Manna’s Restaurant
“While there are many Manna locations around Harlem what makes this place so special is the staff.”
“They also always have mac & cheese, (imitation)crab salad, potato salad, jerk chicken, ribs..”
“The food is absolutely delicious, and it's buffet style at something like $6.50 a pound.”
Manna’s Restaurant
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
5 reviews
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This is a steam table buffet. The selection here is very large and for the most part, the food that I tried was very good. Because I came here during dinner time, some of the food had been sitting out all day, so it had lost some of its goodness.
The selection includes stuff like southern fried chicken, jerk chicken, mac and cheese, stewed meats, banana pudding, mashed potatoes, several kinds of rice and much more. There is also a salad bar as well. The baked chicken was very soft and moist. I also liked their rice with beans and the curried potatoes as well.
However, the plantains were hard and dry, so avoid those later in the day. The meat in the BBQ ribs (despite being drenched in bbq sauce) were also very tough and hard.
This place is "simply soul food/island food heaven." Everything is cooked fresh and tastes like grandmas cooking, that is if your grandma cooked an awesome mac n cheese and a spicy mean jerk chicken. Not accounting for one of the best banana puddings I've tasted.
There is a few highlights about Manna's that I think are important. This is the place to go for that not-fancy soul food…. mac n cheese, fried chicken, banana pudding, and some amazing fresh Cesar salad. I usually hate greens but the dressing on the Cesar salad makes me rethink salad. Don't think that is all they have. The selection ranges from fish to intense seafood rices which I never ventured upon.
There mac n cheese is just probably hands down in the top 5 mac n cheese I've had. Its just the perfect combination of crunchy cheese top meets oooooweey gooey messy inside. MUST TRY. If the tray is almost empty ask for a fresh batch from the back the guys that work there wont hesitate.
The fried chicken is your perfect crispy exterior and juicy inside! The banana pudding well, that something special that your going to have to try for yourself and see just how bad your going to want to take the entire tray out the door with you. Its not overly sweet, fresh bananas, creamy pudding, crunchy lady fingers and that's the simple version.
The jerk chicken BEWARE its not for those with a sensitive mouth. It is spicy, spicy but so good that I always have to put some on the tray even though I don't handle spicy well(that's how good it is).
The way Manna's is designed is buffet style. You take as much of a portion as you want and you get charged per pound. My advice take a little bit of everything when you first go there and see what you like. The mash potatoes are a bit bland so I wouldn't really go with that, but all in all everything is fresh and home cooked.
While there are many Manna locations around Harlem what makes this place so special is the staff. The cooks will come out occasionally and say hi to a familiar faces, and despite you not being there for a month the employees will greet you and treat you with such kindness and respect like family. While it can get pricey and you can easily pay 12-15 dollars for a tray its so worth it.
It is in a bad location if your driving because of PARKING. NIGHTMARE, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE, AS LONG AS THERE IS NOT A FUNERAL HAPPENING ACROSS THE STREET because of the funeral homes location. Beware.
I still am loyal to this location and having been to other Manna's this location offers freshness and good quality. LOTS OF LOCALS COME IN AND OUT, ITS A GREAT PLACE. NOT FANCY INTERIOR DECOR, SO LEAVE THE SUIT AND TIE AND HOME.
Pretty typical of deli style food courts where you get food by the pound ($6.99/lb isn't that cheap so don't get carried away and spend more than you expected.) Banana pudding was spot on, the fried chicken was a bit dry, but really enjoyed the honey BBQ ribs. Other than that, it doesn't really differentiate itself from other deli foods.
I stumbled upon Manna's when waiting for a friend in Harlem. I was hungry and noticed the large sign out front advertising a fish sandwich for about $3.99. It sounded like a great price so I went inside. There was an abundance of items to choose from at the buffet line. Meats, sides (both cold and hot) , and drinks.
I settled on a few fried chicken wings to go with some potato salad. The price was ok at $8. The wings were nice and hot. I felt they could have been seasoned a little bit more. I was in and out in about 10 minutes which I thought was great. The staff in the front was friendly and worked quickly. I would go back and try some of their other items and perhaps dine in.
Um…am I a food snob or what? The average here is 4 stars? Me thinks not ;-( I really really wanted to give this place 4 stars, but alas, father I can not tell a lie. It was my first experience in Harlem and well, it was a let down. We were going to a show at the Apollo, and I was hungries and needed to fill my belly! I saw this place, very well lit and full of people, and I thought, EUREKA! This place will be good!
This is buffet style, so take get your styrofoam, and choose what you like. I decided on the peas and rice, collard greens, the okra, a small fried drumstick and some mac and cheese.
I was excited about the food! I went upstairs, sat down and started to dig in. My taste buds were sorely disappointed!! The mac n cheese was very greasy and was not creamy or cheesy! I mean what the H? The collard greens had no flava, and the okra was very fake sweet!
I was sooo sad! ;-(
I really like comfort food, but this place didn't hot the spot for me ;-(