Granny Cantrell's — Restaurant in Panama City

12/9/2024 UPDATE

We decided to give Granny's another shot today. We had high hopes due to recent positive reviews. Unfortunately, the food was worse than our first visit and I had to drop the review to a 1 star. I seriously do not understand who could eat here and think the food is good. Golden Corral isn't great here and even their food is miles better. What a shame. To the owner of Granny Cantrells: one day, take a trip to Fred's buffet in Lakeland. It is worth the drive. They're that good. That is what a mom and pops buffet should look and taste like to be successful. The food quality here is very low.

After a second try, my wife and I walked out agreeing we will never come here again.

First Impression/Service:

I had been wanting to try Granny Cantrell's for quite some time now. Lot's of positive reviews drew me in so I had high hopes. Out of all of the places I could have gone, I chose to bring my wife here for dinner today. We walked in for our very first time and we're looking around waiting quietly to be greeted or seated. There were two girls standing behind the counter, each on their phones. They did not greet us, but they did look at us. I walked over to the counter and they were still on their phones. I had to ask them if we seat ourselves. They told us as if it should be obvious. Later on I saw the sign that said Seat Yourself, but there is so much going on visually that it isn't the first thing you notice when walking in. It would have been polite to at least get a hello. I noticed that the unsweet tea and water pitchers were kept next to sanitizer buckets and used rags on the tops of the booth walls. This gave it a trashy and messy ambiance. One rag might have been looked over but it was several used rags.

Food:

I was thoroughly disappointed with all of the food items we ate with exception of the gravy, dinner rolls, baked beans, and meat loaf. The meat loaf is what kept me from rating the food 1 star rather than 2. All of the aforementioned were decent but far from spectacular. The turnip greens, collard greens, the large white beans were all extremely salty. I like my food seasoned well, but this was just very salty and unenjoyable. Everyone like a good Mac and cheese done right, but their Mac and cheese has the cheese all on top and underneat was bland, plain elbow noodles. I could say more about specific items but overall the food was simply mediocre and in most cases just plain bad.

Final Thoughts:

I really hoped to like this place as it has a similar concept to the renowned Fred's buffet in Lakeland, FL. Unfortunately Granny Cantrell's missed the mark on multiple levels. I would choose Golden Corral over Granny Cantrell's, I hope they says a lot. The one positive thing I can say is that the decor has potential. From the oversized ornate strainers mounted to the booth posts, to the miniature train track overhead- the place has a cool vibe but could use serious updating to bring new life to Granny Cantrell's. This was far from reminding me of a...

This was my first time eating here. The food on the buffet starting with the veggies was over done been sitting so long they were crusting and drying up. The selection of meat was slim fried chicken livers gizzard and fried fish everything fried. The pulled pork had dried up and was sitting in a lot of grease and the salad bar was just as bad. I didn't want to eat but my husband had already starting eating. The waitress was very sweet I explained to her that the food was awful and that even me trying to make the best wasn't happening kus the quality and the taste was just awful. The waitresses tried to make everything right she went to the back and grab my husband some fresh pork. I also seen her tell the manager about the fact the food on bar was so not fresh . He just looked at me and my husband and walked away. She seen I was not eating and she rook the ticket and apologized and said don't worry about the ticket. We didn't want free food we wanted dinner. But thank you Ms waitresses didn't catch your name should really found a better place with better food so you can make better money. Please check the buffet before ordering. Food poison was diffently happening at this restaurant. Appearance...

As locals, my hubby & I have made Granny Cantrell's a favorite for lunch or early dinner over the last few years... even telling our friends & neighbors. We have tried their buffet entrées that change throughout the week. Time has definitely overshadowed food quality: we have experienced, believe it or not, my hubby loves Meat Loaf, however, what we experienced there in the past was meatless Meat Loaf...just filler, period. I am not exaggerating. We stayed away because of the several disappointments in the past 6 months. We decided to visit last Friday, only to find mashed potatoes that you could not consume to the overload of salt...just last Friday! Way undercooked fish... transparent fish flesh is NOT appetizing. I did not finish my meal...it was that unappetizing. I told my hubby, NEVER again. We always buy the white plate, however, the quality is so poor that you are wasting your money. I loved their beef liver, their chicken liver menu days...and of course their fried chicken, and even their baked chicken (which happened to be very good last Friday.)We have tried...but not anymore. (Also, I witnessed a kitchen staff wipe his brow, then wipe the serving area of...