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12 Best Seafood Buffets on the Gold Coast for Families

In this article we have created a detailed guide for all the seafood restaurants on the Gold Coast. Whether you are looking for a seafood buffet lunch on the Gold Coast or a seafood buffet dinner on the Gold Coast, our list of all you can eat seafood Gold Coast places will help!

We have found the best kid-friendly seafood buffets on the Gold Coast so you can immerse yourself in seafood bliss! A Gold Coast seafood buffet and dining out is a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends enjoying an all you can eat feast!

Kid-friendly seafood buffet Gold Coast

Dining out with children can be enjoyable but can also be a bit like the first hours of a Boxing Day sale. One of the biggest problems when dining with hungry, energetic kids is that they don’t have much patience to wait for anything. The idea of ordering and then waiting and waiting for courses to arrive is a fatigue-inducing concept for parents.

Well, we have a solution for you – why not try a seafood smorgasbord Gold Coast style? You can take your kids, enjoy as much seafood on the Gold Coast as you can eat and possibly even complete a successful dinner out as a family!

We give you our list of the ‘The Top Kid Friendly Gold Coast Seafood Buffet Options’.

Read Next: Find out where kids eat free on the Gold Coast

Where to find the top Gold Coast seafood buffets

All you can eat seafood on the Gold Coast options are widespread! The Gold Coast boasts a number seafood restaurants for parents both wanting to dine with children and enjoy copious amounts of fresh seafood. Here are the top 11 seafood buffet restaurant on the Gold Coast that will guarantee you a great night out (we’ve even located the best seafood buffet Gold Coast deals too!):

1. NEW! Akoya | The Langham | Surfers Paradise

For those seeking an unparalleled seafood experience, join Akoya on Saturday evenings for their signature seafood buffet. Delight in the freshest catches from the ocean, prepared with culinary mastery and presented in an opulent setting that enhances the senses. 

The best thing about the seafood buffet at The Langham, apart from the food, of course, is the view of the water from the dining room!

  • Hours: 5:30pm to 9pm Saturday (last seating 8.30pm)
  • Price: Adult – $165, children under 12 years, eat free until 12 October 2024.
  • Address: 38 Old Burleigh Road, Surfers Paradise
  • Website: Visit The Langham’s dining pages here.

2. Sightseeing seafood buffet lunch or dinner cruise

How about this for a great way to enjoy a seafood buffet? On a two-hour lunch and sightseeing cruise or a 2.5 hour seafood dinner and sightseeing cruise through the breath-taking waters of the Gold Coast! The boat departs from the heart of Surfers Paradise so it is super easy to get to too!

The expansive upper deck offers panoramic views of the city’s renowned landmarks, while you and your family indulge in a delectable buffet lunch or dinner featuring locally sourced seafood, succulent roast chicken, freshly carved ham off the bone, and yummy salads. Complement your meal with a choice of wine, craft beer, or indulge in a tempting cocktail. Ascend to the open-air top deck, bask in the sunshine with a drink in hand, and absorb entertaining commentary from our expert crew about the iconic Gold Coast.

3. Shoreline Restaurant | Sea World | Main Beach

So many Gold Coasters would consider Shoreline Restaurant at Seaworld to be a restaurant for visitors to the coast – but for those in the know, this is also a local gem for locals looking for seafood with its evening buffets.

This seafood buffet restaurant was built for dining with children. In addition to an extensive range of carved meats, fresh salads, desserts, it even has a lolly station so it’s no wonder this is on of our top family buffet restaurants on the Gold Coast.

  • Hours: Friday and Saturday | 5:30pm – 8:30pm. (Open Thursday to Sunday from 30th August until 29th September 2024). then daily from Thursday 3 October – Saturday 12 October | 5:30pm, 6:00pm, 6:30pm
  • Price: Adults $99 | Teens (14 – 17) $49 | Child (4 – 13) $39 | 3 and under free
  • Address: Seaworld Drive, Main Beach
  • Visit the website: Find out more about the buffet here.

4. Waves Restaurant | Voco Hotel | Surfers Paradise

seafood buffet gold coast
Waves seafood buffet on the Gold Coast

This Seafood buffet in Surfers Paradise is renowned for its mouth-watering selection of seafood dishes. Recently we had the opportunity to have the seafood buffet dinner so we can hand on heart say it is suitable for families with kids. During the week they have some seafood on their buffet but on they are open for a full seafood buffet on Friday & Saturday nights from 5.30pm. They offer an extensive array of fresh seafood options such as prawns, oysters, mussels, crab, and fresh fish, which are cooked to perfection by the experienced chefs.

Chocolate fountain at Waves seafood buffet restaurant
Chocolate fountain at Waves seafood buffet restaurant

This all you can eat seafood Gold Coast restaurant complements the seafood with a variety of sides, salads, and desserts (hello chocolate fountain!) to satisfy all taste buds. The ambience of the restaurant is airy and spacious, making it a perfect place for a family gathering and kids enjoy being able to add their choice of sweets to the chocolate fountain. The friendly and attentive staff also add to the overall enjoyable dining experience.

  • Hours: Friday & Saturday | 5:30pm – 9pm
  • Price: Adult- $89, child (5-12 years) – $29.90
  • Address: 3032 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
  • Website: Find out more here.

5. Harvest Buffet | The Star Casino | Broadbeach

The Gold Coast Casino buffet serves a wide variety for families to indulge in. This lunch and dinner buffet serves up roasted meats, prawns, oysters, soup, salad, and dessert featuring a chocolate fountain. Prices and buffet opening hours vary between lunch and dinner on various days so check their website for details. Kids aged 4 and under eat free.

  • Hours: Friday – 5.30pm – 9:00pm, Saturday – 5.00pm – 9:00pm, Sunday – 5.30pm – 8:00pm
  • Price: Adults (13 years and over) – $99.90, child (5 – 12 years): $29.90, infants (0 – 4): Free
  • Address: Casino Level, The Star Gold Coast, Broadbeach
  • Website to book: Find out more here.

6. Terraces Restaurant | Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort | Main Beach

Seafood at the Sheraton buffet
Seafood at the Sheraton buffet

Full disclosure – we have also tried this seafood buffet! Super yum!! And this is one of the few restaurants that offers a seafood buffet for lunch!

Renowned on the Gold Coast for its overflowing seafood buffet, Terraces Restaurant offers a generous array of fresh local produce to treat even the most refined palates. With its gorgeous setting, chic white furnishings, wood accents and stunning lagoon views framed by ceiling-to-floor windows, you’ll feel miles away from the hustle and bustle. If you are keen on this one, you might like to get a sense of the restaurant in my video walk through on my buffet breakfast article.

  • Hours: Lunch: (Available Saturday & Sunday) – 12pm – 3pm, Dinner (Available Friday & Saturday) – 5.30pm – 9.30pm
  • Price: Lunch – Adult – $99, child (4–12) – $49.50, Child under 4 – free, Dinner – Adult – $119, child (4–12) – $59.50, child under 4 – free
  • Address: 71 Sea World Drive, Main Beach,
  • Visit their website for more details and to book.

7. Citrique | JW Marriot Gold Coast Resort & Spa | Surfers Paradise

We loved our dinner at Citrique on the Gold Coast! Recently we went for my birthday and their buffet always lives up to our expectations! We enjoyed an award-winning seafood buffet at the Surfers Paradise Marriot Resort & Spa’s signature restaurant, Citrique. I am lucky because my kids LOVE seafood, so we had fresh prawns, mussels, scallops, smoked salmon, oysters, and more. Plus, wood-fired pizza, roasts, desserts, and more are available.

Take a look at their website for more information or to make a booking. I recommend the Sunday lunch from 12pm or dinner at 5.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Reservations are required so make sure you phone ahead on 07 5592 9772. Delish!

  • Hours: Friday and Saturday from 5:30pm and Sunday for lunch from 12pm
  • Price: Adult – $129 for dinner and $99 for lunch.
  • Address: 158 Ferny Avenue Surfers Paradise
  • Visit their website here.

Read Next: Find the best family-friendly restaurants on the Gold Coast.

8. Il Barocco | Imperial Hotel | Main Beach

Located within the Imperial Hotel (formerly Palazzo Versace), the Il Barocco serves a seafood buffet Gold Coast for families. With fresh seafood and fish on the menu, accompanied by other popular buffet options, there’s something for everyone. The buffet seafood dinner starts from 5:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Head over to the Il Barocco website to make a booking.

  • Hours: Friday & Saturday) – 5.30 pm – 9.30 pm
  • Price: Adult $119, child (4–12) – $59.50
  • Address: 94 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach
  • Find out more: visit their website to book

9. Bazaar | QT Gold Coast | Surfers Paradise

This unusual destination is located within the QT hotel situated on the beach within the middle of the Gold Coast. It prides itself on taking you on a journey around the world and likens itself to savouring street food at its finest while dining in this luxurious location by the beach.

There are numerous food stations and spices so you could be forgiven for thinking that you are within the realms of a Far Eastern souk or a marketplace in Latin America.  If you enjoy sampling different foods from around the world then this destination is for you. It caters for varying tastes and seafood features highly. Children are welcome and safe dietary needs are catered for.

  • Hours: from 5pm except Sundays where it is from 5.30pm
  • Price: Monday – Thursday, Adult- $95 , child $35, Dinner Friday – Sunday – Adult $105, child $39
  • Address: 7 Staghorn Ave, Surfers Paradise
  • Visit their website to book.

10. Frenzy’s Food Court | Southport Sharks | Southport

Families can head over to enjoy the Southport Shark’s Gold Coast seafood buffet dinner where they serve an all you can eat buffet dinner seven days a week. From Monday to Thursday enjoy the full range of incredible dishes, then from Friday to Sunday enjoy even more with the addition of prawns, mussels and other delicious seafood dishes. The buffet runs from 5:30pm to 8:30pm every night.

  • Hours: Dinner buffet: 5:30pm to 8:30pm every night (added seafood options on Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • Price: Adult – Mon – Thurs – $39.90 (members), Fri – Sun – $46.90 (members), child (8-12) – $21.90, (4-7) – $14.90.
  • Address: Musgrave Ave, Southport QLD 4215
  • Website: click here

Seafood Restaurants Gold Coast

These restaurants used to serve buffets, but now are a la carte only (and they are very popular, so we recommend making a booking!)

11. Omeros Bros Seafood Restaurant Marina Mirage

This classic seafood restaurant boasts prime location on the Marina Mirage boardwalk in Main Beach and has fabulous views of the marina which they make full use of with floor to ceiling windows.  It is traditionally a family run restaurant and has won numerous awards for its food throughout the years. 

Whilst not a traditional buffet style restaurant, the seafood options on offer are wide and together with its envious location, we couldn’t leave this one out of the list!!  Seafood options include oysters served in a variety of ways including oyster soup! Salmon, curried prawns, scallops, mussels, calamari, octopus together with a variety of fish.  Prices are reasonable and start from $20 and set menus are available from $59.90 per person.

Omeros Bros

12. The Lazy Lobster, Labrador

Situated in this popular suburb within the Gold Coast with views over the Broadwater, this attractive venue offers a variety of seafood together with a number of share platters. The seafood platters start from $104 and include both hot and cold seafood with lobster, fish, calamari, scallops, mussels, prawns, Moreton bay bugs and oysters. Bugs barbecued in their shells offer something a little different and kids are catered for. Other foods are available if seafood is not your preferred option so there is a little something for everyone and the inclusive nature of sharing food while relaxing in such attractive surroundings will incorporate a treat for all of the senses!

The Lazy Lobster

Restaurants that no longer serve seafood buffet dinners on the Gold Coast

We keep these listed at the bottom of our articles so that you can confirm your suspicions, that this local all you can eat seafood restaurants on the Gold Coast no longer serve buffet dinners.

  • Fables Restaurant | Mantra Legends Hotel 
  • Cove Cafe | The InterContinental Sanctuary Cove

Gold Coast seafood buffet deals for families

Before packing the kids in the car, shining your shoes and heading out for a lovely family meal, check out the online deals available for seafood buffets on the Gold Coast. Is your favourite seafood buffet restaurant listed? It could save you a few $$ if so!

Scoopon logoScoopon has deals for seafood buffets on the Gold Coast here.

Groupon logo*Groupon has deals for seafood buffets on the Gold Coast here.

While we have only collated 10 buffets on our list, there are many more that are very accommodating for families and offer great discounts for locals, eating during the week and kids eat free. It is definitely worth researching before you go, as it may mean that going out as a family to seafood buffets Gold Coast style could become a regular outing as a result.

Hot tips for enjoying your seafood buffet Gold Coast style!

How to peel a prawn

We love a good Gold Coast seafood buffet. If you’re planning on visiting one of the restaurants featured in our list of best seafood buffets on the Gold Coast, check out these tips about how to eat prawns!

Preparation is part of the enjoyment of a great meal, but that doesn’t mean you want to spend any longer than you need right? Here’s how to peel a prawn quickly and easily. Tip: For better presentation, leave tails intact.

The Quick Way

  1. Twist off the head;
  2. Grab legs between thumb and index finger, squeeze and pull away shell from around the body.
  3. Repeat until tail section is left
  4. Squeeze tail, prawn will pop out.

Other tips:

Photo of author

Janine Mergler

Janine Mergler is a veteran Queensland teacher, graduating from QUT with a BEd majoring in Social Sciences. After many years in the classroom, Janine moved on to academia. She has proudly trained new generations of teachers in her role as a lecturer at Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Education. She has also worked in the Queensland Government as an education specialist, developing education resources and delivering community awareness programs to help families conserve water. Currently she is the owner and editor of Families Magazine, a publication specifically targeted at parents who value a quality education for children.  Janine leads a team of professionals who write about family lifestyle, early childhood, schools and education information and family-friendly events.

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