Asian buffet to replace Cracker Barrel spot in Sacramento County. Here’s when it will open

Captain Buffet is expected to replace the former Cracker Barrel in Arden Arcade.

“We wanted to offer people more selection in this area,” said Shawn Li, the general manager of the Asian-style buffet.

This week, a sign, with the words “Captain Buffet Coming Soon,” hung from the building, located at 1000 Howe Ave. The buffet is expected to open in about nine months, Li said.

The Cracker Barrel closed its Sacramento-area site in April after six years of business. In an email statement in April, the chain hinted at performance issues as the reason for its closure, The Bee previously reported.

“As a standard course of business, we continually evaluate the performance of our stores, using various criteria to ensure we are meeting the needs of our guests and our business,” the chain said in the email.

The family that plans to open Captain Buffet currently operates seafood restaurant Captain Crab in the Sacramento area.

Captain Buffet is in early stages of opening, Li said. Once the business secures a building permit, they will renovate the site, he said.

The buffet is expected to offer Asian dishes, like sushi and hibachi, Li added.

“Captain Buffet is a funny name.... makes me think of captn crunch, which I doubt they’ll have,” said Reddit user @thundering_bark.

Li said buffets suffered during the pandemic, noting many closures. But after 2020, all-you-can-eat buffets are rising in popularity once again. The U.S.’ top three buffet chains — Golden Corral, Cicis, and Pizza Ranch — saw a 125% increase in foot traffic in March 2023 compared to January 2021, according to CNN.

“We’re excited. We hope we can get it done soon and open for the public,” Li said.