These Buffet spots in my inbox keep getting better, & better!! This Sushi, Hibachi, Grill Buffet has a little bit more choices than the others!! With that being said...LET'S GO!! . Where I am: @yamibuffetva . Location Reviewed: 555 Van Dorn St., Alexandria V.A. . Items Reviewed: *Their $39.99 All You Can Eat* LIKE THAT! The Drinks ($3 each for a Mango, & Guava drink). Cold, juicy, tasty! They did their job!! PASS-STAMP!! My Appetizer Plate (with Fried Chicken, a Lamb Chop, Fried Shrimp, a Spring Roll, Crab Rangoon, & a Teriyaki Chicken Skewer). The Spring Roll...PASS. The cream cheese stuffed Jalapeno, & Rangoon...DELICIOUS. The Shrimp, Chicken, & Skewer...LIKE THAT! The Lamb Chop...STAMP!! STAMP!! The Crab Legs, Whole Crabs, & Lobster Tails (all I added is the seafood butter, a lemon, & Old Bay). Fresh, meaty, & all you can eat...except for the lobster, they only give you 2!! STAMP-DELICIOUS!! My Entrees Plate (with General Tso's Chicken, a bbq Rib, Bourbon Chicken, Teriyaki Steak, Shrimp Tempura Rolls, Garlic Broccoli, Garlic Strings Beans, & a Plantain). The Broccoli, & string beans...STAMP!! The Plantains, the General Tso's, the Rib, & Bourbon Chicken...LIKE THAT! The Steak, & Sushi...DELICIOUS. STAMP-LIKE THAT! My Dessert/Fruit Plate (with watermelon, grapes, pineapple, & orange lemon, pistachio, & chocolate cake with a lemon ice). STAMP ALL of those fruits, & that Orange Cake!! The Pistachio, & Chocolate Cakes, & lemon Ice...LIKE THAT! . Customer Service: On Point . Parking: Decent. . Recommendations: Go!! Get the crabs!! . Accessibility: It's wheelchair friendly, & it's differently abled persons friendly. read more

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Got mix feelings. As it is buffet i dont know what it was but it was missing something. A lot of selections but seemed repetitive selections for the cost. Overall it was okay but definitely could be worked. read more

We came on a Sunday evening around 6:30 pm. The place was hopping, but we got seated right away. The price for dinner is $39.99, with a 10 percent discount for seniors/military. The price is very reasonable considering the types of food offered (seafood) and the unlimited (90 minute) nature of the feast. This is a very good seafood buffet. The shrimps (headless) were very cold and clean, the crab legs meaty and sweet, the raw oysters plentiful and delicious. The sashimi was good and a nice variety of well-labelled sushi. Baked salmon and turbot - both moist and delicious. Soups (the ones we had - hot and sour, and seafood) were both good. Nice variety of buns. Excellent green beans. Fresh fruit - the oranges and pineapple were amazingly juicy and flavorful. Decent variety of beverages and desserts. Really nice buffet with lots of choices. The one weakness for us was the crab claws and the complimentary lobster tail. For some reason, they fell short for us. The lobster tail was large and looked really good - but the meat was rubbery. And the crab claws were large and looked promising - but the meat was dried out. Again, everything else was excellent except for those two things. Honestly, I've had better lobster tail (juicier, more flavorful) for $7.99 at Golden Corral. The service was very good - no, actually it was excellent - and the folks were friendly. A number of customers had families with kids (some with infants), and everyone was welcomed and seemed to be getting good service. It just seemed like a very upbeat, comfortable atmosphere. Bottom line for me - It was a bit of a drive to get here from Maryland, and we came mostly because of the lobster tail and the large crab claws on the buffet. But, honestly, despite the rest of the buffet being very good and excellent service, the rubbery nature of the lobster tail and the dryness of the crab claw meat don't make this worth a trip with other places also available to try. If the lobster tail and crab claws had been ok, I would have given 5 stars and would likely come back multiple times. But these are two items that the restaurant advertises as special, and they just didn't do it for us. Maybe it was a one-off on being overcooked, but I guess I'll never know. It's really too bad, because everything else was very, very good. read more

One of the best Chinese / Seafood buffets I have ever been to! There was a LOT of seafood, including sushi that was included in the price! Highly recommend!!! read more

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Things I saw on @tiktok : @yamibuffetva The staff was pleasant and welcoming. Food was constantly being changed out along with consistent cleaning. There is literally something for everyone's palate. There is a 90 minute window per customer. My favorites were the salmon with red sauce, the shumai, the green beans (I could have gotten an entire plate of them), and the miso soup. @yamibuffetva is about 5 minutes from the Van Dorn @metroforward but they have plenty of parking too! 2 people was about $88. If it's 6 or more people gratuity is automatically included on your ticket. The ambiance was very bright and neon but I didn't feel overwhelmed. read more

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This buffet was not like any other buffet I've been to in the DMV. Everything was so good, and there were so many options that it was honestly a little overwhelming in the best way. They had a huge variety of drinks, fresh seafood, cooked seafood, sushi, hibachi, and so much more. I really enjoyed the hibachi station, the sushi, the sticky rice, and the seafood casserole. One thing I loved was that every person gets a free lobster with the buffet. If you do the premium option, you get unlimited lobster. Me and my friend did the basic, and it was still more than worth it. It was packed, but the service was still good and we didn't have to wait long to be seated. Overall, it was a really great experience. I definitely want to come back because I still wasn't able to try everything. read more

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Was in the area so we decided stop by for lunch on a Sunday. $40 per person for weekend. 5/5 Decor and cleanliness They have semi futuristic mecha panda decor that's really cute. Restaurant and their bathroom is really clean and it's great. Hope they keep this up in the long run. 5/5 Service : Server was really quick with refills, bring drink and clean up the plates. 4/5 Food- Pros: lots of selection from seafood dishes, sushi, hibachi section, fruits, ice creams, desserts and small selection of dimsum buns. They also have sashimi in small foil tray for each serving which is nice. Really love their Fo Tiao Qiang soup in the little brown clay pot. I would come back for this soup alone. So so good. Saw someone said they didn't see lobster and lobster claw anymore but I guess it's weekend only or dinner only. You might want to call ahead to check. They bring out one lobster tail per person. Con: some plate are on the salty side. read more

First and foremost, when you enter in the door it's like walking into an illusion museum. The Ambience is made up of bronze lights and glowing art. Yami Buffet had so much food, my eyes couldn't even take it all in! There are endless options everywhere you look. The garlic grilled oysters were amazing--definitely one of the highlights of the whole experience. The lobster tasted good, but it was served cold. They bring it out to your table when you arrive, so it ended up sitting there until we were ready to eat it. The crab legs were plentiful, which I loved, but they were also cold. That said, dipping them in the hot butter made a big difference--they were really good that way. I also liked that they have a self-serve beverage station with a variety of drinks, including boba tea and juices, which adds a fun touch and more options beyond soda. Overall, the amount and variety of food you get for the price is definitely worth it. There's something for everyone, and despite a few things being cold, the experience was enjoyable. I will definitely be back! read more

Whenever I see AYCE and lobsters, I always make an effort to try out the restaurant. Went here at opening on Saturday to avoid the crowds later. Price on weekend is like dinner price. $40 which includes AYCE + 1 whole steam lobster. You can pay $10 more to have AYCE steamed lobsters. The place is very nicely decorated for a Chinese buffet. Even the restrooms are nice and clean. I like that a lot. The food here is extensive. A lot of options to choose from. I love seafood so that's my go to. All are well seasoned and tasted fresh. You can't go wrong here really. Service is great also. They picked up the dirty plates quickly and refilled your drinks often. I like that also. This is definitely the best Chinese AYcE w lobsters in VA. It's a no brainer. Will be back here often for sure. read more

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I had been so looking forward to visiting this place way before it opened. I even found myself promoting it to friends to go check it out, but I also wanted to give it a few weeks to work out the kinks that tend to happen when a place newly opens. Once my friends learned of the concept and we saw videos and images as we follow the page on IG, they kept telling me how scared they were of the buffet style set up, everyone breathing on the food and that they wouldn't take the risk, so tonight I decided to visit, alone. The place was packed but guests were greeted and seated promptly. I did not have to wait and quickly was directed to a table. I made my way to the buffet area where lots was going on. A very vast selection of sushi. Lots of Asian dishes along with the most common things you find at a Chinese take out. Things like crab ragoons, chicken wings, general to's chicken, beef and brócoli, spare ribs, Chinese rice and much more. Then there was a station of Sashimis, another of fresh seafood such as shrimp, oysters, mussels, crab legs and more. There's a grill area flaming up some meats, deserts are, a fridge with lots of Asian drinks, a freezer with ice-cream and then the area of hibachi. I was impressed with the wide selection for all tastes, the place super clean, lots of staff on the floor making sure nothing was running out and service staff very attentive to customer needs. I wanted this to be a place I left and bragged about to my friends, however unfortunately most of the food was extremely bland and all the cuts of meat and rice lacked flavor or was very dry. While I was at the hibachi station waiting for my plate, someone threw up on the floor, to be honest, I paid it no mind. Staff proceeded to clean it up, I got my plate and sat back down to eat. Unfortunately I came straight home to do the same, hug the toilet bowl like we were making a pact. While I was eating my hibachi serving I had started feeling oozy and nauseous. I got another drink and some fruit to cleanse my palette from the hibachi plate that was flavorless, I still felt like something was off, I paid and left. Arex was my server, very nice, attentive and hospitable. The price was not bad at all and the tip ratio is the lowest. I really wanted this place to be a hit but it didn't do it for me. I lay now in bed on a Friday night with a stomachache, headache and chills writing this review. My friends warned me about the seafood buffet thing. I guess you live, you learn! read more

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I choice to try this buffet out because they have lobster (one per person). However, with a price of $45.99 per person, my lobster is mushy, indicates not fresh. That makes this $45.99 buffet way over priced than other in DMV area. read more

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This week we checked out the newish Yami buffet in the old Red Lobster location. It's decent. Yami is very similar to Umai on Little River Turnpike and Aurora in Leesburg (but more expensive). We paid $39 plus tax. Yami is pretty good in that the food (which includes sushi) seems fresh and they're always restocking the trays in the steam tables. The selection is good as well. Just a side note, Asian buffets on the West Coast always have mashed potatoes and gravy, but I've yet to see mashed potatoes at an Asian buffet in the DMV. There is a hibachi station at Yami. I thought the short ribs were especially good. Service was very good. I don't know if they have lobster all the time, but they did this past Sunday. This is certainly not a reflection on Yami, but more an observation on the times in which we live. During our meal, at the same table next to us, two different guys sat there, entertaining themselves by loudly playing/watching junk on their phones while they ate. read more

Yami Buffet - Yami - Buffets Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I was in rush hour, made a detour and found this place called Yami buffet with two robotic panda bears standing in front of restaurant. I thought this should be interesting, pulled in with plenty of parking. As you walked in, it's clean with neon blue lights and has various stations offering assorted of dishes specializing in seafood. If you're searching for a place that can cater large parties, they can accommodate it. They have friendly staff from floor to hostess. Come check them out. read more

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The food is amazing! We love the inside it's so cool!! The service is friendly and hands down the best buffet in the area!!! read more

Yami Buffet - Sooo good!!! - Buffets Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Another time at Yami. The drinks are too sweet. The hibachi sauce is too salty. Needs more improvement for food options. Lobsters and grill options are great. Sushi, candy, drinks and ice creams are great options! read more

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A nice buffet to take your family to. It is $25.99 for lunch and $39.99 for dinner. Drinks are included in the price which you don't see with other buffets. They have nice drink shelves stocked with teas, milk teas, sodas, bottled juices, etc., and unlimited. Do not over grab food you won't be able to finish because they do charge. This is why there is a person at the lobster station to give one lobster per person at a time. I see a lot of both positive and negative reviews about this place but in my opinion, you will only like it and think it is worth it if you're a big seafood eater. If you're not, this spot may not be worth it to you and especially not at their price because there is a very big sushi/sashimi station & I would not come here and not get the lobster. I had a great time and really ate as much as I could of everything. The sushi, hibachi, few rounds of lobster and drinks. If you have never been, I would still stop by to try for your first time. I have a video on my TikTok: @ lyn.dulge read more

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Came for the typical Chinese food buffet, sushi and hibachi but was pleasantly surprised the restaurant was offering steamed lobster tails too! Note: This might not be a permanent menu item. Call store prior to confirm. They also have ice cream, candy, chips, milk teas and other beverages (chrysanthemum tea, herbal tea, juices, sodas) - all included in buffet fee. The interior is nice, spacious, clean. Service was excellent despite the New Year rush. 10/10 would recommend and my family and I are already planning our next visit! :) read more

Yami Buffet - Buffets Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Came here during the soft opening. This is not a Korean bbq or hotpot buffet. It is a Chinese buffet that has very modern decor. The hot bar section has the typical Chinese hot bar food. Some of the food was a bit overcooked or a bit dry. The flavor was good. I like how they had some dim sum dishes. The star of this place is all the seafood choices. If you love seafood then this is the place for you. So many seafood choices that seemed fresh. I'd give the hot bar 3.5 stars and the seafood choices 5 stars. They have unlimited drinks and dessert selections. My kids enjoyed the ice cream choices. They even have some candy above the dessert section. Parking is decent but I'm not sure how crowded it gets during peak times. Inside there is a lot of seating and some extra seating in other rooms on both ends of the restaurant. The cost for children is based on their height so the kids will get measured by the front door when you arrive. Also on weekends it is all day dinner prices. So lunch and dinner doesn't change. read more

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This is one of the best buffets around the NOVA area that's not too expensive for lunch. It has most of the typical Chinese Buffet foods and more, such as General Tso's chicken and Lo Mein. The service was quick to always clear dirty plates off the table. The inside of the place looks like it's themed from outer space or raves with the neon lights. Although most of the chicken served here are sadly dry, the standout for me is the wide selection of sushi and other items I would expect only for dinner. They have Dungeness crab, crab legs, short ribs, and squid. The main standout for dinner is the unlimited cheese lobster (assumingly). Besides that, I do not see anything dinner worthy for the $40 price, which people can have mixed opinions about. It's nice to see that they have an interesting variety of drink options available, but I prefer the basic milk tea flavors (brown sugar, original, taro, honeydew). Most of their teas are aromatic, so it might not be preferred by the general public (seeing the drinks barely being touched). read more

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I was excited to see a new buffet open in the area. My first impression was that the space theme was a fun idea and the place looked really cool. But for the dinner price ($39.99), I honestly do not think it is worth it. The atmosphere: The neon lights definitely make it feel like you walked into a themed spot, and the dining room is spacious, which I liked. The food: There is a lot to choose from. They have a free drink bar with bubble tea, ramune, sparkling sodas, and more. You will find sushi, hot dishes, seafood, and a hibachi station in the back. There are also different kinds of soup dumplings. During the soft opening, lobster was available too. The sushi was easily the best part of the meal. Everything tasted fresh, and the fish was sliced just right. The selection of nigiri, sashimi, and rolls was solid. Unfortunately, most of the hot food and seafood was pretty disappointing. A lot of it tasted mediocre, and the seafood was either soggy or overcooked and rubbery. I ended up leaving most of my plate unfinished. The service: The service was fine overall, but it felt a little uncomfortable having servers posted at each end of the dining area watching people eat. read more

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Updated score between 2 and 2 1/2 stars. I am not sure if this is temporary due to season but there is no longer an AYCE lobster tail option. So beware if that's why you were going. There are no lobster claws at all anymore. The snow crab was just ok. Not the best. I got California roll which is the most basic and it didn't taste very good. I was disappointed. The servers were quick to clear plates and get drinks. We went for early dinner on the weekend. It was clean and it was quick seating. read more

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Great food and service! I really enjoyed the vibe. It's clean, fresh and friendly. Sushi was tasty, the seafood was top notch and the staff was attentive. read more

Continuation of Wifey BD, so she wanted to try this place and it was delightful. Thanks to our family from Florida, we enjoyed dining here. The parking is great and service was exceptional. If you are into buffets, this is definitely a place to considered. For pictures, please see the website. read more

The good thing about this place is the staff! They were so nice and sweet. Surprisingly for the price they charge, the food was not that great. The Hibachi was not that great. The steak was super tough and chewy. The lobster almost made me throw up. The sushi tasted good but it also tasted like it's been sitting out for hours. The coke was delicious! The atmosphere is basically what you're paying for. It looks so cool in there! Probably will never come back here. I was looking forward to trying this place because TikTok hyped it up. read more

Yami Buffet - Steak from the hibachi - Buffets Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Get there early on weekends! We got there at 5pm and there were already people waiting...we got seated right away but by the time we left around 6:15, it was madness! 39.99 dinner with one lobster or 49.99 dinner for unlimited lobster AND everyone at the table must chose the same. Luckily for me, my family gave me their lobsters so I ate all four lol! If you love seafood, sushi or both, then you will get your monies worth. If you just there for regular Asian fare, then you may not...unless you eat a lot! There's lots of choices including some dim sum favorites and hibachi. I mean the food was decent, sushi was ok and lots of seafood choices...but don't expect 4 stars at an AYCE joint...just sayin. read more

This is my second time having their food. I have now had 4 different rolls and the sushi bento box. AMAZING! I can't wait to try more. This place is a must try! read more

Yami Buffet - Salmon Bento Box - Buffets Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The former Red Lobster restaurant has been replaced by this awesome buffet place. Dinner starts around 3:30 pm and you gotta go and get the unlimited lobster option! The basic regular option gives each diner only 1 lobster, but lobster claws are unlimited. For a $10 upcharge, the unlimited option at a total of current $50 pp is worth it! Get the abalone, turbot fish, and crab legs too! Drinks are included and this place rocks! read more

Yami Buffet - Buffets Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Pleasantly surprised. There's a lot of variety in this buffet. It's a fixed price and it comes with a steamed lobster tail that they bring to each guest. One per guest. If you don't eat lobster let them know so that they will not bring you the lobster tail. Neither of us eat lobster so we couldn't give them to someone else at our table or anything. The dining room was clean and there's many tables of hot and cold food. A bar of various sushi rolls which will allow you to try many different rolls, a few types of sashimi, multiple hot and cold seafood bars...crab legs, shrimp, oysters, clams, Maryland crab, squid, fried shrimp, a few Chinese food options like beef and broccoli, general Tso's chicken, a yakitori bar and a make your own hibachi where you assemble you bowl and then they cook it for you. There's a fresh fruit bar, cakes and ice creams. Much more than I recall. You will not leave hungry. Lots of options but if you have a seafood allergy you may want to steer clear of this place. All of the servers were super fast and kind of great service from the cooks, hostesses and wait staff. If you wanna have a huge seafood meal with many options, this is your spot. If you're looking for a place to be fed immediately. This place will give you fed fast. read more

This place is 3/5. The staff is so nice, attentive, and quick to change your plate and refill your drink. They definitely are rockstars. The food quality is okay and selection is average, however they do not reflect the price of this place. This is a scaled down version of Umi in Rockville which is a long drive but well worth it over Yami. Had high hopes for this place, oh well. read more

The pricing and buffet options were a little confusing when looking online, but once you're there, it makes more sense. We went at 4pm for dinner. It's $39.99 per person for the buffet with one lobster included, or $49.99 per person for unlimited lobster (which you have to request from your server, and it's brought out one at a time). We had mixed feelings about the experience overall. There are a lot of seafood options -- both cooked and raw -- along with plenty of other proteins, different cooking styles, and drink options. The variety is definitely there. For me personally, the sashimi was the star of the buffet -- not the lobster. We ordered quite a few lobsters (nine total), and maybe one or two were actually good. The rest were just okay and didn't quite live up to expectations, especially for the price point. The other downside was the pacing of service. Some might call it very attentive, but we felt rushed throughout dinner. The moment we paused, someone would come to clear the table -- and multiple times they took plates we were still actively eating from or about to continue eating. Overall, there's strong variety and the sashimi alone makes it worth considering, but the lobster and rushed feeling made the experience a bit inconsistent for us. read more

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My daughter loves seafood and my son loves a buffet, so what better place than one that has both! This place was ABSOLUTELY amazing. The staff was attentive so we didn't have to wait long for refills or for our table to cleared. The decor from the outside to inside was pleasing on the eyes and had a relaxing feel. The food was delicious and the variety was out of this world. They have two options; the standard for $39.99 that comes with a lobster and $49.99 that comes with unlimited lobsters. We aren't huge fans of lobster so we did the standard. I did attach the receipt to give you a ballpark idea of pricing. It wasn't extremely crowded but had enough people where it was hard to take pics without being rude or being in everyone's ways. 5/5 HIGHLY RECOMMEND! We will be back to take their grandmother who also loves seafood! Definitely check this place out read more

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The food was so bad it was comedic. My sashimi had been left out so long the edges were crispy, the sushi rolls were dry and crumbly, the soup dumplings were so dry I could pick them up with my fingers and eat them upside down, the custard buns were room temp and the filling was stiff and congealed, the lobster tails were dry or suspiciously brown and mushy. The dessert cake was so dry that my fork couldn't pierce through it and the red gelee on top had the texture of dried glue. The meats I tried were very tough, the galbi that you could manage to chew through tasted good, they didn't let me cut my own prime rib slice and the server's English wasn't very good and they gave me a slice 4x bigger than I wanted and it too tough to saw through let alone eat. I enjoyed the mussels, the hot and sour soup, the cold jellyfish salad had a much firmer texture than I'm used to but the seasoning was excellent, the crawfish were plump and juicy, the sashimi shrimp was surprisingly sweet, the bacon wrapped enoki was too sweet but tasty, and orange chicken was good. I enjoyed the assortment of drinks, even though the peach jasmine tea tasted a little perfume-y. They have a rack of chips, so I got to try white cheddar Cheetos for the first time. It was a relief to end the meal with something that actually tasted good. The restaurant is very spacious with lots of seating, good for large parties. read more

This has to be the best buffet in the state of Virginia. All the food was prepared fresh. the sashimi was the perfect texture. My favorite item was the salt and pepper squid. The server always made sure we had our drinks filled and took up the empty plates once it hit the table. The place was very clean and futuristic vibes. 1000/10 read more

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I love this buffet! Everything is always fresh, and the staff are very friendly and welcoming. Great food and great service every time! read more

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Servers are nice & pleasant. $39.98 is a good deal for buffet in NOVA area. Avoid the juices w/Yami name on it - it's all too sweet (sugar, water, food coloring). Seafood is good for buffet experience. read more

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YAY! Sushi and Asian buffet returns to the Alexandria West End. So glad to come to its soft opening tonight and to have a very tasty option around the corner from home again. Everything sampled from the sushi offerings and the steam tables was exceptionally fresh and the staff was very busy keeping all the options refilled refreshed (as you'd expect on a soft open night). I started with a plate of sushi with a selection from the ample selection of sashimi, Nigerian, and making rolls. Nice to see everything on offer was quality ingredients and the rolls, while mostly simple, were heavy on the fish instead of cheaper filler ingredients. Also had several typical items from the steamer tables. They have a nice selection of dumplings, meats and seafood prepared various ways, 4 types of soups and across the board a nice balance of spicy or non options and plenty for my non-seafood eating mother to enjoy. If you can't find something you like from all the shiny trays, there's also a teppanyaki grill where you can pick your options and have them stirfried up for you. I'm now off to curl up in a very happy food coma. Until my next visit because.....like Arnold....I'LL BE BACK. read more

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Went here back in January and loved it, went back recently and was saddened about the fact that it's $40 for dinner and you're limited to one small lobster tail per person. Only came here for the lobster so was disappointed with the switch in comparison to before. read more

3.5/5 (This is due to the price) The servers are very attentive and are quick to remove finished plates. The interior is beautiful but i almost wish there were more food options - that being said the food is standard and good for buffet food my only issue is how expensive it is. $40 for dinner (is steep) i remember the buffets in the area in the past being like $20-$25 for dinner and i just don't see the cost to food ratio as i don't particularly like lobster and from what i saw there wasn't any butter to dip the lobster in. Overall id go for lunch ($25). read more

Have been there TWICE, already. And never left there disappointed on both occasions. Will always refer, & recommend, anyone who's interested in fine dining cuisine. And their STAFFS are very friendly very welcoming and Great, service too. I will return and continue to dine, there most definitely !!!!! read more

There was a wait but only 5 minutes. The host and waitress was nice. The place is new and clean and had a lot to choose from. Unlimited dine in boba cups. A lot of seafood, American and Asian food. Definitely will be back. Mellow Chinese music. read more

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