Best cheap buffets in Johor Bahru
There is no shortage of good buffets in Singapore. But if you’re feeling the pinch with recent inflation, you can maximise your dollar with a value-for-money buffet in Johor Bahru the next time you cross the border instead. Consider these 10 best buffets in JB; whether you crave a Korean BBQ feast or a plate loaded with fresh sushi and sashimi, we’ve got you settled.
The current exchange rate is RM1 = ~S$0.30 as of 20 January 2025.
Table of Contents
- Best cheap buffets in Johor Bahru
- 1. Kuroma Buffet & Dining
- 2. Super Steamboat Restaurant
- 3. Makan Kitchen
- 4. Zen Plus Korean BBQ
- 5. Tanba Japanese BBQ
- 6. Dine@Eight
- 7. Myeong Dong Korean BBQ Buffet
- 8. Hunger Hotpot
- 9. Dragon’s Journey Hotpot
- 10. Warong Tokyah
- Best affordable buffets in Johor Bahru
22 Best Buffets In Singapore For All Budgets, Including Hotel Buffets, Outdoor BBQ And More
1. Kuroma Buffet & Dining
Image credit: Nicole Choo
Instead of splurging at sushi restaurants, consider going for an affordable Japanese buffet instead! At Kuroma Buffet & Dining in JB, prices start from just RM165++ per person for their Classic Buffet! Else, they also have a more premium buffet which includes A5 Kagoshima Wagyu steak for RM198++.
Image credit: Eldenelio 5111
Start by grabbing as much fresh sushi and sashimi as your heart desires, with the likes of salmon, tako, maguro, kani, unagi, among others. If raw seafood isn’t your thing, head to the teppanyaki table instead for gyoza, chicken teriyaki, lamb rack and more. Then, load up on carbs such as kimchi fried rice, aglio olio, and yaki soba, among others. That’s not all, they also have tempura, ramen, don, salad, and desserts!
Check out our Kuroma Buffet & Dining feature.
Address: TD Central 3, Jalan Sagu 21, Taman Daya, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 5:30pm to 10:30pm, Fri-Sun 12pm to 2pm. 5:30pm to 10:30pm
Tel: +60 19-773 0754
Website
Kuroma Buffet & Dining is not a halal-certified eatery, but uses no pork or lard.
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2. Super Steamboat Restaurant
Image credit: Cathy Chin
For a super affordable steamboat and BBQ buffet in JB, check out Super Steamboat Restaurant. Wallet-friendliness aside, they are also located just a mere 20-minute drive away from the JB checkpoint. Here, you can indulge in hotpot for just RM 59++, which amounts to about S$20 per person!
Image credit: SIR
Load your plates with their large variety of steamboat ingredients, which include meats, fresh seafood, vegetables and others. They even offer more premium varieties such as scallops, flower crabs, crayfish, razor clams, lala, squid, and raw oysters. FYI: the soup bases and condiments here are also complimentary!
Check out our Super Steamboat Restaurant feature.
Address: Jalan Indah 15, Taman Bukit Indah, Wisma S P Setia, 81200 Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 5pm to 12am, Sat-Sun 1pm to 12am
Tel: +60 14-930 8438
Website
Super Steamboat Restaurant is not a halal-certified eatery.
3. Makan Kitchen
Image credit: Makan Kitchen
When you’re on the hunt for the best hotel buffets in JB, Makan Kitchen in DoubleTree by Hilton is probably one of the first places to pop up in online searches. They offer a premium yet affordable hotel buffet spread in a comfortable setting.
Image credit: Makan Kitchen
There’s the Weekend Family Feast, which is a high tea buffet priced at RM108 for adults, RM88 for senior citizens, and RM54 for children. Some highlights include the Roasted London Fat Duck, Chicken Stroganoff Vol-Au-Vent, Masala Chicken Shawarma, Harissa Spiced Roasted Chicken, and Beef Wellington, among others. Do note that this buffet is available every Saturday and Sunday, from 12:30pm to 3pm.
If a seafood feast is what you’re into, opt for the Bounty of the Ocean instead. Priced at RM188 per adult and RM108 per child, this buffet is available for Friday and Saturday dinner. Dig into the likes of Kerala-Style Udang Goreng, Salmon with Cashew Nut Crust in Thai Pineapple Curry, freshly sliced sashimi, and freshly shucked oysters. The feast concludes with desserts such as Matcha Cake, Jackfruit Entremet, and Durian Tempura.
Address: 12 Jalan Ngee Heng, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Opening hours: Daily 6:30am to 10pm
Tel: +60 7-268 6868
Website
Makan Kitchen is a halal-certified eatery.
4. Zen Plus Korean BBQ
Image credit: Zenplus Korean BBQ
If the high prices at K-BBQ restaurants in Singapore were not an issue, you would find me there every week. Here’s a wallet-friendly alternative in Johor Bahru to consider: Zen Plus Korean BBQ, a mere 20-minute drive away from the JB checkpoint. You don’t have to worry about breaking the bank as the unlimited K-BBQ buffet is priced at just RM42++ per person!
Image credit: Zenplus Korean BBQ
Dig into an array of grilled meats such as Pork Belly, Gochujang Pork Belly, Dwaejigalbi, and even Fried Chicken! Pair this with sides including Tteokbokki, Ramen, Korean-style Rice Balls, Cheese Corn, and Gorgonzola Pizza. Plus, the meat is unlimited so you can grab as many plates of them as you want.
Address: 49, Jalan Indah 15/2, Taman Bukit Indah, 81200 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 10:30pm
Tel: +60 7-207 4871
Website
Zen Plus Korean BBQ is not a halal-certified eatery.
5. Tanba Japanese BBQ
Image credit: Aaron Leong
If you’re on a budget but still want to impress a special someone, consider Tanba Japanese BBQ for your next date spot. At this all-you-can-eat buffet, you can indulge in as many servings of premium beef as you wish at affordable prices. Plus, they have a whopping 1,300 reviews and 4.5-star rating on Google, so they seem to be a well-loved spot! They have two outlets, one at Jalan Molek and another at Jalan Dato Abdullah Tahir.
Image credit: John Thye
Their most basic tier is their Signature Buffet Course—the lunch buffet sets you back just RM188++ per person, while the dinner buffet sets you back RM198++ per person. Tanba’s lunch period runs from 12pm to 5pm, while their dinner runs from 5pm to 12am.
For the grill, you can grab pork belly, pork shoulder, chicken gizzard, Angus beef, salmon cubes and more! Barbecue aside, they also have a large selection of agemono, sushi, sashimi, and more. Their salmon and maguro sashimi are especially praised for being thick and fatty, according to reviews!
Jalan Molek outlet
Address: 31 & 33, Jalan Molek 3/20, Taman Molek, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 12am
Tel: +60 7-361 0505
Jalan Dato Abdullah Tahir outlet
Address: Jalan Dato Abdullah Tahir, Taman Abad, #01-03, Twin Galaxy Residences, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 12am
Tel: +60 12-737 5838
Website
Tanba Japanese BBQ is not a halal-certified eatery.
6. Dine@Eight
Image credit: Dine@Eight
Located on the eighth floor of the Holiday Inn JBCC hotel is Dine@Eight, which has one of the most affordable Muslim-friendly buffets! Come with an empty stomach, because you can load your plates with as many things as you want for just RM50++! Do note that this buffet is available for lunch on weekdays.
Image credit: Dine@Eight
Expect a buffet selection that spans across international and local options. Some signatures you can expect are the Beef Stroganoff, Butter Chicken, Laksa Penang, Mee Hoon, and Kway Teow. Don’t miss out on their desserts too! Plus, they also have a limited-time Spectacular Siam Weekend Dinner Buffet which features a good range of Thai dishes. This is available every Friday and Saturday, from 6pm to 10pm.
Address: Level 8, Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening hours: Daily 6am to 10pm
Tel: +60 11-3603 3163
Website
Dine@Eight is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork or lard.
7. Myeong Dong Korean BBQ Buffet
Image credit: Ben
Myeong Dong Korean BBQ Buffet is another affordable K-BBQ and steamboat eatery to add to your list of JB buffets. Here, you can feast on an unlimited variety of grilled meats such as pork belly, pork shoulder, fried chicken, kimbap, ramen and more. The best part is, it will only cost you RM39 per head!
Image credit: Joseph Tay
The place is said to be run by an elderly Korean couple, so you can expect a relatively authentic Korean BBQ and steamboat experience here.
Address: 58-1 Jalan Austin Heights 8/7, Taman Mount Austin, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 5pm to 11pm
Tel: +60 11-1198 4508
Website
Myeong Dong Korean BBQ Buffet is not a halal-certified eatery.
8. Hunger Hotpot
Image credit: 小白龙
If you are guilty of making multiple trips to the condiment station at Haidilao, Hunger Hotpot in Mount Austin offers the same thing at a fraction of the price. Here, you just have to pay RM45++ to get access to their large assortment of sauces, meat, and seafood for your hotpot! They also have nine soup bases to choose from, including Tomato Soup, Herbal Soup, and Spicy Mala among others.
According to online reviews, their Herbal Soup is said to carry a light and clean flavour, which pairs well with fish and leafy vegetables. Don’t forget to load up on their large range of hotpot ingredients, to maximise the all-you-can-eat offer!
Address: 11 Jalan Austin Height 8/5, Taman Mount Austin Johor Bahru, 81100 Johor, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 11pm
Tel: +60 7 -359 6151
Website
Hunger Hotpot is not a halal-certified eatery.
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9. Dragon’s Journey Hotpot
Image credit: Adeline Sim
Dragon’s Journey Hotpot not only boasts a 4.8-star rating across over 10,000 Google reviews, but they also went viral on social media for their all-day buffet offerings. Their Classic Buffet is priced at RM79.90++ per person from 12pm to 5pm, and RM85.90++ from 5pm to 2am.
Image credit: Calbee Cracker
The freshness of the hotpot ingredients can make or break the meal, and it’s safe to say that this place meets the mark—according to reviews online. Grab a good variety of ingredients to get the most bang for your buck, as they have over 50 different options to choose from here!
Their soup bases here are also said to be super delicious, even including unique varieties such as Sour Cabbage Soup and Spicy Milk Beef Soup.
Address: 25D Jalan Dato Abdullah Tahir, Taman Abad, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 12pm to 3am, Fri-Sun 12pm to 4am
Tel: +60 10-888 8755
Dragon’s Journey Hotpot is not a halal-certified eatery.
10. Warong Tokyah
Image credit: Ann James
Warong Tokyah’s breakfast “buffet” has been trending on social media for a while. While they’re technically not free-flow, their items are displayed just like a buffet—you get to pick and choose from their super wide range of offerings, which includes old-school kueh and snacks, as well as pretty Korean-style cakes. Other than these treats, there are also several local dishes you can get made fresh to order.
Image credit: Warong Tokyah@The Kuarters
Their kueh section is the most visited for a reason, for they have offerings from just $0.30 a piece! You can also expect lesser-seen variations such as tepung gomak, a coconut mochi-like treat, and kaswi gedik santan, a pandan-infused jelly.
If that isn’t enough fill you up, check out their hot item menu as well. This includes the likes of Mee Kari (RM6.50), Lontong (RM30), Roti Bakar (RM3.50), and Nasi Tokyah (RM11), which is chicken curry and rice, among other dishes.
Check out our Warong Tokyah JB feature.
Address: The Kuarters, JKR 2384, Jalan Pahlawan, Yahya Awal, 80100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Opening hours: Tue-Thurs 8:30am to 11:30pm, Fri 8:30am to 1pm, 2pm to 11:30pm, Sat-Sun 8:30am to 11:30pm
Tel: +60 19-719 4876
Website
Warong Tokyah is a halal-certified eatery.
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Best affordable buffets in Johor Bahru
We hope our list of the best affordable buffets in JB will give you more meal options the next time you cross the border.
For more places to add to your itinerary, check out our list of the best JB cafes for Korean-loaded sandwiches, matcha and more! Else, if you’re crossing the border early, check out this list of the best JB breakfast spots for roti canai, pastries, and more!
15 JB Breakfast Spots To Eat At The Next Time You Cross The Causeway Early
Feature image adapted from Nicole Choo, Aaron Leong, and Makan Kitchen
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