New Chinese buffet opens in downtown Niles

Published 9:34 am Wednesday, September 18, 2013

The Yes Buffet, 40 E. Main St., Niles, opened Sept. 10. Leader photo/CRAIG HAUPERT

The Yes Buffet, 40 E. Main St., Niles, opened Sept. 10. Leader photo/CRAIG HAUPERT

Is Niles ready for another Chinese restaurant?

The Zheng family is banking on the answer being, “yes.”

On Sept. 10, the Zhengs opened Yes Buffet at 40 E. Main St., Niles, in the Riverfront Plaza in downtown Niles.

It is located in the same space that used to house Ricky’s Taqueria.

Yes Buffet is open seven days a week. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Wen Zheng, manager, said the entire inside has been reconstructed to accommodate several tables and an ample buffet area. Buffet hours are 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for lunch and 3:30 p.m. and later for dinner Monday through Saturday. Sunday’s buffet is dinner all day. The lunch buffet is $6.49 and the dinner buffet is $8.49.

The lunch special features a choice of one of 29 entrees served with pork fried rice for $4.95.

Zheng said they have several spicy dishes for heat lovers.

“We are proud of that,” he said.

The Zhengs moved from Texas to Niles in September of 2012.

Zheng’s father, Fa, and mother, Ni, do the cooking. Wen said this is the second time they’ve operated a Chinese restaurant. Their first was in Virginia.

Wen said his father moved to the United States from Fujing, China in 1995. Wen came in 2005.

“We love it here,” Wen said. “It is a lot more free than in China.”

Wen said his family enjoys the small town feel of Niles and hopes that the community gives their restaurant a try.

Yes Buffet employs five people.

Call the restaurant at  (269) 684-3301. It offers dine in or carry out.