4. Restaurants

Peking Buffet

93 2nd St, Coralville, IA, 52241
  • (319) 688-9833
  • Store is closed

Peking Buffet Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

  • Lexi S.

    I come here very often because the food is good! Typically I try to get there at around 5:30 for dinner, that's when the food is the best and there are not as many people there yet. I really recommend this place for casual nights out when you feel like you want something filling and a lot of variety. I abandoned Panda Express for this place, you get better food and as much as you want!

    (4)

  • Richard L.

    Cited by the Iowa Dept. of health, this joint got the worst rating in Johnson County. Rat heaven. This place is infested with rodents. Their open back door faces the Iowa River and they pour in like the floods. Their best sushi is the "Mickey mouse roll".

    (1)

  • Wern O.

    TLDR : solid American Chinese food place. I haven't eaten inside the restaurant in a while but always get the carry out by the pound option. Essentially you go to the buffet get what you want, they weigh your food and then you pay based on the lb. As of today I paid around 6.50 for a little over a lb of food. If you want American Chinese this place does a solid job of it. Got all your classic American dishes in their glory. The food always hits the spot when I'm craving it so hats off to them. The price is right and selection decent so I can't complain.

    (4)

  • Naomi S.

    You get what you pay for. It may be a lot of food for very cheap, but the ensuing GI distress is not worth it. Stay away from this buffet.

    (1)

  • Sarah H.

    My friend and I went here at about 3pm and most of the food was spoiled! We told the waitress and she did change the food out... Ew

    (1)

  • Jim K.

    Well, what can one say about the grossest buffet I've ever been too. The food was tasteless the chicken "parts" they used in their food contained a large amount of chewy gristle and cartilage. The food generally had funky flavor. The best was the view from our table of a buss station where the wait staff emptied uneaten food from plates into troughs and dumped silver ware into buckets. In this same little garbage dump room is where wait staff filled drinks right next to the garbage. All so VERY appetizing. Never again! I mentioned to the cashier about the gross situation she seemed very surprised, but she was very unfriendly when we entered preferring to break coins unit the till and count money rather than seat us or even offer a greeting. I guess you get what you pay for but not really as lunch for wife myself and 6 and 8 year old was $40.65

    (1)

  • Justin B.

    This place is nasty. 0 for 2. Shame on me for going back.

    (1)

  • T K.

    The place had a large selection, i tried alot of the diffrent dishes. However, the food was cold. Buffet food needs to be kept especially hot to ward off germs from people caughing on and touching the food. Ill prob go back, but im gonna test the food to make sure its hot before i take it for my plate.

    (3)

  • Liz V.

    Ok, I agree with Lucy G. This is a buffet in a smallish city in Iowa--I'm not expecting gourmet deliciousness or authenticity. That said, when I'm stuck at Heartland Inn due to flight cancellations with a blizzard warning in effect, Peking Buffet is exceptionally awesome! I just finished spending an hour there. The staff showed up and were fairly friendly despite the dismal weather, and the sushi was being made fresh. I had some sushi, cucumber salad, peel and eat shrimp and mussels to start. Then I went back for rice, shrimp and veggies, some noodles, and sauteed green beans. These were all pretty good. I would stay away from the potstickers and crab rangoon on any future visit. I ended my meal with mint chocolate chip ice cream. Overall, I was happy--it was good to get out of the hotel room!

    (4)

  • Matt U.

    For those who are in love with the food here, I think we need to have a talk. Having grown up in the buffet line, I'm a fan of places that serve food in hog trough style, but it's gotta be comida that's at least worth what you pay for. This was unfortunately not that case when we visited the Peking buffet. I've got nothing against places that have some grime going on or that are busy enough that some things are out, but when the food is truly not worth eating, that's my limit. We wandered in for a late dinner this past week after seeing 6 days of lines coming out of the place after the grand opening. The decor inside is actually very authentic and the servers were fantastic (they kept the place open late for a number of us who came in 20 minutes before closing) - extra star for service. That's where the good stuff ended. The buffets were nicely stocked, the chandelier (with a rotating colored light above it no less) adorned said buffets, and the place smelled of Chinese buffet. We counted about 12 different types of chicken and to be fair, these were decent - our favorite was the peanut butter chicken. Crab rangoons were solid as well. At that point however, things got rough. Our first hint that things may go south was when we saw the frog legs...yes frog legs at a Chinese buffet. They were interesting, not gross. The egg drop soup was pretty bad - may have been because it's made with Coralville water, but either way, I didn't finish it. The dim sum offerings were a chicken rice and a red bean roll - these were unfortunately sub par. The sushi bar was exciting until we tasted the sushi. Again, I'm glad the attempts are being made, but the sushi needs to be fresh - these tastes like old fish. Didn't have any of the Mongolian BBQ, but suspect it's okay as it's hard to mess up. The desserts were iced cream and a number of rolls. The ice cream was not real high quality (I know, it's a buffet) and left much to be desired. Getting a big bunch of store brand would be a step up. They do the standard fried Americanized Chinese food really well here, but you can grab that at a grocery store. The "real" Chinese dishes were really cheaply done and left way to much to be desired for even the $12 that the buffet cost. The positives included the service and the decor - you can tell they're excited about the place! Based on the lines, we were expecting to be blown away, but aside from the "insert location or ingredient here" chicken and other fried goods, the food was really sub-par. If we want fake Chinese (which we often do) we'll grab it at Hy-vee.

    (2)

  • Mark J.

    We miss the old location before the floods. The atmosphere is hard to place. Certainly clean. Bright. Neon-y? Like many reviews have said, this is good stomach paste. Careful about coming in at off hours (any buffet for that matter), when who knows how long the food's been under the lamps. Cantonese shrimp, crab rangoon, pot stickers are my favorite. Sometimes you get lucky and they have all you can eat mangoes on the fruit counter! IMO, stay away from the sushi - it's mealy rice is comparable to HyVee's. Or just drown it in soy sauce to make it work.

    (3)

  • Gloria O.

    i usually go to sushi house when in coralville, thought i would give these guys another chance, as my last visit wasnt memorable. i now know why. food is awful tasteless or what has flavor is jalapeno. my waiter was very nice, the restaurant was clean and tastefully decorated, however i was there to eat and will continue to take my business down the block to sushi house, good soup, good lomein, good food in general. i really wish i could give peking a better review as i truly wanted it to be good, me loves me some asian food

    (1)

  • Jessica A.

    Typical buffet, nothing special. It's only $7.00 for lunch though so I'd say you get what you pay for.

    (3)

  • Roy S.

    I have always loved this place! I remember it before the flood and how small and cozy it was but not they have so many more food selections. In terms of Chinese buffet this is the best in the area.

    (4)

  • Mia C.

    After a long wait this place finally opened. We waited in line for about 20-30 minutes and I felt like it was worth it. The food was hot and it was filled up constantly, all my favorites were pretty good and our server made sure glasses were full and plates were cleared. If you are craving chinese buffet in Iowa City/Coralville this is the place to go. For the people that are complaining about how "dirty" it may have been I would cut these people some slack, this place has had lines coming out the door for 3 freaking days, I'm pretty sure they had a hard time keeping up with the demand and when I was there it really didn't seem dirty at all to me. The things I minused a star for, all the plates were wet, which sort of bugged me but whatever. Then the self serve Ice Cream, some one needs to put a sign not to let children get their own, I wanted some of that Ice Cream but I was informed by my mom there were kids up there serving themselves and sticking their fingers all over the scoops and the ice cream, I know kids don't know about germs but that is seriously disgusting and I cleared away from it.

    (3)

  • Austin B.

    Who was I kidding in that last review? It's a freakin' China buffet. If you come here willfully and leave disappointed I would be surprised, but don't expect anything amazing. They have been maintaining the place well though, I thought carpet at a China buffet was a terrible idea originally but it is still pretty clean. I don't think Peking Buffet is any worse since my last review, hell it may even be better. But I think I might have been drunk when I wrote it. Hell, I gave Oasis 4 stars, and I'd rather eat at Oasis til I puke than Peking Buffet. This update is more of a reality check than anything.

    (3)

  • Sidney T.

    Average but better than they were before the flood and better than the place across the intersection. The only dish I enjoyed was the honey chicken. The other dishes were all cold which is why I rate it 2 stars instead of three. If the food was the appropriate temperature it is at least average. The service was above average. Drinks were always full and everyone was pleasant.

    (2)

  • Andy M.

    Best Chinese buffet in the CR/IC corridor!!! I love this place, they serve real, authentic Chinese food. They even serve the traditional Cantonese dish of steamed sticky rice inside a grape leaf. The service is good, the variety is great, and all of the dishes are good. There's even a Mongolian BBQ. I love this place. If you're thinking about going to a buffet, go here.

    (5)

  • John G.

    I used to eat here, until I read the Dec 8 2012 story in the Iowa City Press Citizen newspaper. Excerpts: Peking Buffet ... had a combined 26 critical and swing violations this past fiscal year -- more than any other local restaurant in that period... ... an inspector observed ... a roach carcass under the sushi bar and a cluster of roaches underneath the wok stove, according to the report.

    (1)

  • Louis L.

    Pretty bad service. Food with bugs.

    (1)

  • Chaos M.

    I don't like the decoration of the restaurant. But they have Mongolian grill, and other dishes I think they are more variety than China Garden.

    (4)

  • Beau N.

    i ate there about 3 hours ago. now i have diarrhea. as far as chinese buffets go, this one is pretty good.

    (3)

  • j c.

    I have been to their lunch and dinner buffet and feel ready to write this review. The new setting is well... new. Nothing fancy, some nominal Chinese decorations. Big space with plenty of room to accommodate lots of people. Don't come here expecting authentic Chinese food. Don't come here expecting great Chinese food. In fact there are no great Chinese restaurants in the area. The food is surprisingly good considering they have to mass produce them. All the familiar favorites are available. Fish and squids are new. Still love their potstickers. I liked the mussels when they were cooked in black bean sauce before. Now they are pre-cooked and served chilled. I didn't see any crab legs. Mongolian grill is still a good option if you like to pick your own. Drink is cheap and service is brisk considering how crowded it is. If you are in the mood for some Chinese food and would like to try variety of dishes, this is the place. For best result, come when it is busy so that the food is constantly being replenished. If you come too early or late, the food will not be as fresh.

    (4)

  • Xiang F.

    a good place to grab some chinese food. not expensive.

    (4)

  • Sarah L.

    I usually don't write a review unless I really hate a restaurant. But this is one of the very few restaurants in Iowa City I don't hate, and in fact, I LOVE it! I'm a Chinese grew up in China, lived many years in California and I've seen good Chinese food, or let's say good food in general. I love all ethnic foods and enjoy good American food, too. But unfortunately after 4 years in IC, nothing really impresses me and I stop eating out. Peking buffet is the only restaurant I'm actually happy after eating. The food is plentiful and fresh. Can't comment on the "Americanized" Chinese dishes since I didn't touch them at all. But 90% of the customers are local Americans and they all seem to enjoy those dishes a lot. And I'm actually glad their taste don't overlap with mine so not much competition for my favorite fish and sashimi. As for all the authentic Chinese dishes, they are right on spot! Fish and clams are fresh, pot stickers are almost as good as my homemade ones; sticky rice chicken in lotus leaves are so fragrant that though the rice was always a bit overcooked and mushy, I still enjoy it a lot. They even have duck and frog legs, which are definitely considered delicacy in a buffet. And the taste was very homey, not fancy, but decent. Most of the deserts are very generic, but they sometimes serve green tea flavored ice cream, which is a nice touch. The service is kind of slow, but it's understandable since there was always a line waiting to be seated extending even outside of the door. The place is huge with 3 dining halls and one private room. So sometimes it can be a bit chaotic. But as long as the good food keeps coming, I'll keep going back!

    (5)

  • Michael C.

    A few years ago, I used to LOVE to go here for lunch or supper... It was inexpensive and decent food. But, out of the last handful of times my family has gone there, my wife has gotten an upset stomach and I noticed that the quality of the food just wasn't the same. Add to that the prices have gone up, it's no longer one of the places we frequent.

    (2)

  • Mark J.

    We miss the old location before the floods. The atmosphere is hard to place. Certainly clean. Bright. Neon-y? Like many reviews have said, this is good stomach paste. Careful about coming in at off hours (any buffet for that matter), when who knows how long the food's been under the lamps. Cantonese shrimp, crab rangoon, pot stickers are my favorite. Sometimes you get lucky and they have all you can eat mangoes on the fruit counter! IMO, stay away from the sushi - it's mealy rice is comparable to HyVee's. Or just drown it in soy sauce to make it work.

    (3)

  • Liz V.

    Ok, I agree with Lucy G. This is a buffet in a smallish city in Iowa--I'm not expecting gourmet deliciousness or authenticity. That said, when I'm stuck at Heartland Inn due to flight cancellations with a blizzard warning in effect, Peking Buffet is exceptionally awesome! I just finished spending an hour there. The staff showed up and were fairly friendly despite the dismal weather, and the sushi was being made fresh. I had some sushi, cucumber salad, peel and eat shrimp and mussels to start. Then I went back for rice, shrimp and veggies, some noodles, and sauteed green beans. These were all pretty good. I would stay away from the potstickers and crab rangoon on any future visit. I ended my meal with mint chocolate chip ice cream. Overall, I was happy--it was good to get out of the hotel room!

    (4)

  • Matt U.

    For those who are in love with the food here, I think we need to have a talk. Having grown up in the buffet line, I'm a fan of places that serve food in hog trough style, but it's gotta be comida that's at least worth what you pay for. This was unfortunately not that case when we visited the Peking buffet. I've got nothing against places that have some grime going on or that are busy enough that some things are out, but when the food is truly not worth eating, that's my limit. We wandered in for a late dinner this past week after seeing 6 days of lines coming out of the place after the grand opening. The decor inside is actually very authentic and the servers were fantastic (they kept the place open late for a number of us who came in 20 minutes before closing) - extra star for service. That's where the good stuff ended. The buffets were nicely stocked, the chandelier (with a rotating colored light above it no less) adorned said buffets, and the place smelled of Chinese buffet. We counted about 12 different types of chicken and to be fair, these were decent - our favorite was the peanut butter chicken. Crab rangoons were solid as well. At that point however, things got rough. Our first hint that things may go south was when we saw the frog legs...yes frog legs at a Chinese buffet. They were interesting, not gross. The egg drop soup was pretty bad - may have been because it's made with Coralville water, but either way, I didn't finish it. The dim sum offerings were a chicken rice and a red bean roll - these were unfortunately sub par. The sushi bar was exciting until we tasted the sushi. Again, I'm glad the attempts are being made, but the sushi needs to be fresh - these tastes like old fish. Didn't have any of the Mongolian BBQ, but suspect it's okay as it's hard to mess up. The desserts were iced cream and a number of rolls. The ice cream was not real high quality (I know, it's a buffet) and left much to be desired. Getting a big bunch of store brand would be a step up. They do the standard fried Americanized Chinese food really well here, but you can grab that at a grocery store. The "real" Chinese dishes were really cheaply done and left way to much to be desired for even the $12 that the buffet cost. The positives included the service and the decor - you can tell they're excited about the place! Based on the lines, we were expecting to be blown away, but aside from the "insert location or ingredient here" chicken and other fried goods, the food was really sub-par. If we want fake Chinese (which we often do) we'll grab it at Hy-vee.

    (2)

  • Roy S.

    I have always loved this place! I remember it before the flood and how small and cozy it was but not they have so many more food selections. In terms of Chinese buffet this is the best in the area.

    (4)

  • Mia C.

    After a long wait this place finally opened. We waited in line for about 20-30 minutes and I felt like it was worth it. The food was hot and it was filled up constantly, all my favorites were pretty good and our server made sure glasses were full and plates were cleared. If you are craving chinese buffet in Iowa City/Coralville this is the place to go. For the people that are complaining about how "dirty" it may have been I would cut these people some slack, this place has had lines coming out the door for 3 freaking days, I'm pretty sure they had a hard time keeping up with the demand and when I was there it really didn't seem dirty at all to me. The things I minused a star for, all the plates were wet, which sort of bugged me but whatever. Then the self serve Ice Cream, some one needs to put a sign not to let children get their own, I wanted some of that Ice Cream but I was informed by my mom there were kids up there serving themselves and sticking their fingers all over the scoops and the ice cream, I know kids don't know about germs but that is seriously disgusting and I cleared away from it.

    (3)

  • Austin B.

    Who was I kidding in that last review? It's a freakin' China buffet. If you come here willfully and leave disappointed I would be surprised, but don't expect anything amazing. They have been maintaining the place well though, I thought carpet at a China buffet was a terrible idea originally but it is still pretty clean. I don't think Peking Buffet is any worse since my last review, hell it may even be better. But I think I might have been drunk when I wrote it. Hell, I gave Oasis 4 stars, and I'd rather eat at Oasis til I puke than Peking Buffet. This update is more of a reality check than anything.

    (3)

  • Sidney T.

    Average but better than they were before the flood and better than the place across the intersection. The only dish I enjoyed was the honey chicken. The other dishes were all cold which is why I rate it 2 stars instead of three. If the food was the appropriate temperature it is at least average. The service was above average. Drinks were always full and everyone was pleasant.

    (2)

  • Andy M.

    Best Chinese buffet in the CR/IC corridor!!! I love this place, they serve real, authentic Chinese food. They even serve the traditional Cantonese dish of steamed sticky rice inside a grape leaf. The service is good, the variety is great, and all of the dishes are good. There's even a Mongolian BBQ. I love this place. If you're thinking about going to a buffet, go here.

    (5)

  • John G.

    I used to eat here, until I read the Dec 8 2012 story in the Iowa City Press Citizen newspaper. Excerpts: Peking Buffet ... had a combined 26 critical and swing violations this past fiscal year -- more than any other local restaurant in that period... ... an inspector observed ... a roach carcass under the sushi bar and a cluster of roaches underneath the wok stove, according to the report.

    (1)

  • Louis L.

    Pretty bad service. Food with bugs.

    (1)

  • Sarah L.

    I usually don't write a review unless I really hate a restaurant. But this is one of the very few restaurants in Iowa City I don't hate, and in fact, I LOVE it! I'm a Chinese grew up in China, lived many years in California and I've seen good Chinese food, or let's say good food in general. I love all ethnic foods and enjoy good American food, too. But unfortunately after 4 years in IC, nothing really impresses me and I stop eating out. Peking buffet is the only restaurant I'm actually happy after eating. The food is plentiful and fresh. Can't comment on the "Americanized" Chinese dishes since I didn't touch them at all. But 90% of the customers are local Americans and they all seem to enjoy those dishes a lot. And I'm actually glad their taste don't overlap with mine so not much competition for my favorite fish and sashimi. As for all the authentic Chinese dishes, they are right on spot! Fish and clams are fresh, pot stickers are almost as good as my homemade ones; sticky rice chicken in lotus leaves are so fragrant that though the rice was always a bit overcooked and mushy, I still enjoy it a lot. They even have duck and frog legs, which are definitely considered delicacy in a buffet. And the taste was very homey, not fancy, but decent. Most of the deserts are very generic, but they sometimes serve green tea flavored ice cream, which is a nice touch. The service is kind of slow, but it's understandable since there was always a line waiting to be seated extending even outside of the door. The place is huge with 3 dining halls and one private room. So sometimes it can be a bit chaotic. But as long as the good food keeps coming, I'll keep going back!

    (5)

  • Michael C.

    A few years ago, I used to LOVE to go here for lunch or supper... It was inexpensive and decent food. But, out of the last handful of times my family has gone there, my wife has gotten an upset stomach and I noticed that the quality of the food just wasn't the same. Add to that the prices have gone up, it's no longer one of the places we frequent.

    (2)

  • Chaos M.

    I don't like the decoration of the restaurant. But they have Mongolian grill, and other dishes I think they are more variety than China Garden.

    (4)

  • Beau N.

    i ate there about 3 hours ago. now i have diarrhea. as far as chinese buffets go, this one is pretty good.

    (3)

  • j c.

    I have been to their lunch and dinner buffet and feel ready to write this review. The new setting is well... new. Nothing fancy, some nominal Chinese decorations. Big space with plenty of room to accommodate lots of people. Don't come here expecting authentic Chinese food. Don't come here expecting great Chinese food. In fact there are no great Chinese restaurants in the area. The food is surprisingly good considering they have to mass produce them. All the familiar favorites are available. Fish and squids are new. Still love their potstickers. I liked the mussels when they were cooked in black bean sauce before. Now they are pre-cooked and served chilled. I didn't see any crab legs. Mongolian grill is still a good option if you like to pick your own. Drink is cheap and service is brisk considering how crowded it is. If you are in the mood for some Chinese food and would like to try variety of dishes, this is the place. For best result, come when it is busy so that the food is constantly being replenished. If you come too early or late, the food will not be as fresh.

    (4)

  • Xiang F.

    a good place to grab some chinese food. not expensive.

    (4)

  • Wern O.

    TLDR : solid American Chinese food place. I haven't eaten inside the restaurant in a while but always get the carry out by the pound option. Essentially you go to the buffet get what you want, they weigh your food and then you pay based on the lb. As of today I paid around 6.50 for a little over a lb of food. If you want American Chinese this place does a solid job of it. Got all your classic American dishes in their glory. The food always hits the spot when I'm craving it so hats off to them. The price is right and selection decent so I can't complain.

    (4)

  • Naomi S.

    You get what you pay for. It may be a lot of food for very cheap, but the ensuing GI distress is not worth it. Stay away from this buffet.

    (1)

  • Sarah H.

    My friend and I went here at about 3pm and most of the food was spoiled! We told the waitress and she did change the food out... Ew

    (1)

  • Jim K.

    Well, what can one say about the grossest buffet I've ever been too. The food was tasteless the chicken "parts" they used in their food contained a large amount of chewy gristle and cartilage. The food generally had funky flavor. The best was the view from our table of a buss station where the wait staff emptied uneaten food from plates into troughs and dumped silver ware into buckets. In this same little garbage dump room is where wait staff filled drinks right next to the garbage. All so VERY appetizing. Never again! I mentioned to the cashier about the gross situation she seemed very surprised, but she was very unfriendly when we entered preferring to break coins unit the till and count money rather than seat us or even offer a greeting. I guess you get what you pay for but not really as lunch for wife myself and 6 and 8 year old was $40.65

    (1)

  • Justin B.

    This place is nasty. 0 for 2. Shame on me for going back.

    (1)

  • Lexi S.

    I come here very often because the food is good! Typically I try to get there at around 5:30 for dinner, that's when the food is the best and there are not as many people there yet. I really recommend this place for casual nights out when you feel like you want something filling and a lot of variety. I abandoned Panda Express for this place, you get better food and as much as you want!

    (4)

  • Richard L.

    Cited by the Iowa Dept. of health, this joint got the worst rating in Johnson County. Rat heaven. This place is infested with rodents. Their open back door faces the Iowa River and they pour in like the floods. Their best sushi is the "Mickey mouse roll".

    (1)

  • T K.

    The place had a large selection, i tried alot of the diffrent dishes. However, the food was cold. Buffet food needs to be kept especially hot to ward off germs from people caughing on and touching the food. Ill prob go back, but im gonna test the food to make sure its hot before i take it for my plate.

    (3)

  • Gloria O.

    i usually go to sushi house when in coralville, thought i would give these guys another chance, as my last visit wasnt memorable. i now know why. food is awful tasteless or what has flavor is jalapeno. my waiter was very nice, the restaurant was clean and tastefully decorated, however i was there to eat and will continue to take my business down the block to sushi house, good soup, good lomein, good food in general. i really wish i could give peking a better review as i truly wanted it to be good, me loves me some asian food

    (1)

  • Jessica A.

    Typical buffet, nothing special. It's only $7.00 for lunch though so I'd say you get what you pay for.

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

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Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Peking Buffet

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