Buffets

[Red Baron 0]

I don't understand the appeal of them. Unless going to a place that specialize in certain foods, the general buffet is bland and luke warm that you need some type of sauce to keep it warm.

[Star Ocean 3 0]

No appeal here. The food's never as good as at regular restaurants. Plus you have to keep getting up, which isn't bad because of laziness, but because it disrupts the meal when everyone keeps leaving for more. All I see is that you get to arrange your food however you want.

[Ced 0]

I haven't been to a standard buffet in a long time. Too much variety and I'm not going to touch most of what's offered. Now, show me a seafood buffet and now we're talking. Nothing says happiness like a few platefuls of shrimp and oysters.

 

My favorite is the all-you-can-eat deal at some sushi restaurants where you order, they make it and bring it to your table, and you repeat until you're stuffed. That's the best of both worlds right there. I'm just sad that the one closest to me decided to shut down for renovations.

[starvenger 0]

The idea for most buffets obviously is value for money. Generally speaking, the food is not very good there.

 

However, if you eat at a buffets at the megacasinoresorts in Vegas or on a cruise boat, it's a whole 'nother story. The funny thing about these places is that I'm more inclined not to stuff myself silly at them.

[godthedog 0]

buffets seem to me some sort of uniquely american phenomenon. are they a typical thing outside the US?

[Murmuring Beast 0]

Quite a few Chinese Buffet places in Glasgow.

[EricMM 0]

They're definitely better for the restaurant because they don't make food to order so much, so they can control their kitchens more easily.

 

Why do people go? Some people prefer quantity to quality, and no that doesn't necessarily mean they're fatties, but they like a little of this and a little of that.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I'm not a buffet guy typically. However, the buffet at the Bellagio in Las Vegas may have been the most fantastic meal I've ever had. Kobe beef, lobster, king crab legs... stunning, really.

[Guest Soriano's Torn Quad]

I had to go to Old Country Buffet quite a bit on band trips. Sometimes you just need excessive and varied caloric intake for six bucks. (And you get to make your own ice cream cones, which is a thrill.) There's no other reason to go to a buffet.

[migoli 0]

The reason? ............Weed

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

My version of hell would be living in Golden Corral after having gastric bypass surgery, although I haven't been to one of these shrines of goodness in years.

[Darthtiki 0]

I haven't been to a standard buffet in a long time. Too much variety and I'm not going to touch most of what's offered. Now, show me a seafood buffet and now we're talking. Nothing says happiness like a few platefuls of shrimp and oysters.

 

My favorite is the all-you-can-eat deal at some sushi restaurants where you order, they make it and bring it to your table, and you repeat until you're stuffed. That's the best of both worlds right there. I'm just sad that the one closest to me decided to shut down for renovations.

 

Ced, where is this all you can eat place you speak of? I must hit it when I come back to No-Cal in October

 

As for buffets, other than a casino or your Fresh Choice/Souplantation type places they do nothing for me. But would the Fresh Choice places be considered buffets or would they be salad bars on steroids?

[starvenger 0]

I haven't been to a standard buffet in a long time. Too much variety and I'm not going to touch most of what's offered. Now, show me a seafood buffet and now we're talking. Nothing says happiness like a few platefuls of shrimp and oysters.

 

My favorite is the all-you-can-eat deal at some sushi restaurants where you order, they make it and bring it to your table, and you repeat until you're stuffed. That's the best of both worlds right there. I'm just sad that the one closest to me decided to shut down for renovations.

 

Ced, where is this all you can eat place you speak of? I must hit it when I come back to No-Cal in October

 

As for buffets, other than a casino or your Fresh Choice/Souplantation type places they do nothing for me. But would the Fresh Choice places be considered buffets or would they be salad bars on steroids?

Someone needs to check the definition, but as far as I'm concerned, if you pay one price to partake from a variety of foods - one trip or unlimited - it's a buffet.

 

BTW, plenty of AYCE Japanese buffets up here in Toronto. Generally the sushi has a ton of rice, the sashimi choice is limited, and you've only got 2 hours to go at it. Oh, and cash only.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Jimmy is pretty good, though.

 

Seriously though, I find breakfast and Chinese buffets can be good. I love me some scrambled eggs with sausage and pepper, a regular staple of the Tropicana buffet in Atlantic City.

[King Kamala 0]

Jimmy is pretty good, though.

 

Seriously though, I find breakfast and Chinese buffets can be good. I love me some scrambled eggs with sausage and pepper, a regular staple of the Tropicana buffet in Atlantic City.

I concur. Breakfast and Chinese food buffets are generally decent. Some are better than others and some are not good at all but generally you get a decent deal.

 

However, regular buffets like Old Country Buffet have had no appeal to me whatsoever since I turned 12. Horrible horrible places.

[MrRant 0]

I like Izzys.

[Maztinho 0]

The Golden Corral about an hour from me in St. George is always clean and their food isn't bad for a buffet. I like them myself, but I'm one of those guys who likes to pick and choose, and maybe eat a little of alot of different things.

 

I think the main appeal is Much Food relatively Low Cost, and Variety.

 

Also it should be noted that when I was travelling back East a GC in North Carolina was craptacular, so it really varies from individual locations.

[UZI Suicide 0]

I was never a fan of buffets until I went to Souplantation.

[EricMM 0]

Anyone live near one of these so-called "mongolian BBQ / grill" places where you make up your own stirfry based upon all kinds of ingredients and they stirfry it for you? And you can go as many times as you like, for like $10?

 

It's great.

[haws bah gawd 0]

My favorite buffet at the moment is Souper Salad. My girlfriend and I eat there about twice a week. It's not too expensive, and the food is always good. I also frequent the local Ryan's and Eastern Buffets (Chinese & All-You-Can-Eat Steak).

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I ate at a place in London called "Mandarin". Excellent.

 

The Casino Windsor buffet here is pretty good too, lots of variety and it's all good (as opposed to the buffet standard of 'lots of food and it's all bad compared to what could be ordered as a meal off the menu')

[Ripper 0]

Go to a buffet in a really small southern town and the food is fucking incredible. Its like they don't know how to make bland food. I know in my hometown (WHOOO TROY!!!!!!) going out to Barnhills is like some of the greatest food ever.

 

But I have never gone to a buffet here in Atlanta, because fuck that. I take that back. I went to one or two when I first moved here, thinking it would be like back home and the food was disgusting.

 

I do go to Brazillian steakhouses all the time now for a combination of reasons. A: the women that work there are always smoking hot and B: All you can eat beef.

 

Flip the card to green and get a constant flowing of steak, lamb, chicken and some pork until you can't move. And they have this mini buffet/salad bar area for the dumbasses that don't want to leave space open for beef.

 

Some of the places are like 50 bucks for dinner, but there is one down the street from me is like 25 where you don't get filet mignon(and i don't really care for that cut anyway, so whoopity doo) and the atmosphere isn't as great as the more expensive places, but you don't eat atmosphere. the food is fucking perfect.

[Maztinho 0]

I do go to Brazillian steakhouses all the time now for a combination of reasons. A: the women that work there are always smoking hot and B: All you can eat beef.

 

Flip the card to green and get a constant flowing of steak, lamb, chicken and some pork until you can't move. And they have this mini buffet/salad bar area for the dumbasses that don't want to leave space open for beef.

 

Some of the places are like 50 bucks for dinner, but there is one down the street from me is like 25 where you don't get filet mignon(and i don't really care for that cut anyway, so whoopity doo) and the atmosphere isn't as great as the more expensive places, but you don't eat atmosphere. the food is fucking perfect.

 

Brazilian Chuarrascarias are badass. There was one called Boi Preto in Salvador, Brazil where you could eat Alligator, Rabbit, Venison, Lobster, Shrimp, Emu, anything really... 20 bucks.

 

Unfortunately the closest one for me is three hours away. Now the drive seems tempting.

 

Plus Rip, you need Black Beans... it makes the Churrascaria "authentic."

[Ripper 0]

Fuck those beans. That is place where more flank steak could be.

 

Although I do fuck up their mango when I go. It complements alot of the meat.

[CanadianChris 0]

I like them because I can try food I wouldn't normally try without worrying about wasting money on an entire meal I don't like.

 

I'm a much bigger fan of breakfast buffets over dinner buffets. The breakfast buffet at Paris Las Vegas is out of this world. Even better was the one I had at Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City on my honeymoon.

[Timmy8271 0]

I haven't been to one in about a year. I usually go with my family to Holiday House. Good stuff there but it's expensive.

 

Nothing and i mean nothing beats Quincy's. I don't think they are around anymore. Best steak I ever ate was at that place. Golden Corral sucks. I got food posioning there and never went back.

[Maztinho 0]

Fuck those beans. That is place where more flank steak could be.

 

Although I do fuck up their mango when I go. It complements alot of the meat.

 

Do they do grilled Pineapple down there? If they don't demand Grilled Pineapple. They bring it around like the meat on skewers. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

 

Also, Chicken Hearts, love those little bastards.

[Red Baron 0]

Another question that popped into my mind about this.

 

Does anyone actually tip at these places? They don't really do anything except for taking your dishes away and get you your re-fill.

[King Kamala 0]

I usually give them like $2 for their troubles.

[starvenger 0]

Another question that popped into my mind about this.

 

Does anyone actually tip at these places? They don't really do anything except for taking your dishes away and get you your re-fill.

That's still service, guy. Now, if they're letting your dirty plates pile up in front of you, different story, but if they're constantly clearing your eating area and refilling your glasses, I say that's worth at least 10% or $1-2 for buffets < $10. But always check the bill, as some places tack on the gratuity regardless of service.