*This buffet is currently closed
The Tropicana has never been known for its attention to buffet detail. We can remember various incarnations of them that came and went over the decades, with long periods in between without one, and none was ever recommendable. You'll get a good idea of our feelings about the latest attempt, which launched in early summer 2018, by reading the review below.
Even the Excalibur Buffet, across the street, which doesn't have the greatest reputation of its own, is far superior to this one, especially for the price.
| Buffet | Hours | Price | Club |
| Brunch | Sun-Sat 7am - 1pm | $23.99 | n/a |
| * To Go - $17.99 | |||
This buffet was reviewed in the July 2018 LVA; some of the information contained in this review may no longer be accurate.
The Tropicana is owned by Penn National, which also owns the M, so you’d think they’d know how to put on a buffet. Think again.
There are only two serving lines, one of which is relegated to build-your-own pizza and pasta. Dinner entrées include brisket, cod and salmon, two kinds of chicken, carne asada, peel-and-eat shrimp, carved roast beef, not the worst buffet sushi we’ve sampled, clams in the shell, shepherd’s pie, and carved prime rib. Otherwise, it’s a carb fest: rice, potatoes, and corn. Salads are limited (but good). Desserts are limited (but not good).
The quality isn’t terrible, but nothing really stands out, except the make-your-own-pizza station. They press the dough, you choose from a dozen toppings, then they bake it in a small oven; it takes three minutes. It also takes three minutes for the pizza to get kind of stale. And who wants a whole eight-slice pizza at a buffet anyway? It’s not like you can take the rest of it out. It’s a different idea, but not necessarily a good one.
Though deserving of a low price to match the mediocre spread, this baby comes in at $29.95 for dinner — $5 more than the M’s, which also serves unlimited beer and wine (at the Trop, it’s an extra $6 for two glasses) and has three times the variety and quality. In a pinch, you could make a stab at digging out your thirty bucks’ worth by loading up on the prime rib and shrimp, but walking right past this one is the better strategy — and one that the market has apparently already confirmed, as this photo of the “crowd” at 6:30 pm on a Wednesday aptly depicts [note: It's a photo of the entire buffet, without a single person in it.]
There’s no club discount, but that provides the perfect opportunity for the Trop to make this buffet right. Our suggestion: Show a players card and get $19.95 off. There’s also breakfast ($21.95), lunch ($24.95), and weekend dinner ($32.95).