Let me tell you, this is my favorite go too for Chinese in Monroe. Many dishes that I love....Egg foo yung, fake crab salad, pepper chx, hibachi chx, the hot seafood salad. Lots of seasonal veggies, some they grow! Now I wanna say they might be an acquired taste for some for following reasons. Yes, the restaurant could definitely be cleaner ( haven't been sick ever in many years of going) sometimes they are very low or out of items....I get it! Why put out food in slow times. They must run on show string budget so they dont wanna waste. My experience is they will always fill when asked, often bringing item to table. The food isn't maybe super top notch for some, we all have different pallets but honestly I think they are sooooo yummy ( and ive been to many Chinese restaurants) The family/ staff are adorable and extremely kind. They are a business I want to support. Oh and you can get a punch card...think buy 10 get 1 meal free! Woo and Hoo!! Open your mind, leave your ego at the door and enjoy a fast ready to eat dinner! read more

Stopped in with my family for dinner on a Sunday night, and it turned out to be a great choice. The restaurant was about half full, so we were seated right away. It's a small, family‑run spot--husband in the kitchen cooking and wife running the front of the house, greeting guests, bussing tables, and keeping everything moving smoothly. The place has a comfortable, welcoming feel because of that. I went straight for my usual favorites: the Szechuan green beans, salt and pepper prawns, broccoli beef, butterfly prawns, egg foo young, and hot and sour soup. Everything tasted fresh and well‑seasoned, just like I expect from them. My kids loaded up on sushi, egg rolls, and coconut prawns--no complaints from them either. For $15.95 per adult for the dinner buffet, it's an excellent value, especially considering the variety and the quality. Whenever I'm near Monroe, I'll definitely be back. read more

See all

Very strange buffet. Only 2 workers. But the food was surprisingly good. The food was not super hot. But it tasted good. Would possibly go back . Prices reasonable. Friendly. Quirky read more

I am deeply saddened to have to write such a negative review about a small local business. But unfortunately there is no way around it in this case. I brought a party of 4 in for lunch on a weekday. The food was awful; majority of it was cold, soggy or undercooked. None of us even finished our first (and only) plate. Secondly and perhaps most importantly; I don't understand how the health department hasn't shut this place down yet. The windows are covered in what appeared to be black mold, and it doesn't look like the place has ever had a proper cleaning. I didn't see anyone clean or even being out a sanitizer bucket for show once while we were there. . I don't even want to imagine what the kitchen looks like. In addition, they aren't even priced competitively anymore. You could go to the king buffet in Everett for nearly the same price and get food that is actually edible and a building that won't make you sick. Sad to say this was definitely our last time here. read more

Golden City Buffet - Buffets Near Me - Monroe, Washington

See all

The food here is really disappointing, and I'm genuinely concerned about the cleanliness of this place. The utensils are visibly stained and far from clean, and the plates are just as bad--many feel sticky on both sides. Every time I go to the buffet/bar area, I have to swap out 3-4 plates before finding one that's actually usable. The overall environment and ambience feel outdated and neglected. The tables and seats are sticky to the touch, and the whole place gives off a general sense of being poorly maintained and unclean. The desserts looked unappetizing too, the strawberries appeared partially rotten. I strongly recommend that the Washington State Health Department to inspect this establishment. And Unfortunately, I didn't feel well after eating here, it left me feeling quite nauseous. read more

Good food at reasonable costs. They always have plenty of hot food available. The ambiance is a little tired, could use some paint here and there but I can look past that. read more

My wife and I been comming here off and on for about a decade. Nice family owed buissness. Sometimes if its slow it might not be as fresh. But its always good read more

Ok I'm going to try to give this place a fair shake, I'm probably giving it more stars than it really deserves but well. I kind of like it. What it is. A great place to stop and grab a dinner when you off work and hungry for $12.99 + drink taxed and totalled at $19 and change. That's hard to beat. The food ready and there's never a wait because there are always tables. The waitress always the same lady is polite but quiet. She keeps to herself but is quick to clear your dirty plate. The food is pretty hit and miss. Some of their seafood is really good and so are some of the other dishes but I think it often gets left under the heat lamp for extended periods. Cleanliness is not the best, it's not the worst either and I've never gotten sick eating there. The dining area is acceptable tired, working man clean. I wouldn't take a date there, or go there expecting an upscale family dinner. But if your looking for a quiet lowkey low cost meal out this is the place to go. read more

the deserts look strikingly familiar to the deserts from the the food bank (church) down the street. The flies don't eat much either.

I've eaten here periodically over the last two years. the food is always good. It is hot and never stale. Compared to other restaurants it is a good value for the money if you like buffett style. read more

small, locally owned biggest. a sweet family who makes everything fresh while you're there ! constantly seeing them go in & out bringing in platters of different foods to fill the buffet trays. an arrayment of fruits, seafood, Chinese + japanese foods, fried foods, deserts, you name it ! there's something here for everyone to enjoy, whether it's comfort food or something to try. everyone is very kind & welcoming, & open to questions & conversation. some of my favorites i recommend are the crab rangoon (which, grab quick, because they go fast!), cheese sticks (be careful though, some wind up being empty), & fried zucchini ! if you ever want a quick bite whether it be sitting in the small, quaint environment of the buffet, or a quick bite to go on the road or for home, this is for you ! read more

Golden City Buffet - crab rangoon, cheese sticks, fried zucchini - Buffets Near Me - Monroe, Washington

Pros: 1) Price is on the low end 2) Family friendly 3) Variety of Chinese Dishes 4) Staff / owners are very nice Cons: 1) Restaurant is dirty, very dirty 2) Kitchen does not keep buffet full / often empty 3) Service is poor, drink refills if you're lucky I genuinely feel bad for this family run business and hope that they will take this review as feedback and an opportunity to improve their restaurant. This is the only buffet within 30 minutes drive of our home and we would not likely patronize this restaurant otherwise, instead opting to drive 20 minutes more into Everett for better options. It would be sad to see this place go out of business, but the owners need to take action and clean up their restaurant. Atmosphere / Cleanliness (0.5 out of 5 Stars): The restaurant is VERY DIRTY and not well maintained. Everything is sticky and coated with a film of what we assume to be a combination of grease and spilled soft drinks. The two people (hostess/server/busser and the cook) running the entire restaurant are not able to keep up with cleaning and serving customers during lunch and dinner rushes (3-5 tables). As a result, dishes stay piled up on tables and the buffet options are regularly empty leaving only the stale/congealed options for the braver patrons. The dining area also doubles as a storage area for the overstock of the restaurant. I have been to this restaurant at least three times and I have never seen the surfaces of the buffet or dining tables wiped down and sanitized, and buffet is usually coated with a mix of dried up spills. There are also typically multiple dish pans piled up on tables or the floor in the restaurant full of dirty dishes and garbage. I can only imagine what the kitchen looks like when the dining area looks the way it does. Food Quality (2.5 out of 5 Stars): The food taste is good when fresh. The buffet (when full) has everything that you would expect from a Chinese buffet in western Washington. Overall the food taste is good, and provides a sense of adventure with the lingering danger of food poisoning from the lack of cleanliness. Some of the soups, sauces, and puddings had a film on them and were definitely not within safe temperature ranges for consumption. The one tray of sushi (California roll) was a mess, unrolled, pile of inedible mush. Food Price (4.5 out of 5 Stars): Price is ~25-50% less than other Chinese buffets in the greater Monroe area. read more

Been going here for just over two years. Seems to be family owned and ran super nice people. The food has been great everytime we have gone. And for the price you can't beat it. read more

Very surprised this place has so many decent reviews. Also surprised we didn't get sick after eating here. There is absolutely no way the food is at a safe temperature for serving. It was all lukewarm at best. Low quality, cheap food. Yelp also says it has lots of vegetarian options, it doesn't. Rice, noodles, and some cold, fried vegetables. read more

Dept of health should visit this place. It's really not for human consumption. Flies everywhere the foods are not warm. The guy that replenishing the buffet line wearing dirty clothes and his filthy nails are touching the food. read more

There was water dripping from the ceiling and the food was...you get what you pay for. The place could use some revamping overall.

For the dinner buffet, they have over 20 items, but most of them appeared to be out since lunch. The food looked stale, even the rice was just above room temperature and smelled. I'm pretty sure the health department hasn't done an inspection here recently. I didn't expect fancy food at an all you can eat buffet, but we had a hard time finding edible food. read more

See all

We love eating here! The flavors and quality of the food are fantastic. They have a nice variety of options. The people are always friendly and the music is ALWAYS excellent. read more

I have been seeing some great posts lately about this restaurant from a local group. I had been here once before a few years ago but ended up not liking the sit down buffet.. We had arrived just as the place opened so some food was not completely heated up. There never seemed to be many people parked there either. HOWEVER.... The take out was great. They have been very busy so I ordered ahead of time for a later pick up. I got so much food that fed 6 of us with a ton of left overs. It was made fresh and was very tasty. The price was phenomenal as well. There is no way we could get that much for for that price anywhere in Monroe. I love Chinese food, so in am super excited to have a take out place close by. This place will be on my return list for sure.. I know they had a buffet pay by the pound, but most of their attention was on takeout. Takeout is the way to go hands down. You also get a to go dessert box to fill before your departure and enough rice to feed an army. read more

10/10 would recommend if you ballin on a budget, I recommend calling in and letting them know what you are gonna come get so they can cook it fresh for you. Alright food great prices read more

Very bad experience I had. I saw very good reviews so it could be just bad day, but place didn't smell good and food was not fresh at all, don't get me wrong I'm not picky at all, I eat leftovers every time. This food was not tasting good and it wasn't the flavor it was more like it was going bad, I had to stop eating. I really hope someone can come and inspect the place for everyone's Helth. read more

Golden City Buffet - I had to dump my food from my mouth. :(. I heat leveling bad comments or reviews but I couldn't stay silent. - Buffets Near Me - Monroe, Washington

Ordered egg drop soup and the chow mein combination plate for take-out and it was delicious! Great price and large portions. I will most definitely be back! read more

Golden City Buffet - Egg Drop Soup, chow mein, fried rice - Buffets Near Me - Monroe, Washington

Food was over done setting there, service was ok, ambiance ok the table look dirty they brought more but some was still over done

For the price of this place, you honestly can't get a better deal anywhere else. The place isn't the most up-to-date, but man, the food is delicious. They've got a good selection, and you can also order from the menu. This is a family-owned business & it shows through the home-cooked feel type of food. The service was friendly and quick. The only thing I'd mention is it can get sweltering in the back room (I think because of the large windows), but you can always sit in the front area of the restaurant, which is a lot cooler. I'd rate this 3.5/5 for the place & 5/5 for the food. I'll absolutely be going back when I'm in the area again! read more

Golden City Buffet - a plate of food on a table - Buffets Near Me - Monroe, Washington

See all

I would give it 3.5 stars. We were pleased with our experience so I would feel bad giving it a 3 on here, so I rounded up. The place was clean, the food was typical American-Chinese take out type food. Not blow you away type food, but leaves you satisfied and full. They were putting out fresh dishes as we were there, which was nice because we were one of three parties in the place. The service was attentive, the prices were reasonable(I think $12 an adult, half that for kids). Big parking lot with plenty of parking. I didn't take any pictures because my plates at buffets are never pretty because I'm a little bit of all the things kind of gal. But it was good enough that we will be back and that's a thumbs up in my book. read more

This review is long overdue. Sadly I have not been here recently since I moved or during this "pandemic"... But I used to make it part of my routine to come here anytime I had to go to Monroe, and will again when and if I pass through town. People are always nice, and prompt with water refills or anything else. While the interior is far from swanky, I still found it cozy and welcoming. The price for all you can has always been great and my personal favorite is the honey walnut shrimp when it's available. If you like Chinese food and quick service and low prices. This is the place to go where you will find something for everyone. Even the kids. read more

Three and a half Star Buffet but definitely a four because of the Great price. I came I ate I'm full I enjoyed. That's what's important. I got there at 12:00 noon and you could kind of tell the stuff was mixed with leftovers from yesterday with the new stuff from today but it was all delicious. I would come back again. Thanks for lunch at an affordable price. read more

This buffet is decent, service is pretty good and the price per person is relatively inexpensive. I would say this buffet is very simplistic and not much to choose from but I'd say there is enough to make a good meal. The establishment could be more organized and clean. Food looks like it sits for a bit if it isn't touched or low to replace. But overall I'd say this buffet is decent and well priced for what you receive. read more

Terrible there was no food out and the food was cold i do not recommend this restaurant at all

This isn't the best and cleanest place but the food is so tasty I really don't care. Good selection and they even have sushi. I will eat at this establishment until the day I die. read more

Standard Chinese American fare and by buffet standards, I rate it 4 stars for the value and friendly staff. As of this writing it is $8.99 for lunch and $11.99 for dinner. I've been to other buffets with almost the same selection and quality of food costing 2 to 3 times more. The place however could use a remodel but if you don't care much for ambiance and just need to fill your belly, this place will do. Have only tried the lunch so far and the standouts are the fried shrimp, hot and sour soup, general tso's chicken, unshelled shrimp, the fried chicken, string beans and the salmon. Chem the owner was very friendly and accommodating. When we noted that the fried shrimp pan was empty, he cooked up a batch right away and brought it to our table still piping hot. I could also tell that much of the clientele there were regulars. We will definitely return to try out dinner which has more seafood offerings and provide an updated review. read more

This place takes me back to the late 1980's... friendly Chinese family owned business and also their prices are unbelievable. I over tip if I were you for the price of the food and friendly service. It is not Haiku or Harbor Buffet, but then you are paying 3 times more at Haiku and 2 times more at Harbor Buffet. The Good: The price is around $8 for lunch and $10 for dinner. Seniors even get a nice discount. You can also buy your food to go and not worry about what to have for lunch at work the next day. The Bad: I cannot eat every single item, so I pick and choose what I feel like having, usually I start with a mix of half hot and sour soup with half egg flower soup, just a perfect combination. I pick and choose my hot entrees and repeat. There is a nice soft serve ice-cream in the corner. I have seen many high school kids come in for a treat. I think they are charge .75 or $1.00. The staff is so patient and friendly with them. The Ugly: The reviewers who like to criticize everything and leave negative reviews because they expect a 5 star meal at a great price. Good Eats, Everyone! ***** 5 Stars to compensate those complainers. I met a couple in my life and I try to keep them away... Like exes... they all keep coming back! read more

For a buffet, I thought it exceptional friendly staff. The selection was huge, and I loved what I picked out. So, for the price, it's great, if it cost a lot more, I'd judge it differently, expecting a fancier atmosphere, food served to my table, but it's a buffet! I will definitely go back even by myself. read more

Stopped by on a sunny Tuesday evening. Place could use a cosmetic update for sure. Solid American-chinese buffet. Not the worst, not the best. Owners cook small amounts and try to keep it fresh. Broccoli beef was ok. Several kinds of shrimp.typical breaded sweet and sour chicken, but they brought out fresh! Not a bad hole in the wall. About 7 tables of guests when we were there. read more

Golden City Buffet - Typical beige American-Chinese buffet. - Buffets Near Me - Monroe, Washington

chicken dishes were frozen still, I got sick after eating their coconut shrimp. I ate one plate and couldn't get up for more because of how sick I felt. this place is not worth it :( there are MUCH better buffets around then this one read more

This smaller buffet in a neighborhood feels like a childhood dream come true. Plenty of parking space, not overcrowded, cheap, and the food is delicious! A lot of typical Chinese-American food and more homemade-like stir fries? My friend and I came to the place on a Sunday evening when the outdoors began to get dark. The buffet is very quiet, I loved that. The teenage girl working as a receptionist and a waiteress is kind and helpful. Warns which items contain nuts for those who have allergies, which is only the Kung-Pao chicken and Peanut Butter Chicken. Oh yea, my favorite menu item was the Coconut Shrimp. The shrimp itself is kinda small and coated in a thick batter then deep fried, but it's very tasty. My friend said it was her favorite as well. Only menu item I tried which tasted generic were the Crab Rangoons. The dessert table looks tempting!!! Is it worth driving through a freeway to arrive here then drive back? Not really, but it's a place I would totally eat at if I lived nearby. Who can resist an all you can eat buffet full of delicious food? read more

My family enjoys buffets and wanted to try this establishment since we are fairly new to the town. So I hesitantly came since they wanted to check it out even after reading the other reviews. The food was really bland and there are not very many items like they advertise. I though it was weird that every time a customer wanted ice cream, they had to turn on the loud machine and it wasn't just running. The waitress kept our drinks full but there was quite a few tables that were just left full of dirty dishes after people left and we hung around for about an hour. Seems like the food had been sitting a while since it wasn't hot, barely warm but at least I didn't get food poisoning. read more

Golden City Buffet - Buffets Near Me - Monroe, Washington

I was totally suspect of this place for a really long time. But at the recommendation of a friend gave their to go a chance. I'm so glad I did! You cannot beat their prices and the food is delicious!!! read more

So glad I decided to stop here after reading some good reviews. So much food for such a good price and all was delicious. I even got a small container to fill with desserts for free! The owners are super nice! I will definitely be going back. read more

Golden City Buffet - two trays of food - Buffets Near Me - Monroe, Washington

Hands down the worst Chinese buffet I have ever ever had the misfortune of eating. Food looked like it had been out from the previous day. See pictures below. Nothing fresh came out the entire time we ate. The server came by and stirred the food. On a positive note the cherries were good. Stay away. read more

See all