Find My Perfect Chinese Restaurant Near Me

Considering Chef Lin Buffet in Chattanooga, TN: A Local Chinese Restaurant
  1. Chinese Food
  2. Chinese Restaurant
  3. Tennessee
  4. Hamilton County
  5. Chattanooga
  6. Chinese Restaurant in South Terrace
  7. Chef Lin Buffet

Chef Lin Buffet

2850 reviews

Chef Lin Buffet Photos

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Hours

Monday, 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Tuesday, 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Wednesday, 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Thursday, 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Friday, 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Saturday, 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday, 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM

About Chef Lin Buffet

Chef Lin Buffet is a Chinese Restaurant operating as a buffet located at 5084 South Terrace in Chattanooga, TN 37412. For those in the Chattanooga area seeking a Chinese buffet experience, Chef Lin Buffet is one of the available options. They can be contacted at (423) 510-1998 or +1 423-510-1998 for inquiries. Based on recent online reviews, customer experiences at Chef Lin Buffet appear to be sharply divided, with one reviewer expressing strong satisfaction and another raising significant concerns about hygiene and the handling of complaints.

Regarding the environment of Chef Lin Buffet, one positive review mentions its convenient location "Next door to the Rave movie theater," suggesting a potential synergy for those looking to combine entertainment with dining. This could indicate a location within a commercial area with other amenities. The other review does not comment on the physical environment beyond noting the presence of contaminants in the food, which indirectly speaks to potential issues with cleanliness within the dining area or food preparation spaces. Potential customers might find the proximity to the movie theater a convenient factor if they plan to visit both establishments.

The service at Chef Lin Buffet also receives contrasting feedback. One reviewer described the "staff and owners" as "friendly," contributing to a positive overall experience. This suggests that some customers have found the interactions with the staff to be pleasant and welcoming. However, the other review presents a serious concern regarding the service response to a reported hygiene issue. The reviewer stated that when they informed "the guy at the grill" about finding a tick in the food, "he did nothing." This lack of action in response to a potential health hazard is a significant negative aspect of the service reported by this customer. Potential customers should consider this serious allegation when evaluating the restaurant's commitment to food safety and customer care.

Several features of Chef Lin Buffet can be identified from the customer reviews, again with starkly different perspectives. One positive feature highlighted is the "great variety" of food offered, typical of a buffet setting. This suggests that customers can expect a wide selection of Chinese dishes to choose from. The same reviewer also described the food as "fantastic" and tasting "fresh," which would be key attributes for any buffet. This positive assessment indicates that some customers have found the quality and freshness of the buffet offerings to be satisfactory.

However, the second review raises very serious concerns about the hygiene and food safety practices at Chef Lin Buffet. The reviewer reported finding a "tick" in the food and then "hairs" in the dessert. These are significant hygiene violations that would understandably deter potential customers. The alleged inaction of the staff member at the grill when informed about the tick further exacerbates these concerns. The presence of such contaminants suggests potential issues with food handling, preparation, or the cleanliness of the buffet area. This negative feedback directly contradicts the positive comments about food quality and freshness from the other reviewer, indicating a significant discrepancy in customer experiences or potentially a decline in standards over time.

The fact that Chef Lin Buffet operates as a buffet is a key feature, offering an all-you-can-eat experience with a variety of dishes available for self-service. Buffets can be attractive for their wide selection and the ability to sample different items. However, they also rely heavily on maintaining proper food safety and hygiene standards to prevent contamination, which is the central concern raised in the negative review.

Currently, there is no specific promotional information mentioned in the provided customer reviews. The positive reviewer's suggestion to "Watch a movie and then visit this buffet!" could be interpreted as a local recommendation leveraging the restaurant's proximity to the movie theater, but it is not a formal promotion offered by Chef Lin Buffet itself. Local users interested in any potential special offers or discounts are encouraged to contact Chef Lin Buffet directly at (423) 510-1998 or +1 423-510-1998 to inquire about current promotions or daily specials. However, given the serious hygiene concerns raised in one of the reviews, potential customers may prioritize addressing these concerns before inquiring about promotions.

In conclusion, Chef Lin Buffet in Chattanooga, TN, presents a highly contrasting picture based on the two recent customer reviews. While one reviewer found it to be their "favorite buffet in the Chattanooga area" with fantastic and fresh food, great variety, and friendly staff, the other reviewer reported alarming hygiene issues, including finding a tick in the food and hairs in the dessert, coupled with a lack of appropriate response from the staff when these issues were brought to their attention. These conflicting accounts make it difficult to provide a uniformly positive or negative assessment. Local users considering Chef Lin Buffet should be aware of both the positive feedback regarding food quality and variety, as well as the very serious allegations concerning hygiene and the handling of complaints. The proximity to the Rave movie theater might be a convenient factor for some. However, the significant health and safety concerns raised in one review should be carefully considered before choosing to dine at Chef Lin Buffet.

Chef Lin Buffet Location

5084 South Terrace, Chattanooga, TN 37412, USA

Customer Reviews

4.0
2850 reviews
R
Rolanda Pullen Daniel
Oct 23, 2024

My favorite buffet in the Chattanooga area, the food is fantastic and taste fresh. Great variety, the staff and owners are friendly. Located Next door to the Rave movie theater. Watch a movie and then visit this buffet! Love this place!

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Carmen Contreras (China)
Nov 08, 2024

I do not recommend this place anymore. Today I came to eat with my brother and in the caner we found a tick. We told the guy at the grill and he did nothing. And then in the dessert there were hairs. The truth is that's it.

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Nick Grenier
Aug 09, 2024

Yeah.. this is not “Hibachi” style chicken. The look, smell, texture and taste of this chicken is like it was pulled off a rotisserie spit and then allowed to soak in its own juices for 8 hours before being pulled by hand and laid on top of rice and veggies (those were actually good) and given the title “hibachi” chicken. Every hibachi restaurant I’ve ever eaten at in this town (Hibachi Express, Kampai, Soho, Fuji, etc.) with some being better than others, always had chicken that was at least charred with a distinct crust and color to it, much less actually “seasoned” to good quality. This ain’t it… the second time I’ve ever been here and it will surely be the last.

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Craig Caire
Jan 14, 2025

Amazing. Simply amazing. More than FIFTY different choices on the buffet, including fruit and dessert. The staff is always helpful and the price is more than fair. (I was going to say cheap but if they read this review the price might just go up). Anyway . . . There's Oriental and American style food here. Plus stuff the kids will like too. Take that Mickey D's. I love this place and eat here several times a month. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

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drizagon
Jun 05, 2023

Due to the mixed reviews, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I wanted to give a full review of my experience and provide pictures that showed the whole place, so this might get a bit long... I ate here on a Sunday at 6PM. Like most buffets, its all about the timing when you go on the experience you will have. The restaurant was fairly busy and the food was pretty well stocked. I was greeted and shown to my seat by a friendly employee. I ended up trying as much as I could, taking a small portion of many items, 3 plates + dessert! They also offer plastic gloves so that you don't have to touch the community spoons and tongs that everyone is touching, so that was nice. I went up to get my first plate and was impressed by the selections they had. There were 6 food bars, a hibachi station and a sushi station. By the time I got back to my table, the drink I ordered was waiting for me. On my first plate I had Beef and broccoli, Chicken and broccoli, white noodles, sausage, shrimp, onion rings, an eggroll, sweet and sour chicken and pepper chicken. The sweet and sour chicken had just come out and it was delicious. The onion rings were old, so I didn't eat them, but everything else was surprisingly good! I had finished most of my soda by the time I finished my plate and when I returned with my second plate, it was filled for me again. For my second plate, I had another egg roll, some more sweet and sour chicken (they were yummy!), a cream cheese wonton, fried rice, green beans, a pot sticker, a fried corn cheese ball, fried fish, pepper chicken, chopped pork, curry chicken, orange chicken, sesame chicken and egg drop soup. Everything on this plate was fresh with the exception of the corn cheese ball. Again, the taste of the food was good, not bland and I was surprised again by the curry chicken, I usually don't like that taste, but this one was good. Back again for my third plate. On this one I had the chicken on a stick, honey chicken, some more pepper chicken, tempura vegetables, fried okra, fried tilapia, general Tso's chicken and some more white noodles. The fried selections were a little old, but they still tasted alright and I could tell they would have been better if fresh out. The stars of this plate were the chicken on a stick and the pepper chicken. OK, getting filled up here, so my 4th plate was dessert. Nothing too experiential on the dessert front although they do have a pretty good selection, just not many items that I was interested in. You can see the full selection in the photos. I had some orange slices, cantaloupe, fried donuts with sugar, a rolled cake and soft serve ice cream. The fruit was fresh and cold. The sugar donuts were pretty fresh and tasted good. The soft serve ice cream (well, non-dairy vegan friendly mixture) was cold and held up without melting right away and had a decent vanilla flavor. By the end of my second plate the waitress had already given me my bill and fortune cookie, but I didn't feel pressured to hurry up and finish and she even refilled my soda for a second time when it started getting low after giving me the bill. Speaking of the bill, under $16 for the Sunday buffet with a drink was very reasonable. I would definitely come back again and would recommend this Chinese buffet. Just make sure to go around the busy lunch or dinner times if you want the best chance of getting fresh selections.

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