I’m not a huge fan of buffets because I can never eat a lot in one sitting. I get full very quickly and generally, I leave feeling like I didn’t get my money’s worth. So when I visited TAPS for its Sunday brunch buffet, I was surprised to find over 100 items among the choices for a mere $35.99/adult and $12.95/children age 3-12.
The restaurant is packed and after a quick walk-through to peruse the vast array of food, I decided what I was going to pick for round one. An antipasti platter offered an array of meats including salami, ham and mortadella.
There is also charcuterie of prosciutto, speck and salami, served with cornichons, olives and whole grain mustard.
A fresh station comprising oysters on the half shell, crab cocktail, shrimp and ceviche enticed and I enjoyed the latter with relish.
My son loves smoked salmon and I found him with half a plateful upon his return one trip.
Eggs Benedict lured me into the hot food area and these perfectly poached eggs atop pillowy muffins were so immensely popular that a tray lasts barely five to seven minutes before it is completely wiped out.
TAPS’ luscious cinnamon rolls sit in another tray next to the eggs Benedict and these were soft and gooey just waiting to be eaten.
There is a pasta station with cooked-to-order combinations of your choice. I ended up getting clams in wine sauce without the pasta and they were delicious.
In order to not inundate the already sprawling buffet spread, TAPS has made it a bit more fun by adding some items you can order through the kitchen at no extra cost, such as the Chorizo and Eggs.
Or, the Huevos Rancheros are pretty good too if you want a meatless option.
Beignets are on the same menu for $1 extra and you get seven of them. These tasted more like profiteroles than beignets and what we loved was stuffing them with whipped cream and eating them that way. SO GOOD!
I’d be lying if I told you I tried everything, I don’t think I even got through half what was offered. This is the kind of buffet I like — an abundance of items I actually want to eat, with a price tag that is affordable and very reasonable. I didn’t walk away feeling like I didn’t get my money’s worth. I started with this plate and went back several times after.
The price of the brunch includes mimosas, sparkling wine or two TAPS hand-crafted award winning beers — my favorite was the coffee one (can’t remember the name) — as well as tea or coffee. Do note that items on the buffet change from time to time so don’t get upset if you can’t find the things I’ve listed.
TAPS Fish House and Brewery has generously offered one of my readers the opportunity to try this awesome Sunday brunch. Leave me a comment with your FULL name and your thoughts about buffets by Sunday, May 20 for a chance to win. One lucky reader will be announced as the winner on Monday, May 21.
TAPS Fish House and Brewery
101 E Imperial Hwy
Brea, CA 92821
Tel: 714-257-0101
I’m with you on buffets–I generally avoid them because most of the time it’s all emphasis on quantity over quality, but this one looks pretty dang excellent and I’d love to try it.
-Stephanie Han
I love the idea of getting a little bit of everything at buffets. However I really don’t go because I have not found one that is good.
My Metrolink commuter pals go to TAPS in Corona a couple of times a year, but we’ve never gone for the buffet. I agree with you Anita about the selection for price, and have heard so many good things about the TAPS buffet. I reminds me of the great buffets we used to go to in Hong Kong.
Barbara Easton
Oh my, I can imagine how delicious everything tastes, we have never gotten past Cha Cha’s, in Brea, so we have never been to Taps. I did not realize that they even had a buffet, my husband love’s eggs benedict! All of the photograph’s that you took are incredible, we would love to go on a Sunday after Church to enjoy that fabulous buffet~ Have a great day……Marta Elena Utter
I love their Sunday brunch. I go there every time I have friends visiting from Japan.
That is a pretty impressive buffet. I have hit the Salt Creek Grill buffet in Laguna on several occasions and it usually delivers in a scenic location but this one at TAPS will be added to my must-try list. Thanks for the review. Josh Smisko
Congratulations you are the winner
I love buffet because my husband and I can really eat a lot, so buffet is really worth the price in our case. It would be excellent to go to TAPS brunch; it looks excellent! I miss Vegas buffet, so this would be a great replacement. Thanks…Inge Lazuardi
I’m a big buffet kind of guy. As I age, Its quality of quantity. Oddly enough, my parents loves quanitity and quality. So I’m at odds when I take them. But this one would be good enough to fit both bills! I’ve been here for dinner before as well as OC restaurant week. They have always been very accommodating, even when I got the OC restaurant week on the wrong date, they gave me a different dining option that was not on the menu.
Taps is one of our favorite and its not a bad price. I would love to try the one at St Regis but would never pay that extravagant price! Buffet brunches are my fav and hard to find really good ones. All time favorite is Wicked Spoon in Las Vegas at the Cosmopolitan. Can you say bone marrow, lemony brined fried chicken, polenta with wild mushrooms?
Who doesn’t love a good buffet? I know you dont eat much in one sitting Anita but its great when you have no clue what you want! Haha Plus having a little one they can snack on all the finger foods while Mom and Dad can chow on the good stuff!!!!
-Ashley Birdzell
Man, that looks awesome. I love a good buffet brunch and at a reasonable price too. Win or not I gotta make that trip one Sunday.