Buffet at Asia — Restaurant in Winchester

I was craving mainland American Chinese food today and found a place on Google Maps with a 4.0 rating and 570 reviews, which seemed like a good choice. Don’t quote me on this, but I think this place used to be under different management and had a different name. I first pulled into the parking lot around 11 o’clock. It wasn’t too busy, and since I wasn’t hungry, I left and came back an hour and a half later. By then, the parking lot was pretty full, so I parked in the additional parking at the back. Once I got in, I didn’t have to wait. I prepaid $15, and the 11% service charge plus tax brought my total to $18.05. Their sign says no tipping is required because they already charge a service fee. I think this policy enhances the dining experience, as it removes the ambiguity of tipping at a buffet or takeout place. However, I did notice the table next to me leaving an extra tip, whether because they misread the note or simply wanted to express gratitude. The food was quite good. I tried to sample a little of everything, but there were too many items to try them all. The standout dishes that are still on my mind include the shrimp, salmon sushi, barbecue pork, doughnut, egg roll, and a sip of egg drop soup, which was really good. I wanted more but was too full. All the dishes were fresh and of good quality, and I noticed staff replenishing the food as I served myself. One feature I particularly liked about this place is that drinks are included in the buffet. At some Chinese restaurants, you have to pay extra for beverages, but this place even offered hot tea, which was a nice perk since I wasn’t in the mood for soda or a cold drink on a chilly winter day. The restaurant was packed with people coming and going, yet the buffet wasn’t overly crowded, making it easy to get food. I saw in the reviews that some people had to wait to get in, but that wasn’t the case during my visit. There’s plenty of parking, and both cash and credit are accepted. However, I didn’t notice any signage regarding price differences between cash and credit, or details on weekday versus weekend lunch or dinner pricing. This buffet now has a heart mark on my Google Maps for the next time I crave Chinese food. I will...

Went for dinner at 3:30p, here are my observations:

New facade... Parking area was adorned with litter and was not black-topped or re-stripped to compliment the new location.

Entry vestibule...well lit by tacky stuffed animal vending machines and an aged menu board from the old location.

Payment area...on point, ready to hit that tip calculator for you...

Seating...interesting.

Food service areas were too close together with pass-thru's in between. Should have allowed more space so Guest's behinds do not touch when selecting food from opposite areas.

Food...good selection and variety...pretty much the same as the old location.

Attention Chef/Cook's... Please cook the fish thoroughly. Please do not over-fry the chicken wings. Please do not over-cook the Chinese spare ribs. This time, they were 🔥burned and very dry. They are normally my favorite, but this time were a disappointment.

Service was good and dirty dishes were promptly removed.

Restaurant appeared to be clean.

Note: Silverware should be paper-wrapped and not handled by a non-gloved or freshly handwashed Host.

Restaurant aesthetic's are loud, due to some Guest's wanting to share all the things about themselves or their cellular telephone conversations that they know everyone wants to hear...and piped in, annoying 🎶music provided by the Restaurant.

Overall...food prep and presentation coupled with cleanliness and fresh food turn-over will keep regular Guest's coming back.

Tourists come and go...we are here...be here for...

I recently dined at Buffet @ Asia, and my experience was far from pleasant. First and foremost, I was shocked to find that I was overcharged for my meal. I had expected a reasonable price based on their menu, but the final bill was much higher than anticipated. We got there for lunch and was charged for dinner. We waited in line for way too long and that cost us more. When we told them that they over charged us they said they couldn’t do anything about it cause it was the register that did it but come on the type of register they use are not going to automatically input the price. They have to physically press the button to charge you the price, they just didn’t want to adjust it despite them being wrong. They have no shame in over charging a person in this economy. Not cool!

To make matters worse, I felt constantly watched by the staff, which made the dining experience uncomfortable. It seemed like they were hovering over our table, ready to pounce as soon as we finished a dish. This lack of privacy really detracted from the enjoyment of our meal.

Overall, I left feeling disappointed and uneasy. I wouldn’t recommend Buffet @ Asia unless you enjoy being overcharged and scrutinized throughout your meal.

I do not recommend this place at all. The food is nasty, it lacks flavor and tastes old. The staff is not friendly at all and they were very rude and not very accommodating. Avoid this place and spend your...