Shoney's

As a kid, I had many pleasant dining experiences at various Shoney's Big Boy restaurants in Birmingham, but hadn't eaten at one for years since an unpleasant lunch at the one on Hwy 119 in Pelham right before it closed years ago. But having read some positive reviews here, my wife and I decided to make a pilgrimage down to Clanton to give this one a try.

We arrived at an odd time, around 2:30pm, last Monday Jan. 29th 2024. Even at that time they were doing a brisk business. We were seated immediately at a comfortable booth and our friendly and courteous server told us about the Fresh Food Bar (see photos) and also gave us menus (ditto), explaining that menu service had been restarted around three weeks prior. Just looking through the menu, I was pleasantly surprised to see my childhood favorites like the All-American Burger and Hot Fudge Cake! Despite those temptations, my wife and I both opted for the Fresh Food Bar.

All I can say is that we were both extremely impressed with the selection and taste of the delicious items on offer, as well as the fact that all items were constantly being refreshed, even though it was the middle of the afternoon. The cold food was nicely chilled, the hot food was piping hot, and the bar was clean and tidy. Our server kept our drinks topped off throughout the meal. Altogether our meal was a surprisingly pleasant experience, and this Shoney's is going to be a frequent stop for us on our trips between Birmingham and Montgomery.

Had a great experience here through and through. They are only doing buffet for now so no table orders. But breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet. The waitresses were all very friendly, curtious, and aware of time (knew when to check on refills). Mrs. Stephanie was our waitress she was fantastic, on point with service (and very easy on the eyes too!). The other waitress, she looks like Dolly Parton or Reba McEntire, (one of the country singer ladies), also had very good situational awareness. Thank yall for a great first visit! Expect to be seeing me more often👍💯😁

Have missed Shoneys! The 'boy' has been craving it! Happened by on our travels home at 6:30am..checked & this one was OPENING! Happy Bday Son! He's grown! It was all he wanted & more😋👍🥳🎁

Hot n fresh buffet on every visit! Service continues to be top notch year after year. Stephanie never let my coffee cup get below half full. Rare to see this level of quality service today. Buffet includes a nice variety of breakfast food as well as fruits and breads. Price is moderate. Cannot go wrong eating here. Also, Friday night buffet is steak and seafood. Can’t beat that!

This Shoney's restaurant is great. It is clean, the staff is friendly and helpful. The waitress was excellent I can't remember her name but whoever worked breakfast this morning an older white lady. I thank you for your excellent service to me and my husband. The food was tasty and fresh. I recommend this Shoney's to everybody travelling and wants a good, filling meal to stop in. Just like back in the day Shoney's. Keep up the tasty good cooking.

The best buffet food I have ever eaten in my life. I'm born and raised Floridian and this put our buffets to shame. Every anytime I come through Alabama I will be stopping here. It's a very quiet restaurant and the staff are very friendly. Price is right!

The fried fish was great, the mashed potatoes and gravy were great. Good sausage too, it was breakfast night. Or maybe every night is breakfast night. Whatever it doesn't matter. The food was great, but Moe was even better. Not once did anyone in the party wait for anything, and she was actually pretty darn funny as well. All in all, a great meal.

Very quick service, friendly and professional, I had the breakfast buffet and it was wonderful, only complaint I could voice is that the bacon was a little more crispy than what I would normally prefer, otherwise it was an overall pleasant experience if my truck 🚛 route brings me back through here I'll definitely stop by again, and yes they do have a truck parking area towards the back of the building

By the size of the crowd, I knew this was the place to be for lunch. I had the Buffay which included large salad bar, various meat, options and several vegetable dishes to choose from. On the day I went, they had fried fish that was cooked to perfection and was delicious. I only disappointing that I ate so much fish that I did not have room for salad or dessert. I would highly recommend this to anyone passing through the area looking for a fulfilling meal with a pleasant welcoming atmosphere.

We don’t get down to Clinton to visit Shoneys too often, but every time we do, it is worth the trip. There’s always a wide variety of food, that is fresh and hasn’t been sitting out for hours. The waitresses are always attentive. We love the fried chicken and all the toppings that are available for salad. There aren’t many Shoney’s left so I encourage you to visit this one.

ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL! Came in from Memphis stopping for a bite on the way to Florida. 10/10 worth the stop. Staff is very friendly, restaurant is pristine, and the buffet was full even an hour before closing. The one we have in Memphis is a dump, so this was a breath of fresh air in so many ways

Day before Thanksgiving. Happy holidays everyone!
What a treat! I didn't like Shoneys at old location wehe we went but this one is a different story. Enjoyed every bit of it. Food was great 👍😋
Coffee fresh, service good.
One bad thing is not gonna be able to visit it more often.

Loved both times we were there. Very friendly atmosphere, attentive and helpful staff. Just like the Shoney's I frequented as a youngster.

The breakfast bar is the best choice, the atmosphere is great. The kitchen manager is very sharp and extremely professional, and I never forget the hospitality that I received from the staff. Thank you, Richard Scarborough,

Just like I remember it when I was a kid. Food still tastes the same, maybe better. Breakfast buffet was 12.99. Not bad for all the choices. Definitely worth the drive if you aren’t in clanton. :)

Saw the sign about 10 miles before I got to the exit lol. It really built up the appetite and the nostalgia. The restaurant looked exactly like I remembered and the people were friendly and the food was very good. They only had buffet available, but who could ask for anything more? Very well-tended breakfast buffet and attentive waitress keeping the drinks topped up for the people dining.

If you've never had the shoney's experience, get it while the getting is good!

Great food at the right price! Always good gome cooked food.

I was pleasantly surprised. Great staff, they had a buffet, and it was very good. They were very attentive. I enjoyed it. Good job

Clean, very nice staff, The Important ( So Delicious food selections ) + Great Value.
I have stopped here while long trip from MI to FL.

STEFANIE!!! Stefanie was the manager on duty both mornings that my co-workers and I showed up, early morning, & dog tired from working night shift, doing store resets. She delivered the best customer service! She remembered what our drinks were from the first day, and kept our cups and glasses full. We special ordered crispy bacon the first day, and very well done scrambled eggs, and she remembered that too.😋 I will definitely be back when I'm in town. Stefanie & crew, big thanks to you all. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐