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15 Craziest Buffets in America You Have To Try

There is something for every budget, appetite, and food lover’s whim.

catering buffet food indoor
Updated Oct. 1, 2024
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Buffets can offer diners a great way to save money at restaurants, especially if your appetite is super hearty. The more food you put away, the greater the chances that you will get your money’s worth — and then some.

Some buffets truly stand out in this crowded culinary landscape thanks to their unique spreads, quirky themes, great prices, and genuinely good food.

Hungry yet? Here are the best over-the-top buffets that you need to try at least once.

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Americana — Des Moines

K.Pornsatid/Adobe international buffet in the hotel

If you dream of the perfect brunch, you’ll find it here. On weekends, you can enjoy cocktails and classic brunch offerings such as eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and more.

There is also a grilled cheese station. Plus, you will find taco, salad, mashed potato, and macaroni and cheese bars.

All you need for this party is $42, which means you can keep more cash in your wallet as you get your fill of fine food.

Bacchanal Buffet — Las Vegas

Mat Hayward/Adobe knife and a chopped steak

This decadent buffet in Caesars Palace is the largest in Las Vegas, with more than 250 menu items. Options truly run the gamut, including prime rib, full roast pig, a ceviche bar, and Italian pizza. There is even a crab brunch.

Seats are $84.99 for dinner service.

Boma — Flavors of Africa — Orlando, Florida

Microstocker/Adobe bowl of moroccan harira soup

You will find this safari-themed smorgasbord inside Animal Kingdom at Disney World.

Feast on African-inspired offerings such as African spiced beef striploin, Moroccan harira, and Durban chicken. Or, enjoy traditional American fare such as macaroni and cheese and chicken bites.

Dinner is $56.

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The Old Country Store — Jackson, Tennessee

.shock/Adobe buffet food

It’s worth the trip to this gem that promises a helping of Southern food. Pile on the fried chicken and catfish alongside black-eyed peas and turnip greens. Or, try hot tamale pie and smoked barbecue bologna for a twist.

Weekend dinner is a super-reasonable $19.99.

Captain George's — Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

toyechkina/Adobe breakfast buffet concept

Welcome to seafood paradise: This spread has all of your favorites, such as snow crab legs, fried oysters, stuffed clams, and clam chowder.

Landlubbers will find steak and chicken, as well as macaroni and cheese, hush puppies, and potato salad.

A mere $44.99 unlocks the keys to this delicious kingdom.

Espetus — San Francisco

Estudio Conceito/Adobe serving feijoadafeijoada buffet

At this traditional Southern Brazilian rodizio buffet, servers bring you endless platters of flame-grilled filet mignon, ribs, chicken, sausage, shrimp, and more. Oh yeah, there are salads and appetizers, too.

Weekend dinner is $74.95 per person.

Honey Pig Korean BBQ — Ellicott City, Maryland

Cristi/Adobe traditional korean street food

All-you-can-eat Koren barbecue is popular, and with good reason: Who can resist the deliciousness of bulgogi, pork belly, and ribs cooked right at your table?

Noodles and soups also abound on the large menu here, giving you an authentic and delicious Korean experience.

Both menu items and pricing vary depending on location, with restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, and Texas.

Jacob Restaurant — New York

Sondem/Adobe close up of foods

This Harlem staple serves up the soul food and Caribbean cuisine you dream of: fried chicken, collard greens, oxtails, curried goat, jerk chicken, peach cobbler, and so much more.

Pricing is $8.49 to $9.49 per pound.

North Country Steak Buffet — La Crosse, Wisconsin

waranyu/Adobe man scooping the food

The main draw at this mom-and-pop buffet is the steak counter, where your meat of choice is cooked and served to you without limits.

You will also find a huge salad bar here, along with a large menu featuring everything from lasagna to tacos.

Dinner service is a steal at $15.75 per person.

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Red Apple Buffet — Chicago

toyechkina/Adobe breakfast time in luxury hotel

This Chicago institution has been a staple of the culinary scene for decades, serving up all of your favorite Polish specialties.

We’re talking pierogies, kielbasa with sauerkraut, potato pancakes, roast duck, and more. There is also dessert, but no alcohol is served.

The weekend buffet is $32.99 per head.

Shady Maple — East Earl, Pennsylvania

zphoto83/Adobe picking up food from buffet

This is where you will find the biggest buffet in the country. Options are dizzying at this Pennsylvania Dutch powerhouse, from steak and shrimp to carved ham and salmon.

And that’s just the meat. The salad bar alone has 46 items. Then, there are soups, sides, and desserts.

Saturday dinner is a reasonable $28.99.

The Nordic — Charlestown, Rhode Island

K.Pornsatid/Adobe breakfast buffet for the party

All-you-can-eat lobster, crab legs, scallops, shrimp, and clams? That’s the big draw at this popular buffet.

Enjoy those seafood delights along with filet mignon, prime rib, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, cheesecake, brownies, and more. Here, you have died and gone to food heaven.

The price tag is $135, but worth it.

Vatan — New York

carroteater/Adobe hands clipping a pasta-adobe

You won’t miss the meat at this vegetarian buffet that serves the incredible food of Gujarat, India.

Fill up on all of your favorites, from chana masala and toor dal to samosas and batatavada. Sweet beverages and treats include spicy masala chai and homemade ice cream.

It’s only $45 for the deliciousness.

Wicked Spoon — Las Vegas

kucheruk/Adobe cuisine culinary buffet dinner

You'll find the classics at this all-day brunch buffet — fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, and eggs benedict — in addition to international foods such as ramen and tamales.

The cold bar features sundries such as smoked salmon, a charcuterie station, and seasonal fruit. The menu rotates seasonally.

Enjoy it all for $54 on weekends.

Wynn — Las Vegas

Amakar/Adobe people at a banquet

Iconic, award-winning, and staggeringly huge, this famous Vegas buffet is king. If you want it, they will cook it in one of 16 kitchens.

Crab legs, prime rib, dumplings, sushi, dessert — there is no end to the feasting.

Dinner service is $74.99 a head.

Bottom line

simona/Adobe close up of catering service

If this list doesn’t make you want to go out to eat more, you must be reading with a full belly. The next time you're hungry, try one of the incredible dining experiences you can have at these over-the-top buffets.

Just be sure to read the fine print on the menu carefully, as some restaurants may charge more for items like alcoholic beverages or fancy extras.

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Cat Lafuente

Cat Lafuente is a Florida-based writer and editor with extensive experience in digital and print content spaces. Her own personal finance journey — particularly consolidating debt and paying it off, in turn boosting her credit score and becoming a homeowner — inspired her to join the FinanceBuzz team; she hopes she can help others do the same.