Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet Las Vegas: Is It Worth It?
Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet sits on Spring Mountain Road in the middle of Las Vegas’s Chinatown, and it’s become one of the more talked about all you can eat spots off the Strip. If you’re trying to decide whether to spend your night here or drive toward one of the casino buffets, this guide covers the menu, the real prices, what past guests actually experienced, and whether it’s a smart pick for your trip.
What Is Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet?
Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet is an all you can eat restaurant at 5845 Spring Mountain Road, Suite B11, in Las Vegas, Nevada. It blends a seafood buffet with a sushi bar and a full Chinese hot food line, so the format is closer to a Chinese banquet buffet with a seafood focus than a strict Japanese restaurant. The restaurant is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m, which covers both lunch and dinner service without a midday closure.
The concept leans into abundance. Expect a spread that includes crab legs, shrimp prepared several ways, mussels, oysters, sashimi, hand rolled sushi, dim sum, and Chinese entrees like beef and broccoli or short ribs, all served buffet style so you can go back as many times as you want.
Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet Menu Highlights
The menu is where this place tries to separate itself from a standard Chinese buffet. Snow crab legs are one of the signature draws, typically included with the dinner and weekend buffets rather than the cheaper lunch option. Alongside the crab, guests regularly mention steamed shrimp, garlic shrimp, tempura shrimp, and coconut shrimp all available in the same visit, plus mussels and clams prepared multiple ways.
The sushi and sashimi side is hand rolled and refreshed throughout service, with specialty rolls sitting next to more traditional nigiri and sashimi plates. On the hot food line, you’ll find dim sum, Mongolian grill stations at some visits, Oysters Rockefeller, and short ribs, which several reviewers single out as standouts. Dessert includes soft serve ice cream and fresh fruit, along with a red bean dessert that regulars specifically call out.
One detail worth knowing before you go: some made to order hot dishes wind down around 8:30 p.m. even though the restaurant stays open until 9:30, so sushi, cold dishes, desserts, and select seafood remain available but the freshly cooked hot items thin out later in the evening.
Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet Prices and Hours
Pricing at Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet varies by meal period, day of the week, and age, which is standard for Vegas buffets but worth planning around. Lunch service runs from around 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and is the cheaper option, with some diners reporting lunch pricing near $25 per person. Dinner and the weekend buffet cost more since they include the fuller spread with crab legs, and per-person pricing for dinner has been reported anywhere from the mid $30s up to around $50, depending on the day and any recent menu changes.
A few practical notes from guest experiences: soft drinks have been reported as an extra charge rather than included in the buffet price, which surprises some visitors used to free refills at other Vegas buffets, and there’s a reported 3% credit card processing fee. The restaurant also advertises military and senior discounts, so it’s worth asking at the counter if you qualify. If exact current pricing matters for your trip, it’s smart to call ahead or check the restaurant’s own site, since buffet pricing tends to shift throughout the year.
What Guests Say: A Reviews Breakdown
Reviews for Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet are genuinely mixed, and that split is useful information on its own. On the positive end, long time locals describe it as their go to spot for seafood and celebrations, praising the live lobster, snow crab legs, and fresh sashimi, and crediting the fact that the chef is also the owner for food that feels more cared for than a typical buffet. Several reviewers call the value strong compared to Strip buffets that charge $60 to $75 and still don’t include a full lobster.
On the other end, a real number of guests have walked away disappointed, especially around the lobster preparation, which some describe as chopped small and served in a heavy sauce rather than presented whole. Complaints about small crab claws, inconsistent freshness, and the extra charges for soft drinks show up across multiple review sites. As with most buffets, timing your visit seems to matter. Reviewers who went right after opening or earlier in the week tended to report fresher food and shorter waits than those who visited during a busy weekend dinner rush.
Is Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet Worth the Money?
For most travelers comparing it against Strip casino buffets, Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet is worth trying if you go in with the right expectations. It’s not a high end lobster house, but it consistently undercuts Strip buffet pricing while still including crab legs, sushi, and a wide seafood selection most casino buffets don’t offer at the same price point. The best value tends to come from focusing on the higher end items like crab, lobster, and mussels rather than filling up on the Chinese entrees you could get cheaper elsewhere. If your main goal is variety and volume at a reasonable per person price, it delivers. If you’re chasing a premium, white tablecloth seafood experience, this isn’t that restaurant, and you’ll likely be happier at a dedicated seafood restaurant instead.
Tips for a Better Visit
A few patterns show up again and again in guest feedback, and they’re worth factoring into your plan.
Go earlier in the day or earlier in the week if you can. Reviewers consistently report fresher seafood and shorter lines during lunch or weekday visits compared to Friday and Saturday dinner rushes. Time it before 8:30 p.m. if you specifically want the made to order hot dishes, since that’s when some of those items stop being replenished. Ask about the crab and lobster timing, since some guests mention the lobster isn’t always served at every seating, so a quick question to staff when you arrive can save disappointment later. Bring cash or expect the card fee, since the reported 3% credit card surcharge is easy to forget about when you’re budgeting per person. Pace yourself toward the seafood tower items first. Since crab legs, shrimp, and mussels are the most praised dishes, guests who load up on those before filling up on rice and Chinese entrees tend to report the best experience for the price.
How It Compares to Other Vegas Buffets
Compared to the big Strip resort buffets, Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet is positioned as the budget friendly, off Strip alternative that still tries to compete on seafood variety. Strip buffets often charge $60 and up and may not include a whole lobster at all, while Imperial includes snow crab legs with dinner and weekend service at a noticeably lower price point. The tradeoff is atmosphere and polish. Strip buffets tend to have more elaborate presentation and a wider non-seafood selection, while Imperial focuses its identity around seafood, sushi, and Chinese comfort food in a more no-frills, neighborhood setting inside Chinatown. For visitors specifically craving crab legs and sushi without a Strip level price tag, it fills a real gap in the Las Vegas buffet scene.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet serve lobster every night? Lobster availability has varied by visit according to guest reports, with some diners noting it wasn’t part of every single seating. If lobster is the reason you’re going, it’s worth calling ahead or asking staff when you arrive to confirm it’s part of that day’s spread.
How much does Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet cost per person? Pricing depends on the meal period and day. Lunch has been reported around $25 per person, while dinner and weekend buffets, which include crab legs, have ranged from the mid $30s up to around $50 per person based on guest reports. Prices can change, so confirming current rates before you go is the safest move.
Is Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet all you can eat? Yes. It operates as an all you can eat buffet covering seafood, sushi, sashimi, dim sum, and Chinese hot entrees, with pricing structured by meal period and age rather than by plate.
Do drinks and desserts cost extra? Some guests have reported being charged for soft drinks separately from the buffet price, which differs from buffets where fountain drinks are included. Desserts like soft serve ice cream, fresh fruit, and red bean dessert are typically part of the buffet itself.
Do I need a reservation? The restaurant accepts walk-ins, but weekend dinner service tends to draw the biggest crowds based on guest reports. Calling ahead or arriving earlier in the evening can help you avoid the longest waits.
If you’re planning a Las Vegas trip and want a seafood and sushi buffet that won’t run you $75 a head, Imperial Sushi Seafood Buffet is worth putting on the list, just go in knowing which dishes are worth prioritizing and time your visit to catch the kitchen at its freshest.
