Tanjong Pagar—also known as Korea Town in Singapore—has no lack of Korean restaurants and you may be lost on where to start.

But if you are looking at an all-you-can-eat buffet option for K-BBQ, then Sin Manbok is one to go to. At S$29++per pax, you get unlimited portions of meat, two pieces of Korean fried chicken (for each diner) in your preferred flavour, a Korean stew to share, a side of tteokbokki and ramyeon, and another side of Korean pancake. Do note that the buffet option is only available during lunch.

At just S$29++ per person for lunch, you get quite a spread and despite the portions being relatively small, we were actually very stuffed from eating a bit of everything that is included in the buffet.

For the lunch buffet, you get unlimited portions of meat, two pieces of Korean fried chicken in your preferred flavour, a stew to share, a side of tteokbokki and ramyeon, and another side of Korean pancake. What did we say about being full from eating a bit of everything?

On the unlimited meat menu, there are marinated chicken, beef brisket, sliced pork belly and marinated pork short ribs.

Out of the four meat options, our favourite was the thinly sliced 2mm Pork Belly.

Each diner gets 2 pieces of Korean fried chicken and you can choose from seasoned chicken, soy chicken, fried chicken or a mixture of seasoned and soy chicken.

The restaurant will portion the stew according to the number of diners. We had the Kimchi Jjigae and it was full of flavours and very addictive.

Stir-fried tteokbokki with ramyeon.

Sin Manbok Korean BBQ Buffet
81 Tanjong Pagar Rd, Singapore 088502
Tel: +65 6221 7030

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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

We always believe that the best way to barbecue meat is over charcoal. It gives it that subtle hint of smokiness that elevates its overall flavour. Wang Dae Bak has long been our go-to for a seriously good Korean BBQ meal and until this day, it is still one of our top choices when we’re craving Korean barbecue.

Most Korean BBQ places in Singapore use an electric grill where the heat can be adjusted accordingly. However, Wang Dae Bak prefers to use charcoal instead and we absolutely love it. This gives our meats a nice char and a delightful taste that far exceeds that of cooking on an electric grill.

Wang Dae Bak has been around for years but they still garner a huge crowd and snaking queues, especially during peak hours. Call ahead to reserve a seat if you want to skip the long wait. Here’s what we love about Wang Dae Bak Korean BBQ Restaurant.

Treat yourself and splurge on their premium meats because it is worth every cent. We typically go for the Boneless Prime Rib, Marinated Chicken, Pork Belly and Marinated Shoulder-Loin.

We do recommend going for a good variety of marinated and non-marinated meats to get a taste of their best offerings. Since chicken is not as flavourful on its own without seasoning or a marinade, the Marinated Chicken is a great choice, even more so when wrapped with some fresh lettuce leaves and kimchi.

The Boneless Prime Rib is, of course, a must. The gorgeous marbling of the beef creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture when cooked to a nice medium to medium-rare.

Besides their host of fantastic meats, try the Spicy Seafood Tofu Soup or Kimchi Pancake for a complete meal and a more rounded out experience.

Wang Dae Bak Korean BBQ Restaurant
22 Cross Street
#01-64 China Square Central
Singapore 048421
Tel: +65 6225 2646
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Sun: Closed
Nearest Station: Chinatown/Telok Ayer