This buffet was decent overall, but there's definitely room for improvement. The first thing I noticed when walking in was that there were boxes stacked around the restaurant, which made the place feel a bit cluttered. On the plus side, they offer a senior discount, and you pay after your meal, which is convenient. The food selection was okay. I wish they had more variety, but there was a decent amount of seafood and meat options available. They also had four different soups to choose from, which was a nice surprise. Unfortunately, the crab was disappointing. It was very hard to crack open and had very little meat inside, so it wasn't worth the effort. The rest of the food was decent, though nothing particularly stood out. It's not the best buffet I've been to, but it's not bad either. I think the restaurant could really benefit from refreshing the menu and updating the overall appearance of the space. With a few improvements, it could make a strong comeback in the buffet scene. If you decide to visit, I'd recommend going during lunch. The price is lower and offers much better value for what you get. read more

Came here two years later to find the food still unlabeled. What I thought was fish, turned out to be chicken. Or at least label one area - seafood. The front of the building says sushi; however, there was no sushi. We came here for the buffet special, 11am-3:30pm -$17.95. When the check came, we had to remind our server that we were all seniors, so she had to redo the check. So don't forget to ask for the 10% senior discount before the server writes up the check. Some food was good (Shui Mai, sis liked the pig's feet) while others were not (dumplings, shrimp). The softie ice cream on the way out was nice and creamy. Friendly service. Free drinks. We didn't take advantage of the make your own noodles in the back of the restaurant. Free parking on the lot. Place was busy! read more

Empire Buffet - Inside - Buffets Near Me - San Pablo, California

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It was very warm inside from the start no air conditioning, very little people there during dinner. It smelled like sweat and greasy food like what I remember back in the day as a kids My partner really wanted to try every buffet in the area so we did. The service was great, everyone was friendly and super helpful. But the food. Was very very bad. The only thing good was the American foods and the Chinese food made for Americans. The sushi bar was closed. There was no meat in the grill where you take noodles and veggies and they fry it for you. The sweet and sour pork was very horrible the moment it got slightly cold. My baby refused to eat anything but the white rice which was different to how she is. The desert looked like it sat there from the morning. My partner said the seafood tasted like he would be in the bathroom later on so he decided not to eat it. We ended up paying $65 for two people and a baby, not sure how it ended up that high. Don't come here. I promise you won't like it. read more

I cannot believe the amount of fresh delicious food on this buffet; dim sum, pizza, appetizers, so much sea food...omg....deserts...never crowded, and for a reasonable price. We every now and then travel from Berkeley and Oakland just to come here. There's nothing like it anywhere else I've seen. read more

Good food. The food is amazing! love to come back soon.The employees were so nice to us! read more

Empire Buffet - Good Good - Buffets Near Me - San Pablo, California

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- Scamming and cold food I HOPE YALL LISTEN TO WHAT I AM SAYING THIS "BUFFET" was horrible. I mean from the start, the entrance, nobody was paying attention and you don't pay when you enter, you pay after. The only reason why you pay after is so they can charge you for your plate, drink and demand you to pay a big tip. Like 60$-70$ tip. YES THEY WANT THAT BIG TIP. I paid for our food, then they watched me like hawks and said "uhm...hehe do you wanna leave a tip?" And I'm like? Tf? A big ass tip. First off, they don't even have good food. It was almost all cold, the supposed to be hot stuff was cold. I was like wait is this cold. Bro I am so disappointed. It sucked so bad. The workers watch you while you eat. And stalk your stuff. They just wanna make sure they have you pay. If you want to pay like $23 per adult that's fine but if you don't wanna pay 70$ in tips! Then don't come here read more

I'm glad all these bad reviews didn't stop me from going. The restaurant was very busy but the food was good and so was the service. They brought free refills of our drinks before we even requested them. Don't let these reviews concern you, I think it must be something personal because I found everything to be fine. read more

Empire Buffet - Buffets Near Me - San Pablo, California

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Very much the same as before Covid. Food was good. Disappointed that they had blue crabs. Why bother? There was no sushi. Some parents turn the kids loose to play with the food. They never apply the senior pricing without being reminded. Overall, it's OK. read more

Food was hot delicious but not overwhelming Service - friendly staff and accessible Ambiance - average but comfortable read more

This place is not good. We were really looking forward to the seafood portion of this buffet and boy were we disappointed! The crab legs were covered in some smelly gross brown sauce, and smelled even worse once cracked open. the mussels, squid and what I think was supposed to be char siu were all leathery, completely inedible. the clam chowder tasted like it came from a can but wasn't horrible, the salmon was bland and had a long black hair on it! Even the potstickers were yucky. I did like the coconut shrimp, the green beans, zooks and the wonton soup. Definitely not worth the price tag which was $4 per person more than quoted before we sat down. I really wish I would have read the reviews before choosing this spot. We will not be returning. Not ever. I actually threw up in the bathroom trash before leaving. Lesson learned. read more

Just ok. Had a lot of choices and we got full. The quality of the food was just ok. Isn't the best buffet but it will do in a pinch.

Those people that give a one or two star expected this AYCE place to be like some fancy place are out of their minds. Lunch is $18 folks. That's the price of a super burrito these days. All these one star review complaining about service or not wanting to tip. It's a buffet for god's sake. Just leave a 10% tip and everyone is happy. The food is not one star so ignore those reviews. The food is very decent for the price. At least I cannot make it any better myself. It is better than Panda Express for sure so if you are willing to pay $14 for a plate at Panda, then this place is 10x better. Their food is pretty fresh from the kitchen and I love their Mongolian grill to get fresh noodles cooked in front of you. Well worth the money for the quality, so five stars is warranted. It ain't the best food but it is very satisfying for the price point and you won't feel ripped off and will definitely leave full for sure. read more

Empire Buffet - Buffets Near Me - San Pablo, California

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Much better variety and fresher food than NYC buffet in Oakland. I treated myself for my birthday and they were so good , I kind of over ate that day. Lol This was actually my second time eating here. read more

Empire Buffet - Fish, Calamari, steamed clams - Buffets Near Me - San Pablo, California

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Food is good they don't restock very quick. Especially seafood . But food is good. Sushi is ok just regular they also have a hibachi grill , ok not alot of choices. But decent . Good desserts and fruit , salads are not good they tasted old. The only issue is that the literally follow you up to see how much tip they get. Even if you leave it at the table. We never go out drinks refilled . Honestly it could be a little bit cleaner other than that it's an ok for a Buffett one more thing the price is 17.89 when I went up to pay it was 19.99 I asked why he said tax but each person's was 19.99 then he said if you want drink 22.25 . There was. 3.00 charge and we only had water so just be aware. read more

My visit to Empire Buffet was extremely disappointing. From the moment I walked in, the service was poor and inattentive. The floors had a strong mold-like odor, which made the entire place feel unsanitary and uncomfortable. After finishing my meal, things got even worse. When I went to pay, the staff tried to pressure me into leaving a tip, even though the service did not deserve one. When I refused, they made remarks in their own language that were clearly negative and unprofessional. This kind of behavior is unacceptable. Customers should never feel disrespected, pressured, or uncomfortable in a business. Based on my experience, I would not recommend Empire Buffet to anyone. read more

I don't know why this restaurant is rated so low but I think this is a very good restaurant. Fair price, and great selection of dishes. I have never before seen pig feet at a Chinese buffet, so I was pleasantly surprised to see a big tray of pig feet here. And they are delicious. The restaurant also seems to value diversity, because the customers here come from diverse backgrounds and we are all congregated here due to our shared love of affordable and delicious Chinese cuisine. Good service also, especially the lady at the entrance. The servers are also nice. One small con is that the fried calamari tastes a bit weird. Not a big issue, since I still ate quite a few of them, but I do wish they tasted more "normal", as in the same taste as calamari in other Asian buffets. Great ambience also. Quiet, open, and just a great place to eat read more

Empire Buffet - My plate - Buffets Near Me - San Pablo, California

The food was delicious they had so much to offer we didn't even get a chance to try everything but we plan on going back for crab night service was really good we thought it was reasonably priced very clean inside we went mid month so it wasn't crowded at all read more

Food is not good, and watch out for the waiter that u need to look for to get a drink and expects a big tip, and yes he will follow u all the way to the cashier and literally stand in your personal space to see how much u are leaving in tip read more

I've been to my fair share of cheap chinese buffets, and Empire Buffet is, by far, the worst. Food: The food here is just low quality sloop. Nothing is made with any regards to care or quality. Here is a short list of some of the issues I had with the food: - The spicy shrimp was cold. - The orange chicken was over cooked. It was tough and stringy on the inside, and completely soggy on the outside. - The "baked scallop" was slightly sour. - The chinese sugar donut was stale, hard, and lacked enough sugar to make it sweet. - Deserts were the standard issue, catered cakes and cookies. They were honestly the best part of the buffet which says a lot. Ambiance: It's a cheap chinese buffet. Keep your expectations very low. - The interior is dark and dingy. - The furniture is very worn. - The walls are scuffed. - The bathroom doors were propped open for some reason. - There was a strong fishy smell throughout the restaurant. Service: Service was fine except for a couple major issues: - Server touched the water pitcher to my glass. - Server chased me for a larger tip. For $20 a head (weekday lunch), Empire Buffet is definitely not worth it. read more

Terrible service waitress was sleeping, and ate at 5 then was up all night vomiting and using restroom from food poisoning will not return place was not the best do better people read more

Waiter asked for more tip at a buffet place where they just take your drink order. Food is boring and bland

All the foods are very tasty with very good price. I can go there early week. Service is also very good . I highly recommend this place read more

Avoid Empire Buffet at 700 San Pablo Towne Center at all costs. Food is terrible. Place is filthy. Staff ignores you while talking in their language. But the worst is their mandatory tip. Dinner's just $23.50 on the menu--no tip mentioned anywhere upfront. Then the female server explodes, yelling at my husband in front of everyone for not adding 10% mandatory tip automatically. They demand at least 10% or create a scene, guilting customers who weren't warned. I always tip generously for decent service, but this hidden mandatory policy is shady, unethical, and ruins everything. Never going back--don't let them trick you either! read more

Lots of choices although the only dish that was hot was the soup. The fresh wok option only offered vegetables no meats and the cook was asleep behind the counter. Post says Sushi, but no. None of the dishes were labeled so communication was difficult. Server was attentive, probably a bit too much. Won't be back expected a different experience like our favorite Buffet in Concord. read more

The server made her tip twice! We asked her to not to give us our full change back, upon her return we got up and asked for more money

Not bad for the price, buffet dinner + soft drink w/ refills for $33. Many seafood and chicken options, desserts looked iffy. The servers are pretty attentive. read more

This place has been around since I was younger I went after a memorial to have a repass by myself Most of the food was enjoyable but I was really there for the crab The service was really great they got some friendly and pleasant over the years which is great because the service use to not be so welcoming. I was seated by a window which I really enjoyed I wish they had more variety but you can't complain I think the price should be less steep considering the lack of variety but it's still cheaper than try to buy food individually read more

The food is great. Service is fast and friendly and the place is homely what you expect from a buffet.

Its unbelievable that now they cut the ice cream cones... ‍... Ist a buffet all you can eat not a restaurant... Not clean and by cutting the ice cream cone they have had to touch them all one by one with their filthy hands read more

Empire Buffet - A cut ice crean cone ‍ - Buffets Near Me - San Pablo, California

We use to come here regularly, the food isn't the best but it is good enough for a family outgoing, the buffet make it easy for children to try new food. The ambiance was okay but then somehow it gave a money grab feeling and also a bit nasty. We stoped going as we didn't really feel like it was worth it anymore and maybe due to the change (or not) but the waitress also looked very stressed and waiting for their tip a little too closely. read more

I remember coming here as a kid and the line to get a table would be out the door. Not today. It was pretty empty when I was there. The decor has been the same ever since they opened in the early 2000s. The food was mediocre and not fresh. read more

Good eats Great service Good environment Seafood platters and fresh ingredients ...... read more

They charged me more than what was said...seems they added a tip for themselves to the bill without stating anything.. fking scam

Five weeks ago, we were here for lunch at opening time. This time we were here for dinner at 5:30. Would the restaurant be as clean and steam tables full? Would the higher price for dinner be worth the money? Only one way to find out for sure! We were greeted and taken to a back room that was mostly full. There were quite a few guests throughout the restaurant and surprisingly, the steams tables were clean and relatively full! Joy! The seating was a bit cramped because the tables were kind of close together and the guests tended to be on the larger side (lol, not that I'm exactly petite either!) I had two plates of food and a bowl of "ice cream". There was more seafood at dinner than there had been at lunch and everything that I had was decent. The server that was responsible for keeping track of our area was very quick to remove used plates and keep our drinks filled. I'm upgrading my rating from three stars to four stars. read more

Empire Buffet - Plate #2 - Fried Chicken Wings, Steamed Rice Tamale, Honey Prawns, Steamed Fish, Chow Mein, Green Beans and Dungeness Crab - Buffets Near Me - San Pablo, California

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Today I decided to go eat at empire's buffet a place where I haven't been in a few years business really went down the gutter. The food was cold and hard drinks was flat worst customer service and to top it all off at the end when I paid, they were trying to force me to give them a tip, even though the food was so terrible I do not recommend anybody to come eat here. I am currently in the hospital for food poisoning. Because of this place. read more

There is a wide selection of food. Although we were given drinks that we did not order.

Food was decent at best, but so overpriced. An extra 80 dollar charge (original tab was 50) for eating a plate of fries?

First Timers - Came in on Labor Day Monday, after a day of fishing. Food was decent for a Chinese buffet, especially for the price of $21.95 pp to also include seafood. The young man who was our server was great, cleared our table quick and topped off our drinks often. There is a little something for everyone, including toddlers who like pizza and fries. We would re-visit this establishment if in the area again. My favorites were : Hot & Sour Soup : Mongolian Grill : Crab Legs : Sauteed Bok choy. read more

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I'm so happy to have found this place! All the food is kept extremely moist and easy to chew. I love steamed food making crispy coatings nice and mushy. Everything here is soft. All the meat here is smooth like peanut butter. So easy to spread. I love the large quantities of small portions! I think it helps keep the food fresh for hours. I will say the service is a little slow. As I was reapplying my lipstick, I accidentally dropped it in with the boiled shrimp. I tried fishing it out but the tray was so hot the juices were burning my hand. After a few minutes it just looked more like a cioppino so I left it alone. Nobody came to help me get my lipstick back (which wasn't cheap) read more

I was wary of trying a 2.5 star restaurant, but my husband was craving Chinese takeout brunch and we live down the street, so. What an incredibly pleasant surprise! We walked in minutes after they opened to find several full tables-- a great sign. Everything was hot and fresh, and while the selection isn't huge it covers a lot of bases. My absolute favorite was the garlic green beans, really delicious. The servers are seriously on top of it, super friendly, taking drink orders and keeping them full, removing empty plates within moments. This place was way better food than every delivery order we've gotten from other Chinese restaurants since moving to the area two years ago. We'll definitely be back. read more