Tennessee still does a proper country buffet the old-fashioned way, with long steam tables and fried chicken that shows up piece after piece. These are the kind of places where you fill a plate with greens, mashed potatoes, cornbread, and cobbler, then go back for more without anyone blinking.
Some sit in small mountain towns, others near big attractions, but all of them keep the tradition alive. Here are eight spots across the state where the table stays loaded and the price stays friendly.
1. Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store, Jackson, TN
Housed in a setting built to feel like a 19th-century general store, this Jackson landmark pairs an old-time ice cream parlor with a full Southern buffet. It sits at 56 Casey Jones Ln A in West Tennessee, right in the Casey Jones Village area.
The steam table leans hard into homestyle cooking. Fried chicken shares space with fried catfish, roasted turkey, meatloaf, and barbecue, plus sides like greens, red beans, hush puppies, sweet potatoes, and fresh cornbread.
A salad bar rounds things out, and the dessert side keeps peach and berry cobbler in the rotation. Southern sweet tea is the drink of choice here.
Prices land in the $10 to $20 range, and the kitchen runs long hours, opening at 6:30 AM most days for breakfast too. Sunday afternoon is the busiest stretch, so early or mid-week visits are calmer.
Families do well here with high chairs, a kids’ menu, and plenty of free parking. Reservations are accepted if you are rolling in with a group.
2. Big Boy’s Country Kitchen, Newport, TN
Up in the mountain town of Newport, this country kitchen has built a reputation on fried chicken that skips the bones. The buffet leans toward lightly breaded, juicy white-meat chicken, which sets it apart from the bone-in crowd.
Located at 708 Cosby Hwy, it is an easy stop for anyone heading toward the Smokies. The all-you-can-eat spread changes through the week and has featured meatloaf, barbecue ribs, ham, chili, and Salisbury steak.
Sides read like a full country dinner: pinto beans, greens, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, fried okra, biscuits, gravy, and cornmeal muffins. Fried green tomatoes and a fried fish platter show up too, along with a salad bar.
Meals run $10 to $20, and the doors open early at 7 AM every day. Friday evening and Sunday afternoon draw the crowds, while weekday mornings stay quiet.
It is a relaxed, family-friendly place with a kids’ menu, high chairs, and dessert to finish. Reservations are accepted.
3. Loretta Lynn’s Kitchen, Hurricane Mills, TN
Country music history and country cooking meet out in Hurricane Mills, where this restaurant sits right off TN-13 in Middle Tennessee. It specializes in Southern-style buffets and comfort food, with the option to order off the menu instead.
The buffet keeps the classics coming. Fried chicken and plenty of fried catfish anchor the line, joined by house-smoked pulled pork, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing with turkey gravy, green beans, and turnip greens.
Save room for the sweet side, since blackberry cobbler, apple pie, and cherry pie make regular appearances. A salad bar and country fried steak fill out the choices.
Expect to pay $10 to $20. Hours stretch to 8 or 9 PM depending on the day, with Sunday and Saturday afternoons being the busiest.
Live music sometimes fills the room, and the setting has a historic, laid-back feel. Dogs are welcome, reservations are accepted, and there is no shortage of parking.
4. Farmers Family Restaurant, Murfreesboro, TN
Variety is the whole point at this Murfreesboro spot on Old Fort Pkwy. Beyond the expected fried chicken, the buffet stretches into territory most country buffets never touch, including crab legs, frog legs, and fried shrimp.
The core is still solid Southern cooking. Think fried chicken, roast beef, meatloaf, turkey and dressing, collard greens, cabbage, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, beans, rolls, and cornbread.
A well-stocked salad bar and a spread of desserts keep things rounded out, and even the meatloaf earns steady praise. Weekend evenings bring out the seafood-heavy plates.
Meals run $10 to $20, and the kitchen opens at 8 AM on weekends for breakfast. Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon are the peak times, so weekday mornings are your calm window.
The place does not take reservations, but parking is plentiful and free. Kids get high chairs and their own menu, making it an easy family stop off the interstate.
5. Austin’s Steak & Homestyle Buffet, Knoxville, TN
Knoxville folks looking for steak and a buffet under one roof head to Merchant Dr, where this homestyle spot delivers both. The name says steak, but the hot bar is where the country cooking lives.
Fried chicken sits alongside beef roast, prime rib, casseroles, and all the Southern sides you could ask for. That means greens, fried okra, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli casserole, sweet carrots, and cornbread.
Vegans and vegetarians actually have real options here, from the house salad to the sweet potato casserole. Carrot cake shows up on the dessert bar to close things out.
Prices stay friendly at $10 to $20, which is part of the appeal for a spread this large. The place opens at 11 AM and runs into the evening, with weekends being the busiest.
It is casual and unfussy, good for groups, and does not require reservations. Free parking makes the stop simple.
6. Brickhouse Buffet, Bartlett, TN
Over in the Memphis suburb of Bartlett, this buffet swings a little more upscale while keeping the country classics front and center. A weekend carving station sets it apart, adding prime rib to the usual lineup.
On the hot bar you will find fried chicken, baked chicken, Nashville hot chicken, and chicken and dressing, plus meatloaf, barbecue ribs, fried catfish, and smoked sausage. Sides run deep with collard greens, mac and cheese, corn, lima beans, smashed red potatoes, cornbread, and rolls.
The salad bar is generous, and the dessert end keeps chocolate cake, ice cream, and other sweets in the mix. It is a broad spread that leans hearty.
Pricing sits a bit higher here, around $20 to $30, which reflects the prime rib and shrimp on the line. Hours run to 8 or 9 PM, with Sunday afternoon being the busiest.
Reservations are accepted, and the setting stays clean and casual. Free on-site parking makes it a straightforward stop.
7. Song & Hearth: A Southern Eatery, Pigeon Forge, TN
Set inside the Dollywood resort area in Pigeon Forge, this eatery brings a polished touch to the country buffet without losing the comfort food heart. The fried chicken here is a standout, seasoned carefully and served hot and fresh.
The buffet covers a wide sweep of Southern American classics. Alongside the chicken you will find greens, mac and cheese, hushpuppies, honey glazed carrots, broccoli casserole, prime rib, and fresh mashed potatoes.
Breakfast is its own event, with crepe brulee French toast among the offerings. And the dessert bar leans playful, headlined by a donut wall that draws plenty of attention.
Pricing runs higher, roughly $20 to $60, in line with its resort setting. Hours split into morning and evening service windows, so check the schedule before you go.
Reservations are accepted, which is smart given the tourist traffic in the area. A fireplace, live music, and free parking add to the visit, and there is a kids’ menu for younger diners.
8. The Manor at Dickson, Dickson, TN
Middle Tennessee travelers passing through Dickson can pull off at Beasley Dr for one of the most sprawling buffets on this list. The all-you-can-eat lineup covers chicken, pork, fish, and beef in one spot.
The chicken alone comes in several forms, from fried and barbecue to chicken tenders, chicken livers, and sweet and sour chicken. Add hamburger steak, chicken fried steak, catfish, shrimp, and corn dogs, and the range gets wide fast.
Sides and extras keep pace with mac and cheese, potato salad, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, fried apples, and a full salad bar. The dessert end brings cobblers, pies, and several flavors of ice cream and sherbet.
Meals fall in the $10 to $20 range, which is a lot of food for the money. Hours vary by day, closing early on Monday and Tuesday and running to 9 PM Wednesday through Saturday.
The setting carries a patriotic theme, and it works well for groups. Free parking and a kids’ menu round out the stop.
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