Umami Buffet — Restaurant in Louisville

My dear and beloved, beautiful, energetic,travelers, & hungry GMPS (GOOGLE MAPS PEOPLE). BJROBLERO HERE 🫡. IF YOU SEE I GRADED A 5 START ON A PLACE IS BECAUSE ITS A MUST VISIT/ GO EAT PLACE SO HERE WE GO...

It was a beautiful and Sunday afternoon family and I decided to try this Chinese buffet while in the area. Ok, I have been to a few buffets in town. My almost favorite (lol) before this one was JUMBO BUFFET on Bardstown Rd. But the restrooms🤮🤮🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤕 never convinced me that the kitchen might be clean ( check my other reviews if you Don't know what I mean). So it was almost a favorite, until we came into UMAMI BUFFET ON DIXIE HWY. Ok, first impression: EXTREMELY FRIENDLY CASHIER, you pay before you eat! I find it fare. Everywhere else you likely pay after. As soon as we walked in, OMG😲 THIS PLACE WAS SPOTLESS CLEAN. I would say it looks upscale, fancy, elegant for this location which is good we actually need more places like this in this area of town👏🏻👏🏻. FOOD: OH, MY GOD!!! EXCEPTIONALLY DELICIOUS, HOT & FRESH‼️‼️‼️ BEST OF THE BEST 👌🏻 YOU KNOW AM STRAIGHTFORWARD, AND HONEST, ( look at my numbers to know am not new at this) QUALITY: 💯 OUT OF 💯! CLEANLINESS: SPOTLESS 👌🏻. FRUIT BAR: AMAZINGLY FRESH. BUFFET: WAS magnificently delicious 😋. YOU MUST TRY THIS PLACE WITH YOUR FAMILY OR ALONE! It feels like you are in one of those expensive places, with deemed lighting you can almost called it romantic actually. Imagine a corner table with your love one, one on one eating, enjoying lovely soft music, 😍 N I C E. ANYWAYS HOPE YOU CAN VISIT, I BET YOU WON'T REGRET IT!! BEST...

I went here about 2 weeks ago, and I am finally going to write my review. Firstly, the price on the sign is not correct. It's like 2 dollars more per person. Gratuity is added on automatically. While I don't have a problem tipping, I don't feel like it should be forced on a bill at a buffet, where the "server" just refills my drink once and removes plates.

Second, the food is just simply not good. Others complained about the hibachi not being there when they went, but it was when I went, and it was the ONE saving grace of this place. Every chicken I sampled was just hard. Not even like chewy, just like almost chip a tooth hard. I was excited they had coconut chicken cause a lot of places don't, but alas, it was like chewing on little rocks. The sushi was bland. For some reason, they put the soy sauce in a different container, and it was impossible to pour it without it leaking all over the table. The crab legs, while it's always nice to see on a buffet line, were so incredibly small that the work to get the meat just wasn't worth it. Fried shrimp was like eating mush.

The restaurant needs a decorations overhaul. They didn't even bother updating it from when it was pier 17, so it's like some kind of weird Frakenstein of a restaurant. It has no kind of identity of its own besides the huge neon hibachi sign.

All in all, I won't be going back. Hibachi buffet behind them while not perfect, at least makes edible food.

TL:DR Bad food, sketchy false advertisement with the prices, auto gratuity, weird decor, better option literally right...

I wish my family would have read the reviews of this place before eating lunch there earlier today.

The service was actually rather good, the people there were friendly from the moment we walked in until the moment we left with. They seem to be taking the feedback of these reviews seriously.

The food wasn't necessarily inedible on its own merit. I'm guessing most of it was good when it was originally cooked however the buffet tables seem to be broken or running poorly. I sampled a wide array of food across all tables and everything that was supposed to be hot was cold and everything that was supposed to be cold was luke warm.

I have to recommend you do not eat here for your own safety. They are serving food that has the potential to seriously harm you if handled poorly. The sushi, shell fish, and other cold food has the potential to infect you with all manner of disease and parasites.

Do yourself a favor and go to the other Asian buffet within walking distance of this place. If the location wants to survive they need to address these safety concerns and dedicate themselves to managing the food better.

The interior is nice but that is because it is identical to the crab place that was just there. They left the decorations and booths as they were. They are seating people touching elbows like COVID and Flu don't exist so if you are older I wouldn't recommend coming here for your own safety.

On top of this they force you to tip even though I only saw the staff once after paying. Avoid like the...