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By: Jack Martindale 11/11/26
China Star may seem like nothing. You might pass it by on the way to school or to IGA. But the truth is that China Star is a very underrated restaurant that’s been a favorite of Ellettsville residents for a long time. And even though there has been a lot of competition in Ellettsville (Pizza Pantry, Hoosier Bar & Grill, Jimmy John’s, etc.) It’s still standing strong to this day.
The China Star front menu.
China Star Buffet started as a Chinese food pickup place without any buffet. You had to take all of your food home to eat it since it wasn’t a sit-down restaurant yet. And the place wasn't well known and was overlooked by many. Eventually, they rented out another space to use as a buffet room. This surged their popularity, and many people come there every day to have a taste of their buffet. It turned out to be a good decision to make it a sit-down buffet. Because every time I visit that place for dinner, it's always packed with people. No matter the time.
One thing that makes China Star stand out from other Chinese restaurants is the local feel. China Star is a family-owned restaurant. So unlike a place like Panda Express, which almost feels industrial, it’s nice inside, and it feels more authentic, while still having some American aspects. So it definitely stands out from other common Chinese food places.
China Star is a place that some people have mixed feelings about. Many people on Yelp have argued that the food quality has dropped over the years, or that the service was rude or bad. But the overall rating of the place on Yelp is 3.4. But to be fair, that's only about 53 reviews averaged out; not everyone has left a review of the place. But most people either love the place or hate it. (Usually, people with a negative opinion have a lot more to say). However, the seemingly negative view of this place goes away when you see how many people love this restaurant and go there often.
A section of the buffet at China Star.
All in all, China Star is a beloved, family-owned restaurant and a staple of the Ellettsville community since around 2009. And while many restaurants compete with it, some of them local and some of them big names, It’s still standing strong to this day, and people in Ellettsville keep constantly going every night. And although it will always have people who hate it, it remains a crowd favorite.
Sources: Yelp, China Star Website, and google reviews.
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