Vikings Luxury Buffet, SM Santa Rosa — Restaurant in Santa Rosa

Dinner Experience on November 13, 2025 — Reservation No. VSR-280399

We originally wanted to book a dinner slot for November 14, 2025 to celebrate my wife’s birthday, but since it was fully booked, we decided to go a day earlier. Our reservation was for 5:30 PM, and we arrived around 5:50 PM. The restaurant was indeed beautiful, but it was very crowded. Some of the popular dishes required waiting in line for 3–5 minutes or more.

Upon being seated, I immediately told the front desk staff that it was my wife’s birthday tomorrow and asked if they could prepare a small cake to celebrate. The staff agreed, asked for my wife’s name and ID for confirmation, and promised to arrange it.

However, after waiting for more than 30 minutes, we saw other tables receiving cakes and having the staff sing birthday songs, but ours never came. I asked three times during the meal, and each time they told me they would “check on it.” By the time we finished our dinner, no one had come with a cake or any explanation.

At the cashier, I asked again about the birthday cake, but no one gave me a clear answer. Only when we were about to leave did a staff member offer to give me a take-out cake — but by then, the gesture had already lost its meaning.

It was supposed to be a special night for my wife, but it turned into a disappointing experience. This was our first visit, and unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend this place to others.

Food: 3/5 Waiting Time: 2/5 Service:...

We’ve eaten at other branches before, so we had certain expectations — but this one was honestly disappointing. We went on a weekday thinking it wouldn’t be crowded, but the place was still packed and felt cramped. Tables were placed too close together, and it was hard to move around, especially near the buffet stations where long lines formed.

Most of the food was on the salty side, and the variety was very limited compared to other branches. Some dishes took too long to be refilled, which caused guests to line up and wait. Even the desserts were underwhelming — there was only one ice cream flavor (bubble gum), and the rest were Aice-brand ice creams that you can easily buy outside for cheap.

The staff seemed overwhelmed, and while they were doing their best, there clearly weren’t enough of them to handle the crowd. The seating capacity was fully utilized, but the service couldn’t accommodate everyone properly.

We really hope management reviews this branch’s setup — maybe add more staff, improve the food rotation and refill speed, and bring back the variety and quality we’ve enjoyed in other branches. The place has potential, but it needs better management and...

We had a very disappointing experience. The staff kept repeating, "The two kids have not paid yet; please monitor them." While our kids are picky eaters, we were so offended by their constant instructions to the staff to watch us that we ended up paying for them, too, even though we knew they wouldn't eat anything. In fact, we brought a McDonald's takeout because we knew they wouldn't eat anything inside.

We wish the staff would rephrase how they speak in front of guests. They lack basic manners, and the front desk officers need more training

The restaurant's cleanliness was also a major issue. The table next to us had used plates on it for about 20 minutes after the previous customers left, as there were no staff members clearing the tables. Our table also full of used plates but no one is collecting them.

Additionally, it was my niece'sbirthday, and we were very disappointed that no one sang a birthday song. The receptionist also failed to inform the staff that we had a birthday celebrant in our party.

As for the food, it was a similar letdown. Many food stations were empty. This was the worst Viking branch we have...