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    China Palace

    2.9 (115 reviews)
    ModerateBuffets, Dim Sum
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    CHINA PALACE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - China Palace

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    Main entrance
    Emmett T.

    We came to China Palace (formerly Asia City) for a family meal as this restaurant offered a variety of dining styles... a la carte, all you can eat buffet, and dim sum. It's a very large facility to be able to manage that and to seat so many customers. The middle area contained the self-serve buffet stations while two separate dining rooms flanked it. The decor felt a bit outdated as if one was stuck in the late 20th century. Our group opted to order from the dinner menu which had mainly Cantonese cuisine dishes. A dish of complimentary salted peanuts was provided while we decided on our selections. The first choice was the Beef Short Ribs with Black Pepper Sauce. This was my least favorite as it took the longest to come out of the kitchen. The meat was very chewy too which made it difficult to extract from the rib bones. We should have went with a stir-fried beef dish since both of them were served on a hot sizzling platter. The other items we picked were casseroles served in a clay pot. One was a Grouper Fish with Black Bean Sauce, and the other was the House Special Hot Pot. The latter contained sea cucumber, scallops, shrimp, fish, and Chinese mushrooms. The seafood components did come with a higher price tag, however an additional $8 seemed excessive. The grouper was the best offering of the evening as the sauce was mild and flavorful. I can't comment on the buffet spread because none of us tried it. The service we received from the staff was acceptable. For our visit, I gave China Palace a 2.5 star rating because the quality and quantity of food was mediocre for the cost we paid.

    Stone carving as you enter the restaurant.  Look for the tiny figurines.
    Pamela L.

    The outside of the restaurant looked ordinary but once you enter the restaurant, the stone carving meeting you was awesome. Reminds of a Suzhou garden. It gave me good vibes for a Chinese restaurant (especially in Ypsilanti, Michigan - a city that I did not know existed until I went there for dinner on a one night stay in Ann Harbor.) to have something like that carving. It gave you a sense that it makes it "authentic" Chinese food. No one would spend that kind of money to purchase that carving unless they have a good knowledge of Chinese history and culture. The little figures on the carving depicts ancient village life. Once I entered the restaurant, it was full of chatter with customers eating pile high plates of crawfish and other shelled seafood items. Service was excellent and polite. Tables were cleared with finished dishes and tea refilled without asking. Food was temperature hot and fresh. Buffet food trays were constantly being replenished. The Sushi bar had a great variety of sushi - at least ten varieties. The area the chefs worked in was clean; all wore gloves; ingredients were either fresh or fresh frozen (you can see the chefs take items out of the refrigerator when needed so no sushi would sit that long on a plate) and will custom a sushi for you (I don't eat onions nor seafood but like the other ingredients in it). The variety of sushi was unbelievable for a buffet. I never seen anything like that. In SF, it would be a restaurant of its own. There were so many choices of what to eat. I did not know where to start. I started with a few pieces of dim sum. That was good - just like any good restaurant in SF or in Hong Kong - well stuffed with ingredients and right amount of seasoning. Then I figured the other entrees must be good. I walked around the entire buffet and the selections looked tempting, each with its own aroma. Each entrée I tried was flavorful, well balanced with seasoning, temperature hot and delicious. Also, there was a huge dessert bar that would delight anyone - from American to Chinese desserts Unfortunately, I could not take food pictures because it was so crowed. I definitely suggest that "this" is restaurant to go for delicious Chinese food. Also, it was the largest buffet I ever went to - even for Chinese food. I don't think any other buffets can top this one - each dish with its own aroma and looked appealing, especially one that will not break your bank.

    Susie Z.

    I love an all you can eat buffet and this is one of the places that gives you the most bang for your buck. It's $20 and no time limit, so you can just eat to your hearts content. They have sushi and seafood boil, and they have the Chinese buffet basics as well. They also have dimsum which is pretty good for the location and price. The service is efficient and the team gets you seated and you're off to go. They have plenty of tables and the restaurant is peaceful. Definitely recommend this place especially if you're balling on a budget.

    The back wall.
    Ron W.

    For anyone who has grown up in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area since the 1990s, will know the area has had several Chinese buffet restaurants over the years. Sadly, they seem to come, last a few years, and then fade away like a passing comet in the night sky. China Palace definitely has staying power, and is not your typical buffet style restaurant that has two unique features. First off, they offer a complete dim sum menu that has been sorely missed over the years in this area. Many of us older patrons of Chinese cuisine will clearly remember the nearby "Great Lakes Chinese Seafood" and "Lai-Lai" restaurants. Both of these establishments offered an extensive selection of dim sum entrées that were fantastic. Secondly, China Palace offers a large hot pot section that will easily seat two, or large group of people together. If you have never enjoyed hot pot, I highly recommend it. There are so many options and you cook the food right on your table. Thirdly, they do offer a Chinese menu, which gives you a chance to enjoy more authentic food offerings. One of these days, I am going to have to try some of the menu selections. Finally, the service here is truly friendly and prompt. Also, when come in the front entrance, you can enjoy the Japanese Koi and toss coins into the fountain and pond for good luck.

    Receipt

    The food at the buffet was alright, but priced very well. They also were very attentive with refills.

    12. Shiu Mai 14. Steamed Bean Curd Skin Roll  Dimsum
    Jessica T.

    Food was great! There's dimsum all day long and I 100% recommend the shui mai. I still think about it. It's so big and flavorful. Very good place to go for a celebration and their food is huge! Love that it's made to order. They also offer a separate buffet and a single person hot pot. Definitely want to come back

    Pork 25. Pan-Fried Chives Dumpling
    Alexa T.

    I would only come here if you're craving dim sum and are desperate for dim sum. The food is fine, but service is terrible. The hostess who seated my family and I was just rude. There aren't many people working, so service was also slow. I had to go up to the host stand to give her my dim sum order and ask for tea. Again, I would only come here if I was really craving dim sum. Otherwise, I would pass on this place.

    Dessert area
    Jason C.

    I used to love coming here, but after recent visit, I'll be seeking out other Chinese buffets. I miss the days when Ann Arbor/Ypsi area used to have three Chinese buffets and we are left with China Palace and their mediocre food selections. They reduced the buffet tables - down to 4. I avoid the sushi area due to many food safety violations they get. Trying to find decent "Chinese" food was difficult, the turnover on many of the dishes seemed very low. I only found two items that were decent on this visit - chowmain and the clams. Looks like "Chinese" speaking customers came for the dim sum, which you can order a la carte off the menu. I wish I could give zero, but 1 star will do. They can blame covid for all the changes, but frankly speaking that's poor excuse to downgrade their food and selection.

    Who loves hotpot??

    Best hotpot on this side of Xian ! Very good selection of fresh ingredients. I love hot pot !!

    Lunar New Year combo for six - $138
    Nicole Y.

    We came here for their Lunar New Year combo which consists of a soup, six dishes, and a dessert for a total of $138. The price is pretty nice for the amount of food you are getting (for six people) but the food was pretty average. None of the dishes stood out as they were either bland or salty. They also do dim sum, buffet, hotpot, and a la carte orders. The interior design seems a bit outdated and the carpet looks old and not well kept. I wouldn't recommend coming here for a date night but would recommend coming here as a big group or a simple night out.

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    1 year ago

    I ordered my food to go, and unfortunately, after I ate most of it, I found a shard of metal in it. Wasn't happy.

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    Subpar food. Friendly staff but the dim sum is bad. Taste like frozen dim sum you'd get from the grocery.

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    China Palace Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - China Palace

    How much does the buffet cost?

    I just called and it is $15 mon-friday for dinner

    Does China palace still have buffet service during Covid-19?

    Yes buffet is being served now

    Are the open now for dim sum on the weekends during lunch hours as of 02/26/2021?

    As of August 2021 everything except hot pot has resumed. Dim sum is a go, buffet too. No masks required.

    View All 4 Questions

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    Lan City Handpulled Noodle

    Lan City Handpulled Noodle

    4.2
    (555 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Grab-and-go

    Hot. Fresh. Fast…read more You will not be disappointed by this place. Likely the most affordable and authentic ramen in the area. Try the crispy pork to share and a bowl of ramen -- you will be beyond full!

    Oh hell yeah, I came here last Friday by high recommendation from my friend who is a local here and…read moreshe told me this was the original location and just better. Their online menu does not have the pictures that the in store one has and woowee it is a lot of choices of noodles! Amongst the 4 of us, we ordered the pork tip noodle, the Peking pork (zhajiangmian), hot oil wide noodle, beef tendon knife noodle. YUM! The noodles are handmade, handpulled and you can customize the shape and thickness you want! The portions as you can see are massive and the prices are very reasonable! $14/$15 a bowl! My pork rib tips were too tough but still seasoned. I would say their Peking style zhajiangmian is pleasantly less authentic and I liked this version better than the original! It included a braised full egg, and not too much of the cloyingly sweet and intense sauce. We ordered and within 2 minutes we were served fresh bowls of piping hot noods. Our server was efficient, warm, knowledgeable and bilingual. She said I looked like a popular Hong Kong singer, like OMG what a cute compliment! There was convenient parking and it was really close to my friend's house. Highly recommend!

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    3.2
    (214 reviews)
    4.8 mi
    $$

    Legendary premade meal I order braised pork belly and it…read moretakes less than 1 min to serve me

    A once wonderful Asian eatery has become questionable. By implementing a form of "tipflation" the…read morerestaurant has raised prices by 18%. What's worse is it's a hidden gratuity that you may never notice. Pro Tip: Unbelievable someone has to be told this; check every item on your bill. Always look for posted signs as you initial enter; especially near the cash register. Also read the menu thoroughly. Normally, I wouldn't complain too loudly about an automatic 18% gratuity. What if today's service was lousy? It's no longer a tip, but a service charge. The biggest problem is not informing customers in advance. Maybe illegal? Well, IYKYK. I hate their dining room and probably always will. It's just like a boring, drab, dull office building cafeteria with no colour and nothing on the walls. Just an opinion. Always wanted to vent that. When it comes to customer service they are smiling, friendly and accommodating. Things have become a tad slow since pandemic. Maybe it's yet one more staffing shortage? The food here is very good. I encourage you to try the duck. Friends swear by the Wuxi Ribs. They did just raise the price to $22; but remember to add the 18% so that entree is now $26. I wonder if being a family O/O business, all tips stay in the building. Isn't that just a hidden price increase? 11/24

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    Building front
    Building front
    Not sure what any of these are called in English, but once again, ALL DELICIOUS!
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    Madras Masala

    Madras Masala

    3.9
    (533 reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$

    Updated review for their lunch buffet! It's back on weekends from 11:30am - 2:45pm and it's $20pp…read more The selection was GREAT, fresh and hot! There were lots of items I wouldn't have ordered myself like the medhu vada (savory lentil doughnut) as well as the delightful payasam dessert (rice pudding with fresh coconut and tapioca). I also loved that they had both veg and goat biryani. Yum. They also kept the spice level VERY VERY mild. I usually order MEDIUM here and get rocked (in a good way!) We got there right at 11:30am on a Saturday and it was quiet for the first 5 minutes then people were STREAMING in, so clearly it's not a secret anymore ha.

    For those that remember the old place off of Liberty, this isn't that place... The food was good,…read morebut the buffet isn't as expansive as the old place, and just not as good. Butter chicken is one of my absolute favorites and it was on the buffet for yesterday's lunch service! Unfortunately, whoever prepared the chicken took a cleaver and just shattered the bones in the poor chicken pieces. There were bone shards and cartilage throughout all of the pieces rendering them inedible, at least in a restaurant. If I were in the privacy of my own home, I could have picked up the chicken pieces and gnawed away at them to get the meat, but in a restaurant, no way. That said, I wouldn't have wanted to gnaw away at the pieces anyway. Horribly annoying to eat anything that way. There was another meat dish that was offered and it was kind of the same thing. I think maybe it was some type of curried goat. Great flavor and heat, but really inedible due to the prep of the meat. The curry sauce was nice over the rice, but that's not what was intended. The buffet lacked one of my favorite additions, pickles! I dearly love Indian pickles and an Indian meal without them is almost criminal. There were some really tasty vegetable pakoras and another app that was deep fried with a fiery red color. I asked what it was and the lady told me it was some type of baby corn. Delicious. The old restaurant always had some great desserts like gulab jamun and mango kheer. Yesterday, they had some type of chocolate sheet cake that appeared to be store bought. It was fine, but not the same. I guess it wasn't a bad meal, but for $20 per person, with expectations of what I know they can do, this was kind of a letdown.

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    China Palace - buffets - Updated July 2026

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