Friday BBQ Seafood Buffet At Grand Mercure Danang

The main draw here is sheer choice: Grand Mercure Danang’s Friday buffet brings together more than 100 items, from crab and oysters to prawns, scallops, octopus and meat. It’s a hotel buffet, not a small seafood shack, but the live Japanese stations and the view toward Tran Thi Ly Bridge give dinner a little more character than a simple parade of trays.

I like two things in particular: the sashimi live cooking show, with tuna tataki, salmon sashimi and kohada nishin, and the included free-flow beverages, a useful part of the price if you plan to linger over dinner. The Japanese corner also rotates its specials, so the menu may change from week to week.

One caveat: buffet quality and service can be uneven. There have been concerns about cold food, flat beer and confusion over which stations require you to order from staff, so ask how the setup works before you start filling your plate.

Key points

• More than 100 buffet items: Seafood, meat and other international dishes give you plenty to choose from.
• A substantial seafood spread: Expect options such as crab, prawns, oysters, fish, clams, scallops and octopus.
• Japanese dishes made at live stations: Weekly specials may include oyster kaki furai, assorted tempura, sushi rolls and ebi corn soup.
• Sashimi prepared in front of you: The live show features tuna tataki, salmon sashimi and kohada nishin.
• Dinner with a bridge view: La Rive Gauche has a bright dining room overlooking Tran Thi Ly Bridge.
• Free-flow beverages are included: Check the package details when you book, as the menu and available ingredients can change.

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A Friday evening at La Rive Gauche

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The buffet takes place at La Rive Gauche, inside Grand Mercure Danang, and runs on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. That gives you a four-hour window, but you do not need to treat dinner like a race. Arrive with time to look around, find out how the live stations work and then build your meal at a comfortable pace.

The setting is one of the experience’s advantages. The dining room is described as bright and airy, with a view toward Tran Thi Ly Bridge. The view gives you something to look at between plates, while the hotel setting makes this a more polished dinner option than an informal seafood meal.

The restaurant is at Lot A1, Zone of the Villas of Green Island, Hoa Cuong Bac, in Hai Chau District. The meeting point is Grand Mercure Danang. If you are arranging your own transport, use the full restaurant address rather than relying on the hotel name alone.

Start with the seafood, then explore the stations

With more than 100 items on offer, it helps to take a first lap before committing to a plate. The spread includes live seafood, seafood on ice and meats. Crab, prawns, oysters, fish, clams, scallops and octopus are among the listed choices, with other items depending on the season and what the restaurant has in stock.

That range is useful if your table has mixed appetites. You can focus on shellfish, sample a little fish, or balance seafood with meat and other buffet dishes. The selection also means the meal is not tied to one signature plate. You can try a few things, go back for the favorites and leave room for the Japanese corner and dessert.

The phrase live seafood sounds enticing, but it does not tell you exactly how each item is served or prepared. Ask staff what is available and how to order it. One diner found the stations and ordering process unclear, so a quick question at the start can save you from standing at a counter wondering whether to help yourself.

Seafood on ice is another part of the spread. It offers a way to sample chilled items alongside cooked dishes, though buffet food can vary in temperature and freshness over the course of service. If a dish does not seem properly chilled or warm, ask the staff rather than assuming it is meant to be that way.

Make time for the Japanese corner

The Japanese corner is a key part of the buffet, not just a token sushi tray tucked at the edge. Its rotating weekly specials may include Oyster Kaki Furai, or fried oysters; Tempura Moriawase, an assortment of tempura; ebi corn soup; salmon rolls; and California rolls.

Because the dishes change, you should not count on every named item being available on your Friday. The menu depends on seasonality, ingredient purchases and stock, and the restaurant can change it without notice. Think of the examples as a guide to the style of the station, not a promise of a fixed menu.

The sashimi live cooking show adds something more engaging than simply picking up a prepared plate. Tuna tataki, salmon sashimi and kohada nishin are listed among the offerings. Sashimi quality has been described as above average, which makes this one of the stations I would visit early, before settling into the rest of the buffet.

If Japanese food is a priority, ask when the live station is operating and what is being served that evening. The available information does not give a timetable for individual stations, so do not assume the show runs continuously throughout the four-hour dinner.

What the free-flow drinks add to the price

The package includes the seafood buffet and free-flow beverages. That can improve the value, particularly if you would otherwise order several drinks with dinner. The supplied details do not specify which beverages are included, so check the package terms rather than assuming it covers a particular beer, wine or soft drink.

The listed package price starts at US$34.75 for the Friday BBQ Seafood Buffet with free-flow beverages. A separate summary gives a starting price of US$38.19, so the amount you see may depend on the booking offer or selection. Check the final price at checkout and compare it with what you would pay for a seafood dinner and drinks elsewhere.

I would judge the value by how much you want from the format. If you enjoy sampling lots of seafood, Japanese dishes and desserts in one sitting, the fixed buffet price is easy to understand. If you only want a single seafood dish, a buffet may be more food and expense than you need.

The unlimited-drink inclusion sounds like a plus, but it does not guarantee that every drink will be served to your liking. There has been a complaint about flat beer. I would not treat that as proof of a general problem, but it is sensible to check your drink when it arrives and ask for a replacement if it is not right.

Desserts and the final round

Save space for dessert. The buffet has drawn particular praise for its sweets, and that can make a difference if you are comparing it with a seafood-only meal. The exact dessert selection is not specified and may change, so go with curiosity rather than expecting a particular cake or pastry.

A good strategy is to sample the seafood and Japanese stations first, then return for the dishes you liked most. Keep a little room for dessert rather than filling your first plate to the edges. The buffet’s breadth is the point, and a measured first round gives you a better chance to try several parts of it.

A polished meal, with a few buffet trade-offs

The overall appeal is a combination of setting and range. You get a hotel dining room, a view of the bridge, more than 100 food choices and drinks included in the package. For a Friday dinner, that makes this a convenient choice if you want a full evening meal without planning several stops.

Still, a large buffet is only as satisfying as its execution on the night. Some diners have found food cold, and one noted that dishes lacked flavor. Those are meaningful cautions, especially if you expect every seafood item to taste freshly cooked and carefully seasoned. A broad menu gives you options, but it cannot guarantee every dish will be a favorite.

Service can also take a little initiative from you. The live stations may involve ordering rather than simply serving yourself, and the process may not be obvious at first. Ask staff where to order, what is available and whether a dish is made to order. That small step can make the buffet easier to navigate.

The positive side is worth weighing too. The atmosphere has been praised, as have the desserts and sashimi, and a reserved table with the diner’s name on it made the occasion feel personal. You may appreciate that extra touch if the restaurant has arranged your booking in the same way, though it is not something I would assume is guaranteed.

Who should book this buffet

I would consider this dinner if you like variety, want seafood alongside Japanese dishes and value having drinks included. It also suits a Friday evening when you want to sit down for a longer meal in a hotel setting, rather than choosing one restaurant dish and moving on.

It is less suited to anyone who wants a quiet, highly focused seafood meal or expects every item to be cooked to order. The buffet format comes with the usual trade-offs: food temperatures can vary, some dishes may be stronger than others, and the exact selection can change.

There is no age limit for the activity. The meal is at La Rive Gauche, Grand Mercure Danang, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays. The voucher is valid only for the date and time specified, and the menu may change with the season and ingredient supply.

You can change a booking up to 24 hours before the activity starts, subject to the stated exceptions for certain passes, presale bookings, vouchers that have not been issued and bookings made with specified culture points. Cancellation at least 24 hours before the activity date gives you a full refund. If you are using a cash coupon, there is no change or refund if your bill is lower than its value; if your bill is higher, you pay the balance at the restaurant.

Should you book the Friday seafood buffet?

Book it if the combination is what you want: a large seafood buffet, a live sashimi station, rotating Japanese dishes, bridge views and free-flow beverages. Go in ready to ask staff how the stations work, and keep your expectations flexible about the night’s exact menu and food quality.

If you prefer a smaller meal with predictable dishes, this may not be the best use of your dinner budget. For an appetite-driven evening where variety matters more than precision, it is a reasonable option to consider.

FAQ

When is the buffet open?

It runs on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at La Rive Gauche, Grand Mercure Danang.

What seafood is included?

The listed choices include crab, prawns, oysters, fish, clams, scallops and octopus. The actual selection may change with the season and ingredient availability.

Are drinks included?

Yes. The package described is the Friday BBQ Seafood Buffet with free-flow beverages. Check the package details for which drinks are covered.

What Japanese dishes might be available?

Weekly specials may include Oyster Kaki Furai, Tempura Moriawase, ebi corn soup, salmon rolls and California rolls. The live sashimi show may feature tuna tataki, salmon sashimi and kohada nishin.

Where is La Rive Gauche?

It is at Grand Mercure Danang, Lot A1, Zone of the Villas of Green Island, Hoa Cuong Bac, Hai Chau District, Da Nang, Vietnam.

Can I cancel or change my booking?

A full refund is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the activity date. Changes are allowed until 24 hours before the activity starts, subject to the listed exceptions for some passes, presale bookings and vouchers.