Golden Star Restaurant in Salinas, CA

4.2(370)Salinas, CA
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Solid choice

Rated 4.2 stars based on 370 reviews.

  • Family-friendly
  • Budget-friendly
  • Quick service

Best for / Not ideal for

Best for

  • Budget dining
  • Quick meals
  • Families
  • Large groups

Not ideal for

  • Quiet atmosphere

At a glance

Salinas, CA • 4.2★
Located in the heart of Salinas, California, Golden Star Restaurant is a Chinese buffet haven that offers an all-you-can-eat experience. With a 4.2-star rating and over 370 reviews, this establishment has proven to be a popular choice among locals and visitors alike. Reviewers rave about the restaurant's great lunch specials and accommodating staff, who go above and beyond to meet the needs of their customers. In fact, one reviewer shared a heartwarming experience of working in the agriculture industry and having the restaurant prepare plates in advance to keep warm. With a wide range of options, including servesVegetarianFood and servesDessert, there's something for everyone at Golden Star Restaurant. Whether you're looking for a quick bite or a leisurely meal, this Chinese buffet is sure to satisfy your cravings.
This family-friendly Chinese buffet welcomes diners of all ages.
Address
1024 S Main St, Salinas, CA 93901, USA, Alisal, Salinas, California
Phone
(831) 422-4132
Today
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Rating
4.2 (370 reviews)

What stands out

👥Friendly service

Attentive and helpful staff

🍽️Delicious food

Multiple reviewers praise the taste and flavor

📋Huge selection

Lots of options to choose from

✨Fresh, quality food

Multiple reviewers mention the freshness

View reviews →

Before you go

🅿️Parking available

Convenient parking for customers

🍺Alcohol served

Beer, wine, and cocktails available

🥡Takeout available

Order to go

Photos

10 photos

Hours & Location

Status: Hours available

Regular Hours

7 days
Monday
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Amenities & Services

Accessibility, service options, and dining details

Accessibility

Wheelchair, parking, and more

Amenities

Available facilities and features
TV AvailableGender Neutral RestroomsGood For GroupsGood For KidsWaiter ServiceCurbside Pickup

Atmosphere

Ambiance and setting
Noise: Noise level

Dining Options

Food and beverage choices

Service Options

Dine-in, takeout, delivery
TakeoutDine-inDeliveryReservations

Takeout service is available. Delivery service is offered.

Parking

Parking availability
Bike ParkingBusiness Parking parking

Parking is available for customers.

Payment Methods

Accepted payment types
Business Accepts Credit Cards

Food & Drink

Menu offerings
none

Reviews

370 reviews

Reviews

Customer reviews available

Loading full reviews...

Frequently Asked Questions

Common answers about this buffet

How much does the lunch special cost?

The lunch special costs around $14 plus tip, which is considered low for the amount of food you get.

Are the lunch specials accommodating for people on a break?

Yes, they are accommodating for people on a lunch break and will even have plates ready and covered to keep warm if you call ahead.

How long does it take to get food?

It takes around 20 minutes to get the food after ordering, with soup arriving about 3 minutes before the main dish.

Is the food fresh?

Some customers have reported that the food is not fresh, with vegetables being old and overcooked.

Can you get a refund if there's an issue with your order?

Yes, the staff will refund you if there's an issue with your order, but the experience may vary.

How is the portion size?

The portion size is large, with some customers reporting that the amount of food is substantial.

Is the food cooked properly?

Some customers have reported concerns about the food being cooked properly, with one customer finding the chicken to be reddish inside.

What is the quality of the meat used in the dishes?

Some customers have reported concerns about the quality of the meat used, with one customer suspecting that substitute meat may be used.

Show 1 more questions

What is the rating of Golden Star Restaurant?

Golden Star Restaurant has a 4.2-star rating based on 370 customer reviews.

Nearby Places

Local services, shops, and points of interest

84 places nearby (finance, food, government, healthcare, services)

Banking

Wells Fargo

Atm

~210 ft
Union Bank

Bank

~250 ft
Wells Fargo

Bank

~250 ft
ATM

Atm

~330 ft
1st Capitol Bank

Bank

~710 ft
Bank

Bank

~930 ft

Money services

Coinstar

Payment Terminal

~0.2 mi
Website

Restaurants

Golden Star Restaurant

Restaurant

~10 ft
Pizza Factory

Fast Food

South Main Street

~610 ft
Wingstop

Fast Food

1130 South Main Street

~710 ft
+1-831-422-9464
Burger King

Fast Food

909 South Main Street

~750 ftMo-Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 07:00-22:00
+1 831-757-1778Website
Tico's Tacos

Fast Food

~870 ft
Pastability's

Restaurant

11 West Acacia Street

~890 ft
+1 831 998 7715
Jamba

Fast Food

1126 South Main Street

~970 ftMo-Fr 07:00-20:00; Sa 08:00-20:00; Su 08:00-19:00
+1 831-755-7777Website
Bagel Corner

Fast Food

818 Park Row

~0.2 miMo-Fr 07:00-17:00; Sa 07:00-15:30; Su off
+1 831 771 8670Website
Fosters Freeze

Fast Food

~0.3 mi
Round Table Pizza

Restaurant

1160 South Main Street

~0.3 mi
+1 831 757 7400
KFC

Fast Food

1209 South Main Street

~0.3 mi
Website
Papa Murphy's

Fast Food

~0.4 miMo-Su 11:00-20:30; Fr,Sa 11:00-21:00

Bakeries & Desserts

Baskin-Robins

Ice Cream

1100 South Main Street

~510 ftMo-Su 11:00-22:00
+1 831-424-3203Website
MYO Frozen Yogurt

Ice Cream

~580 ft
Royal Bakery & Deli

Pastry

Park Row

~860 ftTu-Fr 08:00-17:00; Sa 08:00-16:00; Su-Mo off

Grocery & Markets

Lucky

Supermarket

1150 South Main Street

~0.2 mi
+1 831 758 8233
Star Market

Supermarket

1275 South Main Street

~0.4 miMo-Sa 08:30-20:30; Su 10:00-19:00
+1 831 422 3961Website
Nob Hill Foods

Supermarket

1320 South Main Street

~0.5 miMo-Su 06:00-23:00

Cafes & Coffee

Starbucks

Cafe

1186 South Main Street

~0.3 miMo-Su 04:30-21:00
+1 831-751-3420Website

Government offices

Monterey County Behavioral Health

Government

1000 South Main Street

~140 ft
Website
Monterey County Social & Employment

Government

1000 South Main Street

~210 ft
+1 831 755 4448Website
Monterey County Elections

Government

1370-B South Main Street

~0.5 mi

Waste management

Ace Hardware

Recycling

~0.3 mi
Salinas Recycling

Recycling

~0.4 miMo-Fr 09:00-13:00,13:30-15:30; Sa 09:00-13:00,13:30-14:00; Su off

Postal services

The UPS Store

Post Office

~0.5 miMo-Fr 08:00-18:30; Sa 10:00-16:00; Su 10:00-15:00

Pharmacy & medical supplies

CVS Pharmacy

Pharmacy

1140 South Main Street

~910 ft24/7
+1 831 422 8511Website
Pharmacy

Pharmacy

~0.3 mi
Star Pharmacy & Gifts

Pharmacy

1273 South Main Street

~0.4 miMo-Fr 08:30-18:00; Sa 10:00-16:00; Su off
+1 831 621 5558Website

Hospitals & clinics

Central Coast Allergy & Asthma

Clinic

45 East San Joaquin Street

~0.2 mi
Doctors on Duty

Clinic

South Main Street

~0.3 mi
+1 831 422 7777

Specialists

Site for Sore Eyes

Optician

1241 South Main Street

~0.4 miMo-Fr 10:00-18:00; Sa 10:00-15:00; Su off

Other services

Blinds 4 Design

Window Blind

South Main Street

~640 ft
The Post Box

Copyshop

820 Park Row

~0.2 miMo-Fr 08:30-17:30; Sa 09:00-13:00
+1 831 757 7678Website
Ace Hardware

Doityourself

1215 South Main Street

~0.3 miMo-Su 08:00-19:00
+1-831-775-0523
Vacant

Vacant

~0.4 mi
Lou's Wash & Dry

Laundry

~0.4 mi
Counseling Services

Therapist

1267 South Main Street

~0.4 mi

Hair services

Tru-Cuts

Hairdresser

~390 ft
Hair salon

Hairdresser

~440 ft
Personal Touch Salon

Hairdresser

South Main Street

~470 ft
The Faded Iron

Hairdresser

~1040 ft
Ash + Willow Salon

Hairdresser

1261 South Main Street

~0.4 mi
Hair, Unlimited

Hairdresser

1235 South Main Street

~0.4 mi
+1 831 758 2023

Beauty & spa

La Bella Nail Spa

Beauty

~980 ft

Financial & accounting services

Rebecca's Tax & Bookkeeping

Tax Advisor

824 Park Row

~0.2 mi
Tax advisor

Tax Advisor

~0.3 mi
H&R Block

Tax Advisor

1221 South Main Street

~0.4 mi

Translation services

California Certified Interpreters, Inc.

Translator

1271 South Main Street

~0.4 mi

Legal services

Guenther Miller Law Group

Lawyer

601 S Main Street

~0.5 miMo-Fr 08:30-17:30
+1 831-783-3440Website

Professional services

Business

Company

450 Lincoln Avenue

~0.6 mi

Sports & recreation

Valley Center Bowl

Bowling Alley

1081 South Main Street

~470 ftMo off; Tu 17:00-22:00; We,Th 14:00-23:00; Fr 14:00-24:00; Sa 12:00-24:00; Su 12:00-22:00
+1 831 442 9031Website
Playground

Playground

~0.5 mi
Playground

Playground

~0.5 mi

Parks & amenities

Bench

Bench

~0.3 mi
Bench

Bench

~0.3 mi
Bench

Bench

~0.3 mi
Bench

Bench

~0.3 mi
Bench

Bench

~0.3 mi
Bench

Bench

~0.3 mi

Places of worship

Lincoln Avenue Presbyterian Church

Place Of Worship

~0.5 mi
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Place Of Worship

~0.5 mi

General retail

Valley Center

Mall

~420 ft
San Miguel Market

Marketplace

~860 ft

Martial arts studios

Curtis Sells Martial Arts

Dojo

~520 ft

Gyms & fitness centers

Anytime Fitness

Fitness Centre

1128 South Main Street

~970 ft
+1 831-484-7878Website

Vehicle parts & accessories

O'Reilly Auto Parts

Car Parts

1219 South Main Street

~0.3 miMo-Su 07:30-21:00
+1 831 422 9074Website

Fuel & charging stations

Central Gas

Fuel

1050 South Main Street

~390 ftMo-Su 06:00-21:30
Rotten Robbie

Fuel

South Main Street

~0.3 mi
Tesla

Charging Station

~0.4 mi24/7
Tesla Supercharger

Charging Station

1320 South Main Street

~0.4 mi24/7
Website
eVgo

Charging Station

~0.5 mi

Other utilities

Vending machine

Vending Machine

~900 ft24/7
Wilson's Water Store

Vending Machine

~0.3 mi24/7
Wilson's Water Store

Vending Machine

~0.3 mi24/7
Wilson's Water Store

Vending Machine

~0.3 mi24/7

Water services

Perpetual Springs

Water

940 Park Row

~920 ftMo-Fr 11:00-18:00; Sa 11:00-16:30; Su off
+1 831 772 9952
Wilson's Water Store

Water

~0.3 miMo-Fr 10:00-13:20,14:50-18:00; Sa 10:00-13:20,14:50-16:00; Su off