I gave this place three stars because I ain't been there in 5 years but when I was heading towards Smoke Hole I stopped at Moorefield two Ponderosa back then it was really good
Rebecca Krueger
Had to drive 2 hours to goto ponderosa which is dad but perfect food perfect experience over all
Julie Cutright
Terrible food, wasnt fresh, looked and tasted like it was left on the buffet bar all day
Jeffrey Kincaid
Not to many left in W.Va. always love Pondarosa. Was on lunch break on a very long work trip from Charleston. I have ate at Moorefield on several occasions. Wait staff are AWESOME!! Makes a big difference when you are tired and hungry. I got the buffet this time (although their steaks are the best). Buffet always fresh and hot. Grabbed some hot wings, most that claim hot are not. Theirs were nice and spicy. Love Ponderosa and I will be back. One about 40 miles away in Ripley. It is also great. RIP Moundsville Ponderosa.
mattyg1306
While many chain buffet style restaurants have shuttered their doors as a result of the pandemic--many permanently, including many other Ponderosa restaurants elsewhere in the US--the Moorefield Ponderosa has found a way to survive in the age of COVID. While, even pre-COVID, there has been a level of stigma for some regarding the cleanliness of self service buffets in general, the pandemic has all but stifled the entire buffet format nationwide. Several large chains, including the well known Golden Corral and Ryan's buffet chains, have permanently closed dozens of their restaurants, while dozens more have been mothballed in hopes of there ever being a "post-COVID" when they can safely reopen without having to do expensive renovations to modify their restaurants. Moorefield is one of only two Ponderosa restaurants left in WV out of 13 in the year 2000--the other survivor, in Ripley, chose to temporarily close, while another location, which had been in nearby Keyser (the franchise had moved from its original location in Cumberland five years ago), had been a third surviving store that permanently closed over the summer as a result of the pandemic. Yet, in Moorefield, West Virginia, thanks to a management team that thought outside the box, Ponderosa is still alive and kicking, fulfilling the need of a full service restaurant in their community while subconsciously maintaining the legacy of a once larger chain that was at one time as common to see alongside the road as Texas Roadhouse or Cracker Barrel are today. While the restaurant was forced to close during the initial stay at home order during April and May, in June 2020 the restaurant returned, although not quite "business as usual". For the first time in the restaurant's history, patrons no longer serve themselves at the bar, but rather receive their all-you-care-to-eat portions cafeteria style, with an employee putting food on their plates to avoid contamination. While this seems like an obvious move, so many other buffets have not even thought of this idea. Serving cafeteria style also serves another purpose: while the restaurant had to remove roughly half of their tables to allow for social distancing protocols (picnic tables were set up outdoors to allow some patrons to eat outside if they so choose), having employees form a serving line at the buffet bar keeps a few additional employees working who otherwise may have been laid off due to reduced workload as a result of less tables! It is really hard to believe so many other restaurants have decided to go out of business rather than take this measure--which makes perfect sense. Although I live two hours away in Marion County--which was once sandwiched by two former Ponderosa locations in Bridgeport (Harrison County) and Morgantown (Monongalia County), I have made the trip to Moorefield twice this summer just to relive my childhood as best as I can. The food tastes mostly the same in a good way (although I do recommend that the restaurant go back to its original chicken strips that were served until ca. 2016...the current ones are a little fishy but still edible LOL). While other Ponderosa franchises I've visited elsewhere (many now gone) have carelessly let the concept falter with poor service and allowing the food to become inferior to the original concept, the Moorefield store has somehow been forgotten by time in the best way possible, maintaining the chain's 1990s decor and charm (although that's not to imply its rundown--its well kept and the food tastes fresh!), which no doubt plays a part in its survival. With that all said, I truly hate the thought that every time I visit may be the last time I ever get to eat at this great Ponderosa, or any Ponderosa for that matter, which now has only 35 total locations nationwide (out of over 1,000 locations at its peak in the mid-1990s!), with more likely to close soon because of the COVID crash. I sincerely, sincerely, hope that Moorefield Ponderosa, its management, and employees, are able to continue to overcome this COVID-
Chris Diehl
All around great place! Good food and friendly staff!
Bob Mayhew
An exceptional place to eat that's doing a good job navigating our new post pandemic reality
DJ Navom
Just ate lunch today.. Excellent food choices.. I over stuffed and asked the waitress if I could take my extras home.. She went and got the manger.. Very lovely lady. I explained I had a gastric bypass.She took my ticket and refunded me for my meal..She said when we come back just show my medical card for a reduced meal cost.. Wow..THANK YOU SO MUCH.!!!. Great food and very clean.. Lots of choices of food.. And desserts... Great place to eat at.. Thank you..❤?❤?
Angie Hopkins
The food was horrible. Dried out no taste and not much selection on the all you can eat salad bar. Won't be returning
David Martini
I was over charged and i did not know this until i pulled up my debit card account the next day, the manager that i spoke to on the phone would not listen me . My wife and have been in this resturant several times but this was the last . Seems to me that they would want to treat the customers a little better if they want return business.
Was over charged , and did not know it untill the next day when i pulled up my debit card account , i called to speak to a manager and she would not listen to me so now i am on here writing a bad review , i hope this helps some one else .
Lisa Kniceley
Love this place, always good food, plenty to choose from on the buffet bar.
Fay Forrest
Plenty of different types of food.Several items needed some seasoning, salt and pepper just not enough.I will go back....
Tom Pringle
Fantastic buffet, excellent service, and my steak tips were cooked just the way I like them. Will definitely return soon.
Arlene Smith
This restaurant was very clean and had all the comfort foods on the bar.
I gave this place three stars because I ain't been there in 5 years but when I was heading towards Smoke Hole I stopped at Moorefield two Ponderosa back then it was really good
Had to drive 2 hours to goto ponderosa which is dad but perfect food perfect experience over all
Terrible food, wasnt fresh, looked and tasted like it was left on the buffet bar all day
Not to many left in W.Va. always love Pondarosa. Was on lunch break on a very long work trip from Charleston. I have ate at Moorefield on several occasions. Wait staff are AWESOME!! Makes a big difference when you are tired and hungry. I got the buffet this time (although their steaks are the best). Buffet always fresh and hot. Grabbed some hot wings, most that claim hot are not. Theirs were nice and spicy. Love Ponderosa and I will be back. One about 40 miles away in Ripley. It is also great. RIP Moundsville Ponderosa.
While many chain buffet style restaurants have shuttered their doors as a result of the pandemic--many permanently, including many other Ponderosa restaurants elsewhere in the US--the Moorefield Ponderosa has found a way to survive in the age of COVID. While, even pre-COVID, there has been a level of stigma for some regarding the cleanliness of self service buffets in general, the pandemic has all but stifled the entire buffet format nationwide. Several large chains, including the well known Golden Corral and Ryan's buffet chains, have permanently closed dozens of their restaurants, while dozens more have been mothballed in hopes of there ever being a "post-COVID" when they can safely reopen without having to do expensive renovations to modify their restaurants. Moorefield is one of only two Ponderosa restaurants left in WV out of 13 in the year 2000--the other survivor, in Ripley, chose to temporarily close, while another location, which had been in nearby Keyser (the franchise had moved from its original location in Cumberland five years ago), had been a third surviving store that permanently closed over the summer as a result of the pandemic. Yet, in Moorefield, West Virginia, thanks to a management team that thought outside the box, Ponderosa is still alive and kicking, fulfilling the need of a full service restaurant in their community while subconsciously maintaining the legacy of a once larger chain that was at one time as common to see alongside the road as Texas Roadhouse or Cracker Barrel are today. While the restaurant was forced to close during the initial stay at home order during April and May, in June 2020 the restaurant returned, although not quite "business as usual". For the first time in the restaurant's history, patrons no longer serve themselves at the bar, but rather receive their all-you-care-to-eat portions cafeteria style, with an employee putting food on their plates to avoid contamination. While this seems like an obvious move, so many other buffets have not even thought of this idea. Serving cafeteria style also serves another purpose: while the restaurant had to remove roughly half of their tables to allow for social distancing protocols (picnic tables were set up outdoors to allow some patrons to eat outside if they so choose), having employees form a serving line at the buffet bar keeps a few additional employees working who otherwise may have been laid off due to reduced workload as a result of less tables! It is really hard to believe so many other restaurants have decided to go out of business rather than take this measure--which makes perfect sense. Although I live two hours away in Marion County--which was once sandwiched by two former Ponderosa locations in Bridgeport (Harrison County) and Morgantown (Monongalia County), I have made the trip to Moorefield twice this summer just to relive my childhood as best as I can. The food tastes mostly the same in a good way (although I do recommend that the restaurant go back to its original chicken strips that were served until ca. 2016...the current ones are a little fishy but still edible LOL). While other Ponderosa franchises I've visited elsewhere (many now gone) have carelessly let the concept falter with poor service and allowing the food to become inferior to the original concept, the Moorefield store has somehow been forgotten by time in the best way possible, maintaining the chain's 1990s decor and charm (although that's not to imply its rundown--its well kept and the food tastes fresh!), which no doubt plays a part in its survival. With that all said, I truly hate the thought that every time I visit may be the last time I ever get to eat at this great Ponderosa, or any Ponderosa for that matter, which now has only 35 total locations nationwide (out of over 1,000 locations at its peak in the mid-1990s!), with more likely to close soon because of the COVID crash. I sincerely, sincerely, hope that Moorefield Ponderosa, its management, and employees, are able to continue to overcome this COVID-
All around great place! Good food and friendly staff!
An exceptional place to eat that's doing a good job navigating our new post pandemic reality
Just ate lunch today.. Excellent food choices.. I over stuffed and asked the waitress if I could take my extras home.. She went and got the manger.. Very lovely lady. I explained I had a gastric bypass.She took my ticket and refunded me for my meal..She said when we come back just show my medical card for a reduced meal cost.. Wow..THANK YOU SO MUCH.!!!. Great food and very clean.. Lots of choices of food.. And desserts... Great place to eat at.. Thank you..❤?❤?
The food was horrible. Dried out no taste and not much selection on the all you can eat salad bar. Won't be returning
I was over charged and i did not know this until i pulled up my debit card account the next day, the manager that i spoke to on the phone would not listen me . My wife and have been in this resturant several times but this was the last . Seems to me that they would want to treat the customers a little better if they want return business.
Restaurantji Recommends
Was over charged , and did not know it untill the next day when i pulled up my debit card account , i called to speak to a manager and she would not listen to me so now i am on here writing a bad review , i hope this helps some one else .
Love this place, always good food, plenty to choose from on the buffet bar.
Plenty of different types of food.Several items needed some seasoning, salt and pepper just not enough.I will go back....
Fantastic buffet, excellent service, and my steak tips were cooked just the way I like them. Will definitely return soon.
This restaurant was very clean and had all the comfort foods on the bar.
Loading...