M & J Home Cooking

Not the cleanest. Last time I was there, dead fly in dessert on dessert bar. The food was not remarkable at all.

Jump in line to taste Rome’s most famous cafeteria food at M & J’s Home Cooking. I’m sad to say that I’m in no way exaggerating here, the food is no better than what you received back in grade school. Top that with a crowded, humid atmosphere, and you have a not so pleasant dining experience.
My family and I arrived on a busy Sunday afternoon ready to do battle with our fellow Romans. Luckily, seating is not a problem and we were seated quickly. A quick note on sanitation: my father and I both had to wipe off our seats before sitting down. The server quickly took our drink orders before heading to grab our food.
The food choices are fairly typical for a southern buffet. The more popular choices include fried and baked chicken, Salisbury steak, yams, corn, and mac n’ cheese. I myself got the roast beef, mashed potatoes, sauteed vegetables, and cornbread.
Now on to the actual quality of the food. For what it is (a cheap, straight out of the can buffet), it’s acceptable. My roast beef was good enough; the cream potatoes were loaded with an artificial butter taste that didn’t enhance the flavor; the vegetables were the best part of my meal; and the cornbread was dry and bland. As previously noted, it’s on par with your school lunch. My father had the breaded pork chops, which he commented as being «mostly bone». There was no mention of the taste or texture.
The atmosphere is nothing fancy either and could pose a problem if you’re at all claustrophobic. Yes, there are plenty of tables and seating, but only at the expense of personal space. Simply put, the tables are way too close together and you’re never really comfortable enough to actually enjoy what you’re eating. Given, the noise is also quite loud with so many patrons in such a tight space.
M&J’s in a nutshell: Come in with the right presumptions and I think you’ll be satisfied enough. But walk in with any sort of moderate expectations and you will certainly leave disappointed.

Hit and miss with some of the dishes, but they have some of the best fried chicken in the area. It’s also one of the few places you can get real mashed potatoes and stewed rutabaga. My family loves this place.

The food was okay not homecoming. The line at the buffet does nor have a good flow. Not worth the drive.

Collards, fried green tomatoes, creamed corn, boiled squash and fried whiting fish transported me back to my childhood in Alabama. Mom had fried chicken, corn, collards, and fried green tomatoes. Heaven.
My only complaint is that the mac & cheese was disgusting. The pasta looked a little «al dente, «and tasty, but it was mushy and tasteless. Salt and pepper didn’t even improve it. Bleck.

This is a smallish country buffet. The day I went they had fried chicken, beef tips and rice, Salisburyish steak, bbq and at least a dozen veggies.
I had beef tips and rice with fried zucchini and dressing, it was very good and the service was prompt and friendly.
It’s not fancy, but seems like a nice place.

dont waste the money, this buffet is cheap and the choices are not that great

This is the best home cooked buffet I have ever had. Everything was delicous. The fried green tomatoes were thick slices that had a wonderful tartness inside a crisp crust. The potato salad quite simply was the best ever. I was working on the ambulance and had to leave to run a call before I could try the dessert bar, but the peach cobbler looked delicous. This was my first visit to M & J Home Cooking, but it won’t be my last. Don’t let the exterior fool you. The inside is clean, service quick and the price cheap, (all you can eat with tea for 7.00) and the food is great.