Restaurant in Scottdale, United States
Suburban Buffet Format
China Buffet on Decatur Road is a casual, walk-in Chinese-American buffet in the Scottdale area — no reservations needed, no dress code, and no notable drinks program. It works for groups or families who need a low-cost, low-friction meal. For a more deliberate dining experience in the area, look to our full Scottdale restaurants guide for alternatives.
If you have been to China Buffet on Decatur Road before, the honest answer is that a return visit will look much like the first. Buffet formats do not change dramatically between visits — what you see on day one is largely what you get on day two. Whether that consistency is a reason to return or a reason to look elsewhere depends entirely on what you need from the meal. For a casual, low-friction lunch or dinner near Scottdale, it serves that purpose. For a special occasion or a memorable drinks program, it does not.
Visually, China Buffet reads as a standard American-Chinese buffet operation: broad steam-table runs, fluorescent-bright dining rooms, and the kind of layout that prioritises throughput over atmosphere. The visual cue here is the buffet line itself — how well-stocked and freshly rotated it appears at any given hour is the most reliable on-the-ground signal of quality. Arrive early in a lunch or dinner service window, when trays are being replenished, rather than in the final hour when selections thin out and dishes can sit longer than ideal. Timing your visit to the opening hour of each service period is the single most useful piece of practical advice for any buffet in this format.
A bar program is not a strength of this category. At a neighbourhood Chinese buffet, the drinks offering typically runs to soft drinks, tea, and occasionally beer , functional rather than considered. If a cocktail list or wine pairing matters to your meal, China Buffet is not the right choice. For a more developed drinks experience in the broader Atlanta area, you will need to look elsewhere. Check our full Scottdale bars guide for options where the drinks are the point, not an afterthought.
Weekday lunches offer the leading value-to-freshness ratio at most buffets in this format , lower price points, higher turnover, and shorter wait times than weekend dinner service. If you are visiting on a weekend, arrive at the start of dinner service rather than mid-way through. Avoid the final 45 minutes of any service window regardless of the day.
China Buffet works leading for groups with divergent tastes, families with children, or anyone prioritising speed and low per-head cost over culinary precision. It is a practical solution to a logistical problem , feeding multiple people without negotiation over a menu , rather than a destination meal. Solo diners or couples looking for a focused experience will likely find better returns elsewhere in Scottdale. Browse our full Scottdale restaurants guide for alternatives suited to a more deliberate night out.
Walk in without a reservation. Buffet-format restaurants at this tier operate on a first-come, first-seated basis. There is no meaningful booking difficulty here , getting a table is rarely a constraint. Contact details and current hours are not confirmed in our database, so verify directly before making a special trip. The address on record is 2887 N Decatur Rd, Decatur, GA 30033.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| China Buffet | Easy | — | |
| Le Bernardin | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
| Lazy Bear | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
| Atomix | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
| Per Se | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
| Masa | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
