Five Star International Buffet

$48 for a buffet without crab legs and prime rib.

Sorry, but what is a buffet without crab legs and prime rib? They do have sushi, nigiri, sashimi, and filet mignon. But, in my mind, a good buffet will always have crab and prime rib. :)

Five Star's strength is the freshness of the product. They don't put a lot out at one time, so the buffet line is stocked constantly with fresh product. The kitchen is directly above the buffet line, so the food goes directly from the stove to the line. An employee walks up and down the line and calls to the chef to make another batch of whatever is running low. Nice.

The buffet area itself is a little cramped and confusing. I wasn't quite sure where the start was, and neither did other people because people were cutting in and out of the lines. Some were going the "wrong way" (I'm presuming they were going the wrong way because they were making their way towards the plates, not away from them).

The service overall was pretty good. Our empty plates were cleared from our table in a very timely manner (the biggest pet peeve at a buffet is returning to your table before your old plates have been cleared). But our waiter seemed to forget about us after we were finished with our meal. We had to hunt him down to get our check.

We received 15% off our dinner thanks to the Kama'aina discount.

Don't expect a large buffet line of a huge variety of mediocre food. What you can expect is a good amount of selections made with quality ingredients. Not only that the food is made fresh and in small portions. They basically cook it fresh when it's time to refill. I like that there is always staff members monitoring the buffet line so it never looks messy or empty!

I went for lunch with my mother and we were impressed with the quality of the food. There was not an item that we did not like. I thought the mini loco moco's were so cute (it was yummy too btw), they chawan mushi was yummy, and the kalbi was delish! There was a curry station, a good array of desserts, a great salad bar, and sushi!

Service here is great too! I will be back!

Just ate at Five Star today for lunch and it was fantastic. I must say that this is probably one of the best buffets on the island. This restaurant is located in Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center on the third floor.

The service here is great. The wait staff is very good about keeping our glasses full and clearing our plates when we were done and ready to get more food. I really liked how they have complimentary soft drinks for kama'aina.

The food was fantastic and fresh. The different food selection was just simply amazing and from my understanding they have different dishes everyday, which makes me want to come back more often to see what else they serve. Nothing looked old or like it was sitting too long. I also noticed as soon as a food item was low they were already placing a replacement for it. I thought this was impressive because that is all done with the right timing and knowing when its time to cook more of a certain dish and to time it out so well was really just impressive in my opinion.

Overall my experience here was great. I think five star is doing a great job with service and food expectations.

Best dinner buffet!

Honestly, I was not expecting much. Most places that calls themselves "five star" or "number one" usually fall far from their name, but Five Star Buffet actually had delicious foods!

In terms of choices, it's quality vs quantity here.
+ Pork belly, sukiyaki, crab legs, nigiris, baked salmon and desserts
- Katsu (dried out), poke (too much sesame oil) and the papaya cups with sour milk

The buffet area is a bit narrow, but overall it's very clean and it's never too crowded. I liked the fact that the kitchen/cook station was directly above the buffet line, so food items were quickly replenished.
Staff are friendly and the plates were cleared very quickly.

Parking is $1 per hour for the first 4 hours!

GOOD VALUE for LUNCH buffet ($19 M-F, $29 weekends), they take reservations, can accommodate parties of 10+, and offer 15% kama'aina discount so I'm almost a fan.

I've been here twice for lunch. Once was a weekday lunch ($19) when they were still sort of new (4.5stars!), and once on Father's Day ($29) when they were completely booked (3 stars)=3.75 stars

PRO
-FRESH! Food gets replaced often so nothing has been sitting on trays for very long.
-QUALITY over quantity! Instead of having lots and lots of ok food, they focus on better quality.
-15% Kama'aina discount given to my weekend lunch party (Is this new? I didn't get it during my first weekday lunch visit). Our adult buffet came out to under $25 each. Mahalo!
-PRESENTATION is cute (loco moco is a juicy patty burger with a sunny side egg in its own dish, cold udon in graduated glass bowls)
-COOKED FOOD - Thai and Japanese curries, Karaage chicken w/katsu sauce (look for it a few trays down), and salmon were great!
-SUSHI - big fish to rice ratio (but only 4-5 choices of nigiri, 3-4 choices of maki)
-SERVICE was excellent both times, even during the crazy sold out day. Water refilled, plates cleared, and pictures were snapped by our excellent server Koryn.

CON
-BUFFET. Whose idea was it to smash everyone through a little room to get the food!? The buffet room wasn't designed to accommodate their sold out capacity. I don't know how they could change it, but if they broke the buffet line up into stations (sushi, hot food, salad, dessert) the people who just want hot food wouldn't have to wait for the sushi takers. (And the sushi eaters wouldn't have to wait for the katsu and udon eaters etc). You can't eat everything all at once anyway, but the design of this room forces everyone to take everything for fear of having to stand in the long-ass line again. The lines were slow even during the non-holiday weekday lunch.
-MUSIC is LOUD! I LOVED the music, but it felt more like a nightclub where I should be doing cosmic Zumba instead of eating. My mom kept saying "it's too loud!!" and especially on a day like Father's Day where most of the guests were older than me, maybe you could turn it down a notch! Or OFF! Hey maybe you can turn it into a nightclub after 10pm and THEN blast your hip-hop music. Now there's an idea!
-PARKING VALIDATION - free one hour validation! There's no way you can finish in under an hour but it's not a big deal because it's only $1/hr up to 4 hrs. At least they validate, so get your green ticket to pay for that 1st hour, or it's $4/30min.
-Haupia was weird. It didn't have the right texture and it was frozen in the middle.

I'd come back again for the $19 weekday lunch, but since the price goes up to $48 for dinner, I don't think I'll ever see the dinner buffet.

LOCATION: Royal Hawaiian shopping center, 3rd floor above Cheesecake Factory and just past Wolfgang's, before Forever 21.

This brand spanking new Waikiki buffet called "Five Star Buffet" is a DOOZY! That's with a capital "DOOZY".

25% dinner discount! Wow!! (Update As of 5/12: Currently 15% Kama'aina discount)

Since this place has been open less than a month, there are few reviews and no buzz about it at all. So I decided to take a chance and try it for myself.

Location: Third floor of Royal Hawaiian Center, above Cheese Cake Factory and next to Forever 21. Park in Royal Hawaiian Center garage and validate.
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/B9gRqulGktsvYXax4Z98sw?select=gtWPRtQ2A21OuCXUwjYYpw)

Ambience: Modern and fresh with an open air tropical feel. Very comfortable and pleasant, the atmosphere competes well with other high end Honolulu restaurants. The dining rooms were completely full within an hour and remained pleasant inspite of a moderate noise level.(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/B9gRqulGktsvYXax4Z98sw?select=770BveElD90Q9pD8PBWbGQ)

History: According to the Five Star website this is the first Five Star to be opened outside of Japan. The founder wanted to present a buffet with an international experience. The goal at the Honolulu location is to use locally grown products as much as possible.

Reservations: We were informed on the phone that dinner started at 5:30 and no reservations were were being taken. There were a handful of people waiting outside at 5:30 so we were seated quickly after a 2 minute delay so a chair could be added to a large round table for our party of six.

The Food Experience: OMG! You can't see the buffet area clearly from most of the seats. But, once you order your drinks and walk towards the food you notice a complete silence. We were speechless. Everyone knew they were in for an extra good evening of eating. The cooking area is directly behind the buffet counter and the cooks are seen preparing the dishes. Pans are sizzling and steam rising over the stoves. All items are prepared in small quantities compared to a typical buffet. There is an expediter or Head Chef in the middle of the buffet area yelling out to the cooks regarding what and how much to prepare. He keeps an eye on all the items. This way food items can be replaced quickly. Other than the cooks, he was the busiest guy in the place.

Salads: Slow Roasted Hamakua Heirloom Tomato and fresh tomato with fresh mozzarella, Egg plant tomato salad, Katsuo Tataki Salad, Nicoise Salad, Crispy Kurobuta Pork "Opu" (belly). Plus local greens with tofu and more. Plus fresh fruits and fresh papaya hollowed out with a vichyssoise filling. Vegetable and mini potato mixed salad. Very unique salads. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/B9gRqulGktsvYXax4Z98sw?select=tpoUo0g64n8H-JmePq6oXA)
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/B9gRqulGktsvYXax4Z98sw?select=TX3YFwi1mebEbCn6G69OXA)

Soups: Fresh Clam Chowder with real fresh clams and baguette!! And then later a Vichyssoise replaced the Clam Chowder. Very nice.

Entrees: Chicken Marsala, Thai green curry chicken, Filet of beef wrapped with bacon, Grilled Ribeye, Scallops Coquilles St Jaques, Tempura, Gnocchi and more.

Sushi: Nigiri with 3 kinds of fish, Sashimi Bowls. All very fresh fish and very good quality.
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/B9gRqulGktsvYXax4Z98sw?select=_Ym6YAwJtNP6fPocok8wnw)
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/B9gRqulGktsvYXax4Z98sw?select=rZB5OPCX5qKjkt2L41RFNA)

Dessert: Chocolate Mousse, Lemon Tart, Cheese cake plus warm bread pudding.
(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/B9gRqulGktsvYXax4Z98sw?select=RpYBEBkOfih8F5in7MqtlA)

These are all items that I had but there were more that I did not try. Every single item was excellent in quality and presentation.

Vegetarian Options: Three of us were vegetarians and were happy as could be. Each of us cheated with a little sushi/sashimi. Plus, I tried a few meat items as noted above.

Service: Drinks are not included. Soft drinks $3. I asked our waiter about a Kamaaina discount or special. He said that in a few days they were going to give free beverages to Hawaii residents, but, for now it was a 25% discount. No problem there! Saved me a chunk of dough on six dinners! Don't think this is going to last because I was given the impression that this was sort of a soft opening special. Water glasses were never less than 3/4 full. Used plates were removed quickly. Lots of friendly staff readily available. Waiters, assistants and management all visible and attentive. Food at the buffet always fresh and constantly replenished.

One issue: The buffet line is sort of in the middle of the restaurant and is subject to a bit of congestion. It seems that this organization knows what it is doing and is working hard to make this a "Five Star Buffet". I'm sure this will get worked out.

Have to be honest: We all had a really good time and enjoyed the food. Socializing with good friends is the best. A special night for all of us. Next time less talk more focus on the food!! $48 dinner, $25 for child 12 or under. $20 lunch.

The first time I ate at Five Star was via the Yelp CMYE invitation for the Foodies and Fashionistas event put on by the Royal Hawaiian Center. We were only limited to one trip to the buffet, so I didn't get the full experience on that occasion, so I've been wanting to go back to try it out for real. I recently got the opportunity to do so, and I sure enjoyed myself.

PROS:
+ Fresh high quality food
+ 15% Kamaaina discount for dinner
+ 25% discount after 8:30 pm
+ Friendly staff
+ Clean
+ Indoor and outdoor seating options

CONS:
- Pricey
- Cramped buffet line area

We saw the specials board near the door one night, and noticed that there was a 25% discount if you dine in from 8:30 - 10:00 pm. This would shrink your buffet cost from $48 to $36. What a deal! The catch to this special is that you have to have a walk-in seating, and not reservations. No worries, though because the restaurant is usually empty enough by 8:30 pm that you won't have very much of a wait at all. So with this information in mind we came back another night to take advantage of this special.

We were promptly greeted at the door by a friendly hostess, and we only waited for a few minutes for a table to be cleared and set for us. We were lead in by the same hostess that greeted us, and got seated. Our server came by shortly after and took our drink orders, and directed us to the buffet.

While the selection here isn't as huge as some other buffets the food is freshly made, and delicous. Quality vs. Quantity, I guess. Most of the food items are already portioned into single servings, so it's easy to grab a plate full of food. One of the highlights of the buffet for me were the prime rib and crab legs. I just doesn't feel like a buffet without them! There were also some tonkatsu skewers that were surprisingly tasty, and all of the sushi and sashimi were superb. Just about all of the other food that I tried was great. I did have a bread roll that was dry and hard as a rock, though, and some of the desserts (mostly the cakes) were just meh. Maybe I'm just not that big on desserts... The bread pudding was excellent, and the green tea panna cotta was wonderful.

Individually portioned sashimi: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/B9gRqulGktsvYXax4Z98sw#ZV9YyJzMmE71Ruq-LlCNTw

The setup of their buffet is pretty cool because you can see the cooks at work in the kitchen right behind the food counters. This way you know your food is coming fresh right out of the kitchen. The odd thing about the setup, though is that it's basically in a hallway with the food counters running along each side. There are sliding glass doors on each end, and about six feet of space between the two food counters. It gets pretty hard to navigate in there when it's crowded full of people with their high-piled buffet plates.

This photo by Nat N. is a good shot of the setup: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/B9gRqulGktsvYXax4Z98sw#piRuKWVfI42QpzBrH6_8hA

The service was indeed very friendly, although a bit lacking at some points. There were a couple of times that used dishes would start piling up on our table, and water glasses went empty. Our server wasn't seen for a good stretch of time, and when a couple of us had gotten the prime rib we noticed that there were no knives on our table. Each of us had two forks each, but no knives. This was quickly remedied with one of us asking the hostess for knives.

Overall I give Five Star International Buffet a solid four-star rating. $48 feels a bit steep for a buffet, so the after 8:30 discount (25% off) really helps. The Kama'aina discount (15% off) is not bad, but it's basically just the same as the tip you'll end up leaving so you'd still be dropping $50 when all is said and done. I'll definitely be back again, but probably only for weekday lunch, or after 8:30 pm. I'm curious to see what the lunch spread consists of...

This Buffet is the BOMB!
We went for lunch and it was amazing.
Just the Fresh Sushi is worth the $19- price.
I liked almost every dish that was available.
A wide variety of Cuisines.
Dinner is $48- and we'll be trying it soon.

This is how it all started...

I was starving

Parked at royal hawaiian center

Walked around the center looking for places to eat. Then my bf goes....

"That would be cool if five star buffet was only $20 then we should give it a second try. Hahaha I told him u wish not knowing that it was $19 per person for lunch buffet!!! SAY WHAAAAA?!?!?!

So we picked this place and give it a try once again. OMG! Why don't they serve this during dinner?? It's delicious!!!! I mean dinner wasn't all that for me but lunch?! Can't go wrong with $19!! On top of that, if you're kamaaina, you get free soft drink per person.

You want a Vegas buffet? You got a Vegas buffet and I'm talking at one of the newer Strip hotels, not something inside Imperial Palace.

I would put this one at the top of the buffet food chain in Honolulu, at least for the price. We went for lunch and for $19 it was quite reasonable (it's $48 for dinner). There is a good variety and quality; this place is immaculate, nested well inside the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center all the way at the Diamond Head side past Wolfgang Steakhouse.

The spread is not ginormous like Todai or Tsukiji; it is quite manageable but what they lack in quantity they keep things tight in quality. The sushi area hosts three kinds of nigiri (ahi, salmon and ebi) as well as the standard California rolls and spicy ahi rolls. The slices on the nigiri are buttery fresh and meaty which is somewhat rare (get it, rare) now at buffets that serve sushi. You some some scrawny looking pieces at places like Tsukiji these days. I know Hakone is probably the standard bearer for sushi buffets but at $19 you are not going to get into Hakone, at least legally.

What I also like is that they have some items pre-prepared in bowls like a cold ramen and loco moco, a la The Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan in Vegas. So you just pick it up instead of scoop it out of some beaten and worn trough. It's really stylish and nicely done. There are also plenty of other beef, pork and chicken selections, as well as a Thai and Japanese curry area. They even have a toppings bar for the curry and other soups and noodles, with tsukemono and garlic radish puree garnish.

On the other side are veggies, salad, fruits and a nice looking dessert area with lots of very modern looking creations like a cappuccino gelatin with whipped cream. Everything is shiny, modern and pretty.

The wait staff was also pleasant and you knew that they are trying to emulate a Vegas buffet because the staff is dressed in something you would see at a Vegas hotel. See pictures. They offer $1.50 beer bottles and $2 drafts. Wow, pau hana prices! I ordered up some Singha in a bottle and it hit the spot.

While we had reservations for a Saturday afternoon at noon, there was not much of a line so at this point there may not be a need to make any (but there's no harm). I'm not sure that people know much about this place as it is at the far end of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center's third floor and perhaps they are going to need more word of mouth. Well, what do you think this is?

I would fire the PR person who dubbed this "Five Star International Buffet Restaurant" as it probably turns people off for being gaudy/cheesy. Do you see Alan Wong call his restaurant "Alan Wong's Ichiban Restaurant, Hey Chef Mavro in Your Face Brah?" Apparently they have a location in Japan as well. If you snobs can get past the name and if you are not above eating at buffets, you will not regret walking about 1/2 a mile from the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center parking lot to eat here. I mean you've worked up an appetite already. First hour parking is free and a $1 per hour thereafter, with validation. Reminders of the Ninth Island await.