Circus Circus Las Vegas Buffet Review – Take a Look Inside!

Key Points:

• The Buffet is uniquely stocked with kid-friendly items like corn dogs, chicken fingers, and mac & cheese.

• The presentation and cleanliness of the buffet exceeded my expectations.

• That said, I was disappointed by the food quality and inconsiderate clientele.

Everyone has a strong opinion about Circus Circus. Some celebrate the resort’s kid-friendly nature and focus on value, while others point to the property’s relative state of disrepair.

Notable attractions at Circus Circus include free circus acts daily, the Adventuredome theme park, arcade & midway, real coin slot machines, a popular steakhouse, and their buffet.

While I’ve eaten at every other buffet on the Strip, the Buffet at Circus Circus has been on the ole “to-do” list for some time. With that in mind, I finally carved out some time to stop by and experience one of the most polarizing buffets on the Strip.

Related: See my Circus Circus West Tower Room Review!

Circus Circus Buffet Menu

Dinner items included a mix of adult and kid-focused cuisine, which makes sense as the resort caters to families.

I stopped by at 8pm on a Sunday and was surprised, but happy, to find the buffet to be sparsely populated.

Items I’d classify as more kid-friendly include mac & cheese, chicken tenders, and even corn dogs. You ain’t finding corn dogs anywhere else on the Strip, that’s for sure.

Italian-influenced items included chicken parmesan, Italian sausage, spaghetti & meatballs, stuffed shells, and penne pasta with your choice of sauce.

Fish and seafood items included mussels, clams, fried shrimp, shrimp scampi, deep-fried fish & waffle fries, and baked salmon.

Mexican-inspired options included a taco bar, chimichangas, and fried tacos.

American fare offered included baked chicken, fried chicken, au gratin potatoes, mashed potatoes, and beef stew.

The dessert table, although visually unimpressive, was stocked with cake, pie, and sugar-free options. A soft-serve ice cream machine was also humming along, bringing joy to a horde of youth.

While I wasn’t there for brunch, there was a build-your-own omelet & eggs your way live-action station, which would likely be the star of the show.

The Not So Good

• The lack of a “signature” type item was disappointing, but not unexpected at the price point. I’d love to see prime rib, crab legs, or another “higher value” type item at the buffet.

• Although the presentation was on point, some items didn’t live up to their appearance. Specifically, the BBQ rib I was jacked to dig into was a disappointing combination of cold/lukewarm and tough as leather.

• I know this could come across as snooty, but I don’t care. It needs to be said, as it’ll affect your experience. The clientele is rough. Examples of how this manifested itself during my visit include the following:

A guy at the table next to me ate ribs, excessively sucked his fingers clean, and then headed back up to touch communal spoons.

Another guy spent about 7 minutes (felt like forever) scooping up all the shrimp in the shrimp scampi. No noodles. Just the shrimp. I respect the hustle, but come on, lol.

Parking is also an adventure. It’s free, but there were groups of adults hanging out in the ramp, trunks open, blaring music, and sipping beers. Booze was flowin’ and the music was blaring.

Is the Circus Circus Buffet Worth It?

There’s a case for big eaters, looking to ingest a large number of calories for a set price, but I don’t think I’ll be visiting any time soon.

It wasn’t horrible, but there’s no real draw. No signature item. And I’m not paying $30-ish for corn dogs.

I’d rather pay more to eat at a top-tier buffet with crab legs, prime rib, and high-quality items, or eat at a traditional restaurant where the price of entry buys a solid meal.

A similarly priced alternative I prefer over this is South Point’s Garden Buffet.

While the casino is a short Uber/Lyft from Strip resorts, the dinner buffet is a few bucks cheaper and offers a more expansive selection of food, live-action stations, and even prime rib.

South Point’s buffet isn’t luxurious, but it’s better than Circus Circus at a lesser price point.

While I don’t feel there’s strong value in Circus Circus’ buffet, I give them props for both the cleanliness and the presentation of their food choices. Both of which were much better than I expected.

Related: Buffets that are Currently Open in Las Vegas, to include the popular A.Y.C.E Buffet at Palms!