert) and go straight to the end of the self-service rack. Pork's feet (oui, Monsieur, pieds de porc!) with collard greens. That was a hit.

Went here for lunch as a part of our "Hip Hop" tour and thought it was a great place to stop. Serve your self style with a great variety of main dishes, side dishes, fruits and desserts which you put into plastic containers which are all weighed together for determining the price of the meal. All the foods and fruit we ate were surprisingly fresh, creative and well prepared. Large variety of drinks are available, too. Wouldn't hesitate going back again.

What a great place to eat in a Harlem lots of veggie and meat choices with loads of salads. Everything made fresh that day If nothing else. Grab a coffee and listen to owners Andy's great selection of Jazz music - Miles could be right beside you !

If you don't mind to eat with plastic knives and forks from a styrofoam box, this is a great place to get a huge variety of original Soul Food for very little money. The food tastes great, and you can just start out with a "tasting round" at the buffet to find the dishes you like the best. The concept is that you pay by weight, so you just fill up your box and pay at the counter, which is quite suitable for families with smaller children.

We loved this place. We ate at the location on 125th near Lenox Ave. I love the set up--it's buffet style but you are charged by the pound. That eliminates (for the most part) the waste that is typical of most buffets (it bothers me to no end to see people piling up their plates and throwing away over half), but you can also get a little of this and a little of that. Our family of 4 ate lunch for $23. Great value. The only thing is that I wish they would let us keep our tickets open so we could get seconds without having to pay again (but it's no big deal if you do). Food wise the collards are awesome, done the way they are supposed to be, no bitterness, no acidity, just great flavor. The steamed cabbage was also very tasty, seasoned just right. My fried chicken was good too, but nothing special. I also had mac and cheese, pretty good but nothing outstanding. The rice and peas were done very well, the way it should be. My kids had the spare ribs and my husband had the jerk chicken. He said it wasn't outstanding but still good. My son enjoyed his fried chicken and wanted more. The selection is spectacular. I'm sure there is something for everyone. I will be going back next time I'm in Harlem.

My Friends And I Took A Day Trip To New York. We Decided To Take A NYC Tour AND Was Actually Told About This Place by The Tour Guide. The Food was Good. We Definitely Enjoyed The Soul Food.

My kids and I just love this place. Great soul food by the pound in a friendly and clean environment. 5 stars, always.

Tasty!

We, as a family of 3, stopped by at this place before watching Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater. You pick what you want to eat as much as you want. I enjoyed chicken curry with rice. Also, their fish and chips were good. The atmosphere was nice, and you can feel the local atmosphere. We were a bit tired of touristy restaurants, so this was a good experience.

Excellent food at a reasonable price! Buffet style take out or eat in. Surprisingly wide choice for a relatively small restaurant. Quality food for both Soul and American cuisine. You take what you want in provided styrofoam plates to the cashier. Everything is by weight. They have a good choice of both hot and cold foods. Even fresh green and fruit salads. The turkey is especially fine! This is the best food in the area by far!

At first, I was a bit worried about this choice for our group but in the end, it turned out being okay. Huge group of people, so we had a line to wait in but it's basically like a "buffet" style selection of soul food, you load your food in your container and once done, you weight it. I think it was about $7/lb, so for 3 of us, it ended up being close to $40 for food with our sodas. I tried a few different selections but my favorite was the jerk chicken. It wasn't something I would normally choose, however, I'm very glad we tried it out. I would recommend it again to someone who might want to get a taste of soul food in Harlem.

The fit out is basic, but your here for the soul food so it doesn't matter. I had the tasting plate which had all of the Harlem basics on it, add in a couple of Harlem beers and it's a great way to wrap up another full day of site seeing in NYC.

We went to Harlem as part of a Gospel Tour and our guide recommended this place to us. We went around 1pm so it was busy as expected at that time so we had to wait to get to all the food options & to pay which was expected. There was a great selection of food. It's done buffet style however you pay based on the weight of the food you select. The food was great. If you're in New York & want to have some great soul food, definitely give Mannas a try!

A friend gave me a tip about there being a lot of good soul food in Harlem, so we went there and walked around for a bit. This was the first place we found and I just needed to look through the windows to know that this was the right place. Two huge long steam tables and so many choices. It wasn't packed, but there were enough people to tell me that the place was good. Interior-wise it might not look like much, here it is all about the food!

We can't always do fine dining. Sometimes we just want good old food for the soul. Manna's was an awesome change from the normal. We walked the streets of Harlem and my good friend Horace suggested we stop for some real authentic soul food. He wasn't kidding!! The fried chicken. I can still taste it 3 months later!!! Don't miss it. And oh, the mac and cheese!!! If you love soul food or just want some good old great taste and a change of pace. Check it out. But remember, it's not fine dining, just great food.

Mannas is a local buffet restaurant that i have been going to for years. Now I've dined at the Palace in Abu Dhbi and so this is not fancy food but it is straight ahead and good for a very inexpensive price. When I am in New York I always go to Mannas so that I can get a real feel for the local folks and food. Nothing fancy just good straight ahead local dining.

Every since my first trip to NY, I have eaten here at Manna's. I always recommend to friends and family who will be visiting Harlem to go and eat at Manna's. My most recent trip in April was with my daughter, and although she had eaten before we arrived, after looking at the buffet and smelling the aromas, she couldn't help but order something for herself! The greens and mac n cheese are my favorite dishes. Although there is limited seating, the atmosphere is very pleasant. The price is one of the most inexpensive that I've paid for eating while in NY. It's a good thing I don't live in NY. I would never lose weight because I would eat here everyday!

Been craving soul food lately. It's a fantastic buffet at Manna so you can have one of everything! Wonderful ribs, smothered chicken and pork, jerk chicken, collard greens, Mac and cheese,black eyed peas and more! I was MOANING with pleasure!

The meal was average and they charge by the pound. My plate came to $10 and I was not satisfied. There was no ox tails or lamb or goat or red snapper. And the dessert was limited. No peach cobbler or red velvet cake. :(

Manna's gives you the soul food experience buffet style. Think jerk chicken, home made stuffing, mashed potatoes, tasty rice and anything else that's heavy and comforting.

This is a buffet restaurant, more of a cafe, where you fill up your styrofoam container and take it to the counter to be weighed and paid for. If you want to eat in, you just take it to a table. The food was very tasty, especially the jerk chicken, curry potatoes and collard greens. Nice and spicy. An ideal precursor to a night at the Apollo.

Just like I thought Deep Southern American States menus to be like. Its not exactly a fancy restaurant but the food speaks for itself & was delicious , proper soul food. I had collard greens, mash potatoes, mashed pumpkin and sweet sticky BBQ ribs. twas a joy to behold and just what the doctor ordered after a cold day walking down 125th Street in Harlem :) Gave a real feel for the locality and was a nice break away from the chain restaurants in Manhatten

It was Sunday afternoon and I was walking down 125th St looking for something to eat when I stumbled upon Mannas. As soon as I walked in I knew I had hit the jackpot! There was a huge buffet that had some of everything. Fresh fruit, all sorts of salads, breakfast selections, dinner selections ( ribs, chicken, fish, greens, beans, mac n cheese, etc ) and plenty of desserts. While enjoying the smells and visuals of the food, I was smacked back into reality when I went to pay for my to-go order. They weighed my boxes which cost me an arm and a leg. You've been warned!

Friendly service, nice people, talked with staff about our home towns. Food is fantastic: southern soul food and a great salid and fruit bar. Sort of like an all-you-can-eat but you pay by the pound. A little pricey if you go up more than once, but the food was worth it.

This place was recommended to me by someone at the Apollo Theatre and it didn't disappoint. Fried chicken, ribs, candied yams. Load up the styrofoam box and pay by the lb, an inexpensive way to try some soul food in the heart of Harlem. Recommend. Will go back next time in NYC. It's obviously well known as people i spoke to in 42nd street pharmacy knew it well.

This place is great! Great soul food and comfort food... salad bar was pretty decent too. The selection and variety is pretty abundant... and prices are reasonable (by the pound). I'll definitely be back during my next trip to NYC.

This place is the real deal - tourists have found it but that hasn't stopped the locals - delicious, authentic and cheap. Buy a regular or large plate (L= $10) and fill er up with whatever deliciousness takes your fancy. I had jerk chicken, candied yams, fish, pork and amazing salads. This isn't fine dining - its a fill your plate and your belly before heading back out into the bustle, but its great food.

If you are in Harlem and you should - go to Manna's. It has a great selection of soulfood everything from catfish to jerk chicken, fried chicken, curried goat and oxtail. I tried the fish and sampled a couple of chicken dishes along with spicy rice and collard greens – all absolutely delicious. It is buffet style with a great salad bar and dessert table. Great local characters. Go there and be prepared to waddle out.

This is a buffet restaurant with a large choice of options. It has a large salad bar for the health conscious but you would be better looking at the cooked food for an authentic taste of soul food. It is very good value as you pay by weight. The staff were very friendly and helpful.

Manna has a good selection of Southern and Carribean dishes set out cafeteria-style. You fill up styrofoam containers (and that's what you eat out of) and pay by the pound. This is not gourmet fare -- it is comfort food. There is a large variety of meats, vegetable dishes, starches, salads, and relishes to choose from. You will want to try it all, but that would be impossible. I found the food very tasty and reasonably priced, but I would have preferred to eat off a plate with real flatware. Using styrofoam saves on dishwashing costs I suppose, but is bad for the environment. Even sturdy paper plates would be better.

they have a variety of food to choose from a salad bar with hot and cold food. the prices are reasonable and the food taste good and its fresh. I loved the mac and cheese the banana pudding is good also.

Before a night in Apollo Theater we went for a quick dinner, 4 persons: 20$, fried fish, salad, rice, watermelon, nice :-)

This restaurant was a very poor substitute for the true taste of soul food that I was looking for. I don't recommend it to people looking for true soul food.

Decided to stop in during our trip to Harlem. Food was okay had a few cold items such as green beans were cold and I had a lot of bones in my chicken dressing. Staff or cashier was being a cashier or staff not much to say kind of like lets keep it moving. Great to see everyone from the neighborhood stops by. Wish they had hot desserts like peach cobbler or something. It filled me up and good in a pinch. They charges by the pound, now thats funny!

In the north of Harlem (Corner Lenox/134) you can eat at Manna´s, a self-service restaurant, great but cheap Soulfood (caribbean food). You have to eat -and that is typical american - out of plastic dishes (which you can also use for take away), but you have a lot of options and authentic meal. For example: Variations of salad, Turkey with rice and okra and fresh fruit for about 15$ p. P. And don´t worry: Yes it is Harlem (which is great) an we were the only "white" people around, but we never got a bad feeling.

This place has a huge hot and cold salad bar, with food from the Caribbean and southern US. Jerk chicken, fried chicken, friend plantains, mac & cheese.... There is seating upstairs. It's nothing fancy, but the selection is so huge, it seems like anyone could find something they like.

Stopped here for a quick bite to eat. Tasty food well-prepared. chicken bbq, baked,curry style. Mac & cheese, collard greens with turkey, ribs, fish, rice and peas, veg. Lots of choice and flavours. Your meal will be weighed at the till and this would determine the price. Decor and ambience isn't what you'll come here for but if you want some good grub this is the spot.

If this isn't soul food, I don't know what it. The fried chicken was unbelievable! The mashed potatoes were perfectly fluffy but had a bit of a dijon hint to them, which made them even better. Go and try anything! I'm sure it will be great.