Restaurant Reivew

The Lodge Buffet (renamed Elements Buffet)

2500 E 2nd Street
Reno, NV 89502
(775) 789-2000
Five Stars
Main Photo

The Lodge Buffet, now called Elements, is a great all you can eat buffet inside the classy Grand Sierra in Reno. I miss when The Lodge Buffet used to offer the $7.77 buffet price for locals. What happened? Traveling here for Thanksgiving, we were sad to see that they no longer offered the deal. While it is not as good a value at 20+ bucks per person, it's still one of the better buffets in Reno.

Food

The Thanksgiving day special menu was $21 a person, which wasn't too bad for the quality and quantity of food available. They had a lot of vegetarian options, which is why buffets appeal to me more so than regular restaurants. The buffet includes all the typical Thanksgiving fare like turkey, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, soups, rolls, pies, and even a seafood section.

The highlight of the meal was a delicious pumpkin soup. The desserts especially the pumpkin cheesecake were all amazing. The salad bar was great too - nice and big with plenty of selections. All the sides were great. However, I still can't help thinking that we paid $7.77 for this same buffet just a few years back!

Prices run about $16 per person on the weekdays and $20 per person on the weekends. Be sure to sign up for a Player's card to receive special deals throughout the year. Also, check for hotel promotions online - they often offer a free buffet with a room booking.

Service

The service was fine on both of our visits. We never had to wait long to be seated or for drinks.

Atmosphere

This buffet was not very crowded and we really did not have to wait in line for anything. I guess we picked the right time to go! Often in the past the wait was up to 45 minutes to get in - maybe getting rid of the special price has had a negative effect? Either way, it's a much less congested experience now.

The seating is nice with wood style tables and fireplaces. They had a really cool Thanksgiving ice sculpture. The buffet was nice and clean.

Restaurant Photo

Final Remarks

I would recommend dining at this buffet if you are staying at the Grand Sierra Resort. You will not be disappointed with the menu selection or price. Even though they no longer offer the $7.77 buffet special, it is still cheaper than most of the other buffets in town.

The Lodge on Urbanspoon
Waiter