Century Diner Buffet
220-18 Hillside Ave., Queens Village

Phone: 468-2100

Hours: 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, 12 noon to 10:30 p.m. Sundays

Blessings, good luck, get full. 

Whether by way of the mini-shrine on the left side of the path into the restaurant or the aroma that manages to waft through its double doors, these are some of the messages you may receive upon a visit to Hillside Avenue’s Century Diner. 

The Szechuan and Cantonese fare is laid out on four steamy smorgasbords where you can find items ranging from the likes of rice-stuffed crab to baked ziti to coconut cake and over 140 more items. 

The roomy eatery is quite family-friendly and offers all-you-can-eat buffet menus specifically for lunch, dinner and weekends, all of which are under $14. 

On any given day, children ages four through eight can eat to their hearts’ desire for under $8 and those under three eat for free. 

As I was able to get in for lunch, this young-at-heart journalist savored a tasty plate of lemon flounder, baked ziti, baked salmon, sautéed mushroom caps and Chow Mei Fun (very thin rice noodles with mixed vegetables) for a kid’s price. 

Also note that soda is free with each dine-in buffet meal.

Should the taste of Century Diner in another location of your choice be called for, there is a “per pound” take-out option to your disposal. 

Lunch, dinner, sushi and a seafood buffet are available for $3.99, $4.99, $5.99 and $6.99/lb., respectively. 

Before leaving the diner, I cracked open my complimentary fortune cookie, which read “Ask a friend to join you on your next voyage.” 

I know I’ll be back in the future, so friends, do feel free to take a trip up Hillside Avenue to the Century Diner and enjoy!

– Tara Thomas