Papa Panda Restaurant and Bar in Ipswich

Met up with a friend wondering where to go for lunch and this was near where we had parked.Shown to a table and our drinks order taken we were ready to see what was on offer on the buffet. An excellent selection, very helpful for a vegetarian, lots of variety of noodles and rice. We both totally enjoyed our meals, and there was desserts if there had been any room left for them. We will certainly return there again for good food and service.

Took my husband for birthday lunch and was very disappointed. Luke warm soup as were most of dishes on offer, served up on cold plates . Food uninspiring , bland tasting and appeared dried up despite the lack of heat . Would not go again or recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Cold tasteless food . Dirty as well ,lamp outside kitchen soooo many flies on it . Makes me feel sick I actually ate in there today .go to spoons up the road it’s cheaper .plus so clean and food very nice .temporarily closed at lunch times but not for long they said .feel robbed to be honest

A busy Friday night and the restaurant was very busy. There was a wide range of starters, a few less mains and plenty of rice/noodle dishes to choose on an 'all you can eat' basis. It is relatively good value and the staff work hard in clearing plates. It is very chicken heavy for dishes. and it does not taste the freshest, but certainly decent enough for a filling meal before a show at the Regent.

Papa Panda is a large and lively restaurant and the centre of Ipswich. It offers an all-you-can-eat buffet with your full range of oriental foods from duck pancakes, sweet and sour chicken, to fried tofu. A lot of fusion going on with sushi, curry, chips and a chocolate fountain to finish. The dishes are fresh and constantly topped up and the prices are reasonable....with a sensible policy on discouraging waste. It's a popular place but enough seats to accommodate quite a lot of people.

Cold, tasteless food, watered down sauces. So disappointed!!Went here for our wedding anniversary meal and wish we didn’t. The chicken curry actually had pre cooked frozen chicken in it, it wasn’t heated properly and was still cold and hard. Barely any food, looked like leftovers from lunch at 7pm, on a busy evening in Ipswich. No wonder this place always seems empty when we’ve gone past. Paid the bill but felt robbed. Please avoid this place, especially when you have mister wings opposite.

Started with the crispy duck very nice then beef in blak bean sauce very watered down,then the sweet and sour sauce very watered down,pork sauce again watered down.i wouldn't go again worst chinese I have ever had by far.was packed so ok for some

Went here for a meal and a catch up with friends and was pleasantly surprised by the quality and freshness of the food. I am typically aware that with a buffet style menu it generally decreases the quality of the food but here was not the case. The food was really nice, hot, fresh and well cooked. There was a brilliant variety of classic Chinese dishes and everything you’d come to expect of it. The dessert menu was also very rich in choice with mini cakes, ice creams and even freshly made in front of you, crepes! I will definitely be returning; hungry for more.

Popped in at 8pm on Thursday night and the place was very empty only people on 4 other tables,the service was very pleasant but sorry to say that's as good as it got,every dish we went to was practically empty apart from the rice,all that happened was someone came round and stirred the rice but never topped anything up,everything was greasy and nearly cold,avoid,avoid,avoid

Great value for money Fantastic choice of foods Friendly staff And right opposite the theatre, perfect We’ed go back……

Been coming here for some many years now. its always been good place to eat but the last 4 times been here it's got worse and worse with bland boring food. And too it off they not done crispy shredded beef last 3 times been even though its on the menu. Sorry papa panda I won't be coming back.

Service was really friendly, and the food was even better. There is a fantastic selection of appetisers and main course. Plates could have been bigger though, but there was nothing stopping you from going to get more, and more and more.

Having continuously dined at Spoons when choosing an "All you can eat" restaurant, I decided that we were going to try Papa Panda instead. I heard much positive feedback about Papa Panda and really wanted to see if it was all genuine. There was a gentleman on the front of house (not sure if he was a manager/owner or just a front of house staff) but he was fantastic and really made the night. My youngest is 8yrs old and has ASD (Autism) so it's normally a really stressful experience taking him to unfamiliar or busy places. But this guys was absolutely brilliant, keeping light hearted jokes going and even provided him with his own set of chopsticks which made him really happy. The food was outstanding. Hot, fresh and tasty. Constantly being restocked and no container was left empty. Plates were taken away and table cleaned down, ready for us to go and get further food if we needed. Toilets were clean, all other staff members were friendly and polite! The whole experience was fantastic and I will be returning!

great choice of meals staff friendly and helpful glad to see some things dont change when its done right in the first place why change it

Pre-theatre quick bite. It served a purpose being just across the street and it didn’t make me ill, other than that there’s not much more to commend it. Lots of choice but very bland and unappetising. The pork was like slices of leather. Literally no seasoning at all. The Teppanyaki station at the back was not operating (on a Saturday night?!) If you like to shovel deep fried everything, carbs and MSG down your neck by the lorry load then this is the place for you. At £16.99 a head, it ought to be a bit better than this. On a positive note, all of the staff were friendly and very attentive.

Tried Mr Wings first, but was fully booked, as this was nearby we took as risk (it didn't pay off). Service was pleasant enough and there were plenty of dishes (though many of the classics, like crispy chilly beef, were absent). However, the food was so bland it wasn't enjoyable no matter how many different dishes I tried. They were dry. tasteless, generally bland all round. As someone who eats a lot of Asian food, this was really hitting the bottom of the barrel for me quality wise. I can't recommend this place to anyone who enjoys proper well made Asian cuisine. "Eat all you want" or not, it's not value for money when the food is poor.

We have been loads of times and absolutely love it. The staff are always friendly and the food is always hot and tasty. The crepes put the finishing touches on al lovely meal. Thoroughly recommend.

Food was lovely but we did notice that it wasn't changed regularly, which kinda put us off going up for more after our second plate. Drink were nice to but i think they're over priced for what you get.

Manager said to waitress as we were led to a table (he eats too much ) quite rude , he comes over as very cocky , other staff are lovely , Food very repetitive , never changed , ribs very fatty

Food was lovely as always, wasn’t nice to see a staff member shouting at a waitress calling her stupid in front of customers, if you’re going to disrespect your staff at least make sure people can’t overhear

Staff have no concept of the rules regarding face coverings. I’m exempt for medical reasons and was told it doesn’t matter you have to wear one or you can’t be in here. SO I left along with the rest of my party leaving plate’s of...

We booked a table for 14 at the restaurant for my mother in law's birthday. We were a mixed bunch, aged between 7 and 93 but we were all delighted with the warm welcome, spotless conditions and delicious, plentiful, hot food. Our three children immediately...

Well, I've no idea why it's taken me so long to get round to trying this restaurant, especially as it's "All you can eat", I think it might have been the odd review about the staff and service, but I have to say, in all...

Went to this restaurant today as a party of 7 and the food was undercooked and cold and very tasteless... We told the manager who was extremely rude and laughed in our face (so unprofessional)... I would not recommend this restaurant to anybody the food...

Went here as a party of 7, after driving an hour to be here, but the food was cold, chicken was undercooked, had no flavour, and when we said this to the manager she said no one else had complained. She obviously found the situation...

We went for dinner for my niece's birthday. On arrival they seemed surprised that they had to seat a table of 12 even though we had already pre booked. We had to wait 10 minutes for tables to become free. It was really busy and...

Most of chicken dry and cold. Most dishes not available We found piece of mussle in satay chicken. I'm not sure if go back there

went to eat here with my family this evening, arrived and there were plenty of people there, but we ended up being the last table. around am hour before closing they started packing away, like removing food and mopping, whilst we were still eating. (pictures...

To be fair the visit was ok the waiter was very friendly however due to the current circumstances you had to tick what you wanted on a piece of paper and hand it to them to get for you. There were many times they were...

An overall enjoyable experience however food could have been hotter with more variety with it being table service not self serve due to covid portions were particularly small as being a servers choice and not your own. More than happy to try again once self...

Simply abhorrent, consistently got our orders wrong or blatantly just added them to the bill and then completely ignored getting it. I ordered a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a scoop of strawberry ice cream. What did I get my friends? ‘Ice cream’ you...

nice service, nice atmosphere and a beautiful waitress, maybe someone knows what her name is a young, slim waitress with pretty eyes lol 😊

We absolutely love the food here and have never been disappointed. I have recommended them to many people and will continue to do so

We have used this takeaway a few times now and the food is fantastic. Delivery is quick and friendly drivers.

We had never been to Papa Pandas before but stumbled on it on a rare trip to Ipswich and what an absolute gem of a place. This is large scale self service eating with a tremendous range of oriental based food to cover most tastes, at a fixed price. The staff were all very welcoming, helpful and obliging. The restaurant is clean, light, bright and airy so it’s probably not the place for a quiet romantic meal but it’s tremendous value - £50 for the two of us including drinks and tips.

Ideal meal to have before shows at the Regent as just opposite.wide choice of soups, starters, duck and pancakes, mains,and desserts.There are seperate stations of vegetables,rice/noodles.Also a place to order fresh cooked food ,followed by fresh made pancakes with different toppings.excellent value too at £14.99 for weekday dinner.cheaper at lunch and Sunday lunch too.delicious food and many choices.

The food was delicious. Service was great and friendly. Great prices too. Would of been better if there were more vegetarian options. Also the cheesecakes they had all had gelatin in them so not suitable for vegetarians, very disappointing. I had to ask the chef. Would be good if they had signs next to the desserts that say vegetarian/vegan. Also vegan icecream would be great if available on the buffet as its available if you order from the menu.

Had a nice time, staff excellent with wheelchair users, they gave lovely warm welcoming reception and considered the users of wheel chairs for positive outcomes and experience. Staff were absolutely great. Food was ok and constantly being replenished. I thought drinks could have been a bit more reasonably priced or they could offer unlimited soft drinks. But a wonderful dining experience and very considerate staff. Well done pappa pandas staff did you proud very polite and good manners. I would recommend popping into Pappa pandas over a lunch time. It's just so nice and relaxed with no stress and polite people .

booked table of 6 for customer meal only 2 nd here found the food good lots of choicesand replaced quickly for the price we paid £ 15.99 for a evening setting was good all staff helpful and friendly lots of different options of meat rice noodles and the sweet choices great to

Foods are very satisfying..wide range of selections. Friendly staff. Clean place too. We love coming to this place.

Really good place to eat with family. All you can eat with generous variety of food to try. Highly recommend

After looking at trip advisor reviews we decided to try restaurant and we're not disappointed. The selection was excellent and everything we tried was very tasty and of decent quality. The table service was excellent and dirty plates taken as soon as you finished...some buffets want you to re-use your old plates etc but not here. Unusually for a budget there was also a large dessert selection including chocolate fountain. Was good value and we will definitely be back again.

Friendly, clean and good food with plenty of choice. Gets quite busy maybe be good to book. Central.

First time diner, very clean establishment friendly staff, and the food was well presented with a wide variety of dishes - wood definitely recommend it.

Me and my partner came here for lunch and it never disappoints! Whether it’s lunch or dinner there is always a large choice of delicious food. The quality is brilliant for the money and the staff are very friendly and bubbly. They even make crepes on demand which are great! I would definitely recommend and come back!

hot food good taste the squid from the teppanyaki is spot on will definitely coming back again yum yum

Absolutely loved this place, the decor was nice for a decently priced Chinese restaurant and the food for the price is fantastic. Our favourite Chinese of all. We live about an hour away but it’s worth the journey

Visited the restaurant yesterday Thursday 1st August. The sevice upon arrival was good and prompt there was lots of different dishes to choose from however it was only warm and a lot of the dishes were very bland in taste

Found this place by accident walking into the centre of Ipswich from the harbour, glad we did!! Service was good and a very good choice of food! Would highly recommend this place and will be coming back next time I am in Ipswich!! Thank you.

Good service and good food selection and a decent price. Spacious seating and setup is nice. Jay was a good host.

Had a lovely evening here. Visited on a Friday evening, not many in, which was a shame for the staff - who were all very good and friendly.There was a wide choice of food. All very fresh and warm. Freshly cooked pancakes went down an absolute treat.Value for money was excellent, especially for the choices available.

If you ever in Ipswich area go and try this restaurant is massive kinda like cosmos in Norwich. Is a buffet so all you can eat very good price lunch time of £8.99. They have all the stuff you would expect and others you wouldn’t think you would get like chicken curry. The staff is super friendly and very helpful too. The restaurant is clean and quiet even for a huge place. There is a bar and a chef to cook fresh food as it goes along. The only reason it don’t get a five star rating for me was the fact sushi was kept in small fridge. I like to have sushi at room temperature. But that is just my opinion. I would recommend this place and I will come back for sure.

£8.99 for as much as you can eat! Great choices, different noodles, rices, meats and fish. Plus sushi, fab desserts and show cooking. Spotless and constantly had dishes replaced. Staff great if a little previous. One problem. Although everything was freshly cooked and hot, it was too bland for me. But you have to please the masses.

Despite being very open plan and looking a little lacking in character, this restaurant serving non stop chinese buffet, was a real find.The staff were friendly, kept topping up the food regularly, kept the serving areas clean and were very good at cleaning tables/chairs and floor areas around the tables, after each use.Great value for money, extensive choice and extremely tasty. Would highly recommend.

amazing food staff always friendly and helpful so many choices and cooked perfectly we love it here will highly recommended

Food was great and plentiful. Great variety of hot food. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Would recommend and go there again.

Great value, plenty of choice and very clean. Staff continually wiping surfaces and under tables and clearing away. Great value place for a quick meal.

I went with my wife and 2 children, we had a fantastic time. Food is hot and tasty, staff are really helpful and friendly. We’d highly recommend this place to all our family and friends.

As a family of 4 we popped in today at lunch time as a little treat for our sons before they return to school/college next week. It was our first visit and we weren't quite sure what to expect. The restaurant was clean and tidy and the staff we came across were welcoming and friendly. Being lunchtime we were expecting a limited choice but were pleasantly surprised by the choice that was available. There was everything from plain rice and noodles to flavoured rice and noodles, vegetarian dishes, soups, numerous meat dishes as well as sides such as sesame toasts, chips, prawn crackers etc. The food was well cooked as well as being very tasty and it was hot. There was also plenty to choose from for dessert such as jelly, fruit, ice cream, cheesecake, cake etc. All of us thoroughly enjoyed our Chinese Buffet lunch which was excellent value for money and we will certainly be visiting again very soon.

I went into the restaurant on a Saturday night, it was practically empty and the food was dried up in the steel containers and worse still some chicken was cold! Come on anyone with an ounce of sense knows they have to adhere to a certain temperature when food is being kept warm. Clearly this was not. Bacteria grows at 25-40 degrees and food should be kept warm at 63 degrees. I know this as I am a Health & Safety Officer. Plus the chocolate fountain chocolate was Luke warm too. How can it be called a nice hot chocolate fountain?Please guys do not use this restaurant unless the food is freshly cooked when first opened. You will be very ill. Needless to say I will not be using this restaurant again and yes you guessed it they will be reported.

An "All you can eat" buffet is not the best place to go if you are on a diet, which we were. Needless to say, the diets were totally abandoned when we saw the fantastic choice of food available. The onion rings were a bit tough, and the chips were not great, but everything else was superb, with a special mention for the succulent prawns. The choice of desserts was also very good. The waiting staff were attentive, but not too overbearing.

If you can't find anything to eat here you will never be satisfied, plenty of choice and good value for money,will come back

We went here for a quick meal pre-show on a Saturday night.Before we could even sit down and look at the drinks menu...we were immediately asked what drinks we wanted - had we of been given a moment, we may have ordered more expensive alcoholic drinks rather than a rushed order of diet cokes, as there were some cocktails listed.We hadn’t been before and had to ask... whilst the waitress was walking off from bringing our drinks... whether we get given a plate or just go up. Also had no idea whether we got brought a bill or went up to the counter to pay.Nice selection of buffet style food with lots to choose from - but no plain rice (all egg fried etc) and the noodles were more like supermarket supernoodles/ramen than the usual fresh chow mein style you expect from a professional restaurant or takeaway. Some of the meat was a bit dry.The staff seem to take your plate rather quickly after finishing. If you want a second helping then you need a clean plate.The mini desserts bar was really nice - small samples of different puds: black forest rolls, carrot cake, custard doughnuts, various ice creams etc. The lemon cheesecake was like a soft cloud.We were in a rush, so only had one small plate of food and a few mini desserts. At £15.99 per head plus drinks, it worked out quite expensive. I would go again, but ensure enough time to eat next time.

Went with a friend after looking up online places to go for food in Ipswich. Sadly, we found the food was a little tasteless and not very good quality. Moreover, the waiting staff were pleasant enough but the gentlemen waiting our table was hovering like we were being hurried to leave and was a bit distracting. Vegetarian options were good though. Sadly wrong be coming again and will try another buffet in Ipswich next time

Had a meal with friends for my Birthday. Could not have chosen a better place. Food excellent. Service excellent. Made me feel really special

Just across the road from the Ipswich regent theatre. After a matinee show we popped here, Saturday 5pm just as it opened for the evening service. We was greeted and sat instantly, we didn't have time to sit and look at the drink menu before being asked what to drink, so we just ordered coke. Before waiting for our drinks we went straight to the buffet. All the food looked fresh and appetising. From what i had from the buffet was hot too. My first plate was a piece of everything i fancied, mainly chicken, once i tried what i wanted i then went back for seconds and chose the dishes i really liked. I didn't over do it because there is a sign on the table stating you will be charged for over wastage of food. Half way through my meal i started to get full and panic started to set in, i couldn't leave food on the plate, i thought of googling how to make my plate look like less food on it, or i could just hide some in a napkin, but there's too many staff around eagerly waiting to take yor EMPTY plate from you, or better still fake a serious illness lol but i went for the more mature option of trying to finish it. It felt like a man vs food challenge, but i did it and left the restaurant looking very green.

My boyfriend and I have gone to Golden Dragon for the past 2 years or so but the last few times we tried to go a notice on the door said the staff members were on annual leave so we decided to try somewhere new.I feel bad for saying this but we wished we had done it much earlier - as lovely and helpful as the staff are at GD, Papa Panda massively overtakes it when it comes to decor, furniture, atmosphere and desserts (theres a golden dragon and a guy who will make fresh nutella pancakes for you!)I found that I pretty much ate the same food but there was way more choice, and my boyfriend who is less fussy than me found he could eat twice as many different dishes.Only complaint is that the chicken in some of the dishes can be a little slimy and feels cheap which you wouldnt get in a takeaway but the restaurant was very busy for a Sunday lunchtime and the food was never low in stock so that's probably why.The staff pretty much leave you alone once they've served you a drink which suits us as I hate being pestered at restaurants and you just go up to the bar to pay when you're ready.At lunchtime 2 drinks and meals came to £22 which we were chuffed with.

Huge selection of all your favourite Chinese dishes from all the usual starters, duck pancakes to meat, fish and vegetarian mains. Fresh pancakes ( savoury & sweet cooked to,order too) . Nice desert selection. Great value at £15 per head.Close to the theatre so perfect for eating before or after a show

When we go to see a show at the Regent we usually eat in Mr Wings which has always been excellent. This time Mr Wings was fully booked so we decided to try Papa Panda and we were very happy that we did. Excellent choice of nicely cooked food and with a good range of seafood including big juicy king prawns cooked various ways and mussels. We would definately go again. The only slight drawback was the Teppanyaki - Fresh Grills on Hot Pan bar, because there was a 15 minute wait for the food and we'd left it a bit late to order. Next time we'll order there first and do the rounds of the self serve buffet while we wait.

So much choice, it's hard to fit it all in. Something for all tastes. Different options for lunch and dinner. Time it perfectly and be there across both sittings, and you get even more choice! Brilliant service too and great value. Couldn't ask for more!

This is one of the best Chinese buffets in Ipswich great choice great quality and helpful staff can’t fault this thank you again 😃

Easy parking, near theatre, food was hot, fresh, and good range of starters, mains and especially deserts. Plenty of vedgetarian choices but meat mainly chicken. Ability to make up own dishes with plenty of sauce. Everyone really enjoyed the freshly cooked pancakes and sauces etc. Restaurant was warm, toilets clean, but lacked atmosphere.

have eaten many times there and overall have always been happy to bee there . food is good ,waiters are friendly and good service . good selection.good price recommend this restaurant

Found this place by chance before going to the theatre. Lovely food, something for everyone and loads of choice. Great drinks choice too. Excellent staff and the place is spotlessly clean. Would definitely visit again.

The restaurant is bright and cheerful, newly decorated. We found the food good but too dry. Lots of choice, could be a bit hotter. Good selection of desserts.

You will guess from the title that this was not my first visit to this Chinese Buffet restaurant. It has been refurbished, the buffet has been extended and the range of dishes to chose from have also increased. The choice is excellent and each dish is very tasty and regularly replenished so there is no fear of 'stale' food. The service (plate clearing and beverage delivery) is fine. Please keep up the good work.

Came here for a birthday dinner with higher expectations but was a total let down. The sushi seemed to have been sitting there for days the rice was inedible. The seafood(prawns) were good but the rest of the food was dry and seemed to have been old. There dumplings were the poorest I've ever had. The Singapore ride noodles couldn't be chewed.The only good thing is the wide variety of meals. But wouldn't be going back.

Found the Papa Panda most welcoming for a midweek dinner with my wife who is vegetarian, (but eats fish). We enjoyed a good choice of starter and main dishes,(especially for meat eaters) and we left feeling very well fed and at £14.99 we found it reasonable value. The buffet dishes were frequently topped up and were kept quite warm.There's also Teppanyaki, Sushi and pancakes to chose from, none of which we tried.The staff were friendly and efficient and we'd recommend Papa Panda to others familiar with Chinese buffet style restaurants.

Ipswich hasn’t had the best history of Buffets in this building, nevertheless I can gladly report they have finally had a break through with Papa Panda.Three of us went for a birthday lunchtime buffet & was pleasantly surprised with how much selection there was, considering the lunch menu is limited compared to dinner. It’s definitely good value for money to come for lunch. The food tasted good & was kept warm. My only qualm would be that there was pork instead of duck for ‘Peking Duck with pancakes’ & sesame chicken toast instead of ‘Sesame prawn’ which are classics you expect to find, so that was disappointing. The staff were swift & friendly, one was even polite enough to wait to use the men’s loos when my Sister & I accidentally went in the wrong bathroom. I look forward to returning again, next time with more family & friends & trying out the sushi bar & desserts & the dinner menu.

Visited here today for Sunday lunch 2 adults 2 kids age 2 years and 4 years old. Food was tasteless and cold and staff unhelpful my 2 kids had 1 plate off food each and obviously didn't finish it all we asked the waiter to take away the plates so we could have desert she told me that she wouldn't take away the plates as we couldn't waist food I explained that my kids only had 1 plate of food each and they couldn't eat it all as most toddlers don't and she was quit rude after having a moan about it she took them away the was a male staff member walking around stopping and looking at every table not taking away plates or takeing drink orders just walking around again and again watching what everyone what everyone was eating made us feel very uncomfortable we defenitly won't be visiting here again food was bad and so was staff

Went here with family for the first time since new ownership, staff were welcoming and nice, quickly seated and drinks order taken. Lots of food to choose from. I loved most dishes and couldn’t fit it all on one plate, happy with food overall, fresh crepes were made to order with nice toppings.i found prices slightly high but would visit again.

Really poor vegetarian selection that did not reflect online menu. Very limited and poor quality. Would not eat there again!

Good choice of food with veggie, rice/noodles, starters and mains all in separate sections. A few pudding options too. Staff were friendly, restaurant & toilets didn't seem the cleanest though and chicken balls were cold which always concerns me a bit. It was very quiet at 4pm Sunday which may explain it, there’s a lot of options to keep on the go for a small take up. It may be better reducing the number but having the quality and freshness higher

Attended as a group of 8 couples for a rare get together, food was good however I would say food items which I think should have been crispy were in fact soggy due to condensation caused by the hot water below the dishes to keep them warm. Maybe an alternative method of keeping the dishes warm could be used? Large selection of dishes with lots of meat options, soft drinks could have been unlimited which would have made my dining experience perfect.

Appears has changed hands. Subtle but noticeable (not for the better) changes. Staff just wouldn't leave you alone to offer things and clear table ... obsessive and intrusive ... poorer and grumpier service. Food selection less or unobtainable (e.g. teppanaki ... octopus/squid). Cost saving for new owners?! Charge you for leaving food but no discount for food not provided! Shame.

We were on holiday in Felixstowe and fancied a Chinese meal so we decided to try Papa Panda. We received a warm welcome, were immediately seated and received our drinks quickly. All 4 of us - 2 adults and 2 children - were very impressed with the lunchtime buffet. There was so much choice and everything we tried was hot and tasty. There was a great range of desserts too including made to order pancakes. Our empty plates were quickly removed and all the staff were polite and friendly. We were also happy with our bill of £36.16 for 4 buffets and 4 soft drinks and if we were local we would be regular visitors.

Visited with a large group. The restaurant was empty! Food was average, a bit dry and bland. Sushi bar was poor and very tasteless. For the price, around £18 per person (dinner), it is a bit of a rip off, sadly. Staff nice enough, relatively clean. The only redeeming factor was the pancake bar - nutella and cream actually had a taste! PS. Please was the giant cuddly panda at the entrance, it looks very unhygienic.

Food not nearly hot enough and mostly dried out. Best visited when busy as food is a lot fresher due to higher turn over. Been a couple of times, won't be going again.

We went here to eat before we went to see a show. Great value for money. The food was very good and there was lots of choice. I saw them changing the dishes regularly so food wasn't sitting there for too long. The staff were all friendly and they cleaned our used plates quickly.

We have been to this restaurant a number of times, however tonight's visit will be our last. It was necessary to ask for fresh food to be cooked, as what was on offer was dry and crispy, having already been on display for a period of time. Although the staff promptly cooked more food, our meal experience was spoiled. Poor value for money as little choice of non dried up food!

We visited Papa Panda on a Saturday evening before going to the Regent Theatre which is opposite. We booked, thinking it would be busy at the time, but didn’t really need to. There were enough customers to give atmosphere but there was never a queue to get food. Staff were a little abrupt but the service was quick and efficient. The food tasted good and appeared relatively fresh. We each had two helpings from the buffet and cake/ice cream so didn’t really feel that it was too overpriced. Generally a good meal. We’re likely to be back at some point.

Visited this restaurant and was pleased with the food, staff and cleanliness, good selection of dishes which were continually replenished, staff friendly and welcoming. Reasonable price for a “Wok” but you could eat as much or as little as you wished. Hope it continues under the new management.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this place, it’s new, so you worry. My family brought me here for my birthday meal . I was really pleased with how everything was laid out, all of the food looked fresh and kept in domes so you could see the food before you put it on your plate, labelled nicely also so you had an idea of what you were trying. “I loved the New Zealand green muscles in a black bean sauce, they were massive”We were so stuffed, we never had chance to try the teppanyaki foods, which I will defiantly be trying next time because when I realised what it was, I was just so full, I couldn’t fit any more in, none of us could. The sushi looked very fresh. One excellent selection of desserts, again they looked amazing, but we didn’t have any because we had birthday cake. Good selection of wines for a buffet. The staff were very accommodating towards my son. Who was over the moon to receive a “papa Panda” for mummy’s birthday.

Took wife and 2 kids.Very disappointed!! Food is average but the manager and staff need a serious customer training course! After giving us drinks after a 10 minute wait, we were not approached by a member of staff once the whole hour and 20 mins we were there... no drinks offered again and a table with EIGHT used plates stacked up on our table! And when paying the bill the useless rude manager tried charging my young daughter who is clearly under the 150cm height for an adult price!!! Will not be returning again!

I went to this restaurant midweek in the evening, and I was disappointed with the food, and the price which was over £37 for two buffets and two drinksThe service was ok, although the food was poor. The meat was well over cooked, and also bland. I would of rather had a take away from a Chinese. I found the lemon chicken which was battered and very dry, and many of the other choices seemed to be to overdone and dry. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone- very expensive and unpleasant food

£37 for two people was a ridiculous amount for our bill considering how little food we ate and the quality of the food. Dry, overcooked and either bland or far too strong (sweet and sour sauce).Couldn't eat the chicken and the prawns were like rubber. The only nice thing was the crispy duck but there were hardly any vegetables to go in as this hadn't been topped up. Can't see how £37 is justified at all.

I thought I would consider future consumers of this place when I decided to write this. My partner and I decided to have a pleasant meal at this restaurant which I had never attended prior to this day. The food was lavish, specially the spring rolls, however the staff were undediably unpleasant. This is why: while everyone around us was taken into consideration by the staff, who were cleaning up their plates and tables and making sure they were looked after, my partner and I were completly dismissed. Futhermore, as we were preparing ourselves to pay at the counter, a man (who I take to be the manager of the restaurant ), continued to ignore the both of us while picking up multiple phones calls and he was extremely rude, dismisive and ignorant when my partner tried to explain that we were going to split the bill and he stopped her mid sentence by putting his hand up in front of her face in a rude fashion in order to silence her. I have heard that the service has a good reputation and generally takes good care of their customers, however, my experience today was truly unpleasant due to the horrible service.

First time at this place since it replace the old Temptations Chines buffet. Was there before a show at the the theatre opposite .Very spacious interior, makes it a bit clinical, but that is what all inclusive is about I suppose. £17.95 per person was overpriced not so much for the quantity but for the quality of the food. Not sure how often the food was replaced but some tasted as though they had been sitting there for some while. The prawns were inedible, and the chicken tasteless...the choice is very good but even if you went up a few times to refill your plate , as some did 3 or 4 times, to be charged £17.95 was a bit steep..probably will not bother to go again

Am working for a week in Ipswich and needed a quick bite. Went into Papa Panda to ask if I had to book a table for later and at the same time the manager told me it was £6 for the buffet. Later I went in and had a small plate of food - I don’t eat a lot, especially when working. I was surprised to find that my food had cost £15.99 when he had earlier said 6. I said to the manager that it was expensive as I hadn’t eaten much. He agreed, but proceeded anyway, and, you have to pay cash. £9.99 to stare at a dismal formica table? Nah uh!!

Came here on a Friday evening with 3 friends. We had booked though it wasn't necessarily busy Well, what an improvement! The buffet consists of 'goldfish' bowl type containers which seems to keep the food nice and hot. A vast choice of many starters, mains and desserts. Plenty of space between the tables now to keep going back and forth. Staff very polite and friendly. Licensed bar. Toilets upstairs clean and smell nice! Would definitely be visiting again, well recommended