San in Chelmsford

Went for a meal here the weekend. The restaurant was very clean. The staff we spoke with very rude. Our waiter was very pushy in telling us what we was going to eat rather than what we wanted to eat. We ordered a drink each and then asked for some tap water for the table, well he’s face said it all, he did not like us ordering tap water. ( even after ordering a round of drinks) the food was nice tho no problems there. He then told us we had ordered duck which we hadn’t. And kept saying we have. We said no one has ordered duck on this table to which he walked off in a huff. When paying, the bill hadn’t even hit the table and he had the card machine in our faces waving it around. Poor customer service from him and not even a goodbye or thanks from any of the staff on front desk. Food lovely, Customer service needs improving.

6 of us chose to meet here for dinner last night, I don’t think any of us particularly enjoyed it and left feeling disappointed and wouldn’t return. It’s an unfriendly place, the menu states things like if you don’t eat what you’ve ordered the chef has been known to reprimand guests, service charge is automatically added, everyone must order a drink etc, all very unwelcoming and sets quite a negative tone from the moment you sit down. The food was very average, just your usual Chinese takeaway standard, nothing to get excited about. A few of us ordered chicken dishes, the chicken was terrible quality, fatty pieces which we just couldn’t eat. The waiter told us we’d ordered duck when we hadn’t then argued with us when we said we hadn’t yet ordered it. We all ordered a drink and then asked for some tap water for the table which wasn’t met with a particularly positive response, we were made to feel like we were being cheeky to ask. None of the staff look happy, some of the younger lads serving lacked people skills and clearly didn’t want to be there. The decor is dated and tired. Altogether we spent just under £200 and we chose to go elsewhere for dessert.

Perfect food cooked great always and so fresh

Atmosphere, depends who you’re with! really nice food, drinks bit steep. Definitely recommend this place been few times food has always good 👍

My first time here, everyone in Chelmsford rants and raves about this place, thought we’d give it a try. Waited an hour for Duck. Tables that came in after us got their duck before us. Majority of the food was nice, crispy chili beef was bone dry like they’ve just pulled twigs off a branch and chucked a bit of sauce over it (not A lot I will add), staff had missed orders of food and then told we’re the back of the queue in the kitchen be about 15mins, not a big deal but 35mins later when the foods eaten and the missed items still not brought out, gave up. Staff rude, especially the man with the braided hair, clear that he didn’t want to be there, threw the plates on the table, got the ump when asked for more napkins and wipes just overall looked very unwelcoming.. when we came to pay, asked the lady to remove service charge as quite frankly it wasn’t worth the £17, aggressively told its on the front of the menu nothing can be done then told us she’s never serving us again then went and got the manager. He came over wiped the service charge, we offered to leave a £5 tip, he said don’t bother all the staff know we wouldn’t give them the service charge, £5 is useless. Overall, glad we’re not welcome back as I wouldn’t want to go back to be fair :)

Food cooked fresh to each order! They are not shy on the portions and it all tastes delicious! We love coming here and always leave very content with a full belly.

We haven’t visited here for a few years and it’s changed alot. The food was nice and hot but the staff look so unhappy. The service wasn’t friendly like it used to be. The young lads serving looked unhappy and one looked very nervous. I hope they are treated well by the management. Our visit was ok but not the happy atmosphere I remember it used to be.

Went 17 September for my sons birthday. Absolutely brilliant. Food amazing. Staff very polite, efficient and professional and funny. Very clean everywhere .

Favourite go to. Excellent food and service

The waiter was god, staffs were okay, but unfortunately we were very disappointed with the food, and all of my family had runny tummy after eating.

Had their buffet which is superb and means you can eat as much as you like. This is menu style rather than getting up and serving yourself. They ask for the courses in between eating rather than all in one go which is a great way of doing it. Plenty of food and all really amazing quality.

Eaten at sans a lot in the past but not for a while. Wasn't to impressed tonight wouldn't rate the food very highly. Chilli beef was dry no sauce and couldn't taste the beef, squid was dry too. Chicken ball batter was greasy and chicken was dry.

Felt like I was rushed out of the place and didn’t end up getting any value for the ‘all you can eat’

Need a healthy appetite! Celebratory meal. We all LOVED the appetisers & should have stuck with the tasty hors d'oeuvres as we didn't choose wisely with our choice of main dishes. Know restaurants make money on drinks, but water needs to be readily available - Chinese food makes me thirsty & fizzy drinks fill me up!

The food was divine I was a bit hesitant at first as I am new to the area. However I was more than happy with the food. Great portions and lovely customer service m. Thank you

The top Chinese food restaurant in Chelmsford, maybe Essex. Top quality food buffet, but without the sneeze guard issues. Good selection and the service matches. Recommended to several friends and family who are all regulars now too.

The food was ok but the owners were so rude and disrespectful towards the younger staff that it verged on abuse. It felt so uncomfortable to see and when I brought it up with staff before leaving they told me that they were training them and I just didn’t understand. I’ll never go back

RAT infestation! I went to the toilet as I came out I see a big rat run from the kitchen through the back corridor 🤢 left very soon after! Will never go back! Absolutely horrified.

The worst food I've ever eaten out. Small portions, rice with vegetables, chicken and shrimps is almost just rice with a disgusting taste and a few rubbery pieces of something. It was impossible to eat it. This place should be demolished.

Been going hear 4 years lovely place and food nice good staff

Really great place to eat. Brilliant value for money. Lovely friendly staff. Win win.

First time in this place, one price for as much as you can eat. We picked our food from a menu of 120 or so items, starters and mains. Food was good and tasty. Not out of this world but good value for money I would say. When we ordered more food it came to our table pretty quickly. Will be back.

It is the best Chinese I have ever had and you will never go there unsatisfied.the price is great as a lot of Chinese places are very expensive but at san you get more than your moneys worth, the staff are welcoming and polite so there is really no reason not to try it.

A great midday lunch. food was plentiful as much as you can eat all for a set price. A quiet extensive menu to chose from All the favourites included crispy lamb, duck etc We were stuffed at the end of the meal and great value for money

All you can eat. Average food. Generous portions. Charge extra for sweet and sour chicken randomly, I guess just to squeeze another £4 out of people. Not recommend for kids 10+ as they charge full price and there is no value to it. Felt ripped off. £165, 4 people (2 adults , plus 12 and 16), one alcoholic drink

Do not eat here if you have an allergy! First time going so we called ahead to check and they said it would be fine and that they’re good with avoiding cross contamination. After we ate our starters we noticed the table next to us be given a bowl of peanuts. Nut allergies are airborne so we had to leave as my partner started to have a reaction. When explaining why we were leaving the bar manager was rude and said this is the first he’d heard that it was an airborne allergy. We didn’t pay for our food but he called me back and made me pay for the drinks even though we hadn’t finished the bottle of wine we ordered. He was incredibly rude and told us not to come back. If on the phone they’d have said they have nuts on all the tables we wouldn’t have gone as the same waiter that was giving out nuts also brought our food over so the risk of cross contamination was high.

Top quality buffet with table service.

Had a take away Saturday night. Quite possibly the worst Chinese food it's ever been my displeasure to taste. Special Fried Rice was cold, Curry Sauce was bland and watery and the chips were either, raw, stale/days old or so it seemed. Lucky to get one star and if there was a commissioner I could report them to, I would.

Fantastic food and service. Great selection / choice on an all you can eat menu at reasonable price.

San was a very good Chinese restaurant, however yesterday's dinner was a disappointment allroud, the starters where tastes, out of the deep freezer?, the duck was average not much tast, the main courses where all disappointing, nothing taste fresh and vibrant. No tablecloth , no fingerbowels. All in all a very disappointing meal around

Used to love this pkace but it has definitely gone diwn hill! Food was disappointing, service was unfriendly and slightly aggressive - insisting 1 in group of 4 order a drink other than water, table cleared as if we weren't there, no table cloths, no finger bowls ..... wont be back.

We spent £175 on food but had to pay for mineral water rather than tap water. Apparently, every person needs to pay for a drink before tap water can be served. Total bill with drinks and service was almost £300, but we had to pay for the mineral water. A lot of different staff who barely spoke but begrudgingly handed out plates. Won’t ever be going back.

Yet another glorious meal with my grandchildren

Very nice food, good flavours and not greasy. Wish I’d found it sooner after practically giving up on finding a decent Chinese in Chelmsford.

Turned up without booking Saturday evening with the family and they fit us in straight away. Great food, great service despite being very busy. Would advise booking weekend evenings

AMAZING- After reading reviews, had a takeaway first time from here, the food was amazing, large portions everything was so tasty, we ordered chips, even they tasted fantastic, the rice was so much better than any we’ve had before, the chicken balls were amazing, we had a meal for 2 and a single chicken balls a special fried rice, this tasty meal was far superior than any other Chinese ever had. From someone who has tried various takeaways over 50 years, this could easily have been for 3/4 smaller eaters (we had the remainders today for lunch and heated up taste just as good as yesterday. Now my favourite take away go to. We had option B and chicken balls with rice

Tried a takeaway from here on Friday evening. Best we have had so far from Chelmsford. Will be back again. Thank you

My wife and I had a lovely meal here last night, the food was brought out pretty quick, it was very hot and had a lovely flavour. The staff were polite and made sure that we were happy. I would recommend the sizzling dishes!! Either the beef in black bean or teriyaki sauce.

Staff were rude. They insist that you buy a drink or will not serve you any food. Food was average. The soups had the consistency of wallpaper paste and tasted just as bad. We received the bill and were charged £19 for a bottle of water and 2 cokes. When I questioned it they just gave me a copy of the drinks menu. I noticed they charged me nearly £9 too much. We eventually got a refund for the extra money they took from us. With the way we were treated, I'm not sure the extra charges were a mistake. They also add an extra 10% on the bill for the terrible service. I used to love this restaurant, but won't be going back anytime soon.

Staff wasn't very helpful and we did explain to the waiter about my partner who is allergic to Tomatoes but he didn't understand a single word that we were explaining clearly to him. After 1 hour, after we came out of the restaurant, I've took my partner to hospital in Broomfield that night on 7th February 2024, due to cross contamination which she had difficulty to breathe, feeling sick and her chest was hurting, so we were in hospital all night until my partner is well enough to go home with 2 epic pens. If you got any allergies and you are allergic to any ingredients including tomatoes while you at San's, please be very careful when you order at San's Restaurant because I won't be going there with my partner. Songs Restaurant is better because my partner didn't have no problems at all there with her allergies.

Wow first time here a recommendation from the red beret. Probably the best in Chelmsford.

One of the best all you can eat Chinese restaurants in the area ! Friendly and efficient staff , with good food and a good atmosphere. Getting a table can be difficult in busy periods I.e Fridays+ weekends prepare to book in advance for those days, an online table booking service would be a great addition! as phoning in advance to book a table is slightly outdated.

Great for takeaway or eating in. If you want to eat at weekends book in advance. Team are really friendly and food is great. Pineapple rice is a must have.

Outstanding food! Everything tasted fantastic, was hot and fresh. Amazing quality.

Most enjoyable dining experience, food was really tasty and nicely presented, which lead to a loverly evening.

Very disappointing. We usually come the San’s for a birthday meal as it is easy & the food has (historically) been good. On the 18th of November, this was not the case. My wife is a pescatarian so, while the other members of our group chose shredded duck starters they offered her a dish that I do not know the name of but looked like chopped onions in a sticky unwholesome looking cloudy sauce on an leaf of lettuce. She sent it back. The plate of shredded duck at my end of the table was so burnt and hard, I was convinced it was reheated from yesterday. Probably not, most likely simply bad cooking; but, in that case, why send it out? The other end of the table, the duck appeared acceptable, even nice; I suppose luck of the draw. The waiters pushed between us during our conversation as they cleaned the table. Any sense of etiquette vanished under the banner: “buffet”. It’s difficult to complain when you’re out with friends. Maybe I should have. My wife, who was also reluctant to spoil the night by complaining, played with (rather than ate) 3 slices of carrot an uncooked tomato, for some reason included in the “vegetable curry”; one mushroom and a few bamboo shoots that also tried [unsuccessfully] to fill the sparse dish. The substantial effort I perceived, was that of trying to sell drinks. As if that were the principle goal. I think the owner would want to put this right. No one wants to choose to disappoint; and he strikes me as an honourable man. Let’s hope that former standards can be recaptured.

Nice Chinese Restaurant. Had our excellent dinner on Halloween Day. Staff are very cordial and cooperative

Not much atmosphere but the food was very good.

Really beautiful freshly cooked food as always.Lovely Staff, thanks to all the staff.I always enjoy the experience.

Had a lovely meal out last night. Food was amazing, service was outstanding. Very friendly staff. Highly recommend

Great spot. Nice atmosphere and great food. Everything we had was really fresh and tasty and food arrived quickly.

Had a lovely time and great food so looking forward to returning soon 👍 😃

Cozy, great food, great value for money, excellent service. Family comes here quite often for good reason. Friendly staff

Lovely food and quick service considering how busy it was. Only thing was it was a little loud from being so packed out, but that can't be helped sometimes.

Very expensive service charge for 3 people had to wait 20 mins before been served otherwise the food perfect.

This is the second time I have been to this restaurant, food is amazing, staff are friendly, for the set price it is very affordable

This is oder at table buffet place. Good selection of food to oder from starters, and mains. Food is always good, and reasonably priced. I have been here 3 times and always had a good experience. Overall you need to visit and try it out.

We’ve been going here for years and the food is always good. The starters are amazing and I would definitely recommend San to others.

No complaints.. food was great 👍

We are frequent visitors to San - our very favourite Chinese restaurant. I do not recognise the restaurant at all from some of these reviews. Over many years we have had consistently high quality. tasty food and so we keep going back. Staff are attentive, service is slick and very well managed. Portions are generous and extremely good value as it is a set price for as much food as you want. If you fancy more you can just order more dishes at no extra cost. The mixed starters are generous and varied. The aromatic duck and pancakes are a must for us. I highly recommend the duck in orange sauce and our family always has to have more than one portion because it vanishes! We also love the Vietnamese style noodles and the salted squid which is delicious, but hot, so not for people who prefer mild dishes, of which there are plenty.

great all you can eat, food of high standard.

It's a great buffet restaurant BUT you order and the food is cooked to order Alway hot if you like prawns, get the Prawns in Chinese sauce Absolutely outstanding

Food is decent, but staffing is terrible, very rude! Made us feel quite uncomfortable! Won't be returning!

We came back to San after many years. Really disappointed, at the begging waitress rushed us to order a drink. Then when my wife asked for a glass of wine, they said it’s only available as a whole bottle. After getting drinks we have been pushed to order starters, mains… food was average really, service poor. At the end we didn’t even get a tissue to clean the hands, where we used to before (12 years ago). At the end when I asked for the receipt with my company details, the waitress just gave me the receipt and told me to do it myself… not going back there. It was much better when the restaurant had a ordinary menu that you could choose meal from, not all you can eat type…

Fairly frequent patron here, and tonight's midweek meal pleasantly surprised. Even on a Wednesday evening, the lively ambiance buzzed with couples and celebratory groups. Unlike past visits, tonight's vibe truly sparkled. Highlights include the standout Chicken Hot Pot with Toban sauce—impressive!—and the Deep-Fried Salt and Chilli King Prawns were pure delight. Regrettably, the potential of the Salt and Chilli Spare Ribs got lost in overcooking—a kitchen slip-up that shouldn't have left the kitchen. Consistently winning were the Sizzling Oriental dishes, like the King Prawn with Ginger and Spring Onions. Remember, San thrives in its buzz, guaranteeing both good food and vibes. Avoid off-peak times. Service had a minor hiccup taking a while to get served but recovered well. Considering around £30/head midweek with soft drinks and 10% service charge is fair for this quality, especially compared to neighbouring tables paying £36 each, inclusive of a few alcoholic beverages. The food truly dazzles when it's busy, though a modern decor update wouldn't hurt. Insider tip: snag local road parking after 6:00 p.m. In essence, choosing this quality buffet lets you relish diverse flavours without a hefty bill. It's not Songs buffet; it's a tasteful fusion of buffet and à la carte.

Hadn't been for a while, still same great standard of service, welcome and food. Absolutely recommend especially when you've grown up sons who love to eat !! Szechuan prawns and Singapore noodles were fantastic.

Very good. Would recommend to friends. Very fresh and enjoyable. Friendly staff too.

Excellent chinese buffet. The food is brought to your table as its cooked to order. Eat as much of anything off the menu as you like. Friendly staff ensure more food or drinks are never far away. The best buffet in Chelmsford. Still the best

Overpriced and underwhelming 😩 food was mediocre, my dog wouldn’t even eat the Mongolian lamb that I sneaked out! Weird atmosphere contributed to by the waiter watching your every move! The duck was inedible, do yourself a favour, don’t go there!

All you can eat buffet at fixed price which changes according to day of week and time of day. Huge choice of dishes. Dessert extra. Fixed price diners must buy a drink and 10% service charge is added. Parking on road restricted to 1 hour.

I was very disappointed with my whole experience, we had the set menu all you can eat £25 but you have to order a drink to get it, and the drinks are expensive. You also have to pay 10% service charge, and the service was terrible. They questioned every order that was annoying and rude, the meat dishes had more veg than meat and when we ordered extra they moaned about the veg left on plates. I definitely wouldn't recommend going to this restaurant. This was my second visit here. The first was about 5-6 years ago, and that was the same. I was hoping it would be different this time,but it wasn't.

Was looking forward to a nice meal at Sans but upon arrival we were told there are no high chairs for children, after wrestling with our 1 year old to sit and eat dinner we had to leave. Hard to believe a restaurant does not provide this simple service in this day and age. Stay away if you have young children.

The food was 10/10 wanted to eat more but I actually couldn’t recommend this restaurant for everyone in Chelmsford and surrounding areas customer service was very good all of the staff was very friendly will 100% go again

Not really value for money. Good staff

Simply the best Chinese restaurant my family and I have ever been to. The food is a amazing, and the staff so friendly. We love the place.

Great food as always, great staff 👍

It was a Monday evening. In the same street I normally use a local takeaway in the same street. Being Monday the two local takeaways were closed. But to be honest it worked out pretty well for me. Because my wife went in to this restaurant and was we surprised. On the quality of food. Had dry Ribs which was very tender. Prawn curry and the prawns were very good. If I had to be honest I do like a thicker curry. But still really good. Had the crispy chilli beef. Which was better than the other local restaurants. And the price was the same as the others. I even had to phone the restaurant and complimented on just how good my food was. Will I be coming back. You try and stop me.

My first time ordering a takeaway from this restaurant. The guy at the tills ( I guess manager) was very welcoming and also offered a seat to sit while I wait. And the food was delicious. And even the waiter or chef who came out greeted me. I really liked the atmosphere.

The food was excellent but it took a really long time to get out to us. I'd recommend going, but don't be in a rush to do anything afterwards.

Good food cooked fresh one price buffet plus a 10% service charge.

For me, this is one of the best Chinese restaurants ever.

Great buffet menu cooked fresh once ordered (nothing sat under a heat lamp with communal access). The quality of the food was amazing and the veggie options were extensive. I would say that the lunch menu is a little expensive. I would expect to pay the same for a dinner service but less for lunch.

Top food.... sometimes not so consistent but will say taste wise and portion very good. The ribs are my favourite eat those alot really tasty! The only issue is the prawn sometimes feels really raw you literally can taste the ocean not a good taste but overall fills you up and tasty. Never had any issues with staff sometimes language barrier may seem rude but not trying to be :)

Very disappointed with this restaurant. All food was over cooked and dry. The prawns had a strong taste, will not be returning

The venue is looking a little tired and dated inside. The ambience and overall experience was a little bit disappointing considering the overall expense. Service charge and insistence on each person having to purchase at least one drink with fixed price buffet deal pushes the cost up.

Does exactly what it says on the tin. An all you can eat buffet. Food is cooked to order. So its fresh and hot. Service is excellent.

amazing food went there for mother day really enjoyed

Eat all you can served buffet type good quality food. Different set prices for different days but still so very worth it. Only one criticism drinks are a bit overpriced.

Great food great service Pete teven with my disabled father

Visited on a Friday night. We booked a table and glad we did as it was busy. We didn't realise it was an 'all you can eat' style restaurant before going. A set price and you can order anything from the menu. A really good selection and the Chow Mein and vegetable spring roles were particularly good. Staff were helpful but it was tricky getting their attention at times as it was busy. Plastic bowls and plates which I personally didn't enjoy using and felt made it feel a bit cheap.

Very loud in the restaurant and as we were sat on a table near the door it meant several people got quite cold

Great food, all freshly cooked & brought to your table. Gluton free menu also available 140 tasty dishes on the main menu😁

Great freshly cooked food, 120 choices on the menu, also gluton free menu available would highly recommend

Had a really nice meal at San. Food was lovely and service was not to be faulted. Ordered our drinks first - no issues with that. There are some rules on the menu but what do you expect in a 'buffet' all you can eat restaurant? Some reviews complain about these. I do not understand why. Service charge is automatically added. Most places do this now anyway and do not tell you. Here you know and that is all you pay. Very happy with the food and service. We will come again.

All you can eat from the menu, Delicious food served by professional and friendly staff.

Nice place for a evening out friendly staff

We had a good evening, great service we were well looked after. Food very good for Chelmsford.

Unfortunately wouldn't go back hence score , the waitress wouldn't give me tap water only bottled, service wasn't great it was a double birthday celebration and was very disappointing the food wasn't forthcoming and not very hot , we asked for duck and was told the waitress would have to check , its very over priced and also wasn't allowed to check and keep the bill I do feel we was over charged for soft drinks that we didn't have , but it's a learning curve and would not recommend and won't go back .All I can say keep a check on what you have make a note

We dine in and get take away from San, always nice never failed us in the 6 years living in Chelmsford would definitely recommend!!

Excellent service and I enjoyed the Tom Yum soup!