Giant Panda Sushi Hibachi & Buffet

So we usually come here for lunch because it’s pretty good and near work, been here about 10 times now so they know we’re regulars, well today while eating my salad a piece of metal that comes from a steel sponge was in it, I actually almost swallowed it. I completely lost my appetite and told my server about it. This is the best they could do… .80 cents off of my bill. well I’m not coming back there anymore. I should have taken a picture of the piece of metal but unfortunately I couldn’t think at the time… anyways everyone be careful

This being a Chinese buffet in the UCF Area surprised me. As a vegan I enjoy this place because they have a large variety of veggie options. They even have a veggie roll in the sushi section! I rarely see those at Chinese buffets. The only reason I didn’t give them my 5 stars is because the food isn’t always as hot as you’d want it to be. I think they should cook food based on the customer traffic but instead they stock up and let it reach a cooler temp than desired. On that note I wish the spring rolls were always fresh and crispy lol. All in all, I will still continue to give them my business when I’m on that side of town and crave a Chinese buffet.

Very hit and miss buffet In East Orange County. Typical Chinese buffet fare is offered; the peanut chicken is an exceptional offering and the fried dumplings are very good.
Sushi is ok depending on availability… What I mean by availability is the fact the staff will remove items if a person is walking by again and that person took what they viewed as too much. I’ve seen it happen on numerous visits & I experienced it once w/​tuna rolls. A buffet exists to feed the masses and this behavior is an annoyance to all customers
Dessert is better avoided sans the custard crips

Great place clean good tasting food very helpful staff been there over a dozen times better to go for dinner there is more off a variety to chose from

Tonight did not feel like straying too far and was feeling indecisive so we decided to hit Giant Panda since it was close to home. BAD DECISION
Since my last visit has taken a turn for the worse and I am crossing this place off of my list for good at this point! Here is why… We showed up about a quarter to five when they should be pretty much set for the dinner crowd and on a holiday weekend it was slow as we expected…
A. In the dining area we were seated, the floor was pretty dirty under a table they seated a group of college age kids.
B. Most of the food on the steam tables was old and way past the point of even appetizing.
C. I figured the Hibachi was a safe bet but the cook was touching raw chicken with his spatulas and then using the same spatulas to immediately manage other items on the hibachi table. Can we say CROSS CONTAMINATION and NO I did not eat what he put on my plate after seeing that happen.
D. The items on the steam table that were fresh were so bland that many of them I took a couple of bites and left the rest to be taken away.
E. The server knew there was a problem and could have cared less. I had to ask for a manger twice. When the manager came over, I let her know what items were an issue by taking her over to the steam table and pointing them out to her. She was appeasing but not at all concerned because she went right back to the hostess stand like nothing was wrong at all.
At one point I gave up on this place but gave them a second chance after a fellow Unilocaler raved about them. They appeared to have turned things around and were on a positive trend but this last trip is my final trip. The cross contamination and lack of concern by the manager is the final straw! This place will never see me again…
A Florida Foodie

What an amazing buffet… of the most average food you’ve ever tasted. It’s not that it’s bad but it’s not that it’s good either. The sushi was the only thing that really stood a chance here. The hibachi looked interesting but I didn’t get to try that. Stay away from the dumplings!!! They were whatever is the next level under terrible.

I was in WaterFord lakes today and I decided to try the GIANT Panda. I liked that everything was very clean for a buffet, your shoe’s wont stick to the floor in this place and your kids can’t go iceskating on the grease either. I loved the sushi and the Shrimp and Habachi noodles were great! I will say you have to hunt for a waitress to refill your drinks. Otherwise I would have given 5 Stars. Maybe next time.

Food was cold and the service was bad. Also the front desk lady had a bad attitude. Overall bad experience definitely not coming back here. I do not recommend this place.

Been here twice, for dinner, and you can’t beat the price or quality of food. I have always hated buffets because I think there is a lot of food and non are memorable. The only reason why we tried this place was because it was one of our best friend’s bday and he wanted to eat here. Well this place is awesome and we don’t regret coming! Teppanyaki, sushi bar, hot dinner (your typical fried rice, variaty of seafood and even dumplings). Plus the service is great. Place is clean and there is always everything.

This place is pretty great for a buffet. The tables, counters, spoons, floors were all kept clean, which is a turn off for most buffets, but not this one. I went just as the dinner price changed, so it was about 12 $. Then you can buy a drink for a few dollars extra. If I went back I would go during lunch.
Overall they maintained the food, meaning I never saw an empty tray on the buffet row. I don’t like sushi, so I cant vouch for that but the rest of the food was pretty great.(if you get handmade sushi or hibachi, there seemed to be a tip jar, so i would recomend maybe bringing some cash). Tasted just as you would get from any take out place. And they had all the «cheesy» desserts that come in little packages.& they have green tea ice cream !!
I wouldnt recomend a fancy dinner here. Most everyone is dressed casual, and it just has thid casual vibe to it. It seems like most people there come often. The waitress assumed id been there before, so after she took my drink order, just asssumed i knew that you could go up and take a plate.
You get what you pay for ! Buffets arent made to be wonderful. For 8 – 12 $ this was far up on better buffets.

This is my second time here, it was around 4 in the afternoon so its between lunch and dinner, the price was $ 11.59. Price of lunch is $ 7.99. If youre a ucf student dont hesitate to show that ID, my photo is horrible but it brings me discounts so what, savings. You get 10% off.
The food was somewhat cold, maybe i came at a bad time, there is a lot of american chinese variety. There is nothing authentic here. I had some sushi, which i would NOT ingest ever again. It was spoiled. Sashimi is my favorite but not here. The sushi variety was endless and presentation was great.
The servers do not really pay a lot of attention but they clear out the plates quickly.
I like the shrimp habachi and noodles.

Great. Probably one of the best buffets in central Florida. The sushi was great and the food was good. Big selection to choose from. And I didn’t even get to the hibachi which looked good as well.

Let’s be real here, considering all the food and the quality of the food you get for their lunch price this place is amazing! I have only ever been here for their lunch, but I’ve been here on multiple occasions. My review is solely based on their lunch.
The service is always great and the servers are always super sweet!
For $ 7.99 you get to eat a variety of food at lunch.
They have a exceptional variety of sushi and sometimes have sashimi. They also have edamame which I love to have before sushi. Don’t forget to grab chopsticks when at the sushi station!
The variety of hot foods they have is great, everything from fried rice and rice noodles to steamed custard buns, chicken nuggets (great for kids), soups, vegetables (green beans, mushrooms, and even potatoes), and a large selection of chicken (general tso’s, black pepper, hibachi, sesame honey, and sweet and sour –to mention some).
On top of all that I already mentioned there is a salad bar with fruits, jello, kimchi, and pasta salad.
Then there’s the hibachi station, you can pick from a variety of vegetables (zucchini, sprouts, mushrooms, etc.) and meats (beef, chicken, shrimp). You put what you want and as much as you want on your plate and hand it to the chef at the hibachi station.
He cooks everything in front of you and then hands you the plate of delicious food! I recommend trying the white sauce located directly to the right of the hibachi station with the hibachi, it tastes great!
Now onto deserts, they have a selection of small cakes (coffee, mango, chocolate) and even a coffee mousse that I would recommend to any coffee lover. They also have elephant ears and almond cookies.
Also in he back near the hibachi to the left there is ice cream. They have a good selection of flavors to choose from. My all time favorite is the green tea ice cream, I would come here just for this.
Overall, this is a great place to come for lunch! The price is unbeatable, the food/​food selection is amazing, and the service is great. I would recommend this place to anyone and everyone. I’ve brought many of my friends here and gotten them hooked. This is my all time favorite Chinese buffet!

It’s an above average Chinese buffet. What makes it appealing is the hibachi grille and sushi. Nice variety of food and they all look very appetizing.
The fresh fruit is good but I’d stay away from the pastry. It was the only thing I did not like. They were all stale.

I’m not sure what type of expectations people have of Chinese Buffets, but this one is very good. We came here on my brother’s recommendation for my nephew’s graduation lunch.
They had plenty of room for our party of 12+ with no reservations or private room requests prior to coming. Absolutely no wait and our beverages were brought out fast. Nice.
Food-​wise, I was pretty happy and so was my entire family. They had something on the menu for everyone in our party from hot and sour soup to General Tso’s Chicken to sushi and hibachi and seafood to American food and shumai to a plethora of desserts. Rows and rows of food choices.
I can tell you they really do have a wide selection of delicious choices and those who say otherwise, I wonder what smörgåsbord you frequent? I left pretty full and happy. We all did.
Yup, rolled out like Giant Panda Heads. :)

Large selection of everything to feed everyone. Clean atmosphere. Large seating area. Friendly staff great hibachi cook after selecting your own ingredients. Wide selection of fresh sushi. And as a seafood lover I enjoyed the constant refilling of the oysters, clams, crabs etc as soon as it was running low. Great price for great food compared to many other buffets that charge extra high for seafood. Buffets can be a hit or miss. I would come back here even if I’m a healthy person. There’s an option for everyone.

This buffet is really hit or miss. Sometimes is mediocre, other times it’s great! I will say, their sushi is quite good and a large selection of it too and their seafood dishes are quite delicious.

This place is the best deal in Chinese Buffet Restaurants. Large buffet includes seafood, chicken, pork, hibachi, sushi, desserts.
Luch is almost $ 8 dlls + $ 1.79 soda. Dinner is almost $ 13+$ 1.79 soda. They also have a 10%discount coupon on their website and UCF student discount (just go to the top of the Unilocal page under OTHER and coupons).
The dinner menu is worth the price because it has more seafood, oysters, sushi, algae, edame, roast duck and even frog legs! :-)
One plus is that they offer Green tea ice cream often not available at restaurants.
Even though I am an small portion eater and not fan of buffets, I really recommend this restaurant at the corner of Alafaya Trail and East Colonial Drive.
They also have take out.

It’s an all-​you-​can-​eat Chinese buffet located in a strip mall, for around $ 10 or less. It won’t win any awards, and you probably won’t instagram your meal, but you will definitely walk away stuffed.
They have the usual culprits: american staples, stir fried chinese in brown sauces, made-​to-​order hibachi, and low-​grade sushi with mostly cooked ingredients. If these are a few of your favorite things, then come on in.

As a whole, I’m not a big buffet person. Giant Panda had an extremely large selection of sushi, in addition to the grill, and some Cantonese dishes. I was hoping to see a bit more of authentic dishes, although what I tried was very tasty.