All You Can Eat Chicago

I have done the typical searches, and I'm sure I missed a thread, however, my question remains unanswered: where ELSE can you eat all you can in Chicago?

Suggestions/favorites already include: Garden Buffet, House of Sushi on Belmont, Red Apple, Trattoria #10 bar buffet, various Devon locales plus India House dowtown and assorted Chinese buffets around the city (though none in Chinatown if someone's got a hot tip there)

Cafeterias are out. Pay by plate is out. We want to plunk down 7-12$ and walk away feeling like glorified gluttons.

If you think you can help.
ee

There's a Mexican buffet across the street from Taqueria Tayahua* -- 'Maria's' might be the name but you'll see it if you find TT and look across the street: 2400 block of South Western. I've never been there but suspect Rene G has.

I've seen another Mexican buffet way out on 26th but further details escape me. If I remember, I'll jot down name and location next time I'm out there.

Antonius

*http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=15776#15776

A lot of good tips in this thread.

Best,
Micahel

Two of my favorite Polish all you can eats are Sawa's at 22nd. and 17th. in Broadview and the Jolly Inn at 6100 Irving Park. Both offer good, basic Polish buffet items that are continually replenished. Price IIRC is 7.00 to 8.00 per person for lunch.

This is the correct name and exact address of the Mexican buffet on Western that I mentioned above; the post was at the end of the thread linked by EC:

Food Nut wrote:Anyone been? I've read about this buffet, but am a little afraid of it.

Juana's
2406 S. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL
773-523-4166

*

Another Polish place to add to those mentioned by thick and in the older thread is Mitch and Janine's on Western... west side of the street in the area round about Augusta, I believe...

Antonius

You've got to try Bobak's. They've got 3 locations that I know of.
One on Archer Avenue I think around Pulaski. Second is in Burr Ridge just south of I-55 at County Line Road. The third just opened in Orland Park around Wolf Road and 159th Street. Very high quality buffet right inside their grocery stores.
www.bobak.com

Flat Top Grill and other "Mongolian" restaurants also offer all-you-can-eat options.

I second the Bobak's although they sometimes don't serve authentic Polish ( wow, the Polish invented Sweet & Sour Pork??!!!). They often use their own sausages and other products.

An interesting chain that just came into the Chicago area and is probably very good as well as cheap if you have kids is Cici's Pizza:

http://www.cicispizza.com/Zip.asp?zip=60606 (locations)

good ingredients different styles of pizza, simple pasta alternatives.

This is a little pricier than what you mentioned, but a truly excellent value. Katachi Sushi (3911 N. Sheridan--less than 1/2 block from the Sheridan Red line stop) offers all you can eat from the entire menu from 5-7 whenever the Cubs play at home for $20 pp. This includes EVERYTHING- nigiri, specialty rolls, apps, desserts, salads, sashimi, tempura, noodle and rice dishes etc... The sushi is not the best that I've had but this may be the best food deal I've ever found...if you like sushi/sashimi. They don't have toro or sea urchin roe but pretty much all other standard offerings.

There are no caveats about charges for uneaten food and they don't add any extra rice or delay service to screw you. You can order bounteous platefuls of sashimi or as many specialty rolls as you want at a time and no one bats an eye. Also, its a BYO, which is nice (liquor/beer store accross the street). They offer both outdoor and indoor seating.

Just wanted to add that the ubiquitous all u can eat fish fry places in the Chicago area.
Here's a Metromix article :
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/loca ... coast_heds

There have been other fish fry places mentioned in the forum as well. Just use the search engine.Good Luck!

RJ Grunts in Lincoln Park has a very respectable all-you-can eat salad bar during lunch time.

Antonius wrote:I've never been there but suspect Rene G has.

Right you are. Here’s an old review, a bit overly positive I’d now say.

Antonius wrote:I've seen another Mexican buffet way out on 26th but further details escape me.

I think that might be El Concordia at 3801 W 26th. If that isn’t the place, the one we’re thinking of is within a block or two, on the south side of 26th, a fairly large restaurant (does that sound right?).

Antonius wrote:Another Polish place to add to those mentioned by thick and in the older thread is Mitch and Janine's on Western... west side of the street in the area round about Augusta, I believe...

I never went inside Mitch and Janina’s (1012 N Western). Is it a regular sit down restaurant with buffet?

Lots of people love Bobak’s but I prefer Tatra Inn (6040 S Pulaski, much better deal for lunch than dinner). In the same general neighborhood, Gilmart (5050 S Archer) has a bare-bones buffet in the corner of a Polish grocery store. Other Polish buffets I’ve tried include Staropolska (5249 W Belmont), Old Warsaw (4750 N Harlem) and Grota (3112 N Central).

In addition to BJ’s Market (8734 S Stony Island, Sunday only), mentioned in the other thread, Soul Queen (9301 S Stony Island) does a soul food buffet that I haven’t tried. Also, Queen of the Sea, the new location of another venerable soul fooder has an all-you-can-eat buffet though it’s no longer serve yourself.

There aren’t many Italian buffets I know of but Vince’s a 50-year-old neighborhood pizzeria (6217 W 63rd) has one at lunch. Nothing great but if you like their pizza (I sort of do) it’s a pretty good deal.

For Thai, I believe PS Bangkok (3345 N Clark) still offers their Sunday buffet and Thai Little Home Café (4747 N Kedzie) has one for weekday lunch. I haven’t been back to either in many years.

There are many Chinese buffets but none I’ve been to are very good (I’m not saying all the places I mentioned above are particularly special either). If you want to sample stir-fried cocktail weenies, Buffet City (7010 S Pulaski) might be the place.

Of course, you’d be wise to call ahead to check availability at any of these places.

The original Home Run Inn at one time offered a buffet of pizza, salad, and pasta, at lunch.

It might be $10.

Phone first to be sure they still have it.

Home Run Inn

4254 W. 31st Street
Chicago, IL 60623
phone: 773-247-9696

Joey's Brickhouse on Belmont offers two all-you-can-eat specials, one on Tuesday evenings and one on Saturday mornings. Both are fifteen bucks, Tuesday is all you can eat pizza, and Saturday is a brunch menu.

It's a nice space, somewhat loud and there's a certain kitch factor--the first morning we went, we spent most of the morning watching Fraggle Rock on the projector TV. It's functional food, nothing worth shouting from the rooftops about, but you can eat as much as you want and here's the real kicker - it's all you can drink as well.

Tap beers, house wines, mimosas and bloody marys at Brunch. That's worth the price of admission alone, if you're into being soused at 1pm on Saturday.

And who isn't?

Joey's Brickhouse
1258 W. Belmont

http://www.enterthechef.com/whatscookin.html

My Pie, in Lincoln Park (Fullerton/Clark) offers a soup/salad/pizza buffet which is really good. hubby and I go there maybe once a month.

Their buffet includes all you can eat:
* soup of the day (1 offering and I haven't had one I didn't like yet)
* unlimited trips to the salad bar of fresh veggies, some meats/cheese, rolls, breadsticks, pasta salad and fruit
* pizza - choice of sausage or cheese, served a large slice at a time

Buffet is offered at:
Dinners on Mondays - Thursdays: 5pm - 10pm
Lunch on Fridays - Sundays: 11am - 4pm

My Pie
2417 N Clark St
(773) 929-3380
Cross Street: Fullerton Parkway
Regular Hours:
4 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday;
11 a.m.-midnight Friday;
11 a.m.-midnight Saturday,
noon-10:30 p.m. Sunday.

Regarding Tatra Inn... a friend told me they drove by there the other day and it looked like Tatra was closed down. They said there was a sign on the front about something new in that location "Coming soon".

Another sushi recommendation is Sushi Para II, at Clark & Belden. They have an all-you-can eat sushi deal that covers nigiri, many rolls, edamame, soup, tempura, etc, for $16.95. You can get this every day of the week, and no restrictions on time of day etc. And as an added benefit, it's BYO. As for the quality, I'd put it in the middle tier of sushi places - it's no Mirai or Meiji or Katsu of course, but it can hold its own against Green Tea, Nohana, Edo, Itto, etc.

SAW wrote:Regarding Tatra Inn... a friend told me they drove by there the other day and it looked like Tatra was closed down. They said there was a sign on the front about something new in that location "Coming soon".

Unfortunately true, Tatra Inn has closed down due to lack of business during the week. The owner told me he couldn't keep the doors open with just weekend clients. He is looking for a new location somewhere on Archer Ave., but has sold his building on Pulaski, which will be a new Mexican restuarant. Too bad! He's been there for 31 years and hands down better than Bobeks or any other Polish restaurant I've tried in Chicago. I'm keeping my fingers crossed he'll find a suitable location.

Not in Chicago, but I've always enjoyed Munch-A-Bunch at Lulu's http://www.lulusdimsum.com/ in Evanston, though we haven't been for a while. The only issue I have is that the "small" portions of the entrees are just not, thus requiring the stamina of a foie gras goose to do the menu justice.

From their website:
Dine-In Only
LULU’S MUNCH A BUNCH
Saturday & Sunday 11:30 - 3:00
Monday & Tuesday 5:00 - 9:30

Lulu'sDim Sum and Then Sum
804 Davis
Evanston, IL 60201
ph 847 869-4343

We absolutely LOVE Old Warsaw at Lawrence and Harlem. Good polish food, buffet on weeknights at dinner runs about 10 bucks, closer to 15 on weekends. Their pierogis are excellent.

in that other thread above, BJ's has a good buffet... it changes for different nights of the week, so your experience might be different based on what night of the week it is.

i've been to the one on stoney island (around 80th/stoney).. it was good, and the place itself was clean and the people were nice. it was $13 or so for the buffet on the night i went. if you're wanting a slightly grittier experience (that's cheaper and maybe has better food), about another block or two south of BJ's is "Soul Queen" ... I've never been there, but every time I drive by there are about twice as many cars there as there are at BJ's. I know they have a buffet.

...on 95th there's Barraco's Pizza. They have a full menu but also have a lunchtime buffet (you may want to call to verify they have it first). Its about $10/p.. with pizza and a number of italian type foods, soup, salad, etc..

http://www.barracos.com/everegreen.htm

Barraco's Pizza
3701 W. 95th Street
Evergreen Park

they also seem to have a few other locations

I second the Old Warsaw rec.

Most Korean BBQ places are AYCE.

borismom wrote:Most Korean BBQ places are AYCE.

Really? Which ones? None of my favorites are.

We prefer the buffet at Lone Tree Manor to Old Warsaw. The food is good and fresh. Two homemade soups served by the waitresses - we like the Cream of Wild Mushroom and Rice. Great Pierogies, unbelievable potato pancakes (crisp with a hint of onion), good sausages and schnitzels, and even acceptable Prime Rib. We usually go on Sunday, but they feature a different entree every day.

I grew up visiting the Tatra - this is almost as good, and a heckuvalot closer.

Lone Tree Manor
7730 N Milwaukee Ave
Niles, IL 60714

Just wanted to revitalize this 3 year old thread. Are there any decent AYCE or buffet choices in Chicago or surrounding Northern suburbs? I used to enjoy Garden Buffet before it closed. I have read a few comments online regarding Senoya Restaurant in Niles and Chiang Jiang Buffet in Des Plaines. Thanks to anyone with recent feedback on these restaurants or other places.

If Wheeling isn't too far north and you like Eastern European, there's Adams Cafe and Deli. I just posted on it here:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=24697

And most Indian places seem to have buffets at lunch, such as India House (Buffalo Grove and Schaumburg), Himalaya (Niles), Peacock (Vernon Hills), and Mt. Everest (Evanston).

spectra21 wrote:Just wanted to revitalize this 3 year old thread. Are there any decent AYCE or buffet choices in Chicago or surrounding Northern suburbs? I used to enjoy Garden Buffet before it closed. I have read a few comments online regarding Senoya Restaurant in Niles and Chiang Jiang Buffet in Des Plaines. Thanks to anyone with recent feedback on these restaurants or other places.

There are three I visit fairly regularly which I would recommend: Chiang Jang which you already mention, Himalayan Restaurant just mentioned above and Old Warsaw Polish buffet at Harlem and Lawrence.

Just a few doors down from Ribs 'N Bibs, Shinju Sushi is offering all-you-can-eat sushi, which includes soup, appetizers, maki, and selected nigiri/sashimi, for $14.99 before 3 PM and $20.99 after 3. What I've had is decent - better than Kikuya for the sushi part of the menu, weaker on the entrees. (Kikuya's tonkatsu is very special, a la Sunshine, although at its height Cafe Corea's was even better). They have a few novelty drinks including pinku miruku (say it slowly and you'll figure it out, it's wasei-eigo) which are tasty.

Shinju Sushi
1375 E.53rd street Chicago IL 60615
Tel: 773-966-6669
open 11 AM - 10 PM daily

My van has a Chinese buffet magnet. One of favorite places just got even better about two weeks ago.

Super Chinese Buffet‎
Super Chinese Buffet
4125 N Harlem Ave, Norridge, IL‎
(708) 457-9033‎

They've just added, two weeks ago, about 3000 more square feet.

Here's why it's my fave:

Price.

two- three different types of whole fish
sushi bar with sushi I actually enjoy and will eat
weekend crab
two different types of octopus, 3 different types of squid
New Chef station
Taylor Ice cream machine for the kids

Shiroi Hana has an excellent all-you-can-eat "early bird" sushi dinner. It is $19.99 if you get there between 5 and 8pm during the week/12 to 6pm on the weekend or $25 for anytime.

While the sushi is by no means some of the best in the city, it is miles better than House of Sushi and Noodles. Plus you get unlimited appetizers and soups. Their tempura veggies are great, as is their udon.


Shiroi Hana
3242 N. Clark St
Chicago, IL
http://www.shiroihanachicago.com/