This Giant Maine Seafood Buffet Features Over 100 Items Worth A Cross-State Drive

I thought I had a solid buffet strategy until I saw lobster waiting beside the sushi. That plan lasted about ten seconds.

In Maine, seafood is hardly a surprise, but finding this much of it under one roof still feels slightly outrageous in the best way. The spread reportedly includes more than 100 selections, with crab legs, sushi, and hot Asian dishes competing for plate space.

My first round looked sensible. My second looked like I had been dared by a fisherman.

The spacious dining room helps keep the experience relaxed, even when the buffet line gets busy. Premium seafood can vary by meal period, so calling ahead makes sense before a long drive.

Still, the possibility of piling Maine lobster onto a buffet plate gives this place the kind of hook that is hard to ignore.

A Seafood Spread That Goes Way Beyond Shrimp

Most buffets throw a few shrimp on the line and call it a seafood spread. UMI Sushi and Seafood Buffet in South Portland, Maine, takes a completely different approach, stacking its stations with a lineup that would impress even the most seasoned seafood lover.

The buffet features lobster tails, chilled lobster claws, crab legs, peel-and-eat shrimp, stuffed mussels on the half shell, Cajun crawfish, and a rotating selection of fish dishes.

Canadian whelk, a shellfish that rarely appears on American buffet lines, has also been spotted on the spread, making it a genuinely unique offering.

The seafood boil station is a crowd favorite, delivering bold, buttery flavors in generous portions. Dinner service tends to feature the broadest selection, especially on weekends when the kitchen brings out lobster more consistently.

Arriving between 5 PM and 7 PM on a Friday or Saturday gives diners the best shot at catching the full seafood lineup while everything is freshly restocked.

Over 100 Items Covering Every Corner Of The Menu

The number 100 gets thrown around loosely sometimes, but at UMI the count holds up when you actually walk the line. The buffet is organized into distinct stations that cover hot entrees, cold seafood, a sushi bar, a soup bar, a salad and raw bar, fresh fruit, and a dessert section.

Hot entrees include classic American-Chinese dishes like beef and broccoli, lo mein, fried rice, and peanut butter chicken, which has developed a following of its own for its crispy coating and nutty, savory sauce.

Beyond those familiar favorites, the kitchen also prepares more traditional dishes inspired by Hunan and Sichuan cooking styles, including braised pork belly and chili-fried shrimp.

The dessert section rounds things out with cake slices, sesame balls, fresh cut fruit, and ice cream options. Soup choices typically include hot and sour soup and egg drop soup, both served hot and fresh.

With so many categories covered under one roof, UMI functions less like a typical buffet and more like a full tour through multiple Asian culinary traditions, all for a single flat price per person.

The Sushi Bar With Serious Variety

Buffet sushi sometimes gets a bad reputation, but the sushi station at UMI stands out for the sheer number of options it puts on the table.

The selection reportedly ranks among the most extensive of any all-you-can-eat sushi spot in the state of Maine, covering everything from classic California rolls to more creative specialty rolls.

Raw fish options include salmon sashimi and Ahi tuna, both served cold and sliced cleanly. The rolls themselves are kept at a manageable size, easy to eat in one or two bites without falling apart.

Accompaniments are generous, with pickled ginger, seaweed salad, wasabi, and spicy mayo all available to customize each bite.

The seasoning on the buffet rolls is kept mild by design, making the sushi approachable for kids and first-timers while still satisfying more experienced palates. Spicy rolls are labeled separately for those who want heat.

The sushi station is one of the main reasons many diners make the trip specifically to UMI rather than a standard Chinese buffet, and it consistently delivers a broader selection than most competitors in the region.

Lobster Shows Up On A Buffet

Getting real lobster on an all-you-can-eat buffet is not something most restaurants attempt. The logistics alone are complicated, since lobster is expensive, cooks quickly, and disappears from the tray in minutes when diners spot it.

UMI takes on that challenge and serves actual lobster as part of its regular buffet, which is a genuine draw for anyone visiting the South Portland area.

The lobster is typically prepared as halved tails lightly steamed with butter, served alongside a variety of dipping sauces.

Chilled lobster claws have also appeared on the cold seafood station, adding another way to enjoy the signature Maine ingredient. The kitchen restocks in batches rather than all at once, so patience pays off if the tray looks thin.

Dinner hours, particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings, tend to be the most reliable time to find lobster on the line. Lunchtime service occasionally skips the lobster to ensure freshness, as the kitchen prefers to serve it when turnover is high.

For anyone who wants to eat lobster in Maine without paying fine-dining prices, UMI offers a genuinely affordable path to that experience.

Big Selection, One Price

Seafood in Maine can get expensive fast, especially when ordering lobster or crab at a sit-down restaurant. UMI flips that math entirely by charging a flat per-person rate that covers unlimited access to the entire buffet, including the seafood stations.

Dinner pricing runs around $25 to $26 per person, while lunch comes in at a lower rate, typically around $17 to $18.

For a spread that includes crab legs, lobster, multiple shrimp preparations, and a full sushi bar, that price range is hard to argue with. Two people can eat a full dinner with seafood, sushi, hot entrees, and dessert for just over $50 before tax and tip.

The restaurant does apply an automatic gratuity of 12 percent for parties of six or more, which is a standard practice at many buffet-style restaurants. For a full Maine seafood experience at an accessible price, the value here is genuinely difficult to match in the Portland area.

A Buffet With Better Ambiance

The dining room is clean and visually appealing, with decorative paintings hung thoughtfully on the walls and an interior design that feels intentional rather than generic.

The layout is open and spacious enough that the buffet stations are easy to navigate without crowding. Tables are cleared regularly by the staff, keeping the atmosphere tidy even during busy periods.

The overall vibe is relaxed and comfortable, the kind of place where a family can spread out and take their time without feeling rushed.

Ambient music plays at a low volume, keeping conversations easy and the mood light. The decor leans into a clean, modern aesthetic that avoids the dated look common at many all-you-can-eat spots.

Lighting is warm rather than harsh, which makes the food look more inviting under the buffet lamps.

For a buffet-style restaurant, the attention to ambiance at UMI sets it apart, giving diners a setting that feels more like a sit-down restaurant than a cafeteria, which adds real value to the overall experience.

Easy To Find, Easy To Plan

The restaurant sits at 198 Maine Mall Rd, Suite 27, in South Portland, Maine 04106, positioned in the Maine Mall area near other retail and fitness businesses.

The buffet opens at 11 AM every day of the week, making it a solid choice for a late-morning start or an early lunch. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, the restaurant closes at 9 PM.

Friday and Saturday hours extend slightly to 9:30 PM, giving weekend visitors a little more flexibility in the evening.

For anyone driving in from out of state or making a day trip from northern New England, the schedule is forgiving enough to plan around without stress. The phone number is 207-747-4018, and the official website lists current pricing and any updates to the menu or hours.

Arriving right when the doors open at 11 AM on a weekday is one of the quietest and most relaxed times to visit, with fresh food going out and the dining room still at a comfortable pace.

The Dishes Diners Remember

Certain dishes at UMI have earned a reputation that goes beyond the standard buffet experience. The peanut butter chicken is one of the most talked-about items on the hot line, delivering a crispy exterior with a coating that balances savory peanut flavor without leaning too sweet or too dry.

The hot and sour soup has also drawn consistent appreciation for its bold, well-balanced flavor and the fact that it arrives genuinely hot. Crab rangoons are another highlight, with a filling that hits the right ratio of cream cheese to crab and a wrapper that fries up golden and crisp.

The ribs, when fresh off the line, are tender and lightly sauced, letting the meat carry the flavor rather than drowning it.

The seafood boil, peanut chicken, and sushi rolls tend to be the dishes that first-time visitors remember most clearly. For anyone trying UMI for the first time, hitting the seafood stations early and circling back to the sushi bar midway through the meal is a smart strategy.

The kitchen restocks actively during peak hours, so the food at the front of the tray is almost always worth the wait.