East Buffet Restaurant

Due to the nature of my job, I never know where In the city I’ll be when I get hungry for lunch. I can only eat so much McDonalds in one week. For that reason, I’ve eaten in some pretty off the wall, less than ideal locations. BUT this place is almost surreal! If the lighting were lower, it could easily be used as a set for the old HBO series TALES FROM THE CRIPT!
Everyone knows the stereotypical joke of the Chinese place that serves cat on the buffet line. If such a place exists in Nashville, That place would be East Buffet.
I was sent there by a client who was busy consuming take out from there. She seemed to be really enjoying it, so I thought «How bad can it really be?!?»
It can be bad! The outside is very run down and unkept, with weedy areas grown up around the building and refuse in some of the spaces of their rutted parking lot.
As you enter, you’re nostrils are assaulted by a greasy soap odor, as if a large tank of Soft Soap with Moisturizer has exploded downwind and just out of ey. An long area near the ceiling has pandas in reclining poses similar to something you would see on the vaults of a cathedral. Dividing walls have chunks of drywall chunks missing at the corners.
I was let to my table, and I ask for their lavatory so I could wash my hands. The bathroom walls were COVERED in graffiti. I thought about taking a photo to post but realized I couldn’t without being obscene.
I will say that the items on the bar APPEAR fresh, and an attendant seemed to be constantly refilling the contents of the steam bins.
I sat down and pulled out my chopsticks which I like using. They were warped and splintered. I unwrapped my «silverware». The last thing I remember being this color was a block of old lead my father used to mold musket balls from, but they should have weighed more, were that the case.
The sesame chicken tasted flavorless and had a rubbery consistency. The lomein was like overlooked white spaghetti dipped in soy sauce. The steamed dumplings were as tough as old shoe leather.
The sweet tea tasted okay and the check was $ 6.95 including tax.
To conclude the meal, the fortune cookie was so stale that it was chewy, and the fortune was in such broken English, it didn’t make sense.
You’re warned.

My friend brought me here because it was cheap and we were low on case. He promised that the food would not get me sick and that he came here often enough.
The food is ok. Some selections are delicious (meatballs) while others are hit or miss. The selection was decent and the food was ok. The price is $ 4.99 all day. I would prefer to come during the lunch hour to gurantee fresh food coming all the time.

I can’t help it, I love this place. Don’t be scared off by its appearance! It’s pretty comparable to any other buffet style Chinese restaurant, but it’s only $ 4.98 a person. The Coconut Shrimp is my favorite dish! Nothing special on the inside, but it’s great for a go-​to cheap lunch. They also have a takeout option.

The Better Half wanted to have Chinese for dinner on Christmas. I suppose the inundation of A Christmas Story will do that to you. After a fruitless search on our side of town it was revealed that she has a penchant for the Coconut Shrimp from this place.
Right off the bat I need to warn you, this place looks like a complete dive. But it has been there for quite a few years (according to her) and obviously survives on the lunch crowd in the area. If you were to pass by, you would not say «Oh that place with the huge 4.98 sign on the building looks appealing, lets go there». You’d drive to another location just as fast as possible.
The Wife assured me the place was worthy, and despite other misgivings (like the «Do not take more than you can eat» signs plastered all over everywhere) I was very pleasantly surprised. Kids, I’m not saying you should take your dates there, but the food (especially the aforementioned Coconut Shrimp) is very good, and it IS a good bargain.
As Patrick S. mentioned, it does (as of this review) have a 98 (out of 100) from the Health Department. A higher score than many other more popular locations can boast. As long as you don’t take more than you can eat at the all you can eat you will be glad you stopped in.

OK, here is the scoop. Even though this place seems a little Shad-​o-​riffic. It’s actually not that bad. You can spot it next door to the Chicago Style Gyros place, and the large $ 4.99 sign above. Granted if your easily turned off by appearances and the stereotypical wonderment of what actually goes into Chinese food, then this place may not be for you. My mantra is, if its good enough for the health dept, it’s good enough for me. Overall the food is pretty good, but not great. The selection is your standard chinese buffet staples. The price is extremely reasonable at $ 5.45 including tax — all day. A premium restaurant this is not, but those that can look past appearances and want to save a few bucks this could be an ok place for you.