We went at the end of the lunch rush and everything was still being restocked throughout our entire time there. The selection was extensive, so by the time we finished with the delicious steam table offerings, there was no room left to try the cook-to-order Mongolian Grill. That will be first on our next visit. We were already full when we accidentally found the sushi bar, so couldn't try much. Look for it. Our service needs were limited, but everybody was pleasant, and we appreciated that the finished plates were promptly removed. When asked for a cup to take the remaining soda with us, we were brought a fresh, filled cup instead. It's a bit out of the way for us, but will definitely be returning soon. read more

China E Buffet, Round Rock Where Quantity Steamrolls Quality Opa used to recommend China E Buffet the way a proud grandfather shows off wallet-photos: "Look at all those choices, and something for everyone!" Sadly, our visit on Saturday, July 19, proved that even the biggest buffet can shrink in stature when the dishes lose their character. We walked in expecting the familiar clatter of plates and that comforting aroma of sizzling woks. Instead, we were greeted by staff who responded to a cheerful "Good morning!" with the enthusiasm of wax statues. If their smiles had been any tighter, they'd have cracked. Speaking of plates, yes, they were clean, but they glistened with leftover rinse water. Nothing says "Welcome, friend!" quite like the fear of cross-contamination before you even reach the Kung Pao. Once at the steam tables, Opa faced three varieties of chicken, honey, Kung Pao, and "spicy". Hmmm, this was tasting so alike he began to suspect a practical joke. Imagine three identical cousins arguing over who's the most interesting. Pleasant enough, but after a few bites you'd prefer just one cousin with a real personality. The beef with broccoli at least looked distinctive, but the broccoli had been stewed into the texture of soggy something. One bite transported Opa to his childhood in the Netherlands, where well-meaning mothers would lovingly overcook vegetables on Saturday night, leave them warming all through Sunday service, and serve them mashed beyond recognition just in time for lunch. Nostalgia shouldn't arrive disguised as baby food. Flavor shortcuts showed up later, too. Halfway home all three passengers in our car experienced that unmistakable abdominal chorus line an MSG tango, if you will. (Next time we'll bring castanets so the cramps can keep rhythm.) Still, children remain blissfully immune to nuance. Ours were delighted by the deep fried selection, golden, crispy, and unapologetically kid-proof. And credit where it's due, the buffet's breadth of choice remains impressive. If you measure value in linear feet of steam table, China E keeps its crown. But a restaurant's reputation isn't built on cubic yards of chafing dishes. It's built on flavor, freshness, and a smile that tells you your presence matters. Until those return, Opa's enthusiasm will remain parked in the lot outside. I'm begrudgingly leaving three stars for sheer variety and the kids' fried food joy, though my taste buds whisper "TWO." Here's hoping the management remembers that quantity should never be an excuse to drown quality, and that a simple "thank you" is cheaper than any bottle of sauce. read more

Food was okay. Service was great. My plates were cleared away as soon as I was done. This is what I liked and didn't like.... Mongolian BBQ - this is where you add your protein, veggies, and sauce and the chef cooks it up for you. I didn't really care for it, but that probably was because I didn't season it properly. There is a bit of a learning curve for this. Spring roll - yummy Pot sticker - pass Sesame ball - really good Chicken wing - probably the best thing I ate Baked seafood- good Baked shrimp- even better Seaweed salad - hard pass Kimchi- another hard pass Green beans - yummy Sushi - hard and tasted old (was there at 11:30am. They open at 11). Cold shrimp salad- surprisingly good Tomato and cucumber salad - ok Mushrooms - can never go wrong with mushrooms read more

China E Buffet - This was my plate of Mongolian BBQ. It wasn't great, but I chalk that up to me not knowing how to best season the food. - Chinese Near Me - Round Rock, Texas

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Even though they just opened, food did not taste fresh. Every entree was so bland. Salt and/or seasoning does not exist in their vocabulary. Took forever to get drinks refilled, even though they weren't busy. And you needed a lot of liquid to choke down the food. They didn't empty used plates until you asked. Plates would pile up quickly. I will NEVER go back. $60 for 1 adult, a 12 yr old and 15yr old girl is too much to hate the food. read more

Food was meh. Came here with a family of 9, and they were able to accomodate us right away. When you first walk in, there is a toy store right in front so if you have kids, they will want to check it out. They have seafood, sushi, and Mongolian BBQ, but it was just ok. The seafood they had was crawfish, fried shrimp, peeled shrimp, and fish. The sushi and Mongolian BBQ didn't look that great. I didn't see any raw fish. The desserts looked meh. Couple of cakes that were too sweet. They had individual cups of ice cream, but they were too soft for me. Service was decent but, I couldn't find myself wasting calories at this place. Last time I will come here. read more

Typical Central, Texas Chinese buffet, well taken care of. Food was hot and fresh. Give it a try.

Glad they reopened. Food is good. Dessert selection is awesome. Hope they keep the hot foods hot and the cold foods cold.

Average is being generous. The food was bland and lukewarm warm., What Chinese restaurant doesn't have hot mustard? NO plans to go back. read more

The food was good with so many varieties of seafood to choose from. Even a picky eater can definitely find something to eat. They service was also good even though it was all you can eat read more

China E Buffet - This was one of my plates of food - Chinese Near Me - Round Rock, Texas

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This place has good egg drop soup, DO NOT EAT THE FRIED CRAB!! I got one fried crab leg and it had the smell of sour rottenness. I decided to open the crab leg all the way to see where the smell came from... the meat on the inside was black and the smell got even worse. It's looks like it was just fried right over. The service was decent overall. If you want to give this place a try, go ahead, just don't get the rotten fried crab legs! read more

Absolutely disgusting. Whole place looked and smelled dirty. I'm truly shocked that no one in our family got food poisoning. While eating crab i had to spit it out because it tasted and smelled like bleach which is a sign of decomposing before being cooked. Just disgusting. read more

Everything. Thank you for being open on Christmas Day. Very good selection/variety of foods. Mongolian grill is awesome with steak and chicken with choice of sauces, veggies, etc. read more

Well this will be a first for me. I'm usually a little harder on locations that serve Pepsi but this place here was very good. The veriety of good food was amazing. The service was great me and my family were getting refills without asking for it. Our plates picked up almost as soon as we were done. The location is clean and on point. Like I said I don't usually give restaurants with Pepsi a 5 star rating because I'm a Coca Cola guy but this place was just that good. read more

Food was mediocre. Place definitely isn't cleaned well. Service is horrible. Spent 20 mins waiting for my check so I could pay and leave after being ignored multiple times. I don't know why anyone would go back to this place. They clearly care more about socializing than doing any work. 100% would not recommend to anyone I know. read more

I've been coming to this buffet for years with my mom, and now that I have a daughter, I wanted to continue the tradition with her. Unfortunately, today was a huge disappointment. The food was not as good as I remembered, but I still paid happily and tipped my server generously, because my waiter was the only positive part of my visit. The real issue happened in the lobby. My daughter wanted a toy from the vending machine, and although the toy made it to the edge, it didn't drop down. The staff tried wiggling the machine but then just walked away without saying anything. When I asked if they were done helping, I was rudely told, "If you want to waste another dollar, you can." After trying again and still getting nothing, I was laughed at by an employee named Nina, which felt extremely disrespectful. I left but came back when I saw them trying to open the machine they claimed they couldn't help with earlier. I asked several times for the owner's number, but instead the manager, Kaye, gave me her own number. When I questioned it, she admitted she wouldn't give me the owner's information because they "don't speak English." That excuse was not acceptable, and her dismissive attitude only made the situation worse. This place used to be one of my favorite spots, but after today's experience with Nina and Kaye, I will not be returning. The food was disappointing, the service (aside from my waiter) was unprofessional, and the way I was treated left a very bad impression. read more

In the mood for Chinese and decided to check out China Buffet. I was extremely disappointed. The string been had good seasoning but they were cold. Fried fish was cold and hard, sautéed mushrooms was bland and also cold. Some of the food look like it had been sitting for awhile old and dry and yet ppl was coming in like that place was a five star restaurant. I did not see anyone wear gloves while handling the food. I will never return. read more

This is not the price even though it is advertised on this site. The food is fair at most only went because of price and a few of their items are good like soup and salad read more

China E Buffet - This not true. !!! - Chinese Near Me - Round Rock, Texas

Mongolian BBQ was great. I haven't had any better in Austin. Buffet was OK. Nothing really stood out as outstanding. Service was good. Prompt refills on my drinks. Place was clean. read more

Good food, pretty decent variety, service good and ambiance casual. Nothing spectacular but you do have the option of having your food cooked fresh or choose from quite a few good options. I've seen better and worse, this is just middle of the road okay. Has a dessert bar, overall I'd return again but no hurry. read more

Food was great but the beef was stinky. Also no problems with the interior and service.

Having experience in working in kitchens, this was a horrible experience. Food that was to be cold was lukewarm (which is against health code). Onions tasted spoiled, fruit tasted old and chewy, dessert tasted old. Service was minimal, cleanliness was horrible. Restrooms were dirty. Will not comeback! read more

So the first time I came here I fell in love with!! They had clams octopus fried shrimp fried crab like everything it was delicious !!! Okay ....i guess I came too early today because NONE of that was here for lunch. So was a bit dis's appointment in what was offered baked fish & crawfish were the only real warm seafood options .....sigh . I'll be back another time for dinner read more

Grossssss! I am currently throwing up , in pain, and I don't know which end it will come out next! my husband is also sick. I didn't even eat much of anything! I nibbled on stuff! All the food looked yucky but I still tried it out. I deeply regret it!! I can't even keep down water!! I am glad my youngest was picky! He is okay. My husband and I definitely are not the service was sub par, and the drinks tasted funny as well! Please be careful! We never eat at buffets but we decided to try it out. I think we will stick with mostly made to order restaurants from now on if we even go out to eat anymore! DONT EAT THE SHRIMP OR PORK DUMPLINGS!!!!!!!! I think they were the culprits!!! read more

Well I guess we didn't learn our lesson with Chinese buffets. This ruined our day after having my son win a martial arts tournament in Fort Worth. My son wanted Chinese. We caved. Ok, some of the food was good, but most had a WIERD after taste. The place confused us, I though we had walked into a cheap market with all the trinkets they were selling. About the only thing we agreed on, was the little mini Bundt cakes they had. They were actually more than ok. Oh and we got sick. My sons stomach hurt, and I got the "d" word. So yeah never again. read more

You can't beat the value. I was craving Chinese food so decided on this place. All you can eat bufoat a bargain price. read more

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The food was not bad! Even though this is a Self-Serve type of place, we had a waiter getting our drinks and bussing our empty plates. It's a Little Loud, but if you're with the One You Love, it really doesn't matter! HAHA After reading the previous reviews, I remembered how the beef tasted off (SUPER chewy), but other than that, I really cannot complain! read more

I haven't been to a buffet since prior to COVID and my wife asked what I wanted for Fathers Day, this was my pick. The place was packed but they were doing a great job of moving people through. I honestly didn't read any reviews in selecting The China Buffet, I'm glad I didn't. My wife did and mentioned a few of the complaints people made. Service at a buffet, what do you need? They sit you, get you a drink and pick up plates. Service today was everything I expected. The food, great selection, they were filling trays as they got empty and everything I put on my plate was very tasty and again everything I had expected. The price was right, so all in all I had a very good experience. My wife enjoyed all the different seafood options so she was happy too. It my opinion you have to have certain expectations for a reasonably priced buffet, lots of people, a lot of kids, but if you're there to enjoy a good meal, this was the place. read more

There are a lot of food choices here, that's for sure. But it was a pretty mediocre experience in terms of taste and texture. The beef was too chewy to eat. The boiled shrimp was head-on, a mess to eat. The broccoli chicken was pretty good as was the sweet and sour chicken. I pretty much stuck to that as the other items were either marked as extra spicy or looked like they had been around for awhile. What I ate was OK, but nothing memorable. My wife likes the Chinese buffet more than I but otherwise I probably would not go back. Nothing to really look forward to here. And, as others said, the ice cream section was a mess and the ice cream was barely frozen with the dippers in stale cloudy water - I passed on that. The peanut brittle was hard enough to break your teeth, so deserts, as with most Chinese places, were out. Just OK. read more

ZERO starts if possible -Dirty -no service / no one helped -bad smell -bad food Stay away prett read more

China E Buffet - Chinese Near Me - Round Rock, Texas

There's not too many Vegan options. They don't have plain rice that is Vegan. A lot of gag inducing nasty seafood stuff. I ate mostly potatoes and plantains, which is ironic for a Chinese restaurant. These plantains and potatoes were good. I love buffets, so this buffett does have merit. Good iced tea. Price is decent. It's good to be full, yet there are improvements for this place. 3 stars: good read more

Place could be very busy and long wait on weekends., Food is your standard Asian buffet nothing out of ordinary but super affordable price is what makes this place special. Sticky tables and floors can be bothersome however service is descent with quick workers taking your plate & refill drinks read more

China E Buffet - Current pricing before adding tips - Chinese Near Me - Round Rock, Texas

Sorry China E Buffet, but I am not a fan. I feel like there was an opportunity missed to make some real improvements after the restaurant was shut down due to failed health inspection. Unfortunately, the only changes we noticed were for the worse. A couple of the items I liked were no longer on the buffet. The decor remains the same. Absolutely filthy carpets, floors, and bathrooms. The soy sauce, napkin dispensers and other items on each table are all grimy, greasy and/or sticky. The only redeeming qualities of China E Buffet are that you can likely find at least a couple of buffet items that you'll like. The mongolian grill can also be pretty good if there is someone around to cook it. However, I am willing to drive all the way down south to Buffet Palace (the BEST Asian buffet in Austin) before coming here again. read more

The food here is awesome! Honey chicken is so good, hot n sour soup is amazing! Everything is awesome! The only thing is, the bathrooms are gross. Warning. read more

I used to enjoy this place. But after almost slipping on a greasy floor, by my table and at the buffet and having questionable Shrimp and sushi But what does it for me was the rudeness and unaccommodating staff. Seating is close and they would only sit us at a booth with a high chair in The aisle. I asked for the 5 top table and was denied because a high chair did not count as one. I would be upset if I had to go around a high chair in the aisle and I don't want to bump someone's kid nor do I want mine out there. read more

Horrible service, disgusting food. Horrible sights, Rats, Roaches,Bed bugs. Very Loud, Horrible tip services. Do Not Come Here Ever!

The service is amazing and that's it. Food is bland so bland. Scared to eat any seafood here. Seafood is so fishy and smells bad. Chicken and beef so tasteless it's like eating gum with sauce on it. Sorry 1st and last for me never again. read more

Ok. I have been going here for years. never got sick on the food, no bad "aftertaste" on items. food always warm. tables, floors, clean. lots of bad reviews here. but hey, there aren't many chinese buffets here and I've gotten sick on more "non" chinese buffets....Italian, BBQ, even Tex-Mex. I do hope they open back up and fix what is needed. read more

Cheap price for various good food options. Good services. However, a lot of rude customers who ruined it here. read more

This place has something for everyone. There is value. Under $20 all you can eat. The place is clean and the food is fresh. The vibe is energetic. Lots of people on a Sunday. The service is excellent. People were smiling. Glad we found this place. We were visiting from Alaska. read more

China E Buffet - Chinese Near Me - Round Rock, Texas

Reopened on 2/1/24 Food not very good at all Food choices were limited but lots of fried everything Meat was chewy- not easy to eat Chicken was dried up Sushi bar was warm- not cold and questionable on safe to eat Not impressed ATALL! Service was good *UPDATE* Next day all three of us were sick all night!! Be careful if you eat there read more