Eastern Bay

I love this place! We usually get carryout, but have dined in once. No complaints, everyone was very nice, and the food was good– much better than Peking House. We used to go to Peking House until they became cheap, and there was pretty much no chicken in the sweet and sour chicken. So in searching for another Chinese Place, we found Eastern Bay, and absolutely love it every time!

Service was awful, the Buffett looked like it hadn’t been refreshed the entire day, and the food was horrible. If you come here try to come as close to 11am as possible as it doesn’t appear that they refresh the Buffett. I will not be coming here again.

Man, I wish I’d read the reviews about their service issues before coming here.
I walked in just after 3:00 on Wednesday 12−18−13. There were no customers to be seen but there were two waiters working. Both looked at me as I walked in but neither acknowledged me. The shorter of the two actually walked right by me and kept going without saying a word. He sat down at a table to my right and started rolling silverware.
After standing there awkwardly for about a half minute, I said to him:
Me: «You are open, right?»
Waiter, not looking up: «Yeah.» (Long pause, continues to roll silverware) «You are too late for the buffet. It closed at 3.»
Me: «I didn’t come for the buffet. You do have a regular menu right?»
Waiter: «Yeah.» (Another long pause, still rolling silverware) «Do you want a table?»
Me thinks: **No dimwit, I prefer to stand while I eat.**
Me getting irritated: «If you don’t mind. I mean, if it’s not a bother.»
Waiter: «Uhhh, the bartender can help you.»
He gets up and then calls over to her, she yells back «Just a minute!», waiter sits back down.
I stood there for a couple more minutes, then an older Asian woman comes out, stands by the bar and yells over that the bartender will be there in a few minutes. Finally the bartender gets me seated along with a look at her watch and an audible sigh as I’m sitting down.
By this time, I’m pretty much done with these people. I checked out the menu but decided to leave. Their prices were looking a little steep, especially for a casual dining restaurant in an old McDonald’s that acts like a customer is a bother. I hung around for a few minutes longer to let the bartender know that I wasn’t staying but she never came back. 15 minutes of my time wasted.

If I could give this place zero stars, I would. The food was mediocre Chinese food, but that’s not where most of my problem lies. My friend had been a loyal customer at Eastern Bay for years and decided to take me there for the lunch buffet. The waiter we had was awkward and not friendly. When there was a problem with the bill we asked for the manager. The woman came to our table and proceeded to yell at my friend and I in front of the other customers. She was so rude and quite frankly made herself look like an idiot. If you are looking for great Chinese food I recommend visiting Lotus Grill at Crosswoods. If you are in the market for typical «Chinese buffet» food and the worst customer service in Columbus, then Eastern Bay may be right up your alley!

Decided to check this place out for their lunch buffet after always driving by. I believe they only have a lunch buffet during the week, and then a Sunday buffet.
I was pleasantly surprised! Since it’s not a full-​time buffet, there is not a ridiculously large selection, but everything I had was tasty and hot. My friend and I got here a little before 11:30am on a Friday, and by the time we left it was so packed people were having to wait. Definitely get here early if you can, since this place seems like a popular lunch joint!
Have not had their standard restaurant food, but the buffet is definitely a step above your average Chinese buffet.

I’m undecided about this place. I’ve been there twice. The atmosphere is good. And the first time the service and food were fantastic… the second time… just meh.
My first visit, I had garlic shrimp and, oh my gosh, the dish was amazing. The shrimp were big and fluffy (I know, for shrimp, but I can’t think of another word), just cooked so perfectly. I don’t remember the last time I had shrimp this good. The vegetables were plentiful and cooked just right as well. I was eating alone and my server came around just enough. The other thing about him, I asked for some recs since I had not been there before, he steered me towards the shrimp which I probably would not have ordered.
My second visit, the service was not as attentive. I was by myself again and was lucky to get my water refilled, she didn’t come by to ask how my meal was, etc. I asked for recommendations this time and was told ‘everything is good”, I’m not a fan of that answer. So I ordered the pad thai. It was bland and there was not a lot of protein, they have shrimp, beef and chicken in theirs, mine was mostly noodles and there were not a lot of vegetables either. I might add, the shrimp were not the big delicious ones like from my first visit. I realize I ordered a thai dish at a chinese restaurant, but «everything is good» and I like pad thai, so…
I’ll go back, because it was so good the first time, but I hope every experience is like that first one.

Nearly every time we are down visiting my parents, we grab some take-​out from Eastern Bay… and every time it is quality Chinese take-​out.
Tonight’s order included sesame chicken, General Tso’s chicken, Hunan chicken and cashew chicken. Every dish was prepared as requested and very tasty. I highly recommend getting white meat and the sauce on the side for the General. Egg rolls are solid, as is the crab rangoon.
There may be better Chinese restaurants in the Hilliard/​Upper Arlington/​Grandview area, but Eastern Bay has been consistently solid in my experience.

I wanted to give this place a higher review however if the owner/​service werent so rude/​snotty I would be a regular here. The food is good (not great), but my first time there the owner (appeared to be anyway) was rude with me… but if you were a regular, all smiles and hugs… I tried again, twice as it’s near work, to no success… maybe she has enough regulars she doesnt need more.

I was turned on to this place last year when I started working in the area, since I have been going at least once a week to every other week.
It is a buffet, the food is buffet food but in my opinion definitely one of the better buffets out there.

I don’t claim to be an expert on Chinese food, and I’ve found sometimes you can’t judge the regular menu from the buffet as many such places, but as for buffets, I think this is one of the better Chinese lunch time buffets in Columbus. The service is good and the place looks nice inside considering what it was prior. Good lunch stop.

I’m a great big fat person, and have eaten at many, many Chinese buffets. Hands down, this is the best Chinese buffet in Columbus… too bad it’s only a lunch buffet, or I’d go here more often. Keep in mind, it’s still a buffet, so don’t expect gourmet Chinese food; but, for a buffet, it is excellent.

I don’t usually write reviews on here but after visiting this place i decided to make an exception. I only chose to get lunch here because it was only a few minutes from my work and i had that Chinese food craving. Worst mistake of my life, the food is tasteless, and the chicken was like rubber! I definitely will never go here again, should have went to Wendys instead.

Admittedly, I’m not a fan of most «American» Chinese food, so I wasn’t overly enthusiastic when a business colleague suggested we do a Chinese buffet for lunch, but I went along with it out of courtesy.
When we arrived in the parking lot and I looked at the building, my first thoughts were not «Wow looks like a high-​end Chinese restaurant». It was more along the lines of «Um, is this a partially converted McDonald’s?» The owners have added some landscaping, put a few planters on the drive up island and repainted the outside. They redecorated inside, but again it looks like a superficial cleanup versus a redesign to be a Chinese restaurant. Maybe they’re just starting off this way to see if the business takes off before investing a lot of money into the building.
We had the buffet for lunch. I have to say that the food here is good. I’ve been to too many Chinese restaurants where the sauces for the dishes taste the same. Not so here. I also found their spicy dishes to actually be spicy! The Szechuan chicken was very good and the hot and sour soup was actually hot and spicy! And, it was the right consistency as opposed to the super thick almost gooey stuff I’ve tried in other restaurants. The hot mustard also got my attention. Wow, this isn’t the stuff you normally get in the little yellow packets. I asked the server and he confirmed this was a homemade mustard sauce. As were the other sauces in the buffet. Kudos to them for making their own versus using off-​the-​shelf stuff. The eggrolls were really very good as well. The shell was crispy and flaky, versus the oil soaked soggy rolls I so often see in a place like this. The filling was fresh and appropriately cooked. Again impressive for a Chinese buffet.
Some folks would say the service here is excellent. I would certainly say they are attentive, but for me I would say it’s over attentive. I think the server must’ve refilled my water glass each time I took a sip. And it seemed like the server was always hovering around the table. For me that’s distracting and I almost felt rushed.
In summary, all the food that I tried at the buffet was above average and several dishes were very good. Ambience and service weren’t quite there for me. Would I come back here for a date or bring a customer for a business lunch? No. Would I come here again for some good quick Chinese if I were in the neighborhood? Yes.
ATMOSPHERE– C
SERVICE — C
FOOD — B
PRICE — B

Went there for lunch today. They had a lunch buffet. It was mediocre at best. Quality definitely not as good as many other Chinese restaurants I’ve visited in the area.

I’m into restaurants that used to be something else, so Eastern Bay’s previous life as a McDonald’s intrigued me. I’m somewhat of a Sesame Chicken connoisseur so we shared that and some of the Cashew Chicken. Both were pretty good. The fact that it’s close and easy makes Eastern Bay somewhere I’ll probably frequent a lot, but I don’t know if it would be my absolute Chinese food go-​to in the area. Also, definitely go for the spring rolls. I thought they were the best part!

I’ve been there probably 8 to 10 times, and the food has always been quite good. The szechuan beef w/​jalapeño peppers is killer and I get it almost every time. Somewhat more expensive than your average chinese at about 11 to $ 15 an entrée, but the portions are pretty good. Overall, definitely in my top 3 favorite Chinese restaurants in the city.

The only reason I continue to go to Eastern Bay is because it’s 5 mins from my apartment, and sometimes you’re craving Chinese and you just don’t want to make a long trip. Don’t get me wrong, the food is OK, but definitely nothing to write home about. I’ve not had anything there that was particularly bad, but also nothing that was so good I’ve found the need to order it more than once.
I’ve eaten in once, but usually get takeout at dinner, and I’ve never seen the dining room even half full. Perhaps one can take that as a sign?

You may recognize this building’s former incarnation as a McDonald’s, but don’t let that put you off. My husband and I have ordered carryout from Eastern Bay once a week for 5 years and have had absolutely no problem with the food.
While most of the menu options seem a bit «cookie cutter”-ish, the quality and service is consistently good. The interior is simple, but clean and spacious. We’ve eaten in with large groups and also been tucked away in a booth for cozy dinners together.
I’m not into buffets, but a few friends DO partake of Eastern Bay’s lunch buffet and claim to like the options. It’s not a big buffet, but offers all your standard Chinese dishes. We usually eat dinner here. Sometimes I even make the effort to order my food in person, so I can sit at the bar and have a drink. Again, the bar itself is nothing fancy, but they do carry the full range of beer, wines and spirits and, as far as Chinese restaurants go, they make killer Bloody Marys!
I come here because I appreciate the attentive service. The waitstaff is extremely friendly and never forgets a face… in fact, I think she even recognizes my voice on the phone! The prices are quite good too.
Overall, I give Eastern Bay a high rating for consistency, if not originality.

This Chinese restaurant is located in what is clearly an old McDonald’ s building — never a good sign.
It’s not as bad as all that, though. The food is pretty decent. My wife and I rocked the buffet the day we visited. Buffets are buffets generally, though it is easy to mess up the simple concept. This one was respectable. Nothing stood out as mind-​blowing — just an average place. The menu might yield entirely different results.
We visited at lunch and felt like the prices were a little high. We would have felt more comfortable with them at dinner.
The wait staff was very friendly and attentive, though, which is no small thing.
If you’re driving down Dublin Road and craving Chinese food, this is your best ticket.

Eastern Bay whips up some delectable, fresh Chinese cooking although a bit pricey. Each dish has its own distinctive sauce and flavor — unlike other Chinese restaurants where phrases such as «Chef’s special sauce», «Delicate sauce», «Velvety sauce», «Delightful sauce», and «Secret Sauce» all translates to the same thing: brown sauce. Dood, just lose the goddamn thesaurus and admit your chef’s incompetence.
I noticed many of the customers opting for the lunch buffet at EB (offered M-​F and Sunday.) The only thing that stood out from the buffet table was the bon bon chicken, but since buffets aren’t really my cup of tea, I went for the regular menu instead. As mentioned, a tad costly considering the portion sizes. The meat dishes are decent, but $ 8 for a measly portion of broccoli, carrots, bok choy, and five cashew nuts?! (I counted, yes.)
Price-​wise aside, spot on and friendly service. The gals running the place know how to keep regulars coming back.
3.5 stars!