Chin-Thai — Restaurant in Limburg an der Lahn

Outside: self-storage facility. Inside: koi ponds, chandeliers, and one of the best buffets in Germany.

I hate surprises. In travel, surprises usually mean delays, bad food, or discovering that your “boutique hotel” is just a rebranded youth hostel with Instagram filters. But this surprise was — finally — a welcome one.

On a long drive home from Dortmund (a city that had already punished us enough with its culinary offerings), my wife and I were desperate for our first meal of the day — at 5 p.m., no less. We searched for Chinese cuisine, a mutual soft spot, and ended up at Chin-Thai in Limburg.

First impression? Dismal. The building looked like a self-storage facility. The location, a commercial district with all the charm of Soviet suburbia in November — even though it was summer. Our expectations dropped straight through the floor.

And then we stepped inside. Suddenly, a little Chinese fairy tale unfolded before us: silver chandeliers, classic carved furniture, indoor ponds with cheerful nishikigoi gliding around. It was as if the grim exterior had been built purely to amplify the surprise.

The buffet was extensive. The raw bar — where you can choose fresh products to be grilled — offered everything from cuisses de grenouille to shark. Elsewhere, an array so broad and varied that leaving hungry would require a medical condition. Service was attentive and warm, without the robotic rush you often get at buffets. The tea selection was proper, the homemade iced tea was refreshing, and Coca-Cola was served in .33 glass bottles — proof that someone here still respects carbonation.

So here is the lesson: do not judge the book by its cover. Chin-Thai may look like a warehouse from the outside, but inside it delivers one of the richest and most satisfying Chinese buffets I’ve come across in Germany.

Clear recommendation. Sometimes the ugliest doors hide the...

Me and my family have been here multiple times, sometimes with friends and sometimes without. And I have to say the food is amazing, the atmosphere feels nice and calming and the employees are very nice too! You can get your fish extra grilled or just eat anything from main food to desserts! The price is pretty good for the food you get here, and I would definitely recommend coming here! Don’t forget to call them and book a table here tho, so you can be sure that you’ll have a place to eat at, in case they’re full when you...

Nice waitresses but not big diverse in the Buffet only one sort of icecream ,no fried spaghetti which they are supposed to be famous for ...was only boiled one ... Not alot or was no at all fresh fruits ,was only concerned ones ...and besides in the Christmas time they used the children playing sections to offer more places ..so if u had a child u can't fully enjoy it ... nevertheless must say that this Restaurant was full so u have to for a long time to get some salad standing in line around...