Aloha gang! Thought it was time to revisit Pan Asia Buffet. I was coming back from a Sunday afternoon at the casino in Temecula and was in the mood for an all you can eat buffet. When I arrived, the restaurant was packed. I had to check in and take a number, but they managed to seat us in under 10 minutes. If you're not into crowds, I would definitely avoid Sunday's. My usual visits are during the weekdays when they open first thing for lunch. You get first pick of the buffet offerings and it's much more enjoyable without the crowd. My faves are the Chow Mein, Teriyaki Beef, Fried Rice and Honey Walnut Shrimp. So....if you have a craving for AYCE buffet, check it out! read more

Pan Asia Buffet - Chow Mein, Egg Roll and Honey Walnut Shrimp - Buffets Near Me - San Marcos, California

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I was really excited to try out our second buffet near Oceanside since we moved here a few months back. Unfortunately it wasn't a place I will be going back to. The place smells decent, decently easy to find so no issues there. Cleanliness: the Buffett definitely needs some upgrading and cleaning. The rug smells and feels sticky to walk on, the counter area was clean but the ice cream section needed a deep clean, the cones were out of the packing and stale. The sprinkles were covered in ice cream and all over the place. The machine was covered in dried ice cream and caked on. I did not go into the restrooms, so I am not sure Food: cold. Everything except for the hibachi I got was cold. Shrimp, pork, chicken, all cold. They have an okay variety of deserts but other than the coffee and orange ones they were pretty bad. The flavor of the food was good, but the temperature of it was what really grossed me out and worry about food poisoning. It was during dinner at around 4pm so crab legs were included. My daughter devoured them and so did I. Best part of the buffet. Customer service: the waiters were very nice and kept our table clear. As soon as they notice we had our empty plates they would come around and grab them. I did notice and maybe it was just for that moment but we did get different waiters just grabbing our plates. Maybe they are doing a system where everyone waits on every table. Whatever they were doing it worked! We did mention at the end that our food was cold after we had paid and all because we were asked how we liked it. She did apologize and told us we should have brought up sooner so they could warm it up. That since it was slow the food gets cold. It was nice she apologized and all, but working in the food industry myself it is not any of the customers job to remind you to keep an eye on food temps. And you're supposed to keep food hot. Regardless they were nice. Would I come back? No. Would I recommend it? No. $60 for two adults $9 for my 4 yr old and $5 for my two yr old. So basically $80 for a family of 4 for cold food. Flavor was good though. So if you want to try it maybe you're lucky and get hot foods read more

Pan Asia Grill Sushi Buffet in San Marcos... listen carefully, because I don't hype places unless they earn it. I walked in, paid $19 for lunch, and immediately thought, "okay, let's see if this is another average buffet pretending to be something special." I'm extremely picky. If it's trash, I'll say it straight. No mercy. First impression -- solid. Clean, organized, no chaos. Salad section? Surprisingly fresh. Not the sad, tired lettuce you see in most buffets. Real crisp greens, good toppings, fresh fruit, and desserts that actually look edible, not like they survived since 2007. Now sushi at lunch... let's be honest. It's decent, but nothing that will change your life. It's buffet sushi -- acceptable, clean, but I'm not flying to Tokyo over it. HOWEVER... I already see the potential. I heard dinner brings out the heavy artillery -- lobster, crab legs -- so that's the real battlefield, and I'll be back to test that. But here's where Pan Asia becomes dangerous. The Hawaiian BBQ / hibachi grill station. This is the crown jewel. You pick your meat, pick your vegetables, hand it to the chef, and he cooks it fresh right in front of you like a professional assassin. I went with hibachi steak, and my God... absolutely incredible. Perfectly cooked, juicy, flavorful, fresh -- not buffet quality, restaurant quality. This alone destroys the $19 price. Completely unfair value. Bottom line -- for lunch, this place already punches above its weight. Fresh food, huge selection, and that hibachi grill makes it worth the trip by itself. Sushi is decent at lunch, but I can already tell dinner is where they go full boss mode. I don't praise easily. But Pan Asia Grill earned respect. I'll be back for dinner to see if they reach full domination. Amen!!! Good job fellas read more

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Delicious not too bad my first time eating with my family in San Diego . It's cute & not so bad.

Pan Asia Buffet is your typical asian buffet with lots of food options but at the end of the day, it's quantity over quality. Despite having so many options, the food was average at best. There is no shortage of options from the hibachi grill where you can make your own noodles, a grill station that has various cooked meats, the long display of various hot Chinese inspired entrees, a salad bar, a dessert bar, an ice cream station, a sushi section, and on Friday and Saturday nights you get extra seafood such as crab legs. Service is blunt and uninviting but at the end of the day, you get your own food so it didn't bother me as much. I wish they came by the tables more to ask about drink refills or to remove plates faster. They should clean their ice cream machine and topping stations which was pretty dirty. I felt the prices were a bit high given the quality at $26 for dinner (drink not included) and $2/year for kids. Not sure if I'd return again... read more

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This place has your normal selection of food. However, even though i avoided the raw stuff, i still managed to get food poisoning. I presume it could be from the cooked crab. A good section of their buffet is dedicated to the mongolian grill but when the chef cooks, it is not a tasty meal when we get it back. He could be a little happier making it and also it could use some actual flavor. The servers were however, really nice and on top of it! read more

I had a really good experience on this visit. The restaurant including restrooms were clean and well maintained. My favorites from the buffer was the black pepper chicken, the seafood shells, the octopus and several of the veggie dishes. The salad bar was well stocked and fresh also. Pro tip: for the broiled salmon, eat it with sweet and sour soup which takes away the waterlogged taste (to keep it from drying out) and it actually makes it taste really good. The staff was quick to take finished plates and refill drinks without having to be asked. overall one of my best visits here! read more

Pan Asia Buffet is located on Center Dr in San Marcos. We have been coming here for many years now w the in laws. Got here at 8pm on a Saturday and the place was super packed!! We were seated at the only vacant table. The food lines were crazy long, but I think the issue is the layout. This buffet is old and probably needs remodeling to accommodate the amount of people when it's a full house like last Saturday. Food was good. I love that they had pre-grilled steak. I actually enjoyed the soft and tender steak and had so much of it. They also had grilled chicken breast, and the mushroom chicken was also made w white meat. They have a hibachi grill which i did not get to try since the line to that was also ridiculously long!! Desserts were good. We really liked the mango mousse cake and the mini bundt cake. Pineapple and strawberries were fresh and sweet. Service was extremely slow. I get that they were a full house so the servers were running around, but we had to go up to the front counter to have them call someone to refill our drinks. Overall, good buffet. It just gets crazy packed in there, but is an indicator of how good the food is. read more

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Took mom to the Carlsbad Flower Fields and afterwards Yelped a Chinese buffet because that what mom likes. This place came up. Reviews seem decent and I always give a benefit of the doubt when it comes to buffets. It was noon on a Saturday and the price was $20. That should have been a red flag. $20 for a Saturday? There was a decent amount of people though. However, the food was bad and the variety of food sucked. No corn. No baos. No warm crawfish (they had cold ones). No sesame balls. Whatever they did have was rubbery, fishy and old tasting. Desserts were dry and stale tasting. What was good? Orange jello and cream cheese wontons. They were good about clearing the plates. read more

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I enjoyed their food, only downside is it's ALWAYS the same exact food but the food is very good. Busy on the weekends slower during the week which I recommend going during that time. Could be a tad bit cleaner but for the most part It isn't disgusting or dirty. read more

They now have crab boil on the weekends but the sause is not that great, also no sausages. I come here every now and then to check out the new food items and I do like it. If you decide to come, come for dinner, that's where all the good stuff is. read more

Food? Well there's more than you can imagine, including a Korean barbeque! Everything from the soup and salad bar to the Asian delights, and the home cooking items you might expect. Finish with the ice cream dispenser and dessert bar, and you are satisfied nummro uno!!! The service is right on and the place is clean and spacious. It's a monthly destination for me!!! read more

Pan Asia Buffet - Seafood and so much more!!! YUMMMMM!!! - Buffets Near Me - San Marcos, California

I like this place. Everything is clean and the food is hot and fresh. But then again I go there right when they open. The sushi is above average. Nice fresh salad bar. Desserts are a bit weak, large variety not much flavor, but they have a chocolate fountain. The service can be sketchy sometimes. They never seem to want to refill the soft drinks, unless you ask. But for around $20 it's hard to beat these days. read more

I was hoping that I would have at least a 3 star facility when I entered. 3 stars is average and if this was 3 stars our standards are in the toilet. Sushi area dirty and messy, very unappetizing. Not a smile to be found by the staff, let alone a minimal of verbal communication. I mentioned to the busboy that if he did his job instead of using his phone, he would save his battery. He laughed and moved on. Oh, I guess he does speak English. The worst thing of all was the sewer that was referred to as the men's room. Food bad, sweet colored sauces over everything. Enjoy! read more

Great food options, lots of different things! Seated very quickly and easily, they took drink orders and cleared plates very promptly. It was a little noisy and chaotic as any buffet place was, but they had great fresh seafood and sushi options! read more

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I am the worst person to take to a buffet I will not get my moneys worth. But when your friends want to go you must join! We were seated right away and drinks order taken. Then we were off to the races. There is hibachi style grill station you just choose all your items. And the chef will cook it for you. Grilled foods station, sushi, soups, hot foods, salads, and then desserts. Including a chocolate fountain and soft serve ice cream. The selection was a good mix of different cuisines. Don't think the food was kid friendly. No French fries or nuggets. The sushi was a ok don't expect omikase level sushi. Salt and pepper shrimp was really good. Orange chicken and chow mein was good. It was $20 per person on a Saturday afternoon no crab legs until later. Overall for a buffet it was not bad at all. The servers were very attentive and kept track of tabs. Probably won't be running back anytime soon. read more

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The foods are not bad but the lady who manage it and most of the servants are rude, they don't appreciate the customers. The atmosphere comparing to the other asian buffet in El Northe is not good. read more

Pan Asia Buffet - Buffets Near Me - San Marcos, California

Honestly hit or miss. Maybe the time of the day affects? I came here dinner time when they had the crab legs and it was super poor quality. Some of the food items are good like the chicken wings. My mom in the past has ordered party trays for it and it's nice. They have so much places to sit but seat people really close to each other. Staff doesn't do much other than sit you, take your drink order and then when u pay at the end. This place has been open for quite a while now and seems like they need to do a little renovation inside starting to look worn down. read more

Went to Pan Asia Buffet in San Marcos with my family, and honestly, it was just an average experience. The food and setting is pretty standard for a Chinese buffet, nothing particularly special or unique. Customer service is minimal; they won't check on you, but if you ask politely, they will clear plates to make more room. The biggest letdown for me was the long drive from San Diego, which didn't feel justified by the food quality. Fridays are crab leg days, but unless you're quick, they get scooped up in minutes, and you have to wait for the next batch. If you're local, it might be an okay option, but I wouldn't make the trip again or unless my mom REALLY wants to go again. read more

My wife, who is pregnant, ordered a meal that came with broccoli -- and to our shock, there was a maggot on it. We were polite and calm when we brought it to the manager's attention, expecting at least a sincere apology and that my wife's meal would be fully comped given the seriousness of the situation. Instead, the manager brushed it off and blamed the supplier that provides the broccoli, offering only $7 off the bill. Regardless of where the food came from, the restaurant is responsible for what's served to customers. Accidents can happen, but the lack of genuine concern or accountability made the experience even worse. This could have been resolved with basic courtesy and responsibility, but it left us with a bad taste -- literally and figuratively. I hope management takes food safety and customer care more seriously in the future, especially when dealing with expecting mothers. read more

The seafood boil at this Chinese buffet--available on weekends--is definitely a highlight; I really enjoyed it! However, the place can get very crowded and sometimes quite messy, and the staff can be a bit rough. Still, if you're in the mood for a buffet with seafood boil , it's worth a try! read more

Pan Asia Buffet - Buffets Near Me - San Marcos, California

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The food is ok, average for a buffet. The female manager has the personality of a trap door spider. Don't dare ask her a question, she actually yells at you lol. If you have a verbal abuse fetish, this is the place for you! read more

To eat at this restaurant you have to look past some rude waiters and some very rude managers/bosses. It felt like I had to ask them for permission to sit down and eat at their restaurant.... If you're lucky enough to get passed that gruesome selection process to eat at this restaurant, then you will get the great misfortune to eat their food. Overall, food was meh. The workers were super rude, and I wouldn't come again. I've never ever written a review it was that bad. They also charged themselves tip after that horrible service. There was a younger Hispanic hostess that was super nice, she was one of the good ones...1.7 stars only because of her. read more

How on earth does this place ever get repeat visits? Truly the armpit of buffets. It's filthy outside AND inside. You'll lose a shoe in the bathroom the floor is so sticky! The prices are outrageous and the food is the quality of frozen food thawed then frozen again then deep fried. The desserts sincerely look AND taste toxic! Zero exaggeration. Service is so bad it's be better if they allowed customers to serve themselves and clean themselves. It's that bad. I got so sick from eating here. My kids as well. My husband has an iron stomach and avoided the level we got sick. They react anytime it's brought to, oh no! Please no! Never that place again. It's bottomless desserts and kids are disgusted by the place, that should speak volumes. Even the fruit, the way they prepped and served it was stomach turning. Nothing is sanitary there. Go look at the ice cream area. Smell. Unfortunately my kids tried it. So gross!!!!! How is this place in business? read more

There were two families ahead of me, both with massive orders. A nice guy came up to help me and then checked my out before making all their food. It was most kind and appreciated. Food was tasty. read more

Pan Asia Buffet - Teriyaki chicken, no Sauce and with only half chowmein. Keeps it healthy and yet filling. - Buffets Near Me - San Marcos, California

"Hey Derek, we're eating at Pan Asia Buffet." * Reads a one-star review from a Yelp friend * Fool me twice, shame on yours truly I guess. Early last year, I visited an AYCE seafood buffet in the LBC of the likes of Pan Asia. No joke, but the exact same situation happened. After being informed that we'd be eating there, I took to Yelp and immediately noticed a one-star review from a Yelp friend. Not wanting to mention it for fear of ruining others' appetites, I went through on the plan, but had my guards up. I was this close to giving one star, but was generous enough to give a second. This time, the food was actually better that I almost thought about awarding a trio of stars, but there were some aspects that caused me to downgrade to the same level as the *other* seafood buffet even though one clearly had the better food options. Case in point, better food doesn't always mean better rating, though it almost did in this case. Pan Asia Buffet is on the northwest corner of where the 78 and 15 freeways meet. Parking isn't plentiful directly in front of the restaurant, but since it's a part of a ginormous plaza, you shouldn't have any trouble finding parking nearby. I simply parked on the other side of Center Dr and walked across. After checking into the front desk and being taken to a table in the corner of the restaurant, I questioned if the room on the other side of the wall was a private dining room. I suspect it was private because I witnessed a customer with a remote control trying to change the channel on a TV there, but I can't say for sure. The buffet bar runs the length of the restaurant from the ice cream all the way to the grill. The salad, oddly placed next to the ice cream, offers a good selection and was probably the freshest food I had there. I tried the lo mein and baked salmon on my next plate. Neither was bad, but didn't really leave much of an impression, though the jalapeno (or serrano?) peppers packed quite a punch! Once I dug into the Asian Cuisine, things started to get really heavy with a bunch of grease on each food item, but not much flavor to go with them. I did enjoy the baked scallop though, but everything else paled in comparison. I also got some food from the grill and a second baked salmon, trying to see if any of the three bottles of sriracha on my table would do any good. A few drops didn't do any good, and I didn't want to overdo it. The sushi in general wasn't really fresh, but was manageable when sprinkled with soy sauce. The pizza surprisingly wasn't bad with a flavor explosion of cheese here and there. I wanted to take a quick break, and I did this by building a hibachi plate with some raw vegetables, noodles, beef, a swai filet, and an egg. After handing my plate to the hibachi chef, I watched him cook alongside a couple other customers' hibachi plates. However, even that didn't leave much of an impression. As I was trying to cool off with a sip of iced water, the music abruptly changed to a Happy Birthday song so loud it almost felt like I was squeezed in between two speakers! A server came by with a small cake for a customer sitting at the next table over, and I was afraid with how loud the music was, everybody in the restaurant had their eyes towards me. I simply focused on trying to finish my plate. Queasiness level up. With the meniscus of my iced water nearly reaching the bottom of my cup, I was hoping for a refill, but didn't see a single server offer any. When I got my last plate, consisting of fruit and jello, I walked by a server and asked for a refill, telling him I was sitting in the far corner. Instead of coming by with a pitcher of water, he simply came by with a new cup of water. Better than nothing, but unfortunately, too little too late as I was already starting to feel queasy. The fruits didn't really taste fresh either. I was hoping they could salvage my appetite and give me the willpower to try at least a bowl of ice cream, but nope. I got way too hot, and I felt really stuffy. Even when I tried to pace myself, I just couldn't take it anymore and had to leave. Oddly enough, once I left, I felt a rush of fresh air from the vent directly above. Maybe if I sat closer to that vent, I would have felt better, but who knows? The interior looked pretty nice and upkept. I also did see a server with a consistent smile on her face when clearing tables. The servers were very attentive at retrieving used plates, but I wish they paid more attention to when customers need a refill on water. I thought they would have at least offered, but didn't realize they don't until it was too late. As with any AYCE buffet that offers a plethora of options, Pan Asia is no different at spreading themselves too thin. With a focus on quantity over quality, I don't foresee a return visit. Or if I do, I have to be more selective in the food I choose. I didn't even get to try the soups either. Maybe that would have been a better choice. read more

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BEWARE! I went to this place on MLK day (Monday 01/19). They were charging holiday prices. For two adults and two children under the age of 9, we paid $104. The place was dirty. I only grabbed one plate of food (broccoli beef, teriyaki chicken, chow mein). As soon as I bit into the teriyaki chicken, it had an off taste. I did not finish my plate. 10 minutes after, I started getting cold sweats and my heart rate went up to 130 ( based on my Apple Watch). I did not think too much of it as I thought it was just the caffeine I had (Coke Zero). That night I was violently throwing up and had diarrhea. I was bed ridden for two days and quickly became dehydrated. Confirmed it was food poisoning! PLEASE AVOID THIS PLACE! read more

really don't recommend it. The buffet carpet is dirty. The bathrooms are disgusting. The food made me so sick.

Keep the food fresh (we felt nauseous when we got home). The filthy bathroom should have tipped us off. We weren't impressed with the service either. read more

The service is not good the workers walk past you multiple times. The bathrooms are always dirty. You can tell the workers hate their life and get mad when you ask for a refill. read more

After coming here after all the lock downs and restrictions, I have to say that the service and the food got better. There was not a wait to be seated, and the COVID protocols were still in place, which did not take away from the experience. The only thing that was lacking was servers bringing or asking to get refills. I recommend that if you miss buffets come to Pan Asia read more

The foods are yummy and delicious! Keep up with the very good work, Pan Asia Buffet! They work extremely hard to actually make it ultra yummy and delicious! read more

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If you've been to one Asian buffet, you pretty much been to them all. This place is very similar to the other Asian buffets. You have a "sushi" area where there are rolls. There's also the hot food area where you'll see the usual Chinese food. Then you have a grill area where you can have them cook your plate of stuff teppanyaki style. Overall the food quality is slightly better than other Asian buffets. You're not gonna get lobster or crab legs or prime rib. But there are enough other choices where everybody can find something to eat. Where they shine, however, is their catering. They are my go-to for ordering caters. Their prices are decent and the amount of food they give you is generous. I also order the chicken wings. This past holiday party, I also ordered fried rice which was a hit. If you're looking to order food that does not break the bank, consider ordering from Pan Asia. read more

I am still new to San Marcos and this was my first (and last) time to visit Pan Asia Buffet. The interior is dark and dated. The tables are too close together and a constant stream of people squeezed behind me and the table next to us. Their strong point is the hot foods were plentiful and ok variety. Their Sushi selection did not look fresh and as we were right next to it, staff never went near it or tidied up around it. I usually enjoy sushi but I passed on their offering. The same situation occurred with the desserts. The cheesecake looked shriveled and stale. I took a piece and I was correct. The cakes were also old and not fresh. Although it was dinner time I felt the restaurant was nowhere near full which brings me to my last complaint. No one offered to refill my soda, in fact, they never brought the check. I felt bloated although I did not overeat, a sure sign the food is second rate. At 28.00 per person it was not worth it. read more

Wonderful selection of food. Sushi was good. Enjoyed the salads and desserts also. Thank you read more

Usually love frequenting this place but the last visit left a bad taste. Went in on a Friday to take advantage of the crab legs that are only available Friday and Saturday. Things started off fine for the most part, we were sat at a table right next to the buffet but requested a booth since they were available and not right next to the buffet. Enjoying the food and conversation, we notice that one of the ladies from the front (not our server) keeps asking if we are ok. We kindly let her know that we are doing 'fine, thank you.' She keeps coming back and we continue to let her know that we don't need anything. Then all of the sudden, the staff seems to start crowding our table... a bus boy with his rolling cart that was bussing near by tables, stops and kind of just stands near our table along with another staff member who was cleaning up the condiments on the tables both just stand there looking at our table as if they were waiting for us to leave. Along with the kitchen staff... instead of cleaning up or at least looking busy, they stood behind the counter just looking at us. Then again the front desk lady comes back and asks if we want a box, seeing as they want us to leave, we said sure. So we pack our box and go to check out and they start to charge us for the food in the box... we would have just stayed to eat our food instead if they would have told us that, but they "discounted" it for us. Thinking that we had kept them past closing and were delaying them from going home, we left. Get to the car and actually check the time to see that it was only 9:40 pm.... they weren't even closed yet! NEVER have I ever been pushed out of a restaurant like that, even after staying some places an hour after closing. The staff crowed our table with the cooks staring at us making us feel uncomfortable and then offered us a box that we had to pay for without letting us know before hand that we would have to pay for it. I'm assuming that's why they discounted the box since they knew they were pushing us out. Writing this review almost seems ridiculous to believe so you can imagine how it actually felt to experience it. Very unfortunate visit at an establishment that I loved to bring new people to and often return to. Honestly not sure if I will go back, loved the food. read more

Great spot if you're craving buffet! I went after 4pm, which begins their dinner selection, and let me tell you, they have all the stuff you're looking for! From classic lo main, teriyaki chicken, and crab Rangoon all the way to sushi and meat off the grill (like steak, chicken, and tilapia!) My favorite selections were the teriyaki chicken, stuffed mushrooms, and sushi options! They had a lot of good seafood options too like crab legs, coconut shrimp and a fried shrimp. The prices were good at $25-26 dollars a person for dinner and $16 for lunch! They also offer a senior citizen discount that is 10% off which was great as my mom and aunt are both over 65! I'd recommend if you're looking for a classic good buffet at a reasonable price! I'd give it 5 stars if there were more options because after my third plate, I started to wish there were a couple more options to choose from but 4 stars is solid! read more

Pan Asia Buffet - Mix of sushi, stuffed mushrooms, fried rice, broccoli and beef, chicken wings and peppered chicken. 1st of many plates! - Buffets Near Me - San Marcos, California

Been looking for a good Chinese buffet and of course standards aren't always high at these kind of places. I saw that some of the reviews said they were really rude here but honestly, as someone who has traveled all across Asia, it's pretty normal for restaurants not to be super nice or what not to you. It's not authentic and in Asia they don't work for tips because they don't accept free money like that. So when I face rudeness at an Asian restaurant is doesn't bother me as long as the food is good. The spread at this place had so much! They had a hibachi grill, the sushi selection was so fresh! Actually all the seafood was fresh! The rolls too! The chicken wings were nice and crisp! Perfect! The meats were okay I thought the octopus was over cooked a bit but still good. And the desert was delicious! They all tasted super high quality. The marshmallow I dipped in the chocolate fountain was magical! So delicious and fun! Their ice cream was also really good with a great variety of topping! 10 out of 10 will be back! read more

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Amazing food, amazing service best buffet for seafood, and sushi! She grilled octopus is absolutely amazing! Highly recommend!

Pan Asia is one of the better Asian buffets in San Diego. Great flavors, great variety and great price ($25 per person on a Friday night in March 2023). Love the mussels and clams along with the coconut shrimp. The chicken and beef dishes are moist and tender. Offered three varieties of crabs! Lots of cooked veggies as well. Sushi is just ok...but sashimi is fresh and plentiful. Bbq is unique especially with the squid and octopus. Remember this is a buffet so don't expect gourmet food but what they do offer is very tasty and fresh. read more

Pan Asia Buffet - Friday and Saturday, crab legs. - Buffets Near Me - San Marcos, California