First, I want to thank the very thoughtful server Michael and the busboys he directed. Michael does a truly great job, operating skillfully at the intersection of chill and attentive. In previous visits to this restaurant, I noticed other diners being offered coffee or tea as closing time approached, even receiving those hot beverages in "to go" cups since it was near closing. I've dined here about 5 times over the years, and I had never been offered a coffee or tea toward the end of dinner, and certainly not "to go." Seeing other diners with coffee and tea on my last visit, I asked my server at the end of the night, and I was told the hot beverage station was already closed for the night. Michael was the first to offer me coffee or tea, and I requested a "to go" cup, which he brought. Through dinner, he watched my Diet Coke and brought a refill even without my having to ask. The busboys replaced used silverware, which has also never happened for me here. They were quick to remove used dishes and seafood shell trays. I know these services seem basic, but I usually do not receive good service at buffets, so it's worth highlighting. Michael's service was by far the best, most personable, and most thoughtful service I've had at this restaurant. He is a real standout. This seafood buffet is unique in Los Angeles, as other hotel buffets closed in the COVID Era. I'm happy this one is still around to give a taste of a small-scale Vegas-style buffet. Yes, the price is really high, and the food is not perfect, but it's a buffet. You can't expect perfection at a buffet. Though the lobster was nowhere near as impressive as fresh lobster in Maine, it was fresher and less dried out than the lobster I've had at buffets in Vegas (Caesars Palace, Wynn). The crab was very good, and I also recommend the top notch mashed potatoes and very solid pork belly (there are two varieties) and prime rib. Also this buffet is a great place to get your fill of oysters on the half shell. Oddly, they've started closing down the ice cream station before dinner time is over on my last two visits. Given the high price, I don't think the food is good enough to come multiple times a year, but every once in a while, it's a fun experience, especially with a server like Michael. Cafe Sierra remains a reliable stop in LA, and I hope it continues to stick around. read more

First time dining here plus 5 family members, dinner reservations at 7pm and was seated right away. Wide selections of food but wasn't impressed with seafoods options for the roughly $150 per head buffet price. however, we've enjoyed the desserts section. Parking is convenient since it's situated in hilton hotel, make sure to validate your parking ticket. It's a nice fancy buffet but will hesitate to comeback to give way to other buffet options with reasonable prince range. read more

Cafe Sierra - New American Near Me - Universal City, California

My apologies for this review, but Cafe Sierra, is not the same ANYMORE! The quality of food is zero grade, for the price, even lowering it, is still not adaptable! What happened to the Live Music????/ That is the reason we come, and I'm sure many patrons as well; nevertheless, it is a very sad sight now. The service has plummeted, too. This place used to be so lively with the music, and now it's nothing but a giant overpriced cafeteria. I don't know who runs this place and or makes the deciding factors here, but not good at decision-making, probably the owners!! The 15 facility fee still affects the clients; this IS ROBBERY! We talked about coming for Easter back in Feb., but we are almost sure there will be NO live music, and the food is probably the same old same ol'! Not worth it! It's too bad, and I hope this place doesn't keep TITANIC-ing Down, but from the looks of it, even a renovation wont keep it from being buoyant. read more

So, Cafe Sierra is in the Hilton hotel, super close to Universal Studios. The amount of food and selection is great; there's a ton of seafood, buffet-style. We came for the Sunday brunch rush. The lamb was cooked perfectly, and sushi was my fave! Everything else was overcooked, from the steak to the lobsters. With buffet-style, it's just hard for them to control the temperature and how long the food sits on the serving tray. Overall, the service and wait staff were great; the food was 3/5, and the service was a solid 4/5! It's worth giving them a try if you're in the mood for some all-you-can-eat seafood buffet, or in the Area. read more

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Came here because my fiance had insisted on coming for his birthday after seeing some social media posts about this place. Unfortunately he was quite disappointed. This place is filthy; no one cleans the floors, and half of the bowls left out for you to take for the soup station were dirty. There were a lot of kids screaming and running around. The sashimi tasted frozen and not fresh. AYCE lobster sounds good until you eat one and realize that many of the seafood items are overcooked. I appreciated our server and the other staff at the restaurant, but THEY DO NOT GET TO KEEP TIPS! The restaurant puts an automatic 15% service charge, and they claim it's to ensure their employees receive a livable wage, but with the prices they charge here, we KNOW the servers would be making more money if they were actually able to get tipped! Overall, we would not come back. read more

First time at this buffet for their weekend brunch ($100) and it did not disappoint! Unlimited mimosas, orange juice and all the snow crab legs + dungeoness crabs was well worth the drive from OC! The scallops and oysters were also very fresh and the baked lobster was delicious. Service was impeccable and very attentive. They kept pouring the champagne and even had my napkin all folded every time I left the table to get more food. Loved the attentive service! The overall buffet was well spaced out and the selections were better than Vegas buffets. They even bring out a small cake and sing happy birthday if you mention this during your reservation online. I barely had room for dessert but managed to get couple bites of the fondue, small desserts and the ice cream. I know they serve king crab for dinner, but honestly, the brunch is well worth what you pay and you will leave feeling very happy and full. Come here for brunch especially if you love crabs! Parking is less than $20 with validation. 10/10 recommend! read more

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The service from Maria and Edixon was phenomenal. Too bad Cafe Sierra doesn't accept gratuities. They have an automatic 15% house service charge. Food is good. read more

Cafe Sierra - Whole lobster, king crab and snow dramas, - New American Near Me - Universal City, California

What have you done for me lately? I've been to the buffer many times, when I think of a buffer in LA, there was nothing better. I how I have a good experience the next time I go. The 15% fee plus no tipping policy seems to be the opposite way of rewarding excellence and positive feedback. I'll certainly go back after that policy changes read more

Went for lunch. The food was alight. Some of the crab legs were very salty so be cautious. They did provide scissors and crab opening tools which I appreciated! BTW don't even touch the cold lobster claws, they tasted gross as heck. Prime rib lacked flavor along with most of the other options. The food here is actually limited for the hype it has. They put the tables super close to everyone and it's so difficult for people to walk around. The male staff servicing the food made us very uncomfortable. They wouldn't greet us but just stare at the girls with skirts. Then they would impatiently tap their tongs like we were in their way. Management really needs to work on staff training. Btw tips are included with the meal already, so no need to provide additional tips. Even though the server refilling our drinks is super kind, she won't get a portion of additional tips you leave. It all goes to management so they can profit read more

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Variety of food is outstanding. Prepared well Very fresh. Only come here for special occasions Fairly expensive. read more

Honestly for my first time being and first time trying Alaskan king crab. I'd say this place is great. I think every food option is pretty solid for a buffet. My favorite is the king crab and the scallops plus the oysters. The cold seafood was not fishy at all. For the price we paid I'm glad majority of the food was delicious. The prime rib was honestly the best of it all! For the price of 139$ pp I think it was pretty worth it to have unlimited filet mignon, prime rib, seafood and Alaskan king crab. read more

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Had a fun and fantastic delish brunch with friends just because we wanted to treat ourselves and have fun our server was so cool our champagne flutes were full the entire time ! The fresh seafood fresh meat carving station were so yummy honestly I focused on the proteins with my drink and then had a lil dessert. All the staff was pleasant and welcoming . There was also live music which is always a treat . Definitely want to splurge and go back for dinner sometime soon to try the king crab . read more

My parents were visiting Los Angeles from the boondocks of the northeast, so it was time to celebrate with some all you can eat seafood, steak, and everything else under the sun. Located inside of a hotel I don't even remember the name of, this all you can eat experience known as Cafe Sierra is a celebration of food and is definitely going to leave a memoriable experience. We arrived for our noon reservation and got seated right away, close to the action, the plates, and the delicious food. Now, this is an all you can eat style plate and it's about $150 per person, so the easiest way to talk about the food is just to go over what I ate and thought, so let's get into it. Crab Legs- Two separate stations absolutely packed with meaty crab legs. I ate a lot of these guys and they tasted fantastic. Shrimp- The shrimp here were absolutely massive and delicious, a must try. Stuffed Lobster Tails- This thing had so much flavour to it that I've been thinking about it every day for the past week, my only regret is only eating one of these tails. Sushi- I only grabbed a single sushi roll, but what I did eat was solid and tasted pretty good, pretty sure it was salmon. Macaroni & Cheese- I'm a sucker for some good Mac & cheese and this stuff tasted really really good, comparable to steakhouse quality. Pepperoni Pizza- Honestly, I needed to try this and although it was still buffet pizza, it was very good buffet pizza. NY Strip- Although cooked a little more than I would like, this steak had so much flavour I didn't care. Absolutely delicious. Pork Bao- Probably the second best pork bao I've had and that's saying something. Great flavour. Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich- Two large fresh chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream inside? I have found god. This thing was absolutely delicious in every way. Overall, this place gets a pretty perfect score across the board. The food here was absolutely amazing and I definitely ate more than I talked about, I just can't remember because I transformed into a bulldozer eating my way through. If you feel like splurging and eating like an animal, Cafe Sierra is the perfect place to do that. read more

Cafe Sierra - This was plate one of many. - New American Near Me - Universal City, California

It's been a while since I updated my review. There have been changes since my last review. Gone are the all you can drink alcoholic drinks. They have added lobster claws for brunch slots. Prices run about $95/$145 or so for brunch/dinner respectively. The difference now, however, is that they are now a no-tipping establishment. This is weird since my whole life, I have always tipped at this place. So take it as a savings in price if you like. The brunch and dinner experience is the same, except that dinner adds lobster and king crab to the buffet items. I still come here quite regularly. I still believe it's the best (or maybe the only) place to get a quality seafood buffet in Los Angeles. Of course, this also comes with a price. read more

I actually received a gift reservation for brunch... and I have to say this place does not disappoint at all. I honestly didn't know what to expect but from everything I read online it looked pretty good so we got there. The hostess was really nice and took us to our seat and our server was super cool end down to earth, something I always appreciate.. The place itself is very cool and mellow, even though it's a big place most people were pretty cool calm, respectful to each other not all crazy and loud, which was nice for a place this size . Now for the food, they had a whole bunch of goodies ... all kinds of different food , a full meat selection, prime rib, lamb chops, just all of the above .... They also have sushi , Chinese food. Ice cream., different pastries., chocolate dipped strawberries. We got half a dozen of oysters and just a little bit of everything. OK, I'm not gonna lie. I got a whole bunch of everything. I got the crab legs. I got the lobster claw shrimps yeah I kind of went a little crazy. It was just a great selection of everything.. And since it was brunch, the champagne is included, and of course you can get a mimosa if you like. All in all they get five stars for me . Just a great place for brunch. I heard their dinner is even better, so we're planning to go back for that and I can honestly say this is one of those spots you need to check out. it's not like super fancy, but it's pretty cool and especially for what you're paying. They do offer a nice assortment/variety of different types of food. Oh, and definitely,,, (sidenote) ,,,,, Don't forget to tip the waiters and the waitresses... they're really on top of it. And like I said earlier, and I always say. Go check it out for yourself. read more

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The most disgusting place I have been to for $140 a person, they are just stealing money the food is so bad. The lobster was not cleaned, the sushi/sashimi was gross, the spicy tuna was a weird color one bite and I almost threw up. The whole place stinks like boiled fish and mold probably cause the water to boil the lobsters is never changed. The sushi is worse than 7/11 sushi. It's Red Lobster meets Dennys, the crazy thing is that this place has more than 1 star reviews. Tourists don't know any better and think this is as good as it gets in LA, it's horrendous at best. They also tack on a 15% facilities fee on top of the $140. The smell of the places doesn't get off your clothes until you take a shower and wash your clothes. Even their employees know the food is horrendous, they always ask "are you on vacation" Save your money and go anywhere else. read more

We as Family came in yesterday what a joy we had special shout out to OUR server JAVIER he was on point for everything we needed n super polite we did over stay our visit so sorry about that and no say anything they all it n Thank you for that read more

Café Sierra - Hilton Universal City Rating: 2 out of 5 stars (5 stars for food, 0 stars for communication and transparency) Dining out is about more than food--it's service and transparency too. At Café Sierra, my party of four had one of the best buffets I've ever seen paired with one of the worst communication experiences. The Good: The buffet itself is Vegas-worthy. Hot and cold crab legs, lobster served two ways, filet mignon, prime rib carved to order, plus a dessert spread with pastries, cakes, mousses, and even made-to-order ice cream and Thai tea with boba. At $89, it would have been on par with Bacchanal Buffet in Las Vegas, which runs around $91.99 per adult (Fri-Sun dinner). The Bad: That's not what we paid. Two of us called ahead and heard $39. Her accent aluded to this. At check-in, the hostess Anna sounded like she said $89. We agreed--only to get hit with a bill of nearly $800 for four people. The true price? About $180 each, plus drinks and a "facility use" fee. Four Coke Zeros included, nothing fancy. Final Verdict: Food = 5 stars. Price transparency = 0. No signage, no clear explanation, and a shocking bill. If you go, confirm the cost before sitting down. Otherwise, expect regret to be the last course. read more

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OMG. Where do I start?! Beware of the pricing. On their website, it said if you make reservations of 4 or more during dinner on Fri & Sat in November, the price would be $20 less per person. Website says $139 per person for Fri & Sat dinner. I made reservations through Open Table as there's where the link on their webpage sends you to. As soon as I got there, I asked the hostess about the $20 off special to which she said yes & quickly scribbled that in the clipboard with our order tab on it. When we were getting our check at the end of the meal, I asked if the $20 discount was made, our server said it was but took away the check before I could confirm the price they charged us. Very sketchy & felt like bait & switch. EXACTLY as what other people have written in their reviews. They ended up charging me $139 each for 4. Didn't honor the advertised special!! So, BEWARE & CHECK THE RECEIPT!! THEY DID NOT GIVE ME AN ITEMIZED RECEIPT. Pavel was the prime rib chef. He was nice & let us know what dishes & desserts were good. We took his recommendation & got the items which were better than the other entree selections. Tony was our server & cracked some jokes, helped clear away our plates as soon as we were ready to get up for the next round of food. All of the staff there were friendly and helpful so tjat made the experience pleasant. We were all excited about the Lobster & Alaskan King Crab. Geez. Lobster - overcooked, rubbery & seemed like they were frozen then warmed up. Alaskan King Crab - I don't know how it's possible but the shell was so soft & weird that you couldn't crack it with the crab cracking tool. The shell would bend & give, didn't crack!! We were given 1 scissors so we all took turns cutting open our crab legs. Again, no flavor, slightly rubbery. Terrible. I think these were also cooked, frozen then re-cooked. Oyster Rockfeller - I was afraid to try the raw oysters as they looked "tired" & not fresh. Oyster Rockfeller is cooked with a creamy sauce, topped with bread crumbs and broiled. I ate one & much to my surprise, it was half raw!!! I was disgusted and worried I'd get sick. I should've known they were undercooked because there were no browning of the bread crumbs and their serving trays didn't feel warm enough to keep items at a safe temperature. Crepes - the last working the crepe/dessert station was very nice & helpful. I didn't get her name but she's great! She made me a crepe with chocolate spread, whipped cream & berries on top. So so good! We also had her make us a Boba tea. There's no choice on the tea flavor, just plain tea. It's not too sweet so it was good for me. Sushi - I didn't have any but others in my party did. They had the sushi chef make handrolls which were a great option if you don't like the sushi selection on the buffet table. They will also slices pieces for sashimi. Salt Pepper Shrimp - flavor was decent but very dried out. I can't even remember what else I had because they were all blah and unmemorable. When we got our Prime Rib, there was about 2" of the end left, all dried out. We were given paper thin slices that were all tough. We were one of the last tables so I guess they didn't want to put a fresh piece of prime rib out. But as we were about to get desserts, they put out a fresh prime rib (1/2 of a regular prime rib that's served at a buffet) when everyone else there was done. What?!... Turns out it was now time for the staff to have their dinner. So, they got the nice slices of prime rib. Interesting. WARNING: Wine & Beer are no longer free. You have to pay. Only sodas are free which are served in huge cups to fill you up. Would I go again? If I absolutely had to because of an apocalypse. And I would go on a Friday night right when they open for dinner. If I could give this place negative stars, it would be -2 stars. They will validate your parking & you'll pay $13.20. read more

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I don't like buffets but when I heard that this place had lobster and king crab legs, I had to check it out. Unfortunately, the lobster was overcooked so it was tough & hard to eat. It wasn't worth trying another one so our party went for king crab which was good. All the other stations had a variety of seafood that was tasty and another station for prime rib and various meats. The dessert section was a let down except for the creme brulee. They had another dessert station for boba drinks, ice cream, and crepes but I decided to skip it because there was a line. Our waiter James was great and the staff was fast at clearing our table promptly. We arrived at 5pm and there was a lot of people already waiting to check in. We had reservations and was seated quickly. The overall experience was fun to try, but I wouldn't come again because the lobster was bad and I don't like buffets as a general rule. read more

Cafe Sierra - Round I - New American Near Me - Universal City, California

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I'm really torn on how I'm feeling about this cafe. The cafe is located inside of the Hilton Los Angeles/ universal city hotel and across the hall from a bar. I am a guest at the hotel so the obvious choice is to get breakfast right downstairs. I was surprised with how fast I was seated and the waiter approached me. The food was decent and for breakfast it's mostly buffet style with some a la carte options. I got up to grab some food from the buffet, wanted to only do the continental buffet (starting at $26). The only options for the continental are some fruits and pastries, bagels, and cereal. As the line progressed I noticed some scrambled eggs and sausages. Pretty simple and basic food for a breakfast. Turns out that these are not included in the continental breakfast but are considered a "premium" item. Needles to say I was very angry. The total for 1 person came out to just under $50. Good thing they have a no tipping policy. The signage needs to be fixed as eggs and sausages are so so sooo basic and not a premium item in literally any world. read more

Cafe Sierra - Pepperoni pizza - New American Near Me - Universal City, California

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Best seafood buffet in the world!!! Lobster melts in your mouth. Huge selection of culinary goodness!!

I've been hearing about Cafe Sierra and their crab legs and prime ribs so I had to come by to try it for myself. I love how the food is unlimited, that's a huge plus especially if you're indulging in seafood so you can eat till your hearts content. My favorite has to be the whole steamed lobster, it was so juicy and sweet, I dipped it in melted butter and it was perfect! I also appreciate the meat options here too, the bone marrow, lamb chops, prime rib and roasted duck were so good. Make sure to save room for dessert because the dessert selection here is amazing. I had to order a crepe cause why not? It was a perfect treat after a delicious meal. I'm also a huge fan of the churro, I was surprise to find filling inside the churro, like what? It's seriously my favorite time of churros! read more

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The buffet was tasty - excessive. The 2 star review is about the shady "no tipping" policy. Basically, the restaurant charges a mandatory 15% on top of the bill - as if it goes to the wait staff. We asked about it, as the servers work really hard... they are basically running the entire time taking care of people. They get nothing. Not a penny of that 15% goes to them. It all goes to management - nothing is shared with the staff. Our server deserved to get something for all of his hard work, so we tipped him directly. The management should be ashamed of not taking care of their teams. Another guest was there when we asked about this, and he was appalled too. Tasty food. Shady way to treat hard working servers. read more

Craving unlimited lobster & drinks? If yes, then you should give this all-you-can-eat seafood buffet a try! Cafe Sierra is located on the 1st floor of the Hilton Hotel near Universal Studios. Because of this, it can get busy. However, our group made reservations in advance (super easy to make & surprisingly no cancellation fee) and we didn't have to wait upon arriving. Our group came here to celebrate a friend's birthday and we were amazed by the service! The staff frequently checked in on us, grabbed our plates, and asked if we wanted any drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). This buffet offers a wide variety of seafood (shrimp, crab, oysters, lobsters, etc), meat (lamb chops, prime rib, steak, etc), hot food items, sushi/sashimi, and an assortment of dessert (crepes, chocolate fountains, ice cream, etc). Some highlights for me were the shrimp, snow crab, and lobster. Super fresh and juicy! Overall, I was amazed by the quality of food offered, but given the price of the buffet, I did wish they had an even wider selection of food. Given the price (~$150 per person), I probably would not come back unless it was for a special occasion. If you do come here, this place is a no tipping establishment and part of your bill includes a mandatory 15% facility charge. read more

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Premium giant seafood that's fresh and juicy! I recently had dinner at Café Sierra while visiting Universal Studios, and I was genuinely impressed by the variety and quality of the food. It's a buffet-style setup, so I was expecting decent but not exceptional--turns out, some dishes were actually pretty memorable! The seafood section was my personal favorite. The king crab legs were fresh and sweet, and they didn't skimp on the quality. I went back for seconds (okay... thirds). Th marine lobster was huge! It's very fresh and the meat is tender. It's the perfect place to celebrate birthdays and all diners thought the same! When we were there, every 15 to 30 minutes there would be a birthday announcement. The whole entire restaurant and staff would cheer on! The staff was extremely professional and very kind! They're so welcoming and made my whole experience feel extra special! read more

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My wife and I have been to Cafe Sierra several times in the last 10 years and generally been very happy until our dinner last night. In the past there was a more elegant and classy feel to dining here but that seems to be gone now. They use to have flowers on the tables and the restaurant was decorated like a very high end restaurant. But not anymore the tables are empty except for a trough in the middle of the table for the crab leg shells. They have a great selection of seafood, but, It's really quantity over quality food now. I wish it was still classy but it's like a Vegas Buffet now with hoards of people lining up to stuff their faces. read more

The food is good but somewhat small variety of food options to choose from! With the prices being more expensive than a buffet in las Vegas I'd was hoping to see more food options! I'd skip the king crab legs and go straight for the snow crabs, super big and tasty:) the lemon butter was yummy paired w the crab. The rib meat was super soft and well seasoned, the pizza looked good but I was too full to eat any. My favorite thing was the crepe station for dessert. The service was good, everyone kept checking in to change our plate for the crab shells. read more

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Went for brunch on a Saturday and got the first reservation which I highly recommend because it wasn't super busy to start. I loved the bottomless mimosas! There were SO many food options it almost made my head spin, but you bet I tried as much as I could! We started with the crab legs of course. Loved them! I wasn't a super big fan of the oysters. They were HUGE, but not the best tasting in my opinion. The staff did a great job of replenishing all of the seafood and hot food so you never had to wait for anything. Some of my favorites were the crab legs, sashimi and dumplings. I was also so surprised how delicious the desserts were! Don't sleep on the cannolis. Wow. I thought the hot food was ok. Service was great and I loved the live music element. The buffet is situated inside a hotel so expect a lot of people, but it's pretty spacious. I appreciated the high ceilings. I would say the vibe is pretty casual, so no need to dress up. I saw a lot of big groups here. This would be a great place for a special occasion meal. We went to celebrate Valentine's Day! I would even come here for a girls brunch. You can park at the hotel but they do validate that takes the cost down a bit. I didn't think any one thing at the buffet was particularly outstanding, but I enjoyed the experience overall. read more

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Come here on an empty stomach! After a fun day at Universal Studios, my friend hosted a group dinner for four here. It was conveniently located walking distance from Universal Studios. Cafe Sierra is located just beyond the main entrance of the Universal Hilton, across from the hotel lobby. It's a seafood buffet (crab, lobster, sushi, oysters,shrimp, etc.) with meat (including prime rib), and a few non-meat options (like pizza and pasta), soups and a huge assortment of amazing desserts. Alcoholic beverages are included (wine, champagne, and beer). Although I am a vegetarian (who will enjoy a California Roll on occasion), I enjoyed dining here. Since this is a "seafood" buffet, I'll start by saying that the seafood (according to the others at my table) was delicious and the crab was fresh. They also enjoyed the tenderness of the prime rib. I stuffed myself on California Rolls, custard bao, pizza, seaweed salad and a few other items. The custard bao was the best I've ever had. The bun was so soft and fluffy and the warm custard had just the right amount of moisture and sweetness. The pizza was also delightful. The crust was the perfect thickness and was soft and chewy. The sauce was sweet and tangy. Considering the cost of the buffet, I felt guilty that I was stuffing myself on "fillers" but they were so good... The presentation of all the food was very nice but the desserts are what were most impressive to me. The options seemed endless. The colorful desserts were on their own little island complete with two deliciously flowing chocolate fountains and a small donut wall. Across from the dessert island was a sundae bar. Service was great. Beverages were topped off and/or replaced automatically and empty plates magically disappeared each time we got up to top off our bellies. ;) In the buffet area, I met Pavel Roberts who was happily overseeing the prime rib and interacting and assisting other diners. His personality and helpfulness really added to the dining experience. The entire time we dined, we were entertained by musician Roger Espinosa. His music created a fun and relaxing ambiance with a touch of elegance (if that makes sense). No vocals, just instrumentals... various genres and decades. The music level was just right. We were able to enjoy the music while we engaged in conversation at the table. This was the perfect restaurant after a day of walking in the park, and saving our appetites for our anticipated huge dinner. :) read more

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Cafe Sierra used to be me and my friends favorite pre-COVID (we used to come celebrate Chinese New Years here. This year we will NOT be attending and ALL OUR FRIENDS will be BOYCOTTING this and ANY RESTAURANT ESTABLISHMENT for that matter THAT USES THIS POLICY. Cafe Sierra recently installed a NEW POLICY in their dining establishment: WARNING: The "No Tipping" Policy is a Corporate TRAP. Be careful and read this BEFORE you dine here. Cafe Sierra (Hilton) charges a mandatory 15% "Facility Fee" on every bill. They claim this is to pay "fair wages," but read their own fine print carefully: "This fee is not gratuity." Here is the legal reality they don't want you to know: The "Labor Code 351" Loophole: Under California Labor Code Section 351, a "tip" is the sole property of the employee. The owner cannot touch it. By renaming this a "Facility Fee," they legally bypass that protection. The money becomes "House Revenue" that the owners can use for "administrative costs" or profit. The Lobbying Trick (SB 1524): This fee was supposed to be illegal starting July 2024 under the "Junk Fee Ban." However, corporate lobbyists pushed through a last-minute exemption (SB 1524) that allows restaurants to keep charging these hidden fees as long as they disclose them. The "Fair Wage" Loophole: They use this fee to fund hourly wages, which means the house likely keeps the difference. It is a way for a massive corporation to subsidize their own payroll using YOUR money, while pretending to be benevolent. Forced Payment: Because this is a "fee" and not a tip, you have to pay it EVEN IF the service is terrible. They have removed your RIGHT to vote with YOUR wallet. 1. The "Labor Code 351" Loophole In California, Labor Code Section 351 is the "Holy Grail" for servers. It says owners cannot touch a single cent of a tip. If you leave $100 cash on the table, the manager cannot take a cut for credit card fees, uniforms, or "admin." It is untouchable employee property. The "Facility Fee" destroys that protection. By renaming it a "Fee" or "Service Charge," the money instantly stops being "Employee Property" and becomes "House Revenue." Tip = Untouchable. Fee = The owner can use it to pay the manager's bonus, buy new tablecloths, or just pad the bottom line. 2. The "Fair Wage" Gaslight The sign says: "We pay fair wages... to sustain the operations." This is the corporate trick. They take the 15% fee (which used to be your tip), put it into their bank account, and then use a portion of it to pay the servers a higher hourly wage (maybe $25/hour instead of minimum). The Math: Old Way: Server gets Minimum Wage ($17) + Tips ($30/hr) = $47/hr. New Way: Server gets "Fair Wage" ($25/hr). Owner keeps the rest of the 15% fee. Result: The server often makes less than they would with tips, and the house keeps the difference. Bottom Line: BOYCOTT THIS PRACTICE. If you do eat here, adhere strictly to the "No Tipping" rule. They have already forcibly taken 15% from you. Do not let guilt trick you into paying their staff twice. read more

Solid buffet. Food would be upper middle tier of Vegas buffets though at very expensive prices. It gets cold quickly in the room for some reason which then makes the food cold. They should really up the temperature of the food trays because by the time you get to your seat, food's gotten lukewarm. Still, excellent variety even if limited hours and days. Bonus points for unlimited drinks including alcohol. Excellent service with prompt cleanup and friendly people at the station. read more

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This is my second review of this place and it isn't great. Here is a copy and paste from a review I left on OpenTable and a private message to Cafe Sierra. This was my 2nd time going to Cafe Sierra. The first time the lobster tails were chewy... Rubbery in consistency. This time it was even worse. Very hard to chew. On my 1st visit I fell in love with he creme brulee. When I went to get some they were out!!! Absolutely no excuse for that. I traveled 144 miles r/t to get to the restaurant. For $139.00 plus $13.00 parking they need to have everything perfect! My server, Mike was attentive and I gave him a well deserved gratuity for it. There was a misunderstanding bout the additional for the beer. I thought it was $9.00 and refills were included. Then I noticed it was $9.00 per beer. Had this would have been made clear to me from the get go I wouldn't have ordered any beer at all. At 3 beers that was an additional $27.00. I am living on a small Social Security fixed income so if I am going to shell out a small fortune for a special meal it better be special! Although they gave me a 25% discount on the meal it still wasn't worth it. Consider the distance, time and cost of fuel to make the trip. In addition to sending a private message to Cafe Sierra, I am going to write Hilton corporate about my experience there. I will NEVER go back and I will tell all of my friends (most can afford those prices), to stay away from Cafe Sierra. I will also post a review on Yelp as well. Read less Private note to restaurant This was my 2nd time going to Cafe Sierra. The first time the lobster tails were chewy... Rubbery in consistency. This time it was even worse. Very hard to chew. On my 1st visit I fell in love with he creme brulee. When I went to get some they were out!!! Absolutely no excuse for that. I traveled 144 miles r/t to get to the restaurant. For $139.00 plus $13.00 parking they need to have everything perfect! My server, Mike was attentive and I gave him a well deserved gratuity for it. There was a misunderstanding bout the additional for the beer. I thought it was $9.00 and refills were included. Then I noticed it was $9.00 per beer. Had this would have been made clear to me from the get go I wouldn't have ordered any beer at all. At 3 beers that was an additional $27.00. I am living on a small Social Security fixed income so if I am going to shell out a small fortune for a special meal it better be special! Although they gave me a 25% discount on the meal it still wasn't worth it. Consider the distance, time and cost of fuel to make the trip. In addition to sending a private message to Cafe Sierra, I am going to write Hilton corporate about my experience there. I will NEVER go back and I will tell all of my friends (most can afford those prices), to stay away from Cafe Sierra. I will also post a review on Yelp as well. read more

Horrible! Do not waste your time and money at this restaurant. PRICE DOES NOT MATCH THE QUALITY, SERVICE, AND AMBIANCE! Cafe Sierra is located in the Hilton hotel next to Universal Studios. You will have to pay around $40 extra for parking. Although we made a reservation, we still had to wait for a table that didn't accommodate our party. The restaurant itself is right in the middle of the lobby, and seats are extremely crowded together. There is no proper walkway to get in between tables. The pricing is extremely high for an unluxurious experience. You are less than 1.5 feet away from the table next to you and you will have to squeeze through people to get to the food areas and back to your table. Food is subpar. You might even get sick! You're paying $150 a person (post tax and gratuity charges) for not fresh seafood, tap water, and just overall not tasty food. You will find a better bang for your buck at Chinese buffets or even Golden Corral. The oysters are definitely not fresh, it has an extremely fishy taste and is not kept at a safe food temperature. They offer a sushi selection and a hand roll bar, however, the same concern applies. They do not keep their fish at a safe food temperature. They offer lobster claws, and crab legs which are cooked and chilled. I cracked open a lobster claw, and the inside was all liquid and mush. That does not signal freshness, instead it's a food safety concern. They also advertise king crab legs, however, when you get in line for them, they only give you 2 small legs that don't even crack normally (they are soft and cave in when you try to open them). The carving station was ok, the employee there was nice but the prime rib itself was not good. There's also a small Asian food section which was just simply not good at all. The highlight of my experience was the dessert section. They offered a nice range of desserts and even a crepe section. However, there is only one person working the crepes, and handing out ice cream and teas. She looked extremely stressed due to the high volume of customers. Management needs to put at least one more person there. Speaking of service, very subpar. For $150, you can enjoy plates piling up and having to call down staff to take your order for drinks. Forget about any refills, they do not come around often enough to offer refills. There is an automatic gratuity charge. Our party of 4 came out to $700. This place is not worth it. Take your money elsewhere! read more

They've completely revamped their buffet and remodeled everything in the past few years. It's new and improved and better than ever! We always come once during the holidays every year and a few other times throughout the year. We've been coming here for decades now and I can say that this is the best it's ever been. The food selection is impressive, with options ranging from seafood to sushi to dim sum, and a carving station featuring prime rib and duck. The unlimited lobster and king crab are definitely the highlights though! A huge plus is that bottomless drinks are now included in the price, which makes everything so much easier. They also have plenty of options for desserts, including a chocolate fountain. Special shoutout to Pavel Roberts who is the best!! He gave me the best lobster and made me the most delicious ice cream. He really took care of us and everyone in my party loved him. What a standout and genuinely kind person! Overall, this place is a must during the holidays or even a great place to celebrate for any occasion. I do really miss their mushroom lobster though - please bring it back!! Photos uploaded are from 2023 because I forgot to take pictures this year... I was too busy enjoying all the amazing food! read more

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Came here Saturday brunch. Not even busy even though it was raining, sat down right away. The new lower price plus unlimited mimosas and drinks... man that already had me smiling. Started off with the snow crab clusters ... big, fatty, sweet... real deal. Dungeness crab too, same vibe... juicy, fresh, not that "buffet sitting out" taste. Honestly every dish tasted made fresh, not like typical buffet food at all. So much variety I wish my stomach had extra storage space. Only thing I didn't like was the hot lobster with mushroom sauce -- a little tough, flavor kinda funky. But everything else? Awesome. Addictive. Worth every dollar. I walked out full, happy, little tipsy from the mimosas... read more

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We had an early birthday dinner for my husband at Café Sierra, located in the Hilton near Universal Studios. This restaurant features an AYCE buffet with high quality seafood. It is pricey, $159 per person, but worth it if you can eat more of the pricier items. The wait was ridiculous even though we had a reservation. We waited 45 minutes past our arrival. DON'T TELL THE CUSTOMER THAT IT WILL ONLY BE A FEW MINUTES WAIT. Someone else was waiting for over an hour past their reservation. The only thing I can think of the delay of getting seated is there was a convention at the hotel. Once seated, service was ok at best. Ambiance was festive with live music and decorations for the Chinese New Year. I was HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED as they promised the traditional Chinese New Year dragon dance, but the hostess had no clue and it never happened. FALSE ADVERTISING FOR THIS EVENT AS THIS AD WAS THE DRAW FOR MANY DISAPPOINTED CHINESE IN ATTENDANCE, INCLUDING ME! The overall buffet features whole Maine lobster, king, snow, & Dungeness crab, oysters, scallops, shrimp cocktail, free flowing adult beverages & soft drinks, hot food items, sashimi, sushi, dim sum, steak, prime rib, lamb chops, pork belly, bone marrow, assorted desserts which included two chocolate fountains and scooped ice cream. Some items were seasoned perfect, others were acceptable but bland. There are many more items that I did not mention, but the offerings are extensive In the past they would have earned a five star rating, but all of the above mentioned, especially the FALSE ADVERTISING has knocked down my review and recommendations of this place. Go for the food but allow ample time due to possible long wait being seated. read more

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CAFE SIERRA!!! Well worth it especially brunch prices. The service was great and wasn't busy. Still ate my money's worth and the quality was great! The ambiance is a little different from the last time I was there but I will definitely come back! read more

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We were here to celebrate my brother's birthday. We did brunch. ilI have gone to all kinds of buffets whether expensive or not and i must say that the food here was the best! The selection was not that much but everything tasted heavenly ( i have very high standards when it comes to taste so this means a lot!). Everyone was very warm and friendly. They were on point! When my daughter dropped her fork, somebody came rushing right away to replace it eventhough i haven't asked for a replacement yet. The desserts were heavenly! It was so good that my daughter asked to eat here atleast once a month! read more

My sister and I went here for my birthday and the brunch was absolutely lovely. Everything was delicious. I am not always a fan of buffet brunch because of the cleanliness but there weren't hardly any children there to touch all over the food. If you're a seafood lover, this place is a must. Our server's name was Jovita and she couldn't have been any nicer. A total sweetheart and even though we were getting our own food, she couldn't have gone more out of her way to wait on us. Very attentive. read more

Cafe Sierra - My first plate... - New American Near Me - Universal City, California