Old Country Buffet

OCB!!! Haha, for an American buffet, this location is great compared to the factoria location. The staff are nice, they have better layout and they have better food.
The meat is always tender. It’s never dry or old looking. The mashed potatoes and gravy is so good with the fried chicken or popcorn shrimp. The seasoning is good. I know they repurpose all their leftover food and this location hides it well. Average and decent location.
The cost is like 11 bucks for dinner. And 2 bucks for drinks. The icee is a must try!

I really am not a lover of buffets… Im sure thats apparent with my review history. However, when traveling with a 13 year old girl who will eat anything, and a 5 year old nephew who wont, I had to make some concessions to my preferences.
The place is pretty clean, and the stock was being rotated often, so that was nice to see. There was a huge variety, which was also helpful in my situation… Taco Bar and a Pizza selection on top of the normal buffet finds was perfect (The boy had asked for pizza and a burrito when I asked what he was hungry for). The salad bar was fresh, nothing wilty and plenty of selection for fruits and added toppings. The carving meats were also juicy, and had a little variety although it was a bit of a wait to get someone over there to carve you off a piece. Flavor was good, too.
The cornbread was moist, and not too crumbly, and the mac and cheese was very close to being of the actual homemade style everyone loves. The dessert bar was huge, and widely varied… also fresh and pretty good according to the kids. The soups were hot and had the right flavors, although clearly from a mix of some kind (Duh, what else would you expect? :) But they were still fairly good).
Extensive drink shoices including icees. My nephew was ecstatic… chocolate milk, burrito, pizza, and icee all at once with cookies and cake waiting for round two. (UGH! lol).
The bathrooms were also clean and well stocked.
My only complaint was that our table was just a little bit away from a bussing station and there were a couple of female employees discussing the «grossness» of a customer at another table a bit further away. This kind of conversation should be kept to a much more private area where other customers cannot overhear you (not that they were whispering or anything… clearly they didnt care who heard them). Both of the gals were friendly enough, just didnt appreciate their thoughts on the other customer. There was also a man at the table next to us who was sound asleep when we arrived (about 10 minutes after the lunch pricing ended and the dinner pricing began). He woke up after about a half hour and looked around, then went and got a couple of full plates (we could see by his table that he had already eaten a couple of times… crumbs and napkins). Then he started a movie on his phone to watch while eating. It was a bit strange… appeared that he came in on lunch pricing, ate his fill… took a nap and then had dinner while he had only paid for the lunch. The concept is not unheard of, im sure. Just unusual that the place would allow someone to sit there clearly sleeping for that long, and then fill up again.
In this situation again while visiting the area I would eat here once more. Not my first choice, but pre-​schoolers are hard to please!

Visited Thursday April 7 about 6pm.
Thursday is family night at OCB. It used to be quite busy on family night, but not today. The reason that business is slow is very obvious when you actually try to eat their food. Everything has gone downhill since the parent company declared bankruptcy.
We have not been to this local OCB for months, but we had some visitors from out of town and they wanted to go there.
Let me say that this restaurant was never very good and it is truly awful now. Not only is the facility horribly maintained (dirty bathrooms, sticky tables, dirty floors, debris all over), but the buffet is not kept clean. Heck, they don’t even rotate the fresh food properly. They just dump new food on top of old in the salad bar.
OCB in Lynnwood is a dump. And for them to charge anything at all for what they produce is a ripoff.

Decided to try this place out… Big mistake. Paid almost $ 15 a person for gross, over-​cooked food. The mac’n cheese tasted absolutely horrible and looked watered down. The chicken was either so over-​cooked it was hard to separate or slimy. The corn had obviously been left out for a long time. The only thing I was able to stomach were the mashed potatoes and a bun. I didn’t go there with a high expectation, but I didn’t think it would be as bad as it is. Also, this place smells gross.

Well I know what to expect with buffet food. I understand it is not gourmet food, but come on. I paid full price for 4 people. The salad bar had freezer burn items. If the food tray wasn’t empty the food was over or under cooked. If the food didn’t taste like rubber then it tasted like slime. My picky son could not have milk, chocolate milk or hot chocolate because they were all out. So I decided to bend and get him a icee drink. The icee machine was not working all that came out was syrup. My girlfriend mentioned a dirty cup to an employee and was met with a rude comment. When I mentioned that they were out of cups, spoons, and straws I was told by an employee that «he knew». I’ve been setting here for 45 minutes and none of these items have been fixed. Buffet food isn’t a rocket science. Although the restaurant is close to my house I will be finding another buffet to take my family to.

I’m not a huge fan, but I give them props for being one of the few places around where a person can use a decent salad bar. Its also a good place to go if you have picky eaters and everyone wants to eat something different. Its also relatively hassle free and a good place to stop off if you are in a hurry. I had thought they had Mongolian grill as well, which I love, but seems I was mistaken. My out of town friends are big fans and have been begging me to take them since there is not one in their area. Its reasonably priced for being all you can eat, although I wish drinks were included in the price. I see coupons often and will have to remember to grab those for next time.
There is a variety of things to eat, many of which were nearly inedible. I had the worst waffle fry I ever ate in my life. My broccoli tasted like fish. However the salad bar, the Mexican bar and the pasta were edible. I might come here for the salad bar alone, but that is mostly because I can think of few other places that have a salad bar. My friend really enjoyed the carrot cake and had two servings.
Customer service was okay. Dishes were removed at a steady rate. The cashier seemed a little distracted, but did give me a water cup without having to ask.

I am not impressed, but then I only came here for a birthday party. Price is right if you eat a lot, but I don’t. Kids serving themselves do not make for a good eating experience. The staff doesn’t even try to keep up with the dishes that need to be bused. The chicken is way too salty. The soft serve was working though, that’s not always true. I won’t be back.

Old Country Buffet needs to give their busser Justin a raise.
This man was all over the floor, making sure everyone’s tables were clear, the desert bar was clean, and all with a smile and great attitude.
I am very impressed with his customer service.
Kudos Justin, even if OCB don’t see your hard work, we the paying customers do.
Good job Sir!

Oh my word, this place was foul! We came here on New Years Eve – my un-​picky boyfriend, my very picky 8 year old, my 20 month old who eats everything, and me, a very plain eater. I thought it was a great idea – something for everyone, and a restaurant that I could take my impatient toddler to (she’s not so good at waiting for her food at traditional restaurants). I wasn’t expecting spectacular food, I would have been fine with just okay food.
We walked into the outdated restaurant, up to the register and stated that the kids were 20 months and 8 years old. The woman did not understand 20 months – so is she one? Yes, she’s one. Oh, or is she two? No, she’s one. In the end, she rang her up as a two-​year-​old – thus I had to pay for her when under is supposed to be free. I was also a tad disappointed that drinks are not included in the adult buffet price, but whatever.
I took my son to get food for him, the baby and myself while my boyfriend waited with the baby. My son loaded himself a plate of nachos (chips, beans and liquid cheese – one of my favorites at places like these) and a few other things. I browsed around trying to find stuff for my daughter and I, but nothing looked the least bit appealing. So, I grabbed sample amounts of several things that her or I would normally like, and figured I’d come back for seconds of whatever we liked.
Now, my daughter is part Samoan – she loves her food! There is very little that she will not eat. At 20 months and 25 lbs, she out-​eats my 8 year old! I presented her with her plate of food, from which she took a few small bites then pushed it away and refused to eat anything else. Everything was overcooked. How do you overcook a hot dog? It wasn’t burnt, but overcooked and a very unnatural and unappealing shade of brown. She was done, she wasn’t having any of it, and I don’t blame her.
My boyfriend’s and my food wasn’t any better. The chicken, both fried and rotisserie, was overcooked and rubbery; mashed potatoes were instant and gross; polish sausage was tasteless and rubbery; yeast rolls were dry; «fresh» fruit was pale and slimy; some kind of roast was super rare to the point that it probably wasn’t safe to eat; jello salad was bland; vegetables were tasteless – everything was just bland, tasteless, overcooked, undercooked or just plain off. It was gross, and honestly, downright inedible! The only thing that I half-​way enjoyed was some twirly pasta in a garlic parmesan sauce, but even that, some of the noodles were undercooked, while some were overcooked. That’s impressive! Even the dessert was overcooked to the point that the chocolate stuff had no flavor.
We were charged $ 2.50 each for drinks, but there was no ice. So, $ 5 for room-​temperature coke? Yum!
You know who did like the food? My 8 year old! Yeah, my kid who typically hates food and needs to be reminded/​threatened every 8 seconds to eat his food, takes 90 minutes to eat a bowl of cereal, has a rule at school that he must take 4 bites of his lunch before going out to play – yeah, that kid scarfed this garbage down! Well, except the nachos which were really spicy for some reason. For this reason, and the fact that the lady clearing our plates was really nice, I gave this place 2 stars but I will not be back. I am thankful that we prayed before our meal, otherwise we’d probably all have food poisoning.

Nobody got food poisoning, so this was better than some buffets I’ve been to in my life. That said, the selection is pitiable, and everything is either bland or just off somehow. There are your staple buffet items like macaroni and cheese, which tastes vaguely cheeselike, falling somewhere between Velveeta and cheddar but it’s hard to put your finger on exactly where. The carving board offers the most overcooked chunk of ham known to mankind — cooked to the point that the carver will occasionally pour water on it to keep from ruining her carving knife. It’s enough to make you want to apologize to the pig that died to bring you that roast. And a taco bar offering ground beef, shredded chicken, and refried pinto beans. Which all taste the same. Which is to say they have no flavor whatsoever. Seriously, none. I hate wasting food, but even I had an entire plate of inedible slop go into the garbage.
Drinks are not included in the cost of the meal. In addition to paying extra for a tiny cup and access to the soda fountain, you can pay an upgrade fee and get a 32oz plastic cup. If I were to ever go back, which just for the record is not a thing that will happen in this lifetime, I would definitely bring my own drinking vessel and just pay for access to beverages.
If you are taking your grandmother to dinner, and she can’t taste anything anyway, and maybe if she’s been in hospital and this might be her last meal, then OCB is an adequate dining experience. If you actually enjoy food, skip Old Country Buffet.

3 years ago was nice NOW is terrible for a buffet there is no variety really everything is over cooked. Before they had steaks which made it worth coming now they don’t For what they charge go somewhere else I know I will this is definitely was my last visit here.

WTF… ok I get its a buffet, but dang how do ya jack taco meat!
No meat dishes unless you count the grotesquely coated think it was chicken. One of the better looking dishes was sour kraut and over cooked sausage rounds. Get a clue from Golden Trough
They make this place look like a all you can eat honey bucket

I noticed the low ratings of other Unilocalers. I like this location. The Totem Lake location was shut down so I look forward to eating here in Lynnwood.
The last time I visited was on Thanksgiving day so I could take my mother-​in-​law out for an early lunch. She loves it here.
They opened at 11 a.m. and there was a long line already forming when we arrived. Lunch was $ 12.99 per person which is a fair price.
Service was paying upon entry was good. They had two lines which sped up up the process for those of us waiting in line.
When I dine here it is not filthy to me like other places are. I do not feel filthy eating here either. I like it and I hope they do not close down.
Although I am Atkins/​Fatkins/​keto and already lost 11.5 pounds, Thankgiving lunch for my mother-​in-​law at Old Country Buffet was a cheat day for me. However when I do not have a cheat day they are very Atkins/​Fatkins/​keto friendly which is why I love this location so much. Their salads are awesome!
Service by bussers was good. They promptly took our used plates. I do not have complaints. If I did I would tell the manager directly.
I like it and I will be back.

If I could give them less than one star I would. This was the worst place I had ever been to. The staff I met were great but the food was disgusting. My baked potato was completely rotten inside. I will never be coming here again. My stomach is still reeling from the sight.

Oh my word! Worse level of service ever. Normally you find there are places that are lacking service, quality of food, or the aesthetics of the restaurant. Unfortunately this place has a low in all. I am honestly worried about getting physically sick from the food and disgusted at the cleanliness of this place. Not to mention the poor level of service. And all for over $ 60!
Take me advice, if you value your hard earned money or your health, stay away from here.
Pics posted as well!

Meats, veggies, starches and plenty of dessert options. As buffets go, this one is decent. Clean, trays are always full, and the cooked vegetables are not mush. Very limited seafood though. Carvery offers ham, pork ribs and roast beef.
It’s kept fairly cold in here, so bring a jacket. Good service and friendly staff.

Well, between the pink mystery meat. No ice for drinks. No coke. No root beer. It pretty much sucked ass. This is not the OCB I once knew. Hordes of overweight homie’s stacking plates like pimps. Senior ladies that wink and wave at me. Babe’s with walkers that need a gentlemens help. Oversea homie’s draped in Polo. Swag lords that ran multiple tables without spilling one piece of that deliciousness. I miss those days. Now it’s wacksauce with an extra helping of I don’t know what the hell is in that dish. Goodness…

This Old Country Buffet is a fucking disgrace. And I say that out of love.
Once upon a time, there was a family of immigrants, settling into their new apartment in the Edmonds area. Somehow, they were introduced to OCB, possibly by their fellow immigrants. They thought it was the most charming thing ever — all the different American food under one roof! Meatloaf, burger, chicken pot pie, oh my! So they went there whenever they wanted to splurge their hard-​earned $ 7.50/hour wage on a hearty family meal, with soft serve ice cream to end their meal.
Fast forward about 10 years later, I’m not sure what possessed me to come back to OCB. Maybe I was intrigued because it was still open after all these years when businesses in the same complex have closed down and changed into something else, maybe I was craving meatloaf (there was none), or maybe I just felt like taking a stroll down memory lane.
The staff were still as friendly and genuinely warm as I remembered, and they did the best they could with what they’ve got here. What they’ve got is a crappy-​ass building in dire need of a renovation. Though they kept the carpet and tables clean, there’s only so much scrubbing and cleaning you can do before management just needs to replace these rotten assets. The plates and utensils are also in dire need of being replaced. The food has potential: the chicken noodle soup would be much better if it wasn’t served in a little plastic pail (what is this, jail?), the taco station had awesomely marinated meat, fresh lettuce and spicy salsa (but then someone decided to bastardize it with hard taco shells that looked like they would taste the same 20 years from now), and the crispy chicken sliders actually had very flavorful breaded white meat chicken (it was a tad bit overcooked and a little too greasy). The desserts station had all sorts of goodies. Worth pointing out was the bread pudding (consistency was on point, but no need to drench it in that overly sweet sauce).
There’s definitely a void in the marketplace for a place where you can find all sorts of comfort food under one roof. I think I have a bit of an attachment to this place because of the memories I had when my family first moved to the US and because a lot of my fellow immigrants worked here. When I came here for lunch, it was quite buzzing with the usual senior lunch crew. You can tell they’re regulars from the way they’re interacting with the staff and how happy the staff was to see them. It makes me sad to see a place with such charm and potential deteriorate into such a joke.
Management should invest in a bit more budget for a bit more quality. It doesn’t take much to fix that chocolate fudge machine.

1^st time visiting and the food is what we had expected «buffet food» but good.
UNTIL
As we finished eating my husband looks up and one of the workers has Windex in one hand and a wiping cloth in the other. She is walking around ALL of the food display islands spraying and cleaning away… yes the «protective glass just above all of the foods. Needless to say we weren’t happy knowing that we had ingesting Windex in our meals.
The manager was walking all around aware of what was going on and said nothing.
#NATURAL CLEANER IF MUST #NO SPRAYS
PS… As I rolled my eyes looking up, YUCK the tables hanging light fixture was FILTHY as in NEVER CLEANED.

Although Old Country Buffet usually gets a bad rap for the horrid quality of food, you can’t deny its charm and fun ambiance. The experience is half the fun. Also, OCB is great for families or big southern parties. As for the food, it is less than average. The meat is usually old and dry, but if it is busy, the meat is actually quite fresh and good for obvious reasons.
Let’s go through a meal at OCB:
First, there is almost every kind of food from the south available, from teriyaki to Mexican, even though teriyaki is not southern.
Drinks: there is almost every kind of soda available. There is also milk, water, ICEEs, or what ever else. What I do is make a root beer float with ice cream from the soft serve machine.
Salad: the salad bar is huge, with almost every kind of lettuce dressing and other veggies available. I like to spice it up with chicken strips from the meat bar.
Meats: they’re not usually good. However, the meat is at least 20x better than McDonald’s or another chain type meatery.
Dessert: they have magical selections of baked goods. I, however, like the ice cream/​frozen yogurt bar much better.
Overall, this buffet is better than some, but average for the old country.