Top’s China Buffet

The place is getting pricy on Saturday night the line for crab legs was rediculous they were bringing them out like every 20 minutes. The staff was nasty to the customers especially the young man seating guests. The older gent with crew cut don’t know if Ian going back. I have been going there for the last 10 years but know between the price and rudeness im done We need another Chinese place in Brandon. Even their lunch prices went up.

I’d like to give it 2.5 stars but I’m going to round down. Nothing tasted like it had been prepared within the past 8 hours. There was an ice cream freezer so there’s that. :) Otherwise just a typical subpar buffet experience. Chicken choices were all pretty bland. Service was decent. Only $ 8 for lunch. Crab rangoon was ok tasting, just stale.

Been here a few times over the past couple of years and the food was OK. This time the food was tasteless. Don’t plan on returning.

I came here once before and wanted to bring my boys by for their all that you can eat crab legs. To our disappointment crab legs are only served on Friday and Saturday night. The boys were still super excited at all the food that they had to choose from. I was digging the all you can eat sushi bar. The food was just okay. Nothing Amazing. My boys are simple and easy to please thankfully. The service was just okay. The waitress seemed to catch an attitude when I asked for a table in the corner instead of in the middle. She kept telling me that the table was for 8 prople. Eventually she just gave us the table… The price wasn’t bad. I spent 59 bucks for 5 prople.

This is your typical Chinese buffet. Nothing earth
shattering here but the food is usually hot and fresh. I great place to go if you just don’t want to make dinner tonight. They have a decent selection with hibachi and Sushi. They also have crab legs on Friday and Saturday. I have been here several times now and it is my no frills go in what ever you want to wear place.

Dirty with subpar food and poor wait staff just because your the only chinese buffet in brandon doesn’t give you the right to suck. Oh and 15 dollars for stringy chicken and woody mushrooms Bad form. Tops should be bottoms.

As a courtesy to the readers of this review, I will provide a word of warning…
If by chance you are currently on a full stomach, PLEASE REFRAIN from reading this review for at least an hour. If you choose not to adhere to that warning, then please be advised that I will in no way, shape or form be held liable for the soiling of your carpet, which is an inevitable result of you reading this review shortly after having eaten a large meal.
I will begin on an unorthodox note by kindly requesting that you view all 7 photos I attached to this review before reading any further than this sentence. Here we go…
I only tried a few of the many food options at this buffet. That is not because I am a picky eater, rather due to the fact that most of the dishes were the worst examples of their kind that I had ever seen in my life.
Here are the HIGHLIGHTS of what I did try…
Pork egg rolls: Stale, chewy and bland, these egg rolls tasted like they had been frozen for months and then fried in a fluid that was brought to existence by combining vegetable oil with an off tasting liquid that was likely the creation a cook who got hammered at work and ended up mistaking a fryer for a toilet bowl. The egg rolls were so atrocious that even if they were complimented by the best tasting, highest quality sweet and sour sauce in the world, there would be no added value.
Shrimp with lobster sauce: The shrimp were those small, low quality kind that you can expect to find at any mainstream Chinese buffet, so there’s not much to discuss there. I am much more interested in analyzing the substance that those shrimp were soaking in. I’m not sure how Top’s China Buffet defines lobster sauce, but I think I am qualified to take an educated guess. This is how I think they make the sauce… First, they isolate twenty male lobsters inside of a clear, glass tank. Then, they take a few female lobsters and place them outside of that tank. The female lobsters, deprived of water, attempt to climb up the side of the tank, exposing their undersides in the process. After approximately fifteen minutes of that activity, a thin layer of white fluid is present at the water’s surface. Then, the same cook who was previously introduced in this review harvests the aforementioned fluid and uses it as a base for a thick paste that the restaurant calls lobster sauce.
Here are the MOST TERRIFYING dishes (I DID NOT TRY THESE BECAUSE I ENJOY MY LIFE)…
Hot and sour soup (pictured): The soup looked like slimy, chunky goop, sitting in a pot that had an interior crusted with what appeared to be one week old soup.
Brown gravy (pictured): I have no idea what kind of gravy this was, but I know I didn’t want to try it.
Macaroni and cheese (pictured): Eaten at it’s peak of freshness, the mac and cheese may have been ok at best, however when I got to it, the entire dish was a hardened mass of yellow-​orange matter.
For your viewing pleasure, I have also pictured prehistoric chicken, dried up wontons, hard and stone cold shrimp, and cold, fatty duck, none of which I tasted.
Now for the home stretch… THE SERVICE…
At the end of one of the worst meals I have ever had (for some reason a recurring event for me, here in Tampa), I came to the conclusion that I would be doing the owner of the restaurant a disservice by not confronting him about the undeniable truth that hinders him from operating a successful business. Before exiting the restaurant, I approached him calmly and spoke to him softly and tactfully. As soon as I rendered my first criticism, he became irate and defensive, stating that his food is great and that I am at fault for eating there because Chinese food must not be for me. I politely requested that he came with me to the buffet area so that I could point out multiple examples of food that I believe should not have been served. He hesitated, but then followed me with an angry walk to the buffet area, where I pointed to the shrimp (pictured), which appeared as though they had been sitting there for hours. He then said, something to the effect of, «If you don’t like the food, don’t eat here!» At that point I took a clean plate and used the tongs provided to place a shrimp on it. I then said, «Please try it, sir, and tell me what you think.» He refused to try the shrimp and told me to leave immediately. I asked him if I could pay for my meal before I left and he said something along the lines of, «Leave now and don’t come back! If you come here again, I will call the police.» Not wanting to stir up any more emotion, I calmly did as he requested and left immediately. What else can I say…
Happy Dining!

I have tried this buffet a few times over the years and it’s always been marginal my last visit will be my last visit. the food was cold it all tasted the same and the service was terrible to say the least.
Another family run business where no one seems to care about service food quality or at least to even ask how was your meal.
Not sure how you say lousy in Chinese but that’s what this was. too bad it used to be OK

Food was ok… lots of choice, All tastes the same

Love it! Only thing that bothers me, is that I feel like the waitress’ are hurrying me up whenever they give me the bill. It’s like, I feel like I’m getting stalked by them until I leave… I like to eat without anyone hurrying me up.

Not very good. My son who chose this place to eat was not impressed. The choices were very limited and food not very tasty. We will not go there again.

Wouldn’t go again. Below average. General Tsos was overcooked and hard, tuna sushi looked brown on ends, list goes on and on… its a pass folks.

Clean dining room, good food, nice variety, decent value, attentive staff. My girlfriend and I were seated immediately for a weekday 6pm dinner. We’re coming back for certain. The gf wasn’t going to eat until she looked over the buffet, and then grabbed a plate. We both had a second serving and ice cream for dessert.

Myself and a coworker have not been here in a while and popped over for lunch today. Did our normal routine, I got a plate and sat down while my friend got her a plate of food from the buffet. I dug into my food before my friend came back. After a few bites I see a German cockroach crawling on the wall next to me! I spit out my food and kill the bug with a napkin. Told my friend what happened, called over the manager and explained to her what happened. The manager tells us they sprayed for bugs recently. Really? And you open your doors before all the bugs are dead?! I didn’t say that mind you, but told them we cannot finish our meal and we left. So disappointed as their food was good in the past. I am very turned off and sickened by what happened and will not be going back.

I wouldn’t eat here again. It’s such a pity that this is the only Chinese buffet nearby in Brandon. We only went because my husband had a craving for Chinese food but we know better next time to not come here. Next time, we are ordering in somewhere else. I hope my husband doesn’t have Chinese food urges anytime soon because it is not worth it. I am hoping for new Chinese buffets to come about in the Brandon area and if not, I will probably have to drop Chinese food off my list.

Not a bad place. Food was hot and the buffet was full which is something you don’t see every time you go into a place like this later in the night.
The staff was friendly and the place was clean. Mill go back whenever we are in the neighborhood. Has all the typical Asian buffet food and of course ice. Cream for, desert.

It should be called «Bottoms». It is literaly the worst Chinese food we have had in ten years… the last time we were here. The food was tasteles. The sushi (what little there was) looked fifteen years old. I mean, the real test will be is any of us get food poisoning. I really can’t think of anything positive to say other than there was parking close by. Yes, it was that bad. Run… don’t walk.

Excellent food and very good service. The Seafood is fresh, and the shrimp is fantastic. You will fill up quickly. There is a lot to choose from.

This is the best Chinese buffet in the area. If you come for lunch time or dinner time then all the food is fresh and hot. Of course as with all buffets if you come smack in the middle of the day the food will taste old. But all the food I have tried is really good. My favorite is the honey chicken. .no other Chinese place makes it like tops. They changed the teriyaki chicken but it is still good but they should change it back because it was amazing. Weekend are seafood nights and they have hot snow crabs all you can eat. I have been going for years and will continue to do so I as long as they keep up the place.

WOW, DAMN, HOLY CRAP, JESUS LORD! OMFG! That’s all I have to say about this place. Well maybe not, this place is awesome! Every single HOT item on this buffet taste like it would if you went into a take out Chinese place. Super hot, the meat is NOT rubbery, the sauces are rich and taste wonderful, they have everything you can ask for and more! The waitresses are very nice, quick and never let your drink get low. So many buffets over cook their meats on the buffet, this one is not one of them. There are so many selections to choose from with great prices. It’s in a very old plaza but they keep this as best as it can be for being so old, which is a great impression to its customers. This is my first time here and it is nowhere my last now that I have experienced a buffet worth coming to now. I’m surprised so many people left mediocre reviews. Keep in mind people, review the place for what it is, don’t compare it to a high end restaurant. It’s a Chinese buffet, if you want perfect Chinese food, fly your ass to china then!
Till next time!
Mike