I met a friend here for lunch and she is a big fan of this buffet. The food was good at the buffet but there was nothing I had so good warranting a return visit. The staff was friendly and attentive bringing out many refills when popular choices needed to be replenished. Overall the experience was good but I don't plan on returning unless invited for another visit to dine and visit with my friend who has been eating here for years. The main reason I would visit Main Chinese Buffet(pun intended) is just that along with it's location to the movie theater next door which I enjoyed very much enjoyed. I also wrote a review of the theater. read more

Main Chinese Buffet - Chinese Near Me - Lacey, Washington

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If you like Chinese food this buffet is for you! They have Hong Kong pork, chow mein, baked mussels, sesame balls, fried squid, egg rolls and so much more! They also have a variety of sushi and sashimi definitely try getting some of the sesame balls and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, ITS SOOO GOOD Weekdays $17.99 Weekends $22.99 (No difference between lunch and dinner) read more

This was my first time eating at this place and to be honest. It will be my last. The selection of food was plentiful but mediocre and the sushi tasted store-bought. The chicken had a metal taste to it. Not appetizing at all. The cheese wontons were very chewy and rubbery. The only things good about it was the veggie noodles and the steamed buns. The soda was meh on top of having to wait a extended period of time for a refill. And then we get to the dessert. They have a chocolate fountain which is rare nowadays because of the previous pandemic. But, that was the worst chocolate fountain I ever experienced. It made Hershey chocolate sauce seem like gourmet food. And the ice cream tasted cheap as well. And finally the booth that we sat at had duct tape on it to cover a rip and a chipped table. It's certainly not my "main" buffet that I would spend money at read more

Main Chinese Buffet - The booth that I sat in - Chinese Near Me - Lacey, Washington

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We have lots of Asian restaurants, but Chinese food is hard to find in Olympia. I like the Main quite a bit. I have always found the food to be fresh and there is a very wide variety. If you are into the real, authentic Chinese food you will have to drive to Tacoma. The Main is Chinese food made for American tastes. I like the authentic stuff and the American style, I'm no food snob. read more

Good food, especially the salmon, the green beans and mushrooms. Spouse enjoyed the sushi.

Food was fresh and hot, lots of options. There's a large sushi bar and the chocolate fountain is cool. There wasn't a lot of flavor in the dishes (especially the soups), and you can tell they thicken with cornstarch - it has a particular texture that can be a little odd. I did like the mini egg rolls and fried dumplings. The interior design is definitely dated - it's dark wood and could use some brightening up. Servers were pleasant and helpful. All in all, nothing to really complain about, but it would t be my first choice for eating out, read more

I go here because it's close to where I live and the food is tasty and fresh. They're not big like some warehouse buffet place, but the service is great and you don't have to wait in line forever on the weekend. You shouldn't have to wait line for Asian food, but the quality is still very good. The place is also not congestive and you don't have the chance of getting sick with so many hands touching the utensil. It's a very nice and quiet ambient to relax and no screaming kids or loud group. Check it out when you're in Lacy, WA Exit 109 on the I-5 read more

Went here for the first time with friends who had been before. The food was easy, hot and tasty - not gourmet, but just fine; I would have no problem returning. What I found frustrating was that there were a couple of places totally unlabeled...the sushi bar, and what looked like a bar with stuff...maybe different fish roes? Maybe seaweed? And several other unfamiliar things (to me, anyway). Another person looking at the same time asked me if I knew 'what this stuff is?', and I definitely did note. I would have tried some of these things if I had some clue what I was eating! Not way familiar with sushi, but like what I've had before, so wanted to have some, but didn't because I had no idea what was what. And no one I could see to ask - the one guy behind the counter works with his back to clients, so....... The other buffet foods were pretty well labeled, so not clear why these other things were not. Hope they will fix this! read more

One of the better with good sushi but not worth nearly $20 for lunch. It was clean and well stocked when I arrived at 11:55 and I stayed until around 12:45. I managed to put together two good plates and left stuffed. [Review 20920 overall - 125 in Washington - 1904 of 2023.] read more

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We are from Hawaii and celebrated our daughter's graduation from Saint Martins University, scheduling for possibly 30 guest was no problem with the management. This place was able to accommodate our party. The selection and freshness of the food was awesome!! The flavor variety of the different foods always kept your pallet enjoying food (sorry I'm one that don't prefer seafood boils because everything taste the same), while we were there some selections were changed up, which offered "more" choices. For a buffet this place serves up food like a restaurant, nothing sitting and drying out in the warmer. The place is kept very clean, including the buffet. The staff is attentive, fills drinks and pulls used dishes from the tables. For our party of 21 they did add on a 10% tip, and since we enjoyed it we added another $50 tip. Everyone at the party enjoyed the food selections and qualities, and definitely appreciated it, thank you Main Chinese Buffet for your food and service!!! read more

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Came for a Saturday dinner and found the prices reasonable, with weekend rates at $21.99 and weekday rates at $17.99 for adults (same price all day). While the food was generally decent, the sushi and sashimi left a bit to be desired. However, for those who are looking to maximize value, there are seafood options available, including big shrimp, clams, and crawfish. One aspect that disappointed me was the cleanliness. The restrooms were quite filthy, and I found sticky surfaces throughout the dining room. On a positive note, the staff was friendly and quite generous with the napkins, maybe even a little too generous, topping every table's napkins like there's a never-ending supply. You could build a napkin castle! What stood out the most during my visit was a dine-and-dash incident. While I didn't personally witness it, I overheard the staff discussing the details and reviewing security footage. The customers were a group of people who pulled off a pretty elaborate scheme, and the saddest part out of all of this is when I heard that the staff had to bear the financial burden of the incident. read more

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This was the worst buffet I've ever been to and cost us $75 for 2 adults and 1 small child. They had nothing really for our 7-yr old to eat but soggy fries and some nasty reheated frozen cheese pizza. The mac&cheese was inedible as it was sitting in a bath of grease. Even the desserts didn't make it cost effective for our child to eat there. They had one cookie choice that was dry like sand, melons and no berries for the chocolate fountain only giant marshmallows and one choice of cake that no child would eat because it was like a mousse and tasted terrible. The ice cream you had to guess what you were getting. I scooped a brown one for our son and realized it was COFFEE!!! Why wouldn't you label your ice cream if you're going to serve coffee ice cream!? There was no prime rib or fresh seafood to make it worth the price we paid. The sushi was completely flavorless and some of it did not smell fresh. I still can't believe people give good reviews for this. I realize it's buffet but just because it's buffet doesn't mean it has to be garbage. And for that price they should serve some better quality food. Maybe have more fresh options like a fresh salad bar and better vegetables that aren't in msg and sauce. How is this place still open?! read more

I visited on MLK day and they had price of $24.99 all day. Restaurant itself was little smaller than I thought but they had good selection of foods. Staffs were nice and considerate. They have both booths and tables. It is family friendly place and I think it is good place for family gathering too. They had snow crab on the day of visit which was delicious and it was good quality. Foods were kept refilled so that they don't run out. Sushi selection was good too. I almost forgot to mention that they have chocolate fondue too! It was nice to drop and eat on the way back from west coast trip. read more

The food was super good and fresh. Crab legs were really good compared to other buffets I've been to. They keep it very clean and rotate the food in the serving plates often. The place was very busy as I went on Presidents' Day but it was still great. They refilled our waters without us asking. I just wish you could put more stuff in the chocolate fountain other than the marshmallows. read more

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I don't live in the Olympia area but always make a point of having lunch at Main Chinese Buffet when I'm in town. Simply the best; great selection, absolutely fresh and artfully prepared sushi and friendly attentive staff. read more

Came here, going to a buffet for the first time in years. The food was good enough, and there was a wide enough variety to choose from. I didn't try any of the seafood options, but everything else was good. Nothing exceptional or anything that really stood out, though. Just good food at a reasonable price. read more

The service was polite. The ambiance is outdated. The food was generally bland or it carried a metallic taste. Not feeling the greatest after eating there... read more

Not bad for a buffet. I specifically go for the sushi which is above average for a buffet, the rest of the Chinese stuff is okay, but there is still a large selection to satisfy most people. read more

Food is amazing. The staff are friendly. Highly recommend this place. Prices are not bad for all you can eat

No greeting at door, no personality at table...? Food was barely warm definitely not hot..... Boring dessert selection. You should address the fact that this is not a welcoming environment. read more

It's Been years since coming here, it's changed a lot since. Seems like they expanded their variety. The price was not bad service Was good. I went durning lunch so it was mostly packed. But the food was plenty read more

A lot of Good Food and you serve yourself Highly recommend this awesome place if you need to fill up your stomach with the fam! read more

Dry goods food for a buffet and the sushi is fabulous. Friendly and prompt service. This is a regular stop when in town. Restaurant and buffet area is very clean too. Worth the money which happens to be quite reasonable. read more

We always enjoy dining at Main Chinese Buffet due to their variety, flavor and service!

Food sucks it's medicore even fast food could beat this place. The service is okay not the best but not horrible, I've seen better though. The ambiance is nice I like the decore but why does the dining rooms have mirrors that's a bit odd seriously it's odd. And also fix the dining space to crowded. read more

Food was NOT fresh, I wasted 3 plates of different items tasting to find something, but you can taste the old meat drenched in sauce to cover, but could not cover and instead added to the distaste. Their seafood items were the worse of it. To get my money worth, I ate to two plates of desserts which were fine. This place was packed today, Sunday, so it misled us. I apologize for the next comment because I do not mean to offend but I have to chalk the busyness to the locals not knowing better? You can see all my over 20 reviews and they are 90% positive. I rarely leave a negative review. Only if I feel people need to know. This is one of those cases. They are the worst of them all! read more

Lucky accident when we found this place. I was blown away by the selections and variety. Sashimi at an under $30 buffet and the choice of at least (12) different inari and sushi rolls. Plenty of Chinese classic entrees to choose from alongside solid seafood offerings. There was staff constantly replenishing items on buffet and keeping it tidy. Service was quick with refills and clearing plates. For as unassuming as it looks outside it was cozy inside while still having a couple rooms that could accommodate large parties with an illusion of some privacy. Even though we didn't have kids with us the chocolate fountain for dipping fruits, marshmallows, and etc. along with several cakes and sweet treats was very popular with the kids there last night. I'll definitely be returning and kudos to the staff and proprietors for one of the better asian buffets I have been to. It's actually better than many of the ones in Vegas that are similar. I lived there for 15 years during the heyday of the buffet. read more

It was okay, but definitely not better than any other Chinese buffet. Food varieties were decent, mainly stir fry's and fried food. They had precooked crawfish, clams and crispy head on fried shrimp. The pork Bao was disgusting! Sushi choices were okay with a few types of sashimi. The rolls were basically California rolls with different toppings. Taste wise. It wasn't the best at all. 2 star because the cleanliness and Covid protocol was somewhat decent. The lady up front/cashier was rude! Maybe she was the owner? But still, why are they always like that? Service was meh. Recommend? No, but if you are starving and don't care then maybe. $19 all day after tax. read more

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Do you want to get food poisoning ?? Then this is the place for you! Nothing special honestly regular " buffet " food. The sushi section is a no for me. Salmon is old and rice has a weird texture. The ribs had a good flavor but was so hard. Nothing really appetizing about the dessert section. The service was okay. The restaurant is located in Lacey by the theater. They sat us down and I had to ask for a disinfectant wipe to wipe the tables down. I should've taken that as a red flag but my friends heard really good things about this place and wanted to try the food. Well safe to say we are NOT going back. read more

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Definitely not worth the price. Albeit variety, nothing tastes good. The sushi rolls were decent but the mainline food (cooked) were nothing special. It was either too sweet or too soggy or too salty. read more

Main Chinese Buffet - Def not worth the price. - Chinese Near Me - Lacey, Washington

We haven't been here in about 5-6yrs and honestly it'll be our last time coming here. 6 people on a weekend was almost $180 and half the food on our plates wasn't even that good. The sushi (which I understand you're not coming for the sushi) was very bad, clams were disgusting. The only thing anyone really liked was the pecking chicken, chicken on a stick, green beans, orange chicken... that was about it. Not worth nearly $22 a person for the what would have been a single plate of food once we got done eating around things that weren't any good. read more

I've always tipped good if the service is good. But I have never thought that a restaurant should add a tip to the bill. The food was good but when a restaurant starts adding the tip that's when I never go back. read more

I eat at alot of Chinese buffets as a driver because I like them. Always lunch, never dinner. This one was higher in quality, choices, and price. More salads. Sushi, and desert choices than other places. But ... I would prefer to have some of the choices removed, so the price could drop a dollar or two. I would come back more often if price was slightly lower. But again, the slightly higher prices here do get you many more extensive choices then other locations. Was delicious. read more

Ate 5 plates worth of food. Some of the food was very low quality but the pork was very good. I tried to dig into the rib but it had a weird texture. I did not try the sushi because it looked.... interesting. The clams, plantains, and salmon had no flavor, the fried rice looked like no flavor but was good. It was hot in there as well. 3 stars. read more

Main Chinese Buffet - finished plates - Chinese Near Me - Lacey, Washington

Ok, so look, my last review was how mediocre it was and boy have they gone down hill. It was literally the worst Buffett I have ever eaten. I would rather chew on a stale tire. I literally would have walked out with out paying, i but I have low self esteem and sometimes I am like, I probably deserve to get food poisoning. I did not take more then a bite out of anything they had and left still hungry, and pretty sure I'm going to be crapping my pants by the end of the night. Absolutely gross. Don't do it.... Unless you really hate yourself or the person your taking out to eat. read more

Grandson loves this place. Beautiful food bars filled with delicious. If I had to recommend an improvement it would be friendlier staff. Stone faced and avoid diners. read more

Great service. Great Chinese music in the background. Reasonable price. Plenty place to park. Food is surprisingly good! From the hot sour soup, it's a bit more spicy and sour than other places. The baked fish is very special we all love it. I tried many dishes and many of their dishes are above average in taste. However, a couple dishes were not to my liking. Salmon was too dry. Ribs have enough flavor but with the meat would be cooked to fall off the bone. Overall we all like the place and would come back. read more

greatttt customer service!! they almost seat you immediately. the food is verrrry good, and there is so much to choose from. the tidiness of the establishment makes it ten times more better. Its definitely a family friendly restaurant. and is a very pleasant place for young ones. read more

I don't hit buffets much but I'm glad I did here. What a variety of seafood, sushi rolls, beef, chicken and veggies. Sushi rolls were actually pretty good for a buffet and there was a variety of sashimi too. Of course not on par with a more expensive venue, this was more than adequate for the price and that fact it's an AYCE. Place was clean, they catered to our large group. Good dessert and cheap Alaskan Amber. I was very happy customer. And while I realize there won't be comments, I have eaten really good sushi throughout California and I know that buffets are not the best for you snobs out there. This was decent food and even better for the price. read more

Great selection and reasonable price for a buffet. Service was good and selections were great.