Taipei Hilai Island Buffet 海萊島語餐廳

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Hilai’s Island Buffet restaurant is one of the hardest to book restaurants in Taipei, and for good reason. It features different “islands” of food to choose from, such as fresh seafood, traditional Chinese food, Western food, and desserts, all with the highest possible quality. It is definitely worth checking out if you can book a table.

Historical Background:

Hilai Foods Group’s premium buffet brand, Island Buffet (島語), was developed in 2020 during preparations for the Grand Hi-Lai Taipei Hotel in Nangang. Inspired by the growing popularity of high-end buffets in Hong Kong and Macau, Hi-Lai Foods Chairman Lin Shu-ting (林淑婷) envisioned creating a distinctive dining experience that combined the group’s extensive culinary expertise with premium food and wine pairings. After three years of research and development, including visits to Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong, the first Island Buffet opened in Nangang in 2023. Its distinctive concept features individually themed food stations, or “islands,” specializing in different cuisines, including Japanese, Chinese, and Western dishes, complemented by carefully selected wines and cocktails. Drawing on the culinary resources of Hi-Lai’s established restaurant brands, Island Buffet quickly gained popularity and became one of Taiwan’s most sought-after upscale buffet destinations. Its rapid expansion to five locations within three years established it as one of the group’s most successful dining brands.

Hours:

6:30–10 AM
11:30 AM–2:30 PM
5:30–9 PM

Price:

Breakfast: 890 NT per person
Lunch: 1,490 NT per person on weekdays and late lunch on weekends, 1,790 for normal lunchtime on weekends
Dinner: 1,790 NT for weekdays, 2,090 on weekends
200 NT for children under six (not including a 10% service fee)
You can book meal vouchers for a discount on Klook here.

Online Table Booking System:

島語 桃園台茂店 | Book Now! – inline online bookings

Where to stay:

You can book a room at Hilai Hotel on Agoda here or Klook here.

Activities in Taipei:

There are many activities available to enjoy in Taipei such as kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling, SUP / paddle boarding, water biking, and more activities which you can book on Klook here or KKday here. 

How to get there:

By Car/Scooter: From Taipei, take Zhongxiao East Road East until you reach Nangang Exhibition Center Station. There is paid scooter parking on the street and paid car parking at the hotel as well, but it can fill up quickly.
Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. 
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or  KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.  
By MRT/Bus: Take the blue line MRT to Nangang Exhibition Center Station the hotel is within walking distance. The restaurant is on the second floor. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here.
By Bicycle: 
Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan’s many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. 
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

Map:

Please see below:

Our Journey:

I have been to the Hilai Island Buffet once. It is one of the best Buffets in Nangang or Taipei for that matter. The highlights here are definitely the seafood bar and dessert area. I would highly recommend checking this place out. I hear booking a table is hard, but somehow my coworker did it for us.

To get into the restaurant to start with, we had to wait in line. If you visit on a weekend or holiday, chances are that the restaurant will be fully booked and you will have to wait in some lines to get your food.

The food here is fantastic and the presentation is stunning.

Sushi bar along with bread and wine.

Unlimited roast duck.

Many of the meals and meats are grilled fresh before your eyes.

The best part about the buffet of course is the unlimited crab and snow crab legs. These alone can make up for the steep price tag of the buffet.

There are also many other traditional Chinese dish options here.

Unlimited lamb chops, freshly grilled.

Freshly toasted fish.

Unlimited cakes and treats.

More cake options.

Fruit bar.

Crab legs and mutton chop.

Here is a complete photo of what I got. We got full!

You can book meal vouchers for the Hilai Island Restaraunt for a discount on Klook here.

You can book a room at Hilai Hotel on Agoda here or Klook here.