10 South Carolina Buffets That Still Serve Classic Plates Like It’s the ’80s
Remember when buffets meant mountains of fried chicken, creamy mac and cheese, and all the comfort food your heart desired?
South Carolina still has restaurants serving those classic ’80s-style spreads that make you feel like a kid again. These beloved buffet spots haven’t changed their winning recipes, and that’s exactly why locals keep coming back for more.
1. Shealy’s Bar-B-Que
Family-owned the late 1960s, this Batesburg-Leesville treasure keeps the nostalgia alive with every plate. Their buffet line stretches with pulled pork, ribs, fried chicken, and hash that tastes just like Grandma’s Sunday dinner.
The secret? They’ve never messed with their original recipes. Sweet tea flows freely, and the banana pudding has that perfect vanilla wafer crunch.
Checkered tablecloths and wood-paneled walls complete the time-warp experience. Locals have been bringing their families here for generations, creating memories one heaping plate at a time. When you visit, expect hearty portions and even heartier smiles from the staff who treat everyone like family.
2. Little Pigs Barbecue
Housed in a charming Columbia location, this Columbia gem serves barbecue the old-fashioned way. Their buffet features smoky pulled pork, tangy slaw, and those addictive hush puppies that crunch perfectly on the outside.
What makes this spot special? The homemade sauce recipe hasn’t changed in four decades. They still cook their meats low and slow over hickory wood, filling the air with that unmistakable smoky aroma.
Vintage photos line the walls, showing how little has changed since opening day. The fried okra stays crispy, the collard greens simmer with just enough pepper, and the peach cobbler arrives warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top.
3. Dukes Bar-B-Que
Walking into any Dukes location feels like stepping into a time machine set to 1984. With multiple spots across South Carolina, they’ve mastered the art of consistency without sacrificing that homestyle touch.
Their buffet showcases yellow mustard-based barbecue sauce, a Carolina classic that locals fiercely defend. Fried chicken glistens golden-brown, while lima beans and butter beans simmer in rich pot liquor.
The best part? Everything tastes exactly like it did when your parents took you here as a kid. No fancy fusion experiments or trendy twists, just honest Southern cooking that fills your belly and warms your soul. Their sweet potato casserole with marshmallow topping remains legendary.
4. Shuler’s Barbecue
Since 1996, this Latta institution has been dishing out barbecue that makes grown adults weep with joy. Their Thursday-through-Saturday buffet draws crowds from counties away, all craving that signature vinegar-pepper sauce.
Shuler’s keeps things refreshingly simple with their approach to Southern cooking. Pork gets chopped by hand, never shredded by machine, giving each bite the perfect texture. Their cornbread comes out piping hot, crumbling just right when you slather it with butter.
Don’t skip the chicken bog, a Lowcountry rice dish that’s become their secret weapon. The restaurant’s no-frills atmosphere lets the food do all the talking, and trust us, it’s saying all the right things about tradition and taste.
5. Simply Southern Smokehouse
Located in Myrtle Beach, this smokehouse proves that some traditions deserve to stick around forever. Their weekend buffet transforms into a Southern comfort food paradise with brisket, turkey, and sausage sharing space with classic casseroles.
What sets them apart? They smoke their meats for up to fourteen hours, creating bark so flavorful it should be illegal. The mac and cheese bubbles with three different cheeses, and the green beans simmer with bacon until they’re fork-tender.
Friday nights get packed with families who’ve made this their weekly ritual. The banana pudding disappears fast, so grab yours early. With portions this generous and flavors this authentic, you’ll understand why Myrtle Beach residents guard this place like a precious secret.
6. Magnolia’s at 26th
Myrtle Beach’s hidden treasure serves up a Southern buffet that would make your grandmother nod with approval. Their spread includes fried catfish, country-fried steak, and vegetables cooked the way they should be—with butter and love.
Breakfast here hits differently, with fluffy biscuits drowning in sausage gravy and grits so creamy they slide off your spoon. The lunch buffet switches gears with pot roast, meatloaf, and chicken and dumplings that cure whatever ails you.
Locals appreciate how Magnolia’s hasn’t jumped on the trendy food wagon. Instead, they stick to what works: generous portions, reasonable prices, and recipes passed down through generations. Their pecan pie alone justifies the trip to the coast.
7. The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood
Myrtle Beach perfected the Calabash-style seafood buffet, and Benjamin’s wrote the original playbook back in the day. Their all-you-can-eat spread features lightly battered shrimp, flounder, and oysters fried to golden perfection.
The term ‘Calabash’ refers to a specific frying technique that keeps seafood crispy outside and tender inside. Benjamin’s hasn’t tweaked their batter recipe since opening, and regulars would riot if they tried.
Beyond seafood, their buffet includes hush puppies that melt in your mouth and coleslaw with just enough tang to balance the fried goodness. The nautical-themed dining room screams ’80s beach vacation, complete with fishing nets and wooden ship wheels decorating every corner. Pack your appetite because you’ll want seconds.
8. Crabby Mike’s Calabash Seafood
Another Myrtle Beach champion of the Calabash tradition, Crabby Mike’s keeps the coastal buffet dream alive and kicking. Mountains of fried seafood greet you at every turn, with crab legs, clams, and scallops joining the usual suspects.
Their hush puppies deserve their own fan club, studded with sweet onions and served piping hot. The seafood chowder tastes like it simmered all day, rich with chunks of fish and potatoes in a creamy broth.
Mike’s understands that beach vacations call for indulgence without pretension. Their prices remain moderate for the area, considering the endless trays of food. Families pile in wearing flip-flops and sunburns, ready to carb-load after a day building sandcastles and dodging waves along the Grand Strand.
9. Olde House Café
Tucked in Walterboro, this café serves a country buffet that locals whisper about like it’s classified information. Their Friday night fish fry draws crowds willing to wait for perfectly crispy catfish and tilapia.
The Sunday buffet transforms into a Southern gospel of fried chicken, pot roast, and enough side dishes to feed a small army. Their squash casserole and creamed corn taste like recipes stolen from a church cookbook.
What makes Olde House special? The building itself dates back generations, with creaky floors and walls that have absorbed decades of laughter and good meals. Staff members remember your name and your favorite dishes. It’s the kind of place where everyone truly knows your name and saves you extra cornbread.
10. Woodstone BBQ & Seafood
Located in Florence, this answer to the ultimate comfort food buffet combines two South Carolina loves: barbecue and seafood. Their dual-threat approach means you never have to choose between ribs and fried shrimp.
Smoked chicken sits next to calabash-style fish, while collard greens share space with coleslaw and potato salad. The Brunswick stew bubbles with tomatoes, corn, and pulled pork in a thick, savory base that begs for cornbread dunking.
Their rustic atmosphere feels authentically Lowcountry, with exposed brick and wooden beams overhead. Weekend crowds pack the place, but the buffet stays constantly refreshed with hot, fresh food. When you can’t decide between land and sea, Woodstone solves that delicious dilemma with Southern hospitality and plates piled high.