So we ended up here after a couple of bad restaurants. When we entered it seemed like a great place, but very misleading. Well, misleading to say the least with the long line of tourist and no one local. No locals mean not good. We sat down to appetizers that were all horribly disgusting! Everything was junk food with the only thing that was healthy was the salad. The salad was not appetizing with the alright selection of toppings. The cheese was god knows what. When our main course came the steak did not look like steak and bounced like rubber. I literally bounced it. All the people on my party said the same thing. The steak does not look like steak. It was the weirdest looking steak! The chicken was more like mystery meat. Chicken wings looked like they came from a chicken with mad chicken disease, if that is even true. Shrimp was frozen from Costco. To bare the steaks we used their so called steak sauce that is basically low grade BBQ sauce. I think my stomach is having relapse from writing this. Ugh!!! On to the desert, which you can not go wrong. Guess, what... you can! The blue jello had a weird taste, the cones for the soft serve were stale, and the rest looked like prison food. So over the course of our dining experience the party stated, "how did we end up here?" After the dining experience we are all having stomach pains, bad gas, and bad diarrhea. I am afraid to go anywhere due to this experience, along with the rest of the party! It ruined out night out in Orlando! Bad experience is an understatement! The server was great and I felt bad for him, for serving such bad food.
(1)
Ant M. A.
I have made a promise to myself that while visiting Orlando, I will avoid buffet restaurants at all cost. This all came down after a few bad experiences and my last one happened to be Ponderosa Steakhouse/breakfast buffet. My group and I wanted to try this place out before leaving Orlando while staying on International Drive. We should have taken the hint when we saw the restaurant emptied with just a few old folks. As we walked in we were greeted by two cashiers arguing on who would take our orders and why the other one was slacking off. WTF? After that nonsense, the second hint should have been what I paid for the buffet. $6.99 plus what ever the coffee was. Here, you do pay before you sit and eat. The breakfast selection was well organized and plenty to go for. Now, for the food itself, the hot section was by far the worst ever. Not an item that contained eggs had any taste to it. It was lacking every ingredient by rule. The fruit and salad bar was all good but not worth my $6.99. The coffee was watered down to the filter. A restaurant with bad coffee just fails on the spot. The only thing I can possibly say was worth a try and maybe a second take was the warm cinnamon rolls. They were awesomely fresh. The reason my review made two stars is because the waiter was super friendly. He really made our visit better with the way he attended our table and overall, his section.
(2)
Christi S.
This was possibly one of our WORST dining experiences. The broccoli might as well have been display food. The only good thing that tasted normal was the ice cream. We all left feeling queasy and with bad tastes in our mouths. We won't be going back. I'd rather eat at the Sizzler than there.
(1)
Scott A.
Brilliant for breakfast & lunch! All you can eat, plenty of choice for even the fussy eaters. Dinner prices are a little higher than other local places but I personally would say it's worth it! I cleared my plate! Staff are nice and happy to help, even held the door open for my partners wheelchair without me asking! (Only place that's did this so far!) Oh waiter Robert is great! Funny as hell, friendly and pays attention to detail :) Would eat here again.
(5)
A F.
Salty, processed food. Yuck yuck yuck. I got the shrimp and rice dish on the menu... rice was super dry and the shrimp was covered in salt and butter (not in a good way). Felt like a fast food place. We were all starving after our plane ride and still couldn't finish the food.
(1)
David A.
The food was not well in taste or presentation Place is over priced for the quality of good and the overall ambiance place was sticky feeling not very clean Don't go there with there 10% discount it won't help with the price We went to the Olive Garden next night and it was cheaper and the food was way better Learned my lesson
(1)
Melissa R.
Yes I give this place a five star because you get what you pay 6.99 breakfast buffet and you can order omlet to your taste was great plus how much breakfast can you really eat. Our waitress was maria and she was nice and courteous Which is a big plus. Friendly staff good breakfast
(5)
jose v.
Great place for breakfast. Under $7 for all u can fit breakfast. Only gripe I had was the overpriced beverages but waters free so i enjoyed every cup.Food was hot and fresh,atmosphere was gentle here in this one. There's a lot of choices for breakfast and one of the the only buffets that have corned beef hash. For the price and quality,it's a good start for a long day in Orlando
(4)
Precious P.
This is a great place to eat at!! The salad and soup bar is clean with fresh food!!! It's a nice size locate and clean! The staff is very friendly and Robert my waiter was a very professional and attentive to his customers!! I liked that they have you order your meat or/and seafood so it's freshly made!! The cashier was nice enough to let us go check out the salad bar first to see if we would like I choices before ordering our meals!! I would eat here again and I will be sure to tell others go check this location out!! They also have a wide range of desserts too!! They only have vanilla and chocolate as ice cream choices. Go try this place out! It was my first and I would go back again!
(4)
Frank F.
One star ONLY Becuz they didn't offer a full buffet! The kicker!!! NO MEAT!!! You have to order and entre. It's 1pm. @ Ponderosa... FranknKimm anit having it. That's Drama Dot Com! Holla Back when time's GET BETTER. Love Y'all. But NOT feeling the Love in return. Over n Out If Y'all looking 4 a FULL buffet for lunch FranknKimm ADVISORY WARNING SAYS "HECK NO" Next Day Breakfast Buffet $6.99. W/ Steak $9.99. Juice is $2.49. Bottled. NO refillable cups. Don't know about regular beverages. Roman was our waiter. Sweet personality. I enjoyed breakfast. Variety plenty for breakfast. Beware no one cuts line at omelette and waffle station. Also the waffle maker has 3 settings. Light Medium n Dark. If you're special like me... You'll appreciate the LIGHT setting. I must have a LIGHT Waffle. Only thing is... I WISH IT WAS BUTTERMILK Waffles instead. Better flavor or they should at least add a tad bit of flavor and a pinch of sugar OR SOMETHING to jazz that dern batter UP. Lol... Over ALL I'll do the Breakfast. It was my husband's idea. Lol. BUT lunch. . . No WAY Hosea NOT a FAT Chance Buddy. Over n Out Y'all. FranknKimm
(5)
Rob A.
Don't blame me, the travel workgroup I was with wanted to come here. Now you're saying "yeah Rob, sure". No, really. Let's see, so this is basically a walk in the door pay before you eat type place. It's basically a salad bar but with a buffet slant to it. You could order just that and probably get your fill or you can order with a meat like steak or chicken and they will cook the meat to order for you. The food on the salad bar/buffet is fairly tasteless but edible. The steak is not something to write home about. With a name like Ponderosa, you might have visions of a sprawling cattle ranch. But that's not the case. More like the field hand bunk house. Not that there's anything wrong with bunk house grub. It's inexpensive and I can see where it could be a kid-friendly family favorite. But ehh, most will be better off finding someplace else for chow.
My family decdied they would like to enjoy a good lunch with a variety, they opted for your resturant...now I have had stomach surgery and do not eat at buffets as they are a total waste of money for me...I eat about 1/2 cup of food as a meal...I told the cashier this and asked if I could have a childs meal...she said yes but I will have to pay 9.99 instead of the 4.99...ummmm what???? I have NEVER ENCOUNTERED this at any establishment. If I was unable to have a child's meal...fine, but to say I will charged double??? Service continued to be poor at worst, had to ask for the original drink order three times! I work in the customer service industry. This is completely unacceptable!
(1)
Coral R.
Ponderosa isn't what it used to be: we went to this place right in the thick of the action on Int'l Drive. The buffet was very small for lunch such as salad, pasta, and desert. If you wanted anything else it was an add-on for meats and fish. They actually charge you for a drink as well and you can't get your own refills. Really? Is somebody going to take too much Coke, Ponderosa? Kind of the whole appeal of a buffet is you can serve yourself as much as you want without having to beg a waitress to refill your drink. With that aside the food wasn't that good, nor was the steak. For about the same price I could've gone to Sweet Tomato's and had a good buffet with more variety and not have to listen to the honky-tonk music belching out of the speakers. Note to management: this is International Drive in Orlando. There are no cowboy boots and spurs here, just a whole lot of tourists. And nearly two-thirds of the people eating in the restaurant were Afro American or Latino. Needless to say you may want to update your music to something more appropriate. You aren't fooling anybody with the Hoedown Music! If they add more food in their buffet, and better quality food I might add, allow you to refill your own drinks, and most importantly pass on this whole Country-Music, Texas Theme, I might think of going back but until then I would pass on this joint!
(2)
Joshua A.
Not one of the best places to go. When I saw the yelp reviews I was very nervous, however my mother was hungry and didn't want to keep looking for restaurant. So we tried and it failed. The food is not all that! My chicken was dry and tasteless. The buffet was also cold cold. I would have rather gone to another restaurant. The service was good, and Heather was very sweet, but I don't recommend this Ponderosa.
(2)
Lila W.
It was a few years ago 2012 but here is place where you can eat for value for money. The breakfast is a pick your own and as much as you want and go back for more if you want. A good thing to know the waitresses there aren't that well payed so a few dollars tip and if you go back a few times they notice you and go overboard to help you
Recently had breakfast here. This is a relatively okay establishment with a decent breakfast buffet. You can start off ordering your main dish (optional with additional cost) at the entrance and then going to the buffet for the rest. My only issue was that when served the scrambled eggs(W/steak), it was basically a fried egg chopped up and not scrambled. I later found out that the real scrambled eggs were already available in the buffet anyways. Overall experience was just okay.
(4)
Travis F.
Ugh, this was terrible! Stopped in for brunch and nearly everything we ate was awful. The only bright spot was the wait staff. Chazz was unbelievable, this guy hustled. For the food, I leave you with the words of Huey Lewis: "Across the street a neon sign All you can eat for a dollar ninety nine. Our soul stew is the baddest in the land But one dollars worth was all that I could stand. Sometimes bad is BAD!"
(1)
Chris A.
I went with my family March 29, 2015. Our server was Mr. Chazz...He was the best can be. Chazz was a pleasure. Excellent service. Delightful every minute bringing us everything we ordered. I hope he is recognized by management. I hope next time i visit Ponderosa that i see Mr. Chazz again. Food was great too. The food bar was good. I was upset when they were still serving breakfast at 11 pm. They quickly switched over to lunch once i spoke to management. Thank you. I love Ponderosa,
(5)
Alycia H.
I was so disappointed in the food quality at this restaurant. All the hot food on salad bar was dried out. The selection wasn't that great for price you pay for salad bar. My husband's steak was very chewy . My daughter had a bug in her food. Would never eat at this restaurant ever again! Yuck!!
(1)
Kim B.
The kids are happy to come here- lots of choices for little ones. Easy to get in and out when coming from the parks.
(3)
Sydney K.
I don't even know what this is. Okay, it's not bad, but it's a very special place. The employees I encountered were all courteous, the food was occasionally tasty and mostly edible, and you can get ice cream whenever you want, including for breakfast. I went here with a friend for breakfast one day. The location is in Tourist Central, USA (I-Drive) and is between Wet n' Wild and Sand Lake. The building is huge, tacky, and fits in perfectly on I-Drive. Once inside you're herded into a queue, which fits the barn theme they have going for them, and pay your dues to be allowed into the seating area. You're seated and then given the go-ahead to make your rounds through the lines of warm, maybe fresh food sitting in metal or plastic containers under glowing food lamps. The food was okay overall. Some things, like the eggs benedict and cabbage salad, did not taste good at all. Others, like the ice cream, chocolate pudding, and orange slices, were tasty. The pancakes, eggs, hash browns, potato slices, and biscuits ended up somewhere in the middle of tolerable but not worth the calories when you have other options. The staff we encountered were courteous and there were no issues with that. The bathroom was disgusting though, not sure who decided to strew toilet paper everywhere but that's not how life works for most of us. So yes, there is a Pondarosa Steakhouse. If you like buffets, you'll probably like this. If you don't, then don't go here. I only tried their breakfast, so maybe the dinner here is something amazing... or not. I'm comfortable with letting that remain a mystery for the rest of my life.
(2)
Dan W.
Ordered two identical steaks at the same time for the same temperature. One arrived over-cooked and the other arrived under-cooked. Another person's dish was served at least ten minutes after everybody else. The waiter was less than energetic and did not seem all that concerned about our requests for condiments, without which the food would not be edible. Granted the buffet bar did have a few tasty items. But not nearly enough to justify the rest of our experience.
(1)
Aya B.
BEWARE THE HIDDEN EXTRA FEES ADDED TO YOUR MEAL!! They had a picture of a chicken fried steak with a potato for $9.99, which three of us ordered. The cashier asked if I wanted a baked potato, fries, sweet potato or onion rings. NO MENTION OF AN ADDITIONAL FEE FOR A SIDE. Their photo even showed the steak with a potato on the plate so one naturally makes the connection that it's included. It's not. The cashier asked my friends what they wanted and listed the same options. All three of us were upcharged for the potatoes but didn't notice until a day later when we wondered why our meal had been so expensive and looked at the receipt. So yay you Ponderosa, you got my money this time but I won't be back. I don't reward bad behavior.
(1)
Tracey G.
Terrible! Out of almost everything on the breakfast bar, and when they did restock, it was gone in seconds. No bacon or sausage on the Buffett; instead, they brought a small basket to the table, which was nasty- not sure what animal the bacon was procured from. Have done breakfast here before and been pleased, but will never come back after this.
(1)
Darron H.
Pricey, but tons of food. We had chicken and steak. The steak was mushy, the chicken was over cooked. The water and soda had a bad after taste. The service was good. Ask for Vernon. You will get full but it may not be palatable for all people.
(2)
Nancy A.
its not as good as the real puerto rican version if you understand that, then you get an idea of where im going with this its good, its cheap and its clean, but it just doesnt have the magic as the ones that are in the island. worth the try, but dont get your hopes up.
(3)
Jayde S.
This place was so awful, I am writing a review two weeks after eating here. We came here during our stay in Orlando after a long day at Wet N' Wild. I didn't want to come but my husband wanted to eat here so I agreed. We used to have a Ponderosa in our hometown as kids so it was a bit of a trip down memory lane........just nothing like what we remembered. We walked in and had to order an entree in addition to the buffet, which was odd. I chose the coconut shrimp and he chose the hawaiian glazed chicken. We sat down in a booth of our choosing since the place was empty. It was FREEZING inside. It was very uncomfortable. I went up to the buffet, which is made up of all odds and ends randomly thrown together under lights. I searched around looking for something to put together but after a few minutes of being cold and confused, I settled on a cup of soup. I tried the chicken noodle, it was gross. I tried the broccoli & cheese, it was gross. I tried the minnestrone, and big surprize -- it was gross. I was still freezing... and hungry. I had a sunburn and hadn't eatten all day. My entree came. I took one look at it and was afraid to try it. I have made better meals in my college dorm. The shrimp was reheated, micowave quality "shrimp" like substance in a dry... can't even call it batter... maybe "fried crust" is the proper term? It was really that bad. Back to the buffet. Hmmm... did I want pasta with a side of potato... or did I want a sweet roll with some stale lettuce. Decisions, decisions. I got mashed potatoes and gravy...and a cookie. The only two edible items on the buffet. My husband's chicken was so disgusting he took a bite and pushed it away. He ended up getting a plate of nachos and cheese. It was store quality chips with cheese that had a puke after taste. It was really gross. My kids mostly ate the icecream and cookies. I don't blame them. I paid $60 (before tip, tax, etc.) for myself, husband and our children to eat food that you would find in a public school cafeteria or a soup kitchen. I bet they serve better food in prisions. We were so mad, disapointed, cold and still hungry that we left without even bothering to get our "free gift" from the gift shop. I probably should have checked out the gift, maybe it was something I could eat.
(1)
otter h.
With the price and the location, you get what you pay for.
(2)
Susan L.
My group and I decided to come here after a long day at Islands of Adventure. We were hoping to get some nice juicy steaks but we ended up with mediocre, dry slabs of meat! A buffet comes with the meal ...I wish I just got the buffet instead. I mostly ate their chicken strips from their buffet rather than my steak . Their chicken strips were tasty. I had to improvise and get some honey mustard salad dressing to dip them . They're comparable to Denny's chicken strips. The buffet isn't that big it has different types of sides and a dessert bar. The slices of cake were a little stiff for me but the service we received was an A+.
(2)
Emmalouise B.
We visited here a few times during our 2 weeks stay in Orlando and found it quite enjoyable. I wouldn't class it as a Steakhouse myself but these day's anywhere that serves steak seems to call themselves one. The food was surprisingly good for an all you can eat - The salad was really fresh, the pasta not over or undercooked and the meatballs really hot. The dessert station was nice too and I especially liked their cookies - Yum! One one visit I overdone it on the salad bar and had no space for cookies so I snuck a couple into my bag - I couldn't go without them. Service was also good and on each visit the waiting staff were very attentive clearing plates, refilling water and checking everything was to our satisfaction.
(3)
Michelle K.
The company upgraded their salad bar offerings. More items. The menu is even better than I remember. They have fish and chips again, blue jello, and great soups. This place has the best salad bar of any restaurant ever. Wish they had one in South Florida again. I miss going here regularly.
(5)
Karen H.
If I could give this place a zero star I would. DO NOT EAT HERE, YOU ARE WARNED, YOU WILL PAY A FORTUNE AND GET NOTHING BUT A GASSY STOMACH! My family ate here Friday night. We drove down from Jacksonville and waited to eat until we were on Int Drive -- where all the "good" places are --- WRONG!! We should have ate at Burger King or McD's when we exited I-4; or anywhere but here. The buffet was okay, at least it was clean. But the meals you have to order; was either over cooked (my husband's rare steak was almost well done) and my chicken had this orange sticky sweet sauce poured over it (it was suppose to be Monterrey chicken 'special'!! I had to scrape off the sticky sauce in order to eat even one bite. My daughter had the grilled chicken and it was so dry she couldn't eat it (we switched chicken dishes --- she enjoyed the orangey jello sauce!! : eeky!!) My son's chopped steak did not have the gravy on it, which turned out to be a good thing, when our waiter brought him a bowl, it was lumpy and another eeky sauce! My husband -- the brave man he was poured it over his steak and said, at least it makes my over cooked steak have a little juice! Even the decor was weird -- you would expect a "Ponderosa" to have a western theme decor, but inside it was more like a South American jungle inside a Victorian green house. The best part --- our waiter was very nice. Donnie did a good job, he kept our drinks filled and was concerned when we were not eating our meals. We ate mostly salads and desserts; the non dairy 'ice cream' was good over the chocolate brownie cookie. The bathroom was at least clean and smelled nice. We spent $50.00 for a horrible meal and was still hungry!!
(1)
Jesse W.
Surprised by the good service (better than we had at P.F. Changs earlier today). I had the rib eye and my wife had the pork chops both were very good surprisingly and the items at the buffet were very fresh which was surprising as well since we walked it 30 mins to close. Our server Dave was super nice and attentive. I recommend trying it out for dinner.
(4)
Xiomara R.
After being disappointed by the selection of food around our hotel, suffice to say we now fully realize that Orlando loves its steak and buffets, we ended up just picking Ponderosa in an act of very hungry and tired stomachs from walking all around to see what there was. All in all, not the best choice. To sum it up, Ponderosa seems like a low quality Sizzler for a few bucks less. The buffet is underwhelming, being super greasy in spots like the Italian dressing, which looked just like straight up oil with food coloring and specs added to give it the illusions of dressing. Our main course meal, grilled chicken and the Hawaiian chicken, were also misses. At least the fries were okay, but that's hard to mess up. To end on a high note, the service was good, and our waiter nearly tripped over himself to thank us once he noticed we were giving a tip as I guess that doesn't happen too often. Overall, despite some good service, the food is what counts and we will never be back to Ponderosa Steakhouse in the future.
(2)
Laura P.
My party of four went there on a Friday night in January while on a Universal Studios vacation. The place was nearly empty. Two people ordered steak, the other two ordered shrimp. Good: 1)The 'super sirloin' steak was really, really good! Cooked to order and therefore sufficiently rare, tender, and with a good char flavor. I was shocked. Portions were also pleasantly large. 2) Salad bar was very fresh. Vegetables were crisp and looked great. It was off season and the place was empty so this might be why. 3) Service was good, but the place was empty. They even brought us coffee after dinner, an unexpected treat. 4) The place was clean. Average: 1) Shrimp was alright. I ordered it just because I had to order something to get the salad bar. They were medium-sized shrimp. 2) Salad bar was very fresh. Vegetables were crisp and looked great. It was off season and the place was empty so this might be why. 3) Dessert bar was very uninspired. Pudding, ice-cream machine, cookies and breads. 4) Hot food was just average. It was a small selection, consisting of Swedish meatballs, pasta, mac and cheese, and chicken tenders. Bad: 1) My diet soda had a weird off-flavor.. either their machine was not calibrated right or they are using a super cheap brand that is not pepsi or coke. I'd go again, to this location and Ponderosa in general. Everyone was satisfied. It gets only three stars because I'm sure some of it had to do with it being off-season.
(3)
Xixi D.
Well it's location really helps. The price is right for the quality you are gonna get. Went for breakfast buffet but nothing really good the quality of the food is just so so. Will not come back unless drag by others...
(2)
Dave H.
This Ponderosa isn't far from Disney's Magic Kingdom, so we gorged ourselves at the buffet before going into the park and paying their ludicrous prices (of course, we're already paying their high admission prices, but I digress). Lunch at Ponderosa is most certainly less expensive than any theme park. This location is as good as any other Ponderosa I've been to, with friendly service and a clean dining room. If you're looking for mass-produced chain steak or a buffet (they've a salad bar, but what's the point?), this is your place.
(3)
Jolie L.
Only good thing I thought had it going was that it was considerably cleaner than you'd think most buffets would be. I went twice for breakfast and it definitely wasn't a favorite. Only thing I enjoyed was the chicken when it wasn't just cooked batter and the bacon. The price was around $5 a head with drink so can't ask or expect much. Wouldn;t go back again. Would rather pay a bit more and eat at Sweet Tomatoes.
(1)
Aaron M.
Best place I've ever gone to for a breakfast buffet. Only about $5 and worth every penny. The service is also extremely friendly and the place has a good taste in music!
(4)
Prof J.
You really get what u pay for. It almost seemed like all the food was microwaved. I do like the muffin selection. Our drink server was courteous. Other than that...the signage clearly lured us in. The buffet wasn't 3.99 cuz they charge u up the booty with drinks and fried eggs and waffles...which should have been included anyway. If taste is what your looking for...go to Denny's or ihop.
(2)
Suzy V.
Four stars because you have to rate it in what you should expect for a 5$ buffet! Lol I liked it decent food ... Went for breakfast had eggs bacon pancakes cereal jello...lol... And managed to leave without a stomach ache ... Good place for families
(4)
James M.
Nice place. Good value for the money.
(4)
James C.
Nothing to write home about, but for $10-15, a decent steak, some pre frozen friend shrimp and an all you can eat buffet of solid feel good unhealthy foods. Sold! Fresh salad bar with the fixings and an array of deserts. Its well worth the $. This way you can save your money for the overprices theme park tickets.
(3)
This review is for the Ponderosa near wet and wild there is also another one near sea world. The Ponderosa is one of those restaurant chains where pretty much anything goes. No jacket, collar and tie needed here, and that is probably why it is so popular. It's the sort of place you can enter on a whim, pretty much regardless of what you're wearing. There are also lots of coupons going about which will allow kids to eat free from the buffet or 10% your meal. It serves an all you can eat buffet, but you can order a proper meal here too, mainly steaks and chicken. The good thing here is that if you have got kids, there is bound to be something on the serve-yourself buffet that even the most fussiest children will eat. There is a very large choice of foods. They serve everything from chicken wings to fruit and from jelly (or jello if you're American) to cakes. All at a price which won't hurt your holiday budget too much. This place is very family friendly and many go back time and time again during their holiday, especially us Brits. So if you want a reasonably priced, no frills meal in a VERY relaxed atmosphere, then you could do a lot worse than the Ponderosa. If someone knows how to edit the title it neeeds to say Ponderosa Steakhouse (near wet and wild)
(5)
Christopher B.
There looks to be several Ponderosas in the Orlando area but this is the one I chose to partake of cheap breakfast buffet goodness. I was sort of disappointed in the lack of variety but not surprised at the overall level of quality. I did however up-grade my breakfast special to include a steak and fried eggs which rounded out at about 12.99 not including the drink. The service was A++ plus the food including that steak I paid a chunk wasn't very good. The grease factor must have been high because several in my party were feeling the load later on in the morning. I did however, like what they had on the dessert bar so for that they make it up to two stars.
(2)
Marisa F.
Ponderosa advertises a special breakfast buffet for $3.99 with purchase of a drink, which makes it $5.00, just thought that was funny. The eggs served are the cheap eggs that come in a bag. They were pretty gross. My husband ordered biscuits and gravy and was below average. Gravy was runny like water. Eww! There is nothing really good about this place. Food is below average quality and the place is dirty. Save your bucks and eat at Mc Donald's. I was let down during this dining experience.
(2)
Matt D.
Order the cheapest steak, its not very good anyways. 3 of us ate the buffet for 42 bucks. We all brought our full meals home so we got an extra meal out of it. Buffet was decent, nothing special.
(3)
Clarisa L.
I visited Ponderosa while on vacation in Florida. The price board outside definitely is alluring. My sister and I enjoyed breakfast and went there 10 minutes before lunch. Which was def a bargain. We had one plate of breakfast items and some fresh lunch menu items. They had grits, oatmeal, cream of wheat, eggs, waffles, pancakes, sausage, bacon, toast, fresh fruit and more. It was way better than the Ponderosa in the Bronx, NY.
(4)
Josh O.
Something about this place screams food poisoning.
(3)
Trang N.
Eh. You get what you pay for. We came here close to the end of our trip so we wanted to go the cheaper route. BIG mistake. $4 dollars a person for the breakfast buffet sounded like a steal from the outside sign we read. When we walked in, we realized you had to pay extra for any eggs (other than scrambled), waffles, and drinks. Already hungry and frustrated, we decided to just go ahead with it, without any extras. We had one plate each and left. This says a lot coming from two people who can eat. Beware of buffets!
(1)
Burkhard S.
So it is !Best Breakfast Buffet in Town
(5)
Ponderosa is great value for money, with the breakfast buffet being only $3.99! All you can eat, with fruit, cooked breakfast, pancakes, waffles, pastries and cereal. This makes a great start to the day! They also do dinner, which is also great value.
(4)
Mimi M.
its great all you can eat breakfast buffet for 3.99$ you get fruit, pancakes ect and the dinner is fab as well. overall what great place :)
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Woodman A.
So we ended up here after a couple of bad restaurants. When we entered it seemed like a great place, but very misleading. Well, misleading to say the least with the long line of tourist and no one local. No locals mean not good. We sat down to appetizers that were all horribly disgusting! Everything was junk food with the only thing that was healthy was the salad. The salad was not appetizing with the alright selection of toppings. The cheese was god knows what. When our main course came the steak did not look like steak and bounced like rubber. I literally bounced it. All the people on my party said the same thing. The steak does not look like steak. It was the weirdest looking steak! The chicken was more like mystery meat. Chicken wings looked like they came from a chicken with mad chicken disease, if that is even true. Shrimp was frozen from Costco. To bare the steaks we used their so called steak sauce that is basically low grade BBQ sauce. I think my stomach is having relapse from writing this. Ugh!!! On to the desert, which you can not go wrong. Guess, what... you can! The blue jello had a weird taste, the cones for the soft serve were stale, and the rest looked like prison food. So over the course of our dining experience the party stated, "how did we end up here?" After the dining experience we are all having stomach pains, bad gas, and bad diarrhea. I am afraid to go anywhere due to this experience, along with the rest of the party! It ruined out night out in Orlando! Bad experience is an understatement! The server was great and I felt bad for him, for serving such bad food.
(1)Ant M. A.
I have made a promise to myself that while visiting Orlando, I will avoid buffet restaurants at all cost. This all came down after a few bad experiences and my last one happened to be Ponderosa Steakhouse/breakfast buffet. My group and I wanted to try this place out before leaving Orlando while staying on International Drive. We should have taken the hint when we saw the restaurant emptied with just a few old folks. As we walked in we were greeted by two cashiers arguing on who would take our orders and why the other one was slacking off. WTF? After that nonsense, the second hint should have been what I paid for the buffet. $6.99 plus what ever the coffee was. Here, you do pay before you sit and eat. The breakfast selection was well organized and plenty to go for. Now, for the food itself, the hot section was by far the worst ever. Not an item that contained eggs had any taste to it. It was lacking every ingredient by rule. The fruit and salad bar was all good but not worth my $6.99. The coffee was watered down to the filter. A restaurant with bad coffee just fails on the spot. The only thing I can possibly say was worth a try and maybe a second take was the warm cinnamon rolls. They were awesomely fresh. The reason my review made two stars is because the waiter was super friendly. He really made our visit better with the way he attended our table and overall, his section.
(2)Christi S.
This was possibly one of our WORST dining experiences. The broccoli might as well have been display food. The only good thing that tasted normal was the ice cream. We all left feeling queasy and with bad tastes in our mouths. We won't be going back. I'd rather eat at the Sizzler than there.
(1)Scott A.
Brilliant for breakfast & lunch! All you can eat, plenty of choice for even the fussy eaters. Dinner prices are a little higher than other local places but I personally would say it's worth it! I cleared my plate! Staff are nice and happy to help, even held the door open for my partners wheelchair without me asking! (Only place that's did this so far!) Oh waiter Robert is great! Funny as hell, friendly and pays attention to detail :) Would eat here again.
(5)A F.
Salty, processed food. Yuck yuck yuck. I got the shrimp and rice dish on the menu... rice was super dry and the shrimp was covered in salt and butter (not in a good way). Felt like a fast food place. We were all starving after our plane ride and still couldn't finish the food.
(1)David A.
The food was not well in taste or presentation Place is over priced for the quality of good and the overall ambiance place was sticky feeling not very clean Don't go there with there 10% discount it won't help with the price We went to the Olive Garden next night and it was cheaper and the food was way better Learned my lesson
(1)Melissa R.
Yes I give this place a five star because you get what you pay 6.99 breakfast buffet and you can order omlet to your taste was great plus how much breakfast can you really eat. Our waitress was maria and she was nice and courteous Which is a big plus. Friendly staff good breakfast
(5)jose v.
Great place for breakfast. Under $7 for all u can fit breakfast. Only gripe I had was the overpriced beverages but waters free so i enjoyed every cup.Food was hot and fresh,atmosphere was gentle here in this one. There's a lot of choices for breakfast and one of the the only buffets that have corned beef hash. For the price and quality,it's a good start for a long day in Orlando
(4)Precious P.
This is a great place to eat at!! The salad and soup bar is clean with fresh food!!! It's a nice size locate and clean! The staff is very friendly and Robert my waiter was a very professional and attentive to his customers!! I liked that they have you order your meat or/and seafood so it's freshly made!! The cashier was nice enough to let us go check out the salad bar first to see if we would like I choices before ordering our meals!! I would eat here again and I will be sure to tell others go check this location out!! They also have a wide range of desserts too!! They only have vanilla and chocolate as ice cream choices. Go try this place out! It was my first and I would go back again!
(4)Frank F.
One star ONLY Becuz they didn't offer a full buffet! The kicker!!! NO MEAT!!! You have to order and entre. It's 1pm. @ Ponderosa... FranknKimm anit having it. That's Drama Dot Com! Holla Back when time's GET BETTER. Love Y'all. But NOT feeling the Love in return. Over n Out If Y'all looking 4 a FULL buffet for lunch FranknKimm ADVISORY WARNING SAYS "HECK NO" Next Day Breakfast Buffet $6.99. W/ Steak $9.99. Juice is $2.49. Bottled. NO refillable cups. Don't know about regular beverages. Roman was our waiter. Sweet personality. I enjoyed breakfast. Variety plenty for breakfast. Beware no one cuts line at omelette and waffle station. Also the waffle maker has 3 settings. Light Medium n Dark. If you're special like me... You'll appreciate the LIGHT setting. I must have a LIGHT Waffle. Only thing is... I WISH IT WAS BUTTERMILK Waffles instead. Better flavor or they should at least add a tad bit of flavor and a pinch of sugar OR SOMETHING to jazz that dern batter UP. Lol... Over ALL I'll do the Breakfast. It was my husband's idea. Lol. BUT lunch. . . No WAY Hosea NOT a FAT Chance Buddy. Over n Out Y'all. FranknKimm
(5)Rob A.
Don't blame me, the travel workgroup I was with wanted to come here. Now you're saying "yeah Rob, sure". No, really. Let's see, so this is basically a walk in the door pay before you eat type place. It's basically a salad bar but with a buffet slant to it. You could order just that and probably get your fill or you can order with a meat like steak or chicken and they will cook the meat to order for you. The food on the salad bar/buffet is fairly tasteless but edible. The steak is not something to write home about. With a name like Ponderosa, you might have visions of a sprawling cattle ranch. But that's not the case. More like the field hand bunk house. Not that there's anything wrong with bunk house grub. It's inexpensive and I can see where it could be a kid-friendly family favorite. But ehh, most will be better off finding someplace else for chow.
(2)Michael W.
Wanted a steak , got one ! Over priced. Server "Azat" was horrible , salad bar & desert bar was the cheapest items U could imagine. Ordered sautéed mushrooms w steak , how can u serve heated canned mushrooms & charge $3? Will never visit there again !! AWFUL !!!!
(1)Marsha O.
My family decdied they would like to enjoy a good lunch with a variety, they opted for your resturant...now I have had stomach surgery and do not eat at buffets as they are a total waste of money for me...I eat about 1/2 cup of food as a meal...I told the cashier this and asked if I could have a childs meal...she said yes but I will have to pay 9.99 instead of the 4.99...ummmm what???? I have NEVER ENCOUNTERED this at any establishment. If I was unable to have a child's meal...fine, but to say I will charged double??? Service continued to be poor at worst, had to ask for the original drink order three times! I work in the customer service industry. This is completely unacceptable!
(1)Coral R.
Ponderosa isn't what it used to be: we went to this place right in the thick of the action on Int'l Drive. The buffet was very small for lunch such as salad, pasta, and desert. If you wanted anything else it was an add-on for meats and fish. They actually charge you for a drink as well and you can't get your own refills. Really? Is somebody going to take too much Coke, Ponderosa? Kind of the whole appeal of a buffet is you can serve yourself as much as you want without having to beg a waitress to refill your drink. With that aside the food wasn't that good, nor was the steak. For about the same price I could've gone to Sweet Tomato's and had a good buffet with more variety and not have to listen to the honky-tonk music belching out of the speakers. Note to management: this is International Drive in Orlando. There are no cowboy boots and spurs here, just a whole lot of tourists. And nearly two-thirds of the people eating in the restaurant were Afro American or Latino. Needless to say you may want to update your music to something more appropriate. You aren't fooling anybody with the Hoedown Music! If they add more food in their buffet, and better quality food I might add, allow you to refill your own drinks, and most importantly pass on this whole Country-Music, Texas Theme, I might think of going back but until then I would pass on this joint!
(2)Joshua A.
Not one of the best places to go. When I saw the yelp reviews I was very nervous, however my mother was hungry and didn't want to keep looking for restaurant. So we tried and it failed. The food is not all that! My chicken was dry and tasteless. The buffet was also cold cold. I would have rather gone to another restaurant. The service was good, and Heather was very sweet, but I don't recommend this Ponderosa.
(2)Lila W.
It was a few years ago 2012 but here is place where you can eat for value for money. The breakfast is a pick your own and as much as you want and go back for more if you want. A good thing to know the waitresses there aren't that well payed so a few dollars tip and if you go back a few times they notice you and go overboard to help you
(4)Shuné D.
Recently had breakfast here. This is a relatively okay establishment with a decent breakfast buffet. You can start off ordering your main dish (optional with additional cost) at the entrance and then going to the buffet for the rest. My only issue was that when served the scrambled eggs(W/steak), it was basically a fried egg chopped up and not scrambled. I later found out that the real scrambled eggs were already available in the buffet anyways. Overall experience was just okay.
(4)Travis F.
Ugh, this was terrible! Stopped in for brunch and nearly everything we ate was awful. The only bright spot was the wait staff. Chazz was unbelievable, this guy hustled. For the food, I leave you with the words of Huey Lewis: "Across the street a neon sign All you can eat for a dollar ninety nine. Our soul stew is the baddest in the land But one dollars worth was all that I could stand. Sometimes bad is BAD!"
(1)Chris A.
I went with my family March 29, 2015. Our server was Mr. Chazz...He was the best can be. Chazz was a pleasure. Excellent service. Delightful every minute bringing us everything we ordered. I hope he is recognized by management. I hope next time i visit Ponderosa that i see Mr. Chazz again. Food was great too. The food bar was good. I was upset when they were still serving breakfast at 11 pm. They quickly switched over to lunch once i spoke to management. Thank you. I love Ponderosa,
(5)Alycia H.
I was so disappointed in the food quality at this restaurant. All the hot food on salad bar was dried out. The selection wasn't that great for price you pay for salad bar. My husband's steak was very chewy . My daughter had a bug in her food. Would never eat at this restaurant ever again! Yuck!!
(1)Kim B.
The kids are happy to come here- lots of choices for little ones. Easy to get in and out when coming from the parks.
(3)Sydney K.
I don't even know what this is. Okay, it's not bad, but it's a very special place. The employees I encountered were all courteous, the food was occasionally tasty and mostly edible, and you can get ice cream whenever you want, including for breakfast. I went here with a friend for breakfast one day. The location is in Tourist Central, USA (I-Drive) and is between Wet n' Wild and Sand Lake. The building is huge, tacky, and fits in perfectly on I-Drive. Once inside you're herded into a queue, which fits the barn theme they have going for them, and pay your dues to be allowed into the seating area. You're seated and then given the go-ahead to make your rounds through the lines of warm, maybe fresh food sitting in metal or plastic containers under glowing food lamps. The food was okay overall. Some things, like the eggs benedict and cabbage salad, did not taste good at all. Others, like the ice cream, chocolate pudding, and orange slices, were tasty. The pancakes, eggs, hash browns, potato slices, and biscuits ended up somewhere in the middle of tolerable but not worth the calories when you have other options. The staff we encountered were courteous and there were no issues with that. The bathroom was disgusting though, not sure who decided to strew toilet paper everywhere but that's not how life works for most of us. So yes, there is a Pondarosa Steakhouse. If you like buffets, you'll probably like this. If you don't, then don't go here. I only tried their breakfast, so maybe the dinner here is something amazing... or not. I'm comfortable with letting that remain a mystery for the rest of my life.
(2)Dan W.
Ordered two identical steaks at the same time for the same temperature. One arrived over-cooked and the other arrived under-cooked. Another person's dish was served at least ten minutes after everybody else. The waiter was less than energetic and did not seem all that concerned about our requests for condiments, without which the food would not be edible. Granted the buffet bar did have a few tasty items. But not nearly enough to justify the rest of our experience.
(1)Aya B.
BEWARE THE HIDDEN EXTRA FEES ADDED TO YOUR MEAL!! They had a picture of a chicken fried steak with a potato for $9.99, which three of us ordered. The cashier asked if I wanted a baked potato, fries, sweet potato or onion rings. NO MENTION OF AN ADDITIONAL FEE FOR A SIDE. Their photo even showed the steak with a potato on the plate so one naturally makes the connection that it's included. It's not. The cashier asked my friends what they wanted and listed the same options. All three of us were upcharged for the potatoes but didn't notice until a day later when we wondered why our meal had been so expensive and looked at the receipt. So yay you Ponderosa, you got my money this time but I won't be back. I don't reward bad behavior.
(1)Tracey G.
Terrible! Out of almost everything on the breakfast bar, and when they did restock, it was gone in seconds. No bacon or sausage on the Buffett; instead, they brought a small basket to the table, which was nasty- not sure what animal the bacon was procured from. Have done breakfast here before and been pleased, but will never come back after this.
(1)Darron H.
Pricey, but tons of food. We had chicken and steak. The steak was mushy, the chicken was over cooked. The water and soda had a bad after taste. The service was good. Ask for Vernon. You will get full but it may not be palatable for all people.
(2)Nancy A.
its not as good as the real puerto rican version if you understand that, then you get an idea of where im going with this its good, its cheap and its clean, but it just doesnt have the magic as the ones that are in the island. worth the try, but dont get your hopes up.
(3)Jayde S.
This place was so awful, I am writing a review two weeks after eating here. We came here during our stay in Orlando after a long day at Wet N' Wild. I didn't want to come but my husband wanted to eat here so I agreed. We used to have a Ponderosa in our hometown as kids so it was a bit of a trip down memory lane........just nothing like what we remembered. We walked in and had to order an entree in addition to the buffet, which was odd. I chose the coconut shrimp and he chose the hawaiian glazed chicken. We sat down in a booth of our choosing since the place was empty. It was FREEZING inside. It was very uncomfortable. I went up to the buffet, which is made up of all odds and ends randomly thrown together under lights. I searched around looking for something to put together but after a few minutes of being cold and confused, I settled on a cup of soup. I tried the chicken noodle, it was gross. I tried the broccoli & cheese, it was gross. I tried the minnestrone, and big surprize -- it was gross. I was still freezing... and hungry. I had a sunburn and hadn't eatten all day. My entree came. I took one look at it and was afraid to try it. I have made better meals in my college dorm. The shrimp was reheated, micowave quality "shrimp" like substance in a dry... can't even call it batter... maybe "fried crust" is the proper term? It was really that bad. Back to the buffet. Hmmm... did I want pasta with a side of potato... or did I want a sweet roll with some stale lettuce. Decisions, decisions. I got mashed potatoes and gravy...and a cookie. The only two edible items on the buffet. My husband's chicken was so disgusting he took a bite and pushed it away. He ended up getting a plate of nachos and cheese. It was store quality chips with cheese that had a puke after taste. It was really gross. My kids mostly ate the icecream and cookies. I don't blame them. I paid $60 (before tip, tax, etc.) for myself, husband and our children to eat food that you would find in a public school cafeteria or a soup kitchen. I bet they serve better food in prisions. We were so mad, disapointed, cold and still hungry that we left without even bothering to get our "free gift" from the gift shop. I probably should have checked out the gift, maybe it was something I could eat.
(1)otter h.
With the price and the location, you get what you pay for.
(2)Susan L.
My group and I decided to come here after a long day at Islands of Adventure. We were hoping to get some nice juicy steaks but we ended up with mediocre, dry slabs of meat! A buffet comes with the meal ...I wish I just got the buffet instead. I mostly ate their chicken strips from their buffet rather than my steak . Their chicken strips were tasty. I had to improvise and get some honey mustard salad dressing to dip them . They're comparable to Denny's chicken strips. The buffet isn't that big it has different types of sides and a dessert bar. The slices of cake were a little stiff for me but the service we received was an A+.
(2)Emmalouise B.
We visited here a few times during our 2 weeks stay in Orlando and found it quite enjoyable. I wouldn't class it as a Steakhouse myself but these day's anywhere that serves steak seems to call themselves one. The food was surprisingly good for an all you can eat - The salad was really fresh, the pasta not over or undercooked and the meatballs really hot. The dessert station was nice too and I especially liked their cookies - Yum! One one visit I overdone it on the salad bar and had no space for cookies so I snuck a couple into my bag - I couldn't go without them. Service was also good and on each visit the waiting staff were very attentive clearing plates, refilling water and checking everything was to our satisfaction.
(3)Michelle K.
The company upgraded their salad bar offerings. More items. The menu is even better than I remember. They have fish and chips again, blue jello, and great soups. This place has the best salad bar of any restaurant ever. Wish they had one in South Florida again. I miss going here regularly.
(5)Karen H.
If I could give this place a zero star I would. DO NOT EAT HERE, YOU ARE WARNED, YOU WILL PAY A FORTUNE AND GET NOTHING BUT A GASSY STOMACH! My family ate here Friday night. We drove down from Jacksonville and waited to eat until we were on Int Drive -- where all the "good" places are --- WRONG!! We should have ate at Burger King or McD's when we exited I-4; or anywhere but here. The buffet was okay, at least it was clean. But the meals you have to order; was either over cooked (my husband's rare steak was almost well done) and my chicken had this orange sticky sweet sauce poured over it (it was suppose to be Monterrey chicken 'special'!! I had to scrape off the sticky sauce in order to eat even one bite. My daughter had the grilled chicken and it was so dry she couldn't eat it (we switched chicken dishes --- she enjoyed the orangey jello sauce!! : eeky!!) My son's chopped steak did not have the gravy on it, which turned out to be a good thing, when our waiter brought him a bowl, it was lumpy and another eeky sauce! My husband -- the brave man he was poured it over his steak and said, at least it makes my over cooked steak have a little juice! Even the decor was weird -- you would expect a "Ponderosa" to have a western theme decor, but inside it was more like a South American jungle inside a Victorian green house. The best part --- our waiter was very nice. Donnie did a good job, he kept our drinks filled and was concerned when we were not eating our meals. We ate mostly salads and desserts; the non dairy 'ice cream' was good over the chocolate brownie cookie. The bathroom was at least clean and smelled nice. We spent $50.00 for a horrible meal and was still hungry!!
(1)Jesse W.
Surprised by the good service (better than we had at P.F. Changs earlier today). I had the rib eye and my wife had the pork chops both were very good surprisingly and the items at the buffet were very fresh which was surprising as well since we walked it 30 mins to close. Our server Dave was super nice and attentive. I recommend trying it out for dinner.
(4)Xiomara R.
After being disappointed by the selection of food around our hotel, suffice to say we now fully realize that Orlando loves its steak and buffets, we ended up just picking Ponderosa in an act of very hungry and tired stomachs from walking all around to see what there was. All in all, not the best choice. To sum it up, Ponderosa seems like a low quality Sizzler for a few bucks less. The buffet is underwhelming, being super greasy in spots like the Italian dressing, which looked just like straight up oil with food coloring and specs added to give it the illusions of dressing. Our main course meal, grilled chicken and the Hawaiian chicken, were also misses. At least the fries were okay, but that's hard to mess up. To end on a high note, the service was good, and our waiter nearly tripped over himself to thank us once he noticed we were giving a tip as I guess that doesn't happen too often. Overall, despite some good service, the food is what counts and we will never be back to Ponderosa Steakhouse in the future.
(2)Laura P.
My party of four went there on a Friday night in January while on a Universal Studios vacation. The place was nearly empty. Two people ordered steak, the other two ordered shrimp. Good: 1)The 'super sirloin' steak was really, really good! Cooked to order and therefore sufficiently rare, tender, and with a good char flavor. I was shocked. Portions were also pleasantly large. 2) Salad bar was very fresh. Vegetables were crisp and looked great. It was off season and the place was empty so this might be why. 3) Service was good, but the place was empty. They even brought us coffee after dinner, an unexpected treat. 4) The place was clean. Average: 1) Shrimp was alright. I ordered it just because I had to order something to get the salad bar. They were medium-sized shrimp. 2) Salad bar was very fresh. Vegetables were crisp and looked great. It was off season and the place was empty so this might be why. 3) Dessert bar was very uninspired. Pudding, ice-cream machine, cookies and breads. 4) Hot food was just average. It was a small selection, consisting of Swedish meatballs, pasta, mac and cheese, and chicken tenders. Bad: 1) My diet soda had a weird off-flavor.. either their machine was not calibrated right or they are using a super cheap brand that is not pepsi or coke. I'd go again, to this location and Ponderosa in general. Everyone was satisfied. It gets only three stars because I'm sure some of it had to do with it being off-season.
(3)Xixi D.
Well it's location really helps. The price is right for the quality you are gonna get. Went for breakfast buffet but nothing really good the quality of the food is just so so. Will not come back unless drag by others...
(2)Dave H.
This Ponderosa isn't far from Disney's Magic Kingdom, so we gorged ourselves at the buffet before going into the park and paying their ludicrous prices (of course, we're already paying their high admission prices, but I digress). Lunch at Ponderosa is most certainly less expensive than any theme park. This location is as good as any other Ponderosa I've been to, with friendly service and a clean dining room. If you're looking for mass-produced chain steak or a buffet (they've a salad bar, but what's the point?), this is your place.
(3)Jolie L.
Only good thing I thought had it going was that it was considerably cleaner than you'd think most buffets would be. I went twice for breakfast and it definitely wasn't a favorite. Only thing I enjoyed was the chicken when it wasn't just cooked batter and the bacon. The price was around $5 a head with drink so can't ask or expect much. Wouldn;t go back again. Would rather pay a bit more and eat at Sweet Tomatoes.
(1)Aaron M.
Best place I've ever gone to for a breakfast buffet. Only about $5 and worth every penny. The service is also extremely friendly and the place has a good taste in music!
(4)Prof J.
You really get what u pay for. It almost seemed like all the food was microwaved. I do like the muffin selection. Our drink server was courteous. Other than that...the signage clearly lured us in. The buffet wasn't 3.99 cuz they charge u up the booty with drinks and fried eggs and waffles...which should have been included anyway. If taste is what your looking for...go to Denny's or ihop.
(2)Suzy V.
Four stars because you have to rate it in what you should expect for a 5$ buffet! Lol I liked it decent food ... Went for breakfast had eggs bacon pancakes cereal jello...lol... And managed to leave without a stomach ache ... Good place for families
(4)James M.
Nice place. Good value for the money.
(4)James C.
Nothing to write home about, but for $10-15, a decent steak, some pre frozen friend shrimp and an all you can eat buffet of solid feel good unhealthy foods. Sold! Fresh salad bar with the fixings and an array of deserts. Its well worth the $. This way you can save your money for the overprices theme park tickets.
(3)This review is for the Ponderosa near wet and wild there is also another one near sea world. The Ponderosa is one of those restaurant chains where pretty much anything goes. No jacket, collar and tie needed here, and that is probably why it is so popular. It's the sort of place you can enter on a whim, pretty much regardless of what you're wearing. There are also lots of coupons going about which will allow kids to eat free from the buffet or 10% your meal. It serves an all you can eat buffet, but you can order a proper meal here too, mainly steaks and chicken. The good thing here is that if you have got kids, there is bound to be something on the serve-yourself buffet that even the most fussiest children will eat. There is a very large choice of foods. They serve everything from chicken wings to fruit and from jelly (or jello if you're American) to cakes. All at a price which won't hurt your holiday budget too much. This place is very family friendly and many go back time and time again during their holiday, especially us Brits. So if you want a reasonably priced, no frills meal in a VERY relaxed atmosphere, then you could do a lot worse than the Ponderosa. If someone knows how to edit the title it neeeds to say Ponderosa Steakhouse (near wet and wild)
(5)Christopher B.
There looks to be several Ponderosas in the Orlando area but this is the one I chose to partake of cheap breakfast buffet goodness. I was sort of disappointed in the lack of variety but not surprised at the overall level of quality. I did however up-grade my breakfast special to include a steak and fried eggs which rounded out at about 12.99 not including the drink. The service was A++ plus the food including that steak I paid a chunk wasn't very good. The grease factor must have been high because several in my party were feeling the load later on in the morning. I did however, like what they had on the dessert bar so for that they make it up to two stars.
(2)Marisa F.
Ponderosa advertises a special breakfast buffet for $3.99 with purchase of a drink, which makes it $5.00, just thought that was funny. The eggs served are the cheap eggs that come in a bag. They were pretty gross. My husband ordered biscuits and gravy and was below average. Gravy was runny like water. Eww! There is nothing really good about this place. Food is below average quality and the place is dirty. Save your bucks and eat at Mc Donald's. I was let down during this dining experience.
(2)Matt D.
Order the cheapest steak, its not very good anyways. 3 of us ate the buffet for 42 bucks. We all brought our full meals home so we got an extra meal out of it. Buffet was decent, nothing special.
(3)Clarisa L.
I visited Ponderosa while on vacation in Florida. The price board outside definitely is alluring. My sister and I enjoyed breakfast and went there 10 minutes before lunch. Which was def a bargain. We had one plate of breakfast items and some fresh lunch menu items. They had grits, oatmeal, cream of wheat, eggs, waffles, pancakes, sausage, bacon, toast, fresh fruit and more. It was way better than the Ponderosa in the Bronx, NY.
(4)Josh O.
Something about this place screams food poisoning.
(3)Trang N.
Eh. You get what you pay for. We came here close to the end of our trip so we wanted to go the cheaper route. BIG mistake. $4 dollars a person for the breakfast buffet sounded like a steal from the outside sign we read. When we walked in, we realized you had to pay extra for any eggs (other than scrambled), waffles, and drinks. Already hungry and frustrated, we decided to just go ahead with it, without any extras. We had one plate each and left. This says a lot coming from two people who can eat. Beware of buffets!
(1)Burkhard S.
So it is !Best Breakfast Buffet in Town
(5)Ponderosa is great value for money, with the breakfast buffet being only $3.99! All you can eat, with fruit, cooked breakfast, pancakes, waffles, pastries and cereal. This makes a great start to the day! They also do dinner, which is also great value.
(4)Mimi M.
its great all you can eat breakfast buffet for 3.99$ you get fruit, pancakes ect and the dinner is fab as well. overall what great place :)
(5)