China Buffet
1245 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33612
China Buffet Menu
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Menu
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Menu
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Address :
1245 E Fowler Ave
Tampa, FL, 33612 - Phone (813) 615-1310
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Very Loud
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
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Allie W.
If I could give 0 stars I would. I spent $27 for my boyfriend and I to eat food that was mostly cold, mushy and not cooked properly AND to be disrespected by the cashier at checkout. After already being angry that the food was bad and the waitress decided she was never going to come and refill our drinks, I was then insulted by the cashier at checkout who complained I paid in $1 bills. I looked at him confused and explained that I work in a hair salon and get tipped in $1 bills generally and he rolled his eyes and continued to complain. I ended up giving the money to my bf to count because I was frustrated and the cashier then proceeded to ask me if I needed him to count my money for me (as if I was incapable). I then asked to speak to the manager who he originally refused to get me. I stood there and told him I wasn't leaving until I spoke with him about the shitty service I received. The manager he was apologetic but simply told me that the boy was "new" ... New or not doesn't give anyone a reason to disrespect and insult a paying customer. I won't even come back to this place.
(1)Kevin P.
Not bad, many food options. Good quality, seafood, sushi, meat, and many other options. Best buffet i"ve been to for the low price of 6.95 for lunch.
(4)Carlos H.
Certainly a good deal for the price. All you can eat for less than $10. It doesn't offer perhaps everything one wants, but does give enough food to even make the most hungry person satisfied. The sushi is actually pretty decent, as long as you stick with the California Rolls - I will admit that I also gave the salmon nigiri a shot and it wasn't bad. Crab lovers can get their crab leg obsession on as well. My friend and I were originally going to head to Hibachi Buffet on BBD, but I had a bad experience there during my last visit and the parking lot was deserted (never a good sign). In contrast, there were plenty of cars parked at China Buffet. The Chinese food is solid with some tasty Thai Chicken and the General Tso's is satisfactory as well. I liked the coconut shrimp, which is more like honey walnut shrimp you'd find at other Chinese restaurants, minus the walnuts. That dish had pineapples in it that tasted good. The fried squid was a disappointment, too rubbery. The salad area looked incomplete, unfortunately all the kimchi was gone. The dim sum area is only available for lunch FYI. Crab Rangoons were standard. I didn't try any of the soups, but the miso soup looked the most appetizing. Hibachi is only available on the weekends here as well. The green tea ice cream was great as usual. It's amazing actually that this place is still in business. I believe my family started visiting this China Buffet when I moved to Carrollwood in 1999 and even though it has been 14 years, this buffet is still standing. It brought back all kinds of memories sitting in the restaurant. Overall, a solid meal that is guaranteed to leave you stuffed for a reasonable price. ProTip: Dinner is cheaper Monday-Wednesday and they offer a USF discount so bring your id.
(4)Todd P.
There were two other Asian buffets in the USF area I preferred going to (Hibachi and China 1) but discovered both of them were closed down. I had been to China Buffet during previous trips to Tampa and decided to eat there yesterday. As usual, they have a decent selection of food including dim sum and sushi but the latter didn't seem that fresh (although more was being made when I was leaving). I was surprised not to see lettuce in the salad bar. I was also disappointed the Mongolian grill is open only on weekends. Aside from all that, this is an OK place if you desire all-you-can-eat Asian food.
(3)Glenn G.
What the heck were we thinking? We had one hour before having to return to the USF campus, we were starving and no one was in the mood for fast food or campus cafeteria. A quick drive down Fowler and low and behold... chinese buffet for UNDER SEVEN BUCKS. Why not? Remember the four of us were very hungry and perhaps thinking along the lines of "QUANTITY" in lieu of "QUALITY" We were greeted by the hostess but before taking a table we checked out the buffet... obviously we weren't in the right mindset to know what we were getting into. At that moment we all agreed it looked and smelled wonderful. We accepted a table and made our way to the buffet... No one finished their first plate and I was the only glutton for punishment that decided to make another plate. There must be something we like, right? NOPE, I was very incorrect with that assumption. Perhaps someone slipped us something earlier and we hallucinating to think it looked and smelled good. Maybe our hunger just got the best of us. Or we just simply screwed up, but what ever it was we knew a great error of judgement had occurred. What followed that evening was proof of our misfortune (nothing pretty I can assure you). Ever have one of those days...
(1)Jason B.
I was in the USF area Saturday around 6 p.m. and my girlfriend and I were in one of those indecisive, "oh I don't care you decide", types of moods. I just happened to catch a glance at China Buffet as I drove by and I figured, Hey why not. My impulse was poor. I can say without hyperbole that this is probably the worst Chinese food I have ever had. Every Item was cold and most of the staff could not be bothered to get off their cell phones to sit us or refill our drinks. Normally I would just pay, leave and never comeback without writing a review but the food was so terrible that I figured it was worth it to prevernt the next couple from repeating our same mistake. On the plus side we did not become ill and this seemed espically surprising considering that the quality of the food is nothing compared to how filthy the restaurant is or how sticky every exposed surface is to the touch. The startling thing is that at first glance the place seems alright and the food smells not too bad, but when you get inside and really look at the place and plate a bit of cold slimey General Tso's the magnitude of your mistake becomes all too clear.
(1)Eric O.
I ate there at least once a month from 2001 until 2008, and then last month. The food is hot and fresh, good but not great. The issue I have for this business is, the outside looks like it is abandoned. Super gross, trash and dirt everywhere. The building is falling apart. Maybe they rent, at least they could clean it up. Inside and out.
(3)Lily C.
We spent one of our anniversary nights here this week. Good price, great food, esp. the all you can eat crab legs. This restaurant is also close to home. And you can still take home doggie bags with the managers permission. You can sit all day long if you like or have your business office party here as well.
(5)Jacquelyn G.
If I could I would go with -5 stars. This place was awful!!!! The food was cold, and rock hard. They did not put any fresh food out. Between 3 people, we didn't eat even 1 plate of food. I complained to the manager and all she gave me was a $2 discount for 3 people. So over $20 wasted. I tried the honey chicken and it just tasted like watered down ketchup. The seafood was old and slimey. The sushi was rock hard and probably had been sitting for hours. The crab rangoon tasted like the cream cheese expired a month ago. The dining room is dirty carpets stained, booths all ripped up. Also when we were there the kitchen staff were peeling green beans in the dinning room 2 tables over from us. The health department really needs to check this place out before someone gets really sick.
(1)Tim M.
This placed sucked. Was there at prime dinner time. (7:30) and the food was cold, half the items were out and grill was closed. If you want to eat here better go quick. They look like there about to close.
(1)Mark K.
This place is GREAT. We arrived at 2:10pm and the place was pretty much empty. We were seated quickly and with great service. They took our drink orders and gave us these two huge glasses of soda (I guess they didn't want to bother with refills). The selection was amazing for the price. It was about $18 for 2 people, now sure if sodas cost extra or if there was tax or what not, but still, this is a great big deal. The sushi selection was the reason we came here in the first place, but it was definitely not 30-40 different options as some other reviewer stated. It was more like 10, most of which contained imitation crab meat. The best roll ever was the spicy crab stick roll in which I must have eaten over 3 rolls in that itself. The rest of the food was great. The Chinese food was amazing and surprisingly fresh, and the watermelon was crispy. I regret not trying the soup, but the sushi was too good to pass up on. If I lived in Tampa, I would come back often, but since I don't I will have my memories, and I hope you give it a shot. It's a great bargain here in Tampa!
(4)CJ N.
A culinary disaster and cultural bastardization. Best thing on the menu was Pepsi. Food dishes left out and unchecked for hours. By far the worst sushi I ever had in 32 years of living. The sanitary conditions I experienced here is only rivaled by those I have had while eating in a village in Iraq. The only way the food could be worse is if the fruit flies stayed in it. The decor is what I would imagine of a far east crack-house. Avoid at all cost. Going to Home-Depot and buying rat poison for lunch would be a better investment.
(1)Tom W.
Recall what you thought when you first saw the name of this buffet. You probably thought it was a low scale Chinese buffet as usual but then you saw the reviews and the stars. This restaurant is everything you inferred and more. First off, you're paying six dollars for a dinner. The waiter is on his phone when he seats you and there is no people here except a few scattered around the shady seating arrangement. The radio is playing some top 40 station. Watch your step because there is a spot on the floor that looks like a mini demolition crew went crazy on the tile. Most of the meat dishes there are warm and consist of chicken. When I saw most I mean almost all.The standalone vegetables were cold and the fruits were not fresh. You know sushi is not the best at buffets and here is not an exception. The rice on the sushi was hard from sitting out on the serving counter so long. I give China Buffet two stars because of the value. We paid seven dollars each for a buffet dinner.
(2)James I.
A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away, I went to China Buffet in my early days of USF. It was ok then. Your basic china food dishes and overly processed desserts. No fuss, no muss. I recently had 2 hours to kill last Saturday and out of curiosity headed to CB to see how it was almost 10 years later. The inside had been redocorated with a greenish tinge which looks tacky imo. However, the food imo has significantly declined. I know that they have to have some american dishes , but the macaroni and cheese is the most artificial food I have ever eaten. I know Kraft is artificial as well, but at least it tastes decent. Kraft to this is like comparing grilled cheese to filet mignon. Now the actual chinese/asian dishes were the heart of the restaurant and I assumed they would fare better on my taste buds. WRONG as Kevin Spacey would say . The Hunan beef had 10% beef and 90 % broccoloi. The roast pork was ok. The General Tso had no spice to it. All these dishes were lukewarm to cold. Now, I know ambience isn't really why someone comes here, but I thought it was funny that some of the employees were shelling peas right behind me in the main dining area. The service was like prison. delivering your drink without looking at you. Now the 2 positives 1): I went on a Saturday afternoon and the price was 9.60 (before tax and soda) which is quite good. 2)I didnt get sick. Woot Ultimately, I would'nt go here unless youre broke. Even then, try one of those Chinese places near Kaleisia. Theyre cheap, but tasty. Toodles
(2)Michael P.
Not a bad place to eat. My only complaint is the temperature inside the dining area. They are either being cheap with the AC or the buffet heat really overpowers the AC units. It's not very comfortable. But aside that, the food is pretty good for the price, I never went home sick or feeling weird. Food is always hot and has good flavor.
(3)Hadil J.
Well years Ago this place wasn't so bad,but walking in it smelled like urine!the place needs some remodeling,carpets, walls,bathrooms everything!,the food isn't so bad they have hot crab,lots of options.Bit the atmosphere Makes it hard to enjoy your meal!
(2)Kendrick F.
Oh boy, this place was an absolute disaster of a buffet. It's a shame really because if a little more care and effort was shown by the owners, this would be a great buffet to dine in. Unfortunately... The food on the line sits under heat lamps and is more often than not cold. That's just not acceptable. Anywhere. The sushi was better than average for a buffet of this caliber, and some of the dishes were unique and tasty. Like the several choices of dim sum which you usually don't see in a typical Chinese buffet, but it was ignored much like the rest of the buffet. I was there a good 45 minutes and the entire time I was there I saw nobody attending to the food. It just sat pathetically in the serving trays and went bad. Slowly under the lamps!
(2)Jake M.
If you eat here you are greatly increasing your risk of severe food poisoning. Went here for lunch, place is a garbage dump. Should have turned around and walked out, but thought Id try some things cuz I really wanted Chinese. Most everything I tried was cold. Cold buffet food sitting in a serving tray is a recipe for disaster. After 2 trips to the buffet and horrible food I walked out. The place was dirtier than a soup kitchen.
(1)Scott P.
Chinese Buffets have become hard to come by in my homeland of Pinellas County so when I found myself after spending a day at the BARF Ren Faire in Tampa, on Fowler Avenue looking for vittles, I whipped the ole truck into this China Buffet. At first the clientele outside seemed a bit dubious to be honest (many people just hanging outside by the front door) but once inside the atmosphere was pleasant and it became instantaneously obvious that there would be a huge selection. On this particular Sunday evening the price for the Buffet was $10.95 ($19.95 if one opted to eat crab legs). We each chose the $10.95 option and when the meal was done, we really did not miss having the crab. Our first round was dedicated to the raw seafood offerings and sushi. Steamed shrimp, raw oysters and mussels and various fresh sushi rolls were piled onto our plates (being hungry Ren Faire goers in costume and all). We each agreed that the shrimp were steamed just right and of a decent size and the oysters were very good (one could get their moneys worth just on a couple of plates of raw oysters, they are that fresh and good). The sushi was a delight across the board but the mussels were a bit flat and tasteless. Second round included standard asian fare including ribs, several chicken and seafood dishes and the addition of a beautiful standing carve it yourself pork roast that was delicious. My companion went for dim sum and she enjoyed every bite. Neither of us opted for the Mongolian grill option but it did look good, I will definitely give it a go next time. The service was plentiful and polite as well as being authentic asian. The asian tea a bit weak for my taste and the dessert table was just a mirage in the distance because our bellies were so full of the good stuff! (It did look enticing however, from a distance...I spies some huge cookies that I must try next time.... All in all this is a good stop, some dishes better than others as in all Asian Buffets but the good outweighed the not quite up to snuff by a wide margin and there were no really scary or bad dishes at all in our tastings. The decor' upon closer inspection could use a bit of maintenance but when you are serving the masses a lot of food at $10 a pop, it is not hard to imagine that the margins can be slim. An honest hard working and well prepared buffet, really what else can you expect?
(4)Sharon C.
Awful, like, so bad. I was here with a huge group for a family reunion, and there were a few things immediately wrong: there was very limited air conditioning, the tables weren't set and the buffet items looked like they'd already been out (and barely touched) for a while. I tried quite a few of the foods in search of something moderately edible, and was disappointed. My mom ordered a coffee and it was not drinkable; she said it tasted mostly like tea. AVOID.
(1)James I.
A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away, I went to China Buffet in my early days of USF. It was ok then. Your basic china food dishes and overly processed desserts. No fuss, no muss. I recently had 2 hours to kill last Saturday and out of curiosity headed to CB to see how it was almost 10 years later. The inside had been redocorated with a greenish tinge which looks tacky imo. However, the food imo has significantly declined. I know that they have to have some american dishes , but the macaroni and cheese is the most artificial food I have ever eaten. I know Kraft is artificial as well, but at least it tastes decent. Kraft to this is like comparing grilled cheese to filet mignon. Now the actual chinese/asian dishes were the heart of the restaurant and I assumed they would fare better on my taste buds. WRONG as Kevin Spacey would say . The Hunan beef had 10% beef and 90 % broccoloi. The roast pork was ok. The General Tso had no spice to it. All these dishes were lukewarm to cold. Now, I know ambience isn't really why someone comes here, but I thought it was funny that some of the employees were shelling peas right behind me in the main dining area. The service was like prison. delivering your drink without looking at you. Now the 2 positives 1): I went on a Saturday afternoon and the price was 9.60 (before tax and soda) which is quite good. 2)I didnt get sick. Woot Ultimately, I would'nt go here unless youre broke. Even then, try one of those Chinese places near Kaleisia. Theyre cheap, but tasty. Toodles
(2)Michael P.
Not a bad place to eat. My only complaint is the temperature inside the dining area. They are either being cheap with the AC or the buffet heat really overpowers the AC units. It's not very comfortable. But aside that, the food is pretty good for the price, I never went home sick or feeling weird. Food is always hot and has good flavor.
(3)Todd P.
There were two other Asian buffets in the USF area I preferred going to (Hibachi and China 1) but discovered both of them were closed down. I had been to China Buffet during previous trips to Tampa and decided to eat there yesterday. As usual, they have a decent selection of food including dim sum and sushi but the latter didn't seem that fresh (although more was being made when I was leaving). I was surprised not to see lettuce in the salad bar. I was also disappointed the Mongolian grill is open only on weekends. Aside from all that, this is an OK place if you desire all-you-can-eat Asian food.
(3)Hadil J.
Well years Ago this place wasn't so bad,but walking in it smelled like urine!the place needs some remodeling,carpets, walls,bathrooms everything!,the food isn't so bad they have hot crab,lots of options.Bit the atmosphere Makes it hard to enjoy your meal!
(2)Scott P.
Chinese Buffets have become hard to come by in my homeland of Pinellas County so when I found myself after spending a day at the BARF Ren Faire in Tampa, on Fowler Avenue looking for vittles, I whipped the ole truck into this China Buffet. At first the clientele outside seemed a bit dubious to be honest (many people just hanging outside by the front door) but once inside the atmosphere was pleasant and it became instantaneously obvious that there would be a huge selection. On this particular Sunday evening the price for the Buffet was $10.95 ($19.95 if one opted to eat crab legs). We each chose the $10.95 option and when the meal was done, we really did not miss having the crab. Our first round was dedicated to the raw seafood offerings and sushi. Steamed shrimp, raw oysters and mussels and various fresh sushi rolls were piled onto our plates (being hungry Ren Faire goers in costume and all). We each agreed that the shrimp were steamed just right and of a decent size and the oysters were very good (one could get their moneys worth just on a couple of plates of raw oysters, they are that fresh and good). The sushi was a delight across the board but the mussels were a bit flat and tasteless. Second round included standard asian fare including ribs, several chicken and seafood dishes and the addition of a beautiful standing carve it yourself pork roast that was delicious. My companion went for dim sum and she enjoyed every bite. Neither of us opted for the Mongolian grill option but it did look good, I will definitely give it a go next time. The service was plentiful and polite as well as being authentic asian. The asian tea a bit weak for my taste and the dessert table was just a mirage in the distance because our bellies were so full of the good stuff! (It did look enticing however, from a distance...I spies some huge cookies that I must try next time.... All in all this is a good stop, some dishes better than others as in all Asian Buffets but the good outweighed the not quite up to snuff by a wide margin and there were no really scary or bad dishes at all in our tastings. The decor' upon closer inspection could use a bit of maintenance but when you are serving the masses a lot of food at $10 a pop, it is not hard to imagine that the margins can be slim. An honest hard working and well prepared buffet, really what else can you expect?
(4)Jibini B.
Darn good food, for the price. I used to live just a few miles from this place, and it was a regular weekly haunt for me & my husband. Almost like a "poor man's Crazy Buffet". If you like sushi, you'll find this place to be an even better value. They have a suprising assortment of decent (not great) sushi. Though I'd definitely reccomend you come during the beginning of the lunch or dinner rush. Come during off-peak times and the sushi is a little too warm, and rubbery. Not good. But come when it's fresh and it's just right. Of the regular Chinese food, they have a darn good assortment, pretty much anything you could ask for, including a regularly changing variety of Dim Sum. My favorite was the little shrimp pastries, whatever they were called. They were good. They also had Miso Soup, which isn't standard fare for most Chinese places, and was a nice suprise. Nights, they had crab legs on the buffet and like so many Chinese crab leg buffets, they were often a bit over-cooked and difficult to get the meat out of them. But occasionally we caught them on a good night and had our fill of some pretty good crab legs. Just don't go with your hopes too high, if you're hoping for the crab. The sweet tea is excellent and the service was always very good. Now my husband and I visit Tampa a couple times a year and this is one place that's on our "must visit" list. Only drawback, us being truck drivers, is that it's not truck-friendly, unless you drop your trailer and bobtail. However, last time I was there, there is an empty parking lot within walking distance, west of the restaurant, if you want to bring a truck & trailer down there.
(4)Tad W.
This is a good buffet for the price. Lots of food but not as much sushi as they mentioned in the description. The parking lot was more that half full around 2:00 pm but there were plenty of tables available. What I tried I liked but one might be a little turned off at the dirty plate here and there. Sometimes that can turn and appetite. I would go again but only if i am back in that area.
(3)Malissa W.
place went down, its a dump now.
(1)Malissa W.
place went down, its a dump now.
(1)Kendrick F.
Oh boy, this place was an absolute disaster of a buffet. It's a shame really because if a little more care and effort was shown by the owners, this would be a great buffet to dine in. Unfortunately... The food on the line sits under heat lamps and is more often than not cold. That's just not acceptable. Anywhere. The sushi was better than average for a buffet of this caliber, and some of the dishes were unique and tasty. Like the several choices of dim sum which you usually don't see in a typical Chinese buffet, but it was ignored much like the rest of the buffet. I was there a good 45 minutes and the entire time I was there I saw nobody attending to the food. It just sat pathetically in the serving trays and went bad. Slowly under the lamps!
(2)Jake M.
If you eat here you are greatly increasing your risk of severe food poisoning. Went here for lunch, place is a garbage dump. Should have turned around and walked out, but thought Id try some things cuz I really wanted Chinese. Most everything I tried was cold. Cold buffet food sitting in a serving tray is a recipe for disaster. After 2 trips to the buffet and horrible food I walked out. The place was dirtier than a soup kitchen.
(1)Allie W.
If I could give 0 stars I would. I spent $27 for my boyfriend and I to eat food that was mostly cold, mushy and not cooked properly AND to be disrespected by the cashier at checkout. After already being angry that the food was bad and the waitress decided she was never going to come and refill our drinks, I was then insulted by the cashier at checkout who complained I paid in $1 bills. I looked at him confused and explained that I work in a hair salon and get tipped in $1 bills generally and he rolled his eyes and continued to complain. I ended up giving the money to my bf to count because I was frustrated and the cashier then proceeded to ask me if I needed him to count my money for me (as if I was incapable). I then asked to speak to the manager who he originally refused to get me. I stood there and told him I wasn't leaving until I spoke with him about the shitty service I received. The manager he was apologetic but simply told me that the boy was "new" ... New or not doesn't give anyone a reason to disrespect and insult a paying customer. I won't even come back to this place.
(1)Carlos H.
Certainly a good deal for the price. All you can eat for less than $10. It doesn't offer perhaps everything one wants, but does give enough food to even make the most hungry person satisfied. The sushi is actually pretty decent, as long as you stick with the California Rolls - I will admit that I also gave the salmon nigiri a shot and it wasn't bad. Crab lovers can get their crab leg obsession on as well. My friend and I were originally going to head to Hibachi Buffet on BBD, but I had a bad experience there during my last visit and the parking lot was deserted (never a good sign). In contrast, there were plenty of cars parked at China Buffet. The Chinese food is solid with some tasty Thai Chicken and the General Tso's is satisfactory as well. I liked the coconut shrimp, which is more like honey walnut shrimp you'd find at other Chinese restaurants, minus the walnuts. That dish had pineapples in it that tasted good. The fried squid was a disappointment, too rubbery. The salad area looked incomplete, unfortunately all the kimchi was gone. The dim sum area is only available for lunch FYI. Crab Rangoons were standard. I didn't try any of the soups, but the miso soup looked the most appetizing. Hibachi is only available on the weekends here as well. The green tea ice cream was great as usual. It's amazing actually that this place is still in business. I believe my family started visiting this China Buffet when I moved to Carrollwood in 1999 and even though it has been 14 years, this buffet is still standing. It brought back all kinds of memories sitting in the restaurant. Overall, a solid meal that is guaranteed to leave you stuffed for a reasonable price. ProTip: Dinner is cheaper Monday-Wednesday and they offer a USF discount so bring your id.
(4)Glenn G.
What the heck were we thinking? We had one hour before having to return to the USF campus, we were starving and no one was in the mood for fast food or campus cafeteria. A quick drive down Fowler and low and behold... chinese buffet for UNDER SEVEN BUCKS. Why not? Remember the four of us were very hungry and perhaps thinking along the lines of "QUANTITY" in lieu of "QUALITY" We were greeted by the hostess but before taking a table we checked out the buffet... obviously we weren't in the right mindset to know what we were getting into. At that moment we all agreed it looked and smelled wonderful. We accepted a table and made our way to the buffet... No one finished their first plate and I was the only glutton for punishment that decided to make another plate. There must be something we like, right? NOPE, I was very incorrect with that assumption. Perhaps someone slipped us something earlier and we hallucinating to think it looked and smelled good. Maybe our hunger just got the best of us. Or we just simply screwed up, but what ever it was we knew a great error of judgement had occurred. What followed that evening was proof of our misfortune (nothing pretty I can assure you). Ever have one of those days...
(1)Kevin P.
Not bad, many food options. Good quality, seafood, sushi, meat, and many other options. Best buffet i"ve been to for the low price of 6.95 for lunch.
(4)Jason B.
I was in the USF area Saturday around 6 p.m. and my girlfriend and I were in one of those indecisive, "oh I don't care you decide", types of moods. I just happened to catch a glance at China Buffet as I drove by and I figured, Hey why not. My impulse was poor. I can say without hyperbole that this is probably the worst Chinese food I have ever had. Every Item was cold and most of the staff could not be bothered to get off their cell phones to sit us or refill our drinks. Normally I would just pay, leave and never comeback without writing a review but the food was so terrible that I figured it was worth it to prevernt the next couple from repeating our same mistake. On the plus side we did not become ill and this seemed espically surprising considering that the quality of the food is nothing compared to how filthy the restaurant is or how sticky every exposed surface is to the touch. The startling thing is that at first glance the place seems alright and the food smells not too bad, but when you get inside and really look at the place and plate a bit of cold slimey General Tso's the magnitude of your mistake becomes all too clear.
(1)Eric O.
I ate there at least once a month from 2001 until 2008, and then last month. The food is hot and fresh, good but not great. The issue I have for this business is, the outside looks like it is abandoned. Super gross, trash and dirt everywhere. The building is falling apart. Maybe they rent, at least they could clean it up. Inside and out.
(3)Lily C.
We spent one of our anniversary nights here this week. Good price, great food, esp. the all you can eat crab legs. This restaurant is also close to home. And you can still take home doggie bags with the managers permission. You can sit all day long if you like or have your business office party here as well.
(5)Mark K.
This place is GREAT. We arrived at 2:10pm and the place was pretty much empty. We were seated quickly and with great service. They took our drink orders and gave us these two huge glasses of soda (I guess they didn't want to bother with refills). The selection was amazing for the price. It was about $18 for 2 people, now sure if sodas cost extra or if there was tax or what not, but still, this is a great big deal. The sushi selection was the reason we came here in the first place, but it was definitely not 30-40 different options as some other reviewer stated. It was more like 10, most of which contained imitation crab meat. The best roll ever was the spicy crab stick roll in which I must have eaten over 3 rolls in that itself. The rest of the food was great. The Chinese food was amazing and surprisingly fresh, and the watermelon was crispy. I regret not trying the soup, but the sushi was too good to pass up on. If I lived in Tampa, I would come back often, but since I don't I will have my memories, and I hope you give it a shot. It's a great bargain here in Tampa!
(4)CJ N.
A culinary disaster and cultural bastardization. Best thing on the menu was Pepsi. Food dishes left out and unchecked for hours. By far the worst sushi I ever had in 32 years of living. The sanitary conditions I experienced here is only rivaled by those I have had while eating in a village in Iraq. The only way the food could be worse is if the fruit flies stayed in it. The decor is what I would imagine of a far east crack-house. Avoid at all cost. Going to Home-Depot and buying rat poison for lunch would be a better investment.
(1)D S.
I don't think that there is such a thing as a "great chinese buffet". However, I enjoy taking guests that don't know anything about oriental food. The food selection is good and if you are in a tie budget it's worth it. Otherwise there is nothing worth eating. On a positive note my 5 year old asked the waiter for hot-and-sour that was not spicy. With in 5 minutes they had a huge container of the soup and a bowl. He loved it. Well he is 5 after all!
(1)Adam C.
I came here with some of my Tampa friends for an afternoon of Chinese buffet lunching and for 11 bucks it's not bad for all you can eat. Plus! There is an assortment of things to choose from, including sushi. I was fortunate to catch the sushi just as it was getting rotated with a fresh batch. Over all a nice cheap place to indulge in just "OK" tasting Chinese food. Some of the food tasted like it had been under the heating lamp for a while, but it seemed that people were consistently bringing out new items as it was a busy Saturday rush of tourists, families etc. I wouldn't come here all the time but for a big group of friends with little spending cash, I highly recommend!
(3)Tad W.
This is a good buffet for the price. Lots of food but not as much sushi as they mentioned in the description. The parking lot was more that half full around 2:00 pm but there were plenty of tables available. What I tried I liked but one might be a little turned off at the dirty plate here and there. Sometimes that can turn and appetite. I would go again but only if i am back in that area.
(3)Jacquelyn G.
If I could I would go with -5 stars. This place was awful!!!! The food was cold, and rock hard. They did not put any fresh food out. Between 3 people, we didn't eat even 1 plate of food. I complained to the manager and all she gave me was a $2 discount for 3 people. So over $20 wasted. I tried the honey chicken and it just tasted like watered down ketchup. The seafood was old and slimey. The sushi was rock hard and probably had been sitting for hours. The crab rangoon tasted like the cream cheese expired a month ago. The dining room is dirty carpets stained, booths all ripped up. Also when we were there the kitchen staff were peeling green beans in the dinning room 2 tables over from us. The health department really needs to check this place out before someone gets really sick.
(1)Tim M.
This placed sucked. Was there at prime dinner time. (7:30) and the food was cold, half the items were out and grill was closed. If you want to eat here better go quick. They look like there about to close.
(1)Tom W.
Recall what you thought when you first saw the name of this buffet. You probably thought it was a low scale Chinese buffet as usual but then you saw the reviews and the stars. This restaurant is everything you inferred and more. First off, you're paying six dollars for a dinner. The waiter is on his phone when he seats you and there is no people here except a few scattered around the shady seating arrangement. The radio is playing some top 40 station. Watch your step because there is a spot on the floor that looks like a mini demolition crew went crazy on the tile. Most of the meat dishes there are warm and consist of chicken. When I saw most I mean almost all.The standalone vegetables were cold and the fruits were not fresh. You know sushi is not the best at buffets and here is not an exception. The rice on the sushi was hard from sitting out on the serving counter so long. I give China Buffet two stars because of the value. We paid seven dollars each for a buffet dinner.
(2)D S.
I don't think that there is such a thing as a "great chinese buffet". However, I enjoy taking guests that don't know anything about oriental food. The food selection is good and if you are in a tie budget it's worth it. Otherwise there is nothing worth eating. On a positive note my 5 year old asked the waiter for hot-and-sour that was not spicy. With in 5 minutes they had a huge container of the soup and a bowl. He loved it. Well he is 5 after all!
(1)Adam C.
I came here with some of my Tampa friends for an afternoon of Chinese buffet lunching and for 11 bucks it's not bad for all you can eat. Plus! There is an assortment of things to choose from, including sushi. I was fortunate to catch the sushi just as it was getting rotated with a fresh batch. Over all a nice cheap place to indulge in just "OK" tasting Chinese food. Some of the food tasted like it had been under the heating lamp for a while, but it seemed that people were consistently bringing out new items as it was a busy Saturday rush of tourists, families etc. I wouldn't come here all the time but for a big group of friends with little spending cash, I highly recommend!
(3)Jibini B.
Darn good food, for the price. I used to live just a few miles from this place, and it was a regular weekly haunt for me & my husband. Almost like a "poor man's Crazy Buffet". If you like sushi, you'll find this place to be an even better value. They have a suprising assortment of decent (not great) sushi. Though I'd definitely reccomend you come during the beginning of the lunch or dinner rush. Come during off-peak times and the sushi is a little too warm, and rubbery. Not good. But come when it's fresh and it's just right. Of the regular Chinese food, they have a darn good assortment, pretty much anything you could ask for, including a regularly changing variety of Dim Sum. My favorite was the little shrimp pastries, whatever they were called. They were good. They also had Miso Soup, which isn't standard fare for most Chinese places, and was a nice suprise. Nights, they had crab legs on the buffet and like so many Chinese crab leg buffets, they were often a bit over-cooked and difficult to get the meat out of them. But occasionally we caught them on a good night and had our fill of some pretty good crab legs. Just don't go with your hopes too high, if you're hoping for the crab. The sweet tea is excellent and the service was always very good. Now my husband and I visit Tampa a couple times a year and this is one place that's on our "must visit" list. Only drawback, us being truck drivers, is that it's not truck-friendly, unless you drop your trailer and bobtail. However, last time I was there, there is an empty parking lot within walking distance, west of the restaurant, if you want to bring a truck & trailer down there.
(4)Sharon C.
Awful, like, so bad. I was here with a huge group for a family reunion, and there were a few things immediately wrong: there was very limited air conditioning, the tables weren't set and the buffet items looked like they'd already been out (and barely touched) for a while. I tried quite a few of the foods in search of something moderately edible, and was disappointed. My mom ordered a coffee and it was not drinkable; she said it tasted mostly like tea. AVOID.
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