King Buffet — Restaurant in Apopka

First time since CoVid.

Our family used to be EXTREMELY fond and satisfied with this establishment prior to CoVid.

I was introduced to this place by my sister back in the late 90's or early 2000's. I remember being very satisfied then, but hadn't been back (and forgot about it) until a visit with my father in '06/'07, to which I was very satisfied again.

Being the extremely big fan of Chinese food as is my wife, I had suggested to my father that we bring her. Once we had, she as well, enjoyed King Buffet. Thereafter, we became somewhat regular customers and fans.

After our daughter was born 13 years ago, the ladies there took a shine to her and would often come to the table to talk and pay much attention to her.

The first time that they had picked her up (without asking) I kinda felt uncomfortable. However, after a couple of times other, I realized that the Chinese are one of a very family oriented people and it is not unheard of nor unusual in their customary behavior to pick up infant children and show them around and pay them attention as if they were family.

This made us all the more the loving fans of King Buffet in Apopka.

However, during this visit by our family, our experience was sadly disappointing (to me at least).

Children were up at buffet unaccompanied by an adult and picking up food with their hands.

Gloves not offered as other establishments. Some plates had food on them.

I didn't notice at first, as I am usually very thorough at inspecting dishes and silverware at restaurants, however I felt something on the bottom of my plate just as I was getting it filled.

I initially thought it was a sticker, however I looked under it and it was food. I pointed it out to one of the ladies, whom apologized, but then asked if I still wanted it.

Eww! Gross!! Really???

I said no thank you. She apologized and took it away.

There was a loud ringing in the restaurant that was extremely annoying. I mentioned it to one of the servers whom didn't seem to comprehend what I was saying.

I later found one of the men whom has been there for years and has always been extremely polite and nice (possibly one of the owners), he said it was the ice cream machine, and that it was broken or something to that effect. I thanked him and thought, with that loud of ringing, I'd have turned it off.

I believe he must have considered that it was intrusive, as he (or someone other) had done something to make it stop. Then shortly thereafter it started up again, but soon was stopped again (at least for the remainder of our visit).

Lastly, I had pulled something sticking out of one of the pastry puffs that my daughter was just about to eat.

It appeared to be a long gray-white hair or whisker of someone. When I pointed it out, I showed the lady and told her that I found it in one of her pastry puffs and that it appears to be a hair.

The lady VERY quickly and somewhat above normal tone, dismissed that remark as, "NO. IT'S NOT HAIR. It's not hair!"

She was trying to say something I couldn't quite comprehend but sounded like, "Only muscle. Only muscle."

I didn't know if she was meaning something from the muscle (food) from the buffet or what, but she made a gesture like someone stroking mustache whiskers, somewhat like in the old days when men would curl up the ends of their mustache.

After that she said, somewhat jokingly/smiling, "Not hair silly.", then brushed my arm to which I thought she may have wiped it off on my shirt, though perhaps I may have been mistaken. She did, however, apologize for the incident.

Either way, though the food was delicious, service was good, polite, and friendly as usual, the other things, specifically concerning sanitary practices, cleanliness of dishes, and quick dismissal of what was found in the food, was very disturbing.

Not quite sure if we will visit again on this alone. I know that nothing is perfect, however I believe some of these complaints alone need looking into and serious consideration and addressing.

I'd hate to stop returning for the fear of lack of health concerns...

💀 King Buffet Apopka – A Review by Bob the Skullz (Now serving satisfaction with a side of soy sauce and zero gluten-related emergencies.)

Step aside, overpriced hibachi chains and underwhelming fast food joints. There’s a buffet in Apopka that’s been quietly serving up greatness for two solid years—and no one’s talking about it loudly enough. So allow me, Bob the Skullz, patron spirit of sarcasm and soy-glazed truth, to ring the proverbial dinner bell.

Welcome to King Buffet: where $15–$17 gets you a full stomach, a happy wallet, and a bonus round of “how did I eat that much?” existential reflection. For about thirty bucks, two people can absolutely feast. And not in the “sad salad bar with three limp shrimp” kind of way. We’re talking:

🍗 General Tso’s Chicken – crispy, saucy, glorious.

🥡 Lo Mein & Pork Fried Rice – carb heaven.

🍣 Sushi – small but mighty.

🍔 American fare – in case your kids think sesame seeds are exotic.

🧼 Cleanliness – you could eat off the buffet counter, but like, maybe don’t. Still, points for the effort.

The staff? Friendly. Efficient. Psychic, possibly. Your drink gets low? Refilled before you blink. Plate starting to look finished? Boom. Gone. New one waiting. They’ve mastered the ancient art of being present without hovering, a rare gift in the buffet world.

Now, let’s address the only dark cloud on this otherwise sweet and sour horizon: No peanut butter chicken. A tragedy. A loss. A sauce-based betrayal. I’ve seen peanut butter chicken in buffets from Miami to Michigan, it’s practically a pillar of the genre. But here? Nada. Still, if that’s the only complaint, you’re doing something very, very right.

And here’s a massive shoutout to the gluten-sensitive crowd: This place isn’t just buffet-good, it’s allergy-aware. My humans have never had a cross-contamination incident here, and trust me, we’re always on high alert for that kind of thing. Dishes are well-separated, labeling is thoughtful, and you never get the sense that the kitchen is playing allergy roulette behind the scenes. Major props.

Final verdict? King Buffet is the unsung hero of Apopka buffet dining: affordable, delicious, welcoming, and surprisingly accommodating for dietary needs. It’s the kind of place where you leave full, happy, and only mildly ashamed of how many egg rolls you consumed. Which is exactly how it should be.

If you’re hungry, broke, or just really into chicken that comes in at least five saucy varieties, go. Now. Just don’t ask for peanut butter chicken. It’s still too soon.

– Bob the Skullz Patrón spirit of bottomless plates and buffet enlightenment (Still mourning the missing peanut butter chicken, but healing through Lo...

Paid $12.99 for dinner buffet on a Saturday. Not included choice of beverage. Water is free of course. Very affordable in my opinion. Walk ins are welcome. To be honest, the foods are not that high quality, some taste a bit bland but considering the price it was very good deal. Good set of options from salads, sushi, soups, fried, meats, some seafood like clams, mussels, shrimps, crabs (they use artificial crab meat) fresh crawfish etc.. also there is a dessert station and some sliced fresh fruits. Most chinese take away in the area cost around $15 but with this one you’ll pay less and this is already unlimited food. Also a burger meal at Mcdonalds can cost you $12 so you can do comparison. Servers are nice and friendly. The refill on the buffet are always on time and never empty. Ambiance inside is relaxing feels like asian home. Toilets needs to be cleaned bit more often. Overall experience OK. Recommended to try. Location is good with free parking lot. You can find lots of stores also on the same area, Ross, Marshalls, Sprouts and Regal Cinema is just next door. Will definitely come back...