Golden Buddha Restaurant — Restaurant in Gainesville

EDIT: This time I got the Gen Tso's Shrimp + Beef Fried Rice. The Gen Tso's Chicken is excellent, but the Shrimp was disappointing. It was 50% broccoli, and the shrimp were not really Jumbo; they were at least 30-40% breading. Also, the steamed rice tasted a little off. The Beef Fried Rice was excellent as usual (maybe just a tad too salty, but still delicious).

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

Well, I can't believe it. The other reviews were right. I've driven by this place for 2+ years now and never even considered trying it because of how it looked. And now I'm kicking myself.

I still think Sohao is probably the best Chinese food in Gainesville. But the beef fried rice here is better. Just, wow.

I don't know how to explain the taste, but chicken/beef fried rice has been my favorite dish since I was a young child, and this has the particular taste that I've only encountered once or twice since I was a kid, and not for a decade or more now. (The fried rice that comes as a side with the entree is nothing special at all--you have to order the entree fried rice to get what I'm talking about.) Easily the best fried rice in Gainesville, maybe Florida.

I got the Gen. Tso's lunch special and the beef fried rice, coming to $18.20 (this is March 2025). The Gen. Tso's chicken was very good, maybe even as good as at Sohao. It was spicier than I was expecting (which I very much liked--but fair warning to those who can't handle any spice).

I didn't get the soup that's supposed to come with the lunch special, but I don't like and wouldn't eat the soup anyway, so no complaints there (but double-check your order if you want that, I guess).

Others have raved about the spring rolls; I thought it was just fine, nothing special, really, except for the size (very large, as you can see from my photo). It was good though--the kind of crispy papery skin I prefer to the thick kind.

Similarly for the portion sizes: definitely plenty of food, but comparable to other places like Sohao. But certainly no complaints on how much food I got, especially for the price.

I will definitely be back; I really hope they're consistent. Oh, and the lady running it was very nice, and she did indeed bring the...

Worse food let alone Chinese food I’ve ever had in my life. If it were possible to give 0 stars I would do that. These reviews that are on here must be all fabricated by the owners because there is no way anyone would even have a cup of water here without a complaint. I ordered something simple which is the most horrific of all. Fried chicken, fried rice, & and an egg roll. Any other person or restaurant would have no problem frying a little chicken. No! The chicken was over breaded , the actual meat was tough not from over cooking , but because the meat itself seemed old . The fried rice tasted like an old burnt pan , like I literally felt sick while trying to taste test even the smallest bite. My egg roll was so saturated in oil it appeared translucent, when I bit into it the contents looked gross! Even the fortune cookies were old and soggy! This place is obviously a store front because there is no way they are serving actual plates of food. The restaurant is full of dust bunnies! It’s extremely gross!!! And I would recommend someone to sit down and eat pine cones before I ever directed them to this place for...

This place is a great little hidden gem of Gainesville. The owners are the ones usually making your order from start to finish, and they’re very polite. The prices are insane for the quality and amount of food you get. I spent $30 on take out for my girlfriend and I...three days ago. I’m currently eating the reheated Szechuan Bean Curd and Veggies over white rice for the second time and will probably have it for lunch tomorrow too.

The atmosphere for dining in is very welcoming and unique. Small table set up for 2-4 people for a closer setting. Dine in or dine out; you can’t lose here. I believe the night do delivery as well, but I’m not 100% on that. Please check this place out - you...