Ocean Buffet — Restaurant in Fort Walton Beach

Im gonna throw up. Just dont go here. I am sick. To sum this place up if you don’t feel like reading my story. Let’s just say I was a prisoner of war in the Middle East for a little bit, held captive by the IDF. This experience may have been worse if not just as bad. ⭐️ -100/5 Stars (The Titanic has better odds of surviving)

I don’t even know where to start with this. Ocean Buffet should have a warning label that reads, “Warning: Dining Here May Lead to a Lifetime of Therapy.” What I experienced last night was less of a meal and more of a journey into the darkest, most cursed corners of human existence. This was no buffet — this was a traumatic event in slow motion.

The Food: Let’s talk about the “food.” I don’t know what I ate, but it definitely wasn’t food in any traditional sense. The “fried rice” looked like it had been through some kind of medieval torture device. It was less rice, more rice paste — a texture so wrong I’m considering reporting it to the UN as a violation of human rights. The “sushi” was so stale it had memories. I swear, I saw a sushi roll slowly blink at me like, “Help me.” The crab legs? You could snap them in half with your fingers, which was weird considering I’ve never seen crab that flexible. And I’m a fisherman… I’ve had better service at a gas station bathroom.

Then, as if it wasn’t enough, one of them tried to entice me to the back of the restaurant. No joke. Come to the back, he says. What did he think I was, a lost tourist? Was this some sort of buffet-based secret society meeting? I just stared at him like he had two heads, but he kept insisting, like maybe I’d get a free bowl of something — I don’t know, maybe a free “consequences of bad decisions” surprise? No, thank you, buddy. I’ll pass on whatever backroom shenanigans you’re running. Respect. But I don’t roll that way baby boy. Next !

The Ice Cream Incident: But let’s get to the pièce de résistance of my whole godforsaken meal: the ice cream incident. I watched a man drop an entire tub of ice cream on the floor like it was no big deal. The tub hit the floor with a thud that echoed through the universe like a cosmic mistake. What does the employee do? Oh, he picks it up with his BARE. HANDS. No gloves. Not even a hint of regret. Just scoops up that dirty tub like it was a long-lost lover and places it back in the freezer like nothing happened. I half expected the ice cream to scream in protest.

The Atmosphere: Let me paint a picture for you: the lighting was dim enough to make you think you were in a nightclub from a 90s horror movie. The floor was sticky. The walls had the kind of stains that make you wonder if this restaurant was built during the Ming Dynasty. The air smelled like sweat, cheap perfume, and old fish. I started wondering if I’d accidentally walked into a secret government experiment. My stomach was already having flashbacks, and my mind was starting to break down. I will say however. There was a fish tank and the poor fish inside.. whatever they were cute and lively?

Final Verdict: Ocean Buffet is the kind of place where you can lose your will to live and your appetite all at once. This isn’t food; this is a test of survival. If you go here, you might end up being served a “special” dish in the back room — and by special, I mean who knows what’s in it or how they got it. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone I care about, and I’m still considering filing a lawsuit for the emotional damage I’ve sustained.

P.S. Don’t even look at the ice cream ya heard me TRUST...

First, do not take your children to this restaurant. Management doesn't care about ambience, only $$$.

Upon arrival, a gentleman was EXTREMELY upset about his experience and expressed himself through expletives. Yes, that was a customer.

Based on my YEARS of experience in retail, you can't please everyone. However, upon sitting at our table, the presumed manager of establishment overtly continues the use of expletives. She says the "F-bomb " three times along, with several other choice words. I ask our server to speak to manager (giving benefit of doubt) , server does not budge. I ask again, same deer in headlights state, I inform her she did nothing wrong...THEN...she moves. Only to be approached by another server, I make manager request again, no response. I told her she didn't do anything wrong...then FINALLY the manager (yes, person presumed at cash register) comes to booth.

I respectfully and cordially explain I can understand she is upset, but could she please not use expletives in front of my (and other) children. She tells me "I am human being , not machine, I am upset!" I emphasize with her and suggest she maybe go to back and deal with it privately. She says "see I am shaking, he is a racist..." Again, understanding her position, I say "that's understandable", but please don't use profanity, it's not professional and not good in front of children. She then says "...maybe we should give child something to cover ears!" Then proceeds to say " he always acts like that when he comes here..." 🤔 Not once was an apology offered.

We were hungry it's a buffet, so minimal chance of our food being affected by my request. Selection was good but scarce, but it was later in evening. Went to hibachi grill and cook was sitting on floor on phone. Figured I would give time to finish, so ate what I had on plate. Came back, cook still on floor on phone. I then decided to forego the hibachi.

Tried a couple more items which were decent, didn't see much of our server, maybe because we were drinking water. When it was time to go, waited about 5 minutes to ask for check. No sign of waitress so proceeded to front desk. The "manager " was polite and asked the couple in front if everything was ok and thanked them. I approached and gave my card and waitress came with ticket. While running card, guy behind me gave ticket and $20, she thanked him. May I remind that I continually was nice to this employee. I paid, but felt a little slighted. I went back inside and informed manager that she could have at least acknowledged and thanked for our business....she apologized. I paid the $27.68 bill , but looked at my statement next day and 33.22 was charged!!!!! No I didn't tip, because service was not tip worthy.

If you want mediocre food, a less than hospitable environment, and a money driven management team....then this is the place for you. I personally would patronize Fuji and or other buffets. The experience is...

Since the Chinese buffet up in Crestview has been closed since forever ago, I've occasionally come to this place when down visiting a friend. The buffet is always full and the food has always been quite fresh. It has pretty much everything you could want in a Chinese restaurant too. It has a sushi section that doesn't just do basic non-raw items, steamed shrimp and muscles, little octopi, the lobster cheese type dish, etc. There is more than enough here to enjoy thoroughly and either get satisfied or hunker down and over stuff yourself with. Frankly, I choose to be satisfied. It feels better and leaves room for any alc. treatment later in the day if you're doing some sort of celebrating later.

Also, I did read some reviews about the extra charge for leftovers (IF you leave too much still on your plate). One trick to possibly avoiding this is to get smaller portions of what you typically like. You're allowed to go back up and get more plates with smaller portions on each if you like. So, if you might be questionable of anything when coming in, this would be the smartest move until you know for certain what you're going to enjoy on any specific outing and 'then' get another plate with larger portions even if you think you can handle that after a first plate. I've RARELY had moments where something was terrible to eat, but I also all in all love almost any food. To me, the food here is by far not bad and I very much know when I've had something super sickening quality-wise. Also, another trick would be to know your limits from the start, considering you've most likely eaten at plenty of Chinese buffets and likely get the same stuff each time. If you get fairly full off a first plate, but still want some more food, don't go make a full other plate. Make a decision on just 1 or 2 more of one or two more items or get some wonton soup to finish things off. This particular place doesn't always have a wonton in the soup, but the soup liquid itself tastes good and is great to add a good portion of chives in to. Whether they put the signs up or not about the extra fee, if you don't like it, I would give the advice to be able to just know yourself. Although a person may be an adult, it's still severely upsetting if someone leaves like a whole pile of food still on a plate. Imagine if everyone did that. These people who run the place have to cook harder every time there's a big toss out of wasted food, and if everyone did that then places would go out of business quick. I think the sign is more asking to be respectful of other people, as well as the workers who have to toil to bring great food to the buffet.

Speaking of the folks who run the place though, and their employees, I've never had a single issue with any of them. All have been attentive to needs, kind, occasionally humorous, etc. I've never seen an angry person here really. It's always a...