5 /5 Ramirez Dante (Billy Yank 1916): I’ve been going to downtown buffet since 2010 and it’s giving me the opportunity to talk about both of the pros and cons about this restaurant.
Starting off with all the good things to say, the service here is pretty good. The waiter/waitress is very attentive, and is more than willing to refill your drinks, and take away any dirty dishes that you may have after eating some food over there. Another thing to mention to is that the food, though relatively limited, is always fresh seeing that it’s being swapped out so, on the weekends, especially, you can expect the food to be fresh because of the amount of food that people take. The atmosphere is also pleasing for the most part. Even though it’s starting to show its age after being around for nearly 2 decades, it’s a small, cozy atmosphere, and it stays relatively cool as well which is an added benefit during the hot summer days in Madera.
With all this being said however, the system to say that the buffet is perfect as it does have certain flaws that you will want to take into consideration before going. I want to start off by mentioning the price which has gone up dramatically ever since Covid. On weekdays, a table for one is going to set you back almost $20 though it is excusable since you’re able to eat all you can, not to mention the free refills. However, the price tends to go up quite a bit, especially during holidays and weekends, which means foods going to be a lot more expensive. For example, by the time I’m making this review, I had recently went there with, my little brother and we paid almost $50 just for the two of us so I strongly advise anyone that plans on going there to try and at least go during the weekends. It’s also important for me to mention that it is so much cheaper when you go during lunch hours, specifically around 11:49 PM, which is usually the time the buffet opens. The only other downside of that I could really mention is the quality of the food. I did mention earlier that the food is always fresh, but it’s not exactly the best there is.
In short, downtown buffet has the added benefits of fresh food, decent customer service, and a pleasant atmosphere. However, one must take into consideration, the price and even the quality of the food. Nevertheless, if you’re someone who lives in Madera, or is stopping by and so happen to run into the buffet and doesn’t want to drive all the way to Fresno to Golden Harbor, downtown, but that isn’t all that bad.
