Shakey's Pizza Buffet; Lalaport, Shibuya, Ikebukero

Any Chicagoans remember Shakey's Pizza?  I do.  I specifically remember there being one in Merrillville on Route 30 not too far from K-Mart, where the Panda Express is now.  Well, they still are here in Japan.  Japan is funny in that way as chains that have disappeared at least in the Midwest are still here like Mister Donut, Sizzler, El Torito and Shakey's. 

We were at Lalaport in Minami Funabashi and decided to bring the kids for some pizza buffet action.  This wasn't the first time we were at Shakey's.  I remember going to the Ikebukero one a lot with my friends and future wife during 2001-2003. 

Here it is.  They completely remodeled the interior from the last time we went here like three years ago.

Honestly, I can't remember what the Shakey's pizza tasted like in the U.S.  I'm quite familiar with the Shakey's here in Japan though.  It's very similar to CiCi's pizza if any of you have had it, really thin, almost cardboard crust.  The crust is really thin because the pizzas are cooked on a conveyor belt to allow them to be made quickly to serve high volume crowds.  When I talk about CiCi's, my cousin Brandon makes a gag face, so you might guess where this review is going.  We had the pleasure of enjoying CiCi's in Orlando together when I was working for the Mouse.  CiCi's pricing is an amazing under 5 bucks (well at least as of 2004 or so).  Shakey's is a little bit more pricey due to being in Japan.  For holidays and weekends it is 1650 yen for adults (15 bucks), 1000 yen for elementary students (9 bucks) and 500 yen for younger kids (around 4.50).   A family of four set me back 4,800 yen.  I'm sure the prices are cheaper on weekdays.

Not sure why they needed to call it Holiday Buffet.  There's really nothing more special about the buffet .

  We expected cardboardy pizza so it didn't bother us.  However if you are looking for Lou Malnati's or Giordano's, this place really isn't for you.  There is a great varieties of pizzas here though.

Creamy Mayonnaise, Leafy Greens, Tuscany Potato, Shrimp Primavera and Cheddar Bacon

 

Pepperoni and Green Peppers, Seafood Basil and Cheesy Ham 

 

In addition, they had a variety of average tasting pasta, curry rice and fried foods.

Fried chicken and grilled potatoes

Nacho chips and chili con carne

Meat sauce spaghetti

Curry rice

They also had a decent salad and fruit bar too.

Typical greens

Pineapples and oranges

And what would a meal be without dessert?

Dessert pizza!!!

Homemade sundae

As you can tell, there was a decent selection of food.  The price is not bad for Japan.  One thing nice is we automatically had 90 minutes to eat.  For buffets in Japan, you are generally limited to 60 minutes of table time starting from when the server seats you.  Extra time can be bought for more money.

For the selection and extra time, I give Shakey's three slices of pizza out of five slices of pizza.  The food is passable and the price is O.K.  So if your stomach is growling for thin, greasy pizza, this is a good place for you.  Have a good rest of the weekend!

Royal Buffet in Hoffman Estates, Illinois

I love buffets.  Nothing like being able to pick out whatever you want to eat and eat as much of it as you can.  My first buffet experience was at a place called Bill Wong's near Orlando and then around the age of 11, Old Country Buffet invaded the suburbs where I grew up in.  My college, University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana, had buffet-style dining at every dorm, and I'm proud to say that I worked as a buffet worker for around two years.

I was in Chicago this month and had the luck of finding Royal Buffet on Golf and Roselle Roads in Hoffman Estates.  Amongst sushi, dim sum, Mongolian BBQ, Korean food and of course, Chinese food, they had all-you-can-eat lobster for USD 22.95!  Everything tasted great here.  I just couldn't believe the selection.  The buffet actually felt like a Las Vegas-type buffet with the choices available.

Once a batch of lobsters was cooked, dinners eagerly waited in line for a worker to put one on their plate with the tongs.  Here is a picture of one of my friends that I dined on. 

As an update, I actually had a chance to cook my own live lobsters.  The post is here.

My little red friend!

Cotton candy, lychee and grapes too!!!

So where does Royal Buffet rank in the hierarchy of the many buffets that I've eaten at?  Well, I'd have to say at least in the top 10.  Here are my favorites:

1. Bellagio, Las Vegas- Nothing beats the selection and quality here.
2. Paris, Las Vegas- Crepes and regional French fare with a French theme, awesome!!!
3. Carnival Buffet, Rio, Las Vegas- Biggest selection of food hands down, from ramen to spaghetti to prime rib to tacos to hamburgers, this one has it all.
4. Kushiya Monogatari, Minami Funabashi, Japan- All-you-can-eat battered and deep-fried sticks of meat! You pick out the meat sticks, batter them yourself and then cook them at your table! 
5. Hollywood Hotel, Hong Kong Disneyland- Well, the Disney fanatic in me has this one near the top, great shourompo (dumplings) and Mickey-shaped pizzas.
6. Royal Buffet, Hoffman Estates, Illinois- See the above.
7.  Carne Station, Ginza/Shimbashi, Japan- 焼肉食べ放題!!! Affordable, and a great selection of drinks to go along with your meat.
8. Biergarten, Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort, Florida- Great brauts, kraut and spetzle.  Lots of fun watching the yoddlers and performers on stage.
9. Blue Chip Casino, Michigan City- Well back in the day studying for the bar examination, I had quite a run on the 5 Timer slot machine.  Good memories bumped this one to the top.  The big BBQ beef ribs are delicious here.
10. Oceanarium, Pacific Beach Hotel, Honolulu, Hawaii- All you can eat king crab legs and a three-story aquarium.  Doesn't get better than watching what you are eating while it is swimming around.

The above being said, I give Royal Buffet five out of five lobsters.