XIAO Essen in Essen

Glad to have been there again. Very good selection of food and drinks. Unfortunately, when it's full the atmosphere suffers. Still worth it.

we have chosen to eat in, all you can eat, and I can really recommend it. Mussels with garlic are recommended. Also all beef dishes are good. Personnel is very friendly. Not the most fancy restaurant, but worth every euro. Good selection of different kinds of food. Sushi and hot dishes. I really liked their beef in pepper sauce and chicken terry yaki, very nicely prepared. You can also have take away, either cold (sushi) or hot dishes for just €18,90. highly recommended

We were there for a team celebration with several people. I usually avoid restaurants like this (I'll explain why), but the majority of the team chose it. I was pleasantly surprised by the ambience, as the restaurant looks rather industrial from the outside. However, the positive impression was quickly dampened by the chaos at the reservation. First our reservation couldn't be found, then there were negative vibes because some people canceled (yes, not yet, but things like that happen). After we were assigned a seat for 12, the reservation apparently disappeared into nirvana, because a colleague who arrived less than 3 minutes later could no longer be told where her "group" had sat down. (This happened to other latecomers from other groups). Since I had a stomach reduction and can prove this with the relevant document, I am currently asking all-you-can-eat establishments whether it is possible, for example, to receive a discount for senior citizens. I'm also happy to show you my quarter plate. So far, I have always encountered courtesy, discretion and friendliness in other restaurants. Accordingly, I turned to the supposed maître d'... who informed me in a condescending and polite manner that the owner would not make an exception here, as many people had allegedly already approached with the same question and then gorged themselves at the buffet. You can't control that (apparently you can... How else would he have known?). In addition, there would be no discounts for seniors or students on Fridays at this time anyway. (Funnily enough, the waiter's first question later at the table was whether there were students or seniors in the group, as they would get a corresponding discount.) A little annoyed, I told the gentleman that I would accept that, but what would be the consequences for them future would draw from it. When I wanted to return to our table, he suddenly said that maybe a compromise could be found and waved me to the other side of the reservation area. There was a refrigerator there and I already had a premonition... In fact, he explained to me that they would be taking part in the too-good-to-go offer (which is actually commendable). These would be leftovers from the buffet, which - even if they were no longer as attractive - would still be suitable for consumption. Of course I wasn't allowed to take anything from the buffet, but then I could at least dine with my colleagues... I have no idea what this person was thinking (if anything)... He probably thought I could eat there I couldn't afford it and didn't understand that you can't really eat a lot of food with a capacity of 150ml and that I was just interested in getting at least a fairly fair price-performance ratio. I found his offer disrespectful and extremely tactless, if not downright insulting. Unfortunately, I was also disappointed in terms of the offer and quality. For example, there was only a mountain of onions left of the beef and onion pot... which, after a quick overview of the other offers, suggested that the greatest possible price range was to be achieved here. The food in general was certainly edible, but there was a lot of cartilage and the like on my colleagues' plates. to. I ended up having a mini spring roll, a piece of orange chicken, and a nigiri. After an hour, a very small piece of Baumkuchen (which I can really recommend)... and half a cola. The whole thing cost me just under 34 euros. Conclusion: even if I could still eat normally, this would not be a restaurant that I would visit again. Since I can't eat a lot, I want to at least enjoy a little... Unfortunately, the offer on site was far from that.

We were there for the company Christmas dinner. The food was very good and the selection was large. The staff was also very nice. :)

As in the other restaurants here in Essen, there is a nice atmosphere, good food and friendly staff. Gladly again .

The food really didn't taste good. A lot of things were cold and the spices weren't flavorful. The fries, nuggets and sweet potato fries for my child tasted terrible. Breaded chicken was very terrible. Curry dishes with chicken as well. Tiramisu was anything but tiramisu. The desserts were also a flop. The toilets were really bad. Apparently it hasn't been cleaned for a while. Everyone has to know for themselves, but we'll never really go there again. Terrible.

The buffet was really great. However, the same thing cannot be said about the grill bar. The grill man was doing his best and is not to blame at all for the burnt food because he was under a lot of workload regarding the huge number of guests. The restaurant was almost full but with only a few waiters and waitresses and one grill man. The grilled food came mostly under seasoned and burnt on our table with an average waiting time of 25 minutes per plate. So, the managing staff could have done a better HR allocation so that the food and quality would not have had to suffer.

You can do it, but you don't have to. I was in xiao in GE several years ago. Found it good. The one in Essen disappointed me. In terms of food, I would have expected more taste and more dishes. . The service was...not good. We were shown to the table but no one came to take the drinks. Only about 8 minutes later…. The young gentleman was nice but not particularly attentive. What about clearing the plates and not asking for more. Drinks .had the feeling that the area for waiting tables was too big for him. Overall it was okay.. but for just an okay I'd rather spend my money somewhere else. What a shame

Nothing to complain about. Food very good 👍 Service good 👍 Price performance good 👍 We'll be back and we'd love to bring new people with us

The store was really chic. A little too warm, but that was probably due to the buffet. The benches were comfortable and the corner we sat in was relatively quiet. The food was tasty and the selection was very large. The toilets were clean, there were enough of them and were well signposted. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Likewise the boss. Since it was very crowded, the drinks all came quite late and we even got some for free. I would recommend the store.

Very nice service, great ambience and I had no complaints about the food.

Today, December 11th, 2024, my wife and I were guests in Xiou in Essen from 2:00 p.m. The service, i.e. customer support, was almost non-existent. There was hardly anything going on in the restaurant. After about 20 minutes we had to make sure we got something to drink ourselves. Until then we weren't even asked if we wanted something to drink. My wife helped herself to the Mongolian buffet and placed the plate at the preparation station to be prepared. After about 30 minutes I asked what was going on with my wife's food, the answer was from the chef, it would take another 5 minutes. After exactly 35 minutes the food came to my wife incomplete, the mushrooms were missing. As I said, there wasn't much going on and the staff were more busy with themselves than taking care of us customers. We've had food at the Xiou location several times to date, but we've never had service as bad as today. Then we could have gone to McDonald's. We weren't even asked if we liked it or if we were happy, that was always the case. The bottom line is that the Xiou with its location in Essen started strong after opening and has seen a significant decline in service to this day. The food tastes very good, but the lack of service, i.e. customer care, drags it down in the rating. My wife and I have decided NOT to visit the restaurant anymore. And we CANNOT recommend it in terms of customer support. We paid a total of €51.00 today, then in the future I will spend the money in other restaurants where they know what customer service means, for example in the Wunderbau in Bochum.

Extremely nice staff and great selection of food. I can't recommend certain dishes, such as the chocolate fountain, because the chocolate becomes rock hard after 2 minutes, but otherwise it's very tasty. I think it's very good that something is being done about food waste. Despite the fact that it's full, it's not necessarily super loud and has a train station atmosphere. Of course, it is much quieter and more comfortable in a small restaurant, but you can still have a good conversation without having to talk loudly

You can take whatever you want, but everything is all cola water 7 euros and if you want maso, you have to take the measure, you don’t eat enough 2 euros for every 100 grams of maso, the cook prepares the maso, it’s not salty, it’s not spicy, bring it yourself, but once they didn’t bring it.

If I go to an Asian place to eat Asian food and have Afghans or Arabs cook for me, the only thing that can come out of it is... We love Arabic, Turkish or Indian or Chinese. But it has to be authentic! It's hard on the stomach and the fish smelled bad. Rice was cold. Service was nice. Food was stale. Not recommended at lunchtime as there is little choice.

We were here today for the first time and after this we will never go back . Everything looks very poor, I mean the buffet. There was fish in the oven, but we had to stand near the table for 30-40 minutes to get a piece. And in general there is no choice of food. Mostly vegetables, pasta, rice and potatoes. There is no ready seafood. There are raw products but we waited about 30 minutes. None of the drinks are not included in the price of the buffet. Not even water. You have to pay extra for everything. Unfortunately we were disappointed.

Very good Today is my little daughter's birthday

Very friendly reception and service. Too much chicken was offered. Duck, fish and nuts were less on offer. The preparation of the fresh food, vegetables, meat and fish simply took too long (over 1 hour), the plates were clinging to each other and there was only one employee on site to prepare them. It's a shame, that doesn't encourage another visit.

This evening I was in the restraunt with my girlfriend, the food was delicious😌. The waiters are very nice, especially the Asian waiters. (greetings go out to a specific waiter🫂) Thank you for the nice time with the delicious food, we will definitely come again and recommend the restaurant xiao to everyone. Greetings Julia & Celine😌

Great service from waiter Toan! Very friendly and attentive. The food was great as always. I'd love to come back!

Great service from waiter Toan, friendly and attentive. As always, the food was absolutely delicious

All in all a great restaurant. The food was warm and always enough.

A super tasty buffet. Something for everyone. Nice staff. We have been here many times and can only recommend it.

Large buffet... Perfect for people with a lot of hunger... For us, the quality is more important... Service is quick and very polite... Ambiance is very sober, just canteen

It has slowed down a lot since last year, when everything was still great. What bothered us the most was the guy behind the bar who wiped everything down with a rag and wiped away the overflowing beer on the glasses with his hands. Sushi was delicious, as were the shrimp and salmon.

The food was, well, let's say OK. Most of the dishes had more vegetables than meat and some weren't even lukewarm. The selection is also very manageable. Not justified in my opinion for the price of €25. At least the service girl was very friendly. For me, no recommendation.

Everything was great and delicious. Service is also really nice and accommodating. I only gave the food 4 stars because the selection of meat is too small for me personally. What I miss is the typical chicken in sweet and sour sauce. But nonetheless there is something for everyone, whether small or large 😊

Very crowded but not too loud. Food was varied and very tasty. Large parking lot!

Unfortunately I can't understand the many positive reviews. Were there yesterday for the first and unfortunately last time. Service and ambience were quite good but the food was by far the worst I've had in a long time. Everything on heat plates that are set way too hot. As a result, everything is bland and totally dry. The dessert selection was good, but a lot of it was also very tasteless and overwhelming. Had 1 portion grilled, even it was partly burnt and partly raw.

Very tasty fresh food, great selection. Very friendly service and a cozy atmosphere despite the size of the hall.

The gentleman at reception was very friendly. The food was great as always. Point deduction: the toilets really weren't nice...

Great buffet, very nice selection and everything was super tasty!

The food was tasty at first, but unfortunately I got a stomach ache and diarrhea in the restaurant. Some dish must have been spoiled...! Even with bad Asian food stalls it didn't happen so quickly. When he gave the information to the waiter, he took note of this, but then he wasn't interested in it. Service should be more empathetic. Therefore no longer recommended.

The design of the restaurant is beautiful It is a huge building with many places where one can sit. It looked clean and well organised. The play of light and shadows through the building is impressive. There are many people which can be a plus or minus depending on personalities. I think that the name is misleading. The design and even food do not have so much to do with asian cultures. The options for sushi were very limited. Many of the dishes offered were rather western. The food was not fresh and did not make a great impression. The service was friendly and helpful. No drinks included in all you can eat. Otherwise small drinks and high prices. Overall, something was missing. I would give a 2,5 stars.

Amazing place, good food and service.

Sabina was super friendly and helpful. Of course I will come back

Ambience and buffet as always very good. Our waitress, Nadine, was really nice, very friendly and accommodating and exuded a great sense of calm, even though the restaurant was full. We would even give it 10 stars if possible. Absolutely top 👍

Nice service, extensive buffet, good price, we were very satisfied.

The food? A dream! Every dish was fresh, perfectly prepared and full of flavor. The prices are more than justified considering the quality. I will definitely come back and recommend this restaurant to my friends and family. Thank you for this great experience!

I recently had the opportunity to visit Xiao Restaurant, known for its authentic Chinese cuisine, and it absolutely exceeded my expectations!

I recently went to XIAO and absolutely loved it! The buffet was incredibly diverse, from fresh salads to delicious main courses and a great selection of desserts. The quality of the food was top, everything was fresh and tasted excellent. I particularly liked that there was something for everyone: vegetarian and vegan options, a large selection of meat and fish dishes and even specialties from different cuisines around the world. The service was friendly, attentive and regularly ensured that the buffet was always replenished. The ambience was pleasant and cozy, perfect for a relaxing evening with family or friends. I'll definitely be back and highly recommend this all-you-can-eat experience to everyone! 5 stars!

Very nice and stylish location. There are a number of parking spaces available, including on the street - but things get tight here at peak times. The staff is quick and very friendly. However, I had different expectations when it came to the food on offer. Some were very tasty, others (especially the warm dishes) contained very little of the meat specified, were very spicy or were kept warm for too long. The solution with the fresh roast, which you can put together yourself, is very good: I think the selection of sauces from the pin is optimal. What didn't work at all was the sushi. Very limited selection, almost everything with surimi and didn't look appetizing. I found that particularly unfortunate. Otherwise everything was great. Payment in cash and card is no problem. Noise level very pleasant despite the size. However, at our time (Sundays, 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.) the restaurant was only about 1/3 full. Both the volume and the impact at the buffet could then be greater. Our group (four of us were there) will not be visiting again, but there are better alternatives in Essen for our taste.

Very tasty and friendly service

Can only be recommended, the service was top

Very good food and friendly service. The food is always ready warm. No objections

Nice ambience. Good selection. Very friendly staff... gladly again

Unfortunately, another typical Asian temple for mass processing. Mainstream food with a uniform taste. Lukewarm and dead-cooked wok dishes. Vegetables too hard. Meat dry. Noodles soft like porridge. Only the rice was really hot. Ordered food to prepare four times. The first 3 arrived lukewarm. The 4th attempt still worked. Cake buffet with a good selection. Plus chocolate fountain. Price performance is not right here.

You can argue about taste but the food should be warm or hot. It was cold at times, even the things on the grill were cold. I didn't really like it and my stomach didn't really feel good either, which I also felt at night. Drinks in winter with lots of ice, of course ice is cheaper than Coke. So once is enough for me, maybe it's because of the Black Friday offer???

Very good fresh food, we had to wait a long time for our drinks simply because there weren't enough staff. The ambience is like in all all you can eat restaurants, it has a touch of a cafeteria. All in all it was a very nice evening

Due to the branch structure, you will mainly find dishes that appeal to the broad masses of guests. The quality of the buffet is okay. Most of the dishes are well seasoned, but a few, especially the spring rolls, were rather tasteless. Particularly spicy foods are pointed out. There is a good selection of non-Asian dishes for children. The salad buffet was a positive surprise. The Mongolian grill is also very good, where meat and fish of your choice are grilled fresh. However, you should have some time for this. The cocktails were a bit disappointing. The taste was okay, but it gave the impression that you had forgotten the rum or vodka. The staff is particularly worth mentioning. The service was quick, very relaxed and personable and gave you a feeling of individuality despite the size of the restaurant.

Thanks to Nadine, who served us excellently. Very friendly

Very nice, fast and attentive service (Nadine). It was a really nice evening. 🤩👍

Very large selection of delicacies. Service was great. Nadine served us very well

Large restaurant with a nice atmosphere. The buffet is delicious and varied

On November 13th, 2024, I entered a restaurant in the Xiao chain once again with high expectations. As part of its November specials, the meal at lunchtime only cost 14.90 euros, which was advertised loudly and loudly. The first time I went to the restaurant's grill, the bitter truth was revealed to me - that this seemed to be nothing more than a cowardly enticement offer. There was no salmon. There was no fried chicken. Not all sauces were available for frying. Etc. In addition, the service was lagging behind: In front of my plate from the non-Asian grill expert there was a single, additional plate. However, it took 20 minutes for my food to come to the table. The food was not fried with the sauce we ordered, but rather drowned in the oily sauce. The question as to whether I would like to order something to drink came up with the second plate. It's a complete disgrace that you manage to annoy regular guests with cheap offerings that don't offer the full range of the buffet. The competition (the Red Lotus) will probably see me more often in the future!

The noodles taste like dishwashing liquid. You'll never see me there again.

Very nice atmosphere, very nice and courteous staff and when it comes to food there is something for everyone.

Nicely spacious for wheelchair users

We were there yesterday, but the food was very cold and it didn't taste like it used to, unfortunately it has gotten worse. And not clean. The food was just put there and slapped on top, but unfortunately we were disappointed.

We felt extremely well looked after. Were there for the first time and everyone was completely impressed. The selection of dishes as well as the quality were impeccable. The salad bar was always freshly stocked and the desserts were all fresh. The staff is super accommodating and friendly. We will come again.

I can't recommend it. Were in Essen. The food was cold, even the freshly grilled one from the grill. Went there at lunchtime and it was relatively empty. Arrived and waited almost 15 minutes for the drinks to be taken. The ice cream counter looked unclean. The ice cream scoops to get the ice cream out of the chest were dirty. The ice had lots of ice crystals. The food from the grill took up to 25 minutes and then it was cold because only one waiter brought the plates to the tables, who worked very slowly. Tables were only cleared sporadically. Toilet on the first floor. Who would think of something like that? People with disabilities have no chance of going to the toilet. Atmosphere like in the waiting hall at the airport. Repetition excluded.

The best Asian food in Essen Today was my daughter Farah’s birthday. She turned four years old We celebrated in the restaurant Great, friendly staff Absolutely wonderful atmosphere I wish you success

Food was much better in the beginning. Now we think it wasn't worth it and we probably won't come back again. But the service staff deserve 5 stars.

In contrast to my first visit there, this time the food was lukewarm. The food from the grill came to our table already cold. The service is super friendly and attentive. But for just under 30 euros per person plus drinks, I won't be doing it again anytime soon.

Food in the atmosphere of a train station hall, the waiter to order the drinks only came after a quarter of an hour and after being asked, the drinks delivery took just as long. Food was average, the BBQ preparation was quite black 2 out of 3 times and therefore hardly edible. Churros and fries were already soggy. But the buffet was constantly replenished. Service was friendly

Very nice location, nice and fast service and the food tastes great ☺️

Very large selection! The quality is also good, really top!

Food without atmosphere is nothing unless the staff's social skills improve or change! Why on earth should guests feel underestimated by the staff? No matter how clever they pretend to be, it's obvious! Kudos to the manager, but others are already unsure, especially a young Asian boy with long hair and a few tattoos! The way he spoke and stared at me seemed inappropriate! It was a challenge or something! What kind of uncertainty is this? Do you even know me? Incredible! A little hint: you don't have to approach strangers you don't like! Nothing to prove

Super nice and courteous service.

It was our first time there but not our last. Food was delicious and a huge selection. Employees very nice.

I can't recommend the food: it was cold, the portions were small and there was no seafood worth recommending. In addition, drinks had to be ordered individually. The price-performance ratio is far too high.

The ambience was perfect, but the food was lukewarm, even from the grill.

Everything tasted very tasty and good.

We visited with family on Sunday. Service and staff as always very friendly. Everything is also going well with to good go. There was always enough food available.

The buffet is often emptied quickly and it often takes a long time to refill it. Grill takes at least 20 minutes. Vegetables almost raw, little choice for vegetarians. In the yellow curry with chicken and vegetables, for example It's almost just sauce, you have to look for ingredients. Toilets for men and women are a disaster!!!!!! Dirty!!!! Dessert buffet is great, I also really enjoyed the salmon. There are discounts for children, young people and seniors, which I also think is great. For me, however, the price performance wasn't right.

I had dinner there today with my husband for our wedding anniversary. It was quite ok. a lot of choice to eat there. You can also take people who don't like Chinese food with you as there is also a small selection. Sushi was very tasty I have to say. There was also a large selection of desserts. Some dishes weren't really warm. On the whole it was ok but today we ate a reduced price for around €25 instead of I think €28. Black weeks. Price performance too expensive in my opinion. We won't be regular guests there, so we'd rather go back to our regular Chinese where it costs 16 euros and there's a lot to choose from. It was nice there but in our opinion not worth a second visit. But everyone should have their own experiences.

There really are better all you can eat restaurants. The selection is manageable, but just ok. Sushi is bad, but dessert is good. So you really can't get more than three stars!

The food was absolutely delicious, Sabina's service was particularly great and I would love to come back!

Sabina was very kind and patient, the service was very quick and good

Sabina was very sweet and friendly!! We were very happy, we would love to come back!!

Sabina is very nice and her service is great. I can only recommend it!!

Sabina was very nice and patient

Very pleasant service from Sabina, stylish ambience, waiting time for the individually freshly prepared fish for Friday evening was ok, compared to other Asian restaurants, high quality, feels more elegant.

Delicious food in a great ambience that, despite a lot of people, created a good atmosphere for entertainment. The service was very courteous and friendly.

Good, noise-protected ambience (despite the full shop it was easy to have a conversation), excellent food with excellent service. Sabrina gave us excellent hospitality. Always my pleasure!

We had a lovely dinner with very attentive service from Sabina. The quality and selection of the food was very good. We'd love to come back.

I don't even know how to start. The welcome was nice and friendly The food wasn't tasty, everything was overcooked In the beef with onions there were only huge onions - the meat was probably forgotten. The finished buffet gave the impression of convenience products. The Mongolian buffet wasn't good either. The products were all frozen. The food came to the table with lots of roasted aromas. The shells were small pieces of coal. The cleanliness wasn't great either. Most of the time the plates weren't there 😕 when they were there, they were hot and, which I found really disgusting, sometimes dirty. I took a plate and under the plate everything was still full of mayonnaise. There were leftover food on the plate. The fact that the plates were hot, I think because they had just come from the industrial dishwasher, wasn't great if you wanted to go with the desserts. The ice was then gone. Speaking of ice cream, the ice cream was eventually empty except for the lemon, but it wasn't refilled even though the shop was still open for 2 hours. The landing doesn't live from the ambience from the food. The service was friendly but slow - sometimes you had to wait 30 minutes or longer for your drinks. My conclusion once and never again

The Xiao restaurants belong to a chain, so the modern, beautiful furnishing style is similar across the locations. The large buffet is easily accessible. We were there in the evening during the week and there wasn't much going on. Understandably, the buffet was a little less stocked than on busy days. Unfortunately, the focus of the buffet was on the salads and desserts, as the selection was really huge. To my real disappointment, there were some dirty plates waiting for the guests and there were no cake forks at the dessert buffet. When asked, they said they just needed to be rinsed. The service was friendly, but she liked that the route to her was the same as hers to us. We probably had a wasted day.

I have already visited the restaurant twice and can rate the ambience as excellent. The menu is extensive, is continually replenished and is freshly prepared. There are also various options for vegetarians to choose from. The service was very satisfactory. A young man named Xeng repeatedly inquired about our well-being and cleared the empty plates from our table. We made a reservation on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Around 7:00 p.m. the restaurant became very crowded. Therefore, I recommend making reservations in advance on weekends. The toilets were one floor above. The disabled toilet was on the ground floor. All in all we were very satisfied. I would like to raise two points of criticism: 1. The use of crushed ice in drinks. Crushed ice can be very dangerous in drinks for small children. It's acceptable for cocktails, but for regular drinks, using regular ice cubes would make more sense. 2. The selection of sauces at the buffet was not satisfactory in terms of savory options, especially the sweet and sour sauce. An improvement in the variety of sauces would be desirable to meet the needs of all guests.

The store is very large and busy, but the buffet is refilled immediately if something runs out. The staff is very friendly and helpful and the food is plentiful and fresh.

This is the third time we've eaten there and every time we've been completely impressed. The staff is friendly, the food is always fresh and replenished in large quantities from the kitchen. Will be there again in November, it will be a pleasure

Most of the food was delicious, unfortunately I apparently got food poisoning from one of the dishes. It's a shame and unfortunately also really expensive.

Very nicely decorated. Delicious food and very clean. Any missing food was quickly refilled. Friendly staff.

I'm thrilled, I'm already looking forward to the next time

A great atmosphere for an all you can eat. The dishes were presented appetizingly and very tasty. Not a canteen level like in many all you can eat restaurants. We had a cheerful and very arranged waiter. All in all, highly recommended.

Very tasty food, large selection and friendly staff

I've never really experienced anything like this before. No plates, everything was empty, I ate my ice cream with a fork, some of the food was cold, no plates were cleared away and the service was extremely unfriendly. You were absolutely not prepared for this holiday! Xiao in Essen never again

Very tasty all you can eat, very good quality, our waiter was super nice and funny.

Been here for the first time and was completely impressed! Never had such delicious Asian cuisine. Everything tastes natural and no overly seasoned dishes. Service is simply top, here you are served by people and not by a robot. We'll definitely come back.

Really nice there. Of course, food is always a matter of taste, although I enjoyed it very much. Price performance is also right. All in all good 👍