Let me say this from the start I hate buffet. With that stated lets get into this. Rolling around the QCA with the family doing some shopping on a Saturday, it rapidly became time for dinner. We could not figure out what we wanted. My better half wanted Chinese, yet I was not feeling that at all. She said Buffet, I wanted to instantly vomit. Where to go for buffet was the biggest mystery. As we hooked a left down the road for some reason, that darn commercial for Golden Corral popped into my head. Since we have never been there we were game to try it out.
As we pulled into the parking lot, we were surprised that it was full. Great I think to myself all the hogs are at the trough. As we enter the place the first thought I had was that it was cow/hog central. You make your way like cattle to pay the cashier, felt like waiting inline at Disney Land for Big Thunder Mountain. After the really embarrassing moment of my credit card being declined, paying with my debit card we wait for the hostess to lead us to our table.
Now I say this in great respect cause they were totally busy, yet my first impression was the place was kind of dirty with crude all over the floor. Yet by the time I got my first plate of grub and wallowed my way back to our table, I looked again around us and they staff cleaned up all the crud. Our server was named Josh who was a really nice guy. With as busy and hectic as the place was, it was a nice change to have a happy non stressed server. For a buffet type place to have a on the spot guy like Josh was really wonderful.
This place is really kid friendly, which was awesome since we have a 3 year old daughter. The set up from the salad bar to the meat station to the dessert station was very eye catching. Most buffet type places are not. I did not see the usual food slopped all over the place. I did not see french dressing slopped into the blue cheese dressing. Which says a ton about the staff, cause the hogs were messy all around while they got their food.
Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, and very few other buffet spots in between serve steak grilled in the open to perfection. I was in wonder that the Golden Corral did. From the steak, ribs, mini steak burgers, all grilled right in the open were really tasty. Now what really blew my mind was the fried fish. 99% of every buffet except most high end buffets like at the Bellagio Casino have horrible greasy fried fish. Golden Corral's fried fish was light and crisp, without the nasty old over fried taste. You put your finer on it and it does not come back greasy. They also served a nice coconut shrimp that did not taste like french fries.
Back to our server Josh, not once did my Dr. Pepper get below the half way mark. We did not have to deal was a pile of plates on our table either. I keep my eyes and ears open to what others are saying about the place. Most of my fellow diners in our section, were saying really nice things about Josh.
The dessert station had just about all things you could want after stuffing yourself to overload. Watching my two ladies toasting each other with their soft serve ice cream told me it was time to leave. Golden Corral has not changed my view on buffet by a long shot, yet we will be going back again for sure. Total cost for our dinner out was 26 dollars, kids 3 and under eat for free.