Why Diners Love This Generous California Seafood Buffet

An all-you-can-eat restaurant might be worth the money, but it ultimately depends on the price, quality of the food, and how much of it you can actually eat. At Cafe Sierra in Los Angeles, California, diners generally think the price tag exceeds expectations, making it a must-try spot if you're in the area.

Generally speaking, all-you-can-eat establishments have a few drawbacks, but there are many reasons why diners love the Cafe Sierra buffet. It's a pretty large-scale dining establishment located in the Hilton hotel in Studio City, near Universal Studios. Various reviews suggest the staff are friendly and helpful, and that the price is fair for the selection. According to the restaurant's menu, diners pay $95 for brunch or $139 for dinner. Brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays and offers selections like sushi, snow crab legs, and lobster claws, plus meats like New York strip steak and pork belly. Appetizers, plus a pizza and dessert station, are also included.

Dinner is served Fridays and Saturdays and has a similar selection to brunch, but with the addition of whole lobster and short ribs. Both menus also have oysters, mussels, and shrimp. According to the restaurant's Yelp FAQ, some alcoholic beverages are included in the prices, such as beer, wine, and champagne.

On social media, one TikToker set out to determine whether the hefty dinner price tag was worth it. They ordered multiple plates of seafood such as lobster, oysters, and snow crab, plus a sushi plate, a meat plate, and dessert. Ultimately, they deemed it worthwhile and ate as much food as possible. (To make the most of your own buffet plate, avoid any fried food and starchy options, which fill you up quicker.)

Meanwhile, Yelp reviews are a bit more mixed but largely positive. One person who dined for brunch wrote, "The scallops and oysters were also very fresh, and the baked lobster was delicious," after praising the snow crab and Dungeness crab. Someone else noted the quality of the crab legs and that the stuffed lobster tails tasted great.

While the staff generally receive good reviews, some people have taken issue with the restaurant's no-tipping policy, which reviewers say feels unfair to the employees. Others said that they only realized it was "no tipping" after already leaving a tip and felt deceived that they were never made aware. Either way, pay attention to the number of wait staff, which can indicate a buffet's food quality. Based on the quality, price, and service, there are more 5-star reviews than any other star number, so it seems that if you have the money to spend, Cafe Sierra is at least worth checking out.