Chinese Buffets That Have Carry-out?? (Arlington, Jefferson: hotels, home, neighborhood)

[Gekkota]

Are there any Chinese food buffets in Falls Church-Fairfax-Merrifield area that you can buy the food by the pound as a carry- out?
Don't want to sit there and stuff myself...just want a little something to eat at home!
(I know there is a place in Arlington but I don't want to drive over there.)

[persnicketygal]

If there's nothing closer, you could go over to Wegmans -- I like their Chinese buffets. It's probably overpriced, and it's probably a dumbed-down version of the way true Chinese restaurants would make the stuff, but it works for me. I'm not into dim sum, but they have that, too.

[metclubin]

Whole Foods have good buffet with variety of Chinese foods. You can pay by lbs. There is one on Route 7 in Falls Church, couple lights east of Marshall high school.

[sullyguy]

Peter Pan Buffet has carryout - never done it myself but seen plenty others do it - Fairfax Circle.

[PP is our fave Chinese buffet - not the Ritz but the food is actually majorly authentic]

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Thought I'd add here that Peter Pan is very popular with Asians - the customers used to be almost 100% Asian though now, since the neighborhood has changed somewhat, the customer set includes Hispanics to a noticeable degree. If you are uncomfortable being around folks NOT speaking English, you won't like Peter Pan - Caucasians in the restaurant can often be counted on one hand (and that INCLUDES me). If you have visited any of the Korean grocery stores and don't like the smells, you probably won't like the smells inside Peter Pan. It's often the case that large busloads of what appear to be Asian tourists show up from time to time - this can make getting a seat a longer wait than normal. On the standard weekend evenings (say, 17:30 onward, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, maybe lots of Sunday) the line can extend out the door. I personally have never tried the nonAsian food that is offered - I like the seafood (and they have quite a variety) and the veggie dishes, I'm a strong fan of sushi so Peter Pan's not-fantastic sushi is fine by me, my (ex-demi-chef at a couple major hotels in Asia) wife loves their create-your-own soups. I don't know about the soups, but I believe everything else can be 'taken out" by weight.

[michgc]

I've never eaten there, so I'm not sure, but there is a Chinese buffet restaurant in the Merrifield shopping center with Great Wall, the Chinese supermarket. Unique Thrift and Five Guys is also in that shopping center. I don't know if the food is good or if they do takeout, but you could check.

[sullyguy]

Originally Posted by michgc

I've never eaten there, so I'm not sure, but there is a Chinese buffet restaurant in the Merrifield shopping center with Great Wall, the Chinese supermarket.

Oh yeah, assuming you're discussing the one INSIDE China Wall, we were just there a few days ago - China Wall is a great place to get lots of interesting stuff, especially fresh meat/seafood - deep inside "to the left" is a mini-restaurant that for sure does takeout. The food there varies greatly in "excitement value" though is indeed authentic - have to make sure whatever you're getting is hot, though, because you can be surprised to find those dumplings are stone cold when you get home (or sit at one of the very few tables to eat in). I've been tempted more than a couple times to try their soups or congee (er..."water rice" is another term for that) but haven't done it yet - we mostly go to Great Wall for their groceries.

[michgc]

I was actually thinking of the restaurant that is next door to the supermarket - or perhaps two doors down. I don't recall the name of it, but I know they have a buffet. I have seen the eating counter in the supermarket, but have never tried that - I'm sure it's more authentic. The restaurant next door looks like your typical Chinese buffet place.

[sullyguy]

[pardon getting the name wrong - Great Wall, not China Wall]

[Forehead]

I feel like I can answer this, I lived in Merrifield for a few years and worked at the Jefferson District Park golf course one summer. On Lee Highway, going towards Falls Church from Jefferson District Park, there is a Safeway shopping center, across from the big memorial park, and West Street. There is a Chinese restaurant in that shopping center that my father and I went to all the time growing up. Great buffet, and you could do carryout as well, which I did when I worked at the golf course.

I haven't lived up there in years, but if that restaurant is still there, I'd say give it a shot. My favorite memory from that place is towards the end of my senior year in high school, the last week when you keep getting out early because it's a formality. Myself and about ten other friends decided to go there for lunch, some of us football players, others just large guys. We walked in the door, and the woman in charge went back and started yelling in Chinese to the cooks. I assume the rough translation was to start cooking more food, but we did our best to clean that place out. Good times.

[ersatz]

Originally Posted by michgc

I was actually thinking of the restaurant that is next door to the supermarket - or perhaps two doors down. I don't recall the name of it, but I know they have a buffet. I have seen the eating counter in the supermarket, but have never tried that - I'm sure it's more authentic. The restaurant next door looks like your typical Chinese buffet place.

The restaurant you are thinking of is Uncle Liu's Hot Pot. They have a lunch buffet M-F and a dinner buffet on weekends. The buffet is a set price, not by weight. They are primarily known for their .. uh... hot pot. According to yelp, take out is available. Uncle Liu's Hot Pot - Falls Church, VA