Joy’s Home Cooking

Let me say that this is next to Cracker Barrel. Now you’d think that being a country cooking place with fast meals that you should outshine the competition which could drastically improve their profits on a busy day. We went to Cracker Barrel however the wait was too long so we stopped here. The buffet did not have a large selection. However, as a true southerner, why is everything out of a can or a box? They don’t know how to properly cook southern meal. The potatoes and gravy taste like it was from a box. There is no fried okra or chicken n dumplings, everything was extremely bland not to mention how sad and old the salad/​dessert bar is, my brownie had an old taste. This place is in desperate need of a makeover and the cleanliness needs some work. I had to ask the server to please remove our plates from the table which sat for a while. There was an Asian girl behind the counter, but all she did was walk around the restaurant talking loudly on her cell carrying on a personal conversation, she could not stop playing with her phone. It’s also extremely cold in there, but the secret on why they do that is the freeze you out and get you out quick. Not trying to be rude or blast this place as the food was really hot and everyone was nice but wow why not stand out and take cracker barrels business, there are many people out there who rather support the local economy. I would not eat here again.

I usually don’t leave negative reviews .but this place warrants one… Food was warm enough but lacks much flavor… Fried Chicken (which previous reviews enjoyed) what is very dry same with the grilled pork chops … Most of the veggies were OK… but the low highlight came on the Salisbury steak… which looked like Conn ag frozen from Walmart .
Maybe Joy should stick to cooking Chinese food instead of attempt in be a Southerner

Excellent value and selection for the price.
The food here is good. Fried chicken is hot, crispy, and quite tasty. The sides are not fancy, but they are filling.
The owner greets you when you come in, and seems genuinely happy to see you. They clearly take pride in their business.
Bottom line, it’s a tasty and affordable buffet. Don’t expect a level of experience that you’re not paying for.
I keep seeing references to the owners being Asian… That’s has nothing to do with anything. The comments about the quality of the food I rate as a non-​issue. This place is an all you can eat, independently owned, southern food buffet. If you want expertly seasoned southern/​soul food like your grandmother made, then don’t go somewhere with a buffet under $ 10. (Before tax).

Joy’s is our new favorite place. In the past, my family and I tried to stay away from southern food due to the general greasiness and saltiness of the food. Until I tried Joy’s, I never knew Southern food can be a healthy and delicious option. Joy’s proudly market their food as «low sodium» and I am so glad they do. It’s about time Macon has a southern buffet that is both delicious and healthy, and won’t give you diabetes or heart disease in a single meal. There are lots of vegetable choices… Cabbage, collard greens, black eye peas, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, etc. Everything tastes fresh (the way vegetables are SUPPOSED to taste without being overly masked by salt and grease), and from the way the vegetables are cut and taste, it’s clear they are not from the can. The chicken is good and they make their own biscuits and cornbread. The price is reasonable. The staff is super friendly, and it seems like there are many loyal regulars who come dine, and I can see why. While Golden Corral and Old Times Country Buffet may be more recognizable names, Joy’s is a local hidden gem that I will definitely be coming back to in the future.

It’s only average. If it were any higher price ($ 7+/lunch currently) — I would’ve given a lower score. I went on a tip of fried green tomatoes, however they’re only available Sunday and Monday now. The chicken fried steak chef ruined these with a heavy amount of liquid smoke flavoring– it would’ve been great with much less of it. What I hoped were gizzards were fried livers. The beans and greens were under seasoned and most food and desserts were dried out (which is pretty much the norm for buffet foods between 1:30 — 4:30 pm). The staff was exceptionally pleasant, but seems to be run by an Asian couple– perhaps new ownership that may not be familiar with mama’s home cooking? Not sure. I won’t go back, but perhaps others would have better luck coming early while food is still fresh.

If you like southern style cooking, you will definitely love this place. They have a wide variety of southern dishes ranging from Mac ‘n’ cheese to fish and country fried steak. My favorite, the baked chicken and broccoli casserole are to die for. I always try to save room for dessert. The peach cobbler is always a winner and it’s even better if you top it with a little vanilla ice cream. Very yummy. If you prefer greens, they also have many vegetarian dishes to choose from as well as a salad bar with fresh vegetables and toppings. The fruits were a nice refreshment and seemed to be very fresh from the looks of it.
My parents live in Macon and so I try to come and eat here every time I come to visit them. If I don’t have time to sit down and eat, I will usually always get some for take-​out and eat it when I get home. It still tastes just as good after a 2 hour drive. Overall, the environment is very clean and staff is friendly. Can’t really complain about anything here. More importantly, the food hits the spot every time. I’ve eaten at «Southern» style restaurants all over and this place definitely gets my approval.
Oh by the way, a little secret about this place… I’m not that big into eating tomatoes, but they make these delicious fried green tomatoes which are not on the menu. You HAVE to ask for them to the waitress and they will make it and bring it out to you. You can thank me later.

Very good food everyday different menu Friday is the best day to go because there is fish and also chicken very good and amazing employes. And I come several times a week.

Was visiting the area and came to this restaurant. Oh my gosh, the food was very nasty. 10 dollars and some change for nothing-​especially no taste. The items on the buffet are supposed to be southern style/​soul food/​comfort food. They have icecream and a combination salad/​dessert bar. On the main bar, they had: lima beans, crowder peas, fried catfish, fried chicken, baked chicken, «salisbury steak» with brown gravy, white rice, steamed cabbage, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn with some sort of sauce (not exactly creamed corn), broccoli casserole w/​rice, peach cobbler, etc.
Okay let me give you the run down and tell you the truth. Everything is from out of a box and/​or frozen and anyone who says it isn’t is lying. We all know frozen lima beans from the fresh/​dry ones anyday. Fresh/​dry ones always create their own thick bean sauce naturally. Frozen ones don’t and they have a more waxy, artificial texture. Believe me when I say these were frozen. All the vegetables were bland, no flavor. Even the collard greens. It’s not about drenching them in lard and cooking them until the nutrients are obliterated out of them, but some red pepper flakes, olive oil, fresh minced garlic, and ground ginger can go a long way to adding flavor to your dishes. You don’t have to use salt and pork to make things taste good so I’m okay with low sodium, but low sodium does not have to mean low/​no taste. I’ve eaten at raw vegan restaurants that churn out more flavorful dishes. Some people are claiming they are low sodium, if that’s the case then why is the meat super salty? The peach cobbler? Oh, don’t let me get on the peach cobbler, oh puhlllleeeeassseee. It’s canned peaches, and biscuit dough. You best believe I’ve made peach cobbler the same way but damn at least I take the time to make it taste like it was from scratch. They didn’t even try! The baked chicken was actually good. i didn’t touch the fried chicken but it looked okay. You know how buffets like to do… extra extra crispy. So, the salisbury steak? Out of the box, you know it’s fake when it’s got those «alleged grill lines» going down the middle and it’s perfectly shaped. This is almost worse than hospital food. Even for a buffet, I didn’t get anything but one plate. With all the people I saw in one place, i’m surprised they don’t have more reviews… NOT! Anyone that tells you this place is good is lying through their teeth.
I ordered sweet tea to drink and changed my drink to lemonade. What the hell did yall do? Use one tea bag for the entire urn? It almost tasted like water. It barely had any color. Oh my gosh. I made up for what I lost in paying 10 dollars by drinking 10 dollars worth of lemonade. And the worse part is all the ghetto folks that were there. This place is run by asians and is no more than a sad attempt at them to make a quick buck by trying to offer food they think «us folks» like to eat. I see a leasing sign on the front door in their future. Give it up, southern/​soul food is not your area of expertise, obviously, and putting black pepper on top of thawed and heated up mac n’ cheese out the box does not ever pass for the real thing to people who know better. A large annoying woman kept telling me how she eats there often and how good the food is and she loves it. I simply responded by saying «um, yeah you know some people will eat anything.» I stand by that response, even in this review.

Tasty Southern food, in a buffet style. The pork chops were excellent, as was the meatloaf. The mac-​n-​cheese was nicely creamy. Desserts were well-​made.
Overall, worth a stop if you want a buffet meal.

New Buffet restaurant in Macon. Great food, reasonable price. Has very good service and clean. They mainly serve Southern Style food with a changing menu daily. Would definitely try agian.