Rising grocery and restaurant prices are pushing Americans back toward all-you-can-eat and buffet-style dining, with Yelp searches for all-you-can-eat buffets jumping 252% from 2025, according to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal.
While chains like Golden Corral still dominate the traditional buffet scene, diners are increasingly seeking out smaller, more specialized spots offering everything from Southern comfort food and Uzbek hot bars to Korean barbecue and Brazilian steakhouse fare.
Southern Comfort in Manhattan
Since opening in September, Good Time has brought Southern-style comfort food to Manhattan, serving dishes such as Salisbury steak, collard greens, dinner rolls and peach cobbler. Unlimited servings cost $26.99, the Journal reported.
Co-founder David Yun said the goal was to offer “something affordable” and to evoke “the humble buffet that really brings you back to that memory.”
Central Asian Flavors by the Pound
Tashkent’s Uzbek hot bar, also in New York City, features dozens of prepared dishes, including plov, stuffed cabbage, manti dumplings and pastries. Unlike traditional all-you-can-eat spots, customers here pay by weight, with takeout containers typically running $10.99 to $11.99 per pound, according to the Journal.
Since opening last year, Tashkent’s West Village location has drawn attention from food bloggers for its hot bar, putting a spotlight on Central Asian cuisine, The Guardian has reported.
Korean Barbecue and Hot Pot, Coast to Coast
KPot Korean BBQ and Hot Pot lets diners cook meats, vegetables and noodles tableside, either barbecue-style or in hot broth. For $5 extra, diners can do both. Prices vary by location, from $36.99 in New York to $31.99 in Oklahoma City, the Journal reported.
With locations in nearly 40 states, KPot has become one of the largest Korean restaurant chains in the country.
Heartland Classics
Der Dutchman serves hearty, Amish- and Mennonite-inspired fare, including creamed chicken, meatloaf, baked ham and noodles with mashed potatoes. It regularly lands on lists of the country’s best buffets and, according to one diner quoted by the Journal, has “a good rocking-chair-on-a-big-front-porch type of vibe.”
All-you-can-eat dinners cost about $20 for adults, while breakfast runs about $14 and includes pancakes, biscuits and regional specialties such as tomato gravy and fried cornmeal mush, the outlet reported.
Brazilian Steakhouse Growth
Fogo de Chão offers two lunch options: an unlimited Market Table with soups, salads, breads and Brazilian specialties, priced at $20, and the Full Churrasco Experience, which adds fire-roasted meats served tableside for about $30 more. Availability and prices can vary by location.
The Brazilian steakhouse chain has become a hit among Gen Z diners and has nearly doubled its U.S. footprint to about 115 locations over the past four years, according to the Journal.
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