FJ Buffet

"Spacious dining area still feels roomy after the late lunch crowd moves in. Impressive range of offerings, predominantly Chinese."

"If you like Chinese food buffets and you live in the PDX metro area, why haven't you eaten here yet? FJ Buffet is a huge Chinese buffet in SE Portland. The buffet consists of: Cantonese-American / Chinese fast food dishes, fancier Chinese dishes, Japanese sushi, and desserts. The fast food staples are really good. We share plates with beef and broccoli, honey walnut shrimp, potstickers, spring rolls, and green beans. My partner likes the fast food staples, while I tend to also like the small clams, butterfly shrimp, oyster mushrooms, and baby bok choy. The food is really nice and definitely better than average buffet fare. The honey walnut shrimp are sweet and crispy, while the veggies are earthy and savory. You are also likely to see things you might not at non-Chinese buffets, like families sharing plates of food, lots of really well cooked and seasoned seafood, and impeccably clean amenities. (I'm so used to buffet places being sloppily managed during busy times that it is shocking how clean FJ's bathrooms and buffet areas are. And their restaurant is much bigger than any Home Town, Golden Corral, or other buffet spots I've been to.) The staff is also friendly, but please remember that Chinese cultural values around restaurant work emphasize being good at your duties and responsibilities over overly-polite interactions with customers. They really do their jobs well. Just look around you when you're there. The only things I'm not a big fan of are the sushi (lots of imitation crab to please American palates), and the dessert bar, which is mainly fruits, pudding, and very dry pastries. I'd love a soft-serve ice cream bar, but that's just wishful thinking. For about $26 per person for dinner or weekend meals, it's pricier than the cheapest Chinese food you can get--however, if you do go to Chinese fast food restaurants for multi-course meals, you'd be spending about as much at FJ's for better quality, quantity, and variety of foods. If you like Chinese food buffets, you owe it to yourself to try this spot out in PDX. There is fat-friendly seating."

"I'll be honest. Went on Valentine's Day with a party of 5. No host to seat us. No tables or seats to seat ourselves. But they happily took our money. So we wait... Later, we saw dirty buffet serving stations, unaccompanied children serving themselves and making a mess everywhere, people running around hoarding piles of food and scurrying off like rats, and people yelling at staff because they wanted more food or were getting impatient. I only saw one person cleaning/bussing tables to a packed room, so my impression is that they are facing staffing issues or aren't hiring enough. For the price charged (~$90), this was unacceptable. The food was just meh Chinese fast food buffet stuff. I won't be coming back by choice."

"$21.99 for dinner with seafood such as clam, crab and crawfish. They also have variety of desserts like cakes, ice cream and fresh fruit. Clean, good service and good food with affordable price."

"Wow. Wow! I love this place. They have so many choices and it is all wonderful. They never miss - everything from salt & pepper crab and baked scallops to squid, braised pig ears, sushi, a dumpling station, a seaweed salad station, and a beautiful dessert case (and much, much more). Lovely interior design and a very functional layout. Even a little light piano music! This is one of the best places I have ever dined at in Portland. Absolutely delightful. I will be returning with friends and family."