Some Texas meals call for a plate, and some call for a second plate and a peek at the cobbler before you even sit down. This list covers seven buffets across the state where fried chicken is the anchor and the sides get just as much attention.
You will find a Tyler lunch spot running since 1949, a weekend-only catfish barn near Comanche, a soul food kitchen in San Antonio, and a few more stops worth planning around. Each one earned its place for a different reason, whether that is brown gravy, homemade pies, or a breakfast buffet in a small North Texas town.
Most sit in the budget range of 10 to 20 dollars per person, which makes them easy picks for family lunches, road trips, and Sunday crowds. Save this one for the next time someone asks where to eat.
1. The Neu Ranch House, Gainesville, TX
Right along US-82 in Gainesville, the buffet at The Neu Ranch House reads like a North Texas family reunion menu. Smoked ribs, brisket, hot links, sausage, turkey, pork chops, and fried catfish all share the line.
The fried chicken still manages to stand out in that crowd, which says a lot. It is crispy, well seasoned, and one of the main reasons people keep pulling off the highway here.
Sides lean classic. Expect potato salad, macaroni salad, mac and cheese, corn on the cob, and green beans, plus a salad bar for anyone pretending to be balanced.
Save room for cobbler, especially the peach. The dining room is casual and rustic, and there is a private dining room for bigger groups.
Hours run 10:30 AM to 9 PM most days, stretching to 10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday afternoon gets busy, so a weekday visit is the calmer play.
2. Loggins Restaurant, Tyler, TX
Since 1949, Loggins has been feeding Tyler the kind of lunch that sends people back to work needing a nap. It is old-school East Texas cooking served buffet style, and fried chicken is the staple.
Chicken fried steak with gravy and fried catfish round out the fried trio. Daily specials rotate in, so the line looks a little different depending on when you show up.
The sides are where the homestyle side really shows. Mac and cheese, fresh vegetables, and kielbasa with sauerkraut sit alongside salmon patties and meatloaf on some days.
Then comes dessert. Pies are a signature here, joined by puddings and cobblers in a spread that deserves its own trip.
Plan carefully, because Loggins serves lunch only. It is open 10:30 AM to 2 PM on weekdays and Sundays, closed Saturdays, and it does not take reservations.
3. The Green Frog Restaurant, Jacksboro, TX
A breakfast buffet and a lunch buffet in the same small-town cafe is a strong combination. The Green Frog on North Main Street in Jacksboro opens at 6:30 AM every day, so early risers get a head start.
Lunch is when the fried chicken shows up, alongside chicken strips and a chicken fried steak that carries real local fame. The batter is well seasoned and the portions are generous.
Homemade mashed potatoes and mac and cheese anchor the sides. Sausage and peppers, a salad bar, and fried okra keep things interesting, and the ranch dressing has a following of its own.
Desserts include ice cream, which is a fun bonus on a hot North Texas afternoon.
Hours shift during the week. It closes at 3 PM Sunday through Wednesday but stays open until 9 PM Thursday through Saturday, with Friday evening as the busiest stretch.
4. Cook’s Fish Barn, Comanche, TX
Only two nights a week, and that is part of the appeal. Cook’s Fish Barn on TX-36 outside Comanche opens Friday from 4:30 to 9 PM and Saturday from 4 to 9:30 PM, then goes quiet again.
The name points to catfish, and the fried catfish is the headliner. Chicken tenders and steak fingers share the buffet, so the chicken fans in your group are well covered.
Sides stay true to a fish fry. Think french fries, coleslaw, hush puppies, and a salad bar.
A few extra items can be ordered from the menu if you want something off the line. Catering is also available.
This is the priciest stop on the list at roughly 20 to 30 dollars per person. For a weekend country drive through Central Texas, it makes a fine dinner destination.
5. Hartz Chicken Buffet, Brenham, TX
Here is a rare find: white gravy and brown gravy on the same buffet. Hartz Chicken Buffet in Brenham offers both, and brown gravy fans know how hard that is to come by.
Chicken comes in nearly every form. Fried, rotisserie, grilled, stewed, and spicy versions sit near tenders, gizzards, and livers, with fried catfish for variety.
The fried chicken is light and crispy, which keeps it from feeling heavy on a second trip.
The side lineup is long. Mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, dirty rice, greens, and fried okra lead the way, with a full salad bar and desserts after that.
Service is counter style, and a refillable soft drink comes with the meal. Hours are simple at 10 AM to 8:30 PM every day, which helps on a trip through Washington County.
6. Tony G’s Soul Food, San Antonio, TX
Soul food brings its own flavor to the buffet idea, and Tony G’s on South Hackberry Street shows how. This San Antonio favorite serves Southern breakfasts, lunches, and Sunday brunch, with live jazz on the schedule.
Fried chicken is crispy and pairs well with the hot sauce choices. Chicken and waffles, oxtails, smothered chicken, meatloaf, and ham also appear in the buffet-style lineup.
The sides are the soul of the place. Collard greens, black-eyed peas, fried cabbage, mac and cheese, and cornbread are the core, with red beans and rice and grits too.
Vegetarians are not an afterthought here, since a full vegetarian menu is available.
Tony G’s is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 AM to 4 PM and Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM. It is closed Mondays, and reservations are accepted.
7. Golden Corral Buffet & Grill, Waco, TX
Sometimes the group includes a picky eater, a teenager, and a grandparent who only wants pie. The Golden Corral on North Valley Mills Drive in Waco handles that crowd easily.
Yes, it is a national chain, but the fried chicken holds up well against the local spots. Fried fish and pork chops are other strong picks on the line.
For homestyle sides, mashed potatoes and gravy lead the list, with sweet potatoes, green beans, and a wide choice of rolls. Meatloaf and catfish add more comfort food options.
Steaks, pizza, burgers, a salad bar, ice cream, and pie mean nobody leaves empty handed.
Breakfast is served Friday through Sunday starting at 7:30 AM. On other days, doors open at 10:30 AM, and closing is 9 PM all week.
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