Formosa Seafood Buffet
6304 E 82nd St, Indianapolis, IN, 46250
Formosa Seafood Buffet Menu
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Address :
6304 E 82nd St
Indianapolis, IN, 46250 - Phone (317) 595-8885
- Website https://www.formosaseafoodbuffet.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Stuart S.
This is my new business lunch location. Certainly worth the hour and a half ride to get there. Food is fantastic. Few buffets offer real food prepared in a healthful way but Formosa certainly does. Sushi is tip-top, salmon is always great. Fruit and veggies are fresh and ripe. Everyone who I have taken there has thanked me for introducing them to this place. All have said they returned and loved it. An entire buffet at the price of a sandwich elsewhere just can't be beat. The waiter John has served me most often and has been outstanding. AAAA+++++
(5)Steven N.
This place is a pretty average buffet. If you want to eat cheaply and be full then this place is fine. If you want sushi, go to Sapporo next door instead. If you want good seafood, even Red Lobster is better. But, this is still a decently priced buffet with a good selection. If you have reasonable expectations, then you will be a satisfied customer. Just don't expect a world-class experience.
(2)Yvonne M.
No surprises here. Go back to 8 China buffet.
(2)Anthony N.
I have been here a few times for lunch. The price is ok. I think the sushi is always good as for the other food I guess it depends on the chef. Last I was here a salmon dish was to die for, today I could not eat but a few bites. Our server is very polite and attentive, our table is cleared and drinks are kept full.
(4)Brian M.
It was easy for a large group to go here for a work lunch. They are set up to handle the big crowds. They have a lot of items. Sushi, soups, grill, buffet stir fry, desserts... I would suggest (if you have to go here) to head to the grill where you pick your raw foods and they cook it for you. For example, I picked mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, rice, noodles and shrimp. I put the food on a plate and handed it to the grill cook. So, at least I got to watch the food get cooked. To sum it up, one of the people in our group asked, "Did anyone eat something they are happy they ate? Did anyone taste something they really enjoyed?" Out of 19 people, 0 of them said yes. I just got back from lunch and my most prevalent thought is "I want it out of me!"
(1)Seratina A.
Verdict: avoid this restaurant. TLDR: bathroom wouldn't pass health inspection and didn't have soap; food was largely inedible quality; their specialty, sea food, was very salty. Won't come back. For the first time in my life, I left nearly a full plate of food half eaten. Everything was disgustingly dry and hardened. The fried rice was powdery rice and my mother, who I shared company with, didn't touch the rice on her sushi. She ended up earing just the raw fish part with Wasabi and soy sauce. The bathroom was a horror that probably would not pass health inspections. The faucet handle had brown stains covering it and the bathroom cover was broken. To top it off, the sink had no soap anywhere. Their sea food, which they supposedly specialized in, was sloghtly acceptable, but much too salty. I will never come back again.
(1)Spencer F.
Not fresh seafood is the theme of this restaurant. Crayfish had no taste. Oysters on the half shell were dead, probably they were thawed from the freezer. Stone crab, blue crab, snow crab, meat were all mushy, not firm. Sushi looked dried out, I didn't dare touch. Clams were over cooked and had no taste too. I would not go back.
(2)Ashley M.
I love this restaurant at dinner time. However, I recently went for lunch and was not impressed. Much better for dinner! :)
(4)Phi N.
My rating isn't a fair assessment because I never like these kinds of buffets... sushi has all the imitation stuff inside and no fish. The chinese and the american foods aren't that tasty either. Vegetables don't even taste healthy, lol (super oily/greasy). The best part about this buffet, as with most others, is the fruit that they offer. Service is better than most other chinese restaurants and there is lots of space and seating (opposed to many chinese restaurants who try to maximize their space).
(2)Tom T.
I can never give a buffet a grade better than 3 stars, by virtue of the concept. So look at this review as a fantastic review. I only go the Mongolian grill portion, as I prefer my food freshly prepared and not dropped into a 500 gallon bucket of boiling oil. The selection is nice, with chicken, beef and pork options. Shrimp is available. All vegetables looked the correct color, which is nice, but not necessarily expected at a buffet. The key to the place is a new invention of mine. Take those fried biscuits covered in sugar (unfortunately, they may been dropped into a 500 gallon bucket of boil oil in their preparation), put it on a stick with a strawberry. Saunter to the chocolate fountain, insert the biscuit and strawberry, cover in 3 pounds of chocolate, and voila, you have a new dessert I call a Little Piece of Peking Heaven, not to be confused with the sauce of Sum Yung Giy.
(3)Amber S.
Inside was nicer than I expected. Very clean. Good selection of food. Great for a buffet like this.
(3)Joe L.
Not bad for a buffet. My comments are for lunch only. My 4 star rating is based on very reasonable lunch price...They recently reduced lunch price to 6.95 {from 7.95} and offer a 20% {previously 10% } senior discount, so if you are over 60 costs only 5.60 which is a great buy. I would only rate 3 stars if lunch were over 7.00. Dinner is 15.95 and although I did not have dinner, would think it is probably over priced. Very large assortment of foods including a grill {mongoleon bbq} so you can select your own ingredients and have it prepared for you. Most hot entrees were pretty good. Because they get a large crowd, most food items turn over quickly and have not been out for long periods like some buffets. I especially iced the steamed fish, calamari, and shrimp cocktail. Sushi is included and was ok...not great. They had 4 or 5 soup selections. Egg drop soup was average. Several of the other soups looked unusual {shrimp ball soup-which was rather bland and fish maw soup}. Good selection of fruit for dessert. Server was friendly and attentive.
(4)Alan S.
Disappointing. I applaud the effort to compete with Journey but Formosa comes up short. The sushi and rolls aren't labeled so I had no idea what I was looking at. The food in general was average "Chinese buffet" quality at best and the selection was fairly limited. The atmosphere is pretty nice but service wasn't great. The dim sum carts is an excellent idea as Indy doesn't have a decent dim sum restaurant. However, once again the selection is limited. You may save money compared to Journey but it's nowhere near the quality.
(1)Janice K.
For the price, good value. Those low stars must have never been to a real bad Chinese buffets! I'm thankful for what they have to offer for the price they offer it.
(5)Brandon D.
Had been there before, and it was okay (nothing too good for the money -- Teppanyaki Grill is better). Then we went for Father's Day for lunch. Normal Sunday brunch price is $9.99. For Father's Day, however, they raised prices to $15.99 all day. We won't be going back -- certainly not worth that kind of money.
(1)Hiep D.
The best buffet I've been to so far. This looks like a restaurant with Vietnamese owner, they play vietnamese songs in the restroom and also has Indy-Viet-Bao around the waiting section. Regarding the food, they have a lot of variety. The crab legs keeps get on refilled unlike other buffet. They also have fried blue crab and fried crawfish on top of steamed crab legs and steamed clam. They also have a mongolian stall where you select the item and let the chief cook it for you. 2 separate sushi stalls with different kind of sushi. There are raw oysters for those who like them. Their ice scream selection is also huge unlike regular chinese buffet where you only have vanilla to enjoy. There's also a chocolate fountain to top the ice cream. Overall I'm really satisfied with the buffet, and came back there the 2nd time around on the same week.
(5)Shi K.
I love this place. We go there everytime my husband is home. He works out of town and he gets home a few times a month. And when he comes home this is always a must. The food is amazing and so many choices. I love the Chocolate fountain. They also don't stand over you like many buffets. My drinks are always full and the atmosphere is gorgeous. We take our kids here and they love it as well. My daughter doesn't eat asian food but she loves the little fried chicken drummettes, corn, salad, and all the fruits. I'm a vegetarian and there is plenty here for me as well. And my boys well they love everything. The grill chef is really nice and a great cook. We've been waited on twice by Justin and he is our favorite waiter. He is always so nice and really knows what it means to be a server and to treat the customers right. Can't wait to go back this weekend.
(5)Michael N.
Let's start by saying I would not even feed this food to my dog! I am very surprise they have not made anyone sick. The sushi was old and has change color. The food was badly made and use the lowest grade ingredients. I first thought it was because it had sat for awhile so I wait till they bring out freshly made dishes from the kitchen. That is not the case. Still taste bad and feels unclean. I do not feel like these people care what they put out. They are in for the quick money and not for the long run. This place is dirty, dark and serve bad food. I do not recommend this place if your value your health.
(1)JoAnn L.
So far crab legs are good and sushi is on point. I'm not big on buffets, but I'll come again. Oh and the cheesy crab bake is delicious. So no complaints here as of yet. Keep watching because you know I'll rule them out if I taste anything that ain't about the right.
(4)Bhajahari M.
Very bland and stale food. Don't eat anything other than grilled stuff. The quality dropped significantly.
(1)Steve W.
If you have you ever been to a real seafood buffet, like on a coast or in Las Vegas, you are going to be disappointed with what Formosa has to offer. It isn't bad, but some sushi and Mongolian grill does not a seafood buffet make. This place is more of a Chinese restaurant that offers a larger oriental selection. Oriental buffet, yes. Seafood, no. They do have some sushi and crab legs, but that's about the extent of the offering. And the sushi they do have is quite limited. About half of it is made with fake crab. Overall, the food was good. They service was non existent, but I left full and with a fortune cookie. So I'm going to give it an extra star and round up to 3.
(2)Adelino E.
This place is very amazing the have fresh food all day long which is usually not easy for a buffet. The food is an amazing variety from all over they have a grill set up where they can make you noodles lo mean meat etc, A dedicated soup stove where they make thin white noodle soup fresh with whatever ingredients you choose. Full sushi and sashimi table where even more variety then I know how to spell are present. Chocolate fountain made with fresh melted down chocolate hourly that it's self is amazing to me. The selection of food which impress anyone the price is 9.99 per person lunch dinner is little more but food is amazing at all hours no doubt a place to try.
(5)Jeffrey R.
Crab was crap! Sushi was above average for buffet dinning. Rest rooms were less than desirable. Waitress wasn't sexy so I deduct 2 points. When I eat Asian food I like hot Asian women to bring me drinks. Next time I'm going to Japan.
(3)Katrina D.
Ehhhhh. I was so excited to try this place after seeing so many five star reviews in the past six months, but my experience just wasn't five stars. There was a wide selection, but to me, there should have been more seafood since it is a seafood buffet. Crab legs, sushi, typical "Chinese" dishes, desserts, soups, traditional buffet fare, etc. Nothing I ate particularly stood out as great. It seemed to be lacking flavor. There was a make your own noodle soup bar and possibly some hibachi. I saw a guy grilling something and a customer watching him, but I didn't stop long enough to see what was really going on. The sushi was okay. Some of the rice was a little hard, but when I get sushi from a buffet I don't really expect much. They cover all the rolls with plastic wrap to keep them fresh, which was a little annoying to have to peel back to access each roll. On the plus side, there were a lot of sushi options to choose from (I filled a whole plate) and they weren't just your basic rolls. There were a few specialty rolls thrown in the mix. Definitely get the shrimp sauce with your sushi. Highlight of the meal since I normally can't find it up north. The service was good and the wait staff was friendly, thanking us for coming in and refilling our drinks. I think this buffet would be a better value at lunch, since it would only be $7. I also wish we had come on the weekend for brunch ($10) so we could have experienced the dim sum carts! Maybe I'll be back one day. Maybe...
(2)kristina S.
Trust the reviews!!!! I always want to be adventurous and give a try to different places, but when people say this place is bad, it is bad! The staff was very nice and sweet, but we went there for the food. Everything was dry and cold. I can't even imagine how long it's been sitting. We went during dinner later on in a week, so I was hoping the food would be fresh. I tried EVERYTHING! Not a single dish was decent. It was that bad. I am not a picky eater, but this was beyond disappointing. Yes... It is cheaper than other seafood buffet in the area, but at least there I enjoyed the food. Here I was just going from one dish to other hoping to find at least something decent. It was disappointment after disappointment. I would NEVER consider giving another chance and another try to this place.
(1)Cassandra M.
My fam and a friend went for dinner monday after hearing how much better and cheaper formosa was than journey and i will never go again. The food was not fresh and the sushi was not labeled. Sushi that should have been warm was cold and clearly hours old. I was considering giving it a second chance on a busier night so the food would possibly be better until i took my daughter to the restroom and witnessed a member of the kitchen staff use the urinal, not wash his hand and go back to work. I mentioned it to the manager and was told he will remind them they must wash hands. He did not say or do anything else. It left all of us grossed out and we will never go there again.
(1)Adrienne C.
I've yet to find a Chinese buffet I really like in Indianapolis. We have tried this place two times now wants for lunch once for dinner and were very disappointed both times. Waitress didn't refill drinks. The food and the seafood was subpar and there were very few dishes with vegetables and the food, especially the clams seem not so fresh. Bathroom not clean. Also, a bit overpriced. We won't be back.
(1)The Most Interesting Man In The W.
One of the better buffets in Indy. The Journey which is down the road is a lot better in terms of quality, turnover, and price though. The sushi there is much better than it is here.
(4)Dan W.
This place is a bit pricey for dinner, but a great deal for lunch. Some of the food items aren't great, general Tso chicken, but other items such as the black pepper chicken are worth the visit. The sushi selection and taste is surprisingly good. It feels like the sushi is fresh every time I have visited.
(4)Dawn H.
Most of the items were good. Crab legs small but tasty. Sushi good for price. Bathrooms not so clean. Restaurant clean. Lots of choices.
(3)Peter P.
I had been to the former Chinese buffet at this location and when I returned to see its resurrection as Formosa Seafood Buffet, I was astounded. The owners must have spent a fortune renovating the interior. I barely recognized the place. The only feature I remember is the big fountain at the entrance and even that was changed significantly. The whole place is done in kind of a trendy black marble look. First of all, everything about this place is huge (see my pictures). In the buffet room, there are no fewer than 8 buffet islands to go along with the buffets that line the walls. The price is a bargain as well. $15.99 for dinner? This completely blows away the competition considering the number of items they have available. I think the $9.99 Saturday/Sunday brunch (i.e. dim sum) is the best deal. Dim sum in Indianapolis has a sad and sordid history. Traditional dim sum (the kind with rolling carts that pass by your table) just doesn't seem to be able to survive in this town. The alternative that has managed to hang on is ordering a la carte. Formosa manages to up the ante by offering a buffet version. There are about a dozen hot/cold items to choose from. Formosa Seafood Buffet really lives up to the "seafood" part of its name. There are several grilled fish and shrimp dishes. There is a large sushi bar in the back with nigiri, maki, and sashimi. They also have crawfish, squid, and several other seafood dishes that are too numerous to remember. As in most Chinese buffets now, there is a Mongolian grill on the right side where you can choose your ingredients and have someone cook it for you on the flattop. A nice addition in the back is the noodle soup bar. Pick your ingredients (shrimp, onions, fish balls, napa cabbage, etc.), your noodle (pho or ramen) and your broth (beef or chicken). Then someone cooks it for you. Yum. There is a huge room on the right side which can be reserved for large parties/wedding receptions, etc. In addition, there are 3 "VIP Rooms" on the left side which can be reserved for smaller functions. There is no additional charge to use these rooms. Simply call ahead and let the restaurant know how many people will be attending. They will simply charge you the normal buffet price based on the number of guests.
(4)Brian H.
If you really love all kinds of seafood I strongly recommend you head out to Formosa and give it a try. They have a good selection and the food seemed fresh and well prepared. I only have two major complaints. The first is their refresh rate was a little slow. There were items on the buffet that were depleted and never replenished during my time there which was about 2 hours. The second is based on personal opinion so you may take it with a grain of salt, but they didn't have any salmon.
(3)Amy C.
This place is just so subpar. Atmosphere is dark feeling and cold,the crab legs were cold and rubbery. Especially egregious were the various dumplings. They were dried out and hard to chew,sushi was pretty much inedible. We go to a lot of Chinese buffets around town cause the kids love them. Quality can be an issue however,and Formosa was one of the worst.
(1)Traveling J.
Very bad all the way around. There is no reason to visit this place. The food is dry, low quality, tasteless, and just not good. The booth is uncomfortable, the washroom is disgusting, and the place is cold. Typical Chinese all you can eat buffet and I recommend you stay away.
(1)Jun P.
Pretty good Chinese buffet restaurant. It is a bit pricy for dinner time but if you come in earlier for lunch it is a great deal. Have a wide variety of selections. Has a few dimsum selections and a few authentic Chinese food as well. This place also has great desert with a wide variety of ice cream. Interior looks nice and clean. Well spaced and pretty big so there is a lot of room even when it gets busy. Overall, I would recommend this place.
(4)Cherish M.
Not your typical Chinese buffet. The food presentation is nice, clean, and fresh. There is a variety of options of Americanized Chinese food and some authentic treats. There is even a noodle soup bar to make your own soup. By far this is the best Chinese buffet I have been to in Indiana. No complaints here.
(5)Egg H.
Very ambitious buffet, but that can be a double edged sword. Good to have dimsum dishes on the buffet (dim sum style chicken feet, shiu mai, sticky rice in lotus leaves, scallion pancakes, plus others), but being out on a buffet is hard on freshness and taste. You'd do better on all the dimsum dishes to go to a dimsum restaurant. Likewise the rest of the menu was also ambitious (hot almond tea, with fried dough sticks, braised pigs feet, 5 types of clams/mussels, crawfish, crab legs) but again suffered from being on warming trays on a buffet. I'm sure that applies to all the other regular dishes on the buffet, but that' more expected. In addition, there's a Mongolian grill, also a large array of freshly made sushi. Overall about as good as you can get at a buffet, but .....
(3)Kelly H.
Before today, the Journey was my go-to Asian buffet for years, but now...things might have changed. This place may be giving it some competition. I grew up eating Taiwanese/Chinese cuisine, so I was pumped to see that they have dim sum and authentic dishes that I haven't seen elsewhere in Indy. (Ex: Pig's ear, stewed eggs, Chinese eggplant). They're not superb quality, but for a buffet at $10, I can't complain. The sushi was alright - nothing awful or impressive as they were mainly Americanized rolls. Again though, you can't reasonably expect more for the price. I wished they had sashimi, but maybe they do it for dinner? Two things I was pleasantly surprised with: 1) Many entrees weren't doused in a sea of butter and oil. (I cringe at this common buffet sight and feel my arteries clogging just from looking at it); and 2) The service was exceptional. We were even thanked multiple times on our way out, which is a first at an Asian establishment. It's a good thing I don't live near Castleton. I'd be so tempted in becoming a weekend regular here :)
(4)Mary Beth G.
Great selection, good crowd (a good sign), lots of variety...the best I have seen with sushi & sashimi. I had a wonderful server in the tabled dining room to the right on 4-1-15, at the front side of the dining room near the cashier. Young gentleman...extremely professional and stopped by several times for extra napkins, water, a knife, a dropped chopstick, and the timely receipt of bill. This was my second trip. I wish I had room to try a stir fry. The stir fry chef was really going the full mile. Even have a made-to-order asian soup bar! Would have loved the fried sugar doughnuts for desert, but did not find them. Love those sesame balls! Impressed with the squid. Not over done and too chewy.
(4)Omar R.
Wasn't really pleased with the food quality..!! Not worth the price. Felt like it should have more seafood than only crab legs and few other items..!! Fried rice was the worst, never had anything worse than that, and trust me I know fried rice..!! Never going back again..!!
(1)Linda M.
I went there for their $9.99 Black Friday lunch. I was not expecting them to have Dim Sum as part of the buffet but was thankful because I wanted the congee. In it, I did not care for the ginger -- a typical Chinese ingredient. This is the first time I ate Peking duck there. Also, I ate the egg drop soup, honey mustard salmon, chicken teriyaki on a stick, custard bun, sesame seed ball, egg tart, tuna sushi and more. It was very good. I wish I could have eaten more.
(5)Suzie T.
This is a critique of the restaurant not Indy patrons. -but what has happened to the palates of my fellow yelpers? This place totally sucks. If your bill is $8 and that's all that matters, OK. -but if you care about the quality of the food, you've got to be kidding. (I need to admit that I have tried some asian buffets. We really liked the fresh hibachi chicken, fried rice, and best hot & sour soup at the FORBIBBEN CITY. I so miss this affordable place. I think they checked-out before Journey to be safe. -wish they would reopen cause they were much better than Journey!) My husband and I are aquainted with someone who was going to be a waiter @ Formosa, so we tried when they opened. --hoping to have at least an average experience. I was sick for days. -never to return!
(1)Lucas B.
Admittedly I'm not a fan of these buffet restaurants. I never go to them unless it is a family outing. Like Journey everything is mediocre. From the food to the waitstaff. Nothing will blow you away.
(1)Jason H.
We ate here on a Friday evening for dinner. Like everyone has said there is a great selection of food but the food quality was below average. First off, they did not have the hibachi section going at any point in time we were there but I don't think that would have saved the meal. The sushi looked good on first glance but after eating a few pieces I was disappointed, the fish pieces for the nigiri was unbelievably small and thin, probably 20% the size of a normal sushi place and and about 50% the size of sushi on other buffets. Then to make it even worse the rice as blah, it was like the steamed the rice and did nothing else with it. The wasabi was watery and flavorless. The Asian food on the buffet was all prepared too far in advance and lacked the freshness that good Asian food should have. The American food tasted like pre-packaged items from Sysco or GFS, they really had no taste. The salad bar was lacking and the fruit quality was poor. Remember people, a little bit of something good is better than a huge serving of poo.
(2)Mak J.
Not a bad Asian buffet. I came here craving spring rolls and got so much more. Everything seemed pretty fresh. The shrimp was a bit on the rubbery side, but the sushi was very tasty. Huge selection for a lunch buffet and at a very fair price. I also loved the tacky, Vegas style, outer space themed decor. I am a sucker for things like that. And the place is huge. I will probably go back but not on my lunch hour from work because there is so much food that I literally need more time than an hour to eat to my hearts content without feeling rushed. Also, just a note, the parking lot is a little weird and hard to figure out. Just be prepared.
(3)Sandy Z.
The worst ever!! Just there around 8:30, buffet was empty decided to just eat the habachi instead. Got the plate for it and was told the grill was closed. Really? Might as well have closed for the day then!!!
(1)The Yelp-inator W.
Decent selection with lots to choose from. Food quality was fair I wish the sushi was better quality. if I could rate them 3.5 ....I would
(4)Cameron T.
This place is awesome! SO many options. I had several types of salmon, shrimp, and crab, as well as many other delicious things as well as sushi. The environment was also amazing. Very classy for a buffet.
(5)Jenny A.
my family went there on sat. for brunch, its because they had Dim Sum serve. It's ok but nothing special. They have very large selection but everything taste so so, it can be much better.
(2)Bodie S.
Formosa Seafood Buffet not only surprised me with its lavish, fancy setting, but it completely blew my mind with its impossibly big selection of foodstuffs. A friend of mine went here with his parents a few times, and he highly recommend that we all go, and as I'm not one to pass up a Chinese food buffet and sushi bar, I was instantly sold on the idea. The building is huge, with fountains in the lobby, and very interesting tables to eat at. The waiters were decent (although our server charger my friend's check on my credit card) but the food easily made up for this mistake. The all-you-can-eat sushi bar was out of this world. The time, effort, and detail these sushi chefs put into each roll was amazing. I couldn't help but complement the men behind the counter for the sushi rolls they were creating. I ate so much sushi I thought my stomach was going to explode. Not only does Formosa have an epic sushi bar, but also has a seemingly never-ending Chinese buffet with all your favorites, such as pepper chicken, small, bite-sized crab ragoon, egg rolls, coconut chicken, grilled shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, beef and broccoli, and so much more. They also had things such as chicken fingers, pizza, and French fries for your not so adventurous customers. They have every soup you could possibly think of available, and their miso soup was great. They also had authentic Chinese foods, such a pig nose, chicken feet, and some other items. We went here on a Sunday lunch buffet and the meal was around $10, which is great for the quality and variety of food.
(4)Kari R.
Pretty darn good for a buffet. For the price the food and selection is better than what I expected.
(4)Catherine K.
I am not a huge buffet fan -- having had a gastric bypass, I really am not going to get my money's worth! -- but the fiance loves them. So as long as he pays, I'll go. I was expecting more seafood, given that "seafood" is in the name of the place. But, really there wasn't any more seafood than at any other higher-end buffet. I had the stir-fry with beef; it was pretty good. Of course they don't have all of the options of say, B.D.'s Mongolian Grill, but it was alright. I had a few items that were outstanding, including the Thai Chicken. A nice touch is that they brought around a dim sum cart and allowed us to choose what we wanted. The buffet was busy and, of course, a lot of people seemed to have the buffet mindset of "OMG! FOOD! IT'S ALL MINE! GET OUT OF THE WAY! FOOD!" The servers were hit or miss ... some just barreled past me while I was going to my seat while others let customers pass before proceeding. Lunch on a Saturday, with one beverage, cost about $20. Not a bad deal.
(4)Justin A.
Clean buffet with more options than a single person can sample in one visit. I would venture to say that this is currently the best "Asian Buffet" in Indianapolis. They restaurant should of had 5-stars, but I needed to deduct a star because the waiter kept interjecting pointed questions after eavesdropping into my highly personal conversation with long-lost friends. The waiter also told our entire table (females included) that he had "never seen anyone eat that much sushi in his whole life." Bad form bro - minus one star - for initiating early mid-life crises centered around accusatory over-eating by a disheveled young buffet waiter.
(4)Jemmie W.
First, the lunch buffet is $8. You can barely get a POS sandwich from Jimmy John's for $8. At Formosa Seafood Buffet, you get an incredibly huge selection of pretty decent quality food. Second, no, the quality of food is not the highest quality. No, the sushi is not as good as Sakura's. But you just paid $8 for all-you-can-eat and have a selection of literally about 70 things. Are you really comparing an $8 buffet to a high quality sushi restaurant where $8 buys you a small dish of edamame that they bought frozen for about $0.50 per pound? I just came back from Las Vegas and even the $30-$40 buffets at Bellagio and Wynn have crap sushi. For $8, you're getting all you can eat selection of about 70 items. The food is pretty good quality - especially for $8. The dinner buffet costs a few bucks more and the selection is even larger. Again, the quality of the food is not top notch but you're paying $14 for a dinner buffet. A very mediocre burger and half of an appetizer at Applebee's is $14.
(5)Tony B.
Not great for dinner. Food stops being made after 7:30 and is not fresh later on day. Good service made it better. Management will make fresh if you say something to your server. A 3.5 would've been a more accurate score. Definitely better value and flavor for lunch
(4)Anna L.
My family and I decided to grab a quick lunch, given the variety to choose from to satisfy everyone's taste buds. Wait staff is ethnically varied, although inexperienced and looks bad when they sit around the dining areas. We were seated at a booth with chair pads and a low marble tabletop reminiscent of faux-Japanese design. A little uncomfortable hunched over the table considering I'm already petite. On to the buffet...their sushi selection was minimal with fish nigiri as thin as paper. Freshness is a must for sushi!!! I took a bite of raw tilapia nigiri and it literally tasted muddy. Tuna chunks were chewy and had a fishy smell. Luckily I didn't end up with a tummy ache. Buffet sushi is way better at The Journey, if you're just there for the sushi. There was standard Americanized Chinese fare such as chicken with broccoli (never goes wrong), fried items, and filler foods like oddly stuffed savory pastries and casserole concoctions. For a seafood place, I only saw clams, shrimp, and very little fish. Dessert consisted of a scoop your own ice cream (many flavors) and a semi working chocolate fountain. There are many other options I didn't try such as the teppanyaki grill, soup noodles, and salad bar. But, for a family of 4 on a weekday lunch, bill came up to be around $35 which is pretty reasonable.
(2)Bubba S.
Hmmmm
(1)Rabon B.
Well I am kinda a food snob so take this with a grain of sand. My favorite was the fortune cookie. The crab legs were way too cooked and mushy my "sushi roll" had cream cheese that was a little too sour, overall not impressed. I probably will not be back unless MAYBEE on a really busy night when they have no choice but too keep the food coming out. Fast food fried sandwich would have been more satisfying. (Sorry if you are a fan of this place)
(1)Dana H.
I wasn't too impressed with the choices on the buffet. A lot of the dishes weren't labeled, and I wasn't sure what they were, so I didn't pick them up - I was left with what you would get at a cheaper Chinese buffet. My husband tried the Mongolian BBQ and said it wasn't great. There was no way to season the food (garlic, soy sauce, hot sauce, ginger, etc), so it was all very bland and basically tasted oily. The dessert buffet was the biggest disappointment. It looks A LOT better on their website than it did when we were in. It was just the usual Chinese buffet desserts, while the website advertises cakes, etc. Also, they had a chocolate fountain, but it wasn't running. By the time we were ready to leave, the temperature was up to 96 degrees - I'm guessing that's not up to code, but then again I'm not from the health department either...it just seemed like the ideal temperature for bacteria to grow. We stayed far away from it, but people were still using it - ANYWAY, long story...long...not a place I would be interested in going to again.
(2)Leo M.
The place did not meet my expectations. Great location, good environment, great decor but the food was not fresh, nothing I tried tasted fresh. They put out rotten limes, and when I asked for fresh ones or maybe lemons two different workers said that that's all they had. I will not return.
(2)William B.
For the price of the food, you would expect something better. Last time I ate here, we had to change tables due to a roach being right next to my head on the wall. Every time I eat here, it seems that the food quality gets worse and worse. I finally decided to stop eating here after the roach experience. Maybe the lot is too big, so that's why the overcharge for food, but it's definitely not worth it. I enjoy the variety, but the quality is sub-par.
(2)Pete W.
Had an amazing experience. The food was fresh, plentiful and always full. This restaurant epitomizes "Seafood" In the local vicinity. I was told otherwise, but am glad I gave Formosa a chance. I am definitely dining there every time I'm in this part of Indy.
(5)Alyssa M.
Worst dining/buffet experience of my life! It pains me to give and write a 1-star review on any establishment, but I feel so ripped off I am glad Yelp exists to share with other people before they waste their time and money on places like this. I went around 8 PM on a Tuesday, I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. But that shouldn't matter. Sushi was so old the avocado was almost completely brown, only a few pieces out anyways. I tried a bit of everything in hopes it would compensate for my lack of sushi fix- everything I ate was bland and OLD. So bad. Unfortunately wasted $40 on a restaurant I was really looking forward to trying out.
(1)Tonya B.
Soups that are sitting near floor level was a turn off.
(3)Charity G.
Beautiful space upon walking in, as far as a buffet it is impressive. I expected the large size because I researched the reviews before coming here and it was just as many stated, I think a good word that was used was, "ambitious". Fellow Elite Yelper, Peter "Harpoon (3 stars = A Good Review)"P., sums up the description well and you should read his review for a great description like a 360 degree tour with words. Anyway, Formosa has more food than I have seen on a buffet, and more variety ever. It's honestly a little overwhelming (pigs feet? Awesome!), but great because that means that I get to come back multiple times and have a chance of trying new foods each time! And service, my server met me with a smile, in fact, all of the staff did. And, she didn't serve me like a typical buffet server might, just removing plates and not asking if I needed anything; she treated me like a server would at any other restaurant, asking checking back several times (cool points). I had read the reviews on the bathrooms (and yeah I saw them, one faucet was totaly disconnected); but they seemed clean enough, more like outdated, especially compared to the pretty glass bowl sinks. There was soap, smelled clean, working toilets, and no trash in the stalls.... worked for me. As for the buffet, I started with the sushi because that's really what I wanted to know...could I get all I could eat sushi closer to home. They have a lot of sushi varieties and nigiri available and it all looked fresh, slightly chilled to touch. My first plate I was going to try some clams and some of the many MANY types of fish, flounder, differently prepared salmon, and muscles, and shrimp. And the first couple of sushi were doable, meh, ok. The rolls that were fried seemed like they were heavy on the breading and tasted like fried stuff does after it sat a tad too long and the others were heavy on sauce and maybe even rice. But, buffet sushi is a toss-up. I'd eat it and I did. Alas, I got a couple of rolls where the fish was chewy and I lost all appetite for the rest of anything raw. So, I moved on to the hot foods and there were sooooo many choices I took a bit of everything, from corn on the cob and pork chops to my favs like sweet and sour chicken and General Tso's chicken; I knew if I couldn't get my fave dishes here then it would be a wash. So, I had to try those; and those were all winners. And the cooked shrimp, the salmon (not honey mustard, pass on that one), rice noodles, and you could go on and on, all of those were great too. In fact, they didn't have that buffet taste that you sometimes get in buffets where all the dishes taste alike. They were each their own dish and tasty. Point is, even with out meh-ok sushi (that, yes, I will try again) this place is a bargain and a great place for food. And I haven't even tried their ice cream, their tea, or any of their soups....and I got all of that for 7:49 at lunch. Oh! lol, they have this chocolate fountain that you have to use a spoon to use, (I was so confused by that part), but if you have kids I'm sure they'd like it. And, in the front space their waiting room makes me want to sit there even though I have no reason to....it just feels like maybe Buddha is in there and I might find enlightenment, lol. It really is odd, such a nice sitting room. I like this place.
(4)Leslie H.
We came here not trying to expect anything good, we didn't know we were in for a surprise. The minute you walk in, you'll be impressed how big this place is. Plus for a dinner buffet at $13/pp, it's not a bad deal at all. They even have a sweet tea which was delish! Plus, service was great and there's plenty of parking. They also accept Amex card which is definitely a plus.
(4)Neal P.
See below for hours and prices. Note they are closed from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. They are located immediately north of Denny's on East 82nd in Castleton. If you're going East-bound on 82nd, turn north on Center Run Road, then turn left as if you're going to Denny's. If you're West-bound on 82nd, just turn in at Denny's. (It's in the same building as Sapporo.) You can NOT get there from the Castleton Square Mall parking lot; you have to go back out to 82nd Street (or up to 86th Street, and then back around Center Run Road.) The good: - Lunch price is VERY good. Plus you can find $1 off lunch coupons, or $2 off dinner coupons in mailers. - all is shiny new. - the decor and ambience is pretty fancy, high class. - the service is good (getting your drink, refills, clearing plates, bringing the check.) - they have a grill-to-order, where you assemble your meats and veggies and hand to the cook to grill it. - fancy dipped ice cream for dessert. - fresh salad bar, and lots of nice fruits, lunch included fresh papaya and mango. - They have a separate "banquet" type room of tables for large groups, like 200 people, no extra charge. - They have three private rooms for 20 to 30 people, no extra charge. The not so good: - Not enough light in the men's room. - water leak on floor in men's room. - most of the hot food in the steam trays was "meh". - By 1:30pm, the buffet sushi (at least the nigiri) was bad. I sampled 3 or 4 types of nigiri and, and two types of roll sushi. You have to keep sushi/sashimi/nigiri cold and under plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out. And they didn't do that here (at least not today.) The first piece was kind of dry, but I figured they can't all be bad. But I should have held to a high standard. If the raw fish is dry or tough, use a napkin and spit it out. Unfortunately I didn't follow my rule, and my tummy started rumbling after I finished the nigiri and salad. (Let's just say I had "intestinal distress" about 3:00pm, and luckily made it to the bathroom in time. ) The thing with buffets is you have to get there shortly after they put the food out. The rest of the steam trays (hot food) seemed like it had been sitting out or had been cooked since they opened at 11:00am. So you normally want to get to a buffet at prime time or the height of the lunch or dinner rush to get fresh food. And unfortunately, I was a little too late for that. The hot entrees were a little old, and had been sitting around too long. Frankly, I've had equal or better food for lunch at less fancy Chinese buffets. But for $8 plus drink (or $7 plus drink after coupon) for all you can eat, including ice cream, it was still a deal (except for the bad nigiri). But I didn't get around to trying the grill-to-order stuff. So I'll do that next time. And, this was a lunch visit, so I didn't expect to get a super-deal high-quality for only $8 (less coupon) anyway. It's a rare exception to get decent sushi at any buffet. If it's not kept under plastic film, and kept cold on a bed of ice, don't even bother. If you want quality sushi/sashimi/nigiri done right, go around the corner to Sapporo, or two buildings East to Asaka. Prices vary by time of day, AND day of week. Below prices do NOT include drink, tax, or tip. Lunch, Monday, Friday 11:00am - 3:00pm, Adult $7.99. Brunch, Saturday, Sunday: 11:00am - 3:00pm, Adult $9.99. Dinner: Monday, Thursday: 5:00pm - 9:30pm, Adult $13.99. Dinner: Friday, Saturday 5:00pm - 10:30pm, Sunday 5:00pm - 9:30pm, Adult $15.99. Holiday All Day Dinner Adult $15.99. I'll have to update the review after going back a couple times; once more for lunch at an earlier time, and again for dinner.
(3)John C.
The place is clean, my server was happy & helpful. The food was tasty with lots of variety AND they have a Mongolian Grill. Everything I want in a Chinese buffet joint. The eggrolls are good, there is a chocolate fountain (DO NOT mix the two!) . I had a friend that called me as I was finishing up a late lunch and he wanted to try the place. Even though they were closed, I let my server know and the management was nice enough to let him in to join me. We had a great lunch and the server was happy to help us, not the complacent or even the dejected server you get at other buffets. The grill is supa-tasty! They have black urinals! The restroom is nicely decorated and clean. That is a HUGE plus sign! Ever been to a place where you didn't want to wash your hands because the sink looked infected? Not this joint! Shiny! I think it's funny that they have pictures of the European zodiac around since China doesn't use the European zodiac (Libra, Leo, Aquarius, etc) but hey, at least they still have the obligatory long mural on the wall. There must be a law somewhere that Chinese restaurants must have a mural, offer a lunch buffet and on that buffet must be chocolate pudding! (I love me some chocolate pudding.) Overall, I was happy to recommend Formosa and will return. BTW, enjoy the calimari. :) --John MyCarDoc.com
(4)Ming Yee K.
Worst buffet ever!! Who charge $17 for dryup food!! The only thing couldve save the meal was Mongolian grill ,but is closeed ! Terrible !!
(1)Garvy S.
I actually like this place more than Journeys. I have been to Journeys and there variety of food is not as great as Formosa. This place has everything. I enjoyed everything from the Mongolian grill to hot entrees. One thing i did not enjoy was the house special noodles. It was so salty. I took one sip of the soup and I could barely take it in. I couldnt even seem to take another bite. The server Steve was absolutely attentive and very helpful. I would totally choose this place over Journeys any day. There varieties is better and there snow crabs was juicy !!
(4)Lucy H.
Formosa Seafood Buffet is owned by the same people who own 8 China Buffet, just up the road. It's shiny and brand new right now, and obviously meant to go head-to-head with Journey for the higher-priced buffet market. The theme, at least in the room we were in, was astrological; there was a large image of a bridge of stars and two Chinese mythological figures on one wall, and smaller plaques of the Western zodiac signs around the room. The waitstaff are of more varied ethnicity than I'm used to at an Asian buffet, friendly, and fast-moving. Upon arriving at our table we were greeted by a woman with a cart of various soups such as congee (a personal favourite). There were also a few carts of dim sum items going around. I feel bad that we weren't hungry enough to do the place justice on this trip. The food was varied and kept refreshed, and there was a long counter with a wide variety of sushi rolls. My personal favourite for sheer novelty was what appeared to be kappa uramaki topped with slices of kiwi fruit and a dot of strawberry sauce on each slice! The buffet items were about what you'd expect; fried items, main dishes, various shellfish, roast meats, salad, pastries, fruit/vegetables, and a large cooler table full of ice cream. The food that we tried was good and kept refreshed, with a good balance of buffet standards and more unusual items. It was very good overall, and we're definitely going to come back on a day when we're a little hungrier!
(4)Kent H.
First time there halfway through our meal, a cockroach crawled on my wife's lap. The manager let me know they have had a problem and offered to take 5 dollars off. Will not be going back.
(1)Stephanie U.
I went here for dinner and was impressed by the decor and the size of the place. They have one of the largest selections of food (and definitely had a lot of seafood and sushi) I've seen in a buffet like this. The service was fine and they seemed to keep the food trays well-stocked. Unfortunately I thought the food was terrible. It was all very bland and just not good. I thought the best part was the ice-cream (which I'm pretty sure they don't make) and the chocolate fountain. The crab wasn't too bad either. We got a good deal on a pack of about 4 gift certificates, and we won't even go back to use the rest of them.
(1)Brian H.
Folks who eat at these types of mega-buffets should have a self-imposed limitation on what they expect from the food. Things to remember: -most of it will have been sitting under the lamps for long enough to be past it's prime. -the crab legs will probably not be huge. -the sushi isn't going to be fancy. -odd are nothing you eat is going to blow your socks off. Having said all that, Formosa actually does a very nice job of presenting some tasty options. Any time I can walk away from a buffet with crab legs (small but plentiful), oysters on the half shell (pretty good actually), and roll sushi (creatively done...not just the typical utility stuff), I'm a happy guy. I'm sure we'll be back.
(4)Deborah M.
Oh my gosh!, my husband and I wanted some seafood and went to bonefish grill to eat,,,,,the wait was over 40 minutes so we looked at YELP for some seafood that was close by,,,, Formosa seafood buffet came up and the reviews were good,,,however we should have trusted our instincts when the restaurant was almost empty at 7:30 on a Friday night. Unfortunately we stayed, it was the worst food that I have had in a long time. There is an abundant selection but unfortunately it all tasted the same and the texture of the shrimp was rubbery. The best thing on the buffet was the fruit, good pineapple! My husband and I have eaten at many good restaurants in Indianapolis ,this was not one of them. Next time we will wait 40 min. And eat at Bonefish!
(1)Denise L.
This place was average in my opinion. It's like journey an overpriced Chinese buffet. I got there just as they opened on Sunday. I could be wrong, but the hostesses hair looked uncombed. Like she rolled out of bed & came to work. Within ten fifteen minutes she had pulled her hair up. That was gross seeing how she is one of the first representations you get of the restaurant. We were quickly seated & the waiter was okay. He came to our table once to ask if we wanted refills, but left the empty plates that sat where he stood. He also took the change as a tip & didn't ask (THAT IRKS ME!). They also had a lady that came around with a tray of things you can sample, which was different & cool! The food on the bar was like any other Chinese buffet in my opinion (but hey, who am I *just a yelper*.) They did have a Mongolian grill which I absolutely love. They had shrimp of course & imitation crab. Now for the big turn off..the lady was quickly refilling the food as the dishes became empty on the bar. Now a few of the crab rangoons fell onto the bar (in the place where we would hold our plates or put our hands) & she put them back in with the crab rangoons. Now if she did that I was standing there what on earth are they doing back in the kitchen???
(2)Suzie T.
This is a critique of the restaurant not Indy patrons. -but what has happened to the palates of my fellow yelpers? This place totally sucks. If your bill is $8 and that's all that matters, OK. -but if you care about the quality of the food, you've got to be kidding. (I need to admit that I have tried some asian buffets. We really liked the fresh hibachi chicken, fried rice, and best hot & sour soup at the FORBIBBEN CITY. I so miss this affordable place. I think they checked-out before Journey to be safe. -wish they would reopen cause they were much better than Journey!) My husband and I are aquainted with someone who was going to be a waiter @ Formosa, so we tried when they opened. --hoping to have at least an average experience. I was sick for days. -never to return!
(1)Lucas B.
Admittedly I'm not a fan of these buffet restaurants. I never go to them unless it is a family outing. Like Journey everything is mediocre. From the food to the waitstaff. Nothing will blow you away.
(1)Egg H.
Very ambitious buffet, but that can be a double edged sword. Good to have dimsum dishes on the buffet (dim sum style chicken feet, shiu mai, sticky rice in lotus leaves, scallion pancakes, plus others), but being out on a buffet is hard on freshness and taste. You'd do better on all the dimsum dishes to go to a dimsum restaurant. Likewise the rest of the menu was also ambitious (hot almond tea, with fried dough sticks, braised pigs feet, 5 types of clams/mussels, crawfish, crab legs) but again suffered from being on warming trays on a buffet. I'm sure that applies to all the other regular dishes on the buffet, but that' more expected. In addition, there's a Mongolian grill, also a large array of freshly made sushi. Overall about as good as you can get at a buffet, but .....
(3)Kelly H.
Before today, the Journey was my go-to Asian buffet for years, but now...things might have changed. This place may be giving it some competition. I grew up eating Taiwanese/Chinese cuisine, so I was pumped to see that they have dim sum and authentic dishes that I haven't seen elsewhere in Indy. (Ex: Pig's ear, stewed eggs, Chinese eggplant). They're not superb quality, but for a buffet at $10, I can't complain. The sushi was alright - nothing awful or impressive as they were mainly Americanized rolls. Again though, you can't reasonably expect more for the price. I wished they had sashimi, but maybe they do it for dinner? Two things I was pleasantly surprised with: 1) Many entrees weren't doused in a sea of butter and oil. (I cringe at this common buffet sight and feel my arteries clogging just from looking at it); and 2) The service was exceptional. We were even thanked multiple times on our way out, which is a first at an Asian establishment. It's a good thing I don't live near Castleton. I'd be so tempted in becoming a weekend regular here :)
(4)Mary Beth G.
Great selection, good crowd (a good sign), lots of variety...the best I have seen with sushi & sashimi. I had a wonderful server in the tabled dining room to the right on 4-1-15, at the front side of the dining room near the cashier. Young gentleman...extremely professional and stopped by several times for extra napkins, water, a knife, a dropped chopstick, and the timely receipt of bill. This was my second trip. I wish I had room to try a stir fry. The stir fry chef was really going the full mile. Even have a made-to-order asian soup bar! Would have loved the fried sugar doughnuts for desert, but did not find them. Love those sesame balls! Impressed with the squid. Not over done and too chewy.
(4)Omar R.
Wasn't really pleased with the food quality..!! Not worth the price. Felt like it should have more seafood than only crab legs and few other items..!! Fried rice was the worst, never had anything worse than that, and trust me I know fried rice..!! Never going back again..!!
(1)Linda M.
I went there for their $9.99 Black Friday lunch. I was not expecting them to have Dim Sum as part of the buffet but was thankful because I wanted the congee. In it, I did not care for the ginger -- a typical Chinese ingredient. This is the first time I ate Peking duck there. Also, I ate the egg drop soup, honey mustard salmon, chicken teriyaki on a stick, custard bun, sesame seed ball, egg tart, tuna sushi and more. It was very good. I wish I could have eaten more.
(5)Adelino E.
This place is very amazing the have fresh food all day long which is usually not easy for a buffet. The food is an amazing variety from all over they have a grill set up where they can make you noodles lo mean meat etc, A dedicated soup stove where they make thin white noodle soup fresh with whatever ingredients you choose. Full sushi and sashimi table where even more variety then I know how to spell are present. Chocolate fountain made with fresh melted down chocolate hourly that it's self is amazing to me. The selection of food which impress anyone the price is 9.99 per person lunch dinner is little more but food is amazing at all hours no doubt a place to try.
(5)Jeffrey R.
Crab was crap! Sushi was above average for buffet dinning. Rest rooms were less than desirable. Waitress wasn't sexy so I deduct 2 points. When I eat Asian food I like hot Asian women to bring me drinks. Next time I'm going to Japan.
(3)Alyssa M.
Worst dining/buffet experience of my life! It pains me to give and write a 1-star review on any establishment, but I feel so ripped off I am glad Yelp exists to share with other people before they waste their time and money on places like this. I went around 8 PM on a Tuesday, I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. But that shouldn't matter. Sushi was so old the avocado was almost completely brown, only a few pieces out anyways. I tried a bit of everything in hopes it would compensate for my lack of sushi fix- everything I ate was bland and OLD. So bad. Unfortunately wasted $40 on a restaurant I was really looking forward to trying out.
(1)Brian M.
It was easy for a large group to go here for a work lunch. They are set up to handle the big crowds. They have a lot of items. Sushi, soups, grill, buffet stir fry, desserts... I would suggest (if you have to go here) to head to the grill where you pick your raw foods and they cook it for you. For example, I picked mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, rice, noodles and shrimp. I put the food on a plate and handed it to the grill cook. So, at least I got to watch the food get cooked. To sum it up, one of the people in our group asked, "Did anyone eat something they are happy they ate? Did anyone taste something they really enjoyed?" Out of 19 people, 0 of them said yes. I just got back from lunch and my most prevalent thought is "I want it out of me!"
(1)Janice K.
For the price, good value. Those low stars must have never been to a real bad Chinese buffets! I'm thankful for what they have to offer for the price they offer it.
(5)Seratina A.
Verdict: avoid this restaurant. TLDR: bathroom wouldn't pass health inspection and didn't have soap; food was largely inedible quality; their specialty, sea food, was very salty. Won't come back. For the first time in my life, I left nearly a full plate of food half eaten. Everything was disgustingly dry and hardened. The fried rice was powdery rice and my mother, who I shared company with, didn't touch the rice on her sushi. She ended up earing just the raw fish part with Wasabi and soy sauce. The bathroom was a horror that probably would not pass health inspections. The faucet handle had brown stains covering it and the bathroom cover was broken. To top it off, the sink had no soap anywhere. Their sea food, which they supposedly specialized in, was sloghtly acceptable, but much too salty. I will never come back again.
(1)Spencer F.
Not fresh seafood is the theme of this restaurant. Crayfish had no taste. Oysters on the half shell were dead, probably they were thawed from the freezer. Stone crab, blue crab, snow crab, meat were all mushy, not firm. Sushi looked dried out, I didn't dare touch. Clams were over cooked and had no taste too. I would not go back.
(2)Ashley M.
I love this restaurant at dinner time. However, I recently went for lunch and was not impressed. Much better for dinner! :)
(4)Charity G.
Beautiful space upon walking in, as far as a buffet it is impressive. I expected the large size because I researched the reviews before coming here and it was just as many stated, I think a good word that was used was, "ambitious". Fellow Elite Yelper, Peter "Harpoon (3 stars = A Good Review)"P., sums up the description well and you should read his review for a great description like a 360 degree tour with words. Anyway, Formosa has more food than I have seen on a buffet, and more variety ever. It's honestly a little overwhelming (pigs feet? Awesome!), but great because that means that I get to come back multiple times and have a chance of trying new foods each time! And service, my server met me with a smile, in fact, all of the staff did. And, she didn't serve me like a typical buffet server might, just removing plates and not asking if I needed anything; she treated me like a server would at any other restaurant, asking checking back several times (cool points). I had read the reviews on the bathrooms (and yeah I saw them, one faucet was totaly disconnected); but they seemed clean enough, more like outdated, especially compared to the pretty glass bowl sinks. There was soap, smelled clean, working toilets, and no trash in the stalls.... worked for me. As for the buffet, I started with the sushi because that's really what I wanted to know...could I get all I could eat sushi closer to home. They have a lot of sushi varieties and nigiri available and it all looked fresh, slightly chilled to touch. My first plate I was going to try some clams and some of the many MANY types of fish, flounder, differently prepared salmon, and muscles, and shrimp. And the first couple of sushi were doable, meh, ok. The rolls that were fried seemed like they were heavy on the breading and tasted like fried stuff does after it sat a tad too long and the others were heavy on sauce and maybe even rice. But, buffet sushi is a toss-up. I'd eat it and I did. Alas, I got a couple of rolls where the fish was chewy and I lost all appetite for the rest of anything raw. So, I moved on to the hot foods and there were sooooo many choices I took a bit of everything, from corn on the cob and pork chops to my favs like sweet and sour chicken and General Tso's chicken; I knew if I couldn't get my fave dishes here then it would be a wash. So, I had to try those; and those were all winners. And the cooked shrimp, the salmon (not honey mustard, pass on that one), rice noodles, and you could go on and on, all of those were great too. In fact, they didn't have that buffet taste that you sometimes get in buffets where all the dishes taste alike. They were each their own dish and tasty. Point is, even with out meh-ok sushi (that, yes, I will try again) this place is a bargain and a great place for food. And I haven't even tried their ice cream, their tea, or any of their soups....and I got all of that for 7:49 at lunch. Oh! lol, they have this chocolate fountain that you have to use a spoon to use, (I was so confused by that part), but if you have kids I'm sure they'd like it. And, in the front space their waiting room makes me want to sit there even though I have no reason to....it just feels like maybe Buddha is in there and I might find enlightenment, lol. It really is odd, such a nice sitting room. I like this place.
(4)Steve W.
If you have you ever been to a real seafood buffet, like on a coast or in Las Vegas, you are going to be disappointed with what Formosa has to offer. It isn't bad, but some sushi and Mongolian grill does not a seafood buffet make. This place is more of a Chinese restaurant that offers a larger oriental selection. Oriental buffet, yes. Seafood, no. They do have some sushi and crab legs, but that's about the extent of the offering. And the sushi they do have is quite limited. About half of it is made with fake crab. Overall, the food was good. They service was non existent, but I left full and with a fortune cookie. So I'm going to give it an extra star and round up to 3.
(2)Katrina D.
Ehhhhh. I was so excited to try this place after seeing so many five star reviews in the past six months, but my experience just wasn't five stars. There was a wide selection, but to me, there should have been more seafood since it is a seafood buffet. Crab legs, sushi, typical "Chinese" dishes, desserts, soups, traditional buffet fare, etc. Nothing I ate particularly stood out as great. It seemed to be lacking flavor. There was a make your own noodle soup bar and possibly some hibachi. I saw a guy grilling something and a customer watching him, but I didn't stop long enough to see what was really going on. The sushi was okay. Some of the rice was a little hard, but when I get sushi from a buffet I don't really expect much. They cover all the rolls with plastic wrap to keep them fresh, which was a little annoying to have to peel back to access each roll. On the plus side, there were a lot of sushi options to choose from (I filled a whole plate) and they weren't just your basic rolls. There were a few specialty rolls thrown in the mix. Definitely get the shrimp sauce with your sushi. Highlight of the meal since I normally can't find it up north. The service was good and the wait staff was friendly, thanking us for coming in and refilling our drinks. I think this buffet would be a better value at lunch, since it would only be $7. I also wish we had come on the weekend for brunch ($10) so we could have experienced the dim sum carts! Maybe I'll be back one day. Maybe...
(2)kristina S.
Trust the reviews!!!! I always want to be adventurous and give a try to different places, but when people say this place is bad, it is bad! The staff was very nice and sweet, but we went there for the food. Everything was dry and cold. I can't even imagine how long it's been sitting. We went during dinner later on in a week, so I was hoping the food would be fresh. I tried EVERYTHING! Not a single dish was decent. It was that bad. I am not a picky eater, but this was beyond disappointing. Yes... It is cheaper than other seafood buffet in the area, but at least there I enjoyed the food. Here I was just going from one dish to other hoping to find at least something decent. It was disappointment after disappointment. I would NEVER consider giving another chance and another try to this place.
(1)Cassandra M.
My fam and a friend went for dinner monday after hearing how much better and cheaper formosa was than journey and i will never go again. The food was not fresh and the sushi was not labeled. Sushi that should have been warm was cold and clearly hours old. I was considering giving it a second chance on a busier night so the food would possibly be better until i took my daughter to the restroom and witnessed a member of the kitchen staff use the urinal, not wash his hand and go back to work. I mentioned it to the manager and was told he will remind them they must wash hands. He did not say or do anything else. It left all of us grossed out and we will never go there again.
(1)Adrienne C.
I've yet to find a Chinese buffet I really like in Indianapolis. We have tried this place two times now wants for lunch once for dinner and were very disappointed both times. Waitress didn't refill drinks. The food and the seafood was subpar and there were very few dishes with vegetables and the food, especially the clams seem not so fresh. Bathroom not clean. Also, a bit overpriced. We won't be back.
(1)The Most Interesting Man In The W.
One of the better buffets in Indy. The Journey which is down the road is a lot better in terms of quality, turnover, and price though. The sushi there is much better than it is here.
(4)Peter P.
I had been to the former Chinese buffet at this location and when I returned to see its resurrection as Formosa Seafood Buffet, I was astounded. The owners must have spent a fortune renovating the interior. I barely recognized the place. The only feature I remember is the big fountain at the entrance and even that was changed significantly. The whole place is done in kind of a trendy black marble look. First of all, everything about this place is huge (see my pictures). In the buffet room, there are no fewer than 8 buffet islands to go along with the buffets that line the walls. The price is a bargain as well. $15.99 for dinner? This completely blows away the competition considering the number of items they have available. I think the $9.99 Saturday/Sunday brunch (i.e. dim sum) is the best deal. Dim sum in Indianapolis has a sad and sordid history. Traditional dim sum (the kind with rolling carts that pass by your table) just doesn't seem to be able to survive in this town. The alternative that has managed to hang on is ordering a la carte. Formosa manages to up the ante by offering a buffet version. There are about a dozen hot/cold items to choose from. Formosa Seafood Buffet really lives up to the "seafood" part of its name. There are several grilled fish and shrimp dishes. There is a large sushi bar in the back with nigiri, maki, and sashimi. They also have crawfish, squid, and several other seafood dishes that are too numerous to remember. As in most Chinese buffets now, there is a Mongolian grill on the right side where you can choose your ingredients and have someone cook it for you on the flattop. A nice addition in the back is the noodle soup bar. Pick your ingredients (shrimp, onions, fish balls, napa cabbage, etc.), your noodle (pho or ramen) and your broth (beef or chicken). Then someone cooks it for you. Yum. There is a huge room on the right side which can be reserved for large parties/wedding receptions, etc. In addition, there are 3 "VIP Rooms" on the left side which can be reserved for smaller functions. There is no additional charge to use these rooms. Simply call ahead and let the restaurant know how many people will be attending. They will simply charge you the normal buffet price based on the number of guests.
(4)Brian H.
If you really love all kinds of seafood I strongly recommend you head out to Formosa and give it a try. They have a good selection and the food seemed fresh and well prepared. I only have two major complaints. The first is their refresh rate was a little slow. There were items on the buffet that were depleted and never replenished during my time there which was about 2 hours. The second is based on personal opinion so you may take it with a grain of salt, but they didn't have any salmon.
(3)Amy C.
This place is just so subpar. Atmosphere is dark feeling and cold,the crab legs were cold and rubbery. Especially egregious were the various dumplings. They were dried out and hard to chew,sushi was pretty much inedible. We go to a lot of Chinese buffets around town cause the kids love them. Quality can be an issue however,and Formosa was one of the worst.
(1)Jemmie W.
First, the lunch buffet is $8. You can barely get a POS sandwich from Jimmy John's for $8. At Formosa Seafood Buffet, you get an incredibly huge selection of pretty decent quality food. Second, no, the quality of food is not the highest quality. No, the sushi is not as good as Sakura's. But you just paid $8 for all-you-can-eat and have a selection of literally about 70 things. Are you really comparing an $8 buffet to a high quality sushi restaurant where $8 buys you a small dish of edamame that they bought frozen for about $0.50 per pound? I just came back from Las Vegas and even the $30-$40 buffets at Bellagio and Wynn have crap sushi. For $8, you're getting all you can eat selection of about 70 items. The food is pretty good quality - especially for $8. The dinner buffet costs a few bucks more and the selection is even larger. Again, the quality of the food is not top notch but you're paying $14 for a dinner buffet. A very mediocre burger and half of an appetizer at Applebee's is $14.
(5)Tony B.
Not great for dinner. Food stops being made after 7:30 and is not fresh later on day. Good service made it better. Management will make fresh if you say something to your server. A 3.5 would've been a more accurate score. Definitely better value and flavor for lunch
(4)Anna L.
My family and I decided to grab a quick lunch, given the variety to choose from to satisfy everyone's taste buds. Wait staff is ethnically varied, although inexperienced and looks bad when they sit around the dining areas. We were seated at a booth with chair pads and a low marble tabletop reminiscent of faux-Japanese design. A little uncomfortable hunched over the table considering I'm already petite. On to the buffet...their sushi selection was minimal with fish nigiri as thin as paper. Freshness is a must for sushi!!! I took a bite of raw tilapia nigiri and it literally tasted muddy. Tuna chunks were chewy and had a fishy smell. Luckily I didn't end up with a tummy ache. Buffet sushi is way better at The Journey, if you're just there for the sushi. There was standard Americanized Chinese fare such as chicken with broccoli (never goes wrong), fried items, and filler foods like oddly stuffed savory pastries and casserole concoctions. For a seafood place, I only saw clams, shrimp, and very little fish. Dessert consisted of a scoop your own ice cream (many flavors) and a semi working chocolate fountain. There are many other options I didn't try such as the teppanyaki grill, soup noodles, and salad bar. But, for a family of 4 on a weekday lunch, bill came up to be around $35 which is pretty reasonable.
(2)Bubba S.
Hmmmm
(1)Rabon B.
Well I am kinda a food snob so take this with a grain of sand. My favorite was the fortune cookie. The crab legs were way too cooked and mushy my "sushi roll" had cream cheese that was a little too sour, overall not impressed. I probably will not be back unless MAYBEE on a really busy night when they have no choice but too keep the food coming out. Fast food fried sandwich would have been more satisfying. (Sorry if you are a fan of this place)
(1)Traveling J.
Very bad all the way around. There is no reason to visit this place. The food is dry, low quality, tasteless, and just not good. The booth is uncomfortable, the washroom is disgusting, and the place is cold. Typical Chinese all you can eat buffet and I recommend you stay away.
(1)Tonya B.
Soups that are sitting near floor level was a turn off.
(3)Phi N.
My rating isn't a fair assessment because I never like these kinds of buffets... sushi has all the imitation stuff inside and no fish. The chinese and the american foods aren't that tasty either. Vegetables don't even taste healthy, lol (super oily/greasy). The best part about this buffet, as with most others, is the fruit that they offer. Service is better than most other chinese restaurants and there is lots of space and seating (opposed to many chinese restaurants who try to maximize their space).
(2)Bhajahari M.
Very bland and stale food. Don't eat anything other than grilled stuff. The quality dropped significantly.
(1)Jun P.
Pretty good Chinese buffet restaurant. It is a bit pricy for dinner time but if you come in earlier for lunch it is a great deal. Have a wide variety of selections. Has a few dimsum selections and a few authentic Chinese food as well. This place also has great desert with a wide variety of ice cream. Interior looks nice and clean. Well spaced and pretty big so there is a lot of room even when it gets busy. Overall, I would recommend this place.
(4)Cherish M.
Not your typical Chinese buffet. The food presentation is nice, clean, and fresh. There is a variety of options of Americanized Chinese food and some authentic treats. There is even a noodle soup bar to make your own soup. By far this is the best Chinese buffet I have been to in Indiana. No complaints here.
(5)Dawn H.
Most of the items were good. Crab legs small but tasty. Sushi good for price. Bathrooms not so clean. Restaurant clean. Lots of choices.
(3)Dan W.
This place is a bit pricey for dinner, but a great deal for lunch. Some of the food items aren't great, general Tso chicken, but other items such as the black pepper chicken are worth the visit. The sushi selection and taste is surprisingly good. It feels like the sushi is fresh every time I have visited.
(4)Michael N.
Let's start by saying I would not even feed this food to my dog! I am very surprise they have not made anyone sick. The sushi was old and has change color. The food was badly made and use the lowest grade ingredients. I first thought it was because it had sat for awhile so I wait till they bring out freshly made dishes from the kitchen. That is not the case. Still taste bad and feels unclean. I do not feel like these people care what they put out. They are in for the quick money and not for the long run. This place is dirty, dark and serve bad food. I do not recommend this place if your value your health.
(1)JoAnn L.
So far crab legs are good and sushi is on point. I'm not big on buffets, but I'll come again. Oh and the cheesy crab bake is delicious. So no complaints here as of yet. Keep watching because you know I'll rule them out if I taste anything that ain't about the right.
(4)Mak J.
Not a bad Asian buffet. I came here craving spring rolls and got so much more. Everything seemed pretty fresh. The shrimp was a bit on the rubbery side, but the sushi was very tasty. Huge selection for a lunch buffet and at a very fair price. I also loved the tacky, Vegas style, outer space themed decor. I am a sucker for things like that. And the place is huge. I will probably go back but not on my lunch hour from work because there is so much food that I literally need more time than an hour to eat to my hearts content without feeling rushed. Also, just a note, the parking lot is a little weird and hard to figure out. Just be prepared.
(3)Sandy Z.
The worst ever!! Just there around 8:30, buffet was empty decided to just eat the habachi instead. Got the plate for it and was told the grill was closed. Really? Might as well have closed for the day then!!!
(1)Jason H.
We ate here on a Friday evening for dinner. Like everyone has said there is a great selection of food but the food quality was below average. First off, they did not have the hibachi section going at any point in time we were there but I don't think that would have saved the meal. The sushi looked good on first glance but after eating a few pieces I was disappointed, the fish pieces for the nigiri was unbelievably small and thin, probably 20% the size of a normal sushi place and and about 50% the size of sushi on other buffets. Then to make it even worse the rice as blah, it was like the steamed the rice and did nothing else with it. The wasabi was watery and flavorless. The Asian food on the buffet was all prepared too far in advance and lacked the freshness that good Asian food should have. The American food tasted like pre-packaged items from Sysco or GFS, they really had no taste. The salad bar was lacking and the fruit quality was poor. Remember people, a little bit of something good is better than a huge serving of poo.
(2)The Yelp-inator W.
Decent selection with lots to choose from. Food quality was fair I wish the sushi was better quality. if I could rate them 3.5 ....I would
(4)Cameron T.
This place is awesome! SO many options. I had several types of salmon, shrimp, and crab, as well as many other delicious things as well as sushi. The environment was also amazing. Very classy for a buffet.
(5)Bodie S.
Formosa Seafood Buffet not only surprised me with its lavish, fancy setting, but it completely blew my mind with its impossibly big selection of foodstuffs. A friend of mine went here with his parents a few times, and he highly recommend that we all go, and as I'm not one to pass up a Chinese food buffet and sushi bar, I was instantly sold on the idea. The building is huge, with fountains in the lobby, and very interesting tables to eat at. The waiters were decent (although our server charger my friend's check on my credit card) but the food easily made up for this mistake. The all-you-can-eat sushi bar was out of this world. The time, effort, and detail these sushi chefs put into each roll was amazing. I couldn't help but complement the men behind the counter for the sushi rolls they were creating. I ate so much sushi I thought my stomach was going to explode. Not only does Formosa have an epic sushi bar, but also has a seemingly never-ending Chinese buffet with all your favorites, such as pepper chicken, small, bite-sized crab ragoon, egg rolls, coconut chicken, grilled shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, beef and broccoli, and so much more. They also had things such as chicken fingers, pizza, and French fries for your not so adventurous customers. They have every soup you could possibly think of available, and their miso soup was great. They also had authentic Chinese foods, such a pig nose, chicken feet, and some other items. We went here on a Sunday lunch buffet and the meal was around $10, which is great for the quality and variety of food.
(4)Kari R.
Pretty darn good for a buffet. For the price the food and selection is better than what I expected.
(4)Catherine K.
I am not a huge buffet fan -- having had a gastric bypass, I really am not going to get my money's worth! -- but the fiance loves them. So as long as he pays, I'll go. I was expecting more seafood, given that "seafood" is in the name of the place. But, really there wasn't any more seafood than at any other higher-end buffet. I had the stir-fry with beef; it was pretty good. Of course they don't have all of the options of say, B.D.'s Mongolian Grill, but it was alright. I had a few items that were outstanding, including the Thai Chicken. A nice touch is that they brought around a dim sum cart and allowed us to choose what we wanted. The buffet was busy and, of course, a lot of people seemed to have the buffet mindset of "OMG! FOOD! IT'S ALL MINE! GET OUT OF THE WAY! FOOD!" The servers were hit or miss ... some just barreled past me while I was going to my seat while others let customers pass before proceeding. Lunch on a Saturday, with one beverage, cost about $20. Not a bad deal.
(4)Dana H.
I wasn't too impressed with the choices on the buffet. A lot of the dishes weren't labeled, and I wasn't sure what they were, so I didn't pick them up - I was left with what you would get at a cheaper Chinese buffet. My husband tried the Mongolian BBQ and said it wasn't great. There was no way to season the food (garlic, soy sauce, hot sauce, ginger, etc), so it was all very bland and basically tasted oily. The dessert buffet was the biggest disappointment. It looks A LOT better on their website than it did when we were in. It was just the usual Chinese buffet desserts, while the website advertises cakes, etc. Also, they had a chocolate fountain, but it wasn't running. By the time we were ready to leave, the temperature was up to 96 degrees - I'm guessing that's not up to code, but then again I'm not from the health department either...it just seemed like the ideal temperature for bacteria to grow. We stayed far away from it, but people were still using it - ANYWAY, long story...long...not a place I would be interested in going to again.
(2)Leo M.
The place did not meet my expectations. Great location, good environment, great decor but the food was not fresh, nothing I tried tasted fresh. They put out rotten limes, and when I asked for fresh ones or maybe lemons two different workers said that that's all they had. I will not return.
(2)William B.
For the price of the food, you would expect something better. Last time I ate here, we had to change tables due to a roach being right next to my head on the wall. Every time I eat here, it seems that the food quality gets worse and worse. I finally decided to stop eating here after the roach experience. Maybe the lot is too big, so that's why the overcharge for food, but it's definitely not worth it. I enjoy the variety, but the quality is sub-par.
(2)Pete W.
Had an amazing experience. The food was fresh, plentiful and always full. This restaurant epitomizes "Seafood" In the local vicinity. I was told otherwise, but am glad I gave Formosa a chance. I am definitely dining there every time I'm in this part of Indy.
(5)Kent H.
First time there halfway through our meal, a cockroach crawled on my wife's lap. The manager let me know they have had a problem and offered to take 5 dollars off. Will not be going back.
(1)Stephanie U.
I went here for dinner and was impressed by the decor and the size of the place. They have one of the largest selections of food (and definitely had a lot of seafood and sushi) I've seen in a buffet like this. The service was fine and they seemed to keep the food trays well-stocked. Unfortunately I thought the food was terrible. It was all very bland and just not good. I thought the best part was the ice-cream (which I'm pretty sure they don't make) and the chocolate fountain. The crab wasn't too bad either. We got a good deal on a pack of about 4 gift certificates, and we won't even go back to use the rest of them.
(1)John C.
The place is clean, my server was happy & helpful. The food was tasty with lots of variety AND they have a Mongolian Grill. Everything I want in a Chinese buffet joint. The eggrolls are good, there is a chocolate fountain (DO NOT mix the two!) . I had a friend that called me as I was finishing up a late lunch and he wanted to try the place. Even though they were closed, I let my server know and the management was nice enough to let him in to join me. We had a great lunch and the server was happy to help us, not the complacent or even the dejected server you get at other buffets. The grill is supa-tasty! They have black urinals! The restroom is nicely decorated and clean. That is a HUGE plus sign! Ever been to a place where you didn't want to wash your hands because the sink looked infected? Not this joint! Shiny! I think it's funny that they have pictures of the European zodiac around since China doesn't use the European zodiac (Libra, Leo, Aquarius, etc) but hey, at least they still have the obligatory long mural on the wall. There must be a law somewhere that Chinese restaurants must have a mural, offer a lunch buffet and on that buffet must be chocolate pudding! (I love me some chocolate pudding.) Overall, I was happy to recommend Formosa and will return. BTW, enjoy the calimari. :) --John MyCarDoc.com
(4)Ming Yee K.
Worst buffet ever!! Who charge $17 for dryup food!! The only thing couldve save the meal was Mongolian grill ,but is closeed ! Terrible !!
(1)Garvy S.
I actually like this place more than Journeys. I have been to Journeys and there variety of food is not as great as Formosa. This place has everything. I enjoyed everything from the Mongolian grill to hot entrees. One thing i did not enjoy was the house special noodles. It was so salty. I took one sip of the soup and I could barely take it in. I couldnt even seem to take another bite. The server Steve was absolutely attentive and very helpful. I would totally choose this place over Journeys any day. There varieties is better and there snow crabs was juicy !!
(4)Leslie H.
We came here not trying to expect anything good, we didn't know we were in for a surprise. The minute you walk in, you'll be impressed how big this place is. Plus for a dinner buffet at $13/pp, it's not a bad deal at all. They even have a sweet tea which was delish! Plus, service was great and there's plenty of parking. They also accept Amex card which is definitely a plus.
(4)Justin A.
Clean buffet with more options than a single person can sample in one visit. I would venture to say that this is currently the best "Asian Buffet" in Indianapolis. They restaurant should of had 5-stars, but I needed to deduct a star because the waiter kept interjecting pointed questions after eavesdropping into my highly personal conversation with long-lost friends. The waiter also told our entire table (females included) that he had "never seen anyone eat that much sushi in his whole life." Bad form bro - minus one star - for initiating early mid-life crises centered around accusatory over-eating by a disheveled young buffet waiter.
(4)Lucy H.
Formosa Seafood Buffet is owned by the same people who own 8 China Buffet, just up the road. It's shiny and brand new right now, and obviously meant to go head-to-head with Journey for the higher-priced buffet market. The theme, at least in the room we were in, was astrological; there was a large image of a bridge of stars and two Chinese mythological figures on one wall, and smaller plaques of the Western zodiac signs around the room. The waitstaff are of more varied ethnicity than I'm used to at an Asian buffet, friendly, and fast-moving. Upon arriving at our table we were greeted by a woman with a cart of various soups such as congee (a personal favourite). There were also a few carts of dim sum items going around. I feel bad that we weren't hungry enough to do the place justice on this trip. The food was varied and kept refreshed, and there was a long counter with a wide variety of sushi rolls. My personal favourite for sheer novelty was what appeared to be kappa uramaki topped with slices of kiwi fruit and a dot of strawberry sauce on each slice! The buffet items were about what you'd expect; fried items, main dishes, various shellfish, roast meats, salad, pastries, fruit/vegetables, and a large cooler table full of ice cream. The food that we tried was good and kept refreshed, with a good balance of buffet standards and more unusual items. It was very good overall, and we're definitely going to come back on a day when we're a little hungrier!
(4)Brian H.
Folks who eat at these types of mega-buffets should have a self-imposed limitation on what they expect from the food. Things to remember: -most of it will have been sitting under the lamps for long enough to be past it's prime. -the crab legs will probably not be huge. -the sushi isn't going to be fancy. -odd are nothing you eat is going to blow your socks off. Having said all that, Formosa actually does a very nice job of presenting some tasty options. Any time I can walk away from a buffet with crab legs (small but plentiful), oysters on the half shell (pretty good actually), and roll sushi (creatively done...not just the typical utility stuff), I'm a happy guy. I'm sure we'll be back.
(4)Brandon D.
Had been there before, and it was okay (nothing too good for the money -- Teppanyaki Grill is better). Then we went for Father's Day for lunch. Normal Sunday brunch price is $9.99. For Father's Day, however, they raised prices to $15.99 all day. We won't be going back -- certainly not worth that kind of money.
(1)Jenny A.
my family went there on sat. for brunch, its because they had Dim Sum serve. It's ok but nothing special. They have very large selection but everything taste so so, it can be much better.
(2)Hiep D.
The best buffet I've been to so far. This looks like a restaurant with Vietnamese owner, they play vietnamese songs in the restroom and also has Indy-Viet-Bao around the waiting section. Regarding the food, they have a lot of variety. The crab legs keeps get on refilled unlike other buffet. They also have fried blue crab and fried crawfish on top of steamed crab legs and steamed clam. They also have a mongolian stall where you select the item and let the chief cook it for you. 2 separate sushi stalls with different kind of sushi. There are raw oysters for those who like them. Their ice scream selection is also huge unlike regular chinese buffet where you only have vanilla to enjoy. There's also a chocolate fountain to top the ice cream. Overall I'm really satisfied with the buffet, and came back there the 2nd time around on the same week.
(5)Shi K.
I love this place. We go there everytime my husband is home. He works out of town and he gets home a few times a month. And when he comes home this is always a must. The food is amazing and so many choices. I love the Chocolate fountain. They also don't stand over you like many buffets. My drinks are always full and the atmosphere is gorgeous. We take our kids here and they love it as well. My daughter doesn't eat asian food but she loves the little fried chicken drummettes, corn, salad, and all the fruits. I'm a vegetarian and there is plenty here for me as well. And my boys well they love everything. The grill chef is really nice and a great cook. We've been waited on twice by Justin and he is our favorite waiter. He is always so nice and really knows what it means to be a server and to treat the customers right. Can't wait to go back this weekend.
(5)Tom T.
I can never give a buffet a grade better than 3 stars, by virtue of the concept. So look at this review as a fantastic review. I only go the Mongolian grill portion, as I prefer my food freshly prepared and not dropped into a 500 gallon bucket of boiling oil. The selection is nice, with chicken, beef and pork options. Shrimp is available. All vegetables looked the correct color, which is nice, but not necessarily expected at a buffet. The key to the place is a new invention of mine. Take those fried biscuits covered in sugar (unfortunately, they may been dropped into a 500 gallon bucket of boil oil in their preparation), put it on a stick with a strawberry. Saunter to the chocolate fountain, insert the biscuit and strawberry, cover in 3 pounds of chocolate, and voila, you have a new dessert I call a Little Piece of Peking Heaven, not to be confused with the sauce of Sum Yung Giy.
(3)Neal P.
See below for hours and prices. Note they are closed from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. They are located immediately north of Denny's on East 82nd in Castleton. If you're going East-bound on 82nd, turn north on Center Run Road, then turn left as if you're going to Denny's. If you're West-bound on 82nd, just turn in at Denny's. (It's in the same building as Sapporo.) You can NOT get there from the Castleton Square Mall parking lot; you have to go back out to 82nd Street (or up to 86th Street, and then back around Center Run Road.) The good: - Lunch price is VERY good. Plus you can find $1 off lunch coupons, or $2 off dinner coupons in mailers. - all is shiny new. - the decor and ambience is pretty fancy, high class. - the service is good (getting your drink, refills, clearing plates, bringing the check.) - they have a grill-to-order, where you assemble your meats and veggies and hand to the cook to grill it. - fancy dipped ice cream for dessert. - fresh salad bar, and lots of nice fruits, lunch included fresh papaya and mango. - They have a separate "banquet" type room of tables for large groups, like 200 people, no extra charge. - They have three private rooms for 20 to 30 people, no extra charge. The not so good: - Not enough light in the men's room. - water leak on floor in men's room. - most of the hot food in the steam trays was "meh". - By 1:30pm, the buffet sushi (at least the nigiri) was bad. I sampled 3 or 4 types of nigiri and, and two types of roll sushi. You have to keep sushi/sashimi/nigiri cold and under plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out. And they didn't do that here (at least not today.) The first piece was kind of dry, but I figured they can't all be bad. But I should have held to a high standard. If the raw fish is dry or tough, use a napkin and spit it out. Unfortunately I didn't follow my rule, and my tummy started rumbling after I finished the nigiri and salad. (Let's just say I had "intestinal distress" about 3:00pm, and luckily made it to the bathroom in time. ) The thing with buffets is you have to get there shortly after they put the food out. The rest of the steam trays (hot food) seemed like it had been sitting out or had been cooked since they opened at 11:00am. So you normally want to get to a buffet at prime time or the height of the lunch or dinner rush to get fresh food. And unfortunately, I was a little too late for that. The hot entrees were a little old, and had been sitting around too long. Frankly, I've had equal or better food for lunch at less fancy Chinese buffets. But for $8 plus drink (or $7 plus drink after coupon) for all you can eat, including ice cream, it was still a deal (except for the bad nigiri). But I didn't get around to trying the grill-to-order stuff. So I'll do that next time. And, this was a lunch visit, so I didn't expect to get a super-deal high-quality for only $8 (less coupon) anyway. It's a rare exception to get decent sushi at any buffet. If it's not kept under plastic film, and kept cold on a bed of ice, don't even bother. If you want quality sushi/sashimi/nigiri done right, go around the corner to Sapporo, or two buildings East to Asaka. Prices vary by time of day, AND day of week. Below prices do NOT include drink, tax, or tip. Lunch, Monday, Friday 11:00am - 3:00pm, Adult $7.99. Brunch, Saturday, Sunday: 11:00am - 3:00pm, Adult $9.99. Dinner: Monday, Thursday: 5:00pm - 9:30pm, Adult $13.99. Dinner: Friday, Saturday 5:00pm - 10:30pm, Sunday 5:00pm - 9:30pm, Adult $15.99. Holiday All Day Dinner Adult $15.99. I'll have to update the review after going back a couple times; once more for lunch at an earlier time, and again for dinner.
(3)Joe L.
Not bad for a buffet. My comments are for lunch only. My 4 star rating is based on very reasonable lunch price...They recently reduced lunch price to 6.95 {from 7.95} and offer a 20% {previously 10% } senior discount, so if you are over 60 costs only 5.60 which is a great buy. I would only rate 3 stars if lunch were over 7.00. Dinner is 15.95 and although I did not have dinner, would think it is probably over priced. Very large assortment of foods including a grill {mongoleon bbq} so you can select your own ingredients and have it prepared for you. Most hot entrees were pretty good. Because they get a large crowd, most food items turn over quickly and have not been out for long periods like some buffets. I especially iced the steamed fish, calamari, and shrimp cocktail. Sushi is included and was ok...not great. They had 4 or 5 soup selections. Egg drop soup was average. Several of the other soups looked unusual {shrimp ball soup-which was rather bland and fish maw soup}. Good selection of fruit for dessert. Server was friendly and attentive.
(4)Alan S.
Disappointing. I applaud the effort to compete with Journey but Formosa comes up short. The sushi and rolls aren't labeled so I had no idea what I was looking at. The food in general was average "Chinese buffet" quality at best and the selection was fairly limited. The atmosphere is pretty nice but service wasn't great. The dim sum carts is an excellent idea as Indy doesn't have a decent dim sum restaurant. However, once again the selection is limited. You may save money compared to Journey but it's nowhere near the quality.
(1)Stuart S.
This is my new business lunch location. Certainly worth the hour and a half ride to get there. Food is fantastic. Few buffets offer real food prepared in a healthful way but Formosa certainly does. Sushi is tip-top, salmon is always great. Fruit and veggies are fresh and ripe. Everyone who I have taken there has thanked me for introducing them to this place. All have said they returned and loved it. An entire buffet at the price of a sandwich elsewhere just can't be beat. The waiter John has served me most often and has been outstanding. AAAA+++++
(5)Steven N.
This place is a pretty average buffet. If you want to eat cheaply and be full then this place is fine. If you want sushi, go to Sapporo next door instead. If you want good seafood, even Red Lobster is better. But, this is still a decently priced buffet with a good selection. If you have reasonable expectations, then you will be a satisfied customer. Just don't expect a world-class experience.
(2)Yvonne M.
No surprises here. Go back to 8 China buffet.
(2)Anthony N.
I have been here a few times for lunch. The price is ok. I think the sushi is always good as for the other food I guess it depends on the chef. Last I was here a salmon dish was to die for, today I could not eat but a few bites. Our server is very polite and attentive, our table is cleared and drinks are kept full.
(4)Amber S.
Inside was nicer than I expected. Very clean. Good selection of food. Great for a buffet like this.
(3)Deborah M.
Oh my gosh!, my husband and I wanted some seafood and went to bonefish grill to eat,,,,,the wait was over 40 minutes so we looked at YELP for some seafood that was close by,,,, Formosa seafood buffet came up and the reviews were good,,,however we should have trusted our instincts when the restaurant was almost empty at 7:30 on a Friday night. Unfortunately we stayed, it was the worst food that I have had in a long time. There is an abundant selection but unfortunately it all tasted the same and the texture of the shrimp was rubbery. The best thing on the buffet was the fruit, good pineapple! My husband and I have eaten at many good restaurants in Indianapolis ,this was not one of them. Next time we will wait 40 min. And eat at Bonefish!
(1)Denise L.
This place was average in my opinion. It's like journey an overpriced Chinese buffet. I got there just as they opened on Sunday. I could be wrong, but the hostesses hair looked uncombed. Like she rolled out of bed & came to work. Within ten fifteen minutes she had pulled her hair up. That was gross seeing how she is one of the first representations you get of the restaurant. We were quickly seated & the waiter was okay. He came to our table once to ask if we wanted refills, but left the empty plates that sat where he stood. He also took the change as a tip & didn't ask (THAT IRKS ME!). They also had a lady that came around with a tray of things you can sample, which was different & cool! The food on the bar was like any other Chinese buffet in my opinion (but hey, who am I *just a yelper*.) They did have a Mongolian grill which I absolutely love. They had shrimp of course & imitation crab. Now for the big turn off..the lady was quickly refilling the food as the dishes became empty on the bar. Now a few of the crab rangoons fell onto the bar (in the place where we would hold our plates or put our hands) & she put them back in with the crab rangoons. Now if she did that I was standing there what on earth are they doing back in the kitchen???
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