1813 W Parmer Ln
Austin TX
835-8366
Overall Rating:
National buffet chain, "with over 340 restaurants in 23 states."
Awful
Reviewer: Chris
Original Review Date: 02/09/2006
Rating: -1/+3(Crap)
I grew up eating Steak 'n Taters (and I can still eat them with gusto!), so I am by no means a culinary snob, which is why I can usually find something decent at a buffet (with the exception of the absolutely horrific Pancho's). So I went to Ryan's thinking it would be a typical buffet--some scary offerings, some edible offerings. I was sorely disappointed. It was just plain bad, all around.
I started with meat spheres and gravy, with some rice, mashed potatoes and green beans. The perfectly formed meat marbles tasted like dog food looks, if that makes sense. They even had a bit of a bounce-back to them as you chewed. The green beans were worse than your typical canned beans--very bland.
Next up was fried chicken and a roll. The chicken crust was actually pretty tasty, but very greasy. The roll appeard to have been dunked in "butter"--it was glistening all over. The glistening coating provided the only flavor present in the roll.
Next I tried a piece of pizza. Much worse than any frozen pizza I could make at home.
I ended with the soft serve, which was actually quite good.
The most surprising thing about my experience was the number of people that kept coming in. It got pretty crowded (although the restaurant is so large that it didn't approach filling up--they can handle buses). Quite a few of the patrons appeared to be regulars, greeting the workers and such. I can't imagine what brings them back.
Ryan's is perhaps the only buffet I've ever left hungry.
grilled sirloins was the best!
Reviewer: martin
Review Date: 09/05/2010 12:49AM
Rating: +3/+3(Great)
The grilled sirloin was excellent, and Allen the Master Grill Cook is the best!! and customer service is unbelievable good+staff and price!
Disgusting.
Reviewer: blahblah
Review Date: 05/13/2009 10:43PM
Rating: -1/+3(Crap)
I've been to Ryan's twice, and it was HORRIBLE on both occasions. It's dirty, first of all, and the service is horrible. The last time I paid Ryan's a visit was in March of this year (2009), after National Signing Day for high school athletes (one of the boy's mom took us all out to eat there), and there was a ROACH crawling on a wall less that a foot away from me. I HAD to get away from there.
gross food
Reviewer: john
Review Date: 05/07/2009 10:40PM
Rating: -1/+3(Crap)
Several years ago I ate at my local Ryan's and the food was quite good As of late the food is very nasty to say the least.
Senior Discount?
Reviewer: joyce
http://jlogan%40suddenlink.net
Review Date: 03/11/2008 02:20PM
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
I can't believe you have to pay for tickets for Senior Discounts. We were only there for one meal-out of towners-but no discount if we did not buy their discounts. Something like $1 for 3 tickets. What a lousy way to treat Senior Citizens
WOW, this place really does suck
Reviewer: Deb
Review Date: 03/06/2008 10:26PM
Rating: -1/+3(Crap)
Because it's near where I live, I've been here 4 times. Each time this restaurant has reached a new level of suckitude. The first time I dined here, my sister was treated with broken glass in her food. We called over the waiter, then the manager. The response was, "Hmmmm.... don't know how that happened. We will remove the rest of the beans from the buffet." No apology, no refund, no nothing. The next two times we ventured in, the food was sub-par. It's amazing that a person can leave a buffet still hungry but when the food sucks this bad, you don't have much of a choice. The last (and I do mean last) time we went to Ryan's, I had to open three different silverware packs before I located clean utensils and napkin. Once again, I requested the manager. Once again, some pimple-faced 19-year-old said, "Hmmm.... I'll speak to someone about this." Trust me on this one - - other than Thomas Super Buffet on Parmer, this is the worst place in Austin that I've ever eaten.
Better than starving
Reviewer: John
Review Date: 01/16/2008 04:46PM
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
I can only compare this Ryan's location to paying to eat at a self-service high school cafeteria. Food was cold, there were evil-looking skins on the "hot" fudge and caramel toppings for the soft-serve, and I have never seen supposedly hot tortillas so cold that they were welded into a single mass. (No, they weren't frozen, just congealed.)
The desserts are spotty, and are almost certainly all from mixes. Very low end mixes, at that.
I suppose it really IS better than starving, but not very much. I really, really should have believed the other reviews of this place.
it is good
Reviewer: vanessa
Review Date: 09/16/2007 04:01PM
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
food is good macroni is nasty tastes like soap, but all in all it is delicious. mostly the desserts. but i recomend golden corral
Ryan's WAS good...
Reviewer: John S.
Review Date: 01/10/2007 02:21PM
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
I used to eat at Ryan's in SA. It was decent as long as you stayed away from the buffet area. Order a steak when you go in. They are no Ruth Chris' but the meat is quite edible. I got turned off from them one night sitting next to the desert bar/buffet. Some people's kids shouldn't be let out of the house. I say this because one kid came up to the desert bar..grabbed a ladle and started stuffing his mouth with puddin', and the parents did not do anything but tell him to stop. They did not even tell the waiter to change out the stuff.
Maybe OK but--one of the worst Ryans locations.
Reviewer: m.gambrell
Review Date: 08/16/2006 02:13PM
Rating: +1/+3(Not bad)
I happen to like Ryans, in principle, due to developing cravings, from time to time, to gorge myself on rolls, chicken, and ham. Ryans rolls are very, very good. Their roasted chicken is very good, and their ham is.. good enough for ham. Their steaks, if you are there on steak night, is pretty good for a fellow like me who does not like anything fancy and so thinks that steaks, after good enough meat is chosen, can only be ruined by too much attention. Their cookies are gooey and warm.
--but--
This is the worst-ever Ryans location. They are incredibly busy and understaffed, and they inexplicably run out of rolls. They might run out of ham, also, if you happen to be there on a night they serve ham. You might get two refills in 20 minutes, if you wait on the server (I get my own refills, if my glass is ever empty for too long. I just love that paranoid look the employees get when they see me doing it.)
Try Ryans in another town, if you must. I rate them Not Bad after making it clear that if you enjoy plain fare, this stuff can be good... at other locations.
thiis place suck
Reviewer: v
Review Date: 01/06/2011 03:50PM
Rating: -1/+3(Crap)
This place gave my kids diet juice and cold pizza the food wasn't hot and fresh at all my 2 year old couldn't eat nothing but salad cuz it was hard and been sitting all day uggghh neva go. Again