Hibachi Buffet (St Pete) — Restaurant in Pinellas Park

I will NEVER eat here again. The restaurant has good food. It has a convenient location. It maintains a clean atmosphere. However, the owners are the most horrible people imaginable. I will never allow them the benefit of my money again. I have heard of several stories about them, and here's my story:

I am a creature of habit when it comes to eating. For my lunches, I typically find a restaurant that I like; it doesn’t have to be GREAT, it just has to serve reasonably good food at a good price value. About 11 months ago I found a Chinese All-You-Can Eat Buffet restaurant near my office that I have been going to on average 2 times each week. I order and tip to the exact amount of $10 each time I go. Two days ago, I accidentally forgot my wallet at home when I left my house for the office. When it came time for lunch, I figured I would go to the Chinese restaurant I always go, and ask if I could either write them a check (I keep a checkbook in my car) or give him my debit card numbers and expiration date to run them like a phone order (I printed them out from when my wife read them to me over the phone) or if I could pay next time I come in a few days later. The owner of the restaurant first asked to hold my driver’s license as collateral (That’s a big “WOW!” right there), for which I replied that I had left my entire wallet at home. He hesitated and mulled it over for almost 3 embarrassing minutes, as he repeated, “No, we no take checks” and, “our equipment can’t process the card without the card in my hand” and “can’t you drive home and get your wallet?” I informed him I lived over 30 miles away. The end conclusion was that he sent me away hungry and said he could not allow me to eat at the buffet that day.

I went home after work, after sitting at my desk with my stomach growling the entire afternoon from hunger, and pulled up my bank statement. During the past 11 months, I identified $970 of lunches spent at his restaurant (97 x $10 each). I called back to the restaurant, and asked for the owner. He answered, and initially pretended not to be the owner. After I explained why I was calling, he started getting louder with me, and told me that he remembered the matter, and that he could not allow me to eat today because it was against the rules and policy (mind you, this is the owner who writes the rules and policies). After I told him how much money I have spent at his business during the past 11 months, and the fact that I would never return again, only because of how he handled of this matter, he then offered me a free meal.

WOW! He could have easily offered me a free meal at my moment of need and really won me over as a good customer, but; instead turned me away hungry, so that I became a non-customer that would never return. I told I didn’t want or need his free meal, to keep it, and that I would never step foot in his business again, and...

I don’t know what everyone complaining about if you eat not at lunch or dinner time then just be grateful they let you in cause of course food isn’t ready yet . And also ppl complaining about fry’s , you are in Asian Restaurant Buffet!!!!! We care for rice , and sautéed stir fried and steamed bun which all are excellent given the price we paying for! You want fry’s and burger and high end sushi go to restaurants to order just that! You guys don’t know what Asian food is so you complain about nothing !!! I am Asian and I have no complaints here because 1. About 20$ they got everything and seafood is FRESH! They offer take out option Lunch specials just 14$ , Anything you like With right now the inflation and all the restaurants charge 12-18$ a dish and you don’t know if you even like what you ordered if you being adventures. You can easily just wasted at 20$ but here if you hate that dish just trade another one ! No complaints here I been to many Asian buffet in California biggest buffet Asian place they not even have fresh seafood So i think for small Asian communities here in south This is the best!!! Unless you got cash paying 40$ a meal then again why you wanna...

Went there for lunch. Just a half hour after they opened. Place seems nice and clean. Saw staff wiping down tables, sitting area, and counters where buffet was, multiple times. Food was edible. I got the stir fried muscles, spicy but good, albeit somewhat cold when I went to eat it. Peppered steak was quite rubbery and the peppered chicken tasted a bit like fish. I'd stay away from those. Steamed dumplings were very good. Vegetable fried rice was good, especially when they brought it out fresh. The Siumai dumplings and the meatballs, both were completely pink on the inside, don't know if that's how they were supposed to be but wasn't going to chance eating them like that. Egg Custard Bun was good, but not something I'd eat again (just wasn't to my taste). The fruit bar, while I didn't get any, looked fresh. Good rice noodles, mushrooms in oyster sauce and general tso's chicken. Smaller selection than other buffets that I've been too, but the food was better than others. Quiet atmosphere and staff was also attentive to the table, bringing drinks and taking away empty plates as needed. I'd recommend it to someone looking for simple...