The venerable Riverside has the only buffet in Laughlin and for a joint that’s the main action in town and has everything else you can imagine, it’s a perfect fit. Like many restaurants in this river destination, the big picture windows look right out on the Colorado, so it’s a bright and airy space that holds plenty of buffet-goers.
Brunch runs 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner starts at 3:30 p.m. and ends at 8:30 Sun.-Thurs. and 9:30 Fri. and Saturday. We eyeballed dinner, then came back the next morning to try the brunch buffet.
Brunch and dinner have the same salad bars, cold cuts, and desserts, with similar Mexican and American stations. Of course, brunch comes with the breakfast choices: scrambled eggs, omelets, bacon, sausage, potatoes, blueberry pancakes, French toast, and the like. Dinner adds Italian, Chinese, and carving (roast beef, ham) stations.
The above photos show breakfast and brunch: Denver scramble, ham, bacon, and melon versus a barbecue pork rib, pulled pork, beef stroganoff, cod, and vegetables.
The whole thing reminded us of the Excalibur buffet in terms of quantity and quality, though at 40%-50% of the price. Brunch here is $17.99 and Sunday champagne $26.99; dinner $23.99, Friday seafood $35.99. By comparison, Excalibur’s brunch is $32.99, $38.99 on Friday, and $43.99 for the weekend mimosa.
Frankly, we’ll take the Riverside minus $8-$15. Oh, and parking is free and convenient at the Riverside; at Excalibur, that adds another $20-$25 to the buffet tab.