Over the last few years, people have mentioned that they wish Thunder Bay had more buffets. Maybe they didn't realize how many buffets we actually have in town. I am about to share my list with you, and I hope that you will share it with your friends as well.
Breakfast buffets
In the past, the Valhalla has offered a beautiful Sunday brunch, but now they only offer brunch on holidays such as Easter and Christmas. They have replaced that with a breakfast buffet in Timbers every Saturday from 6:30 a.m. until 10 a.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. The price for an adult breakfast buffet is $12.95 and children under 12 are $6.95 each. The buffet includes eggs frittata, scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, sausages, French toast or pancakes, potatoes, toast, fresh fruits, yogurts, muffins, Danishes, and croissants as well as coffee and juice. The restaurant is located in the Valhalla Inn at Valhalla Inn Drive just off of Arthur Street.
The Price Arthur Hotel also offers a beautiful breakfast buffet in the Portside Restaurant every Sunday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The cost for adults is $18.95 and children under age 10 are $8.95. The restaurant is located in the Prince Arthur Hotel on Cumberland Street. The buffet includes a soup and salad bar, eggs benedict, bacon, potatoes, regular pancakes, fresh fruits and chocolate fondue, muffins, and Danishes, but coffee and juices cost extra. They do occasionally switch up some items on the buffet, so call ahead to confirm if you’re looking for something in particular. Reservations are recommended as they seem to fill up fast. Please call to book your spot 346-5139.
Chicago Joe’s, located inside the Victoria Inn on Arthur Street, also offers a small breakfast buffet. The cost for an adult is $12.99 and the cost for children 12 and under is $6.99. The buffet runs every Sunday from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. The buffet includes scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, hash-browns, regular pancakes, toast, granola, fresh fruits, yogurts, muffins, and Danishes, as well as coffee and juice.
RedRum is located at 481 Hodder Avenue in the old Hodder Hotel and it offers a Sunday buffet as well. The buffet runs from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm. The cost for adults is $12.95 and children 10 and under cost $7.95. The buffet includes scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, potatoes, French toast and pancakes, and fresh fruit. Coffee and juice cost extra.
A place well worth the drive is the Kakabeka Legion a few miles out Arthur Street, just before you reach Kakabeka Falls. Every second Sunday of the month, the Legion offers a beautiful breakfast buffet which includes a "made for you" omelette bar as well as all the usual: scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, regular or Finn pancakes, hash-browns and toast. Coffee and juice are also included in this buffet. The adult price is $10.00 and for Seniors the cost is $9.00. The buffet starts at 8:30 am and runs until noon.
Lunch Buffets
There are so many lunch buffet to talk about, but each has a variety that will capture anyone's foodie desires.
Let’s start in alphabetical order to make it fair.
The Columbus Centre, located at 301 May St., offers a variety of traditional buffet items such as pasta, meatballs, chicken, pierogis, salads, buns and mini desserts. Coffee and pop is also included in the buffet price. The buffet runs from11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Fridays only. The cost is $12.50. If you want to confirm the buffet selection for that day please call 623-3252.
The DaVinci Centre, located at 340 Waterloo Str., offers a great variety of buffet items such as soup, salads, antipasto, chicken, pasta, meatballs, pierogis, chicken, and sometimes they have roast beef or carved pork. They try to switch up their buffets often, so you can get a variety on each visit. They also offer many different desserts, as well as coffee or pop—all included in the price of the buffet. The buffet runs from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. every Thursday and Friday. The price is $13.00. If you want to call to check what is on this week’s buffet please call 623-2415.
The Italian Hall. located at 132 Algoma St. offers a basic buffet every Thursday and Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The price is $13.25. Included on the buffet is pasta, meatballs, chicken, potatoes, soup, salads, buns and desserts. Of course your coffee and/or pop are also included. The Italian Hall also likes to change up the buffet menu, so sometimes it will have meatloaf or other offerings on the buffet. Call to confirm if you are looking for something specific at 345-5511.
The Polish Alliance Hall at 102 South Court Street offers a buffet lunch every Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The cost of their buffet is $15. The Polish Alliance offers pasta, meatballs, chicken, potatoes, soup, salads and buns. Coffee and pop are also included. Please check to confirm items on buffet as sometimes they change it up. Call 344-3772.
The Slovak Legion, located at 801 Atlantic Avenue, runs their buffet every Thursday and Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The cost is $11.25. The buffet usually has pasta, a chicken or pork dish, ribs, rice, pierogis, vegetables, potatoes, soup, salads, buns and, of course, desserts, Coffee and pop are included in the price of the buffet. Please call to confirm buffet items as the Slovak also changes their buffet up and offers different menu items every week, 623-3354.
Restaurants that offer buffets . . .
Deluca's Family Restaurant located at 55 South Cumberland Street and offers a Friday buffet from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The cost of the buffet is $15.00, which does not include any beverages. The buffet offers a home-made soup made fresh daily, a variety of salads and toppings as well as three dressings, a mixture of pickles, beets, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw and a few other cold dishes. The hot section always includes some sort of pasta dish (whether it be spaghetti and meatballs, gnocchi, or penne with meatballs), as well as one meat dish (sometime it is a roast beef, pork tenderloin or a chicken dish), potatoes or hot vegetables, and fresh buns. Reservations are not required but some Fridays are packed, so I would suggest making a reservation. Give Julia a call at 343-3003.
Ling Lee's in the Port Arthur Curling Club offers a lunch buffet from Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The price of the buffet is currently $15, including beverage and taxes. The Ling Lee's buffet is loaded with quality Chinese items such as chicken balls, honey garlic ribs, chicken fried rice, egg rolls, beef and greens, and wontons. If you’re looking for authentic Chinese at its finest in a buffet form, look no further than Ling Lee's. Call to confirm items on buffet as they change weekly at 344-1441.
The Masala Grille, located at 170 North Algoma St., offers the best in Indian cuisine. The lunch buffet is offered Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 am until 2 p.m. at a cost of $12.95. The dinner buffet costs $19.95 and runs from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. Please call to book your reservation at 344-3663.
Java Hut, located at 465 Memorial Avenue, has an "All You Can Eat" Fish & Chips every Friday from 11:00 am until they run out, which is usually after 7:00 pm. I know it’s not a buffet, but I feel like it fits right into this list. The price is $10.95 and it does not include a beverage. Java Hut uses Cod fish. If you do not like a lot of batter, ask for your fish to be lightly battered. The fish and chip deal is a real steal at only $10.95 for all you can eat. Call to check on the availability at 344-5521.
Joey's Only Seafood is another all you can eat fish and chips place. Joey’s offers this deal for Alaskan Pollack at $14 or Haddock or Cod for $17.00, but only on Tuesdays. This price does not include beverages. On Thursdays they offer "All You Can Eat" fish tacos for $14. Call to confirm availability at 577-4334.
Mongo's is an all you can eat stir fry place that lets you pick and choose what you want to create for lunch or dinner. You can pay for one trip to the smorgasbord of food or pay for unlimited. A basic one trip lunch costs $12.99 for adults and $6.49 for children. The dinner starts at $15.99 for adults for one trip to the food bar and $7.49 for children. If you chose the unlimited the price jumps slightly higher. Mongo's is located at 1075 Memorial Ave. If you’re worried about picking and choosing, don't be. One of Mongo's knowledgeable staff will be happy to assist you, and if you don't like your first choice, they will even let you go back to try something different (as long as you have only tried a few bites of the first bowl). Call to confirm prices 623-8777 in case of price changes. If you go on your birthday, your dinner is free with proof of ID! Kids eat free on Tuesdays from 4:00 pm until close with a paying adult, one child per adult.
Mr. Stir Fry, formerly China House, located at 1186 Memorial Avenue in the McIntyre Centre, offers a large Chinese buffet seven days a week. The lunch buffet costs $10.95 for adults, $7.85 for children six to 11, and $4.25 for ages three to five. Children under two are free. The dinner buffet from Sunday to Thursday costs $15.95 for adults and dinner on Friday or Saturday costs $16.95 for adults, $7.85 for children age six to11 and $4.25 for ages three to five. Children under two are free. Mr. Stir Fry offers a variety of Chinese dishes and Canadian dishes along with soups, and both a salad and dessert bar. Seniors receive 10 per cent off their bill.
Prince Arthur Hotel Portside Restaurant also offers a Friday and Saturday prime rib buffet from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. The cost for adults is $29.95 and children 12 and under are $12.95. The buffet includes prime rib, as well as many other hot dishes, such as chicken, ribs, pierogis, rice, lasagna and, of course, the soup and salad bar. Each week they try to change up the buffet part, so it’s best to call to see what is on the buffet and to also make a reservation as it fills up quickly. Call 346-5139 to book your table.
Tokyo House is one of the largest Japanese and Chinese buffets in town. Tokyo house is open seven days a week from 11:00 am until 11:00 pm. Their lunch buffet costs $14.95 from Monday to Friday for adults and is $15.95 on the weekends. Children from 6-10 pay $9.95, 3-5 pay $5.95 and under 2 is free. For the dinner buffet, adults pay $23.95 on weekdays and $25.95 on weekends. Prices for children remain constant for all buffets and seniors receive 10% off. Tokyo House offers more than just a buffet, they also offer sushi and a wide variety of it. They will bring you a menu to select which you would like, and after you make your selections you can head over to the buffet and pick out some buffet items. Shortly after you finish eating your buffet items, your sushi and items you ordered from the menu will start arriving at the table. Tokyo House is a great place to go and try new items as it’s all included in the cost of your price. Just remember, for any uneaten menu items they do charge a fifty cent fee for waste. So pick a few items to try, remember it is unlimited, but don't overdo it.
Up In Smoke is located at 230 Leland Ave. South and offers "All You Can Eat" catfish and ribs. The catfish is $20.00 and the ribs are $22.00 from Tuesday to Friday. Call 577-7444 to check out these great specials and to reserve your table!
If you’re looking for specials that happen on certain days of the week, or simply want to find where to get pierogis or cabbage rolls, check out our page at http://www.thunderbayrestaurants.com/ Search the page and you’ll discover there are specials for each day of the week, as well as a buffet page, a breakfast special page, and my favourite, a birthday page. Find out what restaurants offer what for free on your birthday. Some restrictions apply so check them all out, share that page with your friends.
Well, that is my list of buffets and all you can eat places in Thunder Bay. If I have missed any, I do apologize. So, next time your spouse or friends say they are starving, why not suggest one of these places to try to conquer their appetites.
Learn more about Thunder Bay dining visit the Thunder Bay Dining Facebook page. For more on the Dining Lady, checkout this website.
