Unfortunately I was not impressed with the service nor the food. We had made a long trip home ending in reno and thought we would give J's buffet a try later that evening. The food was left out for a while causing it to look less appetizing, dry looking. The floor wasn't clean, and we were all packed into the smallest area of the floor plan causing people to run into myself and my wife while trying to enjoy our dinner. Yes the establishment is kid friendly but staff refused to take control of any situation, three of the family's we were placed around had kids throwing food, yelling, screaming, running around bumping into us and when a wheelchair needed to get by i had to press myself against the table just to let them by so the table placement is definitely not ADA, or fire rescue approved. Not 30 minutes into us eating I became incredibly ill and my wife as well shortly after we left. The waiter we had was very courteous and made sure to check on us frequently. Though while I was perusing the food a chef sneezed barely covering their face or turning away from facing the food and continued serving without washing their hands. When I requested a refund the employee suggested I wait for the manager. After 10 minutes of waiting a manager came and asked what the problem was (during this time I was trying not to throw up due to the food poisoning) I simply mentioned our experience was not to our liking. The manager then asked to be more specific before trying offer another option rather than returning our money. I then explain that where we were sat there was multiple inconveniences and the food was less to be desired. After this explanation the manager finally gave the refund and sent us on our way. The wait staff had started to seat people at different sections while we were seated so it wasn't a matter of little to no staff but yet a lack of floor planning. read more

Customer service was very nice and attentive. The buffet is small with very limited selection. To my liking most of the food was salty. They also have a small salad bar and on the side shrimp. The dessert selection was delicious. They have local discount 20% off every Thursday and Sunday read more

Small selection and staff friendly and clean just wish they gave local discounts all the time.

The food was good but not much variety and I was going for crab legs as shown on the picture and when I got there I was disappointed no crab legs and not much sea food only cold shrimp and and steam mussels and fried tilapia like I said very few variety... read more

I tried this buffet again because of the prime rib being good and when they ran out a cook brought out some great tri tip. This last time was not good because the "prime" rib wasn't prime...not even choice but "select". It was more like roast beef or something and wasn't evenly cooked. As usual the meat in most of the other dishes...chili verde, beef fajitas Mongolian beef, etc was hard &/or tough. They made people use big paper cups for the soup because the bowls were on the dishwasher. The chicken pieces in the make-shift sweet and sour chicken was awful. They did have some beef raviolis that were pretty good. The shrimp was still found to be in their shells with legs and I didn't bother!! The miniature deserts were okay. This place is supposed to be an upscale place and they cheap out with low quality food & cooks that are low end. They might as well go back to the high school cafeteria buffet they had before. read more

I think the Sands Buffet is a solid 3 stars. Now, you really can't complain when you get a free meal. I had a free buffet for my birthday, so why not use it. Got to the register and it was not busy which was awesome. I wanted to order a drink, looked at the wine menu and was a little perplexed by the price. To which the counter person let me know that was for a small bottle about 2 1/2 glasses. Perfect! I ordered that. We were escorted to our seats. Personally I'm in love with the Hot Pink seats, they're awesome. All of the staff was incredibly friendly, we got our drinks, water, wine and beer. And went in for the food. I really like the salad bar. Compared to other buffet's there are a lot of options and a lot of stuff to put on your salad which is great. The staff tries to keep up on keeping everything neat and tidy. Which is great in case you make a little spill. One thing that I did notice is that there aren't that many staff members behind the counters checking on the food. A lot of the food looked like it needed to be stirred up. You know how you get that sort of film looking substance on top of food that has been sitting out too long? Well that was on most dishes. I stirred up the mashed potatoes, and a few other dishes before serving myself. If the food is stirred it definitely makes for a more appetizing and appealing look. One other issue I sort of saw/had, I went to grab some pot stickers and and egg roll. The tongs were almost too hot too touch, and when I grabbed a plastic cup to put the sauce in, the sauce was so hot I couldn't hold the plastic cup. One of the ladies behind the counter saw my struggle and grabbed the hot tongs to cool them off and replaced them. And then she helped me double up on my cup. Much appreciated. The dessert area is huge, with lots of options. I like all of the sugar free cookies and desserts, that's hard to find at a buffet. All in all, it's a pretty ok buffet. My biggest "issue" is just the stirring up of the food, to make it so that it all looks fresh all or most of the time. read more

We couldn't decide what to eat so we figured a buffet would satisfy everyone. We picked an old favorite only to realize it was going to be 15$ more than usual because it was seafood night. Not the best choice -- most of us are not fans of seafood. Googled some options and J's -The Buffet - was the newest and none of us had been so we went there. We were a bit apprehensive because it was smaller than most and was not very crowded but at nearly half the cost of the other buffets we decided to stay and expect less food choices. We were wrong! Not only were there lots of choices they were quite tasty! The food was actually seasoned and had flavor. The meats were free of gristle and fat and the chefs even took the time to remove the fat from the prime rib as it was cut. The desserts were better than the bigger more famous buffets. And the place was clean. The service was great. The staff was happy and friendly. The chefs were happy to feed us. I usually leave a buffet full -- simply from tasting bites of a lot of bad food --but I left full because I wanted one more bite of things I liked. Nothing was fancy but everything I ate was well cooked and well seasoned and well received! The best part was that the price was half of the other buffets in town! Good food and great price...I mean... read more

Checked into the Sands for a much needed get-away, and got our players cards. They had a promotion to get 50 points on your first day and you get a free buffet. We played a little video blackjack and got our free buffets! There was no line on Sunday night and we were quickly seated. Manuel was our server, and he could not have been more attentive, or have been any better. He was fantastic. Very professional, constantly refilling our drinks, we also choose coffee and he brought us our own carafe. He really felt like he should be in a 5 Star restaurant. There were many choices on the buffet, lots of peel and eat shrimp, and choices for vegetarians as well. The fried shrimp were not certainly l crispy like they should be. Prime rib was very good, very tender. Lots of desserts to choose from, but most were cafeteria quality. The creme brulee was brutal. But the coconut passion fruit cheese cake was pretty good. Lots of sugar free choices for those desiring that. All in all, it was a nice dinner, Manuel, making it even better! Give him a raise!! read more

The Buffet - Prime rib - Buffets Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Presenting the "All New" Buffet at the Sands. And what a welcome arrival from the former "mess-hall" quality dog food they used to serve and laughingly call a buffet for several years. There's some kinks to be worked out with this promising new venture however. The defiant and unapologetic cashier who at first refused to honor my valid meal comp. Made me trek back across the casino to the Player's Club to resolve that. Then I had to unnecessarily return with a member from the Cashier's Cage when idle buffet staff refused to answer their calls. Once back at the buffoon, err buffet desk the same young lady sees me with her fellow employee. Except now all of a sudden she knows exactly what to do, acting like nothing just happened. What was the point of this nonsensical charade? We never needed to go there. Permissive waitstaff also allowing kids to run and play hide-n-seek within the dining area as though they were in a park. Unsafe, frequently out-of-order escalator a challenge getting to the 2nd floor buffet main entrance (an age-old and longstanding casino issue). This all happened in plain purview of the Buffet "Supervisor," who maintained her silence throughout. And minimum $18.99 off-peak weekday price? Seems a tad high for the area and the spread put out candidly. $27.99 for Fri/Sat admission? Ouch. I'm a loyal Sand's customer and huge fan of the property upgrades, but wouldn't return or pay these prices unless I had some kind of comp, coupon or Player's Club discount. Comparatively speaking, the wonderful Casino Fandango Rum Jungle Buffet over in Carson City (closed Mon/Tue) is $12.99 during the week, MUCH larger and you get at least 10-20x more value and offerings. Worth the approx. 30min. drive over to C.C. for the savings when open, especially for larger parties. Promoted highlight of the Sand's Buffet is understandably their dessert section which occupies a good portion of the serving area. This was impressive. read more

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Fresh and yummy! Great value for the price, going back soon! Lots of choices from entree to deserts friendly staff

Another FAB4 review. We freely admit we're not huge fans of buffets. This buffet was low cost, clean, great service, and a wide selection of food. The food was about what you'd expect at a low cost buffet, average to good, depending on what you picked. Potatoes were a bit dry but the beef and pork were very good. Desert also had a great selection and very tasty. We definitely recommend for an inexpensive Friday night. So, why only a 3 ? We argued about the rating all the way to the bar after dinner and all agreed on 3. Not the greatest but by no means the worst! A good reasonable quality and low cost place to eat. read more

This place is a joke.take a ride to the Atlantis buffet.if you are in Reno! More bang for the buck! It really is hands down!!!.the indian server .that keeps talking so loud about im a manager im a manager.i had to do what a manager had to do.go talk that non sense in the back.no body really cares.5 to 6 servers .sitting there listen to all that crap.like any body cares! Lol. The crab legs were luke warm. The food was under heating lamps. Nothing hot. All luke warm and all processed foods. Very small variety!!! Very disappointed.will definitely not be back for the money grab at 75 dollars and 10 dollar tip. I should of just went to Mel's Dinner down stairs .for half the price and better quality of food hot! Cannot make this stuff up no lie read more

We had a great experience at this buffet. The service was exceptional. The food was really good. read more

The Buffet - Buffets Near Me - Reno, Nevada

We Love the Sand's Buffet. It is Perfect for locals. The best server is named Manuel. If you want Excellent service make sure you ask to sit in his section. The Prime Rib is Top Notch. The Sweet wings delightful. Can you believe it, Sugar Free desserts to die for. Thank You Sands and Manuel for a Great Night. read more

The Buffet - Prime rib and sugar free carrot cake - Buffets Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Wow! I was so impressed with the service and cleanliness of the buffet. My wife was given a free buffet certificate from one of her customers. She asked if I wanted to go. "The Sands, I don't think so." I went anyway. Much to my surprise, the buffet is brand new and quite nice. The staff was so friendly. Not the creepy friendly, but the friendly like you actually felt they really cared about my wife and I being their guest. I tried just about everything I could. The bbq ribs that were amazing. The night we went, they also had some king crab legs that were delicious without butter. I have to say that the experience has me thinking twice about judging casino food before giving it a chance. It was so good, that we went back on Mother's Day. I really wanted to see if the first visit was just a fluke. Nope, it's legit. The staff was equally friendly and our server Manuel was so accommodating. Once you get past the casino and up the escalator to the buffet, it's a whole other world. Thanks Sands for the pleasant experience twice! read more

Deserts are good. All other food is just okay including the prime rib. However, it is very affordable

The food was decent. Not great but pretty good. It was cheaper than I was expecting as the era of the cheap buffet seems to be over. It is 25.99 or 26.99 for dinner. I think there's a 20% discount for locals which we are not. Some of the entrees are really salty but for the most part everything is good. The servers are really nice and everything looks clean and higher end. read more

Not many buffets in Reno anymore thought I'd try this one out like I said, there's no more buffets in Reno. This place is mediocre. I think hometown buffet was better when they were in business this place will follow hometown buffet and they charge like they're serving you up quality food, if you go in there late, you're gonna be eating the stuff they cooked earlier in the day all the main dishes where dry. Learn my lesson here.beware ... read more

A decent variety on their buffet which begins at 4pm daily. I took a family of 6 adults and 2 kids on Sunday and with my locals 20% discount it was about $21.60/pp. My grandkids loved the pasta and marinara sauce and prime rib which was cooked to perfection and seasoned well. They're not stingy at the carvery and you can have as much as you want from 2 choices of Prime Rib or Ham. The baked potato bar was nice and the Mexican (chili verde or Colorado) and Asian (noodles, teriyaki meats and egg rolls) choices are a good variety. There we're mussels and a couple fish options as well. The ice cream sundae bar with many toppings is a nice dessert treat among many other custards, mousses, and cheese cake options. There's even some sugar free dessert options. I'd only suggest a bit larger salad bar section with a few more fresh fruit options (a couple melon choices and pineapple pieces were all we were offered tonight). There are two soup choices at the end of the salad bar (clam chowder and vegetable beef) which both were tasty. read more

I went to this buffet and I have to say I was thoroughly impressed. From the spot on 10/10 Prime Rib to the deliciously 10/10 crab legs. Finishing off with fabulous desserts... Im still full a day later. It's a hidden gem in Reno. read more

For a small buffet it was pretty good. Our server was friendly and quick. The only reason that I didn't give a 5 star is the price, $18.99 but $2 off if you have a player's card. The only carving they had was prime rib the night I went. My daughter and I didn't eat enough to make it worth the price.....however, it you like to eat, this is a great deal. read more

The whole casino is under construction and does not look like much is opened. But when you go upstairs to the Buffet has been re-done and looks modern and very appealing. Very friendly host and staff, and clean. A much smaller Buffet than most in Reno, but the food is so much better then the others. A good assortment of different kinds of cuisines. All were very good, great flavor and fresh. I will be going back. read more

I wish I can put ZERO STARS..... don't waste your time, money, or appetite. VERY beautiful presentation of the food, but the **it was nasty. Beautiful building and the waitress ELIZABETH WAS AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE! I enjoyed the beer. read more

The service is top notch and the prime rib is the best I've ever had from a buffet. I loved their dessert selection as well. We are going to make sure to pay The Buffet a visit every time we go to Reno! read more

My main takeaways: 1) small selection/variety 2) good price point at 26.99, lowest of the casino buffets (and the only one currently open downtown) 3) staff is nice and friendly as other reviews have mentioned 4) Items available are actually a good offering, but actual taste is hit or miss The buffet is in fact much smaller than other casino buffets I've been to (e.g. Eldorado in the past), but I liked the options offered, although some were not exactly executed on point, for example the chicken with peanut sauce had the sauce too thin so it would just run off and there was a lack of flavor. They are definitely missing a selection of seafood...but I think that's what also keeps their pricepoint low. summary of Items I had to give an idea of selection and what I thought: -battered cod with tartar sauce - I liked it -blackened salmon - probably one of the best items avail -clam chowder - not sure if it was mislabeled but did not taste any clams, but soup base was pretty good -pulled pork(with bbq sauce) - I liked it -chicken wings - I think it was suppose to be lemon pepper...flavoring might be missing but as reg chicken wings not bad -prime rib - Very good -bbq rib - the meat was ok(not the most tender-but this is generally the case with buffets), the sauce over the rib was nice and plentiful -shepherd's pie - it was fine -pork chop - forgot the name of the flavoring, but I found this tender and good -beef szechuan- thought the chunks of meat were too hard and did not like this -pork belly - better than beef szechuan and some pieces were better than others but not as tender as I would have liked -thai noodles- forgot the exact name, but I was hoping for more but it was forgettable It should be noted that the 1lb of crab legs is a thing of the past and is not offered anymore(I think the price point was higher at the time, but is now back at 27.99). The dessert bar is very impressive - I think its the packaging-the small plastic holders/containers they use for simple things as apple pie - it just makes it more sophisticated than putting slices on plates. They had a lot to choose from and having it as ppl enter the buffet is a nice impression. The soft serve machine is kinda of a downer....its a little too liquidy and would prefer it to be a little more solid- offering real gelato even if there weren't that many flavors would definitely be an upgrade and make the dessert section be competitive against the more expensive buffets. 4 stars, because the selection/variety is a little on the light side, but balanced with a lower price point than the other buffets. Some of the food was hit or miss, but I would say leans more towards good on average. Service was very good and friendly. Addition of gelato and improvement on some of the food would push to 5 stars even if variety is smaller and despite lack of seafood selection. read more

Best food I've had in Reno, went there for Christmas Eve. The traditional style Christmas dinner was delicious. the stuffing was savory and had great texture. Mac and cheese was to die for, so cheesy and delicious. My favorite dish was the seafood pan roast, full of flavor and the mussels were cooked to perfection. They had pasta with bolognese sauce as well which was also delicious. My mom in particular enjoyed the crab legs and variety of seafood they had available that day. Highly recommend, great food and great prices. You can't go wrong! read more

Need to do something about the buffet overall! I was very disappointed because the food was cold, the sushi was dry and tasteless, needs to be served on smaller portions and not on three big trays which were almost empty without being refilled! the pasta was cold and almost empty without being refilled. My ice cream melted before I got back to my table. The buffet was so much better a year ago or even before they closed it to do the remodeling! I am a regular at the buffet before the remodeling and was so excited to see it finally reopened. I am not sure if I am going back, please Mr. J look into it. I was talking to a lady from out of state and she said the same thing. She was very disappointed ass well because she remembered how good it used to be! With all of the wonderful remodeling you did on the casino floor now it is time to do something about the food at your buffet! Thank you for letting me express my opinion! read more

Hacid, our waiter was the absolute BEST!!!! I would go back everyday solely for the amazing service. read more

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This buffet looks NOTHING like the photos here.. We tried it out.. how disappointing.. there are NO crab legs.. Instead they was hush puppies & fried breaded cod from a box, fried shrimp that was fair & some awful looking mussels. the prime rib looked like yesterdays, dry & over cooked.. they did bring out another one after I complained that was a bit better but not very tender. The ribs under all the sauce looked like they are being reheated for days.. Am giving them a two because the salad & baked potato & some of the deserts were pretty decent. The waiter was a nice guy & came by often. Would never go back to this buffet.. It should have told us that at 5:00pm the place was nearly empty read more

A really pleasant surprise..they accommodated our party of 12, including 8 teenagers, with smiles and great service. The crab legs were excellent, the seafood part of the buffet was delicious, prime rib was outstanding(big portions too), and dessert assortment so exceeded our expectation, which included sugar free and gluten free options. The remodel of the restaurant was tastefully done..and would recommend for big parties and celebrations! read more

Steak was very salty. There's not much options. It's mostly sides and the soup is ass. Employees were nice.

They had the worse food selection I've ever had. Very limited variety. Got in quick and the whole place was very empty. Good servers who tend to our large party but food was stale, seems like it has been sitting for a long period of time. Sweet and sour chicken taste gross, fried rice had a sour after taste, steam buns were hard on top, def a waste of $600 tab for our party of 19. read more

Terrible food high price . All Luke warm Sysco food choices one small plate of not great crab then 20 for any extra at a buffet that seems odd . The food is simply not good quality and I don't know how the health department always the temperature of the food . It is not hot !! I've been to the Atlantis buffet they beat the sands hands down . Next time I want a buffet I'll go to the Atlantis. If I want something comparable to the Sands I'll go to the McDonald's drive through... read more

Varieties are extremely low. No seafood. Employees serving you the food are rude who don't pay attention to you, or acknowledge you. Cashier up front was not friendly at all. Waitress that took us to the table was not friendly nor even say hi to us, (party of 5)... Our waitress barely paid attention to us too. Our waitress ask if we are from California? We said yes. When we went to get food, we overheard her telling another employee that we are Californians bringing Coronavirus here... Lol how ridiculous, better be careful before she gets punch in the face.... read more

High quality food with a wide variety of selections to fancy every ones taste. Leaving a excellent impression on my guests with the deserts available. Our group was completely satisfied and I was impressed with the guest service. Thank you to your team. read more

Was on a trip in Nevada and stumbled upon Sands for dinner one night... and I was in awe. The price is perfect considering the array of fine (and I mean FINE) choices. I often look for a good variety as I like to peck around the different cuisines and Sands delivered. I especially took a liking to the Latin options. The salsas and tomatillo pico de gallo were incredibly fresh, the flavors were phenomenal; a great stand alone dish as well as a beautiful compliment to the rest of foods the buffet offers. The service was above and beyond, but anyone in Reno should visit Sands for its exquisite food. One hundred percent recommend! read more

wow was i surprised. i expected a so so meal. the food was fresh and really delicious. something is changing at the Sands. we have tried the buffet last year and was near the Sands and decided to give the new remodeled restaurant. They are serious about their food. everything we ate was very good. also the service was great. just had to share our feelings because it has been easier to share bad experiences in the past. THUMBS UP! read more

This buffet was excellent on many levels. 1st - Most buffets will entice you to the "filler" part of the buffet. That is the salad, fruit, veggies, bread..allwhich are good, but they are cheap and buffets want you to fill up on them so you don't get to eat much of the main course meals. Here, it is just the opposite. Yes they have the fillers, but the primary part of this buffet is the main course of the meal. They have a large portion of the buffet delegated to meat, pasta, Mexican food, Chinese food, (the more expensive parts of the meal). 2nd - I enjoyed the Ham, pasta, and Prime rib. They all had great flavor, but Steve did something special to that Prime Rib. Most chefs will add a pepper corn flavor, and this did as well, BUT there was another addition to that which made it special. 3rd - While I was there I interacted with Hachib and Nicki as servers. The mark of a good server is that things are done at your table with a flow, nothing has to start and stop. They were excellent at that. Chastity at the cashier position was friendly and made you feel welcome. 4th - and last. I saw the price of the buffet and took a second look, BUT with the way the buffet is laid out so you are not overloaded with "fillers" and you get to enjoy made options on main courses, the price is well worth it. I will be back. read more

Sands has gone through a Buffet remodel, so I am updating my review. The dining area is very small for a resort-style casino. The food was a bit better than last time. This buffet does have better options on the menu it seems then the last time we were there. You still need a players card to get the basic price of the buffet ($2 off). If their ads currently state "Taste of new things to come" it seems like the new things will be small and mediocre. read more

NOT WORTH THE MONEY!!!! Highly disappointed. If you are going to have a buffet open don't half ass it! Either open it fully or not at all. And definitely not Charge a full buffet price! The only redeeming quality was they had Prime Rib so I had a $34 dollar slice!!!! read more