| Cuisine | American |
|---|---|
| Price | $$$ (31-50) |
| Rating | 5/10 |
| Last Visit | Dec. 21, 2019 |
| Location | Other: Reno |
Toucan Charlie's is an upscale buffet situated in the Atlantis Hotel. I came here on a Sunday evening, and it was a $38 buffet that featured a lot of seafood items (not sure if it's the same buffet every day or if it changes depending on the day of the week). The options were incredibly expansive, ranging from seafood dishes, a carving station, Indian, Chinese, Mongolian BBQ, pho, charcuterie, salad bar, raw bar, Mexican, and more. Many of the options seemed really promising on paper (such as the Maryland crab cakes or the lobster ravioli), but in general I was somewhat underwhelmed by the food. The food is still pretty good, but you might be a bit disappointed considering the price tag.
> The buffet itself is pretty beautiful - well organized and spacious. Perhaps I've just never noticed this in the past, but I really appreciated the fact that the plates by the cold items (charcuterie, salad bar, raw bar) were cold, and the rest of the plates were hot.
> I really appreciated the charcuterie section - it's not something I see very often at most buffets. Last summer I acquired a newfound love for charcuterie, and I very much enjoyed it.
> Many of the food items were somewhat underwhelming. In particular, the meats at the carving station weren't great and the oysters (which should be a highlight in my opinion if they're offered at a buffet) weren't shucked, tasted strange, and felt gritty.
> The tables were really, really big. I guess this makes sense in the context of a buffet, since it makes it feel more lavish. I didn't really like it though; it didn't have the type of cozy vibe that I would want. The chairs were remarkably comfortable, though.
> I got somewhat trolled - the people at the front told us that the wait would be aroun 15-20 minutes. We ended up waiting more like 45 minutes before getting seated.