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    Empire Buffet

    2.7 (109 reviews)
    ModerateChinese, Diners, Buffets
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:30 pm

    Empire Buffet Photos

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    Steak fries, chicken stick, lo mein, fried rice, green beans
    Emma S.

    The food was only okay. Service was great, we got refills on our drinks often and they took our places soon after being finished with them. There's plenty of seating, many booths were empty during lunch time on the weekend. One thing that upset me was that there weren't many dessert options. There was ice cream but you would have to pay extra for it.

    Thursday 6 pm. Only the donut bin empty raided by young ones

    Based on the Buffet scale, pretty solid. Many choices, even for me the vegetarian. Mostly people ate seafood- and no kidding lots of people chowing down and getting take out. Good service, buffet refilled often, plates cleaned up. Not sure about some low ratings on here but way better than 2 stars. Hints: come when it's busy. Don't come an hour before closing. Take your food from the bottom of the pan closer to the steam- also more likely to be moist. If something is dry, add sauce, add clarifying butter! Work that buffet like you know you can! Then leave a tip - staff work hard.

    Several choices from Empire Buffet.
    Thomas C.

    This is my and my wifes favorite Chinese buffet place. Definitely the cleanest buffet I've ever been in. Most are small and cluttered, but this one is huge and always clean and bright. Plenty of space, so you'll always be sat. Good for groups. The staff at the front are always usually very nice. The rest, the servers, are usually pretty indifferent. Not that they need to do too much for a buffet, but drink refills can come pretty slowly. The food is great. Huge selection. Stuff you find at every buffet like lo mein, general tso's chicken, egg rolls, etc, but plenty of other stuff for the more adventurous like peanut butter chicken, Hong Kong pork chops and BBQ chicken on a stick. Plenty of American fare as well for kids and the non adventurous, pizza, chicken tenders, buffalo wings, etc. They have sushi and dessert options as well. Prices are fair. Pretty cheap actually if you do a lunch buffet Monday thru Saturday. $7.49 for a lunch buffet, I believe dinner and Sundays are around the $12 mark. Best buffet in the CNY area.

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    12 years ago

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    14 years ago

    It's a Chinese buffet, price is great for lunch! And the best place to stop for a quick bit to eat .... but it's a Chinese buffet.

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    11 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Favorite chinese buffet, and take out too! The walnut chicken/shrimp is always so good!

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    11 years ago

    Plenty to eat with my bros. came hungry and left stuffed to the gills. If you are flying high around Syracuse this is the place to be

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    10 years ago

    hostesses were unfriendly and cold. Food is greasy, salty and sugary. Not authentic Chinese I remember.

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    12 years ago

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    Page 3 of 3

    Ask the Community - Empire Buffet

    Review Highlights - Empire Buffet

    They are consistently making sushi, which on a buffet scale of 1 to 10, I would rate a strong 7.

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    Flaming Grill & Buffet

    Flaming Grill & Buffet

    3.1
    (144 reviews)
    5.5 mi
    $$

    Locals recommended this restaurant when I asked about Chinese buffet. We hadn't had buffet for…read more3yrs, since Covid19. We were happy with the Flaming Grill. It is a HUGE place, but it was lightly visited while we were there at 5pm on a Thursday. There were ~5 islands of hot food, 1 of cold w salads, a sushi area, an icecream novelty case, 4-6 soups. There was a Hibatchi area in back corner but I didn't try it. There were many types of breaded, fried, sauced chicken...all a bit dried out. The coconut shrimp was a little dried out. The green beans were tasty but limp. The rice noodles were a bit plain. I did not try the fish nor roast beef. BF said the pork was dry but good. But the SHELLFISH was really exceptional. Clams of different sizes, muscles in sauce, cold shrimp, hot shrimp, shrimp boil. My BF was like a bear in honey! Everything was clean but the place smelled oddly of petroleum? Service was quick and we felt relaxed. The bill was OK. Yes, we will come here again, when in the mood for Chinese buffet!

    More expensive than expected. Just changing for dinner (245 a little early) so, few dinner options…read morewere available not representative of the increased price. Food hit and miss like most buffets. Never seen a time limit posted in a buffet restaurant before. 2 hours not all day... $50 for 2 people for a mediocre lunch won't get me to return...

    Photos
    For two dinners might as well go to Golden Coral a lot cheaper better food
    For two dinners might as well go to Golden Coral a lot cheaper better food
    Price for 2 on the weekend.  Flaming Grill
    Price for 2 on the weekend. Flaming Grill
    Flaming Grill & Buffet

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    Golden Corral Buffet & Grill

    Golden Corral Buffet & Grill

    2.9
    (97 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    I'm not normally a fan of buffets and was kinda dreading coming here for lunch on my bus trip but I…read morewas pleasantly surprised after my visit. The buffet areas were clean and the staff wore gloves when serving. We were a large group so they gave us our own room. We had several waitresses so our plates were taken away promptly and drink orders filled right away. I chose the unsweetened iced tea and it was perfect. I tried samples of several things but my favorites were the steak (cooked medium rare) and salad. The salad bar is amazing with so many choices and the steak was a pleasant surprise and tasty. The deserts were just ok but the soft serve ice cream was the best for me. Altogether a great experience and for someone who dislikes buffets I will be back so that is a tribute to how good a job they are doing here at this location.

    I'll be honest -- Golden Corral isn't usually my first choice when it comes to dining out. But my…read moreniece loves it, so we came here for her 6th birthday dinner (Her choice). And honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by this particular location! First off, the restaurant was very clean especially in comparison to other locations that I've visited, not overly packed, and the crowd seemed to come in waves, so it never felt overwhelming. I do want to mention that I came on a Sunday afternoon around 3:15 PM. They have two large rooms for larger parties. We sat in one of them. The staff was amazing -- they were so friendly and even familiar with my niece since we've brought her here a few times. They even came out and sang happy birthday to her, which just made her whole night! I do want to note that they told us if it's someone in your parties birthday, you do have to request for them to sing. They're no longer allowed to just sing to the birthday person without you asking for it. One thing that really shocked me: they have a slushie machine here! I've never seen that at a Golden Corral before. Such a cute touch, especially for kids. Now for the food -- it's definitely a hit-or-miss situation, but that's kind of the beauty of a buffet. You can pick and choose what you like! * The clam chowder soup was delicious -- full of flavor. * The rice with sausage was another favorite -- very flavorful. * The sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows was really good, just a bit on the sweeter side. * The fried shrimp was solid too. * The strawberry cake looked amazing and tasted just as good. Some dishes missed the mark a bit -- I personally didn't care for the baked chicken, and my mom said the baked fish wasn't great either. But again, when you have so many options, it's easy to find something you'll enjoy. Overall, Golden Corral is one of those family-friendly places where not everyone will love the same thing, but everyone will leave happy and full. It's affordable, casual, and perfect for larger groups when you don't want the hassle of structured menus or high prices. I normally don't leave reviews for places like this, but this location definitely stood out -- newer, cleaner, great vibe, and the staff made it an even better experience. Would definitely recommend if you're in the area looking for an easy, family-style meal without breaking the bank!

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    Golden Corral Buffet & Grill
    Golden Corral Buffet & Grill
    Golden Corral Buffet & Grill

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    Raj Saffron House

    Raj Saffron House

    4.9
    (126 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    We were on the way to the airport from Corning, but our original dinner destination was closed on…read moreMonday. Searching for food options on the road, Raj Saffron bubbled up as an option. After taking some neighborhood streets, we arrived at the location and parked in their small lot. There was room for perhaps for 6-7 cars. Each space was labeled for whether it was for the restaurant or not. Entering, we were greeted and seated. We had about 1 hour and 14 minutes before boarding, so the staff were very accommodating and pointed out what could be made quickly (basically everything except their tandoori). They also answered questions about gluten. We ended up getting aloo tikki chaat and a lamb shank masala. They provided chickpea flour crisps with mint-cilantro and tamarind chutney. They also brought us their complimentary chai tea, which was very nice and satisfying. Their chaat was well-balanced, gluten-free (the crispies are made with chickpea flour), and it had pomengranate, chickpeas, and potatoes. The pile was dressed with yogurt, tamarind chutney, and mint chutney. Their lamb shank masala came bone-in with the curry sauce surrounding it. The lamb was well cooked, and mostly moist and tender, though there were parts that were dry. Both dishes were well-adorned, which was a nice touch. Best of all, however, was how exemplary all the staff were at the restaurant. They exuded a wonderful calmness and hospitality. We'll definitely be back the next time we're in Syracuse.

    The Indian food from here is actually insane. It is so flavorful and delicious even when you order…read more"mild" for spice level. I've never eaten here in person but have ordered delivery and take out multiple times and feel that the portion sizes are well worth the cost. My recommendations absolutely include the Saffron Special Biriyani which was incredibly flavorful and had SO MUCH different proteins in it and the Lamb Shank Masala. I'm used to many places only giving the lamp shank and nothing else but Raj Saffron House gives lamb shank with multiple pieces of lamb as well. It was incredibly delicious and tender. The chicken saag and the lamb karahi are also tasty! Best Indian food in cuse!

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    Raj Saffron House
    Chicken Korma
    Chicken Korma
    Chai Tea

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    Chai Tea
    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot

    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot

    4.0
    (97 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$$

    You can't go wrong with this spot. I couldn't eat as much as I wanted to, but I was able to try a…read morefew different meats, and everything was delicious. I think the marinated beef was my favorite, especially when dipped in the sweet soy sauce. It was packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. The variety of meats and sauces made for a great dining experience, and I'll definitely be back to try more next time.

    I really enjoyed everything about my first time coming here! Everything was delicious and fun! Our…read morewaitress was super kind and gave us a walk through and guided us through the experience since it was our first time. She was also so sweet to write down everything on a sticky note that had anything I'm allergic to which is always appreciated. We did both Kpot and BBQ and glad we got to do both. I really enjoy the buffet/all you can eat style since you're in total control of how much or how little you choose, especially when trying something new. I did try a lot of new things while here and I think it's the perfect way to do it! I made a ramen bowl and also grilled a lot of different meats - our favorite was the spicy pork belly! We got up for seconds, thirds, and fourths bc it was so good!! There is also a section of creating your own sauce which was fun too! You could definitely make a variety of different sauce creations, maybe some sweet, some spicy, some more or less flavorful, there are no limits! They also had a guide above the sauce line to help you follow the ingredients if you're looking for some inspiration. I would definitely come back again! I wish they had more dessert options.

    Photos
    Entrance
    Entrance
    BBQ cooking - pork belly and ribeye
    BBQ cooking - pork belly and ribeye
    Restaurant front

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    Restaurant front

    Empire Buffet - chinese - Updated July 2026

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