Buffet help

Hi all. Does anyone have info on these buffets like English%26#39;s or Embers and Jonah and the Whale. I am coming in 2 weeks by bus. I have been to Phillips so I know how nice that is. I am curious how long the lines are and what is the best time to go to the buffets. If you know the prices and locations that will be helpful too. I hope all your summer dreams come true and vacation dreams. Thanks.

Buffet help

We like the Bonfire buffet. They are one of the nicer atmospheres to enjoy dinner in. Lots of folks really like Embers. We were there on one of our first rips several years ago, and were not impressed and have not gone back, but if you read the posts here, people rate it above Phillips. I think the Phillips buffet is good, but not great. Avoid the Paul Revere buffet!!! Cheap and inedible!

Buffet help

Avoid Jonah and the Whale unless you are into large quantities of really bad food.

Also the same for Paul Revere.

But some people even after reading the bad reviews of places like this go anyway because of the price.

Amazing but true.

All depends on what type of food you are used to eating.

Phillips in my opinion is a tourist trap. The crabs they serve are not Maryland Blue crabs but rather come from southeast Asia where they have a processing plant.

Popular with tourists who settle for less.

Phillips is the best hands down for seafood buffet. I don%26#39;t care if the get their crabs from Montana as long as they have them. Besides, every buffet imports their food, they have too, to keep up with the demand

We have been to Halls years ago, wasn%26#39;t overly impressed, but have been going to Bonfire each year for the past 5 years. You have to be REALLY hungry to get your money%26#39;s worth, but for a buffett, I really think it is one of the better ones. It gets super crowded and isn%26#39;t cheap, but again, go hungy and get your $%26#39;s worth!! Bonfire had a good variety of food, seafood and carving stations, I believe it is one of the larger buffetts.

Bingo,

Whole crabs from Phillips are domestic blue crabs which come from the same places most of the other crab places get them--Maryland, the Carolinas, Florida, Louisiana, Texas. It all depends on availability at any particular moment in time. Crab*meat* used in recipes (cakes, imperial, dip) usually comes from their plants in Asia--and that%26#39;s not only at Phillips, but at other restaurants as well which use the Phillips product.

Unless an item at any restaurant specifies that it%26#39;s made with blue crab, you can pretty much assume it%26#39;s made with the Asian product.

Just got back from OC. The only buffet I ate at was recommended on this forum--

Horizon%26#39;s at the OC Clarion. It%26#39;s all the way up around 100th St., but taking the bus is easy in OC (stops on every couple of blocks--ride all day for $2)

They did not have Blue Crabs, but did have snow crab legs and claws, raw bar with oysters, clams and shrimp, crab soup, seafood newburg, several other fish dishes, prime rib, ham, veggies, rice, potatoes, nice salad bar, kid friendly fare (mac N cheese, chicken nuggets, ect), and a wonderful dessert bar. Also includes non alcoholic ceverages--sodas, ice teas, coffees.

If you like wine--BIG PLUS--Cakebread Chardonnay at only $8 a glass (WOW)

All in all a very good buffet for a great price.

Bonfire all the way!

I%26#39;ve been to many all you can eat places in OC and you can%26#39;t go wrong with many of the spots as long as the food is fresh and hot.

Phillips is my favorite but had good experience at Halls and Embers.

One spot I would stay away from and thats Pual Revears Smorgasboard. It is the cheapest $9.99 but the food was cold and looked like it was out all day, very bad. To make matters worse is that the place is in the basement of Plim Plaza...