Seriously Underrated Buffet Items You Need To Try

In a post-COVID world that seems to be phasing itself out of the nostalgic buffet dining-scene that reigned supreme in the '80s and '90s, the quest to find a decent, modern-day self-serve spot can feel bleak. However, there are a few restaurant chains still clinging to the old ways, keeping buffet-loving consumers' dreams alive with their cafeteria-style dining rooms that offer up all-you-can eat pizzas, meats, salads, or sweets. And a few of these franchises — such as Golden Corral, Pizza Ranch, Sirloin Stockade, and Cicis — have some seriously delicious menu items to their name. So delicious, in fact, that even buffet skeptics will find them worth making a stop for.

Whether it's a sizzling soup, a uniquely-topped pizza, or a pasta baked over with bubbling layers of ample mozzarella, you need to add the following items from persisting buffets around the country to your culinary bucket list. Here are some seriously underrated buffet items you need to try.

When you think about the Midwest, you may picture mountains of snow or a block of high-quality Wisconsin cheddar. But do you picture the region's most notable pizza buffet restaurant? Pizza Ranch is an Iowa-launched buffet chain with locations sprinkled across the Midwestern states of America. As its name suggests, the franchise is best known for its various pizza offerings ... but that's not the only food item gracing the counters of its extensive self-serve tables. Among the slices of cheese, pepperoni, and other savory picks rests a dessert treat that can't help but call out to every consumer with a sweet tooth.

Pizza Ranch's Cactus Bread, despite its prickly title, will envelop your taste buds in a soft, saccharine embrace. A basic pizza dough becomes dessert heaven after it has been doused in a melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar mixture, then topped with a cinnamon streusel crumble, and swirl of cream cheese icing. The dish is so popular, it has prompted online requests for the recipe, with consumers trying to recreate the mouth-watering bread at home. But let's be honest; recipe recreations are never quite the same as they are in-house. To experience the full, sweet goodness accompanying this particular dessert pastry, pencil in a stop at one of Pizza Ranch's many locations in the heartland. We doubt you'll regret it.

Despite a major dip in popularity that nearly pushed the company Golden Corral over the ledge, the franchise was able to pull itself out of near restaurant ruin to become one of America's buffet dominators yet again. With nearly 400 locations spread across 40 states, Golden Corral is consistently feeding hungry consumers from sea to shining sea ... and nestled among its many meal choices is a soup worth over-filling your bowl with.

Though Golden Corral may have fried chicken, baked fish, scalloped potatoes, sweet corn pudding, and other comforting menu marvels up for grabs on its self-serve counters across the U.S., the real winner among them, according to eaters, is the chain's chicken noodle soup. A delightfully briny mix of savory noodles and sweet carrots mixed in a broth that warms you from the inside out, customers line up for extra scoops of this simple, yet particularly memorable entree. "Their meatloaf is so bad it's good," says a user on Reddit of Golden Corral's fare. "[...] the hot rolls are pretty okay, and the chicken noodle soup is absolutely killer." The good news? With the chain's extensive reach, it shouldn't be difficult to find a location where you can give a steaming bowl of this celebrated soupy goodness a try. Just be careful not to scarf it down so quickly, you burn your tongue.

It's a match made in heaven, a combination so indulgent and dripping with cheesy goodness, you'll wonder why you never thought of it before. A pizza topped with macaroni and cheese? Sign us up.

But not for just any old macaroni-and-cheese pizza; we want the one from the well-known pizza buffet chain, Cicis. Though the industry giant has been hit with its share of struggles over the years, Cicis has managed to pull itself out of restaurant ruin and into the realm of cafeteria-style celebrity with the help of one of its most creative menu dishes. "Mac n cheese pizza," reads a comment on Reddit discussing consumers' favorites from the restaurant franchise — and this mention was "liked" by a slew of agreeing users. "The only real correct answer," echoed another user under the comment, further evidencing the communal love for this double-cheese delicacy. Admittedly, this dish is a bit on the rich side given its salty elements — but when it comes to satisfying an occasional craving for something super-savory, you can't go wrong with this Cicis masterpiece.

One of the best parts about trying out a new sushi shop is sampling its specialty rolls. Often a bit outside of the box as far as standard sushi combinations go, specialty rolls are a way in which restaurants can get creative, experimenting with unusual flavors and textures that stun their patrons — ideally, in a good way. And at Sushi Palace, the celebrated sushi buffet chain restaurant, there is one specialty roll in particular that you should be saving room for on your plate.

The Sweet Potato roll from Sushi Palace is a veggie-based sushi creation starring both soft sweet potato and crunchy cucumber, wrapped up in a rice-and-seaweed covering before being topped off with a generous drizzle of eel sauce and crispy, deep fried onion bits. Even meat lovers will appreciate the taste and textural ride this vegetarian roll provides, the smooth-and-crunchy finish next to the sweet-and-briny flavor is an absolute culinary showstopper. The next time you show up with a rumbling stomach for all-you-can-eat sushi, throw an extra few pieces of this specialty roll on your platter to round out your meal.

Chuck-A-Rama is a modest-sized homestyle buffet chain found in the states of Idaho and Utah offering up a number of coveted American comfort foods. And while you'll find fried chicken, kettle-roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, tomato soup, potato salad, and other entrees that inevitably bring back memories of grandma's house among its ranks, the item that will reportedly make your taste buds the happiest is the hand-carved roast beef.

The Hand Carved Roast Beef entree from Chuck-A-Rama is roasted all night long in an au jus broth, rendering it tender and chock full of flavor by the time it is cut and brought out to be served. Paired with cooked mushrooms and caramelized onions, a number of different sauces are provided alongside this meaty masterpiece for customers to dip or pour atop their portions — and the effect is nothing short of culinary bliss. The next time a hankering comes knocking, don't let the stigma surrounding buffet food stand in the way of your giving Chuck-A-Rama's a try. If nothing else, this chain knows its way around a roast beef — period.

Though there may be some recent signs suggesting that restaurant industry powerhouse, Pizza Hut, might be struggling to stay in business, for now at least, the company is holding down the fort. With well over 6,000 locations in the United States alone, Pizza Hut's presence remains incredibly far-reaching. Though the majority of the company's modern storefronts have done away with the classic buffet dining style associated with the chain, there are a few Pizza Huts left still clinging to the self-serve style.

And if you happen to stumble into a store where you can still scoop up a slice, sandwich, or salad of your choice off of the bar, make sure you grab a hefty portion of this next entree on our list. Pizza Hut's Chicken Alfredo Pasta is creamy, cheesy, oven-baked perfection, according to eaters. "I LOVE it [...] they make the chicken Alfredo, then cover it with like a pound of mozzarella, then bake it — so it is super rich," says a user on Reddit discussing the dish. "I always order a couple extra slices of plain garlic bread for mine, and eat it by scooping the pasta onto the bread." If that's not enough to incite a craving within you, we don't know what will. And there's good news as far as availability goes: even if your local Pizza Hut doesn't have the classic buffet service, you can still place an order for this one via delivery or takeout.

Fried chicken is a consistent consumer favorite, and it isn't hard to imagine why. With its juicy, moist middle and crunchy breaded outer layer, mouths often begin watering at the mere mention of the popular poultry take. But when considering where to go the next time you need to satisfy a crispy, seasoned, flavorful fried-chicken craving, make sure to keep Valentino's in mind.

Though the idea of heading to an Italian buffet restaurant for fried chicken may seem strange, it isn't in the case of Valentino's Grand Italian Buffet, according to eaters. Online reviews are alight with positive things to say about the small, Nebraska-based franchise's country-style broasted fried chicken, which is reportedly prepared using a special pressure frying technique that locks in both flavor and moisture. While of course there are other Italian classics, like pizza and lasagna, to be had at the self-serve counters of Valentino's various locations, it is the fresh, never-frozen fried poultry that steals the show — so don't let a trip to Nebraska go by without sampling it.

It's a Southern breakfast staple, a multifaceted porridge made from ground dent corn. That's right — we're talking about grits. Thought to have originated sometime around 8700 B.C., grits have endured throughout the ages, maintaining their standing as a popular dish in both homes and restaurants in the Southern United States. Perhaps that's why Shoney's, the Tennessee-based buffet chain with the highly-recognizable roadside sign, keeps grits stocked at all of its breakfast counters. But these aren't your typical run-of-the-mill buffet pails of lukewarm mush — the grits introduced at Shoney's come highly recommended by consumers.

Whether it be creamy, bacon-topped, or Shrimp N' Grits, Shoney's provides a corn-mash worthy of its Southern roots. Visiting tourists and unfamiliar Northerners couldn't find a better chain to sample the dish for the first time ... and conversely, nostalgic Southerners couldn't find a better buffet with which to provide a comforting taste of home. Though not every modern Shoney's offers the buffet service of old, all of its locations stock grits in the kitchen — so placing an order with a server will bring an equally-delicious bowl to your table.

While buffet restaurants were hit extremely hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the chains that fared the worst was Souper Salad. While this self-serve chain had a relatively notable presence in the early 2000s, the recession of 2008 seemingly instigated the slow death of the buffet franchise, which filed for bankruptcy in 2011. Its struggle was further exacerbated years later by the 2020 pandemic shutdown, and now, there are just three Souper Salads left in the world, located in the sole state of Texas.

But despite its massive reduction in visibility, Souper Salad lives on, still managing to put out a number of delicious self-serve menu items for its modest-sized consumer base. The most notable of these delicacies is, surprisingly, not a soup or a salad ... but rather, a sweetbread. The Berry Berry Blueberry Bread from Souper Salad is legendary, according to consumers — and those missing the chain's presence in their home states are still in mourning. "Oh man, I do miss that blueberry cornbread," said a user on Reddit. "It was so moist and the blueberries always seemed to be perfectly ripe. Now you have my mouth watering!" Though this particular treat may be hard to come by depending on your place of residence, it's worth penciling in a stop for the next time you're passing through the Lone Star State.

Sirloin Stockade is a buffet chain that has nine locations and is based out of Oklahoma City. Just as its title suggests, there's a lot of all-you-can-eat meat to be had at any of its restaurants, such as beef tips, bone-in ribeyes, fried tenders, shrimp, teriyaki chicken pieces, and more. But the protein that really calls out to salivating customers from miles away? Well, that would be the pot roast.

Sirloin Stockade's pot roast is the pinnacle of the chain's classic comfort-food style meats, say eaters lucky enough to have sampled it. Tender and flavorful, the moist, sauce-coated meat log falls practically apart in the serving dish in which it is placed — the telltale sign of a perfectly slow-cooked hunk of beef. "Stop by today to try our famous pot roast," declares the company on a Facebook post — evidencing the fact that Sirloin Stockade is aware of the reputation surrounding its winning entree. Confidence projected by both reviewing consumers and the franchise itself is a good sign, we'd say. Pardon us while we grab a plate and line up to give this one a go.

It's not always about the hot food when it comes to buffets. Cold bars, otherwise known as salad bars, are also an important element of a self-serve spread. Bright, beautiful, fresh, and welcoming, a well-done salad bar can serve as an inviting starter point for patrons in a large, intimidating all-you-can-eat restaurant scene. Overwhelmed by your choices? Never fear, the safety of the salad bar is here to graciously give you time to acclimate yourself and peruse.

However, in the slow phasing-out of the traditional buffet, too many salad bars have been left to the wayside or ditched completely. Thankfully, there is a worthy pizza buffet chain still holding on to the classic, comforting veggie table — and the produce it lays out is reportedly heavenly. Mr. Gatti's Pizza may have average self-serve pizza at best, but its salad bar, according to eaters, is anything but. "I would never go for the pizza," admits a consumer on Tripadvisor. "But their salad bar is outstanding! Such a great selection of greens, toppings, vegetables, fruit — I find myself craving it all." It's official; the oracle that is communal online reviews has convinced us that our next venture out to eat should be to a buffet. Will you be sampling some seriously underrated self-serve fare the next time your hunger takes hold? The choice is yours.

To develop our list of some of the most underrated products to be found at buffet restaurants, a thorough look into the nation's currently-active self-serve chains was conducted. Online consumer reviews, company menus, and the writer's own experiences, as applicable, were all taken into account. However, it's important to note that taste is highly subjective, and what is underrated in one person's view may be overrated in another's. Whatever you deem to be your favorite menu item at the buffet nearest to you, we wish you happy eating.