Royal Buffet

My first (and last) experience at Royal Buffet came right in the middle of dinner time, usually a good time for buffets because the food will be fresh. This was not the case. Just about everything I tried was lukewarm, dry, and rubbery. The sushi rice was soupy like it had been sitting out all day. The chicken teriyaki and fried bananas were so rubbery I could barely cut them. I could taste the hormones that were injected into the salmon that was all dried out and covered with cheese. The dessert I tried literally tasted like a sponge. It had no flavor whatsoever. Just when I thought this place could be saved when I saw that instead of the typical watery soft serve, they had actual Blue Bell Ice Cream, I was once again crushed to get up to the freezer and find it completely empty. There are a number of buffets in Austin with better selection, way better food, and they're the same price, if not cheaper.

When I first came here, this was a better step than the previous restaurant that vacated the location, which was Ryan's. Since then, it has kind of gone down hill. The food was not as fresh, and it seemed like there was not much variety compared to other buffets. The night I went, they had crab legs, and I am a BIG crab leg fan. Unfortunately, the legs they served seemed like they been sitting in the steamer way too long. They were rubbery and soft, and it was hard to break open a crab leg due to the mush. The other items they had were either bland or soggy, and not much taste. When it first opened, the place was packed, but since then, it was probably a quarter full. I would think that this place would not last much longer.

I do not how to describe this place other than absolutely appalling. I went there thinking that this was Ryans haha, but man was I severely disappointed. I went in an hour before closing and I admit that I am sure they were closing but still there was barely any food or any food selections and there was one sushi left out when i went by the sushi bar. Upon making my selections of food and returning to my table I noticed that my Dr. Pepper tasted like baking soda, but then it got worse as I picked up my first bite of food. Immediately I knew we should have gone to Chipotle up the road. When the experience was finally over I received a super high receipt of 28 dollars for my wife and I. I felt the food to be worth 15 for both of us and that is me being generous. All in all if you must come here which I see no reason how or why you would then you shouldn't.

This was the place my family had just went to this past Mother's Day for lunch, and to my surprise upon coming into the entrance, this wasn't Ryans, which was just where I was anticipating we would eat. I thought overall that the food was meh on some selections (even though I thought too their entire selection of food was somewhat limited). Our server acted a little awkward which made some of us a little awkward ourselves eating, plus we were later slapped with a $100 bill (as a fam. of six). While mom and dad went back to the car dissatisfied with what we wasted our money on, I really started to miss the former Ryans--it tasted so much better too. Not to mention the sign for Royal Buffet uses the same lettering as the former restaurant...cheap!

This has been thee worse Chinese food buffett I have ever been to. The food was totally inedible. The spring rolls tasted like they were lunch layovers and the won-ton soup need added seasoning, without it, it was worse than a cardiac diet. The service was very poor. The buffett items were at room temperature or colder. The meat items were chewy and tough to eat. Overall, the food had no taste to it. Royal Buffett does not match with the ads they have on TV and the radio.

My fiancee and I just returned from dining at Royal Buffet... my thoughts walking out? "Are you f* kidding me?!" I had half a mind to go back inside and raise hell. Let's start with the begging. We had only been here once before on Christmas night due to plans falling through with family and us having nothing to eat. The place was packed and was chaotic, so I couldn't give a good review. Tonight the place showed its true colors. Upon arriving, they had a big poster inside the first set of doors saying "2 dine for $20 starting April 22nd!" We were very surprised and excited by this. Dinner was mediocre, I liked the sushi selection, but you have to be careful of what you grab, some of the raw fish looked like it was drying... The hot food was no better than any random buffet style Chinese food. What truely changed my whole view of the place started with the bill. The waitress came and plopped it down on the table while we were starting to have dessert. Then, looking at the check it showed "27.95" after drinks. What happened to the 2 dine for 20? I understood the drinks wouldn't be included, but even with tax 2 sodas should NOT have been almost 8 bucks when we received no refills. We shrugged it off and decided to not make a big deal out of it. It was at that moment that our waitress returned, and as I am bringing my spoon to my mouth, she snatches my plate right out from under me! I was shocked! She saw my reaction and said "oh, your still eating?" but didn't put my plate back down. I looked at her then looked at what I was about to eat as if to say "what on earth gave you THAT idea?" I took the plate back and was polite about me not being done and she storms off. I didn't even know what to think at that moment, my fiancee was speechless. I didn't eat anything more, we just wanted to leave. We took our check to the front counter to pay. The woman manning the front end (I'm assuming shes either the head waitress or a manager) did not once ask how our meal was. Instead she was ranting and raving the entire time on the phone, almost to the point of yelling. My fiance hands her his credit card and she swipes it through the machine and then just literally throws it back to him, over the counter, onto the floor!! My jaw dropped and I said out loud "What the HELL??" She completely ignored what she did and never said 1 word to us. With how horribly RUDE we were treated here, I wanted our money back, but my fiancee is a better person than me and led me out, saying to me on the way "Well, good thing you love to review places." We will never return to this place. I suggest you do the same if you want to be treated with a shred of dignity.