First when you have to wait to be seated for about 5 minutes because no one is at the front, that was strike 1 and annoying as they were not that busy. Second, the food was not good at all! Everything tasted like it had sugar in it and every entree was sweet! Strike two Third, service was horrible. It seemed like the server was overwhelmed with just 5 tables. Ran out of drink and not a refill. Very disappointed, not going there again. read more

Went with two of my best friends the food looked like it stayed out way too long. We couldn't eat even of the food!I had to spit out into a napkins 2 times. The chow mein noodles were old and the cabbage was so rubbery and some reason had a very fishy taste to it. The sushi tasted really off and seemed old! kinda scared we got food poisoning because now we just feel sick to our stomach. When we told the server that we weren't really happy and that we barely could eat our food and tried to see if we could get a discount or something and all they could give us was a 30% discount my bill still came out to be $31.65 what kinda of discount is that?? He also had the nerve to say to my friend "maybe you were in a hungry mood". We were in a very hungry mood actually!! We really did want some sushi but after that I lost my appetite for sushi. read more

If I could go lower than one star I would. Not only did we get lucky not getting food poisoning multiple times, we also were greeted at the front with the worst smell I've ever smelled. The burners weren't on for half the food. I put a frozen dumpling in my mouth at one point because it hadn't been cooked. I don't understand how this place is still in business. The food is the worst you will find. There are buckets of cleaning water right next to the buffet lines. Please avoid at all costs. This is the easiest way to get salmonella in town. read more

Chinatown Cafe - Medium rare chicken - Chinese Near Me - Denton, Texas

Heading home from work on Saturday evening and I have no plans (by choice) and I am HUNGRY. So I get into Denton and the first place I see coming up Bonnie Brae is Chinatown Cafe. I have 15 minutes before they close...... yes, I am cutting it close but maybe I can get lucky. I get inside and they are in the process of shutting down, the buffet is already taken down, but I ask if I can get a to-go order and they say "Sure." It had been raining a good portion of the day, so they told me business was slow today and were closing a little early, but I can get some food. Egg Drop soup, spare ribs and Mongolian Beef. "Ok we found some spare ribs, I don't know if we have green onions for the Mongolian beef...... ok they found some." They had put everything away already. Roughly six minutes later I was out the door. Extra green onions, extra spicy and they even threw in two extra ribs! (regular order is only four ribs) For the most part, this is the only Chinese food restaurant I have ordered from in the three and a half years I have lived in Denton. They closely represent what I used to get growing up in NJ and their Egg Drop soup is on point. I have eaten the buffet before and it's not too bad either. I do like how they include their version of a donut for a little dessert at the end. Warm pastry covered in sugar and cinnamon. Little touches. Good food. Support Denton businesses. read more

Chinatown Cafe - Mongolian Beef - Chinese Near Me - Denton, Texas

There were 5 of us. We all agreed the food was really good. Lots of food to choose from.

After finishing our food we saw a roach crawling down the wall at our booth, followed by a roach crawling on the floor on our way out. Safe to say we will never eat there again. read more

The food looked good but it wasn't. Where I was sitting there was an exotic bug crawling next to me while I'm trying to eat. And not only that, a rusty air vent was dripping some kind of contaminated substance on my arm. And also there was false advertising in the front lobby. read more

If I could give no stars I would!!!! The guy who attended us was kind and attentive but this place needs some serious help. The food is gross. I got hibachi and it was completely soaked in sauce. There are not even many options of food and most of it tasted like it sat out for hours. Pretty disappointed because we normally go to our original spot and decided to try this place and it was money wasted! read more

One of the best Chinese food buffets I've been to honestly. The food was fresh. Seemed lighter than most buffets. There's a Mongolian grill offering I will take advantage of next time. The environment is very clean, welcoming, calm. Will definitely return. read more

One of my favorite spots in Denton, with great staff and delicious food. A variety of options to choose from, with main courses as well as soups, sides, toppings and in-house sushi bar. There is also a dessert bar with delicious snacks. Thien has been a phenomenal server to us many times and is so kind and great at her job read more

This place reminds me of Mr. Chopsticks, they used to be awesome but then the quality of their food went downhill and then after that, the service started sliding too. I used to go here often with a former colleague and I'm not sure if the good times are clouding my memory of the food, but I remember everything being more flavorful and consistently hot. I stopped going several years ago because the area was under construction at the time and it was inconvenient to get there. Since then I've been back three times and all three times were a let down considering my prior expectations. Until recently, my last visit was about a year ago. I stopped in between the lunch and dinner rush to get a buffet to go and it was obvious they had not freshened up the food since the lunch rush. When I left that time, I was telling myself that I should have known better. Especially since that had happened to me the previous time I went. However, those two visits were the only time I could remember getting bad food here, so I told myself it had to be the timing that was to blame. This most recent visit we came on a Saturday at 11:30am and I was expecting fresh food. Though my husband seemed more satisfied than I was, everything I had was dried out and I know they can do better because I have eaten much better food from here. Even the desserts were dry and they have always been on point with their cheesecake squares. Because of this everything was either okay or meh, but not a single thing I had was really good, like it used to be. The rice and lo mein were visibly dry looking, but tasted okay. Many of the various items I got tasted like they were slightly overcooked rendering them chewy or greasy. The sushi station did not deliver on quality, the shrimp was dry and rubbery and the rolls were lazy and sloppy. I did not try the grill though, so that may be a real success since they cook it in front of you. Though nothing tasted bad or was completely inedible, it didn't inspire an appetite in me and I only ate enough to not be hungry. To me, that is not what I go to a buffet for, I go to be gluttonous and eat too much food. The service was attentive. We were met at the door with a smile, seated immediately, plates cleared quickly, etc. Though I did see several staff members on their phones, the place had few customers and I don't think anyone else noticed besides my husband. In the past, I would always describe the service here, and at their former second location Red Peppers, as outstanding. I can't say I got the same level of engagement that I was used to on this visit. However, I can't deny that the customer interactions were good and our drinks were kept full, so service was definitely satisfactory. As someone who used to go a lot and knows how good they can be, I was disappointed because they used to be the best game in town and consistently very good for a buffet. As someone who went once before and doesn't really remember it, my husband thought it was pretty decent. With that in mind, I remind myself that ratings should be apples to apples. Despite my past experiences with them, I can still say that they are overall okay in the realm of Chinese buffets. They are miles ahead of the food poisoning trap down the road by the Kroger, but no longer ahead of the Buffet King. They are middle of the pack for Chinese buffets in Denton. The food is okay and the service is still good enough to make a good impression if you manage your expectations. That's what secured the third star for them. My advice would be to go towards the end of a lunch or dinner rush so that hopefully you'll catch items being newly replaced and hopefully tastier than what I experienced. I have really fond memories of this place so I hope they tweak some things and I can rate them higher in the future. read more

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Love the weekend cook! Their pineapple shrimp is worth the drive. Very clean and staff is friendly.

Staff was very nice, but other than that we were not happy with the freshness or quality of food. Such a bummer! We had a party of five who were very hungry, but not one of us liked anything except the cinnamon donut rolls and ice cream. We tried pretty much everything they offered or had out to try, and none of it was good. Well below average IMO. We will not be back. read more

This used to be my favorite Chinese buffet, even after I moved from Denton, I would occasionally drive just to get there. I stopped about two years ago because the food was really lacking. With that being said, I gave them another try last night. I'm so sad that the quality of food and service is so poor that we will not be returning ever again. It was 7:30 and the bar was bare and what was left was cold or appeared to be reheated. Breaks me heart because it was the first Chinese food I'd had ever eaten as a teen, took my kids there, even took my granddaughter there, so many memories. We paid $50(with tip) to spit most of the food out. Don't waist your time or money. read more

The food is not good place is not clean and staff is not very friendly or helpful at all the tea is nasty a lot of food is cold I don't recommend this place and it's not very clean read more

Worst Chinese food I have had in years. The place is clean and nice inside, but it stops there. Food quality was poor and one could not tell if any of the chicken dishes were actually chicken. The rice and lo-mien were Luke warm and tasteless The crab wontons had zero crab and all cream cheese. I came in not expecting much and got even less. Will never go back. read more

I am super pleasantly surprised by this hidden gem! Chinese buffets can either be hit or miss, and this nearly hit the full jackpot! The crab Rangoon are delicious and I love that they are bite sized. Egg rolls were also delicious. We've ordered takeout/pickup from here too and i always appreciate how quickly they can put the food together even when they are slammed. Very very clean too. We will absolutely be back! read more

This was my wife and I's first time coming here and hella mid. Thankfully it was cheap cause the food was unappetizing. The chicken I got was all breading and literally no chicken. The sushi didn't taste right at all. All I can say is that you definitely pay for what you get. If you want a Chinese Buffett, go to Buffett King on the loop! Top 3 items: Sugar donut Ice cream Coffee cake At the end of the day, it's not as bad as Viet Bites on Fry Street. Come in with low expectations and you might walk out surprised. Maybe today was an off day. read more

First time here, had high expectations based on being in the 2019 Best of Denton. Maybe my taste buds were off, but more than one buffet item tasted 'off'. The hot and sour soup had a bad taste, I could only handle two bites, same thing for the kimchi, it just didn't taste like expected, it was fishy tasting. There were plenty of dishes on the buffet, most were okay, nothing spectacular. I probably won't be back. read more

Great food and service, take out is timely and always fresh. Location is easy to get into but difficult to get out of the parking lot at times read more

I was kind of sus of this place given the reviews, but we decided to give it a shot for uber eats one night. I was pleasantly surprised! Food tasted fresh. Food was HOT.. I ordered the fried rice - most places I go to make very dry fried rice, but there was really good. The rice noodles were delicious too. We also got orange chicken. Everything looked and tasted great. So nice to take a break from cooking thai food every day read more

This review is for takeout only: Yesterday around 4 my kid wanted to get Chinese buffet to go and this was staring at us from Taco CASA. So we decided to give it a whirl. It was 11.98 for takeout, which to me seems a bit high. I thought it was especially high since after we paid for the to go container she shows me a list of all the things we could not take: Boiled shrimp, any sushi, nothing from the dessert bar and a few other things. Now, I just paid $12 for a nine year old to take out Chinese food and it feels like you've just banned me from half the place. The food was my fault. I should have asked to see it beforehand since you don't see it when you enter. Every single item looked overcooked and non appetizing. My kid ended up getting white rice and some sweet and sour chicken and that was about it since they had no fresh veggies or mushrooms or green beans. So I feel a little had by this joint, but I should have asked to see the food and should have gotten a refund once they told me I couldn't take soup, desserts, shrimp, sushi or Mongolian grill home. I wouldn't recommend. read more

Picked up take out after work. First time, not the last time. When I got home I noticed the portion sizes were huge! We ordered egg roll, crab Rangoon, beef and broccoli, general Tsos chicken and combo fried rice. All tasted as expected and again was impressed with the portions and the size of the protein within the dishes. Well Done! read more

Amazing food and variety of dishes! With several Chinese food restaurants in town Chinatown Cafe is the BEST!

As Chinese Buffets go, this place is one of the best. It's a nice and quiet place to share with your friends and family. The fried rice and noodles aren't good at all, but everything else is great. read more

Chinatown Cafe - Great Meat and Seafood options. - Chinese Near Me - Denton, Texas

Visited on a Saturday and they had a lot of seafood options on the lunch buffet. Some looked amazing. Others a bit dry. I did notice that many items were not as saturated in sodium as at other restaurants I have tried and they did have many grilled items to contrast the fried. I wish I would have seen the build your own bowl before I had already eaten because I feel that would have been the beat overall when it came to seasonings and lower sodium as a whole because you select all your own items. read more

Every once in a while, I get a weird craving for Chinese buffet. We tried this place for the first time and it was ok. There was a lot of food, it was all hot. I tried many things including a sweet corn nugget (creamed corn fried in a little ball), wonton, some of the sushi offerings, kimchee, steamed rice, the two tofu offerings, and then some. I do like that they have Sriracha out to spice things up. I tried the rice noodles and threw in a few veggies at the teppanyaki grill but my mix must have been off, the thin rice noodles practically disintegrated so two bites & I was over that. It is very Americanized so if you like that style, you're in for a good time. I think I should have ordered off the menu. The two tofu offerings were small, super fried, tofu bites so I didn't have a lot of that as well. For my 2nd round, I just got some steamed rice and kimchee. I love kimchee, fermented spicy cabbage and veggies, mixed into the rice. I think I would have been just satisfied with that to start with. But, the food was all hot, the right temperature and there was a lot to choose from. They also have a few domestic beers and cold sake to wash it down. I still think Mr. Chopsticks does it better but it is not a buffet. read more

4 Stars for take-out!!! We ordered fried rice, lo mein and sesame chicken (toe in the water) and I was pleasantly surprised. The $10 portion of sesame chicken was enough for me and my teenager to eat twice and it was good (crispy, actually tasted like sesame, chicken wasn't rubbery). The house/combination (whatever they call it) fried rice and lo mein both came with more meat than the average Chinese place. The lo mein didn't have a strong flavor but I think that was intentional because it tasted "cleaner" than what I expected. Oh and they gave me REAL hot mustard. Order from the menu! Buffet: I looked over the buffet and our food was far better than what they had to offer. Their buffet to-go is a set price and not by weight. It was higher than eating there. The whole point of buffet to-go for me is the ability to get a small portion when I'm on the go. I would avoid the buffet. read more

Very good. Hell of a lot better than the one down the road. Good choice of food and it taste good. Very happy with service. Not pushy at all. It was good the last time I was here and still good. read more

I used to be a very frequent loyal customer. I remember the food always being great and the selection being awesome. Through the years, the quality really fell off. Most of the meats are extremely off texture wise. All of the noodle and rice dishes are very gummy. Deserts are dry. My most recent visit was around 2:30 PM for the lunch price. I really didn't try much, as I just don't trust the meat. The few dishes I did try were all mostly disappointing. The only dish I did enjoy were the sesame balls. While I was eating I was thinking about giving them 3 stars. However, a few hours later and I have an awful bout of food poisoning, and I will not return. read more

Where should I start? I always hate to be forced to give a restaurant the lowest mark possible, although it does not happen very often, but in this case it would be a disservice to future patrons not to do so. I never expect a lot from buffet restaurants, I know that food that is on a warmer for a long period of time is never going to be the best but my low marks this time are not only for the extremely poor quality of the food but the restaurant itself, from the dining room, the steam tables and the restrooms. But let's start with the food. Lukewarm at best, everything with the same taste, or lack of thereof and of poor quality. The meats had a strange texture, the fish screamed not to be eaten and the sushi rolls looked like they had seen better days. Desserts were 99 cents quality and the ice creams were kept in an unsanitary, rusted ice cream case. The restaurant is poorly lit, depressing and lacks the freshness and cleanliness you would expect from a buffet restaurant because of the presence of exposed food. My grandmother always said that you judge a restaurant kitchen cleanliness by the way the restroom looks and if that is true, in this case, I would hate to take a tour of this kitchen. Chinatown's owners obviously have no pride in their restaurant and that is a shame. A fresh coat of paint, a cleaning lady, a remodeled bathroom and better quality food would pay for themselves as the owners could be able to raise their prices a bit. A little over $ 12 is not an exorbitant price for a good lunch and I would have gladly paid more for what I had to endure to eat, or not eat, during my visit. But reviews are not meant to hurt a restaurant. They are designed as a wake up call for restaurant owners, to let them know that we do judge them and what we expect. Hopefully Chinatown's owners will listen and take more pride in their establishment and at the same time, have more appreciation for their guests. This writer always keeps that in mind when writing a restaurant review. read more

The food was not edible everything on the buffet was cold, undercooked, and overcooked , customer service was horrible employees were staring at us the whole time, employees also ate right next to us. And they were trying to rush us out of the restaurant. Would definitely recommend not eating here and would give -5 stars if I could. read more

The food here is terrible, everything was much, crunch, not ripe enough, or just plan inedible. Definitely will never be returning here

Disappointing compared to the quality of food 4 or so years ago. I stopped by during a weekday for an early dinner, about 8 other tables had customers. Although I was charged evening meal rates, the buffet still had sad leftovers congealing from lunch. Sushi choices were limited to cream cheese and avocado selections, and very few of those. I looked inside the ice cream cabinets to see that the ice cream tubs had thawed and been refrozen. I have visited on different days and different times in the past months, but they serve the same warmed over crap regardless of the time of day. Although it is a very close location to me, I will find somewhere else for Asian cuisine read more

Great variety! Hot, fresh food constantly being put on the bar. Seasoned well and delicious! Friendly staff! Love the stir fry included! Clean! read more

This is the exception to my 'no asian food buffets' rule. I tend to get over-MSG'd at these types of buffets, but not here. Chinatown Cafe is so good. They have all the standards that all Chinese food buffets have: Sugar Fried Biscuits, Sweet & Sour Pork/Chicken/Etc, Beef & Broccoli, crab rangoons, jello, etc. The best thing they have is the Pineapple Shrimp. If you go there, look for this dish. It is, simply put, amazing. The last 3 times i've been here, I tend to just skip out on everything else, and get a plateful of this delicious number. Lightly fried shrimp, in a sweet pineapple, raisin, and pepper glaze. I don't know why this stuff is so amazing, but I'm craving it now as I talk about it. The only thing I do not like about this place is the icecream bar. It's not that I don't love bluebell icecream, I do. What I don't love, is the sticky icecream scoop that they have in one of those water-drips (but the water never looks clean, even with the running water) and the scoop is so sticky. G-R-O-S-S. Other than the nasty ice cream scoop, I love this place. The price is alright considering it's all you can eat. read more

I've lived in Denton quite awhile now and have never stopped by this place. A friend finally got me to go one day and i have to say i was very surprised! First off the place is very very clean and well kept. Which made me feel better coming to a asian buffet! The variety was excellent! They had anything from sushi to a mongolian grill, osters and a wide selection of sweets! Also the ice cream there is Blue Bell...wooot woot! I'll be the first to admit that i hate asian buffets, but this one is a step above some of the others i've been to. The food quality slightly better than what you would get at normal buffets and that's what will keep me coming back The service was great as usual and the price matched! This really is the place to go if you want to stuff your face till you want to puke. read more

Agreed to take my AmEx Card. Then after laborious ordering process, revealed that they want CASH ONLY from hotel guests !!! Egregious affront! read more

Excellent service and food. Great buffet, and they deliver. We've tried chinatown beef, vegetable frield rice, kung pao chicken, crab rangoons good too. Best in town. read more

One of the best asian buffets I've been to. Good variety of every form of chicken dish, and a mongolian grill as well as some simple sushi. There are several soups and enough choices to keep my vegetarian girlfriend interested. 10 bucks for dinner is a bit more than I look to pay, but sometimes you are in that mood to not look over a complicated menu at another place. I've been several times and the service has always been prompt and courteous. That alone puts it ahead of most. read more