5 Restaurant Chains With the Best All-You-Can-Eat Buffets, According to Chefs
If you’re looking for a meal where you can go back for seconds—or thirds—without sacrificing quality, some restaurant chains do buffets better than others. The best all-you-can-eat spots offer more than just a huge quantity of food: They give diners plenty of variety, freshly prepared options, and enough crowd-pleasing dishes to make multiple trips to the buffet worthwhile. Here are the top five chains with the best buffets, according to Therese Buchanan, home chef, food blogger & recipe developer at Tessie’s Table.
Fogo de Chão
For an all-you-can-eat experience that feels more like a feast, Fogo de Chão is hard to beat. “While it’s not a traditional buffet, its Full Churrasco Experience is one of the best all-you-can-eat meals available at a chain,” says Buchanan. “Gaucho chefs continuously carve fire-roasted meats such as picanha, filet mignon, ribeye, lamb, and chicken tableside, while guests can return to the Market Table and Feijoada Bar as often as they like.”
Texas de Brazil
Texas de Brazil takes the all-you-can-eat concept in a similarly meat-forward direction. “This chain is an excellent choice for meat lovers because the selection goes far beyond ordinary buffet fare,” Buchanan explains. “Gauchos bring flame-grilled picanha, filet mignon, flank steak, lamb, sausage, and other meats to the table, while the salad area and hot dishes offer plenty of choices between servings.”
Golden Corral
When countless options for a good value are the priority, few national chains can compete with Golden Corral. “The chain is hard to beat for sheer variety,” says Buchanan. “Its endless buffet includes homestyle dishes, fried chicken, carved and grilled meats, vegetables, pizza, soups, salads, yeast rolls, and a large dessert section, making it a practical choice when everyone wants something different.”
HuHot Mongolian Grill
For diners who like to build their meal from scratch, HuHot Mongolian Grill offers a more interactive take on the buffet. According to Buchanan, “HuHot Mongolian Grill stands out because every bowl is assembled by the diner and cooked fresh on the grill.” She says, “You can choose your own combination of meat, seafood, noodles, vegetables, and sauces, then return as many times as you like and create something completely different.”
Pizza Ranch
Pizza Ranch proves that an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet doesn’t have to stop at pizza. “The buffet includes crispy fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables, salads, specialty pizzas, and desserts such as its cinnamon-streusel Cactus Bread, and the Buffet Your Way option lets you request a pizza if your favorite is not already available,” Buchanan explains.