Some meals call for a menu, and some meals call for a plate, a plan, and a second trip back to the line. In east Memphis, a spacious buffet keeps the trays loaded with sushi rolls, crawfish, squid, baby octopus, and a long run of Chinese favorites.
The weekday prices have a way of making seafood fans do a double take, and the room is big enough that nobody has to elbow a neighbor for the last coconut shrimp. Still, this spot has a reputation that swings both ways, and timing your visit can make a real difference.
Keep reading for the address, the best hours to show up, what to grab first, and the honest tradeoffs before you hand over your card at the door.
A Big Buffet Off Wolf Creek Parkway
Red Sun Buffet sits at 2769 Wolf Creek Pkwy Ste 105, Memphis, TN 38133, in the eastern stretch of the city. It is a casual Pan-Asian restaurant with an all-you-can-eat setup built around sushi, seafood, and Chinese fare.
The concept is simple. You pay, you grab a plate, and you go exploring.
There are also a-la-carte options for anyone who prefers ordering a single dish over committing to the full spread. Most people, though, come for the line of steam trays and the freedom to sample a little bit of everything.
Sushi gets the most chatter by far among regulars, with the Chinese buffet, hibachi, and crawfish also coming up often. That mix tells you a lot about what draws people in.
Expect an unpretentious, American-style Asian buffet rather than a fine-dining event. It is self-serve, so the staff mostly handles drink refills, clearing plates, and keeping the place tidy.
For a neighborhood looking for a roomy place to feed a hungry group, the parkway location makes a handy stop. Now, about that seafood.
Elbow Room and an Eye-Catching Fish Tank
Space is the first thing this buffet has going for it. The dining room is described as roomy, with plenty of space to move around between the tables and the serving stations.
That matters more than it sounds. Nobody enjoys a buffet where every trip to the sushi bar turns into a traffic jam.
Then there is the saltwater aquarium. Guests have called it one of the prettiest they have ever seen, and it gives kids and grown-ups alike something to look at between plates.
Cleanliness gets mentioned a lot here, and the picture is mixed. Some diners say the dining area and atmosphere are better kept than at other buffets they have tried, and staff are often seen wiping and cleaning throughout the meal.
Others have flagged restrooms that needed more attention, plus at least one pest sighting in the dining area. It is fair to know both sides before you go.
On a quiet weeknight, the room can feel calm, almost peaceful. Couples looking for a low-key lunch together have found it a relaxed place to sit and talk, which is not something every buffet can claim.
Sushi Rolls by the Plateful
Sixty-one mentions do not happen by accident. Sushi is the most talked-about part of the Red Sun Buffet experience, and it is the reason many seafood fans walk in the door.
One longtime guest said they had never seen so many different kinds of sushi in one place. That kind of variety is a big draw when you can keep going back for more without paying per roll.
Keep your expectations in buffet territory, though. Some diners have pointed out that the rolls lean on imitation crab and processed fish rather than the kind of selection a dedicated sushi bar would offer.
Think of it as a fun, all-you-can-eat sushi sampler. It works best for people who like trying several styles in one sitting.
Freshness also depends on the hour. Rolls sitting through a slow afternoon will not hold up the same way as trays set out during a busy rush.
The smart move is to grab sushi early in your visit and in smaller portions. You can always roll back for seconds.
Crawfish, Squid, and Other Ocean Extras
Seafood is the surprise twist at this price point. Guests have been caught off guard by how much of it shows up on the line, especially given what the meal costs on a weekday.
Crawfish earns regular mentions, which is a nice nod to the Southern crowd. Squid appears on the buffet too, and so does baby octopus.
Coconut shrimp has its own small fan club. Pair that with fish fillets, which some guests rank among the most dependable picks on the whole spread, and you can build a full seafood plate without touching a single noodle.
A practical tip: arrive hungry and start with the seafood items you care about most. They are the stars of the show and tend to be the main reason people choose this buffet over others nearby.
Not every tray hits the mark on every visit. Fried items have drawn complaints at times, so if something looks like it has been waiting a while, skip it and check back after the next refill.
For shell-and-tentacle enthusiasts, though, the lineup is hard to match for the money.
Chinese Classics and the Hibachi Corner
Not everyone in the group wants squid, and that is fine. The Chinese side of the buffet covers the familiar territory that keeps picky eaters happy.
Sweet and sour chicken is a frequent favorite. General Tso chicken also gets solid praise, with some guests saying it was right on point.
Pork spare ribs have been called tender and saucy. BBQ chicken, chicken on a stick, fried dumplings, fried rice, and soups round out the hot line.
Hibachi comes up in conversation as well, giving another option beyond the steam trays. It is a good way to change pace between plates.
Here is the honest part. Results vary with the time of day, and some diners have found chicken items dry or overcooked during slow stretches.
The main entrées tend to land in the solid, middle-of-the-road range rather than wowing everyone. Still, one guest summed it up well: you will find something.
With this much variety in one room, the odds are on your side.
Save Room for Custard and Banana Pudding
Dessert might be the sneakiest highlight of the whole meal. A few dim sum style sweets show up on the line, which surprised more than one guest.
The princess custard has been called worth a return visit all on its own. That is high praise for something that takes up about two bites of plate space.
Banana pudding also makes an appearance, a fitting Southern touch at a Memphis buffet. Sugar rolls and ice cream are part of the spread too.
As with the rest of the line, freshness can swing. Some guests have found the ice cream and sugar rolls past their prime during quieter hours.
So the custard and pudding may be your safest sweet bets. Grab one of each and decide for yourself.
Fortune cookies usually arrive at the table near the end of the meal, though at least one diner noted missing out. Consider it a polite hint to wrap up.
Hours, Prices, and the Pay-First Routine
Good news for planners: the schedule is the same every day. Red Sun Buffet is open from 11 AM to 9 PM, Monday through Sunday.
Prices depend on when you show up. Lunch with water has run around $13, while a weekday dinner has been listed at $15.90.
Weekends and evenings tend to cost more. Some diners have mentioned paying about $22 per person, and couples have reported totals around $40 to $45 for two.
Expect to pay at the counter before you eat. Not everyone loves that system, but it is how the buffet runs.
Lunch pricing on weekdays runs until around 3:30 PM, according to regulars, which makes it the best value window. Arriving closer to noon gives you the freshest trays and the best price together.
Plates are styrofoam, which keeps things casual. Sweet tea has its fans, and refills come often.
For more details, the restaurant keeps a website at redsunbuffet.shop.
Who Leaves Happy and When to Go
Buffets reward strategy, and this one more than most. The 3.7-star standing across more than 1,100 opinions reflects a place that delights some guests and disappoints others.
Timing seems to be the biggest factor. Busy hours mean faster tray turnover, and slow evenings have produced the most complaints about tired food.
The staff earns steady credit for being friendly and polite. A couple of diners felt rushed or overlooked, but kindness is the more common story.
So who leaves happy? Seafood fans who want variety, families who need a big room, and anyone chasing a budget-friendly weekday lunch.
Those expecting a dedicated sushi restaurant or top-tier freshness at every hour may want to set their bar a bit lower.
Go around noon on a weekday, start with the sushi and seafood, save space for custard, and take a moment by the aquarium. Played that way, Red Sun Buffet can be a fun, filling stop for Memphis seafood lovers who know exactly what they came for.
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