It can be hard to justify going out to eat in Nashville. It feels like the prices keep going up while the portions keep getting smaller. But some restaurants are still providing a dining experience where customers are guaranteed to leave full without breaking the bank.
Below are five local restaurants that offer exceptional lunch buffets — as much food as you can eat for less than $20 (before tax). Sample food from across the globe, with Ethiopian, Mexican, Japanese and Indian cuisine at these five buffet-providing Nashville restaurants.
7075 Highway 70 S.
Lunch buffet 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday to Sunday; $15.99
With its Tamil-style Indian buffet, 615Chutney in Bellevue provides a different kind of Indian cuisine — made with a base of coconut milk and regional specialties from the Tamil province of India. The hits include freshly made parottas and familiar Indian favorites such as chicken tikka masala and butter chicken. The buffet also features a mix of meat and vegetable dishes in addition to hot soups, desserts and all-you-can-drink masala chai. The vegetable half of the buffet should also have vegan options, but verify with your server first. (Also of note: 615Chutney’s beloved robot server.)
Cancun
7077 Highway 70 S.
Lunch buffet 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday only; $12.99
Right next door to 615Chutney, Cancun offers our most affordable option — soft drink included! — with a variety of Tex-Mex favorites such as fajitas and enchiladas. Stack your plate with beef, chicken or pork plus rice and beans, or make your own taco salad with ground beef, shredded chicken, guacamole and pico de gallo. Finish off with a dessert of various fruits, churros with a sweet filling or even a slice of cake. But hurry — the cake runs out fast on Sundays.
Gojo
Gojo Ethiopian
415 W. Thompson Lane
11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; $13.99
Over in South Nashville, Gojo brings the powerful flavors of Ethiopian cuisine in an open buffet — a perfect way to introduce newcomers to Ethiopian. Beef and chicken are your meat options, but vegans can rejoice: The rest of the buffet options are completely vegan, from gomen (greens) to key sir (beets), misir and kik (red and yellow lentils)! Accompany those options with as much buckwheat injera as you can eat. No worries if you can’t eat gluten — injera made from teff (a domesticated seed) is available on request.
Sushi Kingdom
Sushi Kingdom
2010 Gallatin Pike N., Madison
11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday to Friday; $18.95
There are many all-you-can eat sushi places in Nashville, but when you want quality and affordability, this little place in Madison has you covered. Sushi Kingdom is unrivaled at its price point with a lunch menu that includes delicious nigiri options as well as Americanized classics like the California roll and more interesting creations like the TNT Roll. And it’s not just sushi on the menu: Appetizers such as takoyaki (fried octopus fritters) and tempura are available as well as fried rice and udon.
Woodlands Indian Vegetarian Cuisine
Woodlands Indian Vegetarian Cuisine
3415 West End Ave.
Available daily; $13.99 Monday to Thursday, $14.99 Friday, $15.99 Saturday and Sunday
And finally, over on West End, we have one for the vegetarians! Woodlands is a beloved Indian spot without a single piece of meat on its buffet — but it brings plenty of punch in the flavor department, with a constantly rotating list of offerings that’s even more expansive over the weekends. You never know exactly what you will get — aside from the always available gulab jamun (a deep-fried milk dessert) — but rest assured it will be full of flavor. Vegan options are also available — just ask your server.
