Is parking easy to find at Great Plaza Buffet in Pacific Beach?

Parking on Garnet Ave can get tight during peak hours, especially on weekends. We'd recommend going early (around 5 PM for dinner) or hitting lunch to avoid the crunch. Street parking is your main option in this Pacific Beach area.

Do I need a reservation or can I just walk in?

Walk-ins are totally fine and they take reservations if you've got a larger group. If you're bringing 6+ people, calling ahead is smart to make sure they have space, but the buffet format means they usually move pretty quick.

What should I order first when I go?

Hit the Mongolian stir-fry station and the hibachi grill—diners rave about both. The sushi rolls are fresh, and don't sleep on the dessert section with the hand-scoop ice cream. At $23 per buffet, you've got room to try everything.

Is this a good spot for kids?

Absolutely. The buffet format means kids can pick exactly what they want, and the vibe is casual and family-friendly. With sushi, stir-fry, and a solid dessert spread, there's something for every palate at the table.

Do you have vegetarian options?

Yeah, they've got solid vegetarian offerings across the buffet—Asian stir-fry vegetables, veggie sushi rolls, and other plant-based dishes. It's one of their strong suits based on what people order.

Great Plaza Buffet is an indoor buffet, so dogs aren't welcome inside. You'd need to grab takeout and eat elsewhere with your pup.

What's the best time to go to avoid a wait?

Lunch is your move if you want to skip lines. If you're going at dinner, aim for right when they open or hit it on a weeknight rather than Saturday. Weekends can get crowded, but the buffet keeps things moving.

What's the dress code?

No dress code at all—this is a casual neighborhood spot in Pacific Beach. Flip-flops and beachy vibes are totally normal here.

Great Plaza Buffet — Sushi in Pacific Beach, San Diego

“Great Plaza Buffet runs a Mongolian grill station, sushi bar, and steam-tray lineup under one roof on Garnet Avenue, letting groups split six ways on what they want for dinner.”

While Rocky's commits to burgers and La Huasteca doubles down on birria, Great Plaza spreads wide instead of deep — you can build a stir-fry at the Mongolian station, grab a California roll from the sushi bar, and still have room for soft-serve, all on one $23 ticket. It's the kind of sprawl that makes sense when you're feeding a family with conflicting appetites or a post-surf crew that can't agree on cuisine.

The **Mongolian grill** is the anchor: you load a bowl with raw proteins, vegetables, noodles, and sauce, then hand it to the cook who stir-fries it on a massive circular griddle. Reviews flag the garlic sauce as the move. The sushi rolls are fine — not omakase, but fresh enough for buffet context. Steam trays run the expected circuit: stir-fried vegetables, orange chicken, fried rice, wontons. Dessert spans soft-serve, fruit, and a rotating selection of cakes.

It's a clean operation with friendly staff, though one hostess draws consistent complaints for attitude that cuts against the otherwise low-key vibe. The space is large and brightly lit, built for volume, not ambiance. Beer and wine are available, which is unusual for buffets at this price point.

Come during off-peak hours if you want fresh trays and elbow room. Lunch runs cheaper than dinner. Takeout is an option, though weighing your own box defeats some of the value proposition. Parking on Garnet can be a hassle — the lot behind the building fills fast on weekends.

This isn't a place you come to for one perfect dish. It's where you come when the group can't decide, when the kids want chicken nuggets and you want sushi, when variety matters more than refinement. PB doesn't have many buffets left, and this one fills that niche reliably.

Great Plaza Buffet

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