Buffet City
| Address: | 1747 Skyland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405, USA |
| Phone: | +1 205-553-3308 |
| Site: | buffetcitytuscaloosa.com |
| Rating: | 2.6 |
| Working: | 10:30AM–9:30PM 10:30AM–9:30PM 10:30AM–9:30PM 10:30AM–9:30PM 10:30AM–10:30PM 10:30AM–10:30PM 10:30AM–9:30PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 7
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Andrew Hyder
AVOID. Went in for the lunch buffet today with an empty stomach. At $6.99, I wasnt expecting a real gourmet dining experience, but I had heard that this was a decent place to fill up from some native Tuscaloosans who are generally cash money, so I figured Id give it a try. I wont spend much time talking about the derelict fixtures or dingy vinyl booths. You dont go to Buffet City for the ambience. The main selling point here is the selection--six buffet islands and a sushi bar. I dont think it would be stretch to say they offer 100+ different items on their lunch buffet, though a big number of these selections are the same ultra low grade meat battered with a slightly different sauce (e.g. General Tsos/Honey/Orange/Bourbon Chicken). Grease, salt, and sugar (and a lot of em) are the common themes here. Particular items to avoid: -"crab" rangoons: Undercooked and soft, without a single shred of crab -egg custard: Didnt even know you could mess these up... -SUSHI BAR: lowest quality rice possible, just a very unpleasant taste and texture to everything. Pickled ginger was just fine, but just stay away from the sushi bar -stuffed shrimp: a tiny frozen shrimp stuffed inside a McNugget-sized pink-grey blob of pressed meat (pork?) -General Tsos Chicken (and derivatives): Mushy beyond belief. Corn syrup is the predominant flavor. To their credit, the buffet did have a reasonable spread of fruits and desserts. Also, the service was prompt, and I never had to wait for a drink refill. FINAL THOUGHTS: This is the lowest quality food I have ever eaten in my life. I wish I were exaggerating. A lot of European countries probably have laws against serving food like this. This was the first time I did not feel full after leaving a buffet. Instead, I felt queasy for the next 3-4 hours. Extremely disappointing. Do yourself a favor and go anywhere else. Service: 4/5 Atmosphere: 1/5 Selection: 1.5/5 Food Quality: 0/5 Overall: 0.5/5
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Robert Woods
My wife and I ate there today. Food was OK considering it sits on a hot tray. We have ate there on more than one occasion over the years. What got my goat was the waitress came up to the cash register while we were paying and said I did not leave her a tip. The cashier asked would I like to leave a tip. I told her I did leave one. It was with the plate still on the table. The waitress said I didnt. I said look under the plate (I never leave a tip in plain site, too easy to walk by and pocket it). She made a dash back to the table and found it. I really just left her a tip out of habit, not that she deserved one. I left her 2 bucks for refilling my tea one time. Never asked my wife if she wanted hers topped off. Its a buffet style dinner where you wait on yourself. What do they have to do besides refill your drink and pick up a empty plate(s)? Besides Ive been told it is family/relatives that own it (not sure how true that is). Ive never seen anyone else wait on customers over the years. I ask myself is a tip even necessary? Not sure when I may return, if ever. I have never had a waitress tell me I forgot to tip her. Tipping is not mandatory anywhere unless it is calculated into the final bill and even that can be disputed and reversed. Tipping is for service, not just because you work there.
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Corletta Hamlett
It was horrible. The place was empty with no customers except my fiancee and I and all the food was cold and didnt taste fresh at all. I fixed one plate and couldnt even eat it and my fiancee is a heavy eater he couldnt eat it either. We asked for fresh food and told them that none of the food was hot they kept saying yes and nodding at us and did nothing. We observed the cook, cooking fresh food so we thought maybe they understood us.... No The server that seated us sat down to eat also and it was her food he was cooking. She had her food made fresh because the food on the buffet wasnt hot and fresh. Wow! We got up to leave and paid $28 for bad food we couldnt eat. We told the cashier that I was trying their restaurant out for the first time and it was horrible he said what are you looking for. I replied I just wanted fresh hot Chinese food and we decided to try you all out and it wasnt that at all, the food wasnt even warm and it definitely wasnt fresh. Someone could get sick. He said Oh... and continued to cash us out. And that was it. We left there to go get something to eat elsewhere. This was the worst Ive had in a long, long time.
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Desiree Thomas
My boyfriend really likes the food. We try to eat there often. Like tonight, but i understand a waitress is not a good paying job. If you would provide good service instead of so worried about if your gonna get a tip, you might get better tips. It is so rude and unprofessional to ask for a tip. We went to pay our bill tonight and our waitress came and stood by the cashier. Once the cashier gave me my change. The waitress asked if we left her a tip and when she said no. The cashier asked if we would like to tip our waitress, so i politely said no. We werw going to leave a tip because its hars being a waitress. But when you atand by the register and ask for your tip. Thats HORRIBLE!!
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Veronica dantoni
I RATED IT ALL VERY POOR NOT FAIR !! Well myself and sister went to get a to go plate and Lord when we got back to the hotel we started eating the seafood was Spoiled along with the egg rolls I called them and she couldnt understand what I was saying then after repeating myself 3 x she got it the lady said shouldnt be spoiled all food was cooked that morning and it was 800 pm . Food.was extremely cold, as was the wait staff. I wouldnt send my worst enemy there to eat.Much less a dog ! It was absolutely horrible, no flavor. 1-10 they get a -0(I told her Dch Food poison) 1st and last time eating there ill stick to Louisiana seafood
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Shy Blocker
So my husband and I come in here around 7:30 (i think they close at 9)and they started taking the food up behind so of we wanted to go back for seconds we couldnt . our server not once asked us if we wanted a refill that and when she picked up my last plate she started huffing and puffing and under her breath called me wastefully . well maybe if my food was at least warm I wouldve been able to eat it. Horrible experience all around I will not ever be returning . Ive seen a place with as much disrespect and unprofessionism as this restaurant . save your money and go somewhere else
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Beverly Armstrong
From 1997 thru 2003 my family lived in Tuscaloosa. Buffet City was an awesome place to eat Chinese Buffet. However I returned here in June 2012. I have eaten there 3 times spread out over that year. Most recently fathers day. Ive been extremely disappointed. The food was of very poor taste, texture, freshness, availability and overall a bad dining experience. They no longer offer certain items ( example: those wonderful green beans) that have traditionally are on ALL Chinese buffets. Im sorry to say that will be my last meal at what was once a great place to dine.
