Nelson's "Barnyard" Buffet — Restaurant in Saraland

Despite this review being one big complaint, I'm not going to give the restaurant a one star or even two star over it. If you aren't a fan of catfish- or you only eat one piece when you come here, you won't care about this either.

This used to be one of my favorite restaurants until they stopped serving fried whole catfish as a part of the buffet. Not serving it isn't necessarily the issue. The issue is how they decided charge for it separately.

It was the only place in Mobile that served whole catfish all you can eat other than one trashier buffet that sometimes does it during Lent season once a year. The only other options for AYCE fried whole catfish are in Wilmer and Saraland now. Quite the drive and they're not buffets.

Let's say you are an adult and you want your favorite food, fried whole catfish- but you also want to eat at the their buffet because it has sides and other options. Used to- you'd pay the buffet price and you'd have it as an option. Most catfish lovers would eat 1 or 2. I'd eat 3 or 4. They have now changed it so you have to pay per fish ON TOP of the buffet price too.

That buffet price is $18.17. Add in the tip, possibly tax, and some small credit card fee. You're probably at $25 already by now. Now you want 4 whole catfish since that's what you came here for. $3 for each catfish. You are approaching $40 dollars- possibly going over that amount- just to eat what you used to eat here. Almost double. God forbid you've brought other catfish lovers with you.

Now you feel like you've been scammed because you spent cash on normal buffet prices when you're really just getting sides to eat with your fried catfish.

Well, what if you decide to not eat the buffet and take it to-go? Maybe it won't be so much! Nope. It's now $4.50 a piece because there's a premium for not wanting to waste money on the buffet you're not going to each much of- and then you're getting charged $8.99 or $9.99 a pound for a to-go plate depending on the day. You're now overpaying for side items. Those prices are usually for people who are getting entrees and sides as a to-go meal. Not for a person who wants just sides for their catfish. Let's say you got 4 catfish again. That's $18 dollars + another 9 or 10 dollars. Can't forget taxes- and a tip if you're feeling generous. $30 dollars for 4 catfish and one lb of sides. The buffet is cheaper.

It's a little baffling that there's been no extra thought put in for those loyal catfish lovers that come here. I thought that after a few months of this, there would have been some sort of new system implemented already. I would have gladly paid a premium buffet price just to have AYCE catfish as a part of my dining experience- but per piece on top of the buffet is ridiculous. Who, in their right mind, would want to pay double just to eat a satisfying amount of fried catfish and have access to the buffet? It's not like I'm going to eat a normal person's share of the buffet AND 4 catfish on top of that too.

Hope there's some change.

The fact that I can go to AYCE Korean BBQ or AYCE Sushi for cheaper than a southern buffet with fried catfish says a lot.

As for the rest food. Most of it is underseasoned. Some of the worst rolls you can have for a buffet. They're so flat and overly-buttered. The mashed potatoes are okay- they give good school cafeteria mashed potatoes vibes. Mac n cheese is also not soul food either- also school vibes too. Not bad, but not good considering the buffet pricing either. Can't really mess up corn. The rice gives microwavable rice vibes too- but it pairs really well with their baked chicken juice, but good luck trying to scoop that out with tongs.

The corn nuggets are amazing. The fried chicken is honestly always done well. They've nailed it.

In my honest opinion, the fried catfish was a staple here and what was set them apart from the rest. It's a shame the way they went with it. I'd have gladly paid like $25 for a catfish-inclusive AYCE buffet where they also bring you out plates of catfish you requested- maybe capped at 2 catfish at a time...

I heard of this place several years ago and had been "threatening" to come over and try it. I am a little on the "plump", heck, FAT, so I really don't need to love a new buffet place. TOO LATE!! Went today with some friends and it was FANTASTIC!! First of all, the price was really unbelievable!! I couldn't believe all of the food for one, low price! Then, I am a salad bar guy and it was super! Some great stuff and it had one of my favorites, carrot/raisin salad. Not too many places do this stuff anymore and it was great. The veggies were very tasty, a couple of them were a little bland, but I guess that is what you have to do, but the mashed potatoes were very good and the brown gravy was good. The fried chicken was a little dry, but I am a white meat person. They had very good fish and shrimp and barbeque ribs. The only negative was the deserts. Not very good banana pudding, and the cakes were only okay. Had good soft serve though. All in all, it was very, very good!

EDIT - 9-22-20 Updating due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have changed from a buffet to a cafeteria style restaurant and was pleasantly surprised at how smooth it went. They've put plexiglass up in front of all the steam tables with employees fixing the plates. There was a bit of a line at lunch, but the servers were doing their best. You have to speak through a little hole in the plexiglass, but my server(s) heard me fine. They still have some great dishes, and the salad bar still had everything they had before. I am HUGE on salads and they had very fresh lettuce and all the components of a good salad bar. My favorite cold dishes on their salad bar is cole slaw (very good), potato salad (very good), carrot salad (excellent), beets (good) and spiced apples (excellent). It was all very fresh. Their hot bar is nothing fancy, just food that everyone will like. Today they had fried chicken (a staple that every hot bar should have), fried pork chops (very good), baked bbq chicken (good), country fried steak (very good) with white gravy, gizzards (which I don't eat but people were getting them), meat loaf (which is their weakest, it was dry). Their veggies were good, but most of them are not fresh, they are either frozen or canned. Again, for the price (less than $11.00 including drink) what can you expect. All in all, excellent food at an excellent price and the servers were...

Disgusting! I will never go back here.. i was wanting to bring me my husband and my kids somewhere new and figured we could try here but never again. The waitress I had at first was very nice but after she got our drinks, that was it she never came back to our table. The first plate i made myself was disgusting. One of the sweet potatoes were so nasty. I almost threw up and then all the food tasted old, and whenever I put my fork into my chicken pot pie It was still raw not done. My kids was not eating any of their food because they said it was nasty. My husband didn't like his.It tasted old. Overall a waste of time. Oh, and then when we proceeded to at least try another plate, we then seen a worker just all up over this shredded cheese talking and just picking through it, no gloves whatsoever. Then i looked at my husband put everything down and said we're leaving., so I proceeded to talk to the manager because when you spend eighty dollars and don't get to eat, they should at least give a refund and he told me he can make some more and I said no thank you this turned my stomach and he refused to refund me.. and then after that I was getting my kids to the door to leave all the workers were very rude, talking about us and staring... i just don't see how anyone...