The term “all you can eat” doesn’t always equate to a top notch dining experience. Buffet spreads with too many options may reveal dried out meats and wilted vegetables sans any fresh flavor. But in Houston, all-you-can-eat concepts are changing for the better. From corner to corner of the greater Houston area, diners will find beautifully laid-out brunch spreads, unlimited Korean hot pots with prime beef, and lunch buffets with loaded chaffing dishes as far as the eye can see.
Here is a list of restaurants showcasing top tier buffet brunches, lunches, and all-you-can-eat experiences where you can eat to your heart’s content.
Sunday Brunch Buffet at Nobu
Nobu’s newly launched Sunday brunch ($68) service lets guests explore interactive chef stations and enjoy an unlimited selection of sushi, salad, sweets, alongside a variety of classic brunch dishes. The menu varies from week to week, but is a wonderful reflection of the style and substance of the iconic global brand. Nobu’s tea menu is worth exploring for tea enthusiasts, and brunch cocktails like the Japanese Bloody Mary ($14) make for a spicy morning eye-opener. 5115 Westheimer Rd., Houston, noburestaurants.com/houston/home
Sunday Brunch Buffet at Picos
Picos has been serving its version of Tex-Mex for more than 35 years, and its Sunday brunch ($48), offered weekly from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., allows guests to indulge in many of the house favorites. Guests can start strong with ceviche campechana, housemade guacamole, and E-Z peel shrimp from the cold bar, before exploring hot dishes like migas, chilaquiles, tamales, and Mexican moles. There are omelet and waffle stations, a rotating chef’s carvery, and a sopas station with soups like menudo and pozole. 3601 Kirby Dr., Houston, picos.net
Lunch Buffet at India’s
Well before there were high-end gourmet Indian restaurants in the city, there was India’s. Not much has changed at the Galleria-area restaurant since the 1980s, and many folks like it that way. For those unfamiliar with the cuisine, the buffet allows newbies to get a taste of everything. The lunch buffet ($20) serves staples like lamb rogan josh, tandoori chicken, sag paneer, chana masala, and vegetable dishes galore. Fluffy naan is served hot out of the tandoor, and desserts like rice pudding serve as a sweet finish. 5704 Richmond, Houston, indiasrestauranthouston.com
Sunday Brunch Buffet at Hugo’s
Hugo’s Sunday brunch buffet ($45) has a cult following, and for good reason. Offered weekly, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the bountiful spread may include flautas, tamales, chile rellenos, and carnitas, and an epic offering of desserts, including conchas, tarts, and cookies. Order a margarita, or two, and stay for the live music beginning at 11 a.m. For some variety, check out Hugo’s sister restaurants, Urbe and Caracol, which also offer their own Sunday brunch buffets. 1600 Westheimer Rd., Houston, hugosrestaurant.net
Kim Son
Houstonians have “Mama La” to thank for this iconic Vietnamese restaurant and perennial favorite that has hosted weddings, family celebrations, and holiday gatherings since 1982. Kim Son has an a la carte menu with dim sum offerings, but much of its draw is its daily buffet loaded with Vietnamese dishes like pho bo hue (beef noodle soup) and spring rolls, alongside Chinese American items like beef and broccoli and crab rangoon. The buffet is available for lunch ($21) and dinner ($32). Multiple locations, kimson.com
Maharaja Bhog
Unlike a traditional buffet in which guests load up their plates while journeying through a line, Maharaja Bhog gives guests round platters with compartments, aka thalis, in which refills of any and all of the dishes are offered tableside as needed. The all-vegetarian menu focuses on northern Indian cuisine, with each thali including an appetizer, specialty dish, vegetable, curry, and dessert, along with condiments like chutney and pickles. 8338 Southwest Fwy., Houston, maharajabhog.com
Happy Lamb Hot Pot
For its Mongolian-style hot pot, Happy Lamb Hot Pot simmers bone marrow for eight hours to create a flavorful broth in which to cook raw proteins, greens, and vegetables. Diners may choose their broth flavor, with the Best of Both Worlds option allowing for a choice of two. The classic hot pot is offered during lunch ($22) and dinner ($28). Meats like lean lamb, marbled beef and pork belly are brought to the table, while a wide variety of vegetables, seafood, and snacks are self-serve at the buffet. 8488 Bellaire Boulevard, 5901 Westheimer Rd., happylambhotpot.com
Hongdae 33
This Korean BBQ concept from Grace and Leo Xia, who also operate the local Duck N Bao chain, offers an all-you-can-eat experience ($36) in Houston’s Chinatown. The restaurant’s neon-lit dining room transports diners to the vibrant Seoul nightlife district of Hongdae, while the all-day deluxe menu allows them to cook proteins like Korean spicy pork bulgogi, black Angus beef brisket, and spicy baby octopus at their own tabletop grills. Along with a variety of meat, the experience includes unlimited helpings of banchan like kimchi, scallion pancake, and japchae. 9889 Bellaire Blvd., Houston, hongdae33kbbq.com
Mikiya Wagyu Shabu
This elegant shabu-shabu concept offers several 90-minute all-you-can-eat experiences, from a basic set ($45) to the diamond ($98). Guests can choose what level works for them, with each set offering wagyu, and they get more premium with each tier by including specialty dishes like wagyu nigiri and Norway lobster. 9896 Bellaire Blvd., Houston, mikiyashabu.com/project/houston-tx
Lunch Buffet at Mahesh’s Kitchen Stafford
The Stafford outpost of Mahesh’s Kitchen in Sugar Land offers a weekend lunch buffet ($22), in addition to its a la carte menu. Dishes from the Indian and Indo-Chinese spread may include butter chicken, palak paneer, lamb biryani, samosas, and manchow soup. Pair with a glass of lassi — the restaurant offers both sweet and salty. 11222 Fountain Lake Dr., Stafford, maheshskitchen.com
Shabu Zone
At Shabu Zone, each guest is served an individual pot of light broth for shabu-shabu and given instructions on how to create the perfect bowl of goodness. The all-you-can-eat set up gives diners an opportunity to experiment and customize their experience with a variety of ingredients, including wagyu beef cuts, and a sauce bar. Lunch ($23) is available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the dinner hot pot ($33) is available daily. 11201 Bellaire Blvd., Houston, shabuzone.com
