I’m going to preface this with, I’m not one who frequents a buffet. I absolutely love the option to try many things on the menu for one cost. However, I personally just don’t eat enough to justify the cost in most cases. And to-go boxes are usually frowned upon. But if you or someone in your family has a large appetite and loves variety, buffet restaurants are a great option. While there are certain chain restaurants that offer buffets (and can be delicious), it can be hard to know which restaurants are worth the cost. You want to make sure the variety, quality, and freshness of the food are up to par. That’s why our friends at The Daily Meal created a list of the best buffets in each state. And it was a coastal gem that took the title of North Carolina’s best buffet restaurant.

Surprisingly it’s not one that specializes in seafood. Instead, it has a focus on those southern soul food classics, that in my opinion are vastly underrated and underrepresented in restaurants these days. To create this list, the food experts at The Daily Meal tracked down a bevy of beloved all-you-can-eat deals from every state. They then judged them according to food selection, décor, ratings on review sites, and level of local renown. If these buffets are on the pricier side, they made sure that they are worth the price. Keep reading to see what they crowned North Carolina’s best buffet restaurant as well as favorites from neighboring states. You can read their full list here if another state piques your curiosity.

  • North Carolina: Casey’s Buffet (Wilmington)

    Menu

    The Daily Meal writes, “Casey’s Buffet is a beloved Wilmington, North Carolina, no-frills buffet filled to the brim with soul food classics. You will find spot-on barbecue pork, fried and baked chicken, catfish, whiting, chitlins, mac and cheese, pigs’ feet and a slew of sides and desserts. This place is a true Southern icon, serving loads of Southern dishes that the rest of the world needs to try.” Casey’s website explains it best saying, “Lunch and dinner at Casey’s Buffet combines our all-you-can-eat selection of meats, vegetables, and breads. We make our famous barbecue with love from our tried and true recipe, and we prepare our soul food in the Southern tradition. And don’t you forget the full dessert bar!”

  • South Carolina: Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant (Myrtle Beach)

    Menu

    According to The Daily Meal, “Captain George’s offers a spectacular fresh seafood feast in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Snow crab legs, steamed shrimp and clams, mussels, crawfish, blackened Mahi, oysters Rockefeller, stuffed clams, deviled crab and she-crab soup are just a handful of the Southern-style seafood offerings. It costs $20 for kids 12 and under and $38 for adults.” A quick glance at the menu shows there are 20, yes 20, entrees included in that price. There are also soups and salads, sides, and enough desserts to make a meal just from sweets.

     

     

  • Virginia: Michie Tavern (Charlottesville)

    Menu

    This one I’ve actually been to. It’s on the way to Montecello in Charlottesville and provides a meal that continues with your historical day. The Daily Meal says, “Michie Tavern is one of America’s most historic restaurants, and it can trace its Charlottesville, Virginia, roots to the 18th century. The restaurant is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., when a bountiful buffet of classic Southern fare is offered. Dishes include Southern fried chicken, smoked pulled pork, black-eyed peas with country ham, cornbread, biscuits, and vegetable soup.” The food was delicious and at $23 it’s a very reasonably prices buffet.

     

     

  • Tennessee: Brook Shaw's Old Country Store (Jackson)

    Menu

    Here’s what The Daily Meal had to say, “The buffet at old-fashioned “whistlestop” Brook Shaw’s Old Country Store serves a huge selection of country favorites, like country ham, which of course belongs on any Southern breakfast table. For dinner, there is fried chicken, fried catfish and Low Country boil with turnip greens, white beans, hominy and mac and cheese on the side, and banana pudding for dessert.” The restaurant itself describes it as “pure, honest, Southern cookin’ that brings back memories of Grandmother’s home, as well as a taste of new items, soon to become favorites!”

     

  • Georgia: Nori Nori (Atlanta)

    Menu

    This Japanese buffett differs from the good ole southern homestyle cooking of the rest of these buffetts. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t just as delicious. The Daily Meal writes that, “Atlanta’s Nori Nori brings a massive assortment of all-you-can eat sushi and other Japanese and fusion dishes to Georgia. Along with more than 15 varieties of nigiri sushi and nearly 30 creative rolls, diners can treat themselves to a spread of dishes including beef tataki, snow crab legs, beef short ribs, gyoza, yakitori, white clams, yakisoba noodles, and a huge assortment of desserts ranging from chocolate cheesecake to green tea ice cream. It ranges in price from $18.25 to $33.95.”

     

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