Great Plaza Buffet
American, chinese, japanese · San Diego
About Great Plaza Buffet
At the Great Plaza Buffet, we're dedicated to serving up a taste of San Diego's diverse flavors under one roof. As a large, relaxed buffet restaurant, we offer a vast array of Asian and American dishes for lunch and dinner. Our customers rave about our wide selection of quality food, including our s...
At the Great Plaza Buffet, we're dedicated to serving up a taste of San Diego's diverse flavors under one roof. As a large, relaxed buffet restaurant, we offer a vast array of Asian and American dishes for lunch and dinner. Our customers rave about our wide selection of quality food, including our signature sushi station. The warm ambiance of our dining space, complete with lush greenery and natural lighting, makes us the perfect spot to gather with friends and family. With attentive service that's always friendly and helpful, we're here to make your mealtime experience unforgettable.
What Customers Say About Great Plaza Buffet
Great Plaza Buffet is a popular San Diego spot known for its huge variety of fresh Asian and American food, including sushi and seafood. Customers consistently praise the friendly staff, clean environment, and affordable prices, making it a local favorite for over 20 years.
Popular Dishes
Best For
Tip: The variety is insane, so try a little bit of everything. The stir-fried Mongolian plate is a must-try.
Features
What to see nearby
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Explore the area around Great Plaza Buffet
Great Plaza Buffet is located in San Diego, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.
Parks & Gardens
- Pacific Beach Community Park (A 723m) — park in the United States of America
- Northern Wildlife Preserve (A 916m) — park in the United States of America
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Frequently asked questions about Great Plaza Buffet
Great Plaza Buffet San Diego Reviews
Came here for a family outting great selecting Decent selection of seafood, Asian stirfry vegetables, desserts, great family atmosphere got the buffet for $23 and a beer for $7 for 3 people it comes to about $88. Staff was friendly. The atmosphere was clean. Restrooms were clean plenty of parking.
Really enjoyed!sushi rolls and fruits was fresh and there was a lot of choice. Also the Mongolian stir fry must have garlic superb! This place deserves to be called great plaza buffet! Very nice, clean and the staff is friendly. Will definitely come again
Amazing selection of items. They have a Habichi grill with a good selection of vegetables and meats to have grilled. They also have sushi and other Asian dishes. They also had a nice dessert selection including real ice cream that you hand scoop yourself. Pricing was very reasonable.
Everything tasted fresh and there were lots of great options for different cravings. I’ll definitely come back again!
Never a disappointment. Highly recommend this buffet! The host always making sure we are seated right away! She is so friendly and sweet and always positive! Our waitress always making sure we are okay, and taking our plates when we are done eating, I give this place more than 5 stars! Their food is always fresh and delicious!! 😋 We are known as Dr Pepper family! Lol we LOVE DR PEPPER!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
1st time and not my last. Fast and efficient service along with some quality food. You can tell their ingredients aren't your average ones. All dishes and desserts bring delight to your taste buds. A must try if your in San Diego and have a grwat appetite.
Great place to eat with all family. Fresh food, beautiful and clean interior, friendly staff, low price! Highly recommended!
Great for afternoon walk-ins, birthdays and family celebrations. Our family has been going to this buffet for over 20 years. This restaurant has had multiple management, ownership and name changes: Through it all, it is still very good. A good addition that they performed years ago is the fresh stir fry grill, not the same as "Mongolian barbecue," but very close. This is a value-add for anyone who likes or needs food prepared fresh, always done very well, even at highest traffic times. Their sushi bar is very good, and their wasabi is on point. Look for coupons, get the birthday meal free (bring the email), and enjoy one of the few remaining good buffets in this area. I won't include photos, but we have some of when our kids were very young, now they're all adults, we've liked this buffet for a long time.
We visited here on Christmas Eve night. I enjoy sashimi. This buffet has a limited selection of that. And sushi. They choices, although small appeared fresh (not a busy night, so items may sit for periods of time). The buffet offered their usual choices like those found at most Chinese buffets. The pictures shared by other reviewers show the offerings. From the buffet, I ate the coconut shrimp, shrimp with vegetables, and roast beef. The items were tasty. My only complaint was this restaurant did not have traditional soy sauce, tamari, for customers who would like an alternative to soy sauce brewed with wheat.
best local buffet ever. stire mongolian plate is bomb ive been once in a month for 15 years. fresh food quality and consistency of taste never changed. im supporting local businesses
Amazing buffet line, all great food. They must work 'round the clock to produce all those remarkable dishes, savory and sweet. A buffet line that will truly astonish you, and they'll grill up whatever you wish as you watch. A gem...
Went here for the first time on my sister's birthday. The food was really good I really like the sushi options they had. You should try a little bit of eating its supper good.
I have been dying to go to a buffet for years now. Not many survived after Covid. When I would find one the reviews are not the best. The price seems normal even pre Covid. The food was Great. The staff was Absolutely awesome and amazing. The cashier, the waitress and the other waiter in are area were perfect. They were knowledgeable about what the had in stock for drinks and the one time they weren't sure the waitress went to check and came back in 2 minutes with the answer and quickly brought out our drinks. They were quick about clearing our table of the dirty plates. The women's restroom was very clean. My sister, daughter and I were the last customer's to finish and leave for the night. Not once did anyone ask or rush us to leave. All closing staff were waiting for us to leave before they started to clean. That shows safety. Yes it was a Wednesday night when we went. Maybe that was the reason but they seemed pretty busy when we got there. I don't think that makes much difference. There are many signs that they are like that every day. Thank you for a wonderful experience. I will be returning for sure.
Stuffed. Bike ride and paperwork for me ! Yay Neighbor John and I went to the all-you-can-eat buffet yesterday. 😋I had 1 plate of sushi , a bowl of tofu eggdrop soup, 2 plates of various protein (ribs chikn shrimp), 1 plate of veggies, and 2 soup bowls of cakes and ice cream +flan. . Then we walked home, just over half+ mile.
It was fresh and delicious seafood, vegetables and side dishes. There were delicious desserts, chocolate fondant and fruit. Very pleasant and friendly service. Thanks a lot. I really liked the place. I recommend. Must try: tuna fish, shrimp with corn, seafood in sweet and sour sauce and baked mussels.
The food was really good! Taste wise nearly everything was good, but my favorite was definitely the salmon and the chicken wings (seriously, they were huge and far from dry). They even have a cotton candy machine at the entrance that was kinda cool, and the staff were very attentive to our needs, despite how packed the place was. This place has really improved since last I was here.
So much better than I expected. Best hot and sour soup I've had in 20 years and really a wonderful selection of really good food. I wish I lived here so I could go more often, but I will visit whenev…
So much better than I expected. Best hot and sour soup I've had in 20 years and really a wonderful selection of really good food. I wish I lived here so I could go more often, but I will visit …
This is easily the best asian buffet-type restaurant in San Diego. I've been coming here for many years on a regular basis. The food, salad bar, deserts, soup station and live-cooked grill are all co…
This is easily the best asian buffet-type restaurant in San Diego. I've been coming here for many years on a regular basis. The food, salad bar, deserts, soup station and live-cooked grill …
This is easily the best asian buffet-type restaurant in San Diego. I've been coming here for many years on a regular basis. The food, salad bar, deserts, soup station and live-cooked grill are al…
I've gone here for years. Great Buffet!\nAll you can eat.\n \nThere is a huge variety of fresh, delicious Asian and American food, salads, fruits, deserts, ice cream.\n\nYou can even choose fresh ite…
I've gone here for years. Great buffet!\nAll you can eat.\n \nThere is a huge variety of fresh, delicious Asian and american food, salads, fruits, deserts, ice cream.\n\nYou can even choose f…
I've gone here for years. Great buffet!\nAll you can eat.\n \nThere is a huge variety of fresh, delicious Asian and American food, salads, fruits, deserts, ice cream.\n\nYou can even choose fresh i…
Well you cooked dishes, fresh Japanese sushi, sashimi, etc. Very reasonable price. This is a popular restaurant for sure. We loved it. At the final we got fortune cookies, which said sooo true and …
Well you cooked dishes, fresh Japanese sushi, sashimi, etc. Very reasonable price. This is a popular restaurant for sure. We loved it. At the final we got fortune cookies, which said sooo true and …
Excellent food, service and ambience. Customer for 20+ yrs. Front desk staff always friendly
Excellent food, service and ambience. Customer for 20+ yrs. Front desk staff always friendly
Delicious . Good price. Food is fresh. Definitely coming back again Service good . Ambiance well.
Delicious . Good price. Food is fresh. Definitely coming back again Service good . ambiance well.
Delicious . Good price. Food is fresh. Definitely coming back again service good . Ambiance well.
The food was really good the staff was real professional my girlfriend and I good date night together we are going come again
The variety is insane - everything from sushi to seafood, prime rib, pasta, and so much more. The food is always fresh, and the staff is super friendly. My favorite spot is the seafood tower, where…
Wow it's such a hidden gem!!!!! Easy parking, friendly service, the place was very clean, huge choice, nice flavor for my family, very reasonable prices and not crowded at all at Tuesday night!!!! …
Excellent service, very clean restaurant, lots of food options! Everything from bao buns to beef roast to cream cheese rangoons and a salad bar and dessert bar with ice cream! Also very affordabl…
The food is good although I was feeling under the weather at that time I went out to celebrate a friend's birthday. I wish I was feeling better so I could have enjoyed the food better. They have plenty of selections ftom salad bar, soups, main course, sushi and desserts. I will come back for sure. Customer service is good too. Our server was very attentive to our needs.
Great Plaza Buffet was a good experience for our very large group. Buffet options were not limited and the all you care to eat serving stations were accommodating for all palates. There are Japanese sushi and sashimi, Asian noodles, stir fry and crabs, Chilled crab legs, shrimp and a dessert and fruit section. The restaurant was buzzing with plenty of people enjoying the food. I was a bit disappointed on the mussels and oysters and they were far over cooked to be enjoyed. I do think service in bulk definitely had to do with being chewy. The pick and stir fry section was unique as was constantly busy, I had fun. And a great meal, I loved the Chocolate fountain with cherries and strawberries and the unagi rolls with fried shrimp are the bomb. Great Plaza Buffet served unlimited fountain drinks and hot teas with great attention to service throughout our meal. Thank you, we'll definitely have a place to recommend and return to in San Diego
This is my favorite buffet in San Diego near the Mission area stop by every time I come to visit this wonderful town is good all the way, affordable price, and not too long of a wait to get seated. I'm a little special with the brand of water I drink and they allowed me to bring my own, which is great. The Mongolian is my favorite because it cooks in front of you, as well you can pick what you put on your plate when they make it. Also, the salmon is good and usually is not overcooked, together with the swai a little spicy giving you the extra taste. The spinach with cheese on top is good as well, I'm a happy eater each time I go to this place.
Very affordable. Food options are great. The Mongolian grill is better than most places. Service is good. Can't complain much about the food because the price makes it worth it. This place deserves…
Very affordable. Food options are great. The Mongolian grill is better than most places. service is good. Can't complain much about the food because the price makes it worth it. This place deserves…
For 18.99 per person for lunch, you honestly cannot complain too much. The staff were friendly and attentive, and the restaurant itself was clean. The food however was just absolutely not good. It …
During my travels around the globe I've had the pleasure of dining in a number of fine places. & restaurants. Simply put, the Great Plaza buffet restaurant in Pacific Beach is terrific! The moment …
Food\n\n-Great variety and high quality. Highlights were mackerel from sushi, snow fish from hibachi, and the chocolate fountain\n\nService\n\n-we had to wait a little for our table\n-larger tables…
The food was good and a huge variety of entrees: sushi, seafood, lamb, stir fries and plenty of fruits and desserts We liked choosing our meats and vegetables for grilling at their Mongolian station.…
The food was good and a huge variety of entrees: sushi, seafood, lamb, stir fries and plenty of fruits and desserts We liked choosing our meats and vegetables for grilling at their Mong…
The food was good and a huge variety of entrees: sushi, seafood, lamb, stir fries and plenty of fruits and desserts We liked choosing our meats and vegetables for grilling at their Mongolian statio…
The food was good and a huge variety of entrees: sushi, seafood, lamb, stir fries and plenty of fruits and desserts We liked choosing our meats and vegetables for grilling at their Mongolian statio…
Well.. very busy atmosphere, inside was not the cleanest, food was good. (One of those times you "hope" you don't get sick). Pricy, check the prices before you go as they differ on time of day and weekend.
Hostess was super nice. Our waitress did not acknowledge us, did not even offer us a single refill on our drinks. We kept feeling rushed by her taking our plates and putting the check down right away as if to get rid of us. She kept taking our silverware even when it was not on the plate... we were getting more food. She went and got HERSELF a plate of food instead of offering us a refill still... The food was sub-par tonight. The pot roast had a green hue to it, the clam chowder was NOT chowder but potato water, no flavor at all and had no clams! Fruit was mushy and not sweet. The cooked salmon was NASTY. The bathrooms were gross too!!! My kids love the chocolate fountain so I give this place a 3. If you don't mind paying more, go to 100's seafood buffet, the food and service is WAY better...
Very disappointing most of the times just because of tall front desk girl Mimi. She's just very rude! idk why you would have attitude when working with people. Last time I came in she didn't even say hello and just walk away from me and was same rude during check out. Their food is really good tho! I take stir fry its fresh and delicious especially for that price! So yeah if it wasn't rude staff it could've been 5 stars.
Great Hostess, Terrible Food, and Dangerous Consequences I genuinely wanted to like this place, but unfortunately, the experience went downhill almost immediately after we walked in. I will say that the hostess was a doll—incredibly welcoming and sweet—but she was the only bright spot in an otherwise disastrous meal. The dining experience itself was a major letdown. We came for the buffet and teppanyaki, but the service took forever. When the chef finally began, he lacked any enthusiasm and honestly looked like he hated his job, which made the atmosphere incredibly awkward. To make matters worse, the food lacked flavor entirely. Even the items sitting under the heat lamps at the buffet were cold, which is a huge concern for food safety. The dessert section was no better. The cakes were visibly dry and stale. I tried to salvage the meal with some ice cream, but because the bins weren't marked, what I thought was mint chocolate chip turned out to be cherry almond. The taste was revolting—it reminded me exactly of the smell of pink public bathroom soap. The only edible things in the entire building were the chocolate ice cream and the marshmallows dipped in the chocolate fountain. Ultimately, the poor quality had real consequences. My boyfriend had the runs about an hour after we left. I think I was spared only because I barely ate anything. This place is definitely overpriced for the poor quality and potential health risks. I would not recommend eating here.
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About Great Plaza Buffet
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1840 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
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1840 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
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