Opening in 1998, Paradise Chinese Buffet in Montebello is the original of the four Paradise brands…read morein the LA area. This location was recently named one of three LA area buffets in the top 150 in the country, based on Google reviews. I've been to a lot of buffets (Chinese and otherwise), and this was near the top, especially based on the price. We came about 30 minutes after its 11 am opening, and the place was already packed with a line waiting to get in. You pay first, getting water and soda cups at checkout (plates are plentiful near the buffet itself). Emmelyn was the check-in associate, and she was joyful and friendly, putting a smile on my wife's face after a stressful drive through LA traffic. We found out that my wife's lunch was free because it was her birthday. Lunch pricing is $15.19 (M-F), minus $1 for seniors and military. Refillable soda is $2.99. It's find your own seating, and we grabbed the first seats we could find. -- being super crowded meant the food was constantly being replenished and kept fresh. It also meant a lot of line (inadvertent) line cutting and careful, slow movements...need to be careful for sure. -- the taste of the food was good, mainly because most things were turning over quickly. However, the selection of dishes wasn't huge, and the soups didn't look too good. -- I focused on the sushi and was satisfied. They had different type simple rolls and nigiri, with soy sauce at each table. They also had a bottle of eel sauce to douse your rolls with more, if you want. Towards the end, discovered a New Zealand green mussel dish in a hot chili sauce, which I took full advantage of. -- the must get is the Mongolian Grill, which dominates the center of the restaurant. There were three types of sliced frozen meat (beef, chicken, pork), a variety of vegetables (including my favorite, baby corn), and various runny sauces that you pour on top when done. Once your bowl is complete, you need to give it to the operator. But here its a bit different: it operates on a unique system that I've only seen here. In the front counter, there are 20 spots where numbered pager sits. Once a person fills up a bowl with raw ingredients, they place it on the next available pager spot, taking the pager with them. Once the food is cooked, the pager goes off. You then exchange the bowl in your spot, with the pager...and the cycle continues. I asked myself what would happen if all 20 pagers were taken, and decided if that happened, you would have to wait since there would be no more space on the grill for your plate anyway. The system worked really well, with all three of us taking advantage of it. Taste wise, I've had better but certainly not for that price. And I just love the efficiency of it all. -- soft serve ice cream was available, and it was very thick and creamy (though a bit off in taste). My wife also mentioned that you can get cotton candy as well. -- Service was good, with an employee in a hostess outfit personally letting us know that she was there to assist us, including getting drinks. She did clear dishes when necessary, but also seemed to be supervising our section. What's interesting is that the same report mentioned King Buffet in Garden Grove, which now seems to be another branch of the Paradise chain. So need to be leery of such reports not being current...but in this case, following its suggestion paid off.

This is a very decent buffet at a great price. There are a lot of variety of food and they seem…read morefresh. Sushi had a decent selection. They have Teppanyaki with a buzzer when your food is ready. Although it was a little bland and we had to use lots of sauce. There is also an ice cream dispenser which was good. The place is quite large and the line to get in went outside the restaurant. The parking lots is large. Staff were friendly.

As a remembrance of my dad's birthday, my wife, her mom, and I went to one of his favorite chain…read morerestaurants to eat dinner (after my wife and I had just gotten back from visiting our daughter). I intentionally chose a Golden Corral that we hadn't been before (we usually go to the closer one in Bellflower), and found that this Downey location didn't have the best aesthetics or service, but the food was on point. Gold Corral was already pretty busy when we got there before 5 pm. Dinner pricing was in play, costing $22.79 per person plus $4.39 for a soft drink. One stands in line to enter, grabbing your drinks from the self-serve soda fountain, and then paying the cashier. There was no option to add a tip, which was a bit surprising (since other food places that have far less service commonly add the option to their checkout process). Large sections of the restaurant were on reserve, but there were still plenty of places to sit, so was still on find-your-own table status. Once we found one, said hi to our server and went up. Two of the best things on the buffet were the golden fried shrimp (jumbo in size, nicely deep fried in a good oil) which were delicious dipped in their cocktail sauce (though each item were at opposite ends of the buffet) AND their freshly grilled sirloin steak. Once you get the grillers attention, he will fork over half of one, with the right level of doneness according to your request. Even though I was disappointed in learning that the steaks are now delivered frozen, they didn't taste that way. It was very good, as good a steak as I've had at any other fast casual restaurant, and certainly the best at a AYCE place. I tried their well known pot roast as well, and it was the same as before: really tender, going well with the accompanying gravy. I also tried their cornmeal fried catfish: quite good and not overly greasy. Good deep frying seems to be common here. Did notice they had fried chicken and grilled chicken available. Each table had paper napkin dispenser, and condiments like ketchup, steak sauce, and hot sauce. Other things I noticed were the self serve 3 flavor ICEE machine, self serve soft serve ice cream, and chocolate dipped fruits and snacks. What it did not have were two things that I've seen before at other Golden Corrals: a cotton candy machine and a self serve chocolate fountain. They did seem understaffed, as our dirty plates kept piling up and our drinks didn't get refilled. I was tempted to go to the nearby beverage station to just refill it ourselves, but the clear signage stating 'Employees Only' deterred me. My wife did get a server's attention, and he did clear our plates and refill our drinks...thus got a chance to use my 2 dollar bills before we left. We ended up only staying for 40 minutes, which would have disappointed my dad (who made it a rule to stay at least 1 hour at any AYCE place). But we ate well (my mother in law really loved the fried shrimp), which is what really mattered.

Great staff Menu varies on weekends where you get steak and…read moreshrimp Large salad bar that includes lettuce options with plenty of fresh fruit Pizza, spaghetti, meatloaf, roast chicken, beef roast, turkey, roast pork, catfish, grid shrimp, candied sweet potatoes, roasted, baked or mashed potatoes too Full dessert bar with cakes, pies, jellos, bread pudding and soft serve ice cream There is something for everyone Staff keeps your table clean and refills drinks too You can make your own waffles for breakfast all day You can have them grill you sirloin steak

My favorite time to visit is right when they open -- no wait, no crowds, just good food and good…read morevibes. On busier visits I've waited up to 30 minutes for a table, but honestly? It's always worth it. Came in at opening yesterday and tried their new food ordering system for the first time. Super intuitive -- I was up and running in seconds. What I loved most is being able to order on my own timeline, no flagging down servers or feeling rushed. It made the whole meal feel relaxed, like eating at home but with way better food. Will definitely be back. Highly recommend coming early if you can!

The food buffet options here are more expansive than the FV one but their sauce bar is lacking…read more They do not have appetizers here (chicken karaage and gyoza). They do have self serve rice. My friends said the goma sauce is more peanuty too. Service was great and you can even order more meat through iPad. Very spacious and nice interior

Really great food and good service. I reallly like the garlic nan bread and chicken tikka masala +…read morethe mango lassi. Gotta try it! Also really good portions

Amazing service and flavor. My favorite spot for Indian food hands down!!!! The curry, the nan the…read morecleanliness was all amazing

The restaurant is dated but offers plenty of seating. It's clean…read more The staff is very attentive. They clear plates and refill drinks regularly. The food: Think high school cafeteria and you won't be disappointed. The plus side is there is a wide variety to choose from. Entrees, side dishes and desserts. Some food is tasty and some leaves me wanting. No dish is bad though. The duck is a stand out and the miso soup is bland. My parents love this place. I like the food enough to join them every chance I get.

Finally this horrible buffet is closed!! The servers are…read morerude and they watch you constantly so why do you do that? You guys haven't seen people eat before? And the food was too salty and bland tasting. They try to rush you out 30 minutes in, they put the plastic tray with the fortunes cookies on your table when the table is full of plates of food. It's been a long time coming this place has been horrible for many years and finally it's done. Good Bye learn to be more like Paradise Buffet where they have good service.

I have been to a few Golden Corral locations. This one seems to be the best one. We go here once in…read morea while. We also go here when we have a bday coupon. The coupon required a purchase of one buffet in order to redeem the free buffet. Like a bogo thing... When my mom first introduced me to Golden Corral, we fell in love with their fresh breads & butter. The buffet was still the same like years ago, however, the breads and butter ain't the same. Also, they upgraded a bit with the option to add lobsters. Don't get excited. It ain't ayce lobstaaa lol The buffet offered a salad bar, soups, steaks, Mac & cheese, grilled & fried chickens, pizzas, desserts bar and etc. With the bogo, it was totally worth it. Drinks weren't included in the price. However, you do get unlimited refills and coffees with the drink purchase. Service was always great. Never had a problem. Cleanliness ...not the cleanest, but tolerable

Haven't been to Golden Corral in ages, and glad to be back... I've never come for dinner and now I…read morewant to come back again... did not know you got made to order steaks cooked your way... I got medium rare... and guess what? I got medium rare! Yeah... no well done steaks sitting under a heat lamp getting dried out... the chef is cooking them as we all wait... if it's busy you might have to wait a while but it's worth it... especially if you get it your way! There's even an ICEE Machine! I made an ICEE Float... Yum... felt like a kid! Loved the meatloaf and pot roast with mashed potatoes and gravy, just the way mom used to make them... and a wonderful salad bar too... the staff here was friendly and attentive... clearing plates and filling our glasses with water... Plenty of desserts to choose from as well... for a local buffet that's not in Vegas... 8/10... to have a all you can eat American style buffet that even exists anymore... 10/10 Thanks Golden Corral for not going the way of the Dodo bird and giving us what we want... Good Ol' American food I grew up on when I was younger...

Really tasty food and good prices! The entire restaurant is thoughtfully themed in great detail -…read morethe music, fun decor - even the restrooms are labeled "Westrooms"! :D The cheese toast was thick & delicious, the ribeye steak had great charbroiled taste and was tender. There are LOTS of toppings for your steak and/or baked potato, including teriyaki/bbq/worcestershire/hot sauces, gravy, grilled mushrooms, grilled onions, cheese (shredded or watm cheese sauce), etc..! I love that all the toppings are self-serve. But the self-serve-stations can get messy - people are gross and sloppy getting butter all over the handles of the metal scoopers, and sauce on the ladel handles. Thankfully the counter with the bottled sauces had napkins. More restrooms are needed; there are only 1 men's and 1 women's individual restrooms (1 stall, 1 sink) for this big restaurant! There are plenty of tables and many booths, and it's great to be able to seat yourself. I really liked how the booths all had tall etched plexiglass partitions, probably installed after Covid. Good service - nice, friendly, fast. I'm looking forward to going back! :)

First time here and what a dump. I can see the nostalgia side of this though, it is very old and…read moreoutdated. Color scheme that has long been forgotten. Service is minimal and needs updating as well. I feel that the staff should teach you how they do things around there as I'll admit I felt lost. Food being the most important part is where they seriously lack. Wife's ribeye was decent. My New York was just bad. Baked potato was tiny. Salad bar and sauce bar (?) was just sad. I don't think I'll be back but I'm glad I finally tried it. PS the cheese toast is pretty good.

A solid buffet :) lots of choices for an affordable price. $28.99 all day for an adult and 10%…read morediscount for seniors with an ID. Service is great and quick at cleaning up after your plates. The inside was spacious with lots of seating. Pay at the front and you're good to get started! Start the buffet with their slightly salted certified angus roast beef. A bit on the drier side but still okay! They have lots of proteins and vegetables from broccoli beef and bok choy stems to sichuan chicken, scallops, clams, salmon, shrimp, and beef cubes. Head to their fried foods section and you'll find pizza, sweet potatoes, sesame balls, egg tarts, and bbq chicken skewers. For soups, enjoy a spicy hot and sour, fish maw and imitation crab, or meat ball soup. They even have shu mai, taro buns, sticky red bean rice, and sticky mushroom rice. I love going to their customizable stir fry line and making my own fried udon with egg, pineapple, garlic, and mushrooms. They have lots of seafood, sushi, and sashimi too from rolls to seaweed salad, crab legs, and more! Need a sweet treat? Don't forget about their chocolate fountain with strawberries and marshmallows, popcorn machine, or chocolate and mango cream cups or cake bites. They even have a fungus soup dessert, lychee, oranges, pineapples, jello, banana pudding, and more! Thanks Kami for a great time. Their focus is on quantity over quality but I appreciate the wide variety and still good food overall!

Been passing by Kami on my way to work for a while, so I finally decided to stop in and check it…read moreout. Overall, it was a pretty standard Chinese buffet experience. There's a solid variety of options, and you can definitely find something to satisfy whatever you're in the mood for. A few of the fruit and sushi items seemed like they may have been sitting out for a bit, which can happen at buffets, but there were still plenty of other choices to enjoy. The Mongolian grill wasn't running during my visit (I believe it's available during dinner hours), so that's something I'd be curious to try next time. The standout for me was actually the soups -- both the hot & sour soup and the miso soup were flavorful and comforting, and I ended up going back for more. Service was fine: nothing over-the-top, but attentive enough to keep things moving smoothly. All in all, it's a decent, no-frills buffet spot. I'd call it a solid 3-star experience, especially if you're nearby and craving variety in one place.

It's the best Chinese cuisine always fresh Good portions I…read moreordered the dinner special very delicious prices are reasonable I recommend and will continue to come

Ordered the lunch special to go while on break from work. I ordered the fried rice with kung pao…read morechicken, no peanuts. I expected the fried rice to be actual fried rice but it was just white rice tossed in soy sauce. The kung pao chicken tasted good, but there was no stir fried vegetable in there? Which was confusing. The meal also came w a fried vegetable egg roll, which tasted fine. Overall experience and food quality was fine. I wouldn't mind getting it again for a quick lunch, but I would probably try something different. When I went to go pick up, the food service was pretty quick and I was shocked to see that it was actually quite busy inside. I was told to my coworkers that this spot is actually a Whittier local spot. Ambiance is pretty dated and it could be easy to miss from the road. Parking is available behind.

Very nice food and clean Also staffa are very kind and…read morehelpful Definitely I will come back

GOOD FOOD MANAGER IS SO NICE The food was delicious and amazing customer service. Ambiance was goodread more