I don't understand the hate this restaurant gets. Husband and I went for the breakfast buffet and we thought it was worth the drive from Gettysburg, also worth the price. We thought the buffet offerings were plentiful and good quality: Apple and orange juice Milks Assorted fruit, yogurt, granola Scrambled eggs Huge vat of cheese sauce Tots Home fries Super cheesy hashbrown casserole French toast Pancakes Make your own waffles Toast your own breads Biscuits Sausage gravy Chipped beef gravy Thick sausage links Bacon Grits Oatmeal Assorted pastries - sweet breads, muffins, sticky buns Additionally they have a station for fresh cooked eggs and omelets And more I'm sure I'm forgetting! Our server was very kind and attentive, and the manager while we were up at the buffet helped us navigate where everything was. We will definitely be back! read more

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant - American Near Me - Thurmont, Maryland

See all

I haven't been to this restaurant in a long time. Decent salad bar and dessert bar. However, I think the main dishes were very limited. Fried chicken, salmon and ham were the proteins. Upon living I asked if they offer a senior discount. The lady handed me a paper and pen. I filled it out and asked do I get my discount? She said no, not yet and took the paper and placed it in a bin. On my way out she handed me my discount card. I said I wasn't able to use this today? She said no it's for future visits. With a limited buffet and a peculiar senior discount policy , I won't be back. read more

decent buffet great fried chicken and dessert,,,how bout fixing that trashy sign coming into thurmont,??

Came here on our dc trip, big mistake... cake TOO SWEET, Mac and cheese TERRIBLE, fried chicken , ok that was actually good despite many saying it was RAW. I truly hope no one gets sick. They probably will. Service was good, our server was sweeter than honey . The pie is probably radioactive with the filling resembling rubber. Don't eat here... will update if anyone... you know what . Pretty slay interior though Don't eat here please leave a like and follow read more

This place is insane- insanely bad! Haha. I hate it so much. Chicken is super good, macoroni is kinda mid. Service is good. Ambiance is fine. I hate this place bc it is terrible. Do not come here. Also encountered a situation in which a older chubby woman was screaming at a worker about some sort of shrimp beverage. I believe it was shrimp flavored heavy whipping cream. The woman was pretty freakin pissed and it was extremely concerning in the view of her mental health. Sending my best wishes to Bonnie, she may never recover from this incident. Anyways, you can come here if you want just don't come if they are selling shrimp cream. That is an accident waiting to happen. Lemonade is good. Please call 630-544-1562 if you have concerns, I'm willing to give out more info if needed read more

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant - Interesting window sill architecture - American Near Me - Thurmont, Maryland

We just stopped in this restaurant Which is located in a little quaint little town. They have the option of a buffet or menu. We never ever eat at buffets.. BUT- this one was different.. so clean, all fresh food all good food. They have great prices and we left very satisfied. Everything was very good. Would definitely recommend. read more

This was absolutely impeccable in every single way, the catfish was pink inside just how I like it, the chicken was only rib bones, and the jello had beautiful pieces of random white things. It was overall the best meal I have ever had, the peak of cuisine in the world, and the best experience of my life - Choi-man -From Baltimore read more

Passing through recently (and missing Cozy), we decided to stop here for lunch. The lot was pretty full, though the inside did not seem to be. We waited several minutes at the head of the queue to be seated and it took quite some time for someone to acknowledge us. The woman at the register, despite no one else there, never turned around with a smile or a quick word to let us know that someone would be with us shortly. Eventually, we were assisted and escorted to a table. The restaurant was eerily quiet - no music. Soft conversations could be heard from the other side of the (very) tired booth separators. Really, the entire restaurant was tired. Service was friendly and attentive, and our server frequently stopped by our table to see if there was anything we needed. For better or worse (it was worse), we partook in the buffet. The salad bar did have a decent selection of toppings. And there was a wide variety of (mediocre) pies. But for real food? Meh. If a food could develop a crust while sitting on a warmer, it did. Nothing we tried was truly awful but nothing was very good either. And there was a dearth of protein options. For 30% less, we could have visited Golden Corral (yikes!) and had many, many more options. And the atmosphere would have been much (much!) more lively. There's no need for us to ever return. read more

We just came here for our dc trip. Big mistake! Although our teachers stated that the food was delicious, we caught one of them spitting out the food. The service was fine, but they didn't give food to one Indian kid, which left us in shambles.. The workers were chill and the vibe was giving retirement home. All in all, go elsewhere. Thank you and leave a like! Venmo me. @mydogdiedtoday read more

It's a buffet so the service will be good but the food quality is... less than desirable. The chicken & corn fritters are only items I would rate a 6/10, everything is store bought, super bland, and simply mediocre. I cannot in good faith recommend that you eat here unless you're really hungry and can afford to lose a few pounds. read more

Great country buffet lunch for $13.. fried chicken was excellent. Pies and other desserts galore . Decent salad bar and sides.. furniture in dining area could stand a refresher..service was good, also has a unique gift shop selection. read more

See all

Went there because my friend wanted to go. Had had eaten there many years before and recommended it. Most of the clientele were locals and elderly, when I visited on a Saturday afternoon (June 7 at apx. 3pm). Most seem to order the all you can eat buffet and not from the menu. Ordered off the menu (8oz Sirloin Steak Special), instead of ordering from the buffet. Not certain if I really got an 8oz steak but I did get a TON of fries. Also came with "rolls" which was really a slice of homemade bread. The place has a tired look to it. The leather/vinyl seat at my booth was split open. The food was okay -- nothing special. Staff were nice. Place does give you a 3% discount on the food, if you pay in cash. Probably would not go again. read more

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant - This was the 8oz sirloin steak special ($14.99) on June 7, 2025 at apx. 3:30pm - American Near Me - Thurmont, Maryland

To be so fr... The food was terrible maybe my burger was ok but dry. The bathrooms stunk. My friends chair scratched her legs the food was a buffet which is fine but most food was in a cold liquid. The people were not very welcoming and were not the nicest. The lemonade was neon yellow and did not taste good. The interior was old and needed remodeling. One good thing was there was a gift shop! To conclude I would not recommend this place. read more

See all

I went here for a school trip and the food was terrible, the waiters were rude, the leather on the seats were ripping, and my friend got FOOD POISONING. DO NOT COME HERE TO EAT!!! read more

First of all, I am very surprised and disappointed by the negative reviews that I have seen here. I have eaten here once or twice a month for 30 or so years. Did anyone else notice that most of the malicious reviews appear to be from some "ficticious" school teacher/chaperone, many of them from California? The buffet here has always been very good; the vegetables tasty and firm, the meats very good and the desserts have always been excellent. The desserts include; pies, jello, puddings, cobblers, cookies, brownies, cheesecakes and iced cakes. I have never seen such a huge variety of desserts (almost always about two dozen varieties) at a buffet before. I have never seen dirty plates or silverware either. I have never become ill from the food and the place has always been clean. The salad bar has always been fresh and tasty, with a huge variety of toppings and dressings.. If the food was so bad and making people sick, the parking lot wouldn't be packed every single time that I have been here in 3 decades. I think a lot of the bad reviews show serious and vicious anti conservative/anti christian bias that liberal "Karens and Kevins" embrace. Some of the negative comments about the appearance of employees are just vicious. I have never had a bad or poor meal here. I have never become ill from eating the food. It has never been dirty there in any way. The malicious, deceptive and vindictive reviews reveal a deep seated psychological disconnect with reality and cognitive dissonance in some of the reviewer's minds. This is a clean, safe place to eat, the food is always very good, the prices are reasonable and the staff has always been pleasant and responsive for the past 30 years that I have been there. read more

We went last night for my husbands birthday. There were 3 adults and 2 children. Not many people were there at around 5 pm. They wanted to seat us clear in the back and I asked if we could be closer. She seemed put out about but sat us literally 4 inches away from another group at a table. There were many other places to sit. It was also very cold in that section. I think the price was way too high for what they had. The hot food was OK but not much of a selection. We were really looking forward to pie but my son got shoo fly and I got pecan and they were both very dry. There are no birthday deals and that's ok but also no Sr. discounts unless you get a card and use it next time and pay cash. We won't be going back. I miss the Cozy. read more

went about a month ago on a Saturday. got the buffet. waitress was friendly. our section smelled a bit like cleaning fluid (bleach). i don't like that, but it was clean. i really enjoyed the mashed potatoes with gravy, the fried catfish, candied yams, green beans, chicken salad, and shoo fly pie. i think it's better than Golden Corral. my companions did not enjoy it as much as i did. i would definitely eat here again. read more

hello. my school came herefor a dc trip. food was FERAL. service was unbelievably horrible, and food poisioning through the roof. diet pepsi tasted like piss and so much more. head dude was crazy dude. would've eaten my socks over this if that was an option. 2nd version of hell if there was one. if you hate yourself, i suggest you come here! read more

What a lovely place to have great meal. Sunday there is a buffet with all the country fixings like ham turkey roast beef and on occasion prime rib; fried chicken Lima beans sweet corn soups a full salad bar . Not to mention a mile of desserts plenty of parking a charming store and kid claw machine a wonderful friendly staff and very clean kept place I had an awesome time thank you read more

See all

Our 8th graders recently stopped at Mountain Gate Family Restaurant on the way back home from their trip to DC. Apparently the food was spoiled and many of them got food poisoning and were vomiting outside the restaurant and in the buses. At least one of the three Gettysburg tour buses taking the students around the National Park cut their trip short because of the vomit and smell on the bus. The wait staff was extremely rude. read more

This place gives you food poisoning, my friends eat the Mac and cheese and they are all saying their stomachs hurt so bad. My other friend lifts the soup upside down and it doesn't apply to the laws of gravity. The only reason I'm here is because I'm on a dc trip for middle school. DO NOT GO HERE EVER AND COLSE THIS PLACE DOWN. read more

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant - Under cooked chicken - American Near Me - Thurmont, Maryland

The lemonade was really nasty and looked weird. The servers weren't very welcoming and didn't seem happy. My seat was very uncomfortable which made my experience very uncomfortable. The bathrooms smelled terrible and the food tasted toxic. I do not recommend on eating here. read more

I haven't been to Mountain Gate in 20+ years and it was the same place I remember from the 80s and 90s. The ambiance is similar but less fancy than Golden Corral but the food is much better, especially the buffet on nights they have it. The options are endless from prime rib to amazing fried chicken. If you are in the area and looking for a basic no frills but delicious meal you can't go wrong. Also the pies for dessert were incredible. Staff is reserved but very friendly and the building is huge so there is amble seating. read more

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant - American Near Me - Thurmont, Maryland

We really wanted to like this restaurant. It was ok. They had a decent salad bar, a variety of side dishes. The limas beans were good, Harvard beets, mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, vegetable medley. The stuffing looked super dry as if it was dumped out of the bag and missed the dressing part. The meats were dry and overcooked. They had a decent selection of desserts that were good. Coconut cream pie, egg custard pie, cheese cake. A condiment sized cup of ice cream and drinks are included. Our waitress was very friendly. The restaurant itself was decent. When you walk in there's a small gift shop area. This was fitting since they're located off Rt 15. A major highway for tourists coming to Gettysburg or Maryland tourism. The bathroom was filthy. Paper towels thrown everywhere and full trash cans. This could be a wonderful place with a few changes. Especially for the $21 price tag. read more

See all

Horrible! people throwing up food molding the plates and silverware was not washed my Pepsi was contaminated with other drinks save your money and don't go here read more

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant - American Near Me - Thurmont, Maryland

The food is always amazing and it's a great environment for children and people of all ages they have a huge gift shop that my 3 year old loves of course and it's very cleanly, 10/10 recommend this place for parties/ events or if you're just craving some good home cooking the employees always make you feel like family read more

i was here on behalf of the incredible hulk. after he realized his big green self cannot fit through the double doors, he sent me to taste the food. when i walked into the family restaurant with stained walls and smelly carpets, the place reeked of a mixture of bleach and piss that had sat there for 30 years. immediately the worker basically grabbed me and threw me in my seat. he then talked about the restaurant and their rules for 15 minutes. he then asked me what i wanted to drink, i said lemonade. he said no, and walked away. he came back and set an empty glass in front of me, then he dismissed me to get food, and followed me to the buffet. once i got my beautiful plate of dry, stale fried chicken, and expired, likely boxed mac n cheese, i saw a chubby lady asking for some sort of shrimp cream. the worker got super mad and slapped her across the face. the worker took the chubby lady to the back, and when the worker came out the lady was not with him. if this is actually a family restaurant i feel bad for the rest of the family. read more

We decided we wanted a breakfast buffet last Saturday and there are none in our local area so we drove to Thurmont to MountainGate. Worst decision I ever made. Let's start with the staff. They were so so SO rude. There wasn't a friendly one in the bunch. It was evident they hated their jobs Now the food. From a half cooked ham and cheese omelette, to chip beef gravy that had lumps of flour in it, to biscuits so hard you could have thrown them against the wall and shattered them. This place is a dump. It has completely went downhill since the owner passed away. The best thing that could happen to Thurmont would be for this place to close. I can deal with rude staff, I will not deal with horrible food when I'm paying my hard earned money for it. I I absolutely do not recommend this place whatsoever. read more

Cozy local restaurant. Came here with my team as we were in the area. Place reminded me of a more quiet family style Cracker Barrel. We arrived around 815A on a Monday morning, so we were one of the first few there. They have a breakfast buffet that was about $12. Buffet food consisted of tator tots, pancakes, sausage, egg, grits, toppings, and more! Friendly staff. Plenty of parking. Great for groups and solo eaters read more

The food was cold and soggy, and the service could not be worse. I would believe the water they served was just pool water with ice in it. 1!star for sure. Never coming back!! read more

Horrible very disappointing. All I ate was The Mac and cheese and bread rolls and it made me throw up. The Mac was slimy and weird and the lemonade was neon green. There was white and brown stuff all over the bathroom. Ice cream was freezer burnt bread was hard and stale. Came here on a school trip. Save your money and do not come! read more

We have driven by this place forever and never stopped in. This was our first visit 11/10/24. The thing I liked most about this restaurant was it was a throw back to the places I used to go to as a kid with my mom and grandma. It's like a Cracker Barrell, but has a buffet. I found that that they did the little things really good. The staff was friendly and the unsweetened iced tea was perfect. They brew it right there. Nothing special was ordered. Paul and I opted to order off the menu rather than going to the buffet. I had a hot turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy Paul a burger and fries. My meal did not have the most as steller presentation, but the turkey was real and with a little salt and pepper, it was fine. I took some of Paul's fries. They were fresh cut. He woofed down his burger and said it was good. Now if you are a hip person from the city, you may not like this place. But if you want a home cooked meal with a warm fuzzy feeling, this is a great place. We will be back. read more

Food: They unfortunately didn't have chili in stock but their Vegetable Soup was a good substitute. They cut two slabs of beef right from the main Roast. (I highly recommend the Au-jus as extra seasoning). AmericanRoast BeefThen I went back for two cuts of New York Strip Steak. All for the low price of $19.95 for the Weekend Buffet. Service was the best I've ever had. Our server came by to check on us every five minutes to refill our beverages and such. Ambiance was festive music for the holidays, Christmas music and the like. Patron noise was low and we weren't overwhelmed with conversation surrounding us. Give this quaint restaurant a chance over the weekend and you won't regret it. read more

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant - American Near Me - Thurmont, Maryland

I've been here three times with my family when traveling to Frederick or the wildlife park nearby Thurmont. The first time we ate there, the food was delicious, and the service was pretty stellar. Pretty much no complaints. The second time we ate there, my wife and I were sorta wondering if management changed, because the food went sub par, ants crawling around the table that we had to ask to be seated somewhere else, and the people that would cut your prime rib was pretty rude and also expected a tip, in which I did not leave them one. Overall we were not as impressed as the first time. The third and last time we were there, we got food poisoning. End of discussion. I care less about the restaurant supporting Trump and other unnecessary comments about MAGA bashing, because politics shouldn't be part of a food review, that is asinine! At the end of the day this is a buffet, so yeah it is what it is and it's a 2 out of 5 for me, just because it was pretty good the first time and just sorta went down hill from there. read more

Hidden in the mountains, lies this beautiful and scenic getaway. The hospitality of this restaurant is unrivaled. Such kind and welcoming people! If I ever find myself venturing through this beautiful and majestic area again, I will be sure to stop at the Mountain Gate Family Restaurant. They have everything to offer. Desserts. Delectable side dishes. Delicacies that my suburban palate has lost the passion for. Thank you Mountain Gate for creating this unrivalved dining experience for me. read more

Another false advertising business. As vendors we open long before the colorfest actually starts because WE still need to setup! Checked Yelp drive up, DOORS OPEN! Get told by the rudest person ever "we don't open until 8" I showed her the website & she snidely snarled "THATS not MY problem" WTF read more

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant - False advertising - American Near Me - Thurmont, Maryland

This delicious food took 20 years off my life!!!!! The gray friend chicken liver surely was the highlight I think it gave me dementia!!! Don't get me started on the sweet corn that's yellow color is shredding off into the corn water below! I am 100 percent coming back here when I die! (I'm going to hell) read more

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant - Some of the great food served here! - American Near Me - Thurmont, Maryland

See all

After going to this restaurant, most of the people on my bus got food poisoning, including me. Never going here again. Save yourself from the pain and suffering of their mediocre food at best, it's not worth it. read more

Haven't been here in at least 20 years. Still the best. Ribs were tender and tasty. The chicken moist, and the pies...well there's no such thing as a bad pie...but the selection is wonderful. read more

Nothing fancy here, but this place has been open for ages. If you know the old Cozy that used to be next door, the buffet is similar and fills the same void. Its Southern comfort food (though a vegetarian who isn't too particular can still find things to try -- like the mac and cheese) and a huge variety of desserts that will keep you coming back. I wouldn't make the trip just for this, but it absolutely works in a pinch. read more