Critic Rating: 8.7/10
The Buffet is worth the 30-minute Q25 bus ride to College Point and the quiet hum of a hotel elevator to the fourth floor. Kind staff members await your arrival and will seat you promptly in their large restaurant, allowing you to scout the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet as you approach your table. Before the feast begins, kind reminders are given that this meal is an all-inclusive drink and food for the hefty price of $35, excluding tax. However, what is not mentioned is the “eat what you get” policy — a 30% bill add-on for leftover food at the end of your meal. This “rule” is extremely hidden, written in fine print on the napkin boxes.
Hearing that this buffet was mainly seafood scared me initially, but my fears quickly dissipated when I saw how clean and well-maintained everything was. Excited to dig in, my friends and I scattered around the 5-6 main food counters, exploring all the options and deciding where to start. Since no distinct organization tactic separates all the food, I highly recommend taking a lap to see what you want to try first. For me, it was the sushi bar.
The counter closest to where I was sitting displayed dozens of colorful and neatly organized rolls. Trying to diversify my plate, I grabbed a few different types. However, many of the rolls tasted similar, as most featured the same fresh ingredients and fill-ins, which is why I rate the sushi a 6.5/10. On a more positive note, the lack of differentiation in the food ends here. The rest of the buffet truly tested my taste buds, offering dishes with varying spice levels but consistent quality.
Moving on from the aforementioned sushi, I wandered through the buffet, indulging in delicious vegetables, sashimi, fried assortments, and cooked seafood. One dish that stood out, in particular, was the crawfish — a food I had seen dozens of times on social media, in restaurants, and in homemade seafood boils and had been dying to try. My friends, who had already made their way through the dish, warned me that it was spicy, and boy, were they right. With gloved spice-covered fingers that I was advised to keep away from my eyes and tears streaming down my face, I suffered through the delicious pain of the 7/10 dish.
Next to the central area of the food were two countertops filled with desserts. The dessert section alone is worth the trip to College Point, featuring a chocolate fountain, an array of cut-up fruits, plates of cakes and other baked goods, an ice cream machine, and a crepe station. After finishing my lunch, it would have felt disrespectful not to give their dessert section a little of my time and stomach. The desserts were good, though some of their baked goods fell flat, such as the fried rice balls and the mini cannolis. I recommend checking out their crepe station and the ice cream machine, where I made my own little concoction with drizzled chocolate from the fountain over my vanilla cup, which quickly froze and created a shell-like topping.
The Buffet offered high-quality food, from mounds of raw fish to a grilling station (where my friends and I overestimated that we could eat an entire steak) to a beautiful display of desserts. The food options vary greatly and will likely entice you so much that you take more than you can eat.
I understand that $35 can be a lot of money for a simple lunch after school or on the weekend, and the fact that they only accept cash does not make it any better. However, The Buffet is an excellent option for a more indulgent meal with a group of friends who can help you eat what you no longer can. The service was terrific, and they even gifted me a water pitcher after I drank almost seven cups during my meal. Overall, this was an exciting and delicious lunch option. I recommend going if you are willing to take the trip. Just make sure you have an empty stomach, a wallet full of cash, and a winning mindset to get your money’s worth.
