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Emzara’s Buffet

3.9 (88 reviews)
Closed 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Updated a few days ago

Emzara’s Buffet Photos

Business Info

EMZARA’S BUFFET ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Touristy
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Emzara’s Buffet

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Reviews With Photos

Filled plates
Emma S.

For a buffet they have a great variety. You can be sure you'll find something everyone can enjoy. I think because it's a big variety nothing is hugely amazing. It gives a home/cooked feel. There is a great amount of dining space. I went on a very busy day and there was still plenty of seating upstairs.

Salad plate and brussel sprouts... so good!!
Leora B.

My family and I decided to stop in at Emzara's during our day at the Ark. my husband and son sat here for more than 2 hours while my daughter and I went on the zip line and my son had some work meetings he needed to attend. No one said they couldn't or had to leave. By the time my daughter and I joined them and we all went down for lunch this place was PACKED!! Especially on the bottom floor which is close to the bathrooms and buffet but I recommended trying the top floor for a little more quiet. Seems like most people stay on the bottom. Tips: get two plates when you get in line and grab EVERYTHING you want on your first visit. Why? Because if you get your salad first then come back for meat and sides, you have to start all over at the back of the line. Now they do a really good job with the layout of the buffet and getting people through but it's still quite a line. So just get it all in one go and come back for dessert. Unless, like us, you skip dessert for Uncle Leroy's Fudge and Kezia's ice cream. Also, try the brussel sprouts! Best I've ever had!! Hands down!! Oh and don't turn your nose up at it because it's a buffet. It's actually really good food! I'm giving 5 stars because in spite of the shear number of people the served in a short time, the food was fresh, hot, and tasty, the venue was clean, the ambiance spot on, the service friendly, and there were a lot of food options! Sure to please everyone!

Seating area at 4pm just before closing
Momma S.

They had a wild range of food and it was hot and fresh. We ate after touring the arc and doing the zoo area which was about 4 and they closed at 5. I noticed the food wasn't kept full and seem like once things went empty they didn't replace it so i would recommend going around 12 or 1 not 4 like us.

a large group of people eating
Jack G.

** Kind Service ** ** Clean ** ** Convenient ** With enormous amounts of people and huge group numbers, a buffet is a no brainer. The line to get in wrapped around the building but it kept moving. The options were not the greatest but I can say the fried chicken was very tasty. Also try their pudding, it was fantastic! My only gripe would be the styrofoam plates, not great for the environment and was not great for carrying food. It may be that these were not their normal plates because I saw a few different varieties brought out. There are tons of employees working here and that was very cool to see. The place was spotless except for the drinks section, that was chaos. Our experience was good all and all.

a woman sitting at a table
Marie S.

Large variety of food, all well prepared. The night I went they ran out of 3 of the hot entrees, and they weren't refilled. Still, there we plenty of other choices. Staff was friendly and helpful. They were constantly cleaning!!!! You never saw any food or waste on the floor or tables. I never saw a buffet that was so immaculately clean before. Normally I avoid them for fear of not being kept up, but this one was the exception! Staff was sweeping and quilting everything down. Always cleaning!!!! I felt very confident the restaurant and food was fresh and clean, and safely prepared.

Inside
Arlene M.

Emzara's kitchen is the main sit down buffet restaurant at the Ark Encounter. There are two entrances both of which you pay your price fixed buffet meal and then get in line to serve yourself cafeteria style. Scattered throughout the restaurant are taxidermy animals to replicate some of the ark's animals. My husband and I were there during the lunch hour and again the two lines were exceptionally long. There was plenty of seating available. It wasn't overly long of a wait until we got our tri compartment paper plate and started to make our way through the salads and side dishes. There is a sign telling you that you must take a clean plate if you return to a station. With this line I had no intention of doing that. Most of the sides are clearly labeled and then over to the back was an area for hot foods. Here you find fried chicken, meatballs, chicken tenders, barbecued pork, pasta, and fried fish. The dessert station sits off by itself with paper plates of their own. The plasticwear was wrapped at the eating end to protect the user but I found it a pain to open my fork. With my husband's help I managed. Beverages again are served by machine and when I got my ice tea I was looking everywhere for sugar packets. Finally an employee showed me a machine that dishes out the "perfect" scoop. Really? By the time I got back to my table the ice in my drink had melted. The food was average quality. Again nothing to hit home about. All the sauces and condiments were off to the side and I must say I liked the meatballs and chicken tenders best. For dessert I took what looked like an apple mixture and a small piece of chocolate brownie. Again they were alright but this is a place for tourists and one needs to expect that. They also sell the refillable plastic drinking bottle here which you can use anywhere in the park for $19.99 but to me it wasn't worth the money. Bottom line. The Ark encounter has a number of family friendly fast foods both inside the ark and in Noah's village for less money. You are probably better off going there however, I recommend if visiting this buffet come after 1:00 when the lines are less crowded. Enzara's restaurant is located next to the Ark itself.

Fried chicken w/ beans, corn & mac n cheese.

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

Stopped here after a visit to the Ark. This is a buffet, reasonably priced and several food and dessert choices.

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8 years ago

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

Great food, abundant cool seating. Kid friendly and adult satisfying! Fried chicken and roast beef were excellent.

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6 years ago

Business owner information

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7 years ago

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

All the food was really good. You can tell the desserts are made in house and delicious

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7 years ago

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8 years ago

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3 years ago

Food was good but it was very crowded. The restaurant probably should have had both sides of the bar open during dinner rush.

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5 years ago

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7 years ago

Very good for a buffet with lots of options. Amazing staff and very understanding and accommodating to food allergens.

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6 years ago

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8 years ago

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7 years ago

Massive selection of food that is really good and price isn't bad it's worth the trip

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7 years ago

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Page 2 of 3

Ask the Community - Emzara’s Buffet

Beans - Donuts

Beans

4.4(375 reviews)
4.3 mi
$

I absolutely love trying new coffee shops, especially while traveling, and Beans ended up being…read moresuch a fun find. It's conveniently located right off the highway (literally only 1-2 minutes away) and offers a café and bakery with drive-thru, grab-and-go, and dine-in options! We grabbed breakfast burritos, which were the perfect quick bite for a road trip stop, along with a sugar-free vanilla iced latte that absolutely hit the spot. They had so many homemade bakery treats available, all made fresh daily, which made it even harder to choose. Between the cozy cabin vibes and wonderful hospitality, this is definitely a spot you can't go wrong with if you're passing through Kentucky!

Yay for Beans! Pit…read morestop to get some breakfast fuel before getting back on the road for a 5 hour drive. Staff was extremely personable & our orders didn't take long to come out! I order an Iced Caramel Oatmilk Latte & it was handed to me almost immediately after I had paid, I was still standing at the counter! It was perfect as I told them I liked my coffee "very light brown" I ordered my All Y'all sausage gravy and biscuits with country potatoes and was given a number to go sit at a table & be served. Poured my own cup of water out of a fancy chilled steel container & found a table (quite empty for a Saturday morning when we arrived) People started flooding in after we had got our food around 9AM (15 min after we arrived) I was so excited to have my meal since it's one of my favorites and it had been awhile! To my surprise, the gravy had a sweetness to it, which I didn't enjoy so I did have to load it up with salt, is that a Kentucky thing? The biscuits seemed that they were freshly made which was great instead of them coming out of a can & the potatoes were good too:) The bakery case was very hard to choose from, but I went with a Blackberry Lemon Crunch Donut & a Blueberry Danish (no pictures sadly) but both were fresh & fruity!

Photos
Beans - Inside shot

Inside shot

Beans - Donuts of choice.

Donuts of choice.

Beans - View from dining/cafe area to pastry goods

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View from dining/cafe area to pastry goods

Emzara’s Buffet - buffets - Updated May 2026

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