Sometimes, the play to make is to follow your inspirations, and that is what brought upon tonight's visit to Mr Wok Chinese Buffet. Specifically, I took inspiration from DaymDrops, a YouTuber I watch pretty regularly, and more specifically, I decided to follow his idea of visiting the worst restaurants and then typing their own review of the place after their visit to try their food. According to my search on Yelp, this buffet was rated the worst restaurant in Waterbury, a rating of 2.1 before my coming to visit, so I slid on over and see what they were hitting on. Upon arrival, I was greeted and seated right away. In fact, right after I was seated, my waitress came over to ask what I wanted to drink. I decided to keep it simple with Mountain Dew. I am saving my alcohol intake until next weekend when I stay the night in Brooklyn. I then went to serve myself food because I was quite hungry when I walked in. We can break this down into 3 plates. Plate #1 - Spare ribs, garlic bread, General Tso's chicken, and corn. The winners here was the garlic bread and the corn. The corn was buttery and delightful, and then the garlic bread had a nice crunch and really good taste. Because of how hungry I was, the piece of garlic bread was already half-eaten by the time I came around to taking a picture of it. The spare ribs weren't bad, basically your typical run-of-the-mill Chinese boneless spare ribs if I'm being honest. The General Tso's though seems to be missing the mark in Chinese joints nowadays, and this one was no exception. As I ate more into my plate, I began to notice the shortcomings the food here had, and it started with this. The breading was completely soggy as I ate into my last few pieces of it. A good General Tso's chicken should be able to coat the breading without making it soggy, and this one didn't do it for me. Plate #2 - Sesame balls, fried shrimp, crab rangoon, and crinkle-cut fries. Out of this plate, the crab rangoon stood out as the best. The filling did not feel skimped on whatsoever when I bit into it, and the crab and cheese in these pastries really help make the tastes here come alive. The fries weren't too bad, and same with the shrimp. It did however taste like I was eating a forkful of sodium with every bite though, so make sure you are able to get your refills when eating these things. The sesame ball however was not very good. The problem here was the filling. It had an odd taste to it that just didn't really sit right with me. Maybe I'm just not the target audience for those kinds of things? Before I continue on, I must note to you that as I went for my third plate, I noticed a worker dumping some of the eggs from a near-empty container into a new batch of eggs. Therefore, be very mindful that you may not be getting fresh food if you decided to pop-up here! Plate #3 - The dessert plate. The cream puffs were pillowy and delicious. The cake offerings weren't too bad either, and I liked the chocolate pudding also. The cookie though was hard. Not enough that it will crack the teeth right out of your mouth, but hard enough that they were probably in their last moments before descending into stalehood. The fried powdered bread was alright, but nothing to write home about. Now I will agree with other reviewers that the carpets were indeed dirty as my eyes wandered around. However, they're the kind of dirty you can fix with some daily cleaning after the closing shift. Maybe give it a good vacuum before you lock up for the night kind of deal. I will also note that going to the bathroom needs improvement. If you go into the handicap stall, you basically need to be Mr. Fantastic or Elastigirl if you need toilet paper with where they decided to put it. Don't count on the hand dryer to work either. I tried to use it and it didn't run, so I had to resort to paper towels. However, if you took a look at the decorations, it's aesthetically pleasing, almost a sight for sore eyes. The ceiling above the food in particular was vibrant. There's nothing I can really complain about on that front. Oh, and the bill is not bad for an all-you-can-eat. Once taxes and other expenses were applied, my bill came out to $21.20. If you've had a lot of food, then this can definitely be seen as a bargain. All in all, this place is fine to eat at if you are running on an empty stomach. However, the more you eat, the more you might not like the food you self-serve. I think for what it is, a 3 is the right rating here. read more

See all

food is ok but customer service sucks. They watch ever move you make. our server came over ever min to see if we was ok and we were completely fine. find that highly annoying. Not even on my second plate and she walk over with the receipt felt very rushed. We leaving and getting ready to pay before I can use my card she giving me to pen to circle to leave a tip. I feel that's very rude and when the service sucks. would not recommend this place. read more

Would give 0 stars if I could food was cold and old the cookies were harder then a rock and the cake was dry the sushi was very sticky icecream was basically butter no flavor at all food was soggy fries were horrible. Then we asked to change a 50 dollars change so we could Get them a tip ended up taking 14 dollars from us and I tipped them 10 lost 24 dollars cause they wanna scam and onto that 5 people paid almost 100 dollars read more

Great food even greater service, had an amazing time here and everything i had was spectacular!

It's old and tiring..needs a facelift..the food is average..the service is fair..it just needs a reboot.. a fresh revival..an awakening to people in 2025. A sleepy tiring experience for mediocre food that is all you can eat..wakeup Mr Wok and business will boom. read more

Fresh buffet nice wait staff Don't go late or you pay full price but don't get any more of the things that run out read more

Starting to go downhill bathrooms are nasty floors are always sticky. It's like the type of place that uses a dirty mop mop a dirty floor no ambition for their job anymore just passing the time away no more abundance of crab legs. Tea cuddles are nasty and dirty. read more

good atmosphere super busy good food good customer service I was not rushed to pay Not very attentive but I don't complain

I went there because of google rating. Typical Chinese buffet foods. Floor was dirty and the waiter was not so friendly. Not much new food when I was there. Not going back. read more

I got severe food poisoning not even two hours after leaving this place. There was no new food coming out and the restaurant was absolutely filthy. The carpets were stained with food waste, and the food was absolutely gross. read more

Terrible food. Old cold and tastelessness. DO NOT EAT HER.E. Every selection was disastrous. Worst $50 I have ever spent

I love this place! I go in and grab two plates and fill with delicious foods, trying new things as I go along. I fit as much as possible in my grimey little hands and try not to get run over by the, er, LARGER, more ravenous customers. It can be a battle zone when the huge piles of steaming crab legs come out of the kitchen, so bring your ninja suit. I always go home feeling fat, full and slightly gassy, so I recommend this place no more than 3 times a year, or else the damage done to your colon and/or inner organs may be irreversable. I love you Mr Wok read more

Mr Wok Chinese Buffet - MR WOK CHINA BUFFET - Chinese Near Me - Waterbury, Connecticut

Excellent food, wonderful staff. The buffet is excellent, plenty of seafood and dozens of specialties. You eat till you're stuffed and then remember you forgot the dessert specialties. Again it's all you can eat. read more

These waitresses are horrible and entitled! On 2 different occasions when I've come here, they've gotten into arguments with me for refusing to tip. This is a SELF SERVE buffet! And I only drink WATER when I come. So what exactly am I tipping for?? The first time I came, the waitress got into an argument with me and threw my receipt at me because I didn't tip her. I told her I didn't feel like tipping because she didn't do much except refill my glass of water one time. The second time I came, I got a different waitress and she also, cussed at me in her language because I refused to tip her for the same reason. What's up with the entitlement?? Tipping is OPTIONAL GRATUITY. The funny part is that BOTH times they got angry at me for not tipping, I was with one other person and they didn't confront the other person for not tipping, just me specifically. So they clearly have a personal problem with me or something? The next time these people try to disrespect me for not tipping, I promise I will cause a scene. read more

This is a nice buffet in the corner of Waterbury. If you want to eat a lot and don't feel like cooking this is the place for you. The service is good, they don't take your plate without asking, and they ask to refill your drink. The servers don't look at you and follow you around like the place across the street. The reason I give this a 3 is because the food could be better. This has the generic food any type of Chinese Buffet would have. I think it would be better with more variety. read more

I was REALLY in the mood for Chinese. I was told this place was good, so I gave it a try. I was with my boyfriend and younger brother, and by the time we got to the place, my brother wasn't feeling well. He tried to eat some stuff but had a bite of chicken, a bite of lo menu, and half of a garlic bread. Remember this, we'll be getting back to it. First off, the food. The food was alright. It was kind of cold when we got our first helping, but by my boyfriend and I's second helping, it was hotter. The best thing to me was the crab Rangoon, honey chicken, and the rice. My boyfriend liked the meatballs, wonton soup, said sushi was okay, and really liked the ice cream. Anyway, as we were getting ready to pay, I asked the woman (she looked like a higher up) at the front register if it was okay that I could just pay for the two dinners, as my brother wasn't feeling well, and barely ate anything. Btw this meal for four came to 43 dollars and change with tax. That's a little over $13 for a dinner which I didn't realize and isn't worth it. Anyway, she called for someone else, don't know if she talked to anyone but cane back within 10 seconds, and said "well, because she wrote it down on the paper that it was three dinners, I can't do anything but I can give charge him the kid meal price." So I said okay. "Okay $40" Wait what? They just took away the tax... *sigh* I legit can't. Oh and to top it off, their credit machine was shut down, and they didn't think to tell us that when we first got seated. I didn't have cash, and my brother had to pay for food he didn't even eat. Even though there are a few things i would go back for, I'm not entirely sure if i ever would go back. read more

Came across this place Saturday late afternoon as we drove by the big billboard advertisement. Located in the way back of old strip mall, this place was hoppin'! They were quite busy and bustling. There were so many varieties of Chinese food including the most different types of seafood I have seen anywhere. They had crawfish, salmon, white fish, steamed shrimp, coconut shrimp, fried shrimp, Cajun shrimp, sautéed shrimp, clams, soft crab, mussels, stuffed clam bake, oysters, four different soups, about 8-10 types of sushi, a wide assortment of fresh juicy fruit, salad, pizza, chicken wings, mac n cheese, dumplings, egg rolls, three types of rice, two types of noodles, and so many Chinese dishes and not to mention desserts ranging from ice cream to mocha cakes, pudding, jello, and creme puffs. Soda, tea, and even choices of shakes and smoothies available! So much food to eat and drink at such a low price. Next door is a movie theatre so you can make a whole event of this! Service was good, prompt clean up and refilling of food. I have been at quite a few Chinese buffets in the past couple months and so far this is the best in quality, quantity and taste! My favorite item was the hot and sour soup! Nothing was too oily or too salty. Just perfect, fresh and tasty! read more

Was looking forward to trying a new place ... We arrived there at 12:06 on a Saturday afternoon... Thinking we were there pretty much opening time ... Food was cold , made mention to one of the servers as she continued to walk away as I was speaking, so I figured the next selection would be ok , not the case fried rice cold, chicken cold, green beans COLD .... So sorry to say I won't be back. And you need to set in place small children need to be with an adult , same small child cut me off 3 times and also NO child under age of 8 should be allowed to go to rest room alone ! read more

Mr Wok used to be the best Chinese Buffet in town when they opened over a decade ago. It was impossible to get near it on a Friday night and was a staple of New Year's Eve dinners for my family while growing up. About five years ago, I noticed the food starting to go down hill. Every time I would go, I would immediately feel ill even if I only had some rice. To this day, my grandparents still go once a week due to the routine that they set up for themselves. The soda is flat and disgusting and they have nothing to say when you mention it. The food is cold, crusty, and probably from yesterday. read more

The food is decent. They have a good selection that does stand out from other buffets . But the service and the decor is pretty bad. Been here 4 times and the first time the staff was pleasant and left a good impression. Which is why we went back. However, there after, it's almost as if we're not welcomed to dine here. No smiles. No greets. No thank you's when we leave. They don't clear the empty plates, instead of asking "would you like more water" like every chinese buffet, our waitress began yelling " you want more water!" - with an angry tone. They weren't busy either. It was the weirdest experience I've had as a paying customer. Maybe my 10-15% tip was too little ? Idk. Maybe there was a miscommunication during my previous visits when I asked for a drink refill or for the check. Regardless, it Feels like I'm being judged by the buffet staff for having buffet...it's not a pleasant dining experiece. I've been to most buffets in the state multiple times and this is the only place I get this vibe from. But I could be an isolated incident. The food and selection is decent read more

This use to be a decent place, but I haven't been here since covid, we decided to be nostalgic and go for dinner. Big mistake . This place has the worst service and are very dirty. I complained about a hair I found in my food. They gave me a 3.00 discount and quickly gave us the bill . Don't waste your hard earned money on this place . They don't care about you. I will never eat at a Chinese buffet ever again and I can thank mr wok for it! read more

Delicious food and plenty of options. Friendly and attentive waitresses. Food are filled quite often which I love. Huge drink menus. They have way more seafood options than local competitors. People are given a small treat and cake for their birthday I saw which is nice. Vermicelli is frase, Mushroom soup with shredded pork is a must try. Always love to come here whenever I crave for Chinese food. Give it a try and you will like it read more

It was hard to locate as it's off the main road. The Internet says adult price is 13.99 but they charged us 15.99 each because it was a holiday. Valentine's Day, really? Then I was going to use my coupon for $1.50 off a soda drink and they told me I couldn't use it because of the holiday. Oh well not sure how I feel about that overall. The food was good exactly like other places very similar I've been to there's nothing else to add. If you've been to other ones it's just like them. It wasn't great it wasn't terrible and it wasn't to expensive compared to the one in Orange on the post road. read more

I wrestled with giving this establishment 2 or 3 stars but I think 2 is most appropriate. Nothing to write home about. Typical, usual fare that you'll find at a Chinese buffet. I was VERY scared by the comments on here so I was nervous to eat here. The food is pretty hot so that was a relief. The desserts were just fine. read more

What is up with the Southpark style profile photo? Ate here time and time again. Sometimes the food was stale and sometimes it was fresh. Guess it depends on how busy they are and how often they are moving it out. Convenient location. Plenty of parking. Great for family night or if you are craving some Chinese Cuisine. Not my favorite, but the only decent one in town. Sushi bar cannot be beat either. read more

Been coming here off & on for years, this is one of the better Chinese buffets that I've been to. There is wide selection of food, I'm sure everyone can find something they will like. Basically you can fill your tummy with some tasty food at a decent price. I like the shrimp -- grilled shrimp on a stick, shrimp wrapped in bacon, fried shrimp, etc, etc. Desserts could be better though -- the cheesecake offerings need some serious help. Hey, it is what it is, and I'll keep being a customer of Mr Woks as long as I live in Waterbury. read more

Hit or Miss but a nice change of pace. Weekends are much better than weekdays. Sushi can be great or really bad depending on who is making it. Been going there on and off for 5 years. read more

Food is on par with typical Chinese buffets. The issue you run into is the cleanliness of the place. It's filthy and the last time we were there the furnishings were in poor condition and the bathrooms were herrendous! One of the dirtiest bathrooms my wife has seen at local Waterbury restaurants. WONT BE A REPEAT CUSTOMER. read more

Went to Mr Wok tonight for dinner. Terrible. When I go to a buffet I typically get 2 dinner plates and a sushi plate. Desert plate depends on how I feel after the food. If it's good I get a small desert. If it's lousy I'll skip desert. Tonight I decided to skip the sushi and go for the desert. Switch it up a bit. The food was just not good. The various shrimp dishes were mostly over cooked and tasted less than fresh. The chicken dishes, honey chicken, general tso's were very odd flavor. Some pieces of chicken hard as a rock. Almost like jerky. And other pieces like mush. Crab rangoons tasted ok but again, not fresh. I tried a host of other things but none were good. I couldn't finish my second plate. Sushi LOOKED fresh enough but I couldn't take the risk. All basic rolls. Desert was some fresh fruit which was good and a chocolate chip cookie which was also good. I wanted to take a little of the banana wafer cake but the banana in it was near black. Quite a bit past the point of being able to use for cake. Unacceptable. Service was decent. Waiters tend to hover a bit but were very on top of soda refills. I ended up getting a Long Island Iced Tea at the end of the meal because I needed something to cheer me up. The iced tea was pretty decent! A little below the quality of drink a bartender at Chili's would make. Overall happy with the drink. Did the trick nicely. In the end the bill came to $36!! $5 was for the iced tea. Still, far too high a bill for the type and quality of food. Sorry Mr Wok. I won't be a return customer. read more

Visited in Nov. 2020 - Was decent. Just went for lunch 5/28/21.. Lots of menu changes. What use to be on the lunch menu is now only available on the dinner menu. Plus if you do not pay attention they charge you for dinner even though we arrived 5 minutes prior to the lunch cut off 3:20 pm ( weird time ?? ) Poor staff. Wonton soup not as good. May have changed chefs or ownership - Don't know for sure - But definitely NOT as tasty as it used to be. Still dirty inside. Would not recommend. read more

This place was god awful. If I could give no stars that would make better sense. We went for a Sunday lunch and it was $14 each. 14 bucks for shitty food. Waste of money and never coming back. My favorite thing about buffets is being able to order from the grill, I made my plate and when I went to hand it off they looked at me like what are you doing...the grill wasn't on I guess and they were not thrilled about putting it on. Why put out the food for the grill if it's not on...I eventually got my food 20 minutes later...still not coming back ever again. read more

Not clean. Average food quality. Old booths, ripped. If you really want buffet, go across the street. I never ate there but it can't be any worse. read more

1 star is too much. The bathrooms are disgusting and look like they haven't been cleaned in weeks. All of the food and sauces appear stale. I found a dead ant in the ice cream cooler, and my Sam Adams beer was "best before" two years ago. The manager appeared concerned but didn't offer a refund or an apology. First and last time here. read more

Creepy waiter staring at me the whole time. SO THANKS FOR HEIGHTENING MY ANXIETY BUDDY. Chicken still hard as a rock, and got more expensive than the last time my fiancé and I were here. Horrible absolutely horrible. DON'T COME HERE. read more

The food was stale, looked like it had been out way too long. I was very disappointed. Chairs were ripped and the place had a poverty feel and look... read more

The food was Tasteless and outdated and the place did not look clean. The crab legs is cold and old. No reason to return.

Came here for lunch, and based on what I ate, I'd probably give this place 3.5 stars if it was possible to give half stars. It's not the best buffet I've ever been to but it's far from the worst. I tried a little bit of all of the Chinese dishes, and almost everything I had was pretty tasty. The only things I disliked were the General Tso's Chicken which had a soggy crust, and the Smoked Bourbon Chicken which needed a little more flavor. Besides that, I was fairly happy with my meal. I didn't touch anything in the raw bar, since I don't trust raw seafood at places I'm eating at for the first time, so I can't attest to that. It was nice to see waitresses constantly cleaning off the buffet counters. Shows that they seem to care about the cleanliness of the place. In addition, the guy at the register and my waitress were both very nice. I think the other reviews are a little exaggerated, and this place wasn't as bad as other Chinese buffets I've eaten at in CT. I would come back if I was ever in the area. read more

It really is hit or miss here. Usually I get angry when I read 1 star reviews, but for this place, I can say they are probably right and I'm not going to argue them down. This is definitely a place you go when you just want food and nothing else better is open, or you're broke and starving. The staples, like the Teriyaki Chicken, are good. Some other veggie or whatever dishes are okay. Sometimes the food is kind of lumpy and coagulated, so that's one thing, and I went here near closing once and I got wicked bad indigestion afterwards. If you can make it up to Imperial Buffet in Watertown, do so, if not, then try here and hopefully you'll go on a good day. The service is usually okay, but if you go near closing, they will pretty much tell you in the nicest way possible that you need to eat fast and GTFO. read more

My wife and I eat here often, usually when we see a movie in the same plaza. The food taste good and they have a larger variety then most buffets. The only reason I'm giving them a four over a five is because they did away with the bacon wrapped crab meet I love so much. read more

This place has had their ups and downs but it has always been my dads favorite so we went again today for Father's Day and it was definitely better than the last 20 years we've been coming read more