Ark Restaurant & Catering

Shut down for now! Website says they are reopening — we shall see. It has been going pretty downhill for a few years now.

What do we want? BRUNCH! How do we want it? IN GRATUITOUS GLUTTONOUS AMOUTNS!
Came to the Ark for the first time on Sunday morning for brunch with my favorite betches and I very much enjoyed it.
What can I say, I am a sucker for a theme. Rainforest café, Mai Kai, etc. I know some may see this as a bit kitschy, and that might be the case, but you know what? I like a little pizzazz in my dining experience so I enjoyed the «ark» themed décor they have going on.
I also enjoyed the food. I see there are mixed reviews here for the dinner, but brunch was pretty electric. Stand out of the meal– french toast. It was breaded in crushed corn flakes and perfectly cooked, not eggy or too well done. The buffet offered something for everyone. There was what I am going to call the Jew station, with bagels, lox, whitefish, herring, and all the accoutrements like capers and onions to make yourself a jew bagel. And I know what you are thinking, and no, not all bagels are jew bagels. there is a difference. After that there was an omelet station and then your typical breakfast fare like hashbrowns, waffles, scrambled eggs, eggs Benedict, the killer french toast, bacon, etc. Next was a section of things like mashed potatoes, chicken fried steak, veggies, crab cakes and a plethora of fried food which, not going to lie, all looked pretty gross. This is followed by a carving station, a salad bar, a flavored butter display fit for Paula Deen, a nice fruit station, seafood station and a dessert bar. The dessert sucked over all but the rest of the food was good.
My main woes are lack of labels. Most of the food is self explanatory but there were a few mystery meat dishes near the jew section and in the dessert area, LPS who has a severe cashew allergy had to be on her toes about what she was taking. Also, I was a little bothered by some of the communal spreads, like the cream cheese. I’d rather them have individual packets to eliminate the risk of some ignoramous coming along and using the communal cream cheese and cream cheese knife to spread something fishy on their bagel and re dipping and spreading grossness into the community cream cheese. I don’t even fuck with that shit with my own family.
The service here at the Ark was very good, the manager came by to ask how everything was and our waitress was old and cute and attentive. For around 18 bucks a person, it’s a pretty good deal. The ark isn’t necessarily some place I would come for a night out with friends (unless you are 65+) or a date, but for brunch it was perfect !

I have been going to this place for years and never had a complaint, they treat you like family, very helpful. the food is GREAT! all you can eat buffet, and great selection.

This place is ok for what it is. It is a buffet with all the usual buffet items such as seafood, salads, soups and other assorted items. The food is alright but I got some shrimp and it seemed a little sketchy so I passed on that. I dont think I would go back anytime soon, Ive been to way better buffets.

We are long time regulars to this restaurant for many years. We love our favorite bartender Teresa on Saturday nights. I have to say that this buffet has gone downhill over the last couple of years. You can always get great prime rib, NY strip and Turkey with trimmings and you know that will always be good and it is.
Its the rest of the buffet that’s not so great. They used to include all you can eat snow crabs now you have to pay for them. That takes away the part that got us hooked as regulars for a long time. I do love the salad bar but the dessert bar isn’t as good as it used to be. This place needs a visit from one of the Chefs that makeover the whole restaurant. Its been around for such a long time and has had so many changes. They need to update and freshen up that whole place. I still like it but it could be so much more!

The first time I went to The Ark was in 1979 – I remember a big wheel of cheese on the salad bar – I loved their Lion Cut of Prime Ribs – 32 ounces on the bone – shortly after they started serving the bones as an early bird special!!!
I don’t remember when they switched from an excellent menu to a buffet – «The Captain’s Table” – but I had my «Sweet 16» Leap Year party there in 2000 and everything went well – I went there twice after and that was it.
Using one of those «Pay $ 25 get $ 50 of food» coupons on the Internet I decided to give it a try – even though the total including tip came to $ 45 I was really disappointed in how far downhill The Ark has come – the buffet, at $ 24.99, is sad looking and tasting.
Knowing I HATE thin slices of roast beef I asked for a thick slice and was told, very rudely, by the woman slicing the beef that I would have to come back, so I did– 3 times! The pizza was dry, the shrimp loaded with breading, the fish on a stick inedible and the other dishes weren’t much to talk about. The banana bread was disappointing though they still have the walnut and strawberry butter.
Don’t know what to say about the desserts — I took one of each and there was a lot of variety but most were left on my plate – not that I couldn’t eat them because of not being hungry but because they were tasteless. The rice pudding, flan, chocolate cake, cookies define bland. Luckily the ice cream – like the rest of the food – came from an outside dealer so it was okay.
The only reason for the 2 stars are Cindy, the server, the coffee and the water.

It’s a buffet and so you need to set your expectations properly. It’s not going to be haute cuisine. But at the same time, whatever they do serve should be good quality.
Stopping here for lunch, I found the carving station was hit and miss. The sliced turkey was quite dry, even with applesauce and cranberry sauce. And at the same time, the roast beef was nice and rare — moist and juicy. Not many choices in veggies or somewhat healthy side items, but the mac & cheese was tasty and the carrots weren’t too mushy. I did have a salad (nice touch having cold salad plates!) and the beets had zero flavor.
Would I return? Maybe. It was a good lunch at a good price.
It is possible to rate a buffet with five stars and I have done so for a few «As good as it gets» buffets I’ve experienced (check the list linked to this review) where the food was good and fresh with a solid presentation. But this is not one of those. It’s only «A-​OK».

We were spending a week in the area and met up with a friend who cmes down for a month every year to play the ponies at Gulfstream Park… he strongly reccomended this place so we gave it a shot. Now a place known for an all you can eat buffet is NEVER getting more than 3 stars… but as these places go this place was passable. It is dark so I suspect that it may not be as clean as it should be… but I had some turkey, roast pork and the «Kobe» beef (I didn’t know you could call an eye roast «Kobe Beef») and it was all good, not great though. They cater to a certain type of dine… umm there were several remarkably large guests so I guess I understand that they pick large bowls of flavored butter scooped to look like huge ice cream balls as their centerpiece… it sort of sums up the nature of the place.
The turkey was the most flavorful but it was a tad bit dry… the pork was far too dry and not flavorful at all… I did not try the prime rib and by the looks of it I probably should have. $ 25.00 per head is about right and I’m not sure whether they have a reduced price for kids.

First of all, BUFFET not a gourmet restaurant.
We went for lunch and we thought it was a pretty good deal, I loved the ribs, very tasty, a few slices of corned beef with cabbage, very good, a bunch of clams in garlic sauce very good, piece of meatloaf, was just ok,
Didn’t have any salad or bread, we wanted to just try the real stuff.
I just had a taste of the ice cream with some hot fudge… all in all for what it cost… it’s a pretty good deal at lunch…

The best things about this place are the prime rib, the pumpkin spice bread and the waitress that I had. The rest of the food was not great and the place is kind of dumpy. The desserts were ok although the pecan pie tasted like it was bought in a grocery store. I don’t mind going for quantity over quality b/​c I know that most buffets are of this sort; however, I probably wouldn’t go back to this place b/​c the food wasn’t good enough to bring me back. This place is also not well lit and it is kind of depressing. They need to increase the lighting and better the quality of the food before I will go back.

Would have got 4 stars.
My most recent experiences with them has brung the Ark to 3. The food is good here and fairly priced, but the food is sitting to long under the heating lamps that it dries out. I recommend the chicken wings, parsley potatoes, carrots, pork, ham, and roast beef. The mashed potatoes would be better if the heating lamps did not dry them out. They have large scoops of butter do not confuse it for ice cream most people do. The desserts looked very good I went for the banana pudding and that was very good, my co-​worker had two different chocolate cakes. I didn’t need to ask him how they were I believe he ate both of them at the same time. Come in I hope you sit when fresh dishes are brought out and you see how good the food can be because I know it’s better then what I most recently experienced here.

Sometimes I will sacrifice quality for quantity… but even with that I expect to have a decent dining experience from this well known buffet restaurant. My advice… your first impression as you enter into this place is what your experience at the Ark will be. Dark, out of date, dirty… Please don’t say to yourself. ‘but I went there a few years ago and it was pretty good! How bad can it be?’. That’s what I did and I am not coming back here again…
Oh…I’m writing this from the restroom of the Ark…

It’s tough to find a buffet that can trump Old Country, but the Ark at least attempts to stray from the typical buffet mold. Other Unilocalers noted they no longer offer unlimited crab, which was the case when I visited. However, for a little extra you can get a modest amount of it.
The atmosphere is dingy and dark, and the buffet lacks variety. They boast a butter bar as well, if you’re into that sort of thing. This was definitely a new experience, but not one I would care to relive.

Why do I feel like I’m writing a eulogy? It is very sad that ARK is apparently holding on, trying to stay in business, and in so doing, has been forced to make some very difficult decisions. Let’s face it. This place is out of date, and a bit of a dump. But give me unlimited crab, and none of that matters. I understand that higher costs are hitting everyone hard. I do not envy the job of the management of this place. No crab, however, is a deal breaker, so they really need to figure out a way to solve this problem. Unless big changes are made, I do not see myself coming back. Tonight, after tasting a few items, most of which were pretty bad, I noticed a fruit fly problem at the salad bar. I immediately told the hostess that we would have to leave. She was very nice about it and I felt pretty bad. To the management: I really hope you guys can save this sinking ARK.
10/30/11…drove by today and saw a sign saying that crab legs are back. I will be checking this out, and if that’s the case, I look forward to seeing you soon!

It has been YEARS since I’ve eaten at the Ark on Stirling road in Davie. It;s really a great place to go for a buffet and at a pretty cheap price for the quantity and quality of the food being served. The best bet is The Captain’s Prime Rib & Seafood Buffet. Soup, salad, sides and entrees presented for your pleasure. You choose what you want and put it on your plate and you can keep going back as many times as you want.
I started with a cup of the tomato bisque soup. I have never had it before so I thought I’d give it a try. Next I picked up on some salad greens, bread and took a tour of the buckets of butter that look like scoops of ice cream in different flavors.
Next came the entrees and sides. They had so many different things. Everything from spaghetti with two sauces, meatloaf, chicken, fish, crab legs, and shrimp. Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, boiled potatoes and roasted potatoes. Then the carving station with their signature prime rib, turkey, and ham. They also had steak and a great dessert bar with several homemade choices. I tried a little of everything and it was all good!
Everybody can find something to enjoy at the Ark. tell them you came because you read about it here.

Much better buffet when they offer the unlimited crab legs. .. so I take a star away for not having that available anymore. I like the salad bar, and they actually have a butter bar, with different colors/​flavors of butter for the bread they have. I have never seen that before, thought it was cool, though I know the kids probably think its ice cream lol.
The carving station was ehhh, ok I guess. . don’t expect a great prime rib or steak, but with restaurants charging a similar amount for prime rib as this restaurant does its entire buffet, I guess the value of it all should be weighed.
The drinks were mehhh, nothing great, no happy hour when I was there.
The buffet in general has your basic pizza, fried shrimp, chicken wings, grilled fish, veggies and stuff like that, salmon. .. they have a decent dessert section. Raw bar with shrimp, oysters/​mussels, and stone crabs gives people with a seafood craving a fix.
For a buffet, it is a good choice for Broward County, but the best thing about this place was the unlimited crab legs, and that is now gone, so I don’t have a real feeling to go back anytime soon. I would say it is worth double the price over places like Golden Corral. .. but don’t expect great quality food, just average. .. worth trying out for your own experience.
If you go on a holiday like Mother’s day or Father’s day, prepare for a 2 hour wait during the afternoon/​early bird part of the day.
I’m sure Buffet lovers will enjoy this place.

It is decent for an all you can eat buffet. I would go back for the seafood, seeing as it was the only thing I really ate there. The meat was cold and the prepared food looked as though it had been sitting there for a while. The shrimp was delicious, as were the oysters. It’s a bit pricey for what it is, but I have had worse. They have an awesome after dinner drink called a dinghy (think that’s how you spell it) — bailey’s, Irish Crème, frangelico and a shot of coffee.

This is one of those staples that no matter where you are from, you probably used to visit with your grandparents. As long as you aren’t a terrible food snob I think you’ll agree the kitch, food quality and selection are worth the drive — even from Miami!
I went for lunch and for about $ 25 you have access to both breakfast and lunch fare, including carving stations, seafood, a large salad bar, tons of sides and a full dessert bar. Fun fixings like an au jus bar and a butter bar for your bread complete the experience.
We went right around 1:30 or 2 when they were making the transition between the lunch and dinner courses. Although you’ll have to pay extra if you want to add the oysters and snow crabs, this was a great time to go as you get the best of both worlds otherwise.
Plus in case you didn’t get it from the name, the whole place looks like a ship — I think its fun!

A family favorite for all you can eat raw oysters, cold/​hot crab legs, & shrimp. They have a meat bar with whole roast turkey & prime rib along with a salad bar, dessert bar, & flavored butter bar.
The service is phenomenal, but if seafood doesn’t tickle your fancy, then, The Ark isn’t worth a visit.

Most of the reviews for The Ark are for the dinner buffet. But I came for lunch instead. So that’s what you’re getting. I’ll cut to the chase and say that the service was great (as great as a buffet could be) and the food selections were plenty. The food for the most part was good… but didnt wow me (except for the lamb and roast beef). I’ll still be coming back for dinner at some point. That’ll be another review.
I went to The Ark on an empty stomach during lunch (about $ 10)… and I left stuffed as a tick. All in all I have to admit that it was a very pleasant experience.
It did make me feel a little old. My friend and I (both 25) were easily the youngest people there by far.
The décor was old timey… but kind of fun. an old amusement park «love meter», and «reserved for rocky marcianno» type signs by the booths etc. Pretty cool if you ask me.
We were greeted by our waitress with a «welcome aboard!» (I mean… it is supposed to be a boat after all), And were quickly attended to with our drinks. 2−4−1 drinks too! yay!
The veggies were super super fresh. I liked that. A good salad to start the meal off right.
Warning: There are a variety of butters (garlic, herb, normal… and even STRAWBERRY) near the bread and rolls… they are presented like scoops of ice cream… it is NOT ice cream. I learned this the hard way… maybe.
The majority of the fare there was straight up American. broiled and fried fish, pot roast, spaghetti, different potato dishes, mac and cheese, crab cakes, etc.
Side note: The crab cakes were just not good. No crab, 100% filler.
Dont bother with them. And the shrimp bisque soup is just like clam chowder with imitation crab in it. Skip that too.
I wanted to try a morsel of everything… but didnt get around to that, I got hung up by the delicious amazing wonderful perfectly cooked Leg of lamb (some of the best i’ve had) and roast beef. Cut right off the bone. Beautfiul. The corned beef was allso very supple and tender. (there was pork, chicken, and turkey as well but wasn’t feeling it) There is a sauce table for inclusions with any meat you choose. Including Au Jus, and even mint jelly.
They also had a chef preparing hibacchi style meals off of a skillet on a separate table. I didn’t try it, but it seemed cool.
After gorging myself I still had to have some desert.
I waddled my way to the desert table and grabbed a sliver of flan and a scoop of superman ice cream (other selections included different cobblers, cookies, cakes, mousse, fresh whipped cream, cheesecake, cakes, turnovers… the list goes on and on) and enjoyed every last bite.
… and then the killer from Se7en murdered me for being a gluttanous fat pig…