Buffalo Luke's East Ellijay — Restaurant in East Ellijay

I've been several times and only because my kids like the food, but no more. There are consistent problems with the food and customer service. However, I will only go into the latest incident. I ordered at the counter one 5 piece tender meal and 6 a la carte tenders. Simple, right? First, the cashier rolls his eyes and says, "I don't understand why people buy individual tenders because they're so expensive." I agree, but that's all my son wanted. Anyway, there are several people behind me, so I move over and wait. Several minutes go by, and I'm watching food go out to the tables for the customers that ordered after me. I'm patient and continue to wait. After several more minutes, I'm still in the waiting area by myself as the employees just wander back and forth doing busy work, not acknowledging why i'm still standing there. I eventually get fed up and ask one of them where my food is. There's a brief conversation between employees, and I come to find out that they handed it to another customer who just left the restaurant. Now, there's a quick conversation in the kitchen. I then see the cashier run out the back door, trying to find that customer that just left. At this point, I've been there for about 22 minutes. The employee. comes back in holding a bag of food and hands it to me. I asked if this just came from outside, and he said yes, we accidentally gave it to another customer. I'm standing there wondering why he handed me a bag of food that left the restaurant and was probably sitting around before that. I guess he saw the look on my face and then said "oh we can remake it for you if you want. It's up to you. " Uh.... what? Of course, I want it remade. That shouldn't have even been a question. So now they remake it, and I have to wait another 10 minutes or so, and no apology, no nothing, just here's your bag. At this point, I don't even know if the food was really remade because the meal had cold, soggy french fries on the inside. The interior of the container was all wet like it had been sitting around steaming itself. I've already told my kids I will never set foot in there again. It's bad enough that they have the smallest tenders of all the restaurants around they are also more expensive. I almost forgot... I bought a total of 11 tenders, and they gave me one sauce, and I had to buy a second because a la carte tenders don't get...

Buffalo Luke’s - Ellijay, GA July 20th, 2025

AMBIENCE: From the moment you walk in the door, you feel a sense of calmness paired with a sense of family stability. The coloring book buffaloes on the wall completed by up and coming chicken tender savants ties the room together. There’s early 2000’s pop hits playing and cornhole on the TV. A ‘really big hat’ to match their famous combo meal - “THE BIG LUKE”. Dana - our cashier passing mints to the diners to ensure they can leave the restaurant with fresh breath to pair with their smiles from the experience. Imagine Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, but fast food & a focus on tenders.

9.4/10.

SAUCE: 13 selections ranging from honey hot, to mild to various dry rubs. The ranch was elite with subtle hints of dill & the herbs that help drive the flavor home. The BBQ sauce? Top tier. To be able to enjoy an establishments as dedicated to the flavor of their food as they are their sauces — it says a lot.

9.1/10

FRIES: Most people know one thing about me, I love crinkle cut fries. They’re elitist and for good reason, too. Unfortunately - what Buffalo Luke’s is missing - is crinkle cut French fries. But… the steak fries they do serve (similar to a Wendy’s cut) blow the rest of the competition in that space out the fryer. And even if you don’t love the flavor, just grab one of the 4 different seasoning options, quickly available at the front of the restaurant, to level up your desired choice.

8.3/10

CHICKEN TENDERS: Before you even arrive at Buffalo Luke’s you’re greeted on the way with “WORLD’S BEST CHICKEN TENDERS” billboards along the highway. That’s a claim to fame that many establishments have tried and come up short each and every time. Unfortunately - this sticks true with Buffalo Luke’s. Although the chicken was juicy, golden & well complemented by a dipping sauce or rub of your choice, where it falls short is in crispiness. As far as fast food chicken tenders go - this is a close fight for that top spot. But — they’ve got some things to iron out with their breading if they want to be able to claim the crown of “World’s Best”.

7.7/10

Overall: 86.3% on the Ticken Chender Scale (TCS)

“It’s more than just tenders, it’s a...

We waited so much for this little place and I want to be very fair, the young people working here are the finest! and I wish the best luck to this restaurant and management to make it best. Let's talk about food French fries a fair amount of food for the price, good crunchy and soft in the inside, but fries are way too salty! Philly chesse steak sandwich Good size bun and soft, but the Steak is complete garbage! lowest quality ground beef tasting like beef fat straight up! no onions? Why ? Extra charge for the bell peppers. Why? Fair amount of not good quality meat for the price -Chesse.... well, who knows how it tastes! the fat flavor of the meat is so powerful that it is all you taste beef fat absolutely disgusting! Chicken wings are ok. we got BBQ flavor small wings and well cook but is nothing to die for just average The dining room is just too foggy. What's wrong with the ac or kitchen exhaust? I was breathing fryer grease. Please fix it. The air is dense inside this place, God forbid if you decide to eat here and go to the movies next door, you will stink like grease! Couple more things Your young expo guy constantly wipes the window counter but the towel never goes inside of sanitizing solution and last never get trash bags full of garbage on the expo/front desk area I saw your guys doing it and handling food, you guys train harder take care of all this small details because we're willing to come back and try again! Guys I truly wish the best is in our best interest you all succeed so I have one more awesome choice to dine out please make improvements this review is for yall to grow as a company no to offend you my apologies...