The Rails Catfish & Seafood Buffet CLOSED

Loved going to The Rails. Sadly, they have gone out of business as of the end of the season 2010. From what I understand, the owners of the building refused to renew their lease. I don't know if they've re-located, at least I haven't heard that they have.

I have visited the rail everytime that I have been to Branson,(which is 4 times over the last 14 years). Just went to Branson last week for vac. and on my Birthday the only place I wanted to go was the Rail. Talked about the whole week, till I went there and they are CLOSED. That is right they are CLOSED DOWN.

We made a special stop with our bus tour. Apparently they always go to this restaurant whenever they come to Branson. It was Great with a capital G. The fried bread or whatever it was, was the best. I would love to have the recipe. The catfish, ribs, macaroni, blackberry cobbler with ice cream was delicious. Even the tea was good. We would drive the 800 or so miles just to eat at this restaurant. And they even came out to the bus and greeted us. I can't say enough good things about the good service they show us. I don't know about the price as it was included in the package but whatever it is, it was worth it.

In a word~NASTY! My husband & I ate here & felt like it was some old cafeteria style place! First, there was hardly any food in the warming trays, what WAS there was lukewarm, & it took them 20 minutes to cook some more fish! Um, exCUSE me, BUT! Isn't this a seafood restaurant?(I use the term restaurant lightly!) This happened a few times. The food, service & everything involved is just gross! Plus, there wasn't much to choose from, either. McDonald's would have been a much better place for seafood!

We read the reviews on this place on this site, and decided to try it. The reviews must have been submitted by relatives of the owners, because the food was anything but good. A terribly average buffet where all the fried food was bland, and the ribs were tough and had very little taste. The veggies were either salty or unseasoned. The only thing we were impressed with was the home-made cinnamin rolls on the dessert bar (a great finish to a marginal dinner).

By far the BEST food and service while in Branson. The buffet had excellent catfish and to our surprise, the best ribs ever!! It had a great selection even though we got there right before 7 p.m. and they close @ 7:30 p.m. The gift store was unique and full of vintage items. Our waitress never let our sweet tea get less than 1/2 full and they had terrific blackbery cobbler and soft-serve ice cream. Everyone was most helpful and would HIGHLY recommend to anyone wanting a good dinner in Branson. I was barely able to wobble out...thank goodness for spandex pants!!

The large buffet was a plus, however, most of the food was bland. The catfish was the best we've had in Branson, but the rest was lacking. Good selection of cobblers and they were fresh and hot. Not a good choice if your kids are picky eaters. Service was extremely friendly and efficient.

I would recommend The Rails if you are in Branson looking for a good seafood buffet. Food was well displayed and fresh...deserts are great also! Staff was very friendly and made us feel right at home. Try the fried bread....different and very good. Will definitely go back next year on our annual visit to Branson. JH, Kentucky

The food on this buffet was excellent! Everything was fresh, hot and FULL! You never go back to find an empty pan. The workers are all very friendly and the value is exceptional. The clams and catfish are the best anywhere. The only negative was their hours of operation - they are only open 4:30-7:30pm which makes it difficult for vacationers to plan around. This was our third time here (once we were too late) but twice we were able to enjoy our dinners.

We are from Louisiana and there is one thing we are famous for (other than our illiteracy rate) and that is our great seafood. We like to cook it and we like to eat it. It is very difficult to find good seafood while on vacation, but we know where to go while in Branson. At The Rails the gumbo and catfish are great. The boiled shrimp are spicy too! We have never been disappointed. The new owners, like the old, stop by the table to make sure everything is satisfactory and to visit for a minute. I would recommened "The Rails" highly to anyone looking for great seafood.