New Imperial Chinese Buffet

The good the bad and the ugly: a buffet of shame, disgust and redemption. Chapter one. ShameWalking up to the front door there are clear indications that this is about to be a mistake. An ominous array of warning signs that to any seasoned buffet eater would read as "DO NOT ENTER". A faded front sign hung over the glass front windows barely obscuring an oversized cozy TV chair nestled beside a front counter adorned with a meager cash register and a sign proclaiming "Cash Only". As the remaining ambiance sets in, it becomes overtly apparent that this was an establishment in need of a deep cleaning and serious maintenance. Cracked tile, rust not rustic. An accumulation of grime slowly yet persistently waging a winning war of total domination. The pleasant lady behind the counter collects payment before welcoming you to help yourself to your table, soda fountain, plates, and reasonable looking but not particularly appetizing buffet of food options. With loaded plate and soda in hand it is time to descend into a gamble. The cards are about to be on the table as the first few bites are apprehensively consumed. As luck would have it, you split the pot. The food is ok. Not great, but at least edible. Expectations being so low must help the enjoyment of this situation. Chapter 2. Disgust. The buffet itself, somewhat scarred, remained steadfast under the siege of the grime. Other regions of the restaurant had not faired so well. Sticky tabletops, questionably clean plates, rusted napkin dispensers contribute in equal parts with the mediocrity of the food to a growing feeling of self loathing and disappointment in your own life choices. Or is that just feeling full? You know one plate was too much yet you find yourself going back for more. With a second plate in hand, you notice raw chicken, beef and shrimp on a buffet lined against a wall, separated a few feet from the main hot buffet. Your stomach turns. As your gaze lingers, the realization that what appears to be the salad bar, including a decent selection of raw vegetables are directly beside the raw meat. With your second full plate of regret in hand you pause and seriously consider the likelihood of contracting salmonella. You've come this far, the sunk cost fallacy propels you back to your table. By now, the sriracha hot sauce has become your strongest ally both providing flavor and hopefully killing any posse of food born illness. Then with disgust, you see another wayward eater load up a plate with the raw meat and vegetables! Quickly you're overcome with relief as he hands the plate off to that pleasant lady from the front counter. She proceeds to dump the plate of raw food on a round flat top and cooks up a steaming and very nice looking lo mein. Morbid curiosity compels you. You finish off the rest of your plate with an unceremonious pace. Chapter 3. Redemption. As you accumulate noodles, broccoli, green pepper, bok Choi and approach the raw meat, again you feel concern for the bet you've placed. Might as well go all in. Shrimp, chicken and beef. Anticipation for a plate that could be the redemption you hope for, or could end you, is a rush that magically staves off the feelings of fullness and self disgust. A steaming hot and very attractive (by comparison) plate is returned a short wait later. And oh what a sweet feeling winning that bet is! It's fantastic. The feelings of guilt fade and are replaced with satisfaction. Thinking to yourself " that last plate was great, I could have just eaten 3 or 4 plates of that been happier. Still $12.75 we'll spent." You want more, but do you have the room? Maybe some desert after a quick trip to the bathroom. Chapter 4. The horrors of war. Going to the bathroom was a bad idea. Gambling with the devil can pay off, but the devil will always win in the end. The grime has won in this hellish war torn humanitarian disaster. The feelings of satisfaction and fullness are gone. Disgust and loathing have returned. Abandon ship. Abort mission. It's a trap. It's time to go. Desert is not happening. All you want to do is go home, sleep it off, and try to make better decisions tomorrow. 3 out of 5 stars. Go for the lo mein hibachi, have low expectations, don't visit the restroom. Schedule a meeting with your therapist after.

I do not leave negative reviews. I leave truthful reviews. And the truth about this Chinese restaurant is that it has gone down the tubes. The food was old. The woman taking the money as a cashier was not very friendly. And I also saw them being not so nice to some senior citizens. I strongly recommend avoiding this place I know I will not return.

Ok I've heard so much about this place, both good and bad so I had to see for myself. 9 bucks cash only. So I tried a few things and they were not good. The story is that you get what you pay for. First the wontons in the soup where very starchy and had a horrible flour aftertaste. The crab Rangoons were awful as well. Same flour taste but fried. Moo goo gai pan was tasteless and the general tso and honey chicken were all breading. The shrimp with mushrooms didn't have any shrimp and had an odd brown sauce. I did enjoy the chicken teriyaki on a stick! Egg rolls were bland. Needless to say...I wish I saved my 9 bucks and went to graces downtown and get a fantastic meal!!! Don't go here

I ate here this past weekend for lunch with a dining companion. I had been here many times previously during my college days and decided to eat here once again since I was in Meadville. The decor of this restaurant is not terribly inspiring as there seems to be a clutter of stuff on the right whenever you walk in before the dining area although the dining area and buffet are both clean.My dining companion and I both had the buffet. The food was your traditional Chinese fare like General Tso's Chicken, Egg Rolls, Crab Rangoons, etc and nothing really stuck out as being amazing even though it was all solid. What is nice is that they also have a Mongolian grill. You are able to pick your proportions of meats (pork, beef, shrimp) and vegetables along with your sauce and have them cook it with what the little kid behind me called "some very large chop sticks". This is easily the best part about eating here and the food from the grill is good.The bottom line for me is that I will definitely be back here in the future. While the food is satisfactory, the value is great with the total cost for the buffet which included both the Mongolian Grill and a drink being just over $6/person. That is not a price that you will find too often and so I would easily recommend this place!

My least favorite Chinese restaurant . Won't be back.Most pans were empty -I counted 5 bedraggled lycees alone in a serving pan. We arrived near 4:30pm.Do not go there. This place sucks

Never been let down,Always fresh.Always good. Drinks included in cost of buffet.Priced right and Mongolian buffet is out of this world !

Don't waste your time or money! They charge you as soon as you walk in the door, the "buffet" is in the middle so you can't see that they have NO FOOD. A bunch of empty food dishes oh and some store bought cookies for desert. Any food that is out looks like it's been sitting there for days, burnt or dryer then can be. An they don't even tell you it's self serve for drinks, you just have to figure that out on your own. Please don't waste your time or money, SERIOUSLY

Good only if you want food poisoning. Every sauce on the buffet looks like colored water, and meat dishes resemble breaded road kill. This place is disgusting in every way; find dining elsewhere.

Will not go back ... Food was dried up and hard . The dumplings for the soup was on a plate under the warm and hard instead of being in the soup . Food wasn't hot either, when you went in you had to pay first ( which was only cash ) a big tip jar where you pay and the service wasn't what I call service so now I see why they want you to pay first because after my first attempt to getting food I would of lest and went somewhere else . Never Never again will I go there .

Not what I remember it to be. Looks like it's gone downhill. Wanted to ask for refund. All of the food bar entrees were cooked over and over again. Broccoli was hardly recognizable, brown from cooking so long. Food attendant was seen to keep stirring old food around. No food was refreshed while we were there. Disappointing for sure! First time not leaving a tip. Dishes pile up on all tables. Can't believe they stay in business. Next time we'll check reviews first. Looks like this is the norm.