Golden Corral showcases 150+ dishes at their buffet. The average patron spends about 45-60 minutes in the restaurant. Among the most popular items at this buffet are:
- Sirloin steak
- Burger bar
- Butterfly shrimp
- Fried chicken
- Mac and cheese
- Chocolate fountain
- Cotton candy
- Carrot cake
- Mashed potatoes
It was our first time at the Golden Corral and we wanted to get taste of the most popular dishes. We went at lunch because we’re cheap and didn’t want to pay an extra $5 per person. We did avail of the unlimited drinks J
So where shall we start?
The build-your-own burger bar is one of the highlights of this buffet and rightfully so. You can get fresh patty, cheese and some seasonings and they will grill your burger while you wait a few minutes. The burger tastes really good. Plus, true to its name, you can add your choice of toppings like mushrooms, onions and peppers.
The steak is more than what you’d expect from a low-priced buffet. Heck, where else can you find a ten-dollar buffet that offers steak? Granted, the steak wasn’t really marinated – only brined. They did cook it to our specification – medium rare. And I’m happy about that.
Now let’s talk about the pizza. The slices are small, which isn’t an issue tbh because you can always get several slices. But what didn’t sit right with us was the taste and texture – it didn’t look or feel or taste like freshly made pizza. It was more like frozen pizza which they simply reheated.
Golden Corral also has the smoked pit ham which was sliced (or carved) to order. The meat is tender and not dry, plus you can add stuff like shrimp scampi to make it feel more sophisticated.
Another popular item is the butterfly shrimp. It has crispy breading and it’s seasoned well. The chili tastes like the ones you can order at Wendy’s, which wasn’t bad. Then there’s scalloped potatoes, BBQ pork and sauteed mushrooms. The BBQ pork was a bit on the dry side and didn’t have that full authentic smoke flavor.
Now let’s talk a bit about the fried chicken because for me, this was the star of the show. I know, I know. Eating fried chicken at a buffet may not exactly be what you were hoping for (Hello, KFC!) but Aunt B’s fried chicken is awesome and it’s not soggy. It’s served fresh from the fryer – juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Moving on to desserts. We absolutely loved the chocolate fountain! There are several options for dips like rice crispies, strawberries, and sugar cookies. Someone suggested fried chicken but I can’t even begin to fathom what that would taste like.
Last but not least would be Golden Corral’s most popular dessert – the 24-Karat Carrot Cake. It had a tender crumb crust, a cream cheese frosting, and large shreds of carrots in the cake. It wasn’t overly sweet which is a good thing. I had two servings of this cake – don’t judge!
For $10.49, the lunch buffet at Golden Corral is 100% worth it. You have to try it for yourself. And don’t forget to grab a bag of freshly spun cotton candy before leaving!
Here’s a glimpse of Golden Corral buffet: