With over six hundred reviews from those who have eaten at Golden Corral, one can't help but to notice the mixed number of reviews for Golden Corral. (OMG!!!) - Oh my goodness ...there is a grip of people here. I take this as a testament that Golden Corral is able to meet every type of appetite, whether if one is an herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore. What's really catching my eyes is the fact that not everyone is using the protective gloves??? One really should be conscious when using the provided protective gloves when getting food with utensils. Thank you Golden Corral staff for your continued efforts to try and maintain a positive experience in a crowded environment. read more

My family and I visited today around 2:00pm and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the restaurant was dirty along with the ladies restroom.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The majority of the food was gone and there was a wait on fresh food. The food was heavy on the salt to the point we could not eat it and the fried chicken was super greasy. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There were booths that the cushions were so damaged you couldn't sit in them.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Golden Corral please do better! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Place looks run down. Booths have foam popping out 2 out of 4 of the bathrooms are "temporary unavailable" and there's still covid signs in the bathroom.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Most of the food isn't labeled so I was playing a guessing game on what I was eating. The dude at the register had headphones in and was paying more attention to his conversation with another worker than us to the point where she helped us out. The only thing saving this review is the lady who was basically our waitress. She was on top of filling out drinks, she deserves a raise. read more

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! Dig this: it's only 11:30 in the AM, still morning ($15), but not at the famous GOLDEN CORAL; here 11:30 am means DINNER MENU ($25.00), LOLOLOLOL. I'm looking for a Sunday Breakfast, and they're serving up Meatloaf, Chicken, Mac & Cheese,, WTF? It's Father's Day too, no pancakes 4 me. Still morning, no French toast, bacon, biscuits and gravy. Needless to say, I walked out, never ate. Been coming here for years, since they opened, and left beautiful reviews for this place in the past (2017); just glowing not today. We're done. read more

Came around 3:30 online prices said 11.99-14.99 for lunch buffet but it was 18.99 and yet the food look unappetizing. Never got my drink I ordered either. The restrooms were filthy and half the food was gone. Service was below to say the least. One of the worst Golden Corrals I've ever been to. Will not be back! read more

It was terrible and over priced. The yogurt machine was disgusting. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The bathroom was disgusting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Only a few stations had signs saying what the food is. It was so confusing. It took a long time for a server to bring utensils. I sure miss Soup Plantation and Soup Exchange. This food was not very good. The bbq chicken is as sweet as candy, the veggies were soggy. They no longer have a buffet at sycuan casino. They're all gone since the COVID scam. They have a buffet at Valley View Casino but you need a special membership platform to even get in. read more

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Let's start with I'm not a huge fan of buffets and the fact that we arrived 45 min before closing. The gentleman who greeted us was very friendly. So we had a great greeting. There is a plethora of food. Salad, fruit, meat and dessert stations with limited ethnic food. Soo good variety. Given that they changed the hours, we arrived at 7:30 and they told us they would stop serving at 8:15, we loaded our plates so we could sort of take our time and not miss what we might want. Most of the food was greasy or fried (on persons stomach was not well settled at the end of the night). I'm sure the salad bar must be kept fresher during the day than towards the end of the night - it was slim pickings. Great place for a family (most people there were large families) or groups ( I could see going after little league. There are a lot of choices do I wind get into all the food, but for me, I needed much healthier preparation and options. read more

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The food is great but the bathroom situation is horrible I've been waiting 30 minutes to use the bathroom and there was pee and shit on the toilet seat and they took forever to clean them I don't think I will be coming back read more

Came here on a weekday shortly after 7pm.. it was not busy at all and our group of 8 was able to be seated comfortably at our table of choice... It was a quiet evening, not busy and approaching the end of the day.. so it was nice to see .that food was continuously being replenished and kept fresh. (The lettuce at the salad bar was so crisp and cool!) The food area was maintained and kept clean with a good selection of main dishes and sides.. I liked their pot roast with a side of veggies. The Mac & cheese was good too! And hubby loved the hush puppies haha. They also kept steak going on the grill... wait for the steak was just a few minutes.. don't expect steakhouse quality, but pleasantly surprised that it was nice and tender! If you're craving some warm American comfort food, this is an okay place to go for the price point. I would personally avoid going during busy times as our experience during a slow hour was much more pleasant. The employee helping to clear plates n get our drinks was very polite and friendly. This location would definitely benefit from some cosmetic upgrades, wear and tear in the dining area.. and maybe a more updated look can go a long way.. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]First of all, the seats where greasy and the table we went wasn't cleaned properly[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], the food was nasty and soggy, the only slightly edible thing was the desserts. Workers were nice and helpful which is the only slightly good part of the experience but overall we will never go there again. Seat was munched up, carrots and meat felt hard and stale, [[HIGHLIGHT]]we took a peak in the kitchen from the ice cream station and it looked like a mess, I know it's not the workers fault but it did look nasty and there was black residue on the floor and shelves.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The slushie machine was dirty, and there were limited good desserts read more

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If I can rate this place a negative stars I would. [[HIGHLIGHT]]First time going to this place let me tell you the seats were eaten up torn up in multiple booths not sure if the customers were eating seats too smh I forgot to take a picture of that.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] But first impressions was disturbing. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Not only that they had buckets of dirty ass water next to the register.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] But to top it off there was a long hair in the steak read more

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill - Long hair in steak - Buffets Near Me - El Cajon, California

I was on my way to the Boll Weevil and suddenly realized I was going to be too late for their lunch special that I always have - so I bailed off of the bus and walked here instead. I arrived in time for the weekday Senior Lunch Special - less than $17 including beverage - 2PM to 4PM. The Service was super - the Ambiance was OK for a buffet. After my first plate I got a dessert course of "Glueberry Pie" - it's supposed to be Blueberry Pie but I know better than that - it's adhesive. I asked for my steak to be "Medium" but I got "Well Done" instead - I thought it was as dry as shoe leather. After a couple more plates I quit - with souped up Jello as my last item. Even though the steak was a bit too dry: I will eat here again. read more

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I tried GC in El Cajon aftee staying away 2 years I EXPERIENCED THE SAME LOUSY SERVICE FROM A SHORT MEXICAN WOMAN WITH A BLONDE PONYTAIL She asked my friend if he wanted more coffee BUT did not ask me if i wanted a refill of water This happened a couple times I noticed she stopped and spoke with mexican customers but not with others LEFT NO TIP GRADE:D- read more

We went yesterday having not been for at least a uear. Well the prices have gone up while the quality of the food has gone down. It's ridiculous to charge $18.50 for lunch buffet and it doesn't include a drink that will cost you another $3.50 . Then they only have 2 waitresses covering the entire floor. Good luck getting your drinks refilled or plates pu and seriously they're singing Happy Bday to guests while neglecting their tables. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was nearly empty too so yeah probably won't be around too much longer unless they change some things.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were just visiting North Carolina and the buffets there like Chasons blow this away for less $. We won't be going back it was definitely not worth $20 a piece . read more

We had a wonderful experience here! Our waitress Maria was so sweet and kind! I noticed there were customers there that knew her name and even took their time to say bye to her, not surprising that her infectious kindness makes her memorable. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was pretty busy, but not overwhelming and plenty of seating available still.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] There were a lot of great options, everything was hot and fresh. The dessert bar was impressive! I only docked one because star because some of the stuff was empty the whole time we were there that we were hoping to try. The assistant manager, Teresa was phenomenal. We had a small issue with the bill and she promptly took care of it and was very apologetic and super professional. This was our first time at a golden corral and they left a good impression on us. We cannot wait to return for another fun family dinner! read more

I'm addressing the staff and management in my words, Management you obviously need to provide for your clients by making sure that there's always food available to replace what they just ate [[HIGHLIGHT]]Your booths seating benches need, major structural support with higher density foam covered with washable upholstery[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Management needs to provide support to the owners of that location He needs help Every time that I go there except when they open it up in the morning The staff is unable to the replacement food quickly Poor service Management please hire more kitchen staff and more waitress and waiters read more

Sorry it's late came here on March16th 2025 for Birthday on March 19th. Food was good. Had steak fish shrimp and chicken. Was packed . Prices are 20 to 35 dollars. Both seat had ripped. In them. Was clean they ran out of a lot of food. . I may go back but not sure. Giving them a 3 they do not deserve more then that right now. read more

Fewer options than I ever remember at a golden corral. I Was there for 30 minutes, the pizza and shrimp were out and never got replaced. The cheese for nachos and tacos looked old and dried. I could not tell if I was eating teriyaki chicken or soy sauce flavored chicken cause it was salty as hell. No toppings for ice cream like I have seen at other locations. Most of the food had no flavor and tasted old. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place also seems run down and the bathrooms were dirty.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

If you are real hungry this would be a good place to eat Of course it's a buffet so you have plenty of choices read more

Went here for the first time and was not too impressed. It's been awhile since I've been to a Golden Corral, but I feel the quality has gone down overall. I think ever since COVID happened, buffets aren't popular anymore. I believe this particular place use to be a Hometown Buffet and Golden Corral took over. Food choices were very mediocre. The salad bar seemed like it was missing stuff and same with the dessert bar. They had an Icee machine but wasn't working. Service was good. Our attendee checked on us often so that was nice. I think the buffet days might be done. read more

Here's another review in my drafts waiting to be finished. I have a few minutes to kill while I'm waiting to go on my Zoom meeting so I thought I'd knock out a quick review. One Reason I like Golden Corral is that every year they serve a free dinner to Veterans. I've had the pleasure several times. Some of my favorite items are the catfish and hush puppies, the pot roast and the seafood salad. I usually like to get some fried chicken. I always start with a soup, then a small salad before proceeding to the main course, I try to save room for a piece of carrot cake and some times if I see it I'll get cottage cheese and pineapple or peaches. I usually don't get the steak because I like mine very rare. I like to buy the gift cards for myself as part of my financial planning when they offers good incentive to do so. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I'm usually too busy eating to notice the ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] If you go in for the Veterans Day Dinner Be prepared for a long wait you might be in line for an hour or so. But it's worth the wait. read more

Everything about it was nasty, the fried chicken smelled like cigarettes even the inside, the workers were nice. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The people there were trashy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The chocolate pudding maybe (looked like shit) looks like they shoveled it out of the clogged toilet. Theres a in and out close by just go there read more

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill - Buffets Near Me - El Cajon, California

The worst $60 of my life. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The food, service, and location were all awful.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was filthy, the food tasted terrible, and everything was truly horrible.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We didn't eat anything. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We left 10 minutes after sitting down because even your body feels disgusting when walking through the restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill - The horrible Seafood Salad - Buffets Near Me - El Cajon, California

I normally steer clear of buffets if it's up to me, but my brother and his family loves buffets! I wasn't too happy that this was our choice for dinner, but as it turns out, I actually enjoyed the food here. The carving station had prime rib that was pretty good. The meat was juicy and well seasoned. I like my meat pink, and although the piece I got was more cooked than I would have liked, it was tender and moist. I enjoyed it, along with a wide assortment of veggies (steamed cauliflower, sauteed mushroom, and spinach). I also had a piece of fish that was flavorful. I tried to be good, but my sister-in-law was telling me how great the fried fish, fried shrimp, and hush puppies were, so of course I had to try some! She was right, they were good! I didn't need to eat that extra plate, but I did! And, I got a bowl of chicken noodle soup! I have a tendency to over-eat at buffets, so this is why I try to stay away! The restaurant was clean, food trays were replenished when they were low, hot items were piping cold, and cold items were cold. Dishes and utensils were clean. No complaints here. read more

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Entering for breakfast, we met Rooz, a young pretty bubbley cashier who welcomed us and was very informative. The abundance and quality of food was amazing and service was excellent. 30 minutes from home but well worth the trip. Discount for seniors and orange juice added is a plus. Many locations. Next visit I will try their omelette and steak stations. What a deal!!! YUM! read more

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill - Abundance of breakfast items: bacon, sausage, eggs, biscuits and gravy, hashbrowns, pancakes, French toast..... And More!!! - Buffets Near Me - El Cajon, California

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worst food dried ice cream and slurpee dosent work save youre money folks. food is not prepare well. kitchen is hell dirty read more

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill - nasty ice cream dosent work - Buffets Near Me - El Cajon, California

Mid buffet food, reminds me of hometown buffet, so it's nostalgic type of food and vibes. The workers are really nice! Paid less than $30 for dinner and a drink. Has a weird smell in the restaurant but if you can get past that, it's not that bad of a place. Wouldn't go out of my way to come here. Decent buffet if you're in the area! read more

so i ordered alot of food with baked potatoes from uber eats but there was out of baked potatoes so the gave me extra mashed potatoes and extra chicken wings with sauces and that makes me happy great customer service and great job read more

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill - the sent me a message told me they are out of baked potatoes and they replaced it with mashed potatoes and chicken wings - Buffets Near Me - El Cajon, California

Our last visit was unfortunately underwhelming. Took my hungry teen after practice and although they were open for a while more and had lots of customers many things were empty or had just the ends of the pan. I stood waiting for an item to be refilled and heard an employee ask the other if he was going to make more and he laughed and said no. My teen said the items she had didn't taste right and the and we didn't find much edible. The dessert machines were out of order, booths ripped and the bathrooms smelled awful. The cashier and server were very nice but I believe I was overcharged and definitely paid much more than it was worth. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]It was a fun day at The Golden Corral celebrating a church members retirement party in the big room.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Good fun, lots of good food, plenty to eat & even seconds. Bring along ur empty stomach cause it's filling, & at a great price too. The servers were pleasant as well, very hard working. read more

The only thing good about this place is the bread, butter, fried chicken and our waiter. Other than that, most of the food trays were empty and the timing it took to replenish it was ridiculous, the cooks in the back that I asked about different dishes were rude (kept pointing to the front of the plastic display where the name plates are which were empty) and when I asked again because I couldn't understand, they just turned around and walked away. read more

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill - Receipt from today's visit - Buffets Near Me - El Cajon, California

I think I consider myself overall pretty forgiving when it comes to reviews of most chain restaurants and various types of buffets. Post-pandemic, there are still limited buffets in operation. I would make this one last on my list. Bland or salty, greasy, and artificial tastes make up the heart and soul of this buffet. You gotta have low standards and/or be extremely hungry to have the illusion that this will be great. One visit just may be your last one. The old Hometown Buffet was 5 stars compared to this. After 3 visits, I have found only 5 items that were worth sinking my teeth into, and 2 of those are desserts. The items are/were- Baked Tilapia Fried catfish in cornmeal batter Mashed potatoes Bread pudding Chocolate cake And that's all folks!!! read more

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Today was the second time I've ever tried golden corral. First time in Ontario ( which was great ) Second time today in el cajon. My son took me out for my birthday that just passed. I chose golden corral, since how it was really good the first time I had it. However, today was HORRIBLE. The variety was 1/3 of the other location. None of the entrees were labeled. So you had no idea what it is. Too expensive with minimal selection. What a waste of money spent for my special day. Very disappointed read more

People cutting in line, rude behavior before I even entered the buffet [[HIGHLIGHT]]seniors expected to wait in line for over an hour getto environment[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was below average except for desserts were good they kept running out of some food items I felt the staff was not friendly I will not return or recommend this place to friends or family. read more

This place is worse than years ago!!! Sticky tables and chairs both on top and underneath where I accidentally touched, ew!! The booths have huge holes in the seating. The food is barely edible. We left quickly read more

Well let's start with they may be homeless outside not the business fault the food is good this is not a 5 star buffet so don't come here with the expectation Services is good food is good If I was rating what I eat I would give it 5 stars . come and eat here but don't expect a 5 star buffet ambiance it's not the Cesar palace in Las Vegas . read more

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill - My style plate l - Buffets Near Me - El Cajon, California

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We went as a group to eat and talk around 1pm. Slightly crowded but they were able to accommodate us easily. Friendly staff. Employees stayed on top of cleaning and bussing the tables. Par for course, the food was between pretty good to very good. Nothing was exceptional or poor. Food that was supposed to be hot was hot. Cold food was cold. We will definitely be back to this location. read more

Not sure why the rating is so low for this place. I thought the food was decent, the service staff very friendly and didn't feel crowded despite coming here on Thanksgiving. If you don't set your culinary expectations too high you should enjoy this place. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]The men's bathroom. There was a shit on the floor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The floor. [[HIGHLIGHT]]How dirty are you guys to have a shit on the floor and not clean it up this is a gross ambiance[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], the service was good but there is some employees who need to chill and act nice. The food was okay but I lost my appetite at the scene of the shit on the floor. read more

Food is so bad here. They raised the prices and the prices don't match either the quality or taste of food. We all got food poisoning from this dreadful place. Never again and I hope you close again. read more