Chen's Buffet in Oklahoma City: All-You-Can-Eat Chinese with Lunch Pricing Under $10

Chen's Buffet is a traditional Chinese buffet in Oklahoma City where diners select from warming trays of Americanized Chinese dishes, paying a single flat rate and eating as much as they want. The operation runs lunch and dinner service, with pricing that shifts between dayparts, making it the lowest-cost buffet meal option in the city for those eating midday.

What Chen's Buffet actually is

Chen's operates as a full-service buffet with a hot line of 40 to 50 dishes that rotate seasonally but remain consistent in style: fried rice, chow mein, lo mein, sweet-and-sour chicken, kung pao chicken, beef and broccoli, General Tso's chicken, egg rolls, spring rolls, and crab rangoon as standards. A sushi bar runs along one side, stocked with rolls made fresh daily. The space seats roughly 80 across tables arranged for groups and individuals alike. The buffet sits on North May Avenue in a strip mall, visible from the street and accessible from dedicated parking.

Menu and pricing by daypart

Lunch buffet, served Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., costs $8.49 per adult. This is the entry point for cost-conscious diners and families. Dinner buffet, offered Monday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Friday through Sunday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., runs $11.99 per adult. Children under 12 eat at reduced rates during both periods (confirm exact pricing on arrival, as buffet pricing does shift seasonally). Sushi selections come from the same flat rate; no premium pricing applies. Beverages, alcohol, and takeout containers incur additional charges. The restaurant accepts cash and card.

How Chen's compares to other Oklahoma City buffets

Chen's lunch rate undercuts most competitors. Golden Phoenix, another Chinese buffet also on the north side, charges $9.50 for lunch; its dinner buffet runs higher, and the menu leans more heavily on dim sum and steamed options. Mandarin Grill on the south side offers a lunch special at $7.99 but limits the buffet selection during that window; full-menu lunch costs $9.99. Sakura buffet, focused on Japanese and sushi-forward selections, prices lunch at $10.99, making it more expensive but distinct in focus. Choose Chen's for the lowest weekday lunch cost and traditional Americanized Chinese breadth; pick Golden Phoenix if you prefer dim sum and steamed proteins; go to Mandarin Grill if sushi and a smaller buffet footprint appeal; and select Sakura if Japanese cuisine and nigiri-quality sushi are the priority.

Who Chen's suits and who it doesn't

Chen's works best for families with children, groups splitting a meal bill, and diners who eat large volumes. Lunch hours attract office workers and retirees. The buffet format suits people indifferent to plating, presentation, or ingredient sourcing; it does not serve anyone seeking refined technique or locally sourced proteins. Dietary restrictions are harder to navigate here than at full-service restaurants because buffet items mix in shared serving spoons, and ingredient lists are not posted. Vegetarians will find rice, noodle dishes, and egg rolls; vegans should call ahead to confirm oil sourcing.

What the first visit involves

Walk in, give a party size, and wait to be seated. A server brings water and takes drink orders. You walk to the buffet, grab a plate, and fill it from the warming line. Sushi selections sit in a chilled case; point to rolls you want, and staff place them on your plate. Return to your table, eat, and repeat as many times as you want. Pace yourself; the buffet is designed for grazing, not speed. When done, flag your server for the check. Expect a 45-minute to 1.5-hour visit depending on group size and how many trips you make.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Chen's Buffet operates at its North May Avenue location. Lunch service runs Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner service runs Monday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Friday through Sunday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas; verify holiday hours before visiting. Parking is shared-lot with other strip mall tenants and is free. The dining room is wheelchair accessible. Call ahead if you have a party larger than 15.

Chen's holds a stable place in Oklahoma City's buffet landscape by offering the lowest lunch rate in the city and enough variety to justify repeat visits from those eating in the midday window.