Claudia Sanders Dinner House

American restaurant · Shelby County

Claudia Sanders Dinner House

American restaurant · Shelby County

1

3202 Shelbyville Rd, Shelbyville, KY 40065

Photos

Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null
Claudia Sanders Dinner House by null

Highlights

Southern fare, buffet, delicious food, great yeast rolls  

Placeholder
Placeholder

3202 Shelbyville Rd, Shelbyville, KY 40065 Get directions

claudiasandersshelbyville.com
@claudiasandersdinnerhouse

$10–20 · Menu

Information

Static Map

3202 Shelbyville Rd, Shelbyville, KY 40065 Get directions

+1 502 633 5600
claudiasandersshelbyville.com
@claudiasandersdinnerhouse

$10–20 · Menu

Features

wifi
payment credit card
Tap to pay
reservations

Last updated

Aug 10, 2025

Powered By

You might also like

Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy
 © 2025 Postcard Technologies, Inc.
@eater

The Brief and Magical History of Fast-Food Buffets | Eater

"A historically rooted, quasi‑rogue outgrowth tied to the founding family of a national fried‑chicken chain: opened by the founder’s wife after corporate restrictions limited his activities, it is remembered as an 'illicit' spot that nonetheless offered buffet‑style dining and stands as a curious footnote in the brand’s history — a family‑run counterpoint to the corporate model." - MM Carrigan

https://www.eater.com/2020/9/29/21493824/fast-food-buffets-mcdonalds-taco-bell-magical-mysterious-history
View Postcard for Claudia Sanders Dinner House

Vivian Rivera-Maysonet

Google
The buffet is featured! Love the history behind the restaurant. I never knew, of course, it is his personal life😂, but you know, KFC and all. Anyway, it's very interesting to visit and eat. The food was delicious. It is not a museum like the other establishment, however, it does have some exhibitions and a shop. I like the food here the most!!!

Travel B

Google
I made some bad choices today, but this WAS NOT one of them!! We were passing through the area on a road trip and stopped on a whim. Our server, Connie, was so awesome!! She was super friendly and helpful!! (Thank you, Connie!!) The property is so pretty and inviting. I loved the lazy kitty, living the life, out front! Restrooms are clean. We didn't try the salad bar, but it looked wonderful! The food was delicious and prices were reasonable for the portions! Life's short. Buy the shoes, eat the cake, stop at Claudia Sanders!! (Ask for CONNIE!)

Heylee Nguyen

Google
We visited for the Sunday buffet near closing time and had a pleasant experience overall. The restaurant offers a charming Southern atmosphere with has old fashioned country cooking that feels authentic and welcoming. However considering the Sanders brand legacy, the fried chicken didn’t stand out as particularly unique or memorable for restaurant quality but was still better than the normal KFC. I would have loved the chance to try their weekday dining experience, but Sunday was the only day we happened to be passing through. The wide variety of southern country side dishes did a great job of complementing the meal and added to the overall enjoyment.

Mike Spurlock

Google
This is a very awesome historic place for all the right reasons. The food is like they haven't changed the recipes in 50 years. It's still fantastic Home-cooked everything. I had the catfish dinner with collard greens and mashed potatoes. My wife had the two-piece chicken dinner with green beans and mashed potatoes. The only downside was we got there late on a Saturday and they were out of the chicken livers which we both really wanted. Pat, everything was fantastic. Anyway. The warm yeast rolls might have been the best thing on the table. Once the server took our order everything came out pretty quickly. My wife said it was the best chicken she has ever eaten, I took a bite of it and I have to agree. The decor is a little dated but that's all part of the charm.

Michael

Google
Great southern atmosphere! Went here on Sunday and the buffet was plentiful! A great experience to have once a year. The food quality on some dishes was just okay, but the sheer quantity of dishes and the feeling of stepping into history make this a worthwhile experience if you are looking to spend a few hours with people you love. Also it was closer to Louisville proper than I remembered.

Becky Rosenberg

Google
I got the fried chicken tenders. They were pretty bland, as were the mashed potatoes. The corn pudding and Mac and cheese were good. The best part were the free rolls. They were SO good.

Mitch Headen

Google
Great food. I had the Claudia's chicken dinner. Super tasty chicken. The greens we're fabulous and the potatoes and gravy was great. Rolls were kn point too. I ordered the peach cobbler to go. But I have to say, the stuff that used to be on KFC buffets was better cobbler than this. I've never had hard peaches and loose Graham cracker crust be disguised as cobbler. That was really disappointing. Other than that our group was extremely satisfied.

zheng wang

Google
The tourist destination restaurant. KFC founder Sanders wife original restaurant. Mr. Sanders took over and developed KFC chain after their marriage. There are many Sanders pictures. The food was not impressive to me. Not the best fry chicken, not even close. But the experience was good.
google avatar

Renee S.

Yelp
Was a fun experience to see some of colonel and claudia sanders' history! We came on Sunday for the all-day buffet and were able to try a variety of foods. The BREAD. it's so soft and sweet, probably my favorite thing I ate all day. The service was fast and good and the restaurant was decorated with lots of paintings!
google avatar

Tom Z.

Yelp
This restaurant was highly recommended by some locals. We went for the buffet on Mother's Day. Underwhelming, expensive, and the automatic tip policy (18% for a "large group" of 4) was insulting for a buffet. The chicken was good as was the salad bar, and I liked the creamed spinach, but everything else was (again) underwhelming. The presentation of the numerous buffet items is seriously lacking as well. Most surprising, the Men's room is in need of some serious attention. Floor was a mess, water and paper towels all over the counter, the toilet was gross, and many of the ceiling tiles were stained brown, cracked, and broken. Geez. Fix the leak, replace the tiles, repair the toilet, and clean the rest of it up. For $35.40 per person (including mandatory tip) for a below average buffet, the state of the facilities is disgraceful. I should have taken photos. You can do better, Claudia Sanders. Until then, I won't be back.
google avatar

Scott E.

Yelp
We had a very nice experience for my first visit here. We came on a Sunday, where only a buffet is offered. Service was attentive, and the building is lovely. As with most buffets, the quality varied. I was extremely pleased with some offerings, and less impressed by others. But that is pretty much par for the course. The Buffalo version of the original recipe fried chicken and the Kentucky pie for dessert were especially impressive. It would actually be helpful if the dishes were labeled, as it is not always clear what some dishes are. All in all, well worth a visit.
google avatar

Michelle L.

Yelp
Food was delicious. As a visitor from Sacramento, California I wanted to try some Kentucky favorites. Fried chicken, creamed spinach, corn pudding, super soft dinner rolls, sweet tea and Kentucky pie. Oh my! I'm so full but it was so good.
google avatar

Vijayanarayanan S.

Yelp
The restaurant had lots of options, but the food itself was underwhelming. I got Fried chicken with Nashville flavor. The chicken was soggy even though it was freshly made. I thought it was because mine was Nashville hot, but my wife got the regular fried chicken and it was still the same. The salad bar looked good and very valuable for the money. The service was good and waitress was friendly. They had a small museum upstairs and it was interesting to see those. I won't be back but definitely a must try at least once bc of it's significance to Ky
google avatar

Kevin C.

Yelp
Sunday lunch buffet at Claudia Sanders Dinner House. We try to make it out there a few times a year. Today they had fried chicken and buffalo style chicken. They also had their standard pork loin and roast beef carving station and salad bar. The salad bar always looks great but neither of us wanted to make room for it. All the other fixings were great. Beets, mashed potatoes, green beans, chicken pot pie, corn pudding, boneless BBQ chicken, vegetable medley, cabbage, and derby pie.
google avatar

David C.

Yelp
First visit here. I wouldn't drive out of my way to return. Food was ok, not incredible. Dirty ceiling tiles in the restaurant. Im sure when this started up it was incredible. Service was average. This place attracts an older crowd because they serve soft foods. I went expecting something special. Left disappointed. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
google avatar

Alice T.

Yelp
I was in town and decided to swing by this restaurant before I headed to SDF. Upon arriving, the parking lot was so busy because of Mother's Day, so I thought I would have to wait for ever to get seated. Surprisingly I got seated within 15 minutes around 1pm so that was a great start. Then it went down hill. The food is just mediocre, and the fried chicken (which is the main dish) was soggy and bland. This isn't a KFC, but I was expecting KFC crispy fried chickens. Heck, I was expecting them to be even better than KFC because it's a proper sit down restaurant and the cost to eat here. When I received the check, I realized they charged me 18% gratuity for a large party when there's only two of us. I get that it could be because of Mother's Day and it's higher volume they're dealing with, but the waitress never mentioned it so it came as a surprise. For what we paid, this place is not worth it. You're getting Golden Coral standard food and paying way more. If this is the only happening thing in town, oooof I feel bad for these people.
google avatar

Chris K.

Yelp
If you like KFC this is the place to have the absolute best of the original recipe. We got the all you can eat option, but with the large amount of sides, we could only eat two pieces. Several choices of sides, but unfortunately, they don't have cole slaw. The rolls were very good and there's plenty to choose from on the salad bar. They have a full menu so there's more than chicken to order. The service is very good and attentive. Lots of photos of the the Sanders throughout and there's also a giftshop. Their home is right next to the restaurant too.
google avatar

Bernie M.

Yelp
Very good. I had the catfish special and it was very good. 2 big pieces of fish, hush puppies, onion rings, crab cake and corn bread. Friend had fried chicken and it was just OK. Nothing to rave about. Salad bar was very nice! Service was great.
google avatar

Runzer W.

Yelp
Went there for Sunday buffet in the early afternoon. Most people there were groups of families, while there were plenty of seats and spaces for any number of groups. Their fried chicken tasted great (I think one was buffalo style and one was original flavor). The buffet options were pretty decent, including bread, mac-n-cheese, sweets, salads, and bbq. I was too full to have the dessert, which was a little pity for me.
google avatar

Holly D.

Yelp
From the time we stepped into the building I was impressed with the old country charm! Our server Lisha was attentive, friendly, totally on the ball! She was a joy! The food was incredible and the variety great. Very old school all the way around. This is a must see, eat and enjoy! Oh and the welcoming committee/manager is just great! Friendly, soft and cuddly!

Jenna S.

Yelp
The food was fine, but it was basic buffet fare sitting out in hot dishes. Servers were quick and friendly. The location was convenient. The restaurant was clean and spacious.
google avatar

Gary C.

Yelp
This is the hidden gem of Kentucky! Col would be proud of his wife's legacy here in Shelbyville. To start off they bring out this all you can eat bread (yummy). My wife went with the boneless chicken meal that come with two sides Mac N Cheese and mashed potatoes no gravy for her. I choose the Claudia's two piece white meat dinner my sides were mashed potatoes and gravy, and Mac n cheese. This is Military friendly location.
google avatar

Erin M.

Yelp
So much potential but I think it is being missed here. After seeing this place on a couple of food blogs I had to add it to my list to try. We went on Sunday which only offers the buffet so keep that into consideration. The only thing that stuck out was the chicken (which still needed a little help) and the rolls. The sides were awful - the Mac was water and cheese. The prime rib and roast that were cut to serve was dry and tasteless. Our waitress was sweeter than ever but I don't see myself coming back (especially on a Sunday).
google avatar

Joe B.

Yelp
It's been a while since we have dined here. I believe they have new owners who have continued the tradition of the restaurant and still serve good food and provide friendly service. Although we initially thought about the 2 piece chicken special($15.99)that included 2 sides and unlimited rolls we decided to get the chicken dinner special that included 4 sides, a salad, unlimited rolls for $21. That seemed like a better deal since we had enough leftovers for an another meal. The chicken was plentiful, plump and tender. Do not confuse this with your average KFC than makes greasy chicken. This is probably closer to the way Colonel Sanders envisioned KFC after he sold the business. Claudia Sanders is probably a couple of miles or so from downtown Shelbyville with ample parking. Do remember to get the dinner rolls as they are some of the best we have ever had.
google avatar

Sarah W.

Yelp
Easter buffet today on 3/31/2024 was $29.99 for adults. Our group of 8 was satisfied and so happy not having to cook! The place was packed. The food was good. The service was great, although busy juggling quite a crowd at times. We did not feel rushed and sat for a couple of hours enjoying salad bar, main entree and multitude of choices for sides, and then dessert. Beautiful drive to the venue with bright green spring pastures and horses in the fields and only a 30-minute drive to the Louisville metro area.

Laura S.

Yelp
I visited on a Wed evening. The place is a blast from the 80s with old decor and old standards for food as well. Lots of little things everywhere that need a refresh. My young waitress was friendly and fast. She knew the menu which likely has not changed much since first opening. I had catfish which tasted like fried chicken... lol. Not in a bad way but they obviously use the same fryer. Yet it was great fish. The mash potato was fairly cold and I have never come acrossed cream spinach I did not like... until now! Omg it was not edible. Gloppy paste with bacon bits and 10 spinach leaves. However the dinner rolls brought before the meal were tremendous. Best I have had in years. So the place overall is meh okay. It has highs and lows. The dining room is charming but sort of cafeteria like being open and loud. A good place to take kids or those who want an unpretentious regular meal. Be prepared to love some things and want to dump others in a paper chicken bucket.
google avatar

Bridgette C.

Yelp
We went to Claudia Sanders on a Sunday. They serve a fabulous buffet only on Sundays. The service was good food was great. They had several different protein choices but the star of the show really was the side dishes and the vegetables they were excellent. The ambience is old-school casual country type of flair yet in a large scale. Why I'm giving it four stars is there was no other choice on Sunday yet to get the buffet. It was a little pricey, and I would've preferred smaller portion options, especially if you were to bring a child there my other reason for four stars is that we had to often wait for our drinks to be refilled, and the waitress kept on forgetting to refill them and we had to ask a few times
google avatar

Northern Y.

Yelp
We visited the restaurant on Sunday. The only option for a meal was the buffet, but not being a regular customer we were not aware this was the only option. The hostess, the worker who sat us nor our waitress said anything about the buffet being the only option. We sat for about five minutes, the waitress returned after bringing water and said we could help ourselves to the buffet never telling us that was the only option. She never mentioned that drink and dessert was included. We didn't find out until we finished eating dinner. The meal was ok, food temperature at the carving station was cool, and the buffet needs signs identifying the food. Cleanliness was maybe average, the place needs to be updated and host and servers need to be trained to be friendly and helpful.
google avatar

Lynn L.

Yelp
First things first... Service was awesome! We tried the garlic parm wings, roast beef, and fish sandwich with sides. The wings were great! My husband said the fish sandwich was good. The green beans tasted canned with some bacon tossed in, but still needed some salt for flavor. The roast beef was more like a beef stew, with very little beef in it. The macaroni and cheese had zero flavor and was kind of like a kraft deluxe situation. The bread... Oh the bread! Delicious! Cornbread was good as well! My husband enjoyed the salad bar as well. The sides were lackluster. My mistake was going to a chicken spot and ordering roast beef.

Eric L.

Yelp
Tried Claudia Sanders for the first time. I ordered the fish sandwich and was surprised at the size of the sandwich. It was huge. The service was excellent. The facility is beautiful. It would be a nice place to have a special dinner or other events.

Lana D.

Yelp
Wonderful food and the servers are attentive and friendly. The dining area is large and they can accommodate large groups. The restaurant has old world charm and is very "southern ". I love it there.
google avatar

Paul J.

Yelp
For a historical-ish meal, if you're near Louisville, you gotta try Claudia Sanders's Dinner House. A beautifully renovated dining hall, but I didn't have time so I got take out, and it was still worth it. The fried chicken was tasty and perfectly cooked, the green beans had some tartness, and the potatoes were real mashed potatoes and not flakes. The yeast rolls could be a meal in themselves. But for me the real star was the Harvard Beets - I'd never had beets like this before and they were sweet, earthy and tender. So stop in and experience a little history with a really tasty and filling meal!
google avatar

Donna S.

Yelp
Made a very scenic trip to Claudia Sanders, passing many horse farms....beautiful drive. A great place to go for lunch or dinner, Claudia Sanders is thriving! Buffet only on Sundays. On other days, delicious salad bar to include soups and desserts can be your entrée or an add-on to even a sandwich, for $3.99. We love everything about Claudia Sanders food. From the most awesome grilled cheese I've eaten, to a full-blown dinner with tons of sides, they have a vast array of choices. This is a perfect place to take an out-of-town guest. Just as an example, I ordered their grilled cheese with soup. I chose chicken and dumplings as my soup. I also added the salad bar. since I was in love with a salad bar, I ate that as my entrée and took home, my grilled cheese and chicken and dumplings, plus she packaged up dessert... A huge scoop of bread pudding! Talk about a bargain... All of this for under $10. and the nicest, sweetest, efficient server.... People, it is definitely worth the drive! All decorated up for Christmas outside and inside, a beautiful fireplace, don't pass this holiday chance up!

Melissa D.

Yelp
We recently moved to the area and were excited to find this restaurant. We have visited several times over the past few months but have found the food to be acceptable but the service extremely slow. We eat early so we would usually be one of only 3-4 tables with the same number servers present. On past visits, once dinner was delivered, we would not see our server again. However this last visit however will be our last as my husband's chicken livers were nearly raw and my "oven roasted turkey sandwich" was simply deli lunch meat. The only saving grace was that we had amazing service from Autumn who was very attentive.
google avatar

Kirsten L.

Yelp
Had to try this restaurant after hearing so much about it over the years. It was worth the 44 mile trip. Plenty of good food for an excellent price. More than we could eat in one sitting. Brought dinner home. We decided to order off the ala carte menu. Mike ordered a fried chicken breast, a pound of chicken livers with gravy, collard greens & a loaded baked potato. He said his breast was moist & very tasty. The livers were cooked perfectly & a lb. was too much. I had one liver; it was good. Had to ask for the white gravy. Collard greens were good & potato never came to the table. I ordered a fried chicken breast. I picked the skin off, & it still had a delicious taste. I ordered Harvard beets, stewed tomatoes & biscuits. Take me back, down home cooking. Yes! If you want honey for your biscuits, it's an extra charge. They also have sweet yeast rolls that come to the table. There are many dining rooms in the building. And there is a salad bar. Our server was very friendly, but she did forget two items. The prices are great for the amount of food you get. All you can eat buffet on Sunday. Make a reservation. They also have Family Style Meals too. Give it a try, if you haven't been there.
google avatar

Rebecca R.

Yelp
When you drive up, you feel like you are driving up to a great big old house in the south complete with the big white columns. There was a wait to get anyone to seat us as the one person at the front was cashing people out, answering the phone and playing hostess. Our server was super friendly with the very southern personality, calm, laid-back and personable. We went with the ham dinner which came with chicken and hubby just got the chicken dinner. I went with the fried ham, which had a very odd taste that I wasn't a fan of. The chicken was good, moist with a slightly crunchy coating like at KFC. The rolls were really good! The mashed potatoes were good, but I like KFC's gravy better. The apples and beets were also very good. I wish we were hungry enough for the salad bar as it looked impressive. We would probably go back again, but maybe not often as it was very similar to KFC but at much higher prices.
google avatar

Cindy B.

Yelp
We came here for the Sunday dinner a few weeks ago and felt like we had stepped into a movie! The building is a beautiful, huge, white home with many rooms, all used for dining rooms. They were at least 100 people dining when we arrived and it looked like plenty of room for more. We loved seeing the families celebrating together and the church groups eating together too. The food was served buffet style, and it was worth writing home about. Guaranteed nothing we ate was on anyone's healthy diet plan but it was so delicious it was absolutely memorable. We also had excellent coffee and heavenly dessert. We were in a rush so we just ate and ran, but we would've enjoyed looking around at the Sanders history a bit more. Next time!!
google avatar

HsiaoCheng W.

Yelp
I wanted to love this place as I've been wanting to come here forever. But I just can't recommend it. Fried chicken: kfc does it better. I think you're better off ordering ala cart on this than the dinner portion as it's cheaper that way Milky/white gravy: I like the brown one at kfc much more than this bland stuff Tomahawk pork chop: incredibly dry and tough to swallow. When we told our waiter he apologized and said he'd bring the check out (yes we were charged for it regardless). Chicken fried chicken: it's just fried chicken on a biscuit with that bland white gravy. Creamed spinach: I usually like this but here not so much Collared greens: Tasty! Green beans: ok. Nothing special Creamed corn: Good. Yeast rolls: good Corn muffin: average. All our bread came out at the end of our meal which was disappointing. The waiter kept saying he was waiting for a fresh batch. It was a super long wait. Kentucky pie: like an average pecan pie covered with chocolate syrup. Blah A lot of flies surrounded our table which was super annoying. Hostess and waiter were friendly though.
google avatar

Mark H.

Yelp
Have no idea how this place got only 3.3 stars! Looks like a substantial number of negative reviews, but I didn't even care to look at them. Just determined that all those folks must have not been at the same marvelous restaurant I was when I had the privilege of going there. First approaching the building, then seeing how large it was as we walked in, with a kind of simple elegance was wonderful! Interaction with the server was spirited as he carried out a quality job of taking care of our group of nine family members gathering from four states. All of us were very satisfied with the excellence of the food! Again... For sure... Wherever the reviewers giving one/two/three stars were coming from, I can't imagine from my experience! Wish I had taken photos to display what a nice setting it was to dine in. I only had one regret. I enjoyed so much, I wished they had souvenirs in their little shop that depicted the restaurant itself (maybe a little on their history and whatnot), instead of only generic bourbon/Kentucky etc. stuff! Carry on the good work
google avatar

Serene L.

Yelp
First time here. Excited to taste the original recipe. The restaurant looks like a great white house with tall pillars leading to the entrance. Parking was abundant. The hostess was pleasant. She attended and sat me immediately. The decor was old world charm, dark wood furniture, sense of grandeur of old days past. Server attended to me as soon as I had a few minutes after being seated. She brought me my Americano. It was weak like most Americanos. I had the AYCE, came with 4 sides. I chose the cream spinach, green beans, tomatoes, apples. I loved the beans and spinach. The tomatoes and apples were too sweet for my taste and didn't touch it much. I also got the cream of tomato soup, that too was sweet. I didn't love the oh-too-sweet soup. The chicken, dark meat, were good. Chicken came out hot, skin was crispy, meat juicy. Above my expectations. I helped myself to the salad bar, it was simple but sufficient. I left feeling happy and satisfied. I felt bad that I didn't make a dent on the tomatoes, soup and apples though. But I wish they didn't have to taste artificially sweet. Overall, it was good. I was happy I got to go.

Tommy M.

Yelp
Usually, my family has loved Claudia Sanders, but not this last time. We went there for my daughter's birthday dinner. It took us over 45 minutes to get our food, and even then we didn't get all of our orders. We didn't get all our silverware, and I had to go hunting for some. We didn't get drink refills until we were getting up and ready to leave. My son ordered a "family style" chicken dinner where he could get extra portions, but he ended up with only ONE piece of chicken for $21 dollars because our server never showed up to bring him more food. Talk about a waste of $21 dollars. But possibly worst of all was being absolutely ignored by Claudia Sanders management when I contacted them about this. Needless to say, it will be ages before we go back to that restaurant.
google avatar

Emily L.

Yelp
I called to make a reservation and was informed they only take reservations for parties of 8 or more, so I asked what the wait is normally like at 6 PM on a Saturday night for 7 people. I was told by the girl on the phone, "Oh, we never have a wait." I thought that was odd... but trusted her as she works there and should know. So, we get there on that Saturday night and there is a huge line to even put your name in! We had to wait around 45 minutes to be seated. If I would've known there could be a wait like that, we would have gotten there earlier. We were seated in the far back corner which was actually a blessing because the tables were so packed into the room that it was hard to get past tables that I'm sure people would be running into you constantly. Our waitress finally came to our table about 10 minutes after we were seated. The service never got better from there. We were always having to flag down our server for basic things. They clearly needed more servers for the amount of tables they had seated. The meal started out great with the rolls... literally some of the best rolls I've had. The chicken dumpling soup was also tasty. I got my hopes up for the rest of the meal. We got the fried chicken and chicken livers with all the sides. The chicken was very mediocre. Nothing special and needed to be crispier. I would honestly rather eat fried chicken from KFC. The sides were also disappointing. Sadly, I won't ever go back there. Definitely not worth the experience.
google avatar

David G.

Yelp
Met family from three cities (Frankfort + Louisville + Winchester) there in Shelbyville on Saturday to share time together. The servers were very friendly. The decor is aged. The salad bar is excellent. The kitchen service was extremely slow - waited 45 minutes for chicken dinners and veggie sides that all had to be under a hot lamp. One fish order was delivered and the server said it wasn't cooked properly, but the recipient could keep it or send it back. It went back. Took another 30 minutes to get the fish back, so that person (6 of us) waited well over an hour for their meal. The food quality in general seemed overcooked, and the chicken choices were dry - not as good as KFC! We enjoyed our time visiting together, but rated the restaurant a B-. We'll meet somewhere different next time.
google avatar

Tom R.

Yelp
The food is generic and the service needs training. Cool story but it needs a refresh.

Tim T.

Yelp
As someone that was raised in Shelby county and been here several times over the years, we had a disappointing visit on Saturday. It is a beautiful clean restaurant located on 60. 7 of us had reservations and we were seated immediately. We ordered after about 10 minutes, service was fine & the bread was really good. After another 40 minutes the entrees came somewhat warm. The sides were less than warm. The pork chops looked dismal, the hot brown looked good, the chicken livers were ok and the steaks looked good. I think if the food was hot it would have been better. Will not go back unless no choice.

Terri J.

Yelp
A group of us went there for lunch one day. Unfortunately, the only thing good was the salad bar. I also ordered bean soup that was so salty, it was inedible. By the time the waitress came back around, she offered me something else but most of the group I was with were finished and ready to go. I don't think I'll be going back.
google avatar

Rene M.

Yelp
Sunday visit yielded the only food option - a buffet at $24. The choices at the Buffett were extremely plentiful - probably over 20 different options plus a carving station with beef and Turkey roasts and a Salad bar. There was no dessert buffet but could have been an option brought to you by the server as table beside us received ice cream. Not sure if it's included with price. We were too full to ask. There are multiple rooms with seating areas. Only two were used when we were there. There is a long hall with a banquet area to the left of entry. A small gift shop was barely stocked with much of anything. A regal looking staircase led to a lounge area that was closed on our visit. The wood tables and chairs have seen much better days. Very worn and used. Main area decor with buffet was drab, though adorned with many horse related framed pictures. Bathroom was clean and close to all the dining areas. Service was prompt. Most servers appeared to be Mexicans, which was somewhat odd based on southern theme of food and decor, but server was impeccable and attentive. Bill is given to you to pay at front entrance. Parking is close and place is handicapped accessible. All dining on one level. Food taste varied depending on what was selected. Ranged from average to above average. Chicken tastes like KFC and was delicious. Some food was barely warm and others were hot - depended on timeline food was last restocked in buffet tray. Restaurant is not far off highway 64 going to Lexington or Louisville. Would definitely recommend, but be prepared for food that is "average" - not bad, but nothing super. I am curious as to how food would be off the menu and how much it would cost. Sunday they opened at 11:00. Buffet had no breakfast items. Only disappointment was gift shop and lack of historical memorabilia related to the Sanders. Would recommend some updating of decor and tables.
google avatar

Kat B.

Yelp
We went for the kitsch. Overall food was hit and miss. Our server was friendly but didn't check on us very often. Salad bar was pretty good. When my lunch plate came out I laughed at how beige it was. Chicken fried chicken had nice breading but was a tad dry and needed more gravy. Corn pudding had decent flavor but appeared to be curdled. The texture was way off. The Mac and cheese was horrendous. Incredibly soupy. No flavor whatsoever. Noodles soft and mushy. Yuck. Was fine to say we went, but would not go back.

Matthew G.

Yelp
Weak, weak sauce. Yes, this is a KY institution, NO they do not provide a qualitylity experience. Was there on Wednesday evening. Food was good comfort food. The service was downright negligent. Not a picky person, and easy to please but our server, who had about 6 tables and the restaurant was maybe 1/3 full at 6pm really ignored our table-slow to check in after our order, 2 of us had the Family style chicken which was good but we really did not get an offer for a few more rolls or any refresh on drinks. We were there for about 90 minutes, and waited for everything longer as the server seemed to forget about all of us...Need WAY more training!!!
google avatar

Faye S.

Yelp
Great service & great food at a fair price. I have never been disappointed when eating there. And it's only a few miles from the interstate - great location.

AllieElise B.

Yelp
The service was horrible!! We had to ask for absolutely everything instead of any consideration for what our table needed. Never given refills, and took 15 minutes for another round of dinner rolls. The portions for the family meals where underwhelming especially for our family of 5 and by the time we asked for more our meat was freezing. I'm assuming it was due to the fringed temperature in the restaurant which they refused to turn the heat up.
google avatar

Stu F.

Yelp
Had a business lunch here. The place is nostalgic with its history and the building. My lunch consisted of the salad bar and a two piece dinner with mashed potatoes. The chicken was very juicy and had plenty of flavor. The potatoes were good and plenty of items for the salad off the salad bar.
google avatar

Adranna P.

Yelp
Great adventure into old fashion cooking! Chicken dumplings very good, roll awesome and other veggies! Chicken was good but not the best I've eaten throughout my travels of course my grandmother had the best!!!! I will go back and take friends!!
google avatar

Tony G.

Yelp
Went here with my family and really enjoyed it. The server was great. He was so friendly and helpful. They had a fire going which was great on a chilly day. I had the Kentucky Hot brown and bread pudding for dessert and both were very good.
google avatar

Beccy K.

Yelp
We have visited the restaurant several times in the past. Our experiences were better previously. Although they had delicious food and many choices again, the service was a little slow. We had to flag down the waitstaff a couple times (for refills, water, to go cup). They also didn't serve dessert buffet style. It has to be requested from the server. The reason given was lack of space which really didn't seem valid. Even though Covid has slowed down, I would have liked a covering over the food. It was still a nice place to go for a special meal and we still ate way too much!
google avatar

Joy B.

Yelp
Sunday Buffet is my favorite The best fried chicken and the Spicy hot is yum. Cooked beets, cabbage& spinach casserole!!!! Sooo worth the $24 pp
google avatar

Ken Z.

Yelp
The best chicken ever and the sides are great mashed potatoes and collard greens and green beans and the absolute best yeast rolls