Pizza Ranch- Small town buffet, big on quality and selection
Written: Mar 11 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Texan (taco) pizza, Cactus bread, high quality buffet items
Cons: Can be incredibly busy, pizza can be bland
The Bottom Line: The Pizza Ranch is a regular stop for my husband and I. Seek one out and give it a try!
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| xxskagirlxx's Full Review: Pizza Ranch |
Here in South Dakota, Pizza Ranches are staples across the small town communities. The franchise attempted to open in Sioux Falls a decade ago, but failed. That means that Jason and I have to drive 15 minutes out of town to the nearest Pizza Ranch, but that's alright by us!
The Pizza Ranch I'll refer to in my review is located in Brandon, SD, and is hands down one of the best Pizza Ranches I've been too. It's wildly popular (good luck finding a table at 6 PM on any night of the week) and the owners have expanded and expanded, then expanded some more. Located at the end of a stripmall, the inside is large to accommodate the many groups that rent the rooms within for special functions. The ambiance is no-nonsense and geared mostly toward families.
There's a basketball court and bar/casino located toward the back of the establishment. Connected next door is a huge arcade where all the games are $1. We often like to enjoy a round of skee-ball after our meal.
Let's talk about the meals. The Brandon Pizza Ranch splits their buffet into two separate areas- one features the salad bar and chicken/hot items, and the other has the pizzas.
Overall, Pizza Ranch pizzas are somewhat on the bland side, but they are famous for their Texan (Taco) Pizza. It's loaded with beef, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions, and topped with crunchy taco chips. Drizzling Pizza Ranch taco sauce (which is more tangy and not at all spicy) is a must and perfectly compliments the pizza. There is nothing else like it, and it's often the first pizza totally wiped clean on the buffet.
Pizza Ranch work hard to keep their buffet well stocked, and there's often as many as 10-12 pizzas up at a time. I don't care for their regular crust (unless with the Texan pizza) but my husband loves their thin and crispy crust.
A reason I like the Pizza Ranch is because it seems like they strive for quality in all the products they offer on their buffet. They have some of the best mashed potatoes and gravy I've had. They also often feature delicious waffle fries or fried onion peels. On Tuesdays, which is kid's night (all kids eat free with adult meal), they have Mac N Cheese on the buffet. This isn't your ordinary buffet Mac N Cheese- it's cheesy and gooey and packed full of flavor. It's actually something I crave!
They also supply the buffet with fried chicken and it's always nice and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Never dry.
Their salad bar is often full of fresh greens, and they also have a great potato salad and pasta salad.
The best part of the meal, though, is the dessert! Pizza Ranch has this creation called "Cactus Bread", which is a pizza topped with cinnamon streusel and icing. It is heaven on a pizza crust, it's that good.
I'm a little embarrassed over how much I love the Pizza Ranch buffet. However, my BIL who had never had Pizza Ranch before and is not a buffet fan even loved it!
Honestly, we've never had anything but the buffet (which is around $6 a person including a drink) although you can order a pizza or chicken separately. They also deliver to their local area.
The Pizza Ranch in Brandon runs their buffet Monday-Friday from 11 AM to 2 PM and 5 PM to 9 PM, and all day on Saturday and Sunday. I'm sure the smaller Pizza Ranches in other communities might have more limited hours.
The Bottom Line:
This is one buffet I'm not embarrassed about loving. The pizza can be so-so, but the other items (mashed potatoes, chicken, salad, dessert) is stellar. If you happen to pass one by, give it a try!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
xxskagirlxx
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Member: Stevie
Location: South Dakota
Reviews written: 152
Trusted by: 85 members
About Me:
I dress up my dogs and then force my husband to take them for walks.
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