Montclair already has great tacos and pho blocks away, but Paradise Buffet plays a different game: volume, variety, and the promise that nobody leaves hungry. If you have not been since the remodel years, picture brighter signage, wider aisles between stations, and the same smell of grill smoke dragging you toward the hibachi line.
The stations that matter
Start where the room is loudest — the hibachi counter — because plates there are cooked to order and the line can spike after 6pm. Next, sweep the hot line for classics (orange chicken, pepper steak, lo mein) before kids claim the last spring rolls. Save a lap for salad and cold seafood if you want crunch between rich bites.
Crab legs: read the room
When the marquee says crab, arrive early or call ahead for weekend dinner. Staff resets trays fast on busy nights, but nothing tests patience like watching an empty silver boat where crab used to be. Pro move: grab a modest first plate, eat, then return when the next batch drops — the buffet rewards pacing, not hoarding.
Call before you caravan
Feeding a team or a birthday table? Call (909) 626-8967 and ask about group seating and holiday hours — weekends fill first. Then peek the menu page for today’s price bands so the bill matches expectations.