Delicious over all but the restroom needed a lot of attention even tho I understand it was a busy Easter day.

Wow, I did not expect the quality of the food was this good. The fresh oysters with lemon juice, seafood sauce with a touch of Tabasco was excellent and fresh. Hard to believe in this desert. Then all the prawn dishes, stir fried, specially the salt and pepper prawn! OMG! There's this dish called clams with black bean sauce. It's literally the freshest, firm clams that I have eaten for awhile. Of course, they have the regular one expects. I am Chinese from Malaysia, living in the States for 20 plus years. I used to live in San Gabriel area. Went with me was my Taiwanese coworker. We both were impressed. Anyway, It also nice to see quite a good crowd on Tuesday night, 元宵節。 Keep up the great work, guys! read more

If I'm ever in the area again, I'll definitely stop by to eat here. It's a small spot, but the price-to-quality ratio is just right -- and that matters. Most of the sushi and rolls are made with imitation crab meat, which might not be for everyone, but there are still some tasty options. As for the oysters -- honestly, they should probably be taken off the menu. They've never been great, and that hasn't changed. That said, you won't leave this place hungry. There's something here for everyone to enjoy. read more

Emperor Asian Buffet - Oysters not recommended))) - Chinese Near Me - Rancho Mirage, California

5/7/2026 Arrival 2:30pm Seated. Fairly busy. Food - hmmmm. Nothing that was supposed to be hot was - room temperature is more accurate. The Hibachi station ensured hot food. Don't expect to return - ever. read more

Visited 6/12/2025 This is my second time visiting this Buffet. I'm impressed the large selection of hot and cold dishes to choose from. Something for everyone. Best time is shortly after opening as all is fresh. Very Large seating area and the staff is super friendly and attentive. This was my second visit but definitely won't be my last. read more

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On his way into Emperor Buffet in Rancho Mirage, your favorite Yelp correspondent was reminded of the famous quote by renowned general and Emperor Sun Tzu, who said "The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting." I was in the area accompanying my lifelong best friend and little brother by another mother, Mick, to go visit his parents, whose earthly remnants are enshrined at Desert Memorial. For a $17 luncheon price and a generous two-hour window, we set about the task of taming our ferocious appetites. Faves of mine included the spicy chicken, the grilled chicken, the cheese wontons and the chicken wings. My friend possesses a more adventurous palate than Yours Truly, so he also attacked the sushi, shrimp and crab dishes with his characteristic bonhomie. The dessert round was exemplary, where the Emperor demolished the rest of our appetites with an array of fresh fruits, pudding, chilled mango jello, soft serve ice cream cones and nonpareil sesame balls and rice pastries. The service is, well, serviceable. They typically remove your used plates with dispatch and are good about keeping your drinks topped off. The decor and layout of Emperor Buffet is average for its niche in the fast casual dining marketplace. The highlight of the decor is no doubt the gigantic chandelier positioned directly over the center of the dining stations, its luminous light gleaming. So, you ask, did Emperor Buffet succeed in defeating its enemy (our appetites) without fighting? For a midday lunch south of $19, tax included, sure. read more

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This place doesn't look like much on the outside. In fact, once you go inside, it's still a bit lackluster. The floors are faded, warped, and cracked. The tables are nothing special and it is a bit dated. Yet, the people are friendly and the place is clean. The service is with a smile and very fast. When you leave your table to get another plate of food, when you return the old plate magically disappears. Drinks are refilled kindly and the bill arrives without a stressful amount due. (Don't forget to tip) Now, the food is good. It's a bit random, so you need to look at each row carefully. There is apple pie by the fried shrimp, marshmallows with the salad stuff, and some other hidden surprises. The sushi area is good, as is the Mongolian bbq stuff. Tip them, in addition to your wait staff. So, good food, nice service, and an overall clean place to eat. I took off one star for the old feel of the place. But, that helps keep the fancy folk at bay. read more

Emperor Asian Buffet - Yummy - Chinese Near Me - Rancho Mirage, California

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I ate here 3 whole years ago. Wow! The food is absolutely outstanding!! I have talked to everyone I know about this place it is my ultimate favorite restaurant! If you are seeing this emperor buffet I love you. read more

I was visiting my sister in Palm Springs for a few day to relax, one of my vacation spot..lol She recommended Emperor's which is a Chinese Buffet, we enter and were greeted then the hostess seated us and took our drink order. This place is huge with five selection each filled with all type's of food just to name a few, blue crab, oyster, lobster, crab legs, shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, all type of fruits and desserts selection, plus a sparate area that has hibachi & sushi bar. The food was very good and tasty plus very authentic to me. All of the staff was very nice and friendly, I had a wonderful experience here read more

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I came here with my mom for an early dinner. This is really only the restaurant my family and I go to when I visit them. Everything is mediocre, but I would like to highlight that I really come for the crawfish. As for the rest of the selection there is variety and they typically bring out new hot foods every while. The server comes and picks up our plates whenever he saw any available to pick up which was great, he was very attentive with refilling my water. There was a lot of people when we had gone so it was nice that it was not crowded. There is plenty of seating and is quite clean. I also noticed that they had just raised their prices from $19 to $25 which is a bit steep for what their offering but I would continue to come back for the crawfish ! read more

Emperor Asian Buffet - Crawfish ! - Chinese Near Me - Rancho Mirage, California

5 stars because they offer GREAT GREAT HEALTHY items....IF IF YOUR creative. ok 1st if you just want to pig out on classic asian stuff, go ahead. BUT BUT lately Ive been eating VERYYYYYYY HEALTHY. heres my secrets. 1st coarse is the spring salad actually GREAT dressing, i add a tad of ranch n ketchup for a 1000isle, a few pickles and one cream cheese wonton ( my cheat) , 2nd coarse one shrimp cocktail and a few crawfish ( yea takes a bit of work ) ...3rd is salmon nigiri, but i take the salmon off n soak in soy ( yet i nibble at the leftover rice...kinda ) place salmon slices over the tops of spicy sushi and also one or two honey shrimp, with ginger. STUFFED, only cheats are 2 fried shimps and a few nibbles of rice.... oh also a few clams is kinda fun too but a lot of work. dessert is a few nibbles of a rib. ( habit) a great deal in the low 20's read more

The food is plentiful and good. Nothing is outstanding or even excellent. It's good. Service is good. Very crowded at lunchtime. read more

I come here at least once a month, it's a local favourite forsure! I think also the only asian buffet style restaurant left in this area. the restaurant is always super clean, service is always kind, quick service and great about clearing your table as you move onto new plates. I always start a bottle of cold cloudy sake (which by the way is like half the price compared to ordering the same bottle at any other restaurant, beers are like 5$ too.) for the table and go get my wonton soup cup, add some green onions and chili oil. They have miso, hot and sour and egg drop soup as well. After that I usually try getting some fruit or something lighter in the salad bar area before my main. My last visit they actually had fresh Rambutan which is amazing!! It's very similar to lychee, tastes the same in my opinion. It was so fun breaking the shells to grab the fresh fruit hidden inside. They have all of the classic offerings you'd expect, plus some American options like pizza and french fries, fried wings. Plus stuff you wouldn't expect like Steamed Sole, Crab boils, Sushi bar with a nearby chef making some fresh and a Teppenyaki chef ready to cook you something fresh at no extra cost! I would however highly recommend leaving a tip for their services. Teppenyaki is my go to. I make my plate of raw ingredients (I do egg noodles/steak and shrimp/jalapeno/onion/sprouts/cabbage/brocolli/ one egg/garlic/chili paste and chow mein sauce. 10000000 out of 10 and why I will always come back. Dessert is the cherry on top. Typical vanilla and chocolate soft serve ice cream, I like to crush up almond cookies and eat it like that. They also have plenty of mini pastries, pudding, cake. Something for everyone forsure. You won't leave hungry or disappointed, that I can assure you :) read more

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They have a great selection of food, it's fresh and there wasn't a crazy waiting time for a Sunday afternoon. read more

Emperor Asian Buffet - Seafood boil, fish, rambutan fruit, wood ear mushrooms, spinach, dill pickle from the salad bar. There's something for everyone. - Chinese Near Me - Rancho Mirage, California

Actually a really good buffet with good food. They had stir fried lobster, seafood boil with crayfish, as well as the usual foods you'd expect at a Chinese buffet. Would go again. read more

When we have cravings to eat freshly cook noodles and steamed fish we come to this place. I like the fact that you can choose the proteins, seasonings and how much to use in your food and most of all lots of vegetables. It's a buffet style, but love the fact that they have a grilling section! The service is pretty good and they keep your table clean of dirty dishes. The ambiance, well it gets crowded so, we prefer to come as early as possible, and out of there by the time the crowds shows up. They have plenty of selections of food, but we're there for the freshly cook noodles and the sole steam fish !!! read more

The food was great. The service was good. The restaurant was full. The server kept on refilling our drinks unstop. The price wasn't too bad. read more

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The variety is all here. Of course the weekend and evening are better than the average day time weekday, and the price is increased but it's worth it. Never had any complaints about freshness. It's not top tier cuisine, but again - all the variety you could want and some pretty good recipes throughout the place too. read more

Emperor Asian Buffet - Chinese Near Me - Rancho Mirage, California

SERVICE: SERVICE IS TERRIBLE AND THEY MAKE YOU FEEL SO UNCOMFORTABLE!!!! Servers HOUND YOU FOR TIPS in the most uncomfortable way!! Believe the SEVERAL other reviews you read about this! Would give 0 stars if I could! We recently dined here and how uncomfortable the servers made us feel is so disturbing! The server brought us the tab and stood over our table while we reviewed it & some of our party was STILL eating. Once we tried to hand it over with our card he asked us to mark a tip which was starting at $25 (fine no problem right) except he wasn't asking if we could tip he was saying we had to mark a tip! I then asked him "do you not take cash tips" and he responded "oh yes we do." And changed his tone. (Mind you by this point we were frustrated because we literally had to chase for their attention to refill our drinks since they kept walking past our table with zero acknowledgment, one of us didn't get our initial drink until 20 mins later whole time there were 2 ladies at the drinking station staring at us THE WHOLE TIME which was uncomfortable in itself! No one wants to be stared at while trying to eat. And I don't mean glancing at our table their eyes were full on locked on us) back to the tip situation. After asking the waiter "do you not take cash tips?" He stood over us staring at us to make sure we left a tip and reaching over us while we were trying to gather our children and belongings to reiterate some of us were still eating but the pressure and staring for a tip from the server made them so uncomfortable they stopped eating so we could leave! Típs are based on GOOD service and should not be demanded when WE have to chase you down for service and your staff make us feel uncomfortable! Mind you I dined here 6 months ago and another server charged at our table while I was taking my baby out of a high chair so I could clean up the high chair from the mess my baby made and the server rushed demanding "you need to pay, you need to pay!" as if I was looking to run out on the tab or something! The restaurant was crowded as she did that which was SO embarrassing!! I've worked customer service for years and NEVER would make a customer feel uncomfortable! My mistake was returning after my visit 6 months ago! Seems like the service hasn't changed! Tip to the managers as a manager myself: teach your servers better customer service. Hounding and hovering over customers to tip & pay their tab while trying to get situated is disturbing and BEYOND uncomfortable. Seems as if your servers profile certain customers that they might not pay their tab and that's ridiculous! By the looks of other reviews this is a common thing with your staff. FOOD: mediocre at best! 3 people in our party got so sick after dining here! For $30 a person I'd expect better customer service and food.... read more

Back here after a year, we live 100 miles away. They HAVE THE BEST QUALITY of ANY Asian Buffet we have ever been to. I believe their food just gwtting better and better. Great prices still. Wish I had an extra stomach...lol!!! We'll be back ASAP! read more

Emperor Asian Buffet - A little of each things I love - Chinese Near Me - Rancho Mirage, California

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I just love this place. I live in Michigan and visit the area quite often and coming here for lunch is always a must! I think all the food I've had is well prepared and very tasty. I know it's a buffet...but you get your drink quickly and your dirty dishes are cleared immediately when you get up to get more food!! I love the selection of sushi...there's a hibachi section that's fun! There's a great selection of different dishes...lots of fruit and salad and some desserts. A good wine selection, too. The place is clean and the price is right. read more

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It's a buffet with many options to choose from. They have a grill similar to magnolia bbq. That is the better option. Much of the food especially the rolls are very dry. Being a buffet you are your service. You are seated and the rest is you. They will bring your drinks but do not ask if you want a refill. Ambience needs some updating. My parents frequent here as it is something within their budget which is good for them. Not too impressed so no pictures. read more

Well it might just be your regular Asian buffet, the place is clean, service is good, they keep the steam tables well stocked and have many choices. read more

Having lived in Los Angeles County and going to Orange County many times in my life, I have encountered some fantastic Asian buffets. When I first moved to the Coachella Valley there were only two Asian buffets. One of them has since closed. The Emperor's Buffet is the only one that still is in existence. There is nothing here that is a standout. There's a lot of food and many choices, but everything is just okay. The different food trays are refilled pretty often, but old food is mixed with new food. You can often tell the older food by the duller colors. There is an area where you can choose your own ingredients and they will do a quick stir fry for you but I've never tried this. I have a Chinese friend who mostly chooses this option, when he comes in. Next to this area is an area that has prepared sashimi and rolls. They are small bites of rolls and small pieces of fish. They don't have a smell and I have not yet gotten sick from eating them. On the steam tables you'll find the things that you typically would find on an Asian buffet, like noodles, fried rice, steamed rice, soups, steamed buns, dumplings, kung pao chicken, walnut shrimp, green beans, teriyaki chicken, but there are some American things as well like pizza. There is a salad bar area that has some unusual choices plus a bunch of different types of sauces and things you add to your food, like lemon slices, and hot sauces. There is a small desert area that has mostly frozen cakes, cookies, and jello. There is some cut up fruit. For some reason, I always get the strawberry glazed banana and the ambrosia fruit salad. On the back wall there an ice cream machine. This may be my favorite part of the restaurant There are wait staff who will come to the table and bring your drinks. They are pretty good about refilling them. They will bring you your check as soon as you ask for it. This is a pretty popular place so you'll oftentimes see large groups eating there. Prices aren't bad, but it isn't exactly cheap. Hungry? This is your place. Expecting quality? You'll be disappointed. read more

Feed me when you want total variety and a quick lunch - go-to! Very casual simple dining but does the trick

Good fresh food. Lots of choices. Staff isn't that friendly & the bathrooms are scary dirty. read more

Literally the worst Chinese food ive ever had. If I don't contract food poisoning from the incredibly fishy shrimp, I'll be surprised.

It is what you would expect from a Chinese buffet. Very large selection, take as much as you want of standard ok food.

The lunch buffet is an excellent deal. There are many dishes to choose from (I don't eat meat but I didn't feel limited) and they are done well. I do eat fish and I thought the ginger sole was really really good. The soft serve ice cream is a nice feature too. It's *almost* as good as Carvel which I consider the best soft serve in the world. Service was excellent. We were seated quickly and checked on repeatedly. As far as the ambiance that others have found dated, I enjoyed it. It's a large space with nice touches on the windows, plenty of seating with booths and tables and it's clean. I would definitely return. read more

I went during the week and was pleasantly surprised all you can eat in August for 16.99 I believe. Lunch less than 20.00. Food...was so so. Wish it had more vegetable lol mein combos. On a Saturday not even dawning on me I went again..was so so, but.my Hill was 30.17 for the same choices. Im.unable to eat much but while surprised while paying my bill as to why they charged.30.17.for a 24.99.buffett with no beverage. Personally they had numerous staff but very little communication with the customers. I thought this was unjustified upselling.with a not so great selection..mostly tempura battered everything. Didn't touch sushi or clams or oysters to be safe. Im never going again. Major ripoff weekend prices read more

Very nice establishment, staff are working around the clock keeping this place clean. Unlimited crab on the weekend . Great place for family's, service was very good. read more

Best Asian Buffet in our desert valley! We have been coming here with our large Lunch Group for over 12 years! We love also coming her for special occasions like Birthdays, Life celebrations, divorce parties! and much more!!! We love the fresh foods and so many varieties to pick from!!! read more

Large variety of foods! Nice buffet. I went on Mother's Day (it was a set price of $27.99). I really liked the pork steamed dumplings, shumai, fried bananas, fried shrimp. The Mongolian bbq was also very tasty. Since you can add what you want and its cooked to order, this turned out great! The service was particulalrly fast. The ambiance was a little hectic (but probably standard for an all-you-can-eat buffet). Noise leave was on par with a large restaurant. I'll definitely come back. Lots more to try! read more

Emperor Asian Buffet - Mixed plate (fried bananas, pork shumai, sesame balls, pork steamed dumpling, various desserts) - Chinese Near Me - Rancho Mirage, California

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This buffet was so enjoyable that after eating there for the first time, I drove 40 miles to eat there again the next day, and took a friend who liked it very much as well. The cost of lunch is affordable, service is good, everything tasted delicious. They have lots of parking and a good location. read more

Most of the food had great flavor! My only complaint is that a lot of the food was just a bit cold. That's the only reason for dropping a star. The service was friendly and I think the price was reasonable for what was offered. I loved the hibachi station! read more

Terrible! Dirty, poor service, no flavour and expensive! Many other options around town! Never again! read more

Went to this Chinese joint for Christmas dinner. The food was hot and delicious. I highly recommend this joint! read more

Emperor Asian Buffet - Chinese Near Me - Rancho Mirage, California

The food was totally disgusting. The drinks were flat. And the waitress who sat us down was so rude and had an attitude. I will NEVER eat here again. They get NO stars for me and I will NOT recommend anyone to eat here and not to mention their expensive ... Expensive place with nasty food and rude staf, I pass! read more

The food was good: especially the spring rolls and the sushi--good and elaborate choice. The service was quick and prompt. Also, very clean. I also appreciated their policy of excessive food left on a plate would be an additional charge--that shows they take good effort involved with their restaurant. I was very impressed! read more

Recently redecorate, much cleaner. Great staff. Yummy food & sushi. Can't beat the price! read more

Emperor Asian Buffet - Buffet prices... Yummy food & sushi. Recently redecorated, much cleaner & looks great! - Chinese Near Me - Rancho Mirage, California