11 Minnesota Buffets That Locals Say Dish Out Fried Chicken Worth The Detour
Nothing beats the thrill of spotting golden fried chicken piled high on a buffet table, steam rising like a delicious promise.
Minnesota knows how to do comfort food right, and these buffets prove it with crispy, juicy bird that keeps locals coming back week after week.
I’ve driven miles out of my way for good fried chicken, and trust me, these spots are worth every single turn off the highway.
Get ready to meet the all-you-can-eat champions that have perfected the art of the buffet-style bird.
1. Mama Sheila’s House of Soul – Minneapolis
Steam tables at Mama Sheila’s release aromas that transport you straight to Sunday dinner at grandma’s place.
Golden fried chicken shares space with smothered chicken, candied yams, and greens that taste like they’ve been simmering all morning. The buffet-style setup invites regulars to pile plates high without judgment.
Comfort food this soulful creates a dining room where people linger over second and third helpings. The whole spread feels like a warm hug served cafeteria-style, and the fried chicken stays crispy even under those heat lamps.
Minneapolis locals know this spot delivers authentic flavors worth the trip across town.
2. The Great Blue Heron – Cold Spring
Tuesday nights transform Cold Spring into chicken central when The Great Blue Heron rolls out its bottomless bird buffet.
Locals actually plan their entire week around this all-you-can-eat chicken feast, and I totally understand why after my first visit. Broasted chicken stays remarkably crisp, defying the usual buffet sogginess curse.
Small-town supper clubs have a magic that chain restaurants can never replicate, and this place captures it perfectly. Stories get better with each plate, and the regulars treat newcomers like old friends.
It’s the kind of Tuesday tradition that makes you wish every day had a chicken buffet special.
3. McKinney’s on Southside – Benson
Sunday in Benson means one thing: the Broasted Chicken Buffet at McKinney’s, where families claim their favorite booths early.
The carving station hums with activity while those crunchy, juicy chicken pieces keep appearing like magic. Classic small-town buffet vibes done exactly right, no frills needed.
Families slide into vinyl booths worn smooth by decades of Sunday dinners, and the chicken never disappoints. I watched three generations at one table, each person returning for seconds without hesitation.
This is Minnesota comfort food at its most genuine, where the buffet line moves fast but nobody rushes the meal itself.
4. Golden Corral – Maple Grove
Sprawling buffets might offer fifty choices, but many Golden Corral regulars head straight for the fried chicken station and camp there.
Simple, hot, and endlessly replenished chicken keeps the northwest side crowds happy meal after meal. No frills means no distractions from what matters: crispy bird that delivers every time.
Bring-the-whole-crew dining reaches its peak here, where kids and grandparents find something to love. The chicken station sees more traffic than the dessert bar during peak hours, which says everything.
When you need reliable fried chicken without breaking the bank, Maple Grove locals know exactly where to point you.
5. Tokyo 23 Hibachi Buffet – West St. Paul
West St. Paul’s biggest buffet mixes hibachi flames, sushi rolls, and a hot line stacked with chicken options that range from fried wings to sesame and General Tao’s.
Most diners make the chicken station their reliable second stop right after loading up on sushi. Lively atmosphere meets big-tent variety in the best possible way.
I’ve watched people strategize their plate layouts here like military operations, balancing sushi, hibachi, and fried chicken without spillage. The fried wings alone deserve their own fan club, staying crispy despite the buffet environment.
When you can’t decide between Asian favorites and classic fried chicken, this place says why choose.
6. Hibachi Buffet – Minneapolis (Phillips)
East Lake Street’s longtime all-you-can-eat champion keeps the hits coming without apology or pretension. Trays of chicken wings and fried chicken skewers sit beside the hibachi grill and sushi bar, creating a greatest-hits lineup.
Crowd-pleasers dominate the menu here, and the chicken options never disappoint regulars who’ve been coming for years.
Standby spots earn that status by delivering consistency, and Hibachi Buffet understands the assignment perfectly. The chicken skewers offer a different texture than wings, giving variety seekers options within the poultry category.
Phillips neighborhood locals treat this place like their cafeteria, stopping by whenever the craving hits.
7. Great Moon Buffet – Maplewood
Regulars rave about Great Moon as the wings spot that outshines competitors across the Twin Cities metro. Crisp, well-seasoned chicken sits right alongside the sprawling Chinese-American buffet offerings, stealing the spotlight from everything else.
When folks debate the best wings on a buffet, this Maplewood location pops up in conversation faster than you can say extra crispy.
I’ve seen people fill entire plates with just wings here, ignoring the fifty other options available. The seasoning blend hits that perfect sweet-savory note that keeps you reaching for one more piece.
Great Moon proves that buffet chicken doesn’t have to be an afterthought when someone actually cares about getting it right.
8. Sammy’s Pizza & Restaurant (West Duluth) – Duluth
Duluth institutions earn that title by becoming woven into the fabric of daily life, and Sammy’s fits perfectly. The all-you-can-eat buffet stretches beyond pizza to include wings and broasted chicken alongside soup and salad bar options.
Lunch turns into a tradition when families return generation after generation for the same reliable spread.
West Duluth locals schedule meetings and celebrations around Sammy’s buffet hours, knowing exactly what they’ll get.
The broasted chicken stays surprisingly tender while maintaining that signature crunch, a balance many places never achieve. Pizza might be in the name, but the chicken keeps people coming back just as often.
9. Pizza Ranch – Stewartville (near Rochester)
Buffet Your Way promises flexibility, and the Country’s Best Chicken keeps that promise with hot, crunchy pieces that maintain quality through the lunch rush.
The line moves steadily as diners balance chicken, pizza, salads, and dessert on plates engineered for maximum capacity. After games and church, families know exactly where to head for reliable all-you-can-eat comfort.
Stewartville’s location near Rochester draws crowds from both communities, creating a lively atmosphere during peak hours. The fried chicken lives up to its trademarked name, delivering consistent crunch and flavor batch after batch.
This is Midwest buffet culture at its finest, where everyone leaves satisfied and nobody judges your third trip.
10. Pizza Ranch – Duluth (Miller Hill Mall)
Mall-level dining gets a bad reputation, but this Ranch location keeps standards high with steady buffet service and chicken that stays crisp through the dinner rush.
Thursday Wing Nite transforms the regular buffet into a chicken-lover’s paradise worth planning around. Shoppers take breaks from browsing to refuel on fried chicken that rivals standalone restaurants.
The Miller Hill Mall location benefits from constant traffic, meaning chicken rotates quickly and stays fresh throughout service hours. Wings on Thursday draw a dedicated crowd who mark their calendars for this weekly event.
Sometimes the best food hides in unexpected places, and this mall Ranch proves that point deliciously.
11. Meadows Restaurant at Prairie’s Edge Casino – Granite Falls
Casino restaurants usually prioritize convenience over quality, but Meadows Restaurant flips that script entirely.
Locals praise the all-you-can-eat spreads, with broasted chicken nights earning sleeper hit status among regular visitors. Generous portions meet classic preparation in a surprisingly homey atmosphere for a resort stop.
The broasted chicken stays tender and well-seasoned, making you forget you’re dining in a casino setting. Granite Falls locals treat this like their neighborhood buffet rather than a tourist trap, which tells you everything about the quality.
Sometimes the best food discoveries happen in the most unexpected venues, and this prairie casino restaurant proves that delicious rule repeatedly.