SHOCKING SHUTTERS
Favorite San Antonio Asian buffet suddenly closing after 8-year run
Lin's International Buffet is closing its Loop 1604 restaurant after eight years.
After eight years of dishing out eye-popping volumes of sushi, pho, and Mongolian barbecue, Lin’s International Buffet is closing its restaurant at 7915 W Loop 1604 N #125 on August 4. The popular pan-Asian eatery confirmed the abrupt shutter in a terse Facebook announcement.
The local mini-chain, which also has locations in Selma and Brownsville, didn’t offer any reasoning in its statement, forgoing the usual nostalgia that accompanies closure posts. Instead, it encouraged guests to visit its newest location at 615 SW Loop 410, Lin’s Seafood & Sushi.
Despite the rebranding, the “Seafood & Sushi” version of the restaurant isn’t much different from the “International Buffet” incarnation. Both offer raw bar seafood, a wide range of cuisines ranging from traditional Japanese to Chinese-American, and oddball offerings like pizza. Even the decor is similar, down to the black laminate countertops and sparkling chandeliers.
Since the 2010s, buffet restaurants across all culinary categories have been in decline, according to industry news outlet National Restaurant News. After years of decreasing sales due to changing consumer tastes, the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated health concerns were a near-death knell to the entire genre.
A combination of inflation sensitivity and a general wistfulness for 1990s-era suburbia is starting to bring some of those big brands back. Per a Mashed report, chains like Golden Corral are enjoying a slight resurgence with Gen Z diners who are disenchanted with the rising costs at fast food chains. The same trend has led to the improbable comeback of Chili’s — now hip enough to have a fashion collaboration with trendy Austin boot brand Tecovas.
Asian buffets — most associated in the zeitgeist with Chinese fare — have not been as lucky. Even before the pandemic, thousands of Chinese restaurants were closing nationwide, per a New York Times report. As the original owners aged out of the day-to-day hustle, fewer new generations were interested in taking over the family businesses.
And in San Antonio, at least, the landscape is rapidly changing. For years, Alamo City’s Asian scene was flat, with few restaurateurs exploring menus outside of conventional American tastes. Since 2020, the panorama has widened with playful fusion standouts, a broader understanding of regional cuisines, and even the opening of a Michelin-recognized dumpling chain.
Bánh mì is the centerpiece of the menu.Photo by Katie James.