We've probably been here a dozen times over the past several years and consistently, it's still a 3-star spot for me, with the caveat that if you know what you're getting and what to expect, it's perfectly fine. This is an affordable, all-you-can-eat, American-style buffet. In the last years, they've added a bit more variety and diversified their offerings slightly. You'll still find the basics -- pasta, mac & cheese, chicken, pizza, roast beef, and a salad bar -- but now there's also steak at the grill (expect a line or some wait at times), a taco bar with custom quesadilla requests, and even a waffle station. And they get bonus points for having disposable gloves available at the buffet stations. I genuinely enjoy the salad bar and soup stations. They usually have chili, chicken noodle soup, and my favorite -- clam chowder, which is surprisingly decent. My typical plate includes salads, cooked vegetables, a little meat, some soup, and yes... I'm a sucker for the pizza, which my kids also love. We always finish with dessert. The dessert section is extensive: pies, cakes, donuts (new), an ice cream machine with edible cones, and plenty of toppings like M&Ms, gummies, caramel and chocolate syrup. They also have bagged cotton candy ready to go -- and yes, you can take it home. Naturally, this is the kids' favorite area. What could really use improvement -- is the building itself. It's clearly overdue for renovation, especially the restrooms (at least on the women's side). They're usable, but barely. Some stall doors don't close properly, some require double latching, and others need a full body shove to shut. Toilet paper holders are falling off their hinges, automatic flush buttons don't always work, and you sometimes have to flush manually. The sinks and hand dryers do work, and there is soap and paper towels available, but overall the space could use better upkeep, fragrance, and general maintenance. I'm not complaining -- just pointing out that aesthetics and functionality could definitely be improved. That said, we still come here fairly often -- a few times a year at least. It's affordable, easy, and the kids love it. Dinner pricing for us was $10 per child and $18 per adult. Kids' meals include drinks (like strawberry lemonade), while adult sodas are an extra $3.59. During the week, kids can sometimes eat free or for as low as $3 with a paying adult, though we usually come on weekends and haven't tried those deals. Also, during the summer reading months, they partner with local libraries to give out free meal tickets for kids who participate which is nice. Then year round, there is also senior pricing available. We consistently receive great table service from Dominic, who clears plates quickly, refills drinks, and works very hard -- we always make sure to tip him. The rest of the staff also seems to work hard. During our most recent visit, they were decorating for Valentine's Day, and there was even a painter working on the glass, which was fun to watch. Additionally, they have a couple TVs in the dining areas and it keeps the kids entertained for a few minutes. I see many families come whenever we dine and kids settle in with their iPads. This place is definitely a go-to for many. Overall, we'll continue coming back, as we've done many times before. The food quality is average -- exactly what you'd expect from a buffet -- but you'll leave full if you come hungry. As with any buffet, this is not a great option if you have food allergies, strict dietary restrictions, or concerns about cross-contamination. In short, if you know what to expect, this can be a decent, no-hassle dinner option and a nice break for parents who don't want to cook multiple meals at home. Bonus tip: During colder months, the tables near the hot foods & dessert bar tend to feel warmer than those near the salad bar (as those areas have cool air for the salads) though the salad bar dining side is closer to the restrooms. read more

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First of all, just know what type of restaurant you're walking into and set your expectations accordingly. Don't get it twisted, I'm not expecting a 5-star Michelin restaurant. Seeing how this is a buffet, I think the food is as good as one can expect. From steak to fried chicken to fried shrimp to tacos, pizza, meatloaf and much more. This place will mostly satisfy any of your cravings and not break the bank. Only thing is I wish they would renovate the bathroom a bit, it's disgusting in there. read more

When we walked in there was a long line, the good thing is that the line moved quickly. You seat yourself and serve yourself. All the food I tried was hot, fresh and delicious. Of course the items that were supposed to be cold were kept at the perfect temperature too. Last time we were hear the bacon was a sweet maple flavor, today it was just plain which is what I prefer! There are thin boneless pork chops, chicken fried steak, fried chicken, and lots of other breakfast meat options as well as all the items you would expect for breakfast including a omelet station. There is a full salad bar, soups, and a dessert bar too. Lots of fresh fruit as well! I am very impressed with the people working here and the way they clear the tables and bring you drink refills... definitely service with a smile. They only serve breakfast on the weekends. We don't normally eat breakfast but when we crave it, we come here on the weekend. We just get water to drink and at this location there is milk in the buffet. Come and give this place a try! You will not be disappointed! read more

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill - Breakfast - Buffets Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

The food and experience was awful by far the worst Golden Corral I have been too and the manager (male) on a Saturday was a complete jerk .The food was cold with no taste read more

NEVER GO TO THIS PLACE. I mean come on, the first impression I got was horrible. Many of the workers looked miserable. When I was able to get chicken and rice, there was hair in EACH piece of food. read more

The meat was dry and the ice cream tasted off I'd rather eat wings with the spiciest sauce and there wasn't to many options to pick from

This a good option if you have a family that can't agree or a group with many different diets there is something my issues are with the food I mean where else here in Rockford can you get a steak taco and fried chicken. My issue is the same with all large chains the food quality service and ambience very from location to location oh ya and the chocolate waterfall brings back memories of pre Covid-19 when we didn't give rip about being 6 feet apart and sharing chocolate waterfalls and fondue pots didn't make our skin crawl or give us nightmares. read more

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Definitely not consistent because a couple weeks ago on a Saturday for breakfast/lunch they had tacos and a couple weeks later they didn't have any and they ran out of salad!!! read more

Had a very disappointing Thanksgiving dinner here with family. Half was cold or just tasted weird. As far as what i got, i think there could be so much improvement by the chefs. Why put gravy out that is the consistency of water. I could go on and on... there were a couple dessert items that were ok. I had high hopes that it would be better. I am thankful i can cook better and will stay home and cook myself next time. Do the employees taste this food? It could be a good place. read more

I type this as I sit inside this location (19AUG25), this place is absolutely horrible. I used to run restaurants for a living and this place would fail just about every inspection. Food was dried out from extended time under the lamps, over cooked, 4 staff in the whole place, food areas cold and hot with food spilled and crusty, floor sticky, and serving utensils laying on the floor after having been notified. This place has progressively gotten worse and we'll definitely not be returning. read more

This buffet restaurant is expensive considering that they charge you extra for drinks! At the carving station, the steak was good, but the turkey and the chicken were dried and hard. We couldn't eat them. There was no seafood other than some popcorn shrimps. Their salad was fresh and there were a lot of dessert options but they were just okay. The service was good and there were plenty of seating when we were there for lunch. But I don't think I will return though since I can't get over the price. read more

We went here for the first time tonight. It was my son's birthday. We had it looked it up and their website made it look pretty decent. It was terrible! The young man checking us in was incredibly rude. The staff behind the counters didn't seem to care at all about being there. One lady was playing on her phone with her gloves on and then went back to touching food. The food was really gross. It was very hard to find anything that we would even want to put on our plates. They had beautiful looking roles that were hard as rocks. None of my kids would eat them. Everything looked like it had been sitting out for days. It all looked very old and crusty. The atmosphere was terrible. The lights were super bright. No one even came back around to fill our drinks up. My husband actually went in the back and filled up his own drink. My expectations were low, but not low enough. Yikes. I went with two 16-year-olds a 12-year-old and an eight-year-old. Not one of them liked it. We will not be returning. I wouldn't eat there for free. read more

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Where to begin? The absence of meat entrees is a good starting point. Not only was there a lack of options, but there was no one available to take an order. What few things were available were mostly chicken and meat loaf that had been sitting there for a while. The green beans were brown. The deviled eggs were dried up. The hush puppies were inedible. The salad bar was average, but the Caesar dressing was not fresh. It should have been retired. Spaghetti was floating in water and the sauce did not look appetizing. There were too many things wrong to comment in detail, but if I owned the place, I would close the doors. read more

Golden Corral doesn't have cookers working in the kitchen its all microwaveable food might as well buy frozen dinners at the store

horribe food such bad staff this is so over priced just to get food that doesn't even taste good

The food's fine when it's available. We were here for an hour on Monday night and they were out of a lot of staples like pizza and broccoli and these were not refilled the entire time we were here much to the dismay of my daughter. A lot of food seems to be held over and just reheated. They seem to be shorthanded. read more

Disappointed. We used to come here a lot a few years ago and it was always good. Steaks, different flavor chicken wings and a lot more selections. Now, no wings, salty steaks, not a lot of meat selections, pork slices were hard. Considering dinner time prices there should be more food. Only thing I liked was the stir fried steak. We wanted to come back here coz of the good food selections but after this I think we're done. One thing good is the lady keeps checking up on us to see if everything's okay. read more

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill - the dining area - Buffets Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

All the food was gross was under warms for who knows how long. When asking for a manager was told one sec then, the waiter came back I and told me his manager can't come. I asked the waiter would you eat this chicken or potato....his response was no...like com'on.... get the health inspector in there and shut it down. read more

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill - Buffets Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

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Great dinner! Friendly staff! For Seniors, $14.79. Adults, $15.79. I had excellent soup and salad. Fresh sirloin steak. Tilapia. Fried Chicken. Stuffing and Spanish Rice and Green Beans. Topped it off with a delicious carrot cake! read more

This location is what every Golden Corral should be like. It starts with the staff. Excellent Mgr. and a very good crew. Food is good and the facility is clean. read more

I go here way more than I should... but both my father and my father-in-law love this place. The bottom line is that you get a good value for the cost of the buffet. During dinner they serve sirloin steaks, cooked to order. If you drop a few of those, you've easily made up the cost. Also the overall quality is pretty high. Food is rarely sitting out for very long. Aside from that, they've got a hearty selection of entrees like fish, shrimp, fried chicken, a taco/nacho bar, traditional salad bar, pasta, pizza, and soups. The dessert section is larger than most buffets with soft serve ice cream and toppings, a chocolate fountain, cakes, cookies, pies, and brownies. The best advice I can give you is to sit in an area with low foot traffic so that you're not getting bumped by people passing your table. The aisles are pretty wide, but some sections get tight. Also, if you're a fan of breakfast, go right before the transition to the lunch menu. They keep the eggs, bacon, and sausage out, but add the lunch time favorites like burgers and fries! Have fun! read more

LET CUSTOMERS GET THEIR OWN DRINKS!!! HeLLo. Regarding the Golden Corral is Algongqin, We paid for drinks then found-out they were out of milk. When they do have milk, it's only Whole milk . Drinks should be self-serve because we waited half our meal for drinks and couldn't get refills because our waitress was too busy cleaning tables and the floor. Do we want the person who is cleaning the floors serving our drinks? GROSS! Does the Health Department want to see that? The drink servers do not wash their hands after cleaning the floors and tables. Who knows how many people get sick each day from GC? Let people serve their OWN drinks! The food was fine, especially the fried chicken Breast and the baked fish. The mashed potatoes and other sides were good also. We do not eat the red meat because it's too low quality. But that is to be expected for a buffet! The desserts were also low quality, which is to be expected. The ice cream was fine. Don't expect much because it's a cheap buffet. I think they would do better with less crap-quality meats, and focus the attention on fewer QUALITY items! Like the chicken! Also, bring your own plates and eating utensils, theirs are TERRIBLE quality!!! The worst I've ever seen! Anyway, the drink issue is HUGE for me. I like to drink with my meals and having to wait 30 - 45 minutes for a drink is ridiculous!!! Then, to see our server cleaning ( God Bless her ), makes me wonder if I want her getting our drinks with dirty hands! LET CUSTOMERS GET THEIR OWN DRINKS!!! Big DaDDy J and Family read more

Great deal for the money. If you like salad and vegetables, this is a great place for you. You can get anything and everything you want for a fair price. I usually go to the one in Arlington Heights. Very plain simple ambience. Service is fantastic. read more

All the trays were full. They were cooking steaks the whole time we were there. It's cafeteria style but the food was very good.

Food ok and tasty , same food every time , with same variety of choices , the service was kinda slow )there's only 1 server for breakfast and she's trying her best. read more

My younger brother doesn't really care for golden corral food, so he decided to eat before. But for some reason even though he was not going to use the buffet or even order drinks, they still kept insisting that he had to pay because we can't get in for free. Yes I understand that, but the point of paying for admission is so they can still make money while you eat a bunch of food. But since he is not even eating then he shouldn't have to pay at all. The people here are clearly very stupid and don't understand anything. read more

If you are looking for the worst of the worst in quality, then you must stop here. If there were an option for zero stars this place would have earned it. Absolutely atrocious food quality when dining in tonight. The hot foods were like warm at best, food splattered everywhere, the dessert bar looked like Big Foot plowed through for a treat, but realized everything sucked so he tossed it back. The water was the only redeeming food item of the entire place. If you want a food born illness, I would expect you could really get your fill here. Never ever again will I visit this establishment. Major sads. read more

Save your time, energy and gas... Go somewhere else!!! McDonald's is even a better option. read more

This Golden Corral has really came back with better service and food, buffets are restaurants that give you everything you need to make a meal let your creation go wild and make something different and I'm sure you will love it!!! Go and try it out steaks after 4 pm read more

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Great price for a great selection. The guy at the steak grill was awesome, ready to make your steak the way like. read more

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Hi I would like to put out a complaint that during my family visit last Saturday December 23,2023 at 6:45pm. We had experienced super super loud kids that was running around and screaming throughout the entire restaurant and even in the staff cooking area. When I had reported this to the manager, I was told that it was a family restaurant and this was allowed for the kids to be running around and screaming, that if I didn't like it, that I could just leave. This was Soo rude and disrespectful!! This stuff doesn't happen at other restaurants. It's not Chucky cheese nor it's not a playground at McDonald's. This is supposed to be a respectable decent restaurant but unfortunately it's not. I will not ever go back ever again and I highly do not suggest anyone else going to this golden corral place in Algonquin ILLINOIS. read more

Food was good. Our server Cranston was excellent. Made sure we had a the refills we needed. Took away the used plates on a timely manner. He was very friendly and made us feel welcome. read more

Golden Corral definitely isn't in their golden days anymore. The food here is tasteless and over priced. Waste of $40, I could've gotten a 20 oz steak for less. read more

Place is filthy, everything from tables, floors and bathrooms. Service slow, had to get our own coffee. Never going back. Zero stars would be about right read more

Gross! They get a star because the cashier is awesome and our waiter is nice. The food- ICK. It's like they don't care what they're serving and they're not interested in it and the manager just sits in his office and when he comes out he doesn't check over the food like managers at other GC's. The potatoes were old and dried out when we arrived and they were still that way 30 minutes later. Yuck. The rolls are either burnt or not risen. The grill guy drinks from his personal cup. The fish tasted um wrong. How does this place stay in business? My friend said the Bbq beef was good but certainly not 14$ good. Sad read more

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they charged me twice? They charged me twice and the truth is that they did not have good service. I do not recommend it and I will never return again. read more

First of all I should of known parking in an empty parking lot this wasnt gonna go well but hey lets give it a chance. After paying more then 40 bucks for 3 people we sat down then like most we went to see what they have and as to my disappointment the food looked sad no type of meat selection, sides where just blah you had a better chance in the salad or icecream department then food maybe due to covid but prior to covid they had people grilling meat there was allot more selections nothing against staff but if the food doesnt get better its gonna fall with the rest of these restaurants unfortunately. Wont be going back anytime soon much luck to them.. read more

This place used to be so good like 5 years ago. Food was decent and it was a nice place to eat. I come back in 2024 and suddenly it's terrible? The service was pretty mid. We walked into the place and the cashier dude wasn't even there so we waited like 10 mins before he came to do something as simple as filling drinks, putting them on a trey and handing them to me and my mom. Anywho, we come to sit down and why is everything so sticky dude. My drink cup had a piece of corn on it man, like what? I picked it off in disappointment as I walked around looking for some decent food. WHY WAS EVERYTHING LUKEWARM MAN??? I was like "okay so proper food practices aren't on their priority list I guess" but I brushed it off and tried to eat the safest looking food there. After that, I decide to hit the dessert bar and this is when I really decided this place needed a one star review . Tell me why I look at this chocolate cake and see like fifteen bugs swarming it and going to town on it more than the customers are? So I'm thinking to myself "wow if I was barely able to catch that imagine how many bugs I just swallowed with my last plate.." yeah. Anywho, one star overall. Place used to be great. Save yourself read more

If I could I would give it zero stars. The place just makes me feel icky and the food doesn't look appetizing at all.

I went here twice, once when it opened and again about a week ago. The first time I was not too impressed- the place seemed to be in chaos. The food was good but the plates were brought out by the servers, which slows down the process. (they do drinks the same way) The first time here we had dinner which was good, the second time was breakfast which was great. Let's just say every breakfast meat was fully represented here, I was in breakfast heaven. It can get crowded at times, so it's a matter of finding the right time to go. We went on a Sunday right before lunch, so we could take advantage of the changeover of food. As far as buffets, it's better than that other one out there that used to be good about ten years ago. read more