Review Driftwood Restaurant Campbell River - Campbell River

I was super skeptical at first, but this place sure did surprise me! The food is delicious and the service is great! If anyone is driving by here, be sure to come check it out! I will definitely be back. UPDATE: I’m back just a couple days later... lol thoroughly enjoying it. Don’t hesitate, just come stop by!

My Mom really likes to go for their buffet. There's a good mix of different dishes and several with seafood. Friendly and attentive staff.

Excellent food, big servings. Fast service. We each ordered a combo for one. You have a choice of chow mein or rice. We added 1 extra item each. The servings were enough for both of us plus we have enough left overs for tomorrow nite. Prices are very reasonable. And the taste is very good. Two combos for one with an extra item plus 2 cokes came to under $40...

Recommendation: Reservation is the best way to go! It does get busy, especially with the Pandemic they've set up boundaries and which way to walk like most shopping stores! But before you go to the Buffet! Please, I repeat "Please"; wash your hands & use the sanitizer provided! They've got lots of different choices to eat from! Garlic Shrimp, Wonton Soup, even Chicken Balls; just to name a few! They've got regular to spicy food! Wait staff are fine, but could be a little more courtious! And ask customer how their meal is or fill water glass more without having to wait for customer to ask for it

Just had the lunch buffet. Service was great. The waitress was fun, a super busy lady running around serving the entire restaurant. The cashier lady was never at the till, and twice I saw people wait far too long for her to return. The food was OK. What was left of the buffet was crispy leftovers that should have been thrown out. A customer had to harrange the waitress to have them bring out actual food, which is sad. MAYBE half of the dishes were actually out for customers to eat, and of those, half of those dishes were seriously old and inedible. I had this place recommended by a local, but would not recommend it to anyone. There is a chance that their menu items fare better. Perhaps they just try to rip people off for their lunch buffet. Unfortunately I'll never find out. The plate I'm posting is their edible food.

Excellent Chinese food buffet is served at this restaurant. A la carte dishes are also available for the picky eaters. The restaurant is very popular and is always crowded for dinner even on weekdays. Free parking is available in the compound. Service is quick and friendly and the prices are very reasonable considering the variety of seafood they serve up in the buffet. It is located about 2 km from the Salmon Point RV Campground and Marina.

We all have to show passport and wear masks but I noticed a cook in a white gown walking around in and out of the kitchen with no mask. Is he even vaccinated? I told the frontline person nothing was done. I dont wish him being near my food. Last time I eat here. It's too bad as its close to me and I love a buffet.

A friend and I went there for the lunch buffet. We walked inside and waited to be seated for 15 minutes with tables available the whole time We waited. Then we were told to just seat ourselves. We did and waited another 20 minutes before we got up a nod left. Truely a very poor dining experience.

I was there recently for the lunch buffet. If you get there after 12:30 the food is old dried out and not much selection left. When asked about refilling the dishes, the staff is very abrupt and not happy about being asked.<br/><br/>I won't go for eat in again, their take out is very good.

Great food. Its the best chinese food on the island!Always fresh food,yes sometimes you have to wait for it a while.But it is well worth it.Reservations a must or you will wait at the door forever!Huge selection of items on smorg board!Very clean and friendly!

Buffet. *sigh* Went to the buffet, had to wait in line for like 30 mins. Place was packed, stuffy and very hot inside. The buffet table was always missing many things and there wasn't a good variety. I ended up waiting at my table a fair bit watching the kitchen door for the fresh food to come out.

Great food always busy that is why we get take-out. We think the food is awesome! we always get take-out as they are so busy and once in awhile one of the dishes will be a bit cold and we phone them up and the next time we order we always get that dish or any other for nothing because our food was cold. yes they are busy and the service can be slow so rather then wait we like to have it at home so we don't have to drink and drive! great food!

Best Chinese food hands down!. Such a great and large buffet. Good service, and the tastiest Chinese food, worth the drive if you don't live close.

Very good weekday lunch from the menu. Wor wonton and beef taipan-<br/>Recommend. My husband is extremely sensitive to msg- no issue here. Good service too .

Fantastic, fresh and tasty! Combo for 2 lots of fresh veggies, beef cooked amazingly tender. sweet and our pork amazing, chicken chow was also good.<br/><br/>Take out order, ready within 25 mins. This meal fed a family of 2 adults and 4 kids. 29 with tax. I'll be back!

Made my grandson cry. After going to this restaurant for years, I will never go back. My son had the smorg and my grandson and I shared a combo, I can't eat what is on the smorg as it has too many sauces, and my grandson eats so little it is not worth it. My son asked them to bring some fresh Chop Suey as there was only a little and old looking. He asked 3 times. I decided to share with him from my combo plate so gave him at least 1/3 or my chop suey - he gave me one wonton in return. automatically a waitress came over and said that was not allowed. I said then get some fresh food out there - 1/3 of my chop suey for 1 wanton - give me a break. after we were finished, my son gave my grandson one and I repeat one (1) cube of jello . They came over pointed to my grandson and said he will have to pay full smorg price. they scared my grandson so much that he spat it out and started to cry! .... NEVER NEVER EVER AGAIN....I offered them a quarter in spite for the cube of jello. <br/><br/>I understand that you don't go to a smorg and eat off anothers plate - this was not the case our bill was ober 55.00 for 1 smorg, 1 combo, 2 drinks and a juice. We paid ....SO WILL THEY~

Good food. Had the buffet. It just started and was fresh and really busy. A little pricey. Very expensive for little kids. not the usual $1 per year

ACES: so glad we came onto urban spoon to check out a place to stop on our travels ... Wow seriously was great.. Food was fresh staff was on top on drinks and taking my multiple plates.. I wish I could have eaten more and hella prawns

Good food, decent service. Brought in 2 group of 12 people over 2 days, one was a family dinner other was my bachelors party, food was good, the tables were low or empty when we arrived at 5:30pm they started filling them up but the buffet alerady had 3-4 Family and then our group so whatever was out was snatched up quick leaving us waiting for the kitchen to get more out, which they did every plate I had (4) the table would be refilled 1 tub at a time.<br/><br/>I love the food here, It has always been good value for my dollar, the seafood is fresh and I have never been sick and I have eaten all the shrimp/shellfish everytime Ive been.<br/><br/>I will continue to bring friends and family here, for large groups its great, 12 full grown men ate as much as we could for just over 200$ +tip everyone was happy and full!

Food overlooked and tough. Went for supper last night. Ordered off the menu (combo) and the plate I was served had old food - tough and overcooked pork, and fried rice with too much soy sauce and dried out meat and shrimp in it. <br/><br/>If I order off the menu, I EXPECT my food to be cooked FRESH to order, not piled with the food left over from the lunch buffet (or whenever you cooked it). VERY disappointed. <br/><br/>What makes it even worse was that I came with some friends from out of town who had never been before, and told them how good the food was. Didn't I look like a fool when dinner was served and you had the nerve to serve us the day-old special. Two thumbs DOWN! Very disappointed.

Good food bad service for me. We had a great dinner I had 2 plate full of food got my moneys worth, only bad part was I didn't get my service of water or pop had to ask them myself for refills , i'm the kind of guy that needs to wash my food down with a lot of water or pop, i had 1 glass of water and 1 glass of pop in 1 hour I really hate not getting any refills. the people behind me and behind my wife and the people beside us all got there refills except us, kind of pisses me off I am not sure if they hate the way I look or what but I wasn't dressed up like a bum it was our anniversary so we dressed up in decent clothes and went out would I go again yes but if the service is the same as this time than that will be our last time going ,at the end we paid and they cashier friken sighed at us like we did something wrong they need to learn manners

Good food & service. Have eaten there often over many years. Consistantly good food and service. Buffet is good with a large selection. Be prepared to wait for a table. It is worth it.

Not authentic,greasy and bland. This is not a very good place to eat.Greasy and bland, with lots of dough on the prawns[shrimps].It reminds me of the Chinese restaurants in Vancouver, back in the sixties.Chop suey, limp rice noodles and greasy egg rolls.Nice setting by the Ocean, but bad food.<br/><br/><br/>-----11 Oct, 2012-----<br/><br/>Not good. I guess i have been spoiled, living in the lower mainland for most of my life, eating really good Chinese food.This restaurant couldn't make a go of it there, as it is average food at best.It was greasy,no salad bar, and overpriced for what you get.It was almost full on a Monday night, and I don't understand why.I won't be coming back.

Meh.... Your average Chinese buffet.

We went here for dinner after reading all the great reviews. I am honestly baffled at why this place is so popular. Without question - this is average Chinese food at best. The buffet itself was empty most of the time, but even when an item came out hot & fresh it was just ok. Certainly not worth waiting for (despite having made a reservation)! We will not be back.

Best Chinese Buffet in Vancouver Island. Funny but the name "Driftwood" doesn't even sound like a typical Chinese restaurant. Yeah! They serve Chinese food and it's darn good! If you are a big eater and love seafood this is the best bang for your buck. They cook the prawns and shrimps in so many different ways and it's always fresh as they replenish the serving trays frequently in small portions. My favorite is the mussels, singapore noodles and beef black bean sauce and hot & sour soup. I recommend a reservation as this place gets packed as early as 5 p.m.

Best chinese food in the area no question but if you want to go here reservations for dinner are a must and still expect to wait 30 mins for a table friendly staff just hope they dont seat you at the front so when you make your trips to well stocked buffet you have to wade through a crowded entrance way filled with hungry people who have been waiting far too long for a table only problem with this place is its 25min drive from town center and its far to busy if you want to avoid the drive and the crowds i suggest ginger beef house only other full time buffet in town and its a bit cheaper but not quite as well stocked buffet

The best Chinese restaurant in the world !!! I have been to china not as good !!! Have the buffet it as awesome!

Yum. This place came highly recommended. Great food, great buffet.

Always pleased!! Best Chinese food around the area! Lots of choices with Buffett, not just Chinese food. Can be very busy place during peak hours reservations can't hurt

Best In The West!!!. This Chinese restaurant is probably the best that I have had in all of Western Canada. The Buffet is totally awesome, everything very fresh and alot to choose from. I am from Alberta and every time we go to the Island we have to stop there to eat.

Yummy. We have been going to the Driftwood for years. It is the best in town that we have found. No, I realize that it is not IN town but I mean in Campbell River. And yes it is in Campbell River.

Best Chinese food in town, try the honey garlic pork.

Newly Opened - Great Food. The Driftwood has reopened under new owners a couple of years ago. Much improved over an already good restaurant.<br/><br/>Be careful in reading the google map - it is actually SOUTH of Campbell River, about half way to Courtenay, just before the Salmon Point Resort turn off. There is a viewpoint on the beach just across the street.<br/><br/>Give the lunch buffet a try, it has always been good when I drop in. Have not yet tried the dinner buffet, but I'm sure it is good also.