Tyler’s Red Lobster Gets New Life as Buffet Hot Spot

(Tyler, Texas) Within a few months, residents of Tyler, Texas, will have a new restaurant to flock to and overrun on opening day and during opening week.

It's the truth, and y'all know it.

When a new restaurant opens in Tyler, y'all want to be the first to try it out for yourself.

Nothing wrong with that.

After you've tried it, though, you'll do one of two things on social media - praise how good it is or rip the place apart because it's not what you're used to, or the service is bad. That's because y'all rushed the place on opening night!

It's what happens to all new restaurants in Tyler and Longview. Let's just hope Jimmy Lu will be thanking you for your praise and that he will be responding to your criticism after he opens a new restaurant concept in Tyler.

Tyler's Red Lobster will undergo a transformation

Lu, who currently owns Ohayo Sushi on South Broadway, will transform the former Red Lobster location on Loop 323 into a new Mexican and Chinese food buffet restaurant. The restaurant will be called El Chino Buffet.

He tells CBS 19 that he is looking forward to bringing a different style of food to the area.

READ MORE --> New QT convenience store going in Longview at former Red Lobster location on the loop and McCann

Permits for the remodel and construction on the building have already been applied for through the City of Tyler. A remodel renovation permit was approved on March 20th, and then a demolition permit received approval on May 6th.

Lu tells CBS 19 the major changes will happen on the interior, while some minor changes will be made to the exterior.

El Chino Buffet will be open later this summer.

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Please be kind to this new restaurant on opening day and throughout the week. It takes a bit to work through the kinks and for the staff to get used to dealing with finicky East Texans!