This Historic Nebraska Building Hides An Incredible All-You-Can-Eat Buffet

Would you believe a road-trip meal can come with chandeliers, decades of history, and unlimited trips for another plate?

Nebraska serves up all three inside a longtime restaurant that has been welcoming hungry travelers since the 1930s.

Traditional favorites anchor the buffet, while a broad salad selection gives diners plenty of combinations to build.

Historic interior details make the setting just as interesting as the meal itself. That combination turns a convenient stop into an experience worth giving extra time.

Arrive with an appetite and explore the selection before filling your first plate.

When local history and a generous buffet meet under one roof, staying for another round sounds pretty tempting.

Where The Story Started

Back in 1932, this spot opened as a little lunch counter called The Cozy Lunch, advertised as a modern hamburger shop. Nothing about that humble start hinted at what was coming.

Founder Hiney Neufeld sold the business to father-and-son Robert and Roy Schultz in 1937. Roy and his wife, Thelma ‘Mimi’ Schultz, ran the snug fifty-seat diner for two decades until 1957, when Raymond and Shirley Reetz took over.

In 1964 came the big swing: extra buildings purchased, walls opened up, seating pushed to 180.

The name arrived with a wink. Facing all that risk, the owner joked that chances are they would go broke. The gamble worked out beautifully, and the joke became a landmark.

Standing outside, I noticed how the brick facade blends right into the block, almost shy about what waits behind the door. The neon sign is the giveaway, buzzing softly like it has been telling the same secret for decades.

Chances R Restaurant & Lounge sits at 124 W 5th St in York, tucked into the downtown grid where you would never guess a 550 seat operation lives.

Prime Rib Buffet Glory

The buffet is the headline act, and prime rib is the star that everybody comes to see. Saturday evenings starting at 5:00 p.m. bring out the big roast, carved thick and served with creamy horseradish that cuts the richness just right.

Tenderness is the whole point here. A fork does most of the work, and the flavor tastes like patience rather than shortcuts.

Sides deserve credit too. Cheesy hash browns arrive gooey and comforting, sweet corn glistens with butter, and a simple house salad keeps the plate honest.

One important detail: because of staffing, these buffets currently run about once a month rather than every weekend. Reservations are strongly encouraged, and calling ahead saves you from a very sad drive home.

I remember the sound more than anything, the low clatter of serving spoons and the soft laughter drifting between tables. Nobody rushes through a plate like this.

Chances R has built decades of goodwill on that carving station, and it shows in how confidently people head back for round two. Nebraska knows its beef, and this room proves it every single time the roast comes out.

Two Dining Rooms, Two Moods

Here is something clever: one building, two very different personalities. Turn one direction and you land in the West Dining Room, dressed in stained and etched glass, brass accents, and polished mahogany and oak.

Chandeliers, mirrors, and lamps that mimic gaslight give the space an old club feeling. It suits a business lunch or an anniversary dinner equally well.

Turn the other way and the East Dining Room drops the formality. Booths, homemade dessert, and a fresh cup of coffee make it a classic diner corner where you can linger without ceremony.

A 1983 remodel pushed the building further, adding the Hob-Nob Lounge and the Tommy-Suz garden area and raising capacity to roughly 550 guests. The place grew like tree rings, one layer at a time.

What struck me was how quickly the mood shifts by simply choosing a doorway. Same kitchen, entirely different evening.

Chances R uses that flexibility well, seating a family celebration and a quiet twosome without either feeling out of place. Few Nebraska restaurants pull off both looks under one roof.

Sunday Brunch Done Right

Slow Sundays deserve a proper table, and the brunch spread here understands that assignment. Breakfast and lunch dishes share space, so nobody has to pick a side in the pancakes versus roast beef debate.

The all you can eat breakfast buffet runs on applicable Sundays until about 1 p.m. Kids five and under eat free, which makes family outings a whole lot easier on parents.

Made to order omelets, Belgian waffles, and homemade sausage gravy over biscuits anchor the lineup. Hash browns come crisp outside, soft inside, exactly as they should.

Regular breakfast service also runs Wednesday through Sunday, so you do not need a buffet day to get a proper morning meal. Doors open at 7 a.m. midweek and 8 a.m. on weekends.

Morning light through the front windows softens the whole room, and coffee refills seem to appear before you notice the cup is low.

Chances R keeps the pace gentle at that hour, which is a nice change from the usual brunch scramble. Sunday closing is 3 p.m., so plan accordingly.

Steaks With Local Roots

Beef country delivers beef, and the menu leans into that with real confidence. Filet mignon, prime rib, and sirloin all come from Nebraska raised, choice cut, aged beef.

Thick cuts, honest seasoning, and a proper crust do most of the talking. Order medium rare and the kitchen generally nails it.

Not a steak person? The famous pan fried chicken follows a family recipe and holds its own beautifully against the beef. Chicken fried steak with peppery gravy is another longtime favorite.

The hot beef sandwich comes with real mashed potatoes, which sounds simple until you taste how much difference that makes. Patty melts and burgers round out the casual end of things.

Salad arrives with a dressing carousel, that spinning tray you only see in traditional steakhouses. Small thing, big charm.

Warm rolls land on the table straight from the oven, soft in the middle and dangerous to your appetite.

Chances R sources thoughtfully and cooks from scratch, and you can taste the difference between real effort and reheated shortcuts. Very few places in the state still bother with that dressing carousel.

Soup, Salad And Surprises

Thirty plus items daily on the soup and salad bar is not a typo. The Hob-Nob Lounge side keeps that spread stocked, and it functions as a full meal for anyone not chasing a steak.

French onion soup arrives bubbling under melted cheese. Vegetable beef soup shows up thick and old fashioned, the kind that tastes like somebody stirred it themselves.

Caesar salad and lighter combinations sit under the Super Soups and Salads heading. Blue cheese dressing has a serious following here, and one taste explains why.

Daily features keep the rotation interesting, from roast beef to roast medallions of pork with apple dressing. A Healthy Heart menu gives lighter eaters a real choice instead of an afterthought.

Onion rings and fried mushrooms handle the snack cravings, and cheese curds appear often on tables around the room.

Something I noticed: people build their salad plates slowly here, chatting across the bar like they have all afternoon. Nobody hurries.

Chances R treats a lighter lunch with the same seriousness as a full dinner, which is rarer in Nebraska than it should be.

Desserts Worth Saving Room

Pastry cases have a way of ruining willpower, and this one is especially persuasive. Carrot cake and cherry cheesecake lead the homemade lineup, both cut in slices that make sharing optional but wise.

Everything is prepared from scratch, which shows up in texture more than looks. The cheesecake is dense and creamy, the carrot cake moist with proper frosting.

Coffee pairs perfectly, especially in the casual east side booths where a slow dessert stop feels completely acceptable at any hour.

Bakery skill runs deep here because pastries have been part of the operation for decades. Homemade goodness is the whole philosophy, not a slogan on the wall.

My favorite small detail was watching a server carry two dessert plates and somehow deliver them without disturbing a single crumb of frosting.

Kids get their own thoughtful menu too, with options like a roast beef meal instead of the usual predictable choices. Even the chicken strips get a bit of personality.

Chances R clearly understands that the last bite decides how you remember a meal. Nebraska comfort food deserves a sweet finish, and this kitchen delivers one without fuss.

A Gathering Place For Everyone

Tour buses have been pulling up to this address for years, and there is a good reason for that.

The building has been recognized as the top tour bus stop in the state, largely because it can seat hundreds without breaking a sweat.

Private spaces make it flexible. The Shir-Ra Room handles club meetings, luncheons, and small receptions for up to about 100 guests.

Larger celebrations, wedding receptions, and dances move to the roomier Tommy-Suz space. Same kitchen, bigger crowd, equally comfortable.

Off site catering stretches from small groups of 25 to enormous events up to 5,000 people, reaching York and neighboring areas including Lincoln and Grand Island. Full menu planning comes with it.

Local delivery covers both lunch and dinner, which is a generous touch for a restaurant this busy. Ownership continuity matters too.

Raymond and Shirley Reetz ran the restaurant for more than 50 years before retiring in 2008. Current owners Bryan and Renee Jantz purchased Chances ‘R’ in 2021, carrying the tradition forward.