A Trip to the Largest Buffet in the U.S.

Recently, I visited Shady Maple Smorgasboard for the first time. This food buffet restaurant is located near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The restaurant consists of a large seating area and a 200 foot buffet line where customers can enjoy food made by the PA Dutch/Amish. The food includes everything from a salad bar and fried chicken to beef, vegetables, and ice cream. If you like buffets, you love this one as there is sooo much to pick from.

I’ve heard about Shady Maple for years — known as the massive buffet you’ve got to try. Finally getting myself through those doors was a bit like preparing for both a feast and a spectacle. After one full visit, here’s how it landed for me.

The Pros

1. There is a lot of food and it is tasty! From grill stations to items like broccoli and cheddar soup to mushrooms and a salad bar to pies and other cakes for dessert. My favorite, surprisingly, were the French fries. I typically don't think of French fries when I go to a buffet but these were delicious, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, with flavor. I know there were others who agreed with me because each time I went up, I had to wait a second for someone to get done scooping the French fries. Another item I thought was delicious was the cheesesteak eggroll. I wasn't expecting much but when I bit into it,  melted cheese and steak really packed the flavor. The beef brisket was also delicious. There was a lot of food you would see at a buffet anywhere like a salad bar with a variety of dressings such as ranch. There were also traditional Amish / PA Dutch foods like Shoofly pie.

2. With all the food available and a ticket price of around $28, if you are hungry, it is really a great value. There are many meats there, shrimp, fish, beef, ham, chicken, etc. as well as desserts like cheesecake that can certainly add up price-wise if you order them at another restaurant a la carte. At Shady Maple, you walk up to the buffet, get a plate, leave the plate at your table when done, walk up again, and get a fresh plate. You can repeat this as many times as you want. I was feeling a little under the weather, so I got two plates plus ice cream and dessert, but if I was hungrier, the value would have really been there.

3. The gift shop downstairs is awesome. It's actually less of a souvenir shop and more like a large store with so many items, everything from furniture to knickknacks and cards, to teacher gifts and even a light house. It is a perfect stop to find something for someone when you don't know what to get them.

Now for the cons of going to Shady Maple Smorgasboard.

The Cons

1. There was a line to get seated at the restaurant and we were there during the week in the middle of the day. I would imagine the weekends can get quite crowded. The seating is a mix of tables and booths. We were ok walking around, just had to watch the coats on the back of people's chairs. We sat at a table for two and had enough room but tables were pretty close together, so a lot of privacy is not something you're going to have here.

2. The food quality can vary depending on what the dish is. I found the fried shrimp and fried fish to be a bit bland. They also had a setup for milkshakes; however, the milkshake came out like ice cream. Even though I had a straw, I ate the chocolate ice cream with a spoon. It was very tasty ice cream; I was just thinking it was going to be a milkshake.

3. It is definitely more like sitting in a cafeteria vs. a fancy restaurant. There are many tables and booths and although we were comfortable, it wasn't a relaxing or private experience.

My trip to Shady Maple was one of those experiences I needed to try at least once. I’m glad I went — the sheer scale is impressive, and I had a filling, hearty meal there. 

I would recommend coming to Shady Maple when you're in the mood for:

✔ A buffet where you can try everything
✔ A classic Pennsylvania Dutch food experience
✔ A fun visit that includes the gift shop

On the flip side, if you’re after gourmet food or a refined atmosphere, Shady Maple might not be the right fit for you.

I definitely want to go back when I'm not under the weather and enjoy the food again as well as look more in their huge gift shop!

Have you been there yet? I’d love to hear what your favorite dish was — or if you’re still deciding whether it’s worth the hype!