Remember when buffets meant endless trays of comfort food, generous portions, and zero concern for fancy presentations? In Illinois, a handful of longtime spots still hold tight to that winning formula, keeping the spirit of the 1980s alive one steam table at a time.
Plates get loaded with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, baked pastas, and soft-serve desserts stacked higher than anyone would admit in polite company.
The lighting might be brighter, the décor a little dated, but that is part of the charm, familiar and unfussy, built around the simple joy of going back for seconds and thirds…