4. Restaurants

Yummy Buffet

3925 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625
  • (773) 539-3388
  • Store is closed

Yummy Buffet Menu

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  • Cathy M.

    This is one of the favorite Sunday spots of my best friend, so I am often dragged in here, kicking and screaming. The buffet is a bit sloppy with its food presentation and kids are hardly ever, close to never supervised or reminded to have parental assistance. The selection is not vast as most, however, the sushi selection is nice and the grill...well...they try. The buffet is smack-dad in the community with a fairly decent parking lot. The staff is friendly and well, honestly...its good for a quick, easy, well priced family buffet option...and for cheap best-friends.

    (3)

  • Nate C.

    Came here a couple of times since my mom wanted to try it out...not too bad for a groupon deal...2 for $10 plus tax. Food is edible but not great. Kind of strange that the staff went to lunch at the same time and I had to wait for the cook to make my stir fry. Not good customer service in my opinion. They do give out a free b'day cake if it really is your b'day.

    (2)

  • Darren F.

    yummy buffet turns out to not be so yummy.. i am a big fan of buffets and i can tell you this is probably one of the worst ones i went to.. very poor food selections and a lot of the food wasn't even warm.. it was more on the cool side.. the sushi was really bad also.. i would say the best choice there was the tator tots.. now that's sad...

    (1)

  • Anna S.

    The place is always packed, they have veraity of options to choose from. The place is always clean, the staff is very friendly and welcoming. It's more of a fam spot rather then friends hangout.

    (3)

  • Ismael G.

    DO NOT GO HERE. AVOID AT ALL COST. This place is awful and expensive. I was convinced by the pictures outside that they would have good sea food. WRONG. Sushi is unavailable all the time and when it is, it is garbage. I took my brother here and he refused to eat anything. Said the pizza was not only cold but tasted like cardboard. Fries might as well have been frozen. The orange chicken was more sugar chicken than anything. Decided to try the stir fry and regretted it as soon as I put the things on my plate. I will never go back. My little brother asked me to buy him a happy meal at the McDonalds across the street, and I felt that we got a better deal there.

    (1)

  • Jon H.

    Been there at least 5 times. the latest is the father's day which was pretty crowded. They have a little of mixture of Asian ( Sushi, Korean, Chinese ) and Hispanic and American of everything, But, since this place is small, you really don't have too much choices. Sometimes, the seafood is totally not fresh which upset me. yeah, hope they have a bigger parking space. Overall, there regular dinner is $10.99 + Tax.

    (3)

  • Michael E.

    My girlfriend enjoyed the buffet especially the make your stir fry. The buffet is extensive and tasty. My girlfriend especially enjoyed the coleslaw. She swore it tasted just like her Daddy's homemade recipe that has been in her family for generations.

    (3)

  • M M.

    I was invited here last Monday for an occasion. It seemed like one of the nicest looking buffet places I've ever been to. A beautiful koi pond greets you upon entering. The employees were very nice and attentive. But I can't get past the moment I took a plate there was a big blob of a clay-like substance that didn't get thoroughly washed off at the bottom of the plate. The fried tofu was the best unique thing I had there (unique to a buffet place I mean), and I liked the crab legs and shelled mussels topped with cheese. The mocha cake was good, but the serve-yourself ice cream freezer with several flavors seemed too unsanitary for me. I had to put mind over matter with the large flies hovering and making stops over all the food and at the same time dodging them as they buzzed in speedy flight throughout the whole restaurant. It just wasn't very pleasing.

    (2)

  • Isaac A.

    PROS: One of the only buffet's in the area. Greatly decorated and designed. They have a coy fish pond upon entrance. The decoration and design has that oriental feel and is really nice. There are a decent amount of deserts and 6 diff types of ice cream. There's a sushi a nd raw food bar as well as a decent amount of hot food. The prices are alright.. But you can get better outside of Albany Park. CONS: The manager lady seemed nice at first but feels like she's watching too much. One of my friends put all the stuff we didn't eat onto one plate and set it aside.. and she almost rudely asked "The food is not good? " as if we just wasted it .. but she didn't REALIZE that alot of it was VERY STALE AND COLD/HARD. She was kinda nice later on as she offered my mom splenda for her coffee which was thoughtful. The food during the lunch specials is often not refilled right away. We had almost no cooked shrimp items to eat .. and the fried rice was completely stale. Felt like ther ewas alot missing as far as food. Not many cooked chicken items either. We came in the middle of the day at lunch time so it's odd that they didn't have as much food. The glasses to drink are plastic and bad shape. Felt weird drinking out of them but I had no choice. However, the cups/mugs for coffee/tea are nice. ****OVERALL THOUGHTS**** :Not that bad. It's a buffet.. It's probably the ONLY buffet in Albany Park. The decor is 10/10 The atmosphere is nice. Needs more food and needs to refill food trays more often. The prices are alright but 9-10$ should be more of a regular price than a "lunch special" as they call it. I don't blame the manager lady or head lady for being too watchful but you want people to feel comfortable. She should smile more and be a bit more friendly instead of questioning why people have many plates (gotta remember the food gets stale when its sitting around and you can't return it and people also like to try different things!!!)

    (3)

  • Mona E.

    This place is so disgusting. I found a decomposed dead rat on on the floor. It is gross. I can't imagine how their kitchen looked like. Don't go there.

    (1)

  • David E.

    I've been going to this place since it opened. At first it was, not the greatest, but at least clean enough to go to and there was staff KEEPING AN EYE ON THINGS. Yesterday was the last time I'll ever step foot in there. The first thing I see is some kid grabbing desserts with his hands then putting them back onto the platter. I said "don't touch the food and put it back... though I don't think he spoke English". GRIME, running along the back of your booth (even with your neck) along with old food particles. NOBODY watching the multitude of children running loose around the restaurant as their parents don't give a damn and pretend they don;t have kids to watch. Everything there is pretty lousy. I'd give it ZERO STARS if I could.

    (1)

  • Jamil K.

    Used to be alot better, I feel like the place is not as clean as it used to been. Cashiers are nice however the cooks had a little attitude, won't be coming back here no more.

    (1)

  • Jesse M.

    Sushi is pretty tasty. I don't like the looks of the hot items. The atmosphere is pretty nice, but it's not the cleanest place to eat.

    (3)

  • Jaclyn W.

    Decided to try this place. When we first arrived parking lot was packed, we figured it would be a good place to try. Not worth the money at all! My boyfriend and I ended up being in the bathroom the rest of the night and got sick as well. CONS: The food was awful. Pizza tasted like rubber. Shrimp was not cleaned properly and had black dots (poop) inside shell. Mashed potatoes were very watery and gravy was slimy. The ranch dressing had literally zero taste. PROS: ice cream was delicious, chicken was very good, they have a chocolate fondue fountain in the back, drinks are included with meal, desserts were good. Service was good. Also was annoyed because people would not control their kids. There was a lot of little kids running all over the place.

    (1)

  • Adrian T.

    Went with a friend to check this place out as we're big fans of buffets when very very hungry. Everything I had sucked. Should've read the Yelp reviews first as many of it are pretty accurate. This place won't be lasting long.

    (1)

  • Nayeli V.

    This place is gross. It was dirty and it's just plain nasty. There was more American good than Chinese wtf? Never again.

    (1)

  • Amy T.

    Crashed this place while venturing out to Peking Mandarin. The reviews seems mixed here so I decided to come in with my boyfriend to check it out. I say this reminded me of the Fox Valley Buffet in Naperville, IL. The place is nice and cozy, features a koi and gold fish pond. There's also a line of chairs for waiting, awesome family portraits taken, and of course plenty of sushi (nigiri and maki), chicken dishes, shrimp, beaf, salad bar, and fruits and desserts. I saw a surprise that a piece of wood/ skewer ended up in the chicken wings. The customer picked it out and gave it back to the kitchen since the hibachi and everything behind the counters can be seen. It's pretty awesome to be able to see inside the kitchen. The food is satisfying, though not delicious. It fills a hungry tummy for the price paid ($11 per person on Sundays and holidays). There are a variety of meat and limited veggies (besides the salad from the bar). Most veggies are corn, broccoli, asparagus, and some other veggies that induces gas. Stock up on fruits afterwards or your tummy may suffer. The tables are situated really close to each other and it's really difficult to not overhear others' conversations. It got pretty annoying to have to walk out and go around just to get the desired food or drink. I nearly tripped and slipped on food that fell on the ground. It's pretty much out of my way so I might not return.

    (3)

  • jna r.

    We used to come to this place but after today we will never go back. They used to have great sushi selection, but when we came back today the sushi buffet was empty and filthy. The miso soup tastes like water. Everything changed, it's so dirty and it stinks. I really lost my appetite. A buffet that does not have any sushi in the bar. The hibachi chef didn't cook the steak well. The management needs to reorganize everything here and they have to remember to maintain quality

    (1)

  • Michele S.

    Service was great. However like most cheap buffets, the food is incredibly bland. Steamed vegetables don't even taste fresh. The food was warm and constantly served buffet-style. Best choice is ice cream. The fried dishes are OK.

    (2)

  • Lex W.

    My mother loves Chinese food and even more than that, Chinese buffets. She discovered Yummy's shortly after it replaced the Supermercado that was there. I'm not a huge fan of buffets, but I don't mind Yummy's, as we like to call it. It's cute and it isn't as low-brow as other "Super Chinese Buffets" are. I mean, let's be real. If you are looking for Iron Chef type gourmet food, you aren't EVER going to find it at mega-buffets. So, lower your expectations, and you'll be pleasantly surprised at the dishes you can find here. I love the sushi selection. That in itself warrants 4 stars, because at most buffets you won't find that. I have to give Yummy credit for variety. You will definitely find something that you want to eat here. They have a large salad bar, dessert bar, soup bar (with both oriental and american favorites), a stir-fry bar, and plenty of entrees and fried foods to nosh on. The owner knows my mother by name and is so friendly. We have always received good service when we eat there. The last time we went was on Valentine's Day for lunch after my mom and her fiance got married, and there was an adorable red and white balloon arch over the inside entrance. The owner snapped pictures of all of us and we'll be picking them up soon. Overall a cozy place. I'm sure the next time I visit Chitown I'll be back. :-)

    (4)

  • Michelina D.

    Tried this place for the first time tonight since it was snowing we didn't want to travel far to our favorite Chinese buffet (hibachi grill) Horrible it was $12 to eat at this joint and they didn't even have $12 worth if food I would eat. To make matters worse the food was cold like everything we tried!! I understand the food sits out but come on it can't be cold for customers! We won't ever return just not a good bang for your buck

    (1)

  • Kelly C.

    Go ahead and make fun of me for liking this place. My husband has a thing for cheap buffets and we have visited a number in the Chicago area of varying awfulness. So what make Yummy a step above the rest in my book? Answer: Seafood. I think it is a testament that the Asians that come here only get plates and plates of shellfish. It's a good value and the shellfish and sushi don't have that questionable buffet rubberiness to them that some of the hot dishes do. There is also a stir fry station if you prefer your hot food cooked fresh. The other hot Chinese dishes are varying states of "meh", but there is value here! I generally stick with the sushi and finish off a few plates of shrimp. It is worth $10, and I don't get the sodium hangover I I would at similar establishments. One more plus: for whatever reason, there are less kids here than I usually see in the buffet circuit. And the kids don't touch the stuff I like.

    (4)

  • Angelo C.

    People come out to eat not to be solicited. I do not to be sold or informed about a preferred customer lioness card. They recently killed the audio but the looping video is still just as brain washing. Not sure will be back. Totally kills what was nice ambience in the beginning. Also demonstrates terrible business ethics. I know customer service when I see it or lack thereof. Angelo-Former State of IL Manager Hilton Hotels

    (1)

  • Jacob J.

    Stupid check-in's. So it was brought to my attention that someone recently checked out this restaurant because they saw that I was a "regular" here. Just to clarify, that just means I've checked in twice while being here not that I love it or anything. So, I thought I should write something. Is it crazy good? Hell no. Is it worthy of being in a group with those of elite buffets in Vegas? Heck no. Sorry S.I. Their two best items for me, wings made with Frank's Red Hot sauce and their pizza rolls. All their entree's, the hibachi grill and whatever else, is just okay. In comparison to any China buffet, it knocks their socks off for certain. But, it's a bit different. China buffet still pleases with some dishes. Few details to note. Never, never, ever go late evening. Always call ahead and ask about lead times to get a table. Use the washroom early and never close to closing. I had a BAD experience on a weekend. So gross and grodie. Toilets overflowed with too much usage needing plunging and instead of the staff fixing it, a sign was posted to indicate both Men's and Women's washrooms were closed. Shit that warrants a call to 311, but I didn't. Instead just decided not to return. They offer a discount for kids and seniors, so that's a good thing and they have a parking lot. Although door dings prevail in this parking lot. Tread carefully friends.

    (2)

  • Sarah V.

    Chinese buffets are a dime a dozen in Small Town, USA. In Chicago... nada. Except for Yummy Buffet. I was over-joyed at the idea that I'd finally get my mitts on a buffet filled with my favorite delights: garlic chicken, egg rolls, shumai, lo mein. Yummy is inconvenient from Lakeview, but hey. Desperate times call for desperate car rides. Unfortunately, Fiance and I didn't find Yummy so yummy. Everything seemed to be cooked in more oil than needed. The crawfish had been sitting a while and looked dried out, and the crab rangoon, the staple to American Chinese, was just pitiful. I also wouldn't recommend the sushi. While there is a guy making the sushi, it ain't lookin' so fresh. The three stars comes from a line cook freshly preparing stir fry from items you select at a separate buffet. I had chicken and broccoli with udon noodles and I could request light oil or more spices. That dish was the best of everything I tried. The second best was the dessert buffet. Tons and tons of options. Not all great, but there's so many that you're bound to find something yummy. Not the greatest Chinese buffet, by a long shot. But in buffet-desolate Chicago, it'll do.

    (3)

  • Jenny Y.

    Low cost is the main attraction. Very mediocre food. When you walk in, decor seems nice enough and it's spacious. However once I rounded up the food, the experience went down from there. Maybe, for the regular price of $10.99 you're getting quantity, but 80% of it was not good, 20% was passable. The food was lukewarm at best, sometimes cold. I was most excited about the sushi and hibachi and both were disappointing. I've enjoyed sushi purchased from the grocery store more. The steak was the toughest piece of meat I've ever consumed. In addition, these areas specifically made me nervous: Something flying around the fruit. There were ice cream scoops inside of the containers so everyone could just grab in there with their hands. Tasteless and starchy soup. Yes, you get what you pay for. Personally, I would rather spend the money on Chinese takeout from a restaurant that makes it well and enjoy the food!

    (2)

  • Michael S.

    Unfortunately, my 30th birthday dinner with the family was here because my parents are cheap and I did not get a choice in saying I would rather not do anything as opposed to eating here. Deviled eggs are not hard boiled eggs with paprika on top. Giving balloons and a cake while playing Happy Birthday is really stupid. Even for an AYCE Asian buffet the quality is crap. Kids running around grabbing noodles with their hands is unsanitary. Even with the 15% yelp discount I would rather go to Cici's where it's cheaper and much better. Thanks Yummy Buffet and mom for just pissing me off after I got to eat at David Burke's Prime House, Shaw's, and had a special banquet at the Hyatt. I wish I could have just not eaten dinner here as I barely touched anything so I just came to be embaressed and pissed off.

    (1)

  • Pam D.

    We returned for lunch today because I got a daily Groupon, so we both had lunch for $10.00. It is beginning to show a bit of wear, which doesn't surprise me considering the number of people who come through there on a daily basis. It is still fairly decent for the price (especially with a Groupon), but I am just not into buffets anymore. You will never get haute cuisine at a spot like this, but it is certainly decent enough for anyone who is craving buffet food and lots of it.

    (3)

  • Kislev A.

    Best food in Chicago? Not really. But it's a pretty good place to hold a birthday celebration with a large group coz they offer several styles of Asian food which increases the likelihood everyone will find something they would like. Mongolian BBQ Korean BBQ Sushi Chinese dishes Fruits Soups Salads 6 tubs of ice cream They have a really nice Koi pond at the entrance. Private room is available for private parties. Free small cake for the birthday celebrant. And balloons!

    (3)

  • Abe R.

    I went against all my values here regarding eating seafood/shellfish from a less than expensive type buffet, which I had believed would lead to major stomach cramping and a possible bout of explosions. I however got lucky this time, after I slammed plate after plate of seafood during the Sunday Special Buffet where they bring out sushi, shellfish, grilled fish, etc... I don't know really what got into me, but once I started slammin' I just kept the plates a comin', and I ate and ate and ate and ate, and you know what? I enjoyed every second of it, and I never felt the ill affects of eating cheap seafood from a less than expensive type buffet, which is nice of course... Enjoy Suckas'!!!

    (3)

  • James T.

    Hmmm. Yummy buffet. It's hard to knock on a buffet because you can't expect the food to maintain high qualtity when they are making it in bulk. Either way the selection is poor. The only good part of the buffet is the hibachi grill. At least that you can make something decent. The food can only be expressed as "meh" I'm not sure what else to say about the place. Food was less than decent. Small selection. But it is pretty cheap. So that's a plus. If you're starving and don't care too much for taste.... Get a quick fix for meh Chinese food here

    (2)

  • Faye B.

    C'mon people, it's a buffet place I'm not expecting quality food here. I mean they have to mass produce if it is 'all you can eat', right? That being said, this place is pretty decent for what it is. From the warm, inviting orange awning to the fancy fish pond inside their 'in your face' Asian decor when I walked in the place was pretty full. The variety of foods was a pretty good mix of Japanese, Chinese, and American. I can see why people would take kids here that don't particularly have an affinity for Asian food: they had mac n' cheese, pizza, fries, and onion rings on the menu. We're not saying gourmet sushi here, but I have to admit going for seconds on their California rolls. Their orange chicken was a little spicy, but to me that's tasty. This place even has a good selection of seafood options not normally found at most buffets, like steamed tilapia. What's most impressive (for a buffet place) is the fruit and dessert bar AND an ice cream freezer with 6 options. Who can argue with that. Won't be a regular, but if I'm ever in the mood for a buffet. I might hit this up again.

    (3)

  • Joe R.

    I would give this 2.5 stars if I could. Sushi was ok, the only non crab stick pieces where Tuna, and I will grant they did have tuna sashimi. The other food was kind of meh, at least the hibachi was good (you can not really mess that up I would hope). For $8 it is fine I guess, would go again I suppose, but not in any rush to.

    (3)

  • Rris C.

    Now I don't often write reviews, I take pictures and leave the verbiage to Pam. But this is a nice buffet place with a wide assortment of food. I'm fairly picky in what I eat, and when I first walked in and saw tons of seafood, which I don't care for, I was worried. I needn't of been, there were a host of dishes I enjoyed. Various beef dishes, noodles, soups, salads, and a host of noshy things like onion rings and hardpack icecream. It was very easy for me to stuff myself. It's brand new and clean, and the price for lunch could not be beat. As for what planet I'm on,.. I'm on the one in this universe, which apparently a previous reviewer is not. As anyone can see by the pictures here, things like the soups are in their own steamer kettles, kept warm while you serve yourself. Food quality was excellent and hot food was hot and cold food on ice. Desserts were yummy and far from stale, and there were many to choose from. Sure, it's a buffet and you get what you pay for, but this, in its opening incarnation, is a fine place to eat with a wide range of good food. I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Jason S.

    Decor is above average, with a fountain at the entrance, The selection of buffet items is very typical of Chinese buffets in this price range, however the quality is noticably better. The hot buffet tables border the kitchen, which keeps hot foods hotter and reduces congestion. I don't know why more buffets aren't set up this way. They also get extra points for a grill station and real ice cream, not soft serve. I just hope the staff closely monitors the ice cream station as this can be a sanitation nightmare because guests scoop their own ice cream. This place is brand new, just opened on 12/26, so I hope that the quality endures. Only $8.15 per person for weekday lunch includes tax and drink. They also have a punchcard so you can get a free lunch after 10 lunches purchased. Lois c, if you think this place was bad, I'd love to hear your recommendation for a Chinese buffet you consider good.

    (4)

  • Kat L.

    My parents have become huge fans of this place. Thanks to the yelp coupon that was up for 15% off, they became regulars. Interior? different than the typical chinese buffet for sure. Quantity? little more limited, but that's ok by me. I'd rather a buffet limit the numbers and do it right, rather than try to do everything and bomb it all. Downfall? Nothing amazingly standout-ish. Falls in line with most typical chinese food buffets. Best things I've had here- cheesy mussels. They have a hollandaise-like sauce on em. I could drink these up all night. Another great item are the barbecue chicken wings. So simple. So good. I wish I had a stash of these in the fridge ready to go at a moment's notice. There's also a cook-to-order station where you can throw in your own meats, veggies, and choose a sauce. There's a wide variety (teriyaki, garlic, soy sauce, etc) but i haven't found one i really hold on to very well, so i'm a little indifferent. The ice cream they have here.... *gasp* is NOT soft serve! It's real ice cream... blue bunny i think. But.... nothing fantastic either. eh. worth a try, but don't get too excited. no crab legs for the die-hard crab leg buffet lovers.

    (3)

  • Xiaoxi L.

    Despite the iffy reviews, this place is one of my top 3 Chinese buffets. I've been to almost every one in the area, but have confused myself so I'll visit them again before I write their reviews. It's $10, which is one of the cheapest I've been to yet. I went on a weeknight and a Sunday afternoon, and on Sunday the variety was better and food fresher. They have quite a selection.Many sushi choices, but most had cream cheese or were filled with daikon and carrots. Would love to see some salmon. They have cheese mussels. I don't really like cheese, so I wish they'd have more mussels (with chili, hoisin, etc.). I stayed away from their fish and seafood choices. My favorite "carbs" to see at Chinese buffets are stir fried rice noodles and spring rolls. They had nice, crunchy rolls but no rice noodles - sad. I love the jalapeno chicken, and their green beans were nice and crunchy, not wilted and smothered in oil like some places. Dessert selection is ok. They had those little Debbie square brownies with sprinkles on them, some strawberry cream cake which was good, cream puffs. They had not great watermelon, strawberries, pineapple, and bananas in strawb sauce. Mandarin oranges are my favorite and weren't there - sad. I also usually enjoy the cling peaches and theirs were brown and didn't look appetizing. There are a lot of dishes I don't like, but with the big selecion, there's always a few that are great. For just $10, I'll be going again and again.

    (4)

  • Keith A.

    I haven't tried the food, because I can't get past the filthiness of the exterior areas. It doesn't seem like they've made any effort to keep the outside attractive. A little maintenance and garbage cleanup of the parking lot and surrounding areas would go along way.

    (1)

  • John M.

    The food is quite nice here. I have been here twice per the suggestion of two friends and was quite pleasantly surprised to find the food here quite enjoyable. Even though there were several dishes that were out, they did everything they could to accommodate the masses of people eating and managed to get the food out in a timely fashion.

    (3)

  • Megan B.

    More like a "Satisfactory Buffet" than "yummy." While Chicagoland is the Midwestern hub for most gastronomic pleasures, it falls way short of smaller towns when it comes to Chinese Buffets. Yummy has a fairly large selection of food to choose from, including sushi and American items that supplement the typical Chinese offerings, but this pales in comparison to the size or scope of Chinese buffet offerings in Midwestern towns 1/40th the size of Chicago (I'm talking about you, Muncie and New Castle, IN). And one of my favorite buffet staples, the egg drop soup, is usually only lukewarm and too thick at Yummy. That being said, sometimes we crave a Chinese buffet, and Yummy does help to satisfy that craving (although it also leaves you wishing you had better - sort of like McDonalds). I go there a few times a year because I am walkable, and those not in the neighborhood will appreciate the sizable free parking lot. It's also nice when you are in a rush (no waiting for food prep), starving (all you can eat), or want a large variety. But at $10 and in such a large city, it is also disappointing that this about as good as it gets for a Chinese buffet.

    (3)

  • Rebekah H.

    Hubby and I tried this buffet last night, like all chinese buffets it has its pros and cons. Orange chicken and lo mein noodles were fantastic, probably best orange chicken I've had in a long time if ever, crispy and sweet, yet a little spicy, good stuff! Fried shrimp was also pretty good, cooked well and coated with panko crumbs. Sushi was just ok, fish seemed pretty fresh but rolls were kinda bland, the rice seemed to be missing that special something that other sushi rolls have. It looked very pretty though and had everything you needed for it minus the little bowls for soy sauce. Ribs and roast beef had a strange flavor, like they used 5 spice as the seasoning on both. Didn't work for me and the hubby but we also don't like 5 spice so we are partial. Great selection of items though, 6 or so soups, several fish choices, duck was the special tonight, lots of american choices for the kids. Overall, your average Chinese Buffet nice decor, ok food, great price. We'll be back because of the price and the dishes that were good but it is not going to be a regular thing for us, which is probably a good thing anyway! P.S. Be careful when getting hot dishes, sometimes the steam escapes between the cracks and is very hot!

    (3)

  • Tom M.

    I will echo some things already mentioned. Fish pond near entrance is beautiful and I like the decor over all. It was advertised as a sushi buffet but what very limited options for sushi they had were terrible. The only fish in sight was a shrimp nigiri. The best thing was the food from the hibachi grill. Tho good overall it's very mediocre. My son who loves miso soup said theirs tasted like water.

    (2)

  • Joiya M.

    I think the breakfast buffet is 12 maybe they lowered the prices since you visited. I think it's still a good deal on the weekends with drinks included. I like this place Chinese Buffet's here in Chicago are nothing like the ones in GA the food is not as good unfortunately but I like that they are so hands off. They only come by to clean the tables, drinks are included and steak any way you want it. I would go again maybe lunch time though a lot cheaper.

    (2)

  • Jim M.

    I get the impression I may have gone to a different restaurant than many of the other reviewers because we really liked Yummy. Either that or they're all just hypercritical, unrealistic jackasses... I'm betting against the former. It was clean. It was relatively cheap. There were plenty of tasty unbattered, proteins stir fried with assorted vegetables along with delicious fresh fruit options for dessert. So what's the problem? The other reviews identify negatives like screaming children (not present on our visit), flies hovering over the food (not present on our visit) and it not being a good deal for the money (at under $8 for lunch on a weekday... not present on our visit). I just don't get the complaints. IT'S A CHINESE BUFFET PEOPLE! What the heck do you expect for under ten bucks? Red Violet? I don't think they're trying very hard to be authentic Cantonese as they've got Mongolian BBQ and maki roll bar and the jalapeno stir fired chicken was my favorite item. But for the the money and convenience the place is a winner. A few things were very good. A few things were just ok. But the staff was nice and we were in and out inside of 30 minutes. Besides I like the little koi pond near the front door and enjoyed crumbling a pinch of my to-go almond cookie for the fish. It felt like good luck.

    (4)

  • Dan D.

    Overall: Ok.... but not great. Actually, it was closer to "hmmm, should I really eat that?". However, a good value for food and amount of options available. The Deets: I went here after seeing a Groupon Now (which seems to ALWAYS be available). For about 7 bucks a person (with the Groupon), get all you can eat! Sounded like a game plan to me. The entrance has a nice koi-fish pond. Tons of mirrors adorn the walls and really makes the place look A-Class. There seems to be a large crowd that is always here (based on other Yelpers comments as well). You pay, you sit, you go grab some grub. Options are about average for a buffet (although I have been to larger buffet options). Chinese food (sesame chicken), fried rice, egg rolls, pizza, potatoes... the usual. Then they have the cold-buffet with sushi rolls (variations of california rolls and alaskan rolls at that time) with kimchi on the side. In the middle there is the "habachi grill" for making your food cooked as you bring it to them. I was a bit nervous about the sushi freshness. In the 2 hours I was there, there was NEVER any new sushi being made (and I have no clue when those rolls I had were made). Further, lots of the hot-food options were never rotated and just seemed to stay there for hours on end. In my opinion, freshness is questionable just since I never saw staff rotating dishes, bringing out new ones, or cleaning up mostly eaten trays. Although we didn't get sick, and most of the food tasted pretty good (and a good deal), I prolly won't be coming back on my own volition. For large families, I can see the benefit of having such large varieties for a good value.

    (2)

  • Allen T.

    Stir fry is on point some days and on others, I make the bathroom my home the rest of the day. Same goes with everything else actually.. Yummy is my desperation spot. Take your chance. You can go home satisfied or go home dropping bricks.

    (3)

  • Izzy N.

    I don't know what's up with all these restaurant names with yummy in them in this city. Pretty conceited and delusional if you ask me. Parking is PACKED by the way so be prepared to go find some street parking. So you guessed it, it's a typical asian buffet with all the usual suspects with scoop your own ice cream and a Mongolian style grill where you pile on all the ingredients you want and they cook it up. Do NOT do it!! It's inedible being incredibly salty. Blech. What a waste. I didn't come here with high hopes as I'm an asian buffet pro and it's one of my guilty pleasures so I just wanted to check this place out since the one on Ashland closed.. Gaaaah! You're not missing out on anything if you haven't been. Good to know wassup though. NEXT! There's a Chinese buffet on naragansett- my next conquest.

    (2)

  • An P.

    Mmmm no. My family often gets very excited about buffets as they love getting value for their dollar (they are from the old country after all). On our first trek to Yummy Buffet on a Sunday night at dinner time, we arrived to find the parking lot completely full. Not only this, there was a line to enter and we were anticipating that this place must be good if so many people were all lined up! The number of children screaming, people chattering and the constant sounds of silverware was a bit overwhelming however there was food to be had in the buffet line. Salads, desserts, fruit, all manner of fried and stir-fried food, and even some steak. Unfortunately most of this food was low quality and as it was a buffet had been sitting out. After awhile with kids running about at full speed and the unimpressive food, it got worse. For every person celebrating a birthday, the speakers in the place would start blaring out Happy Birthday and the birthday boy/girl/man/woman would receive a free slice of cake. While this wouldn't normally be annoying, the fact was that this happened 5 times in a span of an hour. Top this off with fruit that was frozen, no mas. Done, son - no more.

    (2)

  • Heather P.

    Blarghhhh. Came because of a Groupon Now. I love a good Asian buffet (or even a so-bad-it's-good Asian buffet) but come ON. The sushi selection was unimpressive (and the guy making the sushi kept eyeing us judgementally.) The chicken entrees were made with all dark meat (yargh). The soups were bland. The noodles and rice were fine, but how hard to you have to try to screw up noodles and rice at a Chinese place? A bunch of things were mislabeled. Nothing was really GOOD, just palatable. Kids ran through the restaurant at full-speed, screaming bloody murder, and I had a few near-misses. As in, I just nearly missed whacking one of them in the head with a full plate of noodles as they sprinted towards me, veering away at the last second. There were a couple of birthdays, and instead of having the whole waitstaff trot out and mumble an embarrassed rendition of "Happy Birthday," as is traditional, they just played an instrumental version over the speakers, and it was awful. The ice cream station was kind of awesome, but again, you really have to TRY to make ice cream bad. The rest of the desserts, tiny squares of various cakes, were totally inedible. Glad I had a Groupon, because I wouldn't pay full price. I don't think I'll be back, which is heartbreaking since there is a parking lot attached and it is half a mile from where I live.

    (2)

  • Tina H.

    Perhaps it's because I never expected much of this place - but I was moderately happy with my dining experience. The food was decent. It wasn't the best - that would be an unrealistic expectation when you're paying $11 for dinner. What I liked - I came here with a bunch of friends to celebrate my good friend's birthday. You'll be surprised by the rich variety of selections - raw oysters, baked mussels, stewed clams, broiled crawfish, baked salmon, sushi (not really sushi...more maki), shrimp, chow mein, fried rice, chicken teriyaki, hibachi grill, almond cookies, variety of ice creams, fruits, salad bar....seriously the selection is quite eclectic and seemingly endless. As you can tell, this is what i liked most about the restaurant. What I didn't like - 1) well, I found a metal wire in my chicken quesadilla. I couldn't complain because it was a buffet, and it was my friend's birthday. But seriously? It was a huge health hazard. 2) the waitresses are bored and inattentive. they took forever to clear our tables, so we had to personally walk about and clean our plates. 3) despite the wide selection of dishes, the food doesn't get replenished quickly enough. for example, some of the sushi sat out there for a bit too long. and a few of the noodle dishes (which were untouched) remained out there for who knows how long. Overall, if you're gonna eat here, come in without expecting TOO MUCH. Be moderate with your expectation. You'll be happy if you eat (and get) $11 worth (or more). As long as you keep your expectations low, you'll be happy with this place. OH...and btw, the wall is filled with pictures of guests (from this past valentine's day holiday). I happened to see a lot of pictures of Secretary of State Jesse White. Random? Yes, I know. But I just thought it's something cool.

    (3)

  • Kevin C.

    The best thing about this restaurant was the beautiful decor in the entrance that was already mentioned (i.e the beautiful koi pond) The food itself was mediocre at best. The sushi offered was terrible. Most of the soup options were nonexistent or cold. The clams were obviously not cleaned very well. The vegetarian lomein could only have been improved if there was meat to soak up all the oil that was used. The only food option that could have even been considered appealing was the asparagus (which is kind of depressing if you think about it). Like already mentioned the environment is kind of terrible for the average diner. Children run rampant throughout the restaurant. Flies have an equal appetite for the food if not bigger. The service appeared friendly but demonstrated an overall lack of interest in helping the customers. It really was a shame I heard such good reviews from my friends in the past. I can only suppose the restaurant performance has deteriorated over time.

    (1)

  • Alice H.

    Yes, I'll give it five stars, based on what it is supposed to be. We got there at 6:30 on Sunday...busy, busy, busy. It took about 15 min. to get seated...not too bad. I only scratched the surface, but here's what I tried: Halibut...moist...nicely cooked clams...decent fried shrimp...great mussles w/cheese...mmmm roast brisket...good bbq ribs...good sweet and sour pork...nice It's around the corner, so I'll be sure to go back often. It was nice to see every ethnic group in the neighborhood represented. It's Asian owned but there were Africans, Arabs with hijabs, Hispanics, Asians, Black Americans, in fact, we might have been the only white people there.

    (5)

  • Bill M.

    Yummy Buffet just opened on December 26, and it is really close to my house so I thought I would give it a try. It is located on Lawrence a block east of Pulaski in what used to be a Mexican grocery store, so perhaps it is not surprising to see a bit of avocado amongst the fruit selections. Everything looks bright and shiny so far, as well it should since it has been open only a week. The waiting area near the front door features a display fountain, and you pay at the front counter before you can eat. The weekend dinner rate is more than the weekday lunch rate, and that is a logical pricing structure. I came at a fairly early dinner time tonight, not quite retired old folks time but early enough. I sat in a booth near the entrance, which would be fine except that it was freezing outside tonight and some of the cold air seeps in with people coming in and out. I could have sat in a more crowded (and warmer) area, but I preferred to feed my face and read my magazine in the cozy but cold corner. They were doing brisk business tonight, so good for them. Management was dishing out balloons to the youngsters. Keep in mind that it is called Yummy Buffet and not Delicious Buffet. Everything I ate was not bad / decent / good, but nothing I ate was great or delicious. I guess that would be a success in most circles. There is a very reasonable variety of food available for the masses. Pop and tea are included in the buffet price. Today they were featuring duck, so you could get little dishes of duck meat from a glassed-in case. This was the best thing I ate tonight. There are a variety of soups, and the creamy broccoli was good. There are seafood and sushi selections, but I stuck with stuff like chicken wings, beef on a stick, noodles, fried rice, beef broccoli, pot stickers, egg rolls, sweet plantains, grilled corn on the cob, etc. They have western-style items like pizza and mac + cheese for the kids, but I did not touch that as there were plenty of Asian-style selections to try out. There are fruits (fresh pineapple was good), salad bar, little cakes, and an ice cream station that is a bit awkward as you have to scoop up fairly hard and dense ice cream, which was actually good but takes a bit of effort. It's good and filling, so that is about what you should expect from a buffet.

    (4)

  • Andrea B.

    Ugh. I've never been here before and hopefully will never have to come back again. I met a friend for lunch here the other day as he RAVES about this place so I decided to try it out as well. Paid my $8.50 for all you can eat whatever and grabbed a plate and started wandering around. There is sushi that is sitting out if that's what you want (I don't like sushi so I stayed away), and I guess food you can bring up for the cooks to prepare for you (which I also avoided). I settled on some orange chicken, some Asian noodles, and corn on the cob to start. The corn was burnt, the noodles cold, the chicken unimpressive. After one small plate I was not ready for another so I wandered to the dessert section. The fruit looked fresh (I was told to stay away from the melon), and there was a wide variety of cookies, brownies, tarts, and the like. I settled on some fruit and two scoops of ice cream. That was the best part of my meal. I got sick the next day from what I am thinking is this food. I am not coming back because of it. I wouldn't suggest eating any of the seafood because it didn't look fresh and the mussels were just sitting on a bed of ice as if that would protect them. If I ever come back I'll waste my $8 on ice cream and fruit. I get that it's a Chinese buffet so I shouldn't expect a high level of quality, but there are standards people! You don't leave seafood out all day. You also shouldn't get sick from eating noodles and corn. Bleh.

    (2)

  • Emily M.

    This is a budget and family-friendly place with decent food. The sushi, for a buffet, wasn't bad at all (though I stuck to the non-fish rolls as I'm pregnant--they had a guy making sushi fresh). As you might expect at an $11 buffet, some stuff was quite tasty (the cheesy spinach and the honey chicken) and other stuff was lackluster (the egg rolls, the orange chicken). It is clean, but I agree with a previous reviewer that the ice cream area is problematic. I saw a seven year old kid standing over it, unsupervised, spoon in hand. As I walked away he started to dive in with his spoon! I also didn't love the looks of the raw meat bar (you can make your own plate of stir-fry and have them cook it), but it was all on ice and probably fine. My husband and I enjoyed the zoo-like atmosphere for people-watching (example: a toddler enthusiastically stabbing his hot dog with a chopstick), and the balloons they give to all the kids actually makes it easier to maneuver because you can see the balloons coming at eye level! The staff was friendly and we were seated right away. It's not worth traveling to but if you're in the neighborhood it's a good option.

    (4)

  • Nancy H.

    My kiddo and I headed over here tonight and I have to say, I like it. I've tried several Chinese/Asian buffets around the city and this one is tops for decor - a beautiful koi pond near the entrance, lamps shaded with calligraphy parchment and red fringe, ceiling tiles complete with gilded dragons - it's a bit of Asian kitsch, but it works in a fun way. The food offered was also a great selection - sushi rolls, various seafoods (at least for dinner), lots of meats, fruits, etc. My son was thrilled to "choose what he wanted" - he filled up on watermelon, ice cream and the pastries, I think, but did try a few other things. I enjoyed the seafood options - grilled squid, cold shrimp - and also the stuffed mushrooms and shrimp "spaghetti.". Sadly, there was no crab rangoon available tonight while we were there and the "spring roll" was rather bland and "eh", as was the seafood soup. Would have liked some lemon and sweetener being available for the iced tea, but otherwise, can't complain. Great price - they even have a punchcard (I think buy 10 adult buffets and get one free), lots of tasty food and drinks - and they give the kids balloons. I'll be back. :)

    (4)

  • Jean Z.

    "Eek! Methinks not." pretty much sums it up. This place is gross. The amount of kids running around poking dishes is disgusting. I'm not sure how long this will last, but at least its pretty inside. Good idea, wrong neighborhood.

    (1)

  • Kevin C.

    Come here for you fix of Americanized Asian food, and maybe some Asian delicacies you wouldn't expect! Yummy Buffet gets all 5 stars for environment, as it would be impossible to distinguish it as anything other than a Chinese food restaurant. The dark cherry wood is rich and the red lanterns create a warm glow for the entire place. Atmosphere is more family-styled, though. Meaning that this might not be the right restaurant for a first date. The hibachi bar and colorful fruit and salad bar was a surprise to find, and much to be enjoyed! Enjoy other classics like orange chicken, fried rice, and egg drop soup! A plethora of sushi and fried seafood included as well! Pizza and chicken tenders for the the less adventurous children or adults. What DOESN'T this place have? Well, I'll tell you. They didn't have the cream cheese wontons I love so much. Though, the hibachi was redemption for that. You also can't beat the price PLUS 15% off coupon on Yelp!

    (4)

  • Bonnie L.

    I checked out Yummy Buffet yesterday for lunch. I was kind of scared because of other buffets that I have experienced. I decided to be brave and give it a try based on the reviews that other yelpers have posted. And I was very pleasantly surprised. The place is clean, large, has a parking lot and the food is good. I am a vegetarian and there was a very decent variety of things for me to choose from. The vegetarian options when plated looked strange together, though. For example, I had corn on the cob, vegetable lo Mein and mashed potatoes. But you know, who cares as long as the food was good. My friend had, among other things the shrimp and her only complaint was that it wasnt shelled. But for $8.00, come on now. The food was kept hot, only the egg rolls toward the end of the buffet were just warm but everything else was piping and fresh and very tasty. All in all, for the price, this place was A-OK for me. I will definitely go back.

    (3)

  • Cecily M.

    So far yummy is my favorite buffet! I usually don't expect much from buffet sushi, but wow! They had so many different types of rolls out, and a guy in the background just making it. Also had nigiri with a big piece of salmon which tasted pretty good. Everything tasted fresh, the rice was good and not all mealy mush. Aside from the sushi, everything else was great! A nice selection and what made me most happy was that so much of it was veggie friendly. Veggie fried rice/lo mein etc. Lots of veggie options. I enjoyed my experience and can't wait to eat there again.

    (4)

  • Justin H.

    Selection was just OK they didn't have a few of your standard but if you asked and they had it they made it on the spot. A few secrets, the Sushi is good... I watched them make it. Also they have a build your own stir fry section which had ribeye and veggies (very standard) they also have Hershey ice cream which was very good. Will I be back yes but there are some things like sweet and sour chicken they just do not have!

    (4)

  • MARK G.

    Yummy Buffet was more 'buffet' than it was 'yummy'. On the good side, it was clean, the food seemed fresh (not sitting around for a long time), and there was fresh sushi made constantly. The people who worked there were very nice and sat us very quickly even though it was a madhouse. Adults eat for $10 each and our 3 year old was only $2.50. The cuisine is mostly Asian (Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Chinese) but they also had a bunch of fresh fruit, standard desserts, some Italian and American staples and soups too. They bus the tables super quickly and for a jam-packed place, it stayed very orderly and neat and clean. Also, it was like the united nations in there. Probably 30 countries were represented by the full room of hungry customers. That was nice. Also, there was at least two babies for every table... so like 80 babies there.. That was nice too. On the not as good side, the food was just OK. Not bad but not great. I know, what do I expect from a family buffet restaurant? It was OK.. good bang for the buck for a hungry family of five.. I'm glad we tried it and perhaps we will give it a second chance some night.

    (3)

  • Michael U.

    Good atmosphere, good sushi, wish there was a bigger variety of hot foods and the staff is helpful and friendly. Not the best. Buffett ive ever been to, but def good enough for a repeat visit.

    (3)

  • Marissa G.

    2.5 It's an all you can eat Chinese-American-Mexican-Korean buffet! That means you get the obligatory mix of fried rice, jello, kimchee, banana pudding, chicken wings and quesadillas. Only in America! (and VERY Albany Park!) So I first noticed this place on my way to work, and got a chuckle because it's just across the street from the Admiral Theatre (some yummy strippers, some yummy buffet, there are some places apparently that offer both under one roof...) Pros: Great place for families, affordable, clean, nice decorations, LIVE KOY, decent hibachi grill, friendly staff, good ol' greasy chinese american fried saucy goodness, surprisingly tasty selection of soups and fish, and delicious coconut cake (who knew?!?!?). Cons: Sushi buffet is mostly Maki rice/fake crab filler, mussels are pretty mushy and flavorless, and they try to pass off crab sticks on ice as real seafood. Of course, you have to go in knowing that you are seeking quantity over quality -- but even on the quality side, it's not so bad.

    (2)

  • M J.

    Didn't know about Yummy Buffet until their food was catered to a party. I loved the veggie spring rolls and mongolian beef! Few weeks later, went to Yummy Buffet restaurant with family. My kids loved the california roll sushi -not bad for a buffet place and it beats $4 a roll. I had a little of everything! veggie roll, mongolian beef, clams, fried chicken, noodles, rice, egg drop soup. 2 family members tried the create-your-own stir fry and they both gave it thumbs up. Free drinks/free coffee - nice! Of course my stomach felt a little queasy, but why shouldn't it? i had a little of everything i want without having to pay $10 for a whole dish. Definitely coming back. Owners are super nice too.

    (4)

  • Jonathan L.

    Came to this place cause it's only ten a person. I had high exceptions for this place, but they let me down. I walked around, and the food looked really appetizing. As usual, I would get ribs, mussel and sushi. I got other things but those are my main pics. -Ribs: 2.5/5 Fell off the bone, the sauce was good, but there was a really weird taste to it as if you were eating beef tendon which was really weird. -Mussels: 3/5, they were flavorless. I got the cooked ones with the creamy stuff on it. Wasn't that good tasting. -Sushi: 0.5/5, Terrible. The sushi was not good at all. It was not even near decent. I was hoping for sake sashimi on the least part... But all they had were little sushi rolls that tasted like regular rice with flavorless fish. -Duck: 0.5/5: There was no flavor in the duck. However, they did call this dish their "Special Dish"... -Ice Cream 3.5/5: The ice cream was kinda good. The quality wasn't the best but definitely ok. When I ate the ice cream, I could taste ice flakes still in the ice cream.

    (2)

  • John B.

    "Buffet" is accurate.

    (2)

  • PHILLIP S.

    Second time there. Good for what it is. Didn't like spicy japaneese chicken. Had plenty of raw fish and raw meat? Crawdads or crawfish tasted off. At end server came and took my plates as she could see I was leaving. Yelp coupon worked !!!

    (4)

  • Christine G.

    More like Yucky Buffet!. Why do I go to buffets like this?? I never learn..

    (1)

  • Clint M.

    I came to this Chinese buffet, as most large Filipino families do for a christening reception. First and foremost, this restaurant may have one of the worst floor plans I have ever seen. They have all of their hot food against a long wall, so of course people start lines at both ends and it is like the American revolution in the middle. However, no one wins, except high cholesterol and diabetes. I really like the chicken wings, but everything else is standard standard fair.

    (3)

  • Sahn C.

    Came here with my grandfather because he lives nearby. This is hands down the worst restaurant I have ever been to in my life. Everyone raves about the decor, but it is really nothing special. The food is atrocious, horrible, I cannot describe in comprehension how bad this is. I do not even know how you can consider this food. The prices are incredibly high, dinner for five cost us nearly $100. Low-income families are getting ripped of at this price. You can go to downtown Chicago and get a meal 100000x better then this. I felt like I was eating death at this place. Absolutely awful. Yuck. Actually Tony L, you're wrong. I was nearly $100 for a meal for five. You are mistaken about the 17 reviews, I did not publish 17 reviews on the same day. I will never visit your god damned restaurant ever again in my life. You will get shut down in about a year.

    (1)

  • Dk A.

    To be grilled steaks were old

    (3)

  • Jen K.

    I found this place thru yelp.It was worth it. Good Chinese buffet fare, including grilled steak. Also, not so Chinese...cotton candy ice cream. Score! Great setting. Saturday night dinner was $9.99. Brought out a well lit birthday cake and sang for a guest. Nice place. I will go again.

    (4)

  • Jocelyn M.

    Yuck, I hardly ate anything and left wanting to go straight to McDonald's. But I didn't. I went home and felt I'll

    (1)

  • Mobs N.

    Pretty good buffet. I love their chicken wings, sushi, spring rolls, and many of the other things I ate , that I cannot remember. The prices are pretty cheap too, which is great. They have parking in the back and a coy pond inside. I was so full when I left and went to sleep when I got home and had a dream I was eating there again. lol! I was at Yummy buffet twice in one day. I will dine in again for sure.

    (4)

  • Terri D.

    Lets just say... it's a good thing a bathroom is just two doors from my office at work. Thanks Yummy Buffet for making my shift the next day dangerous.

    (1)

  • Israel D.

    My wife and my two daugthers went to this place last friday , it was ok overall, but the place was really crowded,.The service was ok, we were sat really quick and the people were very nice.The food is ok, but i think they need to work on adding more flavor to it.Today, sunday 1/30/11, I decided to give it a try one more time, and I invited my parents.We got there before 11:00 am and the place was almost empty ( good for us :). We were sat quickly and my 7 years old daughter got a ballon, everything was great so far, yup, so farrrr. We sat by the cooking station( where you take your meat and vegetables and they cook them for you) right after the sushi station.It was a convention at the far end room, i think like 20 or 30 people on their 60s or 70s. Ok, so we were going to get some food but most of it wasn't out yet, so we had to wait for like 10 min. When we were on our designated table we percived a discusion between the cook and a woman from the convention room.I think she wanted him to cook her food faster and the guy was cooking some one else's food and told her to wait. Then she insisted and the guy told her " 30 minutes", then she went to speak to the manager. So, another guy came and asked him what happened, they talked for 1 minutes and went inside, graved their jackets and left.Honestly I dont know if they quit or got fired.Ok, so the station need urgently a cook. We went to get some food and when we came back it was a boy ( maybe 15 years, no more) cooking in the"open" station. I have been working in a restaurant for almost 12 years and i know when some one doesn't know how to cook. The guy was literaly burning the food and he even burned a little bit his right hand. My mother get some raw shrimp and vegetables and left it for the guy to cook them, I told my mom, Don't worry he will do it ok, besides there is no one else waiting and he can take his time". The guy start cooking some meat and chicken to fill up the sation and put my mom's raw food on the side.So, other customers brought more food for him to cook , but he puts them aside. So, it was a line already waiting for food , and the young guy was really nervious.Then a lady came and grabes some meat that was being cooked in the broiler, and puts it a to go container. i was like ,oops!, how does she know the food was cooked?, what if the meat was still raw?. Then, another guy from the back came and took over the station. He asked him what food was first and he grabs my mom's, thank god, I think it had been 15 min or even more waiting. The new cook grabed like 4 meal at the time and started cooking all of them at the same time. After 4 minutes he moves my mom's meal to the window and then a guy from the convention room comes and grabs it, my mom was like what the heck!, she told the guy and the cook that the food is hers, but the guy says "its mine,Its mine and hold the plate and gives a bad look to my mom. I stood up, and told the cook it was my mom's and he only says " 5 minutes". My mom was a little pist and wanted to go, but I told her that we could wait 5 more minutes. After 10 minutes I asked the guy for the food and he asks us to grab it again and will be ready in 5 minutes. Ouch!, ok, so my mom went to grab her food again and give it to the guy. Honestly I was a little pist but I knew this could happend in any restaurant. My mom gets her food, eats it and we are ready to leave. I was looking for the manager, because I was going to give him a good advice, helll yea!, but he was cooking and yelling at everybody. So we left and I doubt that we come back to "Yummy Shrimp Stealing Buffet".

    (1)

  • Sarah R.

    So I get the Yelp newsletter about buffets, and it reminds me of when we were in Vegas last year for pre-season Cubs/Sox and we drunkenly got on a random bus and wound up in old Las Vegas in a buffet that all the old people go to. It was ah-mazing. I found Yummy Buffet, and had to go. It's unbelievable. Now, there were no actual crab legs on this buffet, but they did have the fantastic pieces of fake crab. This buffet has a little of everything you can imagine. Chicken wings, sushi, fried fish squares, stuffed mushrooms, jello cubes, fruit, ice cream, corn on the cob, peel and eat shrimp, fried rice, noodles, mac and cheese, soup, pizza, the list just goes on and on. The people are nice and it's also nicely decorated. There is a goldfish pond. And it's 10 bucks. One word to sum up Yummy Buffet? Craptacular. And the Admiral Theatre is right across the street. Bonus!

    (4)

  • A C.

    This place was great about 5 months ago. I went there recently with family and the place took a turn for the worst. Food is just sitting in warmer trays for hours; the cooks do not bother to make fresh foods even if the trays are half-full. They wait until every piece of food is scraped from the trays before even considering to cook more. 5 months ago their vermicelli dish was served with green onions and beef (similar to chap-che in Korean). Now, the vermicelli is cooked by itself - no onions, no beef. We asked for more food to be made - fresh, but was flatly denied by the cooks, and the owner. Only until there was a big group of people entering the restaurant (party of 10) did they start to make more. Quite sad actually, because the food here is not that bad. It's just not fresh, and management is skimping on ingredients. We won't be going back To Yucky Buffet.

    (2)

  • Kathleen I.

    If there were 0 stars I'd rate this as zero. I expected an Asian buffet. I got an American buffet. Mac and Cheese? Really? Mainly a lot of seafood dishes, but for the non seafood lovers.. not worth it. The orange chicken was good, but always empty. I had to wait for it to be refilled because I think that was the only thing anyone was eating. They need more authentic Asian dishes and not the American food. I did the "cook your own food" thing. I compare this to Flat Top Grill in my head. Fill a bowl with veggies and meat and watch him cook it. Well .. that's all he did. There wasn't a bit of flavor. It was merely grilled veggies and over cooked steak. No sauce or anything. When I admitted defeat.. I went to get ice cream. The dirty handed children were serving themselves and getting their grubby germs all over the ice cream. I just left.. and went to eat elsewhere.

    (1)

  • Mark C.

    Sushi again got better. I think my review has done some good. The waitress who wears eyeglasses did not work on preparing sushi this time. However, she was gone and did not cater for at least half time I was there. To her credit, she did show up towards the end to collect her tip. The food is on a spicy side. The sea salad is gone, but it was my favorite item.

    (4)

  • lois c.

    I wonder what planet these reviewers were on. Yummy Buffet used to be a mexican market. I was waiting for this place to open. The decor is very good, however, the food is beyond awful. Soup was cold. Most of the food lacked flavor, quality of the food was poor, and most items were not hot. The desserts were all stale. I believe Chinese buffets tend to go to the same bakery. The only thing good about the place is the price. The place will do well, for it is the only buffet in the area. I would recommend people to go somewhere else like McDonald's than waste their money or time at this dump!

    (1)

  • Adam C.

    I've been hunting for a good buffet for the longest time and they all seem to be the same. Well it really depends on a person's mood what they would want to eat and you think buffets would be on point but your sadly disappointed. Yummy buffet however borders above average considering the decor is tasteful but very typical of a chinese buffet. I actually wish there was more variety like im use to seeing crawfish but they had octopus which is the first time i've seen a buffet do that. The chefs were where you would pick at the food so it is some what constantly hot food to serve. I went this past sunday and they have daily specials so one of them were roasted duck which is my fav. I would recommend this place but i hope that they add more variety. It did seem like the dishes change every hour which i didnt mind but it just wasnt consistent because i really like the salt and pepper chicken. lol Overall decor is not bad typical of a chinese buffet and you get what you paid for. I will definitely be coming here more often.

    (4)

  • L T.

    Ok, so my kids absolutely LOVE Yummy Buffet. I'm not sure if I find it so yummy, but I can take one for the team every once in a while. There's soup, salad, fruit, sushi (really mostly maki rolls, I think), meat/ veggies that you can bring up to the grill, assorted Asian stuff (beef broccoli, orange chickens, lo mein, fried rice, some seafood stuff that my parents might like), random stuff (pizza, stuffed mushrooms, fettucini alfredo with shrimp), typical buffet desserty stuff... I mean, it's ok. Is it the best food I've ever had? No. Will I be back? Yeah, probably. And that's ok. Everyone's really friendly, my kids get balloons, and they love the fish. There are people here of all ages and cultures, which is more diverse than my usual haunts :) All good.

    (3)

  • Katrina M.

    The only thing that sets this Chinese buffet apart from the rest is the clean decor. They're really quick on taking your finished plates too. Their orange chicken / general tso's chicken is good, as well as the rest of the hot food.They also have a sushi section and seafood, which is okay. I think they leave the fruits out too long or something, but there was this weird smell in the back by the soups. Not sure what it is yet. I would definitely go back though; just not for the dinner price, because I don't think I ate $10 worth.

    (3)

  • Andrea B.

    I've been here twice now and to be honest it's just ok. Buffets are a guilty pleasure of mine, something my littles and I share. Yes, it's very family friendly, the atmosphere is great but the food isn't. I'm not complaining. My expectations for a cheap buffet were right on. Three stars for the expected.

    (3)

  • Linda M.

    Was exactly what I expected. Not great, but not completely awful. Filled a need for the "Chinese" buffet experience. Coconut cake was really yummy! The green beans were REALLY good, and the wrapped shrimp were my favorite-cheesy Americanized buffet!

    (3)

  • Vanessa P.

    This place is a hit or miss. I came here because I had a groupon for 15$ for two people. The food is decent -- nothing special. They have a great selection of food and you can create our own stir-fry that someone else can cook for you. If you are in the mood for cheap chinese and fried seafood this place is the spot for you.

    (3)

  • S I.

    It's still good but not as great as Crazy Buffet in Elk Grove Village. That is new favorite buffet and will be for some time.

    (4)

  • Jayne F.

    I will start this review with the caveat that I am someone who regularly eats at skeezy buffets. I shop at the Vietnamese markets on Argyle, buy food from pushcart vendors in Bangkok alleyways and defend places that all my friends think are gross, (like the now-defunct Jumbo) so if I don't like a cheap AYCE, it has to be pretty bad. I was really excited about Yummy Buffet initially, but both my visits were disappointing. Visit #1 was in the early evening, not long after they opened, and there were some really persistent flies circling my table. I constantly had to wave them off my body and plate while trying to eat, which was a very unpleasant distraction. I hit the sushi section first, and found a couple withered maki slices, a small piece of nigiri and a bunch of empty plates. I suspect these scraps had been out there since lunch. The sushi maker was present, but scowling and ignoring the few customers who came over to look at his section. After making two or three expectant passes, I finally leaned over and asked him if they would be putting more sushi out soon. He gave me a disinterested shrug and eventually prepared a couple vegetable rolls, however I had moved on by then. Soups and hot dishes were mediocre at best; one of the noodle dishes was ok, and a beef with broccoli was gristly but edible. No one seemed to be working the hibachi, so I didn't get to try any of the grill items, but pretty much all the food rated 2-3 stars except the fresh pineapple chunks at the dessert bar. I felt that my first impression might have been unfairly influenced by the flies, surly/absent chefs, and a bunch of wailing infants, so I vowed to give them a second chance after they had worked out some of the growing pains. My second visit wasn't until late November, but there were STILL flies inside, and the crying babies were now shrieking, unsupervised children who ran all over the restaurant yelling and knocking into people. The buffet food was even more disappointing and the little steak I tried from the Hibachi section was like fatty shoe leather. Everything just tasted "off", in fact one of the cold mussels was so obviously spoiled that it had to be spit out mid-chew. Again, I filled up on pineapple chunks and went away unhappy. I paid $11 for dinner on both trips, but I see they are now offering a Groupon, so if you have a cast iron stomach, bratty kids and very low standards, you may want to check them out. Personally, I doubt I'll be back.

    (2)

  • Andrea D.

    I went to this place with my fiance last week... and it was okay. It was not fabulous. It was not horrible. I'd go again, but in my usual queue of places to eat, its not at the top. I will say that the jalapeno chicken I had was really good, and the beef and broccoli was nice, but the egg rolls were a little less than warm and there were more seafood dishes than I would have liked as I am not a seafood fan. There were not as many beef, pork and chicken dishes when compared to the seafood. This might just be because the day I went they chose to make more seafood. Or growing pains since it just opened the day after Christmas.

    (3)

  • Ryan F.

    go during the day. at night they dont replace anything and if they run out then too bad. also they close the stir fry station before its time but dont put away the stir fry ingredients.

    (2)

  • Aileen M.

    I went on a Sunday which the most expensive day you can go, and was pleased at first with the coi pond. The food was so disgusting that my date couldnt eat more than one plate! I tried a little of everything the different fishes were not edible at all! When I went up to see if I can save this place by making a plate of the things they cooked there they gave our table away! The only good thing about this place was the ice cream and who really gets ice cream wrong? This was a complete waste of money.

    (1)

  • Evan L.

    It seems to be going down in quality over time/

    (3)

  • Tesh S.

    I've had great Chinese buffet and I've had mediocre Chinese buffet (not often, but I have had it)... So I guess you can tell which camp this belongs to by my star rating. The food was at best edible. Many of the dishes were lukewarm for the hot plates and tepid for the cold plates. At least they got the middle temperatures right... The dining room itself was quite nice. I liked the little koi pond up front, and the interior was neat and clean. Staff was friendly and the buffet set-up was laid out nicely. But the food... Oh, but the food... Now that the niceties are out of the way, I can get to the nitty-gritty. I chose a couple rolls of sushi (the main reason I chose the place), something that looked like Thai glass noodles with beef, some fruit, some peel and eat shrimp, a fried wonton shrimp deal, a tofu/chicken square thing. Sushi, not bad but not at all what I was expecting. It was mostly veggie, which is fine, because considering how warm it was, I wouldn't have even dared eating a fish variety. The Thai glass noodles were super greasy and the beef was rubbery. Not delish. The fried things were as I expected. Fried anything always tastes great. Fry an old leather shoe and it's the talk of the town. Therefore the tofu thing and the shrimp wrap were tasty. Pick of the litter. If you have to go to this place, just get a plate full of those! The peel and eat shrimp on the other hand, though it was served on ice, it was still warm, and showed its age because it was just starting to get mushy. They had mussels (my favorite) right next to the shrimp, also on ice, but I didn't even dare. The fruit was also good, though you can't really mess up fruit, though I recently discovered, and not with just this place, that papaya CANNOT be eaten unless you get the thing off a tree. It ripens way too quickly. Must only drink juice our move to the tropics to eat them! This if the first time in my life I think I've gone to a buffet and not gone back for seconds, and believe me, I can put away some food! And what's with the food combos? They've got Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, and American food choices. Not unheard of if you're an Old Country Buffet, perhaps, but they need to find a country (or two) and stick with it. It may serve them, and their customers, a whole lot better.

    (2)

  • Angelica B.

    Great decorations... Service good... clean yeah... food... ok. But as much as they pay attention to the decor... I think they should bring more diversity, attention, and taste to their food. Also hire a better sushi guy too. Oh and bring back the chicken fingers. They are great. Even though they seem to just be frozen bought and fried. They are yummy and no where to be seen.

    (4)

  • Daniella A.

    This place was not for me. I didn't think the selection was very good (although, if you like seafood, you'd probably enjoy it more) and the stuff they had I did want to try wasn't particularly good (rubbery chicken, strangely salty mac 'n cheese, cold tater tots, very fatty steak). Overall, I was disappointed and I won't go back.

    (2)

  • Dr Taffy G.

    DO NOT eat here!! last week i witness a cook (at the grill section) drop his tongs on the floor, looked around, kicked them and then continued to use them!! I WATCHED HIM receive a woman's plate that had had raw chicken and used the same dirty tongs!!! i cant believe he did it out in the open!! i was barely 5 feet away from him!! I can onky imagine what they do in the kitchen! When I asked for my refund, thr moron at the register asked if I wanted a "full refund"... well NO SHIT I do!!!!! Avoid at all means!!! Will be reporting this to the health inspector!!!!

    (1)

  • Patrycja E Z.

    I used to like this place.... We like to stop here for a lunch cause they use to have a really good sushi. All different kinds. Always fresh. Now seams like everything changed. Every time we here, they got only crab-sushi, not even 1 fish. All the same rolls. The worst thing is this place is really dirty. Sticky chairs and tables :( To bad....

    (3)

  • FARUKH H.

    Had a good selection of Japanese and Chinese food. I liked the service and food . Place was busy for a reason. Will go back with friends next.

    (5)

  • Lion F.

    The environment is neat and cozy. The arrangements of food are excellent. Food choices are wide. Food is fresh. And the price: AFFORDABLE. What more could you ask for? Oh....and free wifi! I had a better date here than in far more expensive restaurants.

    (5)

  • Ivan Z.

    please stay AWAY from this place... I went there 2 days ago and to my surprise I was greeted by a family of CUCAURACHOUS. I asked to speak to the manager and they told he wasn't there then I went to the front desk girl to inform her and her answer was "you can call the city to report if you like" please if you guys go there make sure you check the floor and move your table around and you'll see those lively creatures. I called the city to report the incident and I hope they get shut down soon!! this is a dump where the food is horrible. I went to the bathroom and the urinal was broken, the soap dispenser was broken and the floor was. PLEASE WATCH WHAT YOU EAT at this place.

    (1)

  • DeBorah W.

    We tried the buffet again and sadly - no improvement. Food is not fresh, doesn't turn fast enough and tastes like it sits all day. Poor food choices, mostly "cheap" filler food. Can't anyone figure out how to provide a Chinese buffet in Chicago with great food at a great price?

    (1)

  • Channing C.

    We check in at 927pm they closed at 10p they had food out then when we sat down they start taking and closing food down. 3 adult and 1 child total $43 spend. Probably ate $10 worth of food. Call the next day take to mgt if we come in hoping for better experience spending $30 if we can do half price because we didn't get much food last night. Mgt said "what's your point? We are not here for customer satifaction!" Wow first time and last we will check in here. So would have made $73 with discount of $15 off profit of $55 wasn't good enough. He off me 10% off if I come back. So if you re going to go do not go after 845p if u can eat in 20-30 mins or else food will be put away! And don't expect them to work with u! Foreigner can't not adapt to the American ways in customer service such a shame!

    (1)

  • Reilly G.

    I don't get where all of these reviews about cockroaches and rude employees are coming from! I live in the neighborhood and came here with a friend and I was impressed! The sushi is fresh and the grill station is a great idea. Sure, it's not a building filled with five-star quality dishes that you can have all you want of, but it's $12 and the food is above average for a buffet. The desert selection is nice, especially all of the ice cream. I would come back.

    (4)

  • PJ J.

    These reviews are all a campaign by the locals to keep any lines or waits to a minimum. Nicely played. I however, am not gonna fall for the banana in the tailpipe. So, the floor is sticky... Everything you touch is sticky, that's a sign! That's a sign that people eat themselves to death in there and end up crawling out of there with orange chicken caked on to their paws. Perhaps some folks just explode from overeating, and their guts just spew out all over the floor. People, come on. This place is less than $12 dolla, and this Sunday morning when I went, it was packed with my yellow and brown brothas and sistas. I went in and "beat the house" immediately... I had a couple freshly grillt steaks grillt, and then ate a 55 gallon drum of stirs fried clams. The pop was cold, the white rice was perfect (and wasn't oiled). Dude! The "stir fry for you" noodles are SUPER tasty, is that margarine, lemon juice, and fake soy sauce? Yep. Who cares? it is simply amaze balls. If you were the one who came up with that one, you'd swear you belong on some TV show. I'd say if it's early, and the weekend? This is a safe bet for some EXTREMELY good endurance eating. Service was great, parking is ok too... But make sure you bring your hood pass or you could get broken off while trying to pull in behind a scrap metal truck. Ok thanks.

    (4)

  • Phil S.

    This dump should be called the Yucky Buffy not the Yummy Buffet. This is the Yummy Buffet on Lawrence Ave. I mean even the name is stupid. I very rarely go to buffets because they generally provide buffet quality food. And by this I mean large quantities of food that generally isn't a very high quality food just lots of it. The other problems with buffets is people (myself included) feel obligated to eat more then they should. I went here once, but I will never go back again. The place is a dump. The restaurant is dirty & out dated w/sticky floors. There are probably roaches & rats in there. They say they have sushi, but the 1 time I went there was very little variety. Most of the food was swimming in oil and had been sitting for probably longer then is allowed by health codes. The food quality is disgusting, but other then that life is good. There are too many great restaurants in Chicago & suburbs to waste your time & money at this restaurant.

    (1)

  • Dionna R.

    I keep forgetting to update this. I went back about three months ago and was dishing out some white rice from their steamer pot when a full grown Roach climbed out from around it. Very nonchalantly, like it deserved to be there, like I was interrupting its slumber or something. It didn't run, It meandered. Now this means to me that it's awful comfy walking around this food joint and I'm betting it had friends. I slowly put my plate down and went to the register and explained what I had just seen. The young lady behind the counter did not seem too concerned. Asked me if I wanted a refund. I just said no and walked out. Never. Ever. Again.

    (1)

  • Naomi L.

    Don't let the smell FOOL YOU!! So i pass this place ALL the time to go home and every time i drive by, i smell yummy seafood. i've decided to stop here after a long night of being irresponsible and drinking. I am not into buffets because of peoples kids running around and touching the food and old people sneezing on the food, but i thought its early in the afternoon and i should give it a shot. So when i got here, I was pretty excited because it smelled yummy and i was ready to dive in. One thing that i found very odd was, they sell lottery tickets at the front counter. Anyways, i paid and sat down. I was SO DISAPPOINTED. Seriously if i could rate it no stars i would. Their food just looked gross and OLD. It looked like it has been sitting there all day. It clearly says "Seafood" buffet but all they had was shrimp and bad american food! The fries just looked sad, seriously who puts fries under a light? The the fried shrimp smelled like heaven but tasted like S$%# (not that i ever tasted S$%# before but i assume thats what it tastes like). I honestly tried to eat bits and pieces of everything they had but everything was either cold or over cooked.The vegetable fried rice actually was bearable and so was my Pepsi. Don't go here and waste your $12.00 for food that you are not even going to eat!

    (1)

  • Melvin D.

    Not a bad place when you're hungry... Maybe I'm just too spoiled when it comes to Asian food. Would definitely go back to give it another shot!

    (4)

  • Diane S.

    Not sure what happened, but the quality and flavor of the food has really gone down. I kept trying stuff and wasn't able to choke it down. And the sushi guy was extremely gruff, insisted on drowning one of his unique creations in ponzu sauce. Ugh. I don't think I can go back.

    (1)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :10:30 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : Yes
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : No
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : Yes

Yummy Buffet

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