Let me start by saying that it is a breath of fresh air having new restaurants in Clayton. Manning's is one of those place we had high hopes for. The food was the reason this review got 4 stars. The food is excellent as the chef has done a great job preparing choices that everyone will become a fan of. The issue is that the staff doesn't seem to be well trained. For 4+ stars it takes the whole deal, not just a part of it. The staff needs some help becoming "fine dining" staff. Proper techniques for serving, learning the menu, understanding wine, all would help make for a better experience for the price they charge for the items. The wine list is less than desirable. I know that we are in Clayton and beer is the most requested alcohol, but having some other options wouldn't be a bad thing. My opinion is use the distributors help for training staff on wine, they will do it. Have a training session on a Tuesday when the restaurant is closed to serve all your waitstaff all the items on the menu and teach them the ingredients, it helps to sell items. Love the menu, he has done an awesome job! read more

Great food, great drinks and service. Great for mature people looking for good food and drinks without the sports bar vibe.

Blink and you'll miss it, but definitely go back and find it. Doesn't look like much from the outside but it was definitely worth the stop. Our server was really nice and super attentive. My husband ordered the baby back ribs and they were falling off the bone and super tasty. If I lived here I'd definitely come back often. read more

Great food and the service is always wonderful. The rooftop is very enjoyable as well

Not impressed. So expensive for what you get. Their presentation is seriously lacking. My husband got shrimp and grits and the grits were runny... Not cool. I ordered the pork, no flavor at all. The service was terrible. Small portions. Just bad. read more

Not only was the restaurant impossible to hear each other the food was subpar and workers weren't wearing Masks or distancing. Will never go back. read more

Our go to restaurant for any occasion- best bar staff, server staff and food. Always good and always consistent!

Food was good but I was concerned about the lack of caution the staff were taking during this pandemic. Half the staff weren't wearing masks and it was especially concerning when the person who brought out our food wasn't wearing a mask. I would be more comfortable returning to this restaurant if I didn't feel so exposed. read more

Super excited to finally have a replacement to Mullberry on Main in Clayton's lovely downtown area. I think there is still work for them to do to gain that extra star. I ordered a pork chop entree and it was a little on the sweet side with a LOT of sauce. My husband loved the crab cakes. The burger menu looks worth trying. Their beer menu is great, too, lots of local craft brews. The ambiance was fantastic...it works equally well for a date night atmosphere and a chaotic dinner with kids. It will be very exciting when it cools off and I can sit outside with my family, having a great burger and beer! I'm excited to see it succeed. read more

This was my first time at Manning's. We checked in with the hostess who was not wearing a mask and was told there was an hour wait so we patiently waited. We had a few drinks at the bar snd then waited in the front area. I was very surprised at the number of employees who were not wearing masks. We were seated upstairs. The place is clean and nicely decorated. We were quickly greeted by our server who took on drink orders. She returned promptly. Our appetizer and dinner order was taken very quickly snd our food came out shortly after. We had the spinach dip, which was excellent, the beef egg rolls also excellent and the scallops which were perfectly cooked. For dinner we had, Salmon, ribs and the linguini pasta with added shrimp again everything was excellent. Service was on point and we well taken cate of by all. I'm just surprised that many staff weren't wearing masks. Next time I'm going to try the tenderloin for sure! We will be back read more

Excellent service paired with great food made for a good evening. This was my second visit. The first visit was perfect. For my second visit I ordered the same dish, the catch of the day which was Salmon for both visits. The first time it was cooked a perfect medium, flakey, juicy and well seasoned. This time it was over cooked. The seasoning was awesome as were the sides, the portobello mushroom & grits appetizer and my son's chicken, shrimp and andouille sausage gumbo. If the Salmon was cooked medium like requested, it would have been perfect. The service was outstanding. Would return. read more

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Six of us went for dinner on a Monday evening. Called to get a reservation, hostess seemed a little confused/flustered, but we ended up showing up and getting seated immediately. A few members of staff were wearing masks, but unfortunately, our waiter was not. He was nice enough, though if I had been alone, I would not have chosen to eat here, due to their lack of Covid concerns. I ordered the grouper, which came out way overdone, though they did apologize and brought me up salmon instead to make up for it. The salmon was cooked better, but wasn't anything special. Prices for what we got weren't the greatest, but were fine. The apple tart for dessert though was fantastic! Would eat that again, but not sure anything else was to write home about or to return for. Menu online was not quite the same as in person, so be sure to check to make sure the prices/items you're expecting are the same! read more

Manning's Restaurant - Apple Tart! - American Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

I'm shocked to see several negative reviews of Mannings on Yelp. The food is outstanding and I'm impressed with the staff. This includes the owner/chief who's very engaged with the patrons. I'm excited to have it as a downtown Clayton restaurant. If Denny's is a 3 star and mannings is a 3.5 star then something is seriously wrong w the Yelp rating system. Mannings is EASILY the best restaurant in the entire Clayton/garner/knightdale area. read more

My wife Sheila and I ate here on 12-8-17 for the 1st time with our Pastor and 1st Lady ( btw our church is Faith Tabernacle Min. 591 Guy Rd Clayton NC ) and we were very satisfied. The food was great. We had shrimp & grits, crab cakes, ribs and a lot of other stuff. Everything was delicious. We are new to the Clayton area ( 1 month ) and we will be back here many more times. read more

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My fav place to go for a special occasion or just an every day meal. The wait staff and food are excellent. The roof top dining is perfect on a nice day too. Highly recommend this place read more

One of the best restaurant's in Clayton. Smaller menu but everything I have had has been good. Eden is the best waitress, she was friendly and didn't have to keep asking for refills or to clear our plates. Like eating downstairs better then upstairs unless your outside on the rooftop, the upstairs needs some updating. Toni S. read more

The crab cakes are fantastic! Highly recommend. Service was wonderful and it was a great evening!

I got the ribeye egg rolls for an appetizer and they were damn good. For the meal I got the half rack of ribs which was excellent. There was a couple sides of vegetables but I forgot what they were. I even had a cranberry white chocolate cheesecake. This was great food. read more

Every time I have eaten at Manning's or had carry out, their food has been incredible.

Cannot say enough great things about this restaurant!!! We made reservations for lunch after our son's college graduation this past Saturday from Campbell University. From the making of the reservation to the day of, things were spectacular! I adjusted our original estimate of 9-14 people to 11-12 and was told so kindly & politely "no problem". They had our table prepared in a lovely, smaller more intimate dining room as soon as we arrived. We had one guest run into travel issues and arrive later than expected and they never once tried to rush us. The appetizers, meals, desserts were amazing!!! Unfortunately, I forgot the name of our hostess amongst the festivities, but she was spectacular! She was friendly, outgoing, seemed to love her job and it felt as if she was celebrating with us. Than the food, oh my!!! We covered everything from wings, loaded fries, onion rings, scallops to steaks, pasta, salads, black bean burgers and their Maui Howie Chicken sandwich and some Creme Brûlée to finish things off. Every single person LOVED their meal. Our new favorite spot without a doubt-no need to drive to Raleigh for an amazing meal & top notch service, just visit Manning's Restaurant in downtown Clayton!! read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this hidden gem in Clayton, NC. We started with drinks from the bar, top-shelf Margaritas, that were some of the best I've had. Moved on to the crab cakes and portobello mushroom appetizers which were really good! My entree consisted of grilled salmon with fresh vegetables while my friend had blackened scallops. Both entrees were amazing. Not to mention the quaint atmosphere and extremely pleasing outdoor deck area that's located on the second floor of the restaurant. If you have the chance, be sure to visit this charming restaurant and make sure you finish the evening with their Ganache Torte...it is fabulous! read more

Manning's Restaurant - Birthday dinner in paradise? - American Near Me - Clayton, North Carolina

Amazing brunch! Their mimosas are delicious. They have amazing crab dip and a fun rooftop patio !

We absolutely love Manning's food! The only reason I hesitate to give this restaurant a five star rating is because the service is always very slow, and I am not one that typically minds slower service, however here it seems to be an issue. Service pace aside, the staff is friendly, very helpful for someone who has a severe food allergy and every single dish we've ever tried has been delicious! This is our go-to spot in Clayton! I highly recommend the Carolina crab cakes, shrimp n' grits, and the chicken and sausage gumbo! My husband also said the ribeye was delicious, especially for a restaurant that is not strictly a steakhouse. read more

We've eaten at Manning's a handful of times and it's a place we take our guests when they come to visit! Mainly because it's the best restaurant in town and super close to our house. Tonight, we were SO hungry and just didn't feel like cooking so we called at 8 and got two filets to go. This was one of the best filets we've each ever had, we didn't talk the entire meal haha. Oh and the crab sauce they serve with the steaks... out of this work delicious! And yes we were super hungry but we are also both pretty picky when it comes to food. Everything was delicious and thumbs up to Manning's for such a delicious meal being served right before closing for takeout. Thankful they're in Clayton, otherwise we'd go hungry on the nights we don't feel like cooking haha! read more

Delicious gumbo and the portabello with grits was delicious along with a great glass of pinot noir. Prompt and attentive service.

I decided to use Manning's to celebrate my 50th birthday. I reserved a space upstairs for a party of 25. Mr Manning and his staff made sure the space was setup amd ready to go ahead of time. He and staff were very responsive and did everything they could to meet my requests for my special day. In addition to being kind and attentive to me as well as my guests, the food was also amazing...as usual. I would recommend this location to anyone looking for the full dining experience. Thank you Mr Manning for helping to make memories I will cherish always. read more

The best restaurant in Clayton. Food is consistently delicious, portions are large, prices are fair, seafood always tastes fresh, generous wine pours, good for causal dining or any special occasion. This is where we always take our family and friends for a good meal when they're visiting from out of town. My absolute menu favorites are the gumbo, shrimp & grits, chicken wings, burgers, and the Clayton Cobb Salad. Everything has been tasty that I've tried in the years we've been going here. Rooftop dining is a fantastic bonus when the weather is nice. You can also now order online for takeout which I've used on those lazy nights when I don't feel like cooking, but don't want to go out. Keep up the good work, Manning's! read more

My husband and I ate on the rooftop one evening. It was absolutely lovely! I had the best shrimp and grits I have ever had. The crab cake appetizer was a delicious choice too! The waitress was friendly and did an awesome job serving us. read more

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The food, service, and atmosphere are beyond compare! We HIGHLY recommend Manning's restaurant!!

This is a great little place. Staff is pleasant any time of the day. Accommodation are nice. The atmosphere is pleading to the eye. The prices were okay. We were there two times. Once for dinner and we all had something different between chicken fish and ribs it was all worth it. The ribs were enough for 2 dinners. The second time was just for drinks at the bar and it was good wine. The dessart was recommended by bartender was awesome. read more

One of the very few consistent good places to have a good martini and meal in the culinary wasteland that is Clayton. Why they're isn't a few mid level chains like an Outback, Carrabas, Bonefish, etc. baffles me. Plenty of people ready to go out for a more mid scale dinner experience here than Bojangles or cheap Mexican yet have to drive to Raleigh. Maybe someday........... read more

The service and food at Manning's were both great. I really enjoyed the crab cakes appetizer, the cakes were filled with crab meat. I also enjoyed the pork tenderloin; however, the grits were a tad underseasonsed. Overall, I can't wait to return. read more

I have been back and tried them again at least 3 more times since the first time two years ago. And what keeps me on coming back are their burgers. I found out that their burgers are delicious and nicely done. Staff had been always good and attentive since my last three visits. The design aesthetics are still horrible. Decoration and table setup is discombobulated. You go upstairs and ambience is gone. Room upstairs look like the kitchen pantry of a church. Why on earth do they have bright lights in there? wall colors should be darker and tables should all be change. Utensils and check out containers should be hidden out of sight. I must say their interior decorator should be hanged. Amen. read more

Love the pork sliders! Sit at the bar to avoid the long waits at peak time. Bar tenders are friendly and the drinks are good.

Not worth even one star in my opinion! Called about 20 minutes before, didn't answer the phone appropriately for a business just said "hello", then to be told they did not have call ahead or reservations. We arrive to them saying " did you have a reservation" in which we replied we called and you said you didn't have any. Then in comes reservations, says 30 minutes, so we go to bar. Folks came in after us and a couple was leaving as said her you can scoop up this table ( it was a table top IN the bar area), they got kicked out and then said to us your table is ready and I'm like the dirty bar top you just chased those people away from? Yes they said. If went down hill after that! Crappy service except the bar! Number if your that busy you can remove the two non useful table tops by the cold door and replace with tables if your that busy! My salad comes, no shrimp and grits for husband, waiting, waiting, I finish salad and then 10 minutes later the "2 shrimp and RICE" comes out. Waiting waiting for dinner it come out 20 mixtures after that to a baked potato so hard it could have broken the window I sat beside, meanwhile back is hurting from high, wobbly chair and everyone around us at the bar is getting food faster. Next thing the huge birthday party leaves and low and behold allll kinda of tables open up and people walk right in. Not happening, not worth the money they charge, never again! And now I know what chains take over the locals!! read more

This is a great place in downtown Clayton. Food, atmosphere and service are always great. We will definitely be back. read more

We've been here multiple time and have never had a disappointing experience. Every dish I have tried has always been really good. We just left there from having Father's Day dinner and it was excellent. Our waitress (wish I had gotten her name) was excellent. She took the kids order before everyone else's and it was served quickly. Everyone was happy with their meals. The kids dishes are a hefty serving and you could even split them between two younger children. I had the crab cake entree tonight and it was my first time getting it there and it was so good! I highly recommend it. read more

An amazing stop for any kind of visit! Since the first time I went myself 10 years ago, I have been bringing out of town guests there every time. The food is exquisite and the atmosphere comfortable and inviting, yet has an upscale feel. A diamond of Clayton for sure:) read more

Top notch food with great service and an awesome atmosphere ... we did have to wait a little bit for our table so we grabbed a drink at the bar with no problems at all. The wait was worth it trust me !!!! read more

Nice little place tucked away in downtown Clayton. We were out seeing the Christmas lights at Lights On The Neuse (aka Clayton Fear Farm) and decided to stop in for supper. The crabcake appetizer was phenomenal. Crabcake a sitting atop fried green tomatoes with corn relish. And the seafood gumbo was good as well. The hubs had a steak and baked potato which were both really good. Nice local beer selection. Will definitely be back :-) read more