Zen Express

I eat at the Zen Express lunch buffet 2 – 3 times per week. They offer a nice selection of tasty and healthy food. The primary cuisine is Asian (Thai, Chinese and Japanese), but they also offer a full salad bar and a few Mexican food items.
My typical plate includes their sauteed kale with onions & lemon, kimchi, seaweed salad, and some tofu or chicken-​based Asian selections, and the price is usually around $ 7 – 8 (they charge by weight, though they also offer about 10 menu items — Thai or Japanese — that they prepare separately on demand that cost about $ 8 – 10).
I’m surprised Zen Express does not have a higher average rating here on Unilocal.I typically arrive around 11:30, and everything is very fresh. I wonder if some of the other reviews commenting on the lack of freshness may be the result of people coming at a later time.

I eat here almost every time I visit the mall. I escape Macy’s, go past Din Tai Fung, cross the bridge and then I’m there. There’s great options for pan-​asian food (buffet style). My go-​to staples are the spicy chicken teriyaki and fried brown rice. They also have a salad bar with lots of healthy salad toppers. Service is always friendly and speedy. A+

Worst experience possible. Too many things to point out as to why I dislike this place. NO one there speaks proper English, so asking for anything at all other than please and thank you, will get you a quizzed look and they will then go find someone else to come help you that also doesn’t speak English. How can a hotel like the Hyatt and Kemper Management support a restaurant that has such horrible customer service and cannot even communicate in English, to operate there?
Because they are the only place that will pay the rent in there with the ridiculous rates Kemper charges.
So we get a bad place to eat, bad customer service, and if you complain at all about it to Kemper, they will lie to you and tell you that they have never had a complaint about this restaurant. The truth is Kemper cannot get anyone else to move in there so they will lie through their teeth about how good the place is.
If I had a choice, I would report both of them to the BBB but that will do no good.
Have had bad experiences at both Zen Express on multiple occasions, and when trying to discuss my concern with Kemper, was met with even more gross negligence and unprofessional ism, I cannot recommend this place to anyone unless you are starving and have no choice.

I really liked the idea of Zen Express (paying by the pound), but the execution wasn’t good at all. I tried the Sesame Chicken, Spicy Teriyaki Chicken and Spicy Thai Chicken. They all had the same flavor, which is to say none at all. Bland, bland, bland, with a super firm (overcooked) texture. I wouldn’t eat any of them again under any circumstances I can think of right now.
I’m not a salad guy, so I didn’t partake, but they did have quite a few options you could add to your lettuce. That said, given my experience with their chicken, I wouldn’t be setting your expectations too high.

So, it looks ok on the surface, but the food really isn’t great.
It’s buffet style and the quality is severely lacking.
I would stay away from the fish that’s offered.
The typos on the names of the dishes are funny: Kang Pao Chicken for example

Totally amazing, I super love Zen Express!
Zen Express is perfect for people who love to customize their lunch because you serve yourself buffet-​style and pay by the weight.
The hot foods are Asian-​restaurant-​in-​America favorites like teriyaki chicken, fried chicken, potstickers, egg rolls, noodles, green beans, and more.
There is also an extensive salad bar, with lettuce, spinach, carrot shreds, eggs, cucumbers, tomatos, edamame, chicken breast (cold), and waaay more than I could ever hope to list here, plus an assortment of at least 7 salad dressings and just as many toppings.
The crowds seem to be thickest around noon on the dot as building employees come down to grab lunch here but it clears out by 12:20 and later.
Also: self-​serve frozen yogurt is about 15 feet from Zen. Omg!

Wow, this was kind of disappointing. We were at the Hyatt for a convention and had a quick lunch at Zen Express. You grab a plate, put whatever stuff in it, and pay by the weight.
The vegetable selection was really sad. Most if not all the vegetable dishes had bell peppers in them, and sadly I’m allergic so no veggies for me.
The meatballs were tasty. I liked that they offer both white and brown rice. Most everything else was either bland or greasy. This was sad fast food; if you have a chance to eat anywhere else, I do recommend you take it.

Zen Express, Located on the 2^nd floor @ Wintergarden, Hyatt next to the skybridge bills itself as Asian Fusion Cuisine. There are two main ways to order their food, and there are different hours for each method.
First, from 11:00 am to 6:30 pm are the orders-​to go. There are 14 different menu option including a number of basic chicken & beef dishes (teriyaki, Mongolian, sweet & sour, and General Tso styles figure prominently) that are priced at $ 7.99 or 8.99. The chicken teriyaki bowls only $ 4.99.
The second option, which is available from 11:00 am to 2:30 am is ‘by the weight’. They have an extensive buffet line which includes more than 20 hot items spanning Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and American food options (teriyaki, panang curry, Mac & Cheese, baked salmon, etc.)
There are also a number of premixed salads including Greek, Caesar, Seaweed, and more. There are number of different fresh fruit options (pineapples, kiwi, mangoes, grapes, strawberries) and everything looks pretty fresh.
For this option, you choose a container and select what you’d like. When you’re done, they weigh it and charge you $ 5.99 per pound.
I ordered the teriyaki bowl from the to go menu as I was in a rush. The teryaki bowl is one sliced chicken breast over steamed rice with teriyaki sauce, whereas the teriyaki chicken entrée for $ 7.99 has two sliced chicken breasts. The chicken was tender and moist, not overcooked at all; let’s face it, though, it’s hard to mess up Chicken Teriyaki.
I love the convenience factor of the late hours, so I’m sure I’ll be back to try the by the weight option.