Mandarin Restaurant — Restaurant in Brampton

I went to this Mandarin yesterday on my birthday (which is also Canada Day), to eat. I had read the reviews and was hyped because of the many people saying the food is good. Let me tell you the food here is horrible. Many of the items were very salty, hard, sugary, or just not enjoyable to eat. All the chicken wings were salty, the fried rice was tasteless (at least it wasn't full of salt but it was blah). It looked like it had a lot of soy sauce on it. The beef also had no taste and was just nothing special. The beef at a Mississauga location is so good but what I ate here yesterday was nothing compared to that. The orange sweet potato fries and the yellow fries were so hard to eat, omg. Why?!!! The shrimps were sooo salty. Idk if you guys deliberately make the food bad so that people won't be able to eat and enjoy themselves or the cooks are just bad, because I don't understand how the food here is this bad!!! The last time I went to dine-in at a Mandarin was 3-years ago and I went to the location on Queens Plate and everything there was delicious and fresh. We should've gone to this location but I read the reviews on here (which I now know are written by dishonest people) and wanted to try out this location and what a disappointment it was. I've also ordered delivery several times from this location and did so twice last year and everything I bought was so delicious! Here at this Brampton location, I ate two plates and could hardly finish the food on each and wasn't interested in eating more because the food wasn't good. The food here is not good at all. I then tried four different sushi rolls and I'm not kidding when I say they tasted awful. I also tried the white soup and it both smelled and tasted bad. I then tried two little pieces of cake and the amount of sugar in them can make someone sick. As it was my birthday, I was eager to eat some cake but I could only eat a little piece off my fork because the level of sugar in them is something else. I'm not trying to give a bad review but if the food here is terrible, I'm not going to lie. They then said asked if we were ready for the happy birthday song and we said we were. The server that asked then said she was coming to sing the song to me and we thought they would come after that or at least within 10 to 15-minutes but it wasn't until about an hour later that they showed up. I appreciate the song and you taking photos of us but asking if we're ready for the song and us saying we are and then you keeping us in anticipation for an hour was a bit inconsiderate. Anyways, my post really has to do with the food. The good reviews here are not being honest because the food is bad. There's even a smaller buffet in Toronto close to Woodbine that makes really delicious Chinese food and we could've gone there but I just really wanted to go to Mandarin only to be disappointed. The restaurant is tucked away on a quiet street and I like that, and the many Canadian flags outside and inside in celebration of Canada Day were nice, but the...

We made the reservations at the 238 Biscayne Crescent location a week in advance and we expected the place to be busy for Valentine’s Day. What we did not expect was the mayhem that greeted us once we passed the revolving door.

It took my wife and I 10 minutes of wriggling, jostling, and elbowing to make the 10 steps to the front desk and speak with the hosting staff. We were told that we would be called (no mention of how soon) and once we extricated ourselves from the human vortex pressing upon us, we had to wait another 30 minutes before we were seated.

As we waited, we witnessed the pandemonium around us: an elderly couple being squeezed out left and right as they tried to maneuver the crowd, a young couple nearly in tears lamenting the fact that an hour has past since their reservation time, a young mother with a baby in a stroller trying find the exit nearly stampeded by the famished crowd around her.

That the place was completely out of control is an understatement. Boxing Day at Walmart seemed like a meditation retreat compared to what we were witnessing. This wasn’t a mere inconvenience: this was in insult to all the patrons hoping for a romantic repast with an added bonus of a possible health and fire hazard.

I asked to speak with the manager and voiced my concerns. She just stood there, nodding, looking askance at me as though the metamorphosis of a family restaurant into a veritable trough was a Standard Operation Procedure I was too daft to grasp. Perhaps - this being their first year in business? - Mandarin management did not expect all these hungry hippos storming their premises all at once. Perhaps they overbooked. Perhaps they faced staff shortages. Whatever it was, none of it was remedied, addressed, or even explained. In other words: “You don’t like it go elsewhere and good luck!”

When we were finally led to our table, unbeknownst to us, the hunger games just got started. Long lines, empty trays (it would have been easier to ice fish a salmon then to find it at Mandarin that evening), and poor service turned what was supposed to be a magical night out into a dystopic rat race.

Admittedly, the quality of the food was still decent. What was indecent was its paucity and the access to it (twice I had to cut in front of another hunger games contestant to pilfer a few broccoli florets!)

Let me make it clear: I have no beef with Mandarin (neither does Mandarin it seems). In fact, I’ve been patronizing it since my early 20’s (I am in my 50’s now), but like a nasty spat or a breakup with a longtime best friend or a girlfriend this one really hurt.

So, my advice to you for your next Valentine’s Day is: go elsewhere; cook your own food, grow your own food, do some intermittent fasting (it is what we all these people were forced to do while waiting to be seated anyways!), but whatever you do, do not patronize a food joint that lacks food as much as it lacks leadership, planning, manners...

As someone who's had the pleasure of dining at Mandarin in Brampton, I can confidently say it's a top-tier choice for a family-friendly, all-you-can-eat feast. It's more than just a Chinese buffet; it's a culinary experience that offers a little something for everyone. The first thing that strikes you upon entering is the sheer variety. While the foundation is classic Chinese-Canadian fare—think honey garlic spareribs, sweet and sour chicken balls, and a wide array of fried rice and noodle dishes—Mandarin takes it a step further. The menu diversifies into other international cuisines, ensuring that even the pickiest eaters will find something to love. One of the standout features is the carving station, which often includes perfectly roasted prime rib or other succulent cuts of meat. This is a game-changer for a buffet, elevating the experience beyond the typical. The sushi bar offers a fresh and appealing selection, and the grill station allows you to customize your meal with freshly prepared stir-fries. And let's not forget the dessert bar. This is truly a highlight, with a massive selection of cakes, tarts, and pastries. But the real showstopper is the ice cream bar, where you can create your own sundaes with a variety of toppings. It's the perfect sweet end to an indulgent meal. The atmosphere is another key factor in Mandarin's appeal. The decor is grand and inviting, making it a great place to celebrate special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries. The service is consistently attentive and efficient, with staff promptly clearing plates and ensuring the buffet stations are well-stocked. While some might find the price a bit steep, especially for dinner, the value is undeniable. The quality and variety of the food, combined with the excellent service and inviting atmosphere, make it well worth the cost. For families with children, the discounted rates for kids are a huge bonus, and the fact that kids under a certain age eat free is just icing on the cake. In conclusion, Mandarin in Brampton is an institution for a reason. It's a place where you can gather with loved ones and enjoy a seemingly endless supply of delicious, high-quality food in a lively and welcoming setting. If you're looking for a buffet that goes above and beyond, offering not just Chinese food but a world of culinary options, Mandarin is the...