Review Claudia Sanders Dinner House - Shelbyville

An excellent buffet for mother's Day, service was good and food was very good. Always recommend on holidays to have a reservation. Was extremely busy, but well-managed by staff from parking to dining. A bit pricey per person, but a varied and big selection of food choices, including prime rib. ($32.67 included tax and 18% gratuity)

I would HIGHLY suggest NOT eating here! I would give a ZERO rating if available. The food was decent, but service was HORRIBLE! Waitress took dirty dishes off a table and NEVER cleaned it, BUT put clean bread plates on table immediately. My husband had the all-you-can-eat chicken and had to stop waiter twice to get more (you get one piece at a time). Our table never had our daughter's plate nor mine removed after we were finished. We never got refills of our drinks (water) and we were never checked on. A family beside us got tired of the dishes being on their table that they took them to the dirty tray cart THEMSELVES! They left about 15mins before us and their remaining dishes were still on table when we left. The womens bathroom was also VERY nasty! DO NOT LET THE NAME GET YOU SUCKED IN TO TRY!!!!

One of our BEST dining experiences in a very long time! The food was wonderful (the Bourbon bread pudding is to die for!)!! The service was the best since way before the pandemic! Highly recommend!!

Hands down the BEST restaurant food both my boyfriend and I have ever had! Absolutely delicious and well worth the 1.5 hrs drive to get there, as well as the prices! We got Claudia Sanders Special with creamy spinach, green beans, mashed taters, lots of rolls (lol), baked apples... I could have ate the whole menu 😋 Definitely huge portions and enough for take home. $60 + tip was all it cost. Highly recommend 👌 Thank you CSDH for the awesome food and positive experience!

We come to this place every couple of months and have never been disappointed. I personally prefer the Sunday buffet however the menu items are excellent as well during the rest of the week. The staff is always friendly and the restaurant is always very clean. They can accommodate a party of two or a very large group. Usually when I have guests come from out of town and they want real southern style cooking this is where I bring them.

Went for Sunday buffet over 20 items plus dessert full salad bar and drink. Fried Chicken was ok not best I’ve ever had sliced Beef was rare and tasty also sliced Pork, Chicken Pot Pie, veggies mashed tatars and moreCobbler pie ice cream and awesome yeast rolls…all you can eat $25

We had our son's wedding rehearsal dinner in one of the private dining rooms. The staff were so gracious and helpful. The entire evening was so very nice, and the food was great as usual! It was a toss-up between the chicken, rolls and the bread pudding on best food of the evening. I heard several discussions about them. Thank you again Becky and crew from the planning to execution it was wonderful!

Went to the Claudia Sanders Dinner House with a group of 5. It took us a few minutes to get seated, and it was clear that this place was pretty popular from the number of customers. Our server took our order quickly, and the yeast rolls at the table were clearly made fresh (they were a bit underdone.) Service at the place was excellent; our waiter was very responsive and friendly. The food was, unfortunately, disappointing. The famous chicken was essentially what you get at KFC, but seemed fresh. The country gravy was quite bland (one of the people in my party mistook it for potato soup,) but the potatoes themselves were fine. The vegetables were all clearly canned; The beans in particular tasted "off" and were overcooked. The corn pudding was okay, if a little sweet. The french fries were okay, but clearly old (the server unilaterally brought out some fresh ones once he saw this, to his credit.) The baked apples were pretty good! Prices were quite cheap: I fed the entire party of 5 for just under $70. On the whole, this place is a neat experience, but I would not consider coming here again for the food unless there was a dramatic improvement.

My family and I had the Sunday buffet and it was disgusting! Either the chicken was super greasy or super dry, the mac and cheese tasted like kraft, the mashed potatoes tasted fake, the green beans were cold, and the rolls were cold. The waiter wasn't friendly at all, she brought all of my family rolls but my little sister. The bill was 65 dollars, and it tasted like it should've been maybe 5 dollars. The water was the best part of the meal.

It was my first time dining here and I wasn’t disappointed. My husband and I both ordered the chicken special and the chicken was cooked perfectly. The waiter suggested the creamed corn and it was also delicious. The salad bar was small but full of yummy choices from fruits to salads. 4 choices of soup made it hard to choose just one. Our waiter was very attentive and brought us some delicious bread pudding before we could even ask for it. We will definitely be going back!

Out of towner was in the area for business. Couple co workers were talking it up so we went for lunch. Waitress was nice and friendly, food came quick and you get a good serving and def will leave full but wasn't to impressed. The chicken batter was kinda plain didn't have much flavor to it. Chicken and dumplings was good but had hardly any chicken in it. Mashed potatoes were delicious but Overall it was decent just expected more.

Love everything about it. The food is wonderful the servers and staff is the best. I cannot think of anything bad to say about this restaurant. Will be there tomorrow for Easter.

My sister had my 80th Birthday party there on March 29 for about 50 people and it was a fiasco. The food was delicious but the service was lousy. They only had 2 waiters serving the tables and nothing was organized. Went were not even able to get drinks let alone anything else. Our people had to get up and help serve the tables. I will never return to this restaurant again.

Claudia Sanders Restaurant is Famous for it’s Chicken and yes it’s wonderful! You should try there Ribeye Steak ... oh my the flavor and tenderness was fabulous. Excellent waitress and very clean restaurant as always �

First time to eat here and it was everything I thought it would be! Excellent service, great food and a warm wonderful atmosphere! Just loved the setting and the area was an awesome drive and beautiful day! It was a wonderful time and meal spent with my sweet family. Will definitely be back for more. The only bad thing was that I wish I could have eaten a lot more!

Our family of ten was do disappointed tonight. We waited so long for a table and had to eventually leave because the entire restaurant smelled so bad from the cigars coming from upstairs. We were not the only ones leaving. Everyone was complaining about the smell. It was nauseating. I watched a family eat holding napkins over their noses. We asked to be seated in the dining room at the far end of the building and the manager said no even though there were others seated down there. Doubt we will be back. However, the young ladies who were the hostesses, were very sweet and apologetic.

My church group had a lovely lunch there yesterday. The service provided by Jessie and Dakota was excellent. They had a basket of hot rolls on the table as we sat down. You can't go wrong with the fried chicken or ham dishes that they're known for. I love their cherry cobbler.

We had a ladies retreat group of 60 waited hours for food it all came cold chicken dry we in formed them to be ready at 1:45 and we didn't get food until 3:45 quality of food was not what it use to be manager wasn't allowed to anything about the situation we didn't get what we paid for don't recommend

Service was slow. Food was basic KFC and the price point was Red Lobster. Won't be back.

Its looks like this establishment has allowed smoking which is not family friendly. We went mid October to take my out of town guest. Ive been there before (and there wasn't this problem)there was a strong stench of cigarettes and cigars in the building. We were fortunate to be seated upstairs were the doors were opened and some of the smoke smell was diluted. The waiter tried his best but we waited half hour to get our order and another hour for our food. When it was all said and done we were there from 5-9pm. Way to long , half day event for a meal.

Great experience and a wonderful variety of food. Dakota went above and beyond! We will be back!

The food was wonderful as usual but our experience was tainted by rudeness. My husband and I both noticed an older man harassing the employees on the buffet line and near the entrance to the kitchen. We asked our waitress who it was and was informed it was the owner. How dare you treat your employees that way!! They were doing fine but you were in the way, talking down to them and making yourself look like an ass. Everyone else was wonderful. You should appreciate your frontline employees, without them there is no business, no one to cook, clean, serve, seat or anything else.

I had the chicken breast and ham meal. Very good

I absolutely love the cream spinach and all you can eat chicken fingers. Good pics of cornel sanders and his wife in the gift shop.<br/>Every one should eat here<br/>

I'd seen Claudia Sanders Dinner House featured on television. It has a great story and I was intrigued. The location is in a gorgeous country setting. The staff was friendly. The food was good but average. I'm glad I visited but it's not a place I need to visit again.

Must place to visit in your way through. We opted to order off the menu vs the buffet. Had the Claudia Special with and extra piece of white meat. Chicken was very good and sides (mashed potatoes and green beans excellent) fresh rolls good also. Recommend coming a little early dues to crowds..

Horrible. Avoid this place at all cost. We had a party of 90 and they stuffed us in a room maxed out at 50. Made food in advanced from the menu they offered. So it wasn't hot when it came out. They didn't serve enough for us. We ran out of sides. Then they brought us our bill. On one ticket. Didn't separate it per table or customer. Got mad that we couldn't do that. Took over an hour to start checking us out. Threatened us with the police if we walked out. It was ridiculous. This place used to be an icon in this town. It's a joke. So stay far away.

Not. What it use to be. Food not as good. Service not as good. Used to be so nice with crisp white table cloths and so welcoming. Listening to the owner yelling at a customer really put me out of going back.

18% Gratuity for the Beffet! WTF. Good food Great service but 18% gratuity for the Buffet, give me a break. I will leave a good tip but not 18% for keeping my water full

Excellent service. My family and I dined there not too long ago. We all got meals that came with salad or soup. The waitress brought our soups and salads but my daughter (who is five) did not have a salad with her meal. She looked sad and the waitress brought her out a cup of chicken soup so that she would have something to eat while the rest of us were eating. I thought that was really nice and that the waitress didn't have to do that. Fried chicken was good not the best I have ever had. Everyone else enjoyed their meals as well. Would return.

Waited over an hour for carry out reserved well in advance. Many many people who checked in after U.S. received their food while we still waited. Slow service and poor organization.

OK, not great. There were a group of 7 of us on New Years Day for an early brunch, and we had a selection - I had the hot brown, which was pretty much 3/4lb of velveeta grilled over some cheap turkey slices. The soup was bland and tasted suspiciously like it was reheated from a can. Other folks had the salad which was OK, I guess, although no ceasar dressing? Really?<br/><br/>Basically, it's a niceish setting and the food is bland and expensive.

Terribly run. Bad service and the servers smell like a big cigarette walking around. No white meat on the buffet? 20$ buffet. Cheap owner

Treated like a thief. My wife and I have eaten at Claudia Sanders several times. The food is OK, not mama's cooking. My wife and I generally know what we want to eat before we get to a restaurant. Tonight was no different. She orders her usual and I order mine. We ordered and received our food as usual. Since both of us had gastric bypasses we do not eat a lot. What we order is good for a couple more meals.We ask a waitress for to-go boxes and the problems began. The waitress gave us a look over like a store detective would give a shop lifter. We ask for small bowls for the sides we didn't eat. The waiters went behind the kitchen doors and for 5 minuets looked and pointed at us with other waitresses. Apparently she believed we had eaten off the buffet line because of the food left over. Not once did she ever ask us about our left overs. After several minuets she walked by and again I ask for small bowls. She replies"I'm not giving you any bowels" and proceeded to again stand behind the kitchen doors and pointed at us. Nothing beats a nice dinner with your wife and being called a thief. After SEVERAL attempts to see a manager, one appeared. I explained that it was nobodies business, but we had gastric bypasses. At this point we where so humiliated that we were a little peeved. The managed offered to take care of our bill. We declined because that was not our intention. Our character and integrity was challenged by a waitress. All the waitress had to do was ask us what we ordered. We will NEVER be back. The food is not good enough to be treated like a criminal.

Will never go back. The service was terrible! The servers push food around in a cart and banged into the back of my chair every time they passed, I couldn't seem to get a refill and we were finally offered bread after our meal was done. The food is either over sweetened or over salted. Complete waste of time and money. Go somewhere else. Poorly managed and operated establishment.

KFC of old. The wife and I rode down from middle Ohio solely to try the eats. We enjoyed our meals and will visit again next time in the area.

I'll admit the fried chicken is reminiscent of KFC, probably since the Colonel's wife had started it. I thought the salad bar was good as well as the mashed potatoes and baked apples I had for sides. The wife was disappointed there was no mac and cheese for a side, just all vegetables. Their rolls were really good, especially warm. My next trip here I want to try the country ham biscuits.

This is food?. Two couples we eat with every so often asked us to meet at Sanders in Shelbyville Sunday for lunch. We arrived at 1 pm and were told there was about a 30 minute wait, then in a minute or two were told they had opened another dinning room and were seated a few minutes later. Our server came over and took drink orders and give us each one the famous yeast rolls, ok, but there we did not have plates, napkins, silver ware, etc. The server came back with the drinks and small plates for the rolls, still no napkins or dinner ware. She asked for our order and everyone said the buffett. Help yourself she said. We each picked up a dinner plate and started down the buffet line, everything was mush, or creamed, cream corn, greens, mashed stuff, and then when you got to the meat, there was one container of KFC styled chicken and one of grilled chicken. We were looking for the white meat, no wings nor breast just a bunch of legs and thighs. I think most of the food came out of cans and was not made in their kitchen. The last time I had here, almost two years ago, the food was great. Something has changed and from what we had Sunday, I would not make the drive to Shelbyville for their mess.

Best Rolls Ever. The hot brown is delicious as well, along with the tomato soup. I'm always excited to eat here.

First timer. The place was beautiful,but the food was fair at best! Catfish was soft and the fries be ded a lot of help. If you like water with your meal don't expect a refill without a fight. I would not recommend anyone wasting their on this place . Better food and cheaper at KFC's!

While traveling in Kentucky, I thought I'd make a pilgrimage to the seat of deep fried power on earth: Claudia Sanders' Dinner House in Shelbyville. Legend has it they serve up Harland's *original* recipe, not the cheapened version Pepsi fobbed off on Anerica's waistlines after buying out the Colonel. I asked my waitress about it, and she confirmed that this was indeed the case. The place has a banquet hall vibe, which it's in fact used for on a regular basis. I arrived late afternoon before the evening dinner rush, and there were only four or five tables filled in the large hall. My waitress was very pleasant and attentive, and kept my water and sweet tea filled without asking. There was a small salad bar in the corner with very limited selection, and four tureens of various soups. I ordered the all-you-can-eat fried chicken dinner that included eight different sides and a choice of soup or salad ($15). Verdict: Although I grew up eating KFC and enjoy a couple pieces now and again, I was expecting something more from Claudia's kitchen. Sadly, it tasted nearly identical to the chicken served up in every KFC I've been in. Some *slight* variation, but no more than what I've experienced over the years from one KFC to another. Not bad, not great. Maybe a bit less breading than KFC. The soup (cream of chicken and dumpling) was decent. The sides were a surprise, and seemed an embarrassingly large quantity being served to one diner. Portions I'd guess were 1.5 to 2 times as much as you'd get at a KFC. I give high marks to the stewed tomatoes, creamed spinach and corn pudding. Gravy was good and went well over the mashed potatoes. I had a slice of the pecan pie with chocolate chips in it for dessert. It was reasonably good. Overall, I'd like to give this place a 3.5. Although my expectations for the fried chicken weren't met, I do generally like KFC, and the sides and service were very good.

Pretty good home cooking food. The staff was very friendly. That is the worker bees. There was one short little fat manager guy that was extremely rude to his staff in front of customers. Very rude! To the point I told several people (workers) every thing was great but could have done with out the manager with short man syndrome. We haven't gone back for some time. Hopefully he got replaced

We visited with friends for a late lunch it was our first time. The building is immense and there are several dining room areas with woodburning fireplaces and contemporary country decor. The service was good and so was the food which is home cooking style. Kinda reminded me of a big thanksgiving dinner kinda setting. Worth a trip.

A man dressed up like the colonel was walking around last time I was there. Neat experience for a table of elderly ladies who took pictures. Food always good. Salad/ soup at lunch is a steal.

Close to home. Claudia Sanders is only a few miles from our home. I have eaten there many times over the years. My wife and I had lunch there today because I was "Jonesing" for that Kentucky regional favorite, a hot brown.<br/><br/>For those who don't know the Hot Brown was invented at the Brown Hotel in Downtown Louisville. It is an open-faced trukey breast sandwich on toast, topped with a mornay sauce with cheese and garnished with tomatos and, generally, a couple of slices of bacon. It is served piping hot from the oven. <br/><br/>The version at Claudia Sander offers a slight twist.. They add some thin-sliced Kentucky country ham to the sliced turkey breast. So as not to over do the salty/smoky taste they leave off the bacon slices. <br/><br/>I haven't had a Claudia Sanders Hot Brown in a couple of years and today's did not disappoint. I can't point to any one element of the dish that made it outstanding; I can only say the combination is far, far more than the sum of its parts. <br/><br/>Whether you are a Hot Brown aficionado or a newby to this delicacy you cant' go wrong with Claudai Sanders offering.

Mint Juleps on the veranda. I didn't know until last night that you could eat outside at Claudia Sanders. There is a nice balcony (or is "veranda" the proper term for this type of architecture) that overlooks the old house. There are several tables out there where you can order dinner or just drinks if you prefer. As this restaurant is very popular with the over-eighty crowd and also with the families-with-rowdy-children crowd, the balcony (veranda?) was a nice quiet get away from the main dining room.

Still like it. Even though they had the bad ham incident last easter, i still like this place. i make their sweet vinaigrette @ home from their cookbook. it's the best dressing in the universe. good home cookin'. the rolls are outstanding too!

After Colonel Sanders sold his interest in Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1964, he decided to create another chicken restaurant.