Was there at 6pm. Stale/chewy, lukewarm to cold food on the hot bar. I love a good buffet, don’t get me wrong, an I can be very forgiving with a buffet… However… this buffet was gross… Not a single item was better than«barely edible» standards… I will not return.
Shonie K.
Place rating: 1 Asheville, NC
I really wanted to like this place. I love Chinese food, authentic or not. I even work 2 minutes down the same road, so the convenience is there. I just cannot recommend a place that made my tummy hurt the same evening after I had lunch there. And, I have to say, I have a fairly strong stomach… more so than most people I tend to have around me. Nothing gross happened, I just had a terrible stomach ache and didn’t feel too hot for a few hours after work. It was affordable, though. Around $ 7 for the lunch buffet I believe. The lady waiting on me was nice, too, though she didn’t speak much. The offerings aren’t as broad as say Asiana, but the staples are there, and remember — we are in Swannanoa. Sweet and sour chicken, fried rice, egg drop soup, etc. All tasted fairly good going down. I always say to try things more than once. Maybe I was having an off day? Either way, I’m unsure if I’ll ever visit again.
Angie S.
Place rating: 4 Black Mountain, NC
My husband and I enjoy eating here. It’s close to home, small, friendly atmosphere. Though it is a small buffet, the food is kept fresh, rotated and is really good! !! They have at least one shrimp dish as well as one kind of sushi. The service has always been great. This is one place we are considered a regular.
Kipper S.
Place rating: 3 Asheville, NC
While recently perusing my instagram feed I found a photo from a well trusted gastronomically inclined friend of mine that mentioned the delicious soups and entrees at Don Chon Buffet in Swannanoa. A Chinese buffet? In Swannanoa? And it’s good? My curiosity was piqued. I’m on the constant hunt for an awesome Chinese buffet ever since China Buffet(the most nondescriptly named buffet ever) in Myrtle Beach closed. I bookmarked the spot, and yesterday I hit the road and made the arduous 18 minute trek eastward. Things quickly went downhill. Google maps has NO idea how to get here. Seriously. It’s located at 2372US70 Hwy, but Google can’t wrap its head around that… It instead takes you to 2372 Old US70 Hwy, which is a residential road in Black Mountain. Then I tried using Apple Maps. Even more lost. My 18 minute journey became a 48 minute battle. Lost, hungry, but not deterred I retraced my steps back to Swannanoa. I got off the exit, and there it was. Seriously. I had driven past it TWICE. Here’s a hot tip, it’s directly across the street from Okie Dokie’s Smokehouse. Search for the smokehouse and you’ll find this place much quicker than I did. Don Chon is very classical in its buffet presentation. Its home is a smaller brick building, and the interior lacks any sort of crazy bells or whistles. There are no fish tanks, no waterfalls. There are chairs, tables, and a buffet. I drove nearly an hour for this? I let both Google and Apple mislead me for this? I could only hope that the humble surroundings would yield a truly righteous meal. Here’s the answer… kinda. I started with the hot and sour soup which was indeed spicy and tangy. I was actually quite impressed. «This is a great start!» I thought to myself. «Maybe this place is the hidden gem I’ve been looking for!!!» Nope. It’s good. It’s extremely okay. All of the items were fairly fresh, and reasonably tasty. Everything was extremely reminiscent of Panda Express. It felt like a Panda Express buffet. If you’ve ever felt limited by the size of a styrofoam container’s tiny compartments and wanted ALL of the orange chicken your face can handle then this may be a dream come true for you my friend. I, however, was looking for something a bit more exciting. Don Chons is a solid 3 stars for me. It’s extremely A-Ok. Would I eat here again? Yes. Would I drive to Swannanoa just to come here? Probably not.
