Golden Corral is a favorite buffet spot for many Americans looking for variety and value. With hundreds of food choices under one roof, not every dish can be a winner.
I’ve spent years visiting these restaurants and found clear winners and losers. Here’s my honest take on what to skip and what to pile on your plate.
1. Disappointing: Dried-Out Fried Chicken
The fried chicken often sits under heat lamps too long. What should be crispy and juicy turns into a sad, leathery disappointment.
The meat dries out while the coating loses its crunch. Skip this unless you see a fresh batch coming out of the kitchen.
2. Hit: Carved Prime Rib
Watching the carver slice that beautiful pink prime rib is a buffet highlight! The meat stays tender and flavorful even on busy nights.
Add a dollop of horseradish sauce for extra zing. This premium protein makes the buffet price worthwhile all by itself.
3. Disappointing: Rubbery Scrambled Eggs
Mass-produced scrambled eggs rarely impress, but Golden Corral’s version ranks especially low. They often sit too long, developing that unappetizing rubbery texture nobody wants.
The pale yellow color and strange film on top are instant red flags. Your breakfast plate deserves better.
4. Hit: Bourbon Street Chicken
Sweet, sticky, and bursting with flavor! The Bourbon Street Chicken delivers a perfect balance of tangy and sweet notes that keep customers coming back.
The sauce caramelizes beautifully on the chicken pieces. Grab this when it’s fresh and hot for maximum enjoyment.
5. Disappointing: Soggy Pasta Dishes
Pasta dishes face a tough challenge at buffets. Golden Corral’s offerings usually end up overcooked and swimming in watery sauce.
The noodles clump together while the cheese congeals unappealingly. Even the mac and cheese disappoints with its grainy texture and lack of flavor depth.
6. Hit: Freshly Baked Rolls
Those warm, pillowy dinner rolls are buffet royalty! Golden Corral bakes these throughout service, ensuring fresh batches regularly appear. The slightly sweet, buttery flavor pairs with everything.
Watch for staff bringing out steaming trays from the oven – that’s your cue to grab a couple!
7. Disappointing: Bland Mashed Potatoes
A good mashed potato should be creamy, buttery, and well-seasoned. Golden Corral’s version misses all three marks. The texture resembles wallpaper paste more than potatoes.
Even drowning them in gravy can’t save these bland, gluey spuds that clearly come from a box rather than fresh potatoes.
8. Hit: Chocolate Fountain
Pure chocolate joy flowing in an endless cascade! Kids and adults alike light up at the sight of this sweet centerpiece. Grab strawberries, marshmallows, or rice crispy treats for dipping.
The chocolate stays perfectly warm and smooth.
9. Disappointing: Limp Stir-Fry Vegetables
The stir-fry station promises fresh, crisp veggies cooked to order. Reality delivers sad, waterlogged vegetables that lost their crunch hours ago. Broccoli turns an unappealing olive color.
Bell peppers wilt into mush.
10. Hit: Hand-Dipped Ice Cream
Creamy, cold, and available in multiple flavors! The ice cream station offers a reliable dessert winner that satisfies every time. Add your choice of toppings from the nearby bar.
The chocolate and vanilla bases taste genuinely premium, not like the cheap stuff many buffets serve.
11. Disappointing: Waterlogged Salad Bar
Fresh, crisp salad should be a buffet basic. Golden Corral’s salad bar items often sit in pools of water, creating soggy lettuce and diluted dressings.
The cut vegetables look tired and pale. Even pre-made salads like potato and macaroni suffer from too much mayo and too little flavor.
12. Hit: Pot Roast With Vegetables
Fall-apart tender beef swimming in rich gravy makes this comfort food classic a guaranteed winner. The meat stays moist even under heat lamps.
Carrots and potatoes soak up all that beefy flavor. This hearty option delivers home-cooked taste without the hours of preparation you’d need at home.
13. Disappointing: Dry Baked Fish
Fish requires careful cooking to maintain moisture. Golden Corral’s baked fish fillets typically end up dry, flaky in all the wrong ways.
The seasoning can’t compensate for overcooked texture. Even tartar sauce struggles to rescue these sad seafood specimens that have clearly spent too long under heat lamps.
14. Hit: Fresh Yeast Rolls With Honey Butter
Golden Corral’s yeast rolls achieve pastry perfection! Soft, slightly sweet dough with a golden exterior that pulls apart in steamy layers.
The honey butter melts instantly on contact. Smart diners know to grab these early – they disappear faster than anything else on the buffet line!
15. Disappointing: Lukewarm Taco Bar
Tacos should feature hot filling and cool toppings. Golden Corral’s taco station misses this basic principle. The meat sits at an unappetizing middle temperature.
Hard shells lose their crunch while sitting out.
16. Hit: Cotton Candy Machine
Pure nostalgic fun spun into fluffy clouds of sugar! The cotton candy machine brings carnival joy right to your table. Kids watch mesmerized as colorful threads transform into puffy treats.
This simple dessert creates lasting memories that keep families coming back to Golden Corral year after year.