Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Jackson's Cafeteria

    3.5 (54 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Order Jackson's Cafeteria Takeout or Delivery

    Jackson's Cafeteria Photos

    Business Info

    JACKSON'S CAFETERIA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Jackson's Cafeteria

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    My friend and I grabbed a quick lunch yesterday! A lot of good food for the money!!

    I love this place! The people are so friendly, clean inside, and the food is so good! You can't get home cooked food like this many places anymore. Plus, the added nostalgia of a place so like the J&K Cafeteria I went to so much as a kid just takes it over the top!

    Shu B.

    Cafeteria food never appealed to me much, but i do love that Hambrosia Salad they got with the marshmallows. Turnip Greens are adequate and menu seems overall reasonably priced. Can not vibe with the chicken fried steak. Broccoli casserole was way too watered down. Who would do that a cow? Its a crime on a plate. Bit of a local staple with the older crowd I have noticed.

    Sugar-free strawberry pie, cream corn, Salisbury steak over mashed potatoes
    Keela D.

    This food was very mediocre. So here's what I thought. 1. The sugar free strawberry cake was actually pretty good. The crust was awesome to be sugar free. 2. I mean you can't mess up corn. A little dash of salt, a couple shakes of the pepper, and the corn was actually pretty good. 3. The mashed potatoes was bland as can be. It was almost like they made them from Idaho instant mashed potatoes. 4. The Salisbury steak, that was covered in gravy, was not appetizing at all. Once again, another food item that lacked flavor. I think somebody need to rework this whole recipe before serving this again.

    Jacksons Cafeteria food and menu
    Gerald F.

    They have pretty good service, but the food isn't fit for a dog. Roast beef was mushy and gravy tasted like water, flour and browning, broccoli casserole tasted like they ran it through a blender . Wasted $12, went straight into the garbage.

    roasted chicken, corn, seven-layer salad, big fluffy roll, plus pie and coffee...
    Daniel P.

    can't really say as I actually remember being in an actual cafeteria since high school, fairly certain that I have but kinda fuzzy on the details... regardless, we were cafetering it up Saturday in Gastonia. windy, wet, and cold and possibly running late but not excessively so. still, we needed sustenance but wanted to get in, get fed, and get out in a reasonable time and by chance we ended up here, in front Jackson's Cafeteria! who'd have thunk it? after a short hike back to the serving line you grab a tray and some flatware and pick your portions on the way back towards the dining room starting with dessert and finishing at bread with meats, mains, salads, and sides in between priced as marked (Pro Tip: the daily specials include two veggies except for lunch on Saturday) and if you have questions about what's what just ask. get your total at the end of the line and pay on the way out. nifty... today's fare was roast chicken - dark, 7-layer salad, corn, slice of pie and a roll plus coffee. and MLB had fried fish special with carrots and green beans plus deviled eggs, jalapeno corn bread, and tea... not real adventurous or exciting but filling and tasted alright which was the goal today ;-)

    Sue G.

    First I have to say we thought this place had to be good they always seem to be busy so we decided to go here. When we walked in we had no clue where to go, I thought we walked in the wrong door. I have to say it was a long walk just to get to where you start getting your food. It is cafeteria style and it's all per piece what you get. I was a bit confused because if you wanted a dinner you just pay per piece unless they have a special of the day then everything is included in one price. Not a fan of eating this way. They stand behind the counter asking what you want before you even get to where you look. I felt pressured to order and order fast even though no one was behind me. So going through the line we decided to get deviled eggs to share. I got baked chicken, asked for a breast. I had çarrots and green beans. The other meal was Mashed potatoes with gravy, corn with some sauce a piece of bread and meatloaf.i started to get worried when the guy behind the counter had to use a electric knife, looked like a saw to cut through the meatloaf. We both got water. So there is a girl who sits at the end and does a ticket up for you with the food. We had no clue what to do , I started to pay and she said you pay after you eat It Would be nice maybe to have a sign of the process because I felt stupid for not knowing. When we sat down I made a comment on how small my chicken breast was for over $4!! And each side was $1.99. The deviled eggs were actually not too bad. The mashed potatoes, not sure what to think, almost a instant mashed taste with a gravy that is hard to explain how horrible tasting it was, no taste to the potatoes other wise. The corn was not bad, kind of a buttery taste, hard to mess up corn. The Carrots not too bad, the green beans were so salty!!! It was like someone dumped a salt shaker full in as they were heating up. The meatloaf was almost $6, I had to taste, it was so nasty I literally spit it back out!! I am not joking it was gross. The flavor and texture was unlike any meatloaf I have ever had. The piece of chicken I had was dried out and stringy I just couldn't eat it. We left so disappointed. Shocked at how many people actually went there and ordered take out. When we went to pay the cashier said we could have gave back what we didn't like and get something else. It was a bit too late at this point, she did say stop back and try us again. I honestly doubt we ever would. There are other places in the area, this just happened to be what we decided on we figured would be fast because we had a long ride home. We just weren't fans and don't recommend it unless you just want something fast but even then think again. I just can not say either of us enjoyed it and still don't feel it was worth the money. We won't go back.

    Michelle K.

    Yes there was a lot of older individuals here but I don't mind that one bit. It was pretty quiet inside for the most part so how can you beat that. My boyfriend got to see me pig out since I've been craving food like this. Thanks to him I wound up in a food coma after eating majority of my food.

    Turkey and dressing, corn, macaroni and cheese and a yeast roll
    Matthew T.

    Jackson's is the premier place for cafeteria-style dining in the Gastonia region. Service is friendly and prompt. Prices are average, and the selection can't be beat. Plenty of parking. Open seven days a week. Specials each day.

    Jackson's at Akers Center
    Ken M.

    I've just enjoyed some really good Chicken & Dumplings,rice with chicken gravy, green beans,buttered rolls and of course when at Jackson's you've got to have the sweet tea. Jackson's is one place I could literally have anything on the menu and leave satisfied. I

    Meatloaf, stuffing, broccoli casserole.  Don't forget to grab a couple of pieces of fatback at the register!

    See all

    Photo of J H.
    0
    1
    0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    I've ate here a number of times and have always had a wonderful experience. The food is wonderful and the staff very friendly.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Nancy M.

    Nancy M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of G K.
    0
    75
    0

    11 years ago

    I am a fan of cafeterias, but I rank this one below most others. Some items were good, but others tasted odd.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Awesome place, great food, very friendly service. We eat there quite a few times a month. Yummy!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Jackson's Cafeteria

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    Supperland - Branzino / Peach Gazpacho / Stone Fruit Relish

    Supperland

    4.4(571 reviews)
    19.7 mi
    $$$

    Upon early entry they got us a seat, the place is loud and upbeat. The interior design was very…read morenice. The staff was very friendly & excellent. The food was excellent and not your normal run of the mill taste. We agreed we would go back. My wife & I like to eat out sometime. We don't like to eat out every week.

    We had a 6 PM reservation at Supperland on a Tuesday and had such a great experience. Parking can…read morebe a little limited since the restaurant does not have its own dedicated parking lot, but we were able to find street parking nearby. If you live close to the area, I would recommend taking an Uber or rideshare just to make things easier. The restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful. It is located inside a renovated old church, and the atmosphere is gorgeous. There is also a patio and a separate bar area. We arrived on time for our reservation and were seated right away. Our server, Thomas, was great and provided wonderful service throughout the evening. My friend had an extra dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives, and I had a Grey Goose Cosmopolitan. The drinks were excellent. For an appetizer, we had six raw oysters with a sweet honeydew and kiwi flavor. I usually prefer my oysters with cocktail sauce and horseradish, so this was something different for me, but I really enjoyed them. They had a really nice sweet and savory flavor. For dinner, my friend and I split the branzino, which was grilled with fresh herbs and was delicious. We also had the wood oven Brussels sprouts and the mac and cheese, and both were very good. Overall, the food, drinks, service, and atmosphere were all great. My girlfriend and I had the perfect girls' night out enjoying dinner, drinks, and catching up. I really enjoyed my experience at Supperland and would definitely recommend it.

    Photos
    Supperland - Outside porch of Supperland

    Outside porch of Supperland

    Supperland - Seasonal Caesar salad

    Seasonal Caesar salad

    Supperland - Roasted oysters

    See all

    Roasted oysters

    Bubba's 33

    Bubba's 33

    3.8(235 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    I had the southern fried chicken. The most tender yet crispy chicken I've had in ages. Seasoned…read moreperfectly for my taste. The garlic mashed potatoes were very flavorful. I wasn't excited about the amount of potato skins. Too many large pieces. Large pieces were also an issue with the coleslaw. Some were larger than my fork. Flavor was spot on. I will go back.

    My family and I have lived in North Carolina for 2 years and we candidly have never found a…read morerestaurant with quality food AND quality service since we came here....UNTIL NOW!!! What an Great Experience....My son who left the food industry after 20 years in restaurant management before moving here and me, with 70+ years of eating were both blown away. Our server Tayy approached our table , introduced herself and immediately gave us a tour of the menu, answered all questions and delivered highly efficient service. Through out the meal she continually anticipated our needs on refills and checking in at appropriate times. The food for 4 adults across the board was highly praised from all from Fish and Chips. burgers and a chicken dish with salsa, rice and avocado that received very high praises...the manager walked by and took time to get to know us.....hope he liked us because he is going to see a lot more of us!!! Congratulations to a great restaurant team that with my family hit a grand-slam homerun!!

    Photos
    Bubba's 33 - Decor.

    Decor.

    Bubba's 33 - Side salad, Mild wings, Dry rub cajun wings, Onion rings.

    Side salad, Mild wings, Dry rub cajun wings, Onion rings.

    Bubba's 33 - House margarita, strawberry

    See all

    House margarita, strawberry

    Ray Nathan’s - Brisket, ribs, mac and cheese, baked beans, jalapeño cheese grits, popover, banana pudding, peach cobbler

    Ray Nathan’s

    4.4(283 reviews)
    5.9 mi
    $$

    Running in for sliders for a party...couldn't believe the huge hit they were at the…read moreparty...4-different sauces, everyone was please, especially the birthday boy. Can't wait to sit down with friends and actually eat in and try more dishes. Fun atmosphere, great selection and wonderful service.

    I was on my way to Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden and stopped at Ray Nathan's for lunch. Overall? It…read morewas reliable NC BBQ, but nothing that changed my life or had me planning the return trip before I left the parking lot. The pulled pork was decent, but mostly made me miss Lupita's pork by the pound in Charlotte (which continues to ruin other pulled pork for me). The coleslaw needed to be chopped finer but the overall flavor was okay. The mac & cheese had strong church-potluck energy (not an insult, I've had some excellent church potluck mac & cheese) but that's about where I'd place it. Then came my biggest disappointment... No hushpuppies. They give you a roll instead which was perfectly fine, It did nothing wrong, but when I'm eating NC BBQ, I want hushpuppies. A dinner roll is not an acceptable emotional substitute. Overall, Ray Nathan's was a perfectly decent lunch stop if you're already in the area. I just didn't find anything that would make me drive out of my way for it. Good BBQ. Needs finer slaw. Needs hushpuppies. Lupita's haunts every pulled pork review I write.

    Photos
    Ray Nathan’s - Restaurant interior was clean and bright and well laid out.

    Restaurant interior was clean and bright and well laid out.

    Ray Nathan’s - Brisket, potato salad, baked beans, slaw, and roll

    Brisket, potato salad, baked beans, slaw, and roll

    Ray Nathan’s - Rntrance

    See all

    Rntrance

    Jackson's Cafeteria - cafeteria - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...