2500 E 2nd Street
Reno, NV 89502
*Disclaimer: We were not paid for this review. All opinions are our own and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
I've been dining at the The Grand Buffet (formerly The Lodge Buffet) ever since I started staying at the Grand Sierra (the only resort I stay at 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. They offers tons of options plus a really great dessert display.
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.
Update: As of 2025, the buffet now charges between $32-45 per person. Let's hope the food is really good to be justifying those type of prices. You will find a carving station offering turkey, hamburgers, hot dogs, and prime rib. Other stations include: Italian, American, an Asian Wok, and a Taco bar.
The service has always been great. We have never had a problem on any visit. Even for the Thanksgiving buffet, everything ran really smooth.
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 on display. The buffet was nice and clean, fully stocked and replenished when needed.
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, I still recommend a visit for the convenience and reasonably high quality offerings.
