People will find any occasion to celebrate—that’s just how it is nowadays. Whether it’s a pay raise, a relationship ‘monthsary’ or even if you’re just feeling a tad happier for no apparent reason, there is always a reason to #treatyourself.

But celebrations aside, let’s not forget that money doesn’t grow on trees, and having yourself fancy dinners on a regular basis is probably not the most ideal. But that’s not to say that you can’t still enjoy yourself a feast every now and then.

From hot pot to barbecue buffets and even Japanese buffets that see endless servings of fresh sashimi, here is our list to 10 student-priced buffets that are perfect for the occasional treat.

BAN HENG (HARBOURFRONT CENTRE)

If you’re a sucker for Cantonese dim sum and someone with an enormous appetite, then you absolutely need to know about Ban Heng’s dim sum lunch buffet. With more than 30 dim sum items—15 of which are deep-fried and mouthwateringly delicious—at just S$24.80++ per pax, you’ll be chowing down your weight without having to worry too much about how much you’re spending.

And as if it couldn’t get any better, for every 3 paying adults, one dines free! This promotion is valid every day for lunch.

Lunch Buffet
Mon to Fri
Adult: S$24.80++
Child: S$16.80++

Sat, Sun & Eve of PH
Adult: S$27.80++
Child: S$16.80++

PH
Adult: S$29.80++
Child: S$16.80++

1 Maritime Square
#04-01, HarbourFront Centre
Singapore 099253
Tel: +65 6278 0288
Daily: 11.30am – 2pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Harbourfront

Photo Credit: Orchard Grand Court

CRYSTAL CAFE

Renowned for its comforting line-up of local fare from their fiery yet rich curries to their excellently done braised pig trotters, Crystal Cafe is a traditional-style restaurant that serves all-day casual dining in Singapore.

Better known for their Taiwan Porridge buffet line, tuck into a hearty medley of yummy toppings and saucy delights as you down bowls and bowls of their light and creamy Taiwan-style sweet potato porridge.

Lunch Buffet
Mon to Fri
Adult: S$14.80++
Child S$11.80++

Sat to Sun & PH
Adult: S$16.80++
Child: S$13.80++

131 Killiney Road,
Singapore 239571
Tel: +65 6830 2020
Mon to Fri: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 12pm – 4pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

I’M KIM JUNIOR

Located conveniently at Orchard’s *SCAPE, I’m Kim Junior is a casual Korean BBQ restaurant that is popular amongst the young crowd. At a fairly reasonable price point, you get to enjoy unlimited amounts of marinated meats, cooked items such as japchae (Korean stir-fried glass noodles), and Korean fried chicken and Korean army stew.

Buffet Lunch
Mon to Fri: S$12.90++
Sat, Sun & PH: S$22.90++

Buffet Dinner
Mon to Thu: S$22.90++
Fri to Sun, Eve of PH, PH: S$ 23.90++

2 Orchard Link
#03-01 *Scape
Singapore 237978
Tel: +65 6634 0420
Daily: 11.30pm – 3.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

IKOI JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Perfectly set in a lush traditional Japanese setting, Ikoi Japanese Restaurant over at Hotel Miramar offers gastronomic indulgences with an endless parade of authentic Japanese cuisines from sashimi, sushi, tempura to plenty of tastier Japanese treats. S$45 per pax (includes GST and service charge) may seem a tad hefty but just think of the endless amounts of fresh sashimi you get to enjoy.

401 Havelock Road,
Hotel Miramar
Singapore 169631
Tel: +65 6887 3788
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Fort Canning

Photo Credit: iSteamboat

ISTEAMBOAT

Serving up straightforward and healthy Chinese steamboat and porridge at affordable prices, iSteamboat Chinese Restaurant, located at Marina Square, is bound to impress. Not only is the quality great and the service quick, what you get for the good value you pay is a huge variety of dishes to choose from.

Diners get to choose between the porridge buffet, the steamboat buffet that features seven soup bases as well as the all-day à la carte buffet.

Lunch & Dinner Buffet
Mon to Thu
Adult: S$26.80++
Child S$11.40++

Fri to Sun, Eve of PH & PH
Adult: S$31.50++
Child S$13.40++

6 Raffles Boulevard, #04-102a,
Marina Square,
Singapore 039594
Daily: 11.45am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Esplanade

Photo Credit: Kiseki Japanese Buffet Restaurant

KISEKI

Presenting a stellar line-up of more than 200 buffet items over 29 item categories, Kiseki is the buffet destination in town for everyone to celebrate the joy of eating without breaking your wallet. At just one price, what diners can hope to expect is unlimited servings of delectable Japanese food such as sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki, yakitori, robatayaki and much more!

Lunch Buffet
11.30am – 3pm
Mon to Fri
Adult: S$22.80++
Child: S$12.80++

Sat & Sun, PH
Adult: S$29.80++
Child: S$17.80++

Dinner Buffet
6pm – 10pm
Mon to Thu
Adult: S$33.80++
Child: S$15.80++

Fri to Sun & PH
Adult: S$39.80++
Child: S$18.80++

181 Orchard Road, 08-01/02/03
Orchard Central,
Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 6736 1216
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

LADYBOY MOO-KA-CHEESE

Ladyboy Moo-Ka-Cheese is a Thai mookata restaurant located along Geylang that is quite possibly the first of its kind, boasting a stunning array of tantalising, innovative cheese dips along with the traditional Thai-style barbecue.

Each of their uniquely designed grills allows for 4 kinds of cheese to be added at a time and the buffet allows diners an unlimited amount of cheese dips. In addition, their buffet menu features a whole host of options to choose from salmon, scallops to jumbo prawns and a whole lot more!

Dinner Buffet
Mon to Thu
Adult: S$29.90
Child: S$15.90

Fri to Sun, Eve of PH & PH
Adult: S$32.90
Child: S$15.90

644 Geylang Road, Lorong 40
Singapore 389574
Tel: +65 9062 6953
Mon to Fri: 6pm – 1am
Sat: 5pm – 1am
Sun: 5pm – 1am
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar

SHABURI & KINTAN BUFFET

Offering two restaurants under one roof, both offering an all-you-can-eat Japanese buffet, Shaburi & Kintan Buffet is one spot worth travelling the distance for. Choose from either the regular buffet or the barbecue buffet (Kintan) and tuck into a huge selection of meats, seafood as well as cooked dishes featuring the likes of chawanmushi, chicken karage and more!

Regular Buffet
Lunch: S$22.80++
Dinner: S$29.80++

Kintan Barbecue Buffet
Lunch: S$29.80++
Dinner: S$38.80++

50 Jurong Gateway Road JEM, 03-11/12,
Singapore 608549
Tel: +65 6262 4329
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Jurong East

SSIKKEK KOREAN GRILL

There are a few Ssikkek outlets in Singapore, and the popularity of each outlet leaves one little to wonder. It is really a simple and fuss-free place for some casual feasting. While Ssikkek doesn’t have the best quality meat such as Wagyu, it makes up for it with its competitive pricing and lively atmosphere. Meat, grill and a couple of fresh accompaniments—what more could you possibly ask for?

Buffet Lunch & Dinner
Adult: S$24.90++

231 Bain St
#02-01
Singapore 180231
Tel: +65 6336 4476
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Bras Basah

SUKI-YA

If you’re hankering for something soupy and comforting such as sukiyaki or even shabu shabu, then Suki-Ya is probably your best bet. Priding themselves on offering diners an unforgettable dining experience that won’t break the bank, you can rest assured that quality is not something overlooked here. All their meat offerings are of good quality so you won’t have to feel bad about gorging them down by the plate-full.

Lunch Buffet
Adult: S$18.90++
Child: S$14.90++

Dinner Buffet
Adult: S$24.90++
Child: S$17.90++

6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-183B/C
Marina Square
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 6337 9969
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Fri to Sun: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Esplanade

Despite the sweltering hot weather in Singapore, the one thing that we can all unanimously agree on is how lovely it feels to gather around a hot pot with our loved ones whilst dunking slices of meat and assorted raw ingredients into a pot of steaming hot broth.

Singapore has an abundance of hot pot restaurants, with many of them sprouting long queues that can last hours on end. With that, the real question is; are the queues at some of these places worth joining? Or is it just another overrated hot pot restaurant that doesn’t warrant the long wait?

If you’re looking for the answer to that question, we have here a list of our 8 favourite hot pot restaurants in Singapore that we feel are worth the long, snaking queues.

Photo Credit: Beauty In A Pot

BEAUTY IN THE POT

This place is one of the more well-known places on the list due to the fact that they open till 6am in the morning, which is great for the hungry insomniac.

What makes this place stand out from the rest are their rich, collagen-based soup bases that are great for the skin, body and soul. When they said you’ll be getting beauty in a pot, they meant it!

OneKM Mall
11 Tanjong Katong Road, #02-21
Singapore 437157
Tel: +65 6284 8820
Daily: 11.30am – 6am
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar

CAPTAIN K 

Popular for its multi-tiered seafood tower, Captain K is the place to be at if you love having fresh seafood in your hot pot. Here, they do not compromise on the quality and quantity of their meat so you can be assured that you are getting the best hotpot experience.

We also love how this place is open till 1am on weekends, allowing us to indulge in hot pot goodness after a round of drinks.

122 Middle Road, #01-00
Midland House
Singapore 188970
Tel: +65 6255 5744
Mon: 5.30pm – 11m
Tue to Thu & Sun: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 11.30am – 3pm, 5pm – 1am
Nearest Station: Bugis

HAI DI LAO 

The most highly rated on this list has to be Hai Di Lao that is famous for its 2-3-hour-long queues. Despite being deemed as overrated, we feel that it is worth the hype. The service here is incredible and they never fail to serve up fresh, quality food.

We also love how they have such a wide range of ingredients and broths that leave us spoilt for choice. Even though the queues can get pretty ridiculous, we feel that it is worth the occasional indulgence.

313 Somerset
313 Orchard Road, #04-23/24
Singapore 238895
Tel: +65 6835 7227
Daily: 10.30am – 6am
Nearest Station: Somerset

HUA TING STEAMBOAT 

This underrated hot pot restaurant serves up a pretty impressive spread at affordable prices. We love how flexible it is here and you can opt for one of their set menus or go all out with their extensive a la carte selection.

Located in the heart of Orchard Road at Claymore Connect, this place is easily accessible and great if you happen to be in town.

Claypot Connect
Mezzanine level #01-08, 442 Orchard Road
Singapore 238879
Tel: +65 6739 6628
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Stevens/Somerset

JINJI TEOCHEW STEAMBOAT 

This no-frills Teochew steamboat restaurant is our go-to place for an affordable, authentic Teochew hot pot feast. The wall is plastered with photos of celebrities who have tried and loved the food here, so you know you’re in for the good stuff when you dine here.

What is reassuring and somewhat amusing is how the owner promises that if the food is not tasty, they will refund you back every cent.

176-178 Joo Chiat Road
Singapore 427447
Tel: +65 6348 8924
Tue to Sun: 12pm – 2.30pm
Mon to Sun: 5pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar

Photo Credit: Li Ji Chuan Chuan Xiang

LI JI CHUAN CHUAN XIANG

Li Ji Chuan Chuan Xiang serves a variety of delicious dishes which they carefully prepared using the freshest ingredients but the key thing they are known for is their unique coconut broth hot pot. Opened until 5.30am daily, they’re a decent joint to head to after a night of tippling at the bars just next door.

76 Prinsep Street,
Singapore 188663
Tel: +65 6251 7717
Daily: 12pm – 5.30am
Nearest Station: Dhoby Ghaut / Bencoolen

PARADISE HOT POT

For an affordable, authentic Hong Kong-style steamboat experience, you should check out Paradise One Pot. Here, they too offer up individual hot pots with your desired broth.

We love how there are a whopping 14 different soup bases here for you to choose from as well as an extensive array of a la carte items for you to dunk into that steamy, hot soup.

CompassOne Mall #03-05,
1 Seng Kang Square
Singapore 545078
Tel: +65 6386 4838
Mon to Fri: 11.15am – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 10.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Seng Kang

SPICE WORLD HOT POT

If you’re looking for a more extravagant (and overly dramatic) hot pot experience, then Spice World Hot Pot is the place for you. Here, they serve up dishes with authentic Sichuan flavours that will satisfy your hot pot and spicy food cravings at the same time.

We absolutely adore their quirky decor as well as their unique dishes such as their adorable Teddy Bear Spicy Butter and their Premium Barbie Wagyu Beef.

Clarke Quey #01-06/07 3B
River Valley Road
Singapore 179021
Sun to Thu: 10.30am – 4am
Fri to Sat: 10.30am – 6am
Nearest Station: Fort Canning