Sakura Buffet at 315 Genesee Street in Auburn is not trying to be a destination restaurant, and that honesty is part of its appeal. It is an all-you-can-eat Asian buffet — Chinese, Japanese, sushi bar, and Southeast Asian dishes spread across a sprawling lineup of hot trays and cold stations. Back-to-back Silver for Best Asian Restaurant in 2024 and 2025 puts it in a category that, frankly, does not have a lot of competition in this part of central New York. But Sakura earns its repeat recognition by doing the buffet format well rather than just adequately.

The sushi bar is the sleeper draw — it is not Nobu, but for a buffet in Auburn, the rolls are fresh and the selection rotates enough to reward repeat visits. The General Tso's chicken and the rotating hot trays cover the comfort-food bases, and the value proposition is hard to argue with: a full meal for the whole family at a price point that most Finger Lakes restaurants cannot touch. The dining room is spacious and functional, the kind of place where you can bring kids without stress or settle in with a plate and a conversation. Sakura works best as what it is — an affordable, family-friendly spot where everyone at the table can eat exactly what they want without negotiating a shared menu.