Saturday was a “pleasant surprise,” when Frisco King actor Samuel L. Jackson stopped in for a midday meal at Madea’s Down Home Cooking in Dallas-Fort Worth, said owner Elbert Penson.

The restaurant is in the small town of Everman, south of Fort Worth. Penson isn’t sure how Jackson found out about his 23-year-old restaurant, but his staff was thrilled to feed him collard greens, broccoli-rice casserole and fried catfish.

“It was a very exciting moment,” said Michael Sherrod, who runs operations for the restaurant. He was on-site when Jackson came in with a table of about 10 guests.

“We didn’t realize he was here until he tapped me on the shoulder and complimented us on the food,” Sherrod said.

The restaurant was created for Penson’s mother, Madea. After she passed, Penson said he opened Madea’s “as a source of healing,” to remember the Sunday afternoon family get-togethers he cherished throughout his life.

“In the African American community, Sunday was a holiday. That was the only time most of our dads were not at work,” the owner said. “We’d do church and come home and eat at the same table. There was a lot of love, a lot of joy on Sunday.”

Madea’s is open six days a week — including Sundays — and is known in its community for three things: oxtails, cornbread and fruit punch flavored Kool-Aid. The recipes come from Penson’s mother and grandmother, and other popular items include meatloaf, chicken fried steak and scratch-made desserts.

Frisco King film crews have reportedly been working in Fort Worth, Keller and Southlake. 

Jackson’s visit to Madea’s confirmed to Penson that his idea of the family gathering “still works,” he said. His restaurant is laid out like a home, where different rooms offer a feeling of those Sunday get-togethers. One of the rooms is the Obama Room, where the restaurant displays pictures of presidents and civil rights leaders.

“For Mr. Jackson to come in and see that, it’s a real big deal to us,” Penson said.

“The whole idea is not just the food: The food is great, but we’re designed to make you feel like you’re home.”

Madea’s Down Home Cooking is at 1019 W. Enon Ave., Everman. Closed Mondays.