Modernized Sarkies features contemporary ease.
Lunch at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel sounded like a sensible pause before another long walk through George Town. Then we saw the size of the spread at Sarkies. Assam laksa, rasam, roasted meats, sushi, Peranakan pickles and a formidable dessert counter made the afternoon outside seem much less urgent.
The E&O Hotel buffet combines Malaysian favorites with familiar international dishes in the bright Victory Annexe. Our lunch was generous, easy to navigate and strongest when the kitchen stayed close to local flavors. It also revealed the familiar weakness of a large buffet: food held too long can lose some of its best qualities. Here is our honest Sarkies buffet review, based on what we ate.
Is the E&O Hotel buffet worth booking?
Contents
Sarkies occupies a bright, contemporary dining room in the Victory Annexe. Dark timber carries a trace of the hotel’s colonial identity, while pale chairs, large windows and clean lines keep the room from becoming too formal. It is more modern than the grand public rooms in the Heritage Wing, yet the connection to the E&O remains clear.
The restaurant takes its name from the Sarkies brothers, the Armenian hoteliers behind the Eastern & Oriental Hotel and other Asian landmarks, including Raffles Singapore. Read more in our story about the Sarkies brothers.
The buffet is arranged around a central counter and the open-kitchen area, so moving between stations was straightforward during our lunch. Tables near the kitchen give diners a view of the chefs, while those beside the windows bring in more daylight and a calmer outlook. At peak times, however, voices and movement travel easily through the large room. Anyone sensitive to noise should book an earlier sitting and request a table away from the busiest stations.
Our midweek buffet lunch covered Malaysian and international comfort food rather than one narrow theme. There were soups, salads, pickles, noodles, sushi, seafood, roasted meats, vegetable dishes and a long dessert counter. The range was broad enough to reward curiosity, yet our best plates came from selecting a few well-made dishes instead of trying to sample everything in sight.
The soup section produced some of our favorite tastes of the meal. Assam laksa brought the sour, spicy depth we had hoped to find in Penang. Rasam was lighter and more fragrant, with fresh curry leaves lifting its sweet-and-sour heat. A thick tomato soup offered a milder alternative, tasting properly of ripe tomatoes and working beautifully with crisp croutons and a little cream.
The made-to-order noodle station allowed us to choose the noodles and accompaniments ourselves, including vegetables, tofu and seafood. Close by, tuna and salmon sashimi sat beside several sushi rolls. The sushi was a useful fresh starting point, although it was the local soups that gave this part of the buffet its strongest identity.
Asian-spiced beef with black pepper sauce was one of the better meat dishes, followed closely by lamb with mushrooms. Chicken tempura attracted a steady stream of diners, which made sense: it was familiar, crisp and particularly popular with families. The selection also included roasted duck with its own sauce, grilled saba, salmon and Japanese long fish.
Large buffet counters inevitably ask some food to wait. The carved meat we tried had lost moisture under the heat, and that was the clearest weakness of the lunch. Asking a chef for a freshly cut or newly prepared portion is worthwhile whenever possible. The service team was attentive, so this is a small request that can make a meaningful difference to the plate.
The Peranakan-style pickles deserved more attention than the standard salad bar. Their sweetness and bright acidity cut through the heavier meat dishes, while fermented young mango and papaya added crunch and a recognizably local accent. Infused oils, sun-dried tomatoes and familiar dressings were available for guests who preferred to assemble their own salad.
Vegetarian choices appeared across several stations, including potato salad, samosas, soups and the ingredients for gado-gado. We especially enjoyed the peanut dressing. The selection during our visit was adequate for a mixed group, though strict vegetarians and vegan diners should still ask the restaurant about the current menu and preparation methods before reserving.
Dessert was the section that encouraged repeat visits. The range covered Western cakes and pies, warm puddings, ice cream and shaved-ice options. Chocolate brownies were unapologetically rich, with warm vanilla sauce available to soften the intensity. A warm fruit crumble was packed with pineapple and peaches, and coconut ice cream made an excellent partner.
Our clear favorite was the nut pie. It had plenty of pecans beneath a sweet caramel topping and was best balanced by unsweetened coffee. The ice cream trolley added a playful old-fashioned note, with coconut and chocolate joined by matcha and durian. A small scoop of durian is enough to discover whether you belong to its devoted fan club.
Based on our lunch, yes. Sarkies delivered the variety expected from a luxury hotel buffet, but its character came from the Malaysian soups, Peranakan pickles and local ice cream flavors. Service was polished, the stations were easy to explore and the dessert selection ended the meal on a high note.
The experience was not flawless. The room became noisy, and some meat had dried while waiting at the counter. Those are common buffet problems, yet they still matter when the price sits above an ordinary Penang lunch. Book early, choose a quieter table, begin with the regional dishes and ask for freshly prepared meat. That approach gives Sarkies its best chance to justify both the appetite and the occasion.
These are our original ratings from the buffet lunch described in this review, including value at the time of our visit. They do not represent a new assessment made in 2026.
Sarkies serves breakfast, lunch and dinner at lobby level in the Victory Annexe of the Eastern & Oriental Hotel. The hotel currently confirms daily buffet lunch and dinner hours, while prices can change according to the day, theme and promotion. The amounts from our visit are included only as historical context.
| Detail | Information checked in September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Restaurant | Sarkies, Eastern & Oriental Hotel |
| Address | 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 George Town, Penang, Malaysia |
| Location in the hotel | Lobby level, Victory Annexe |
| Date of our visit | 2019 |
| Cuisine | Malaysian and international buffet |
| Breakfast | Daily, 6:30 AM–10:30 AM |
| Buffet lunch | Daily, 12:00 PM–2:30 PM |
| Buffet dinner | Daily, 6:30 PM–10:00 PM |
| Price during our visit | Weekday lunch cost slightly more than US$20 per person; this is not a current price quote |
| Current price | Varies by buffet and promotion; confirm directly when booking |
| Telephone | +60 4 222 2151 |
| Official website | Eastern & Oriental Hotel |
Yes, especially for diners who want a broad Malaysian and international selection inside one of Penang’s best-known heritage hotels. During our lunch, the soups, Peranakan pickles, service and desserts stood out. The dining room can become noisy, and meat held at the counter may lose moisture.
Sarkies buffet prices change according to the meal, theme and current promotion. The hotel does not show one permanent price on its main dining page, so contact Sarkies directly before booking. Old prices from 2020 should not be used as a current guide.
The official Eastern & Oriental Hotel website lists buffet lunch daily from 12:00 noon to 2:30 pm. Buffet dinner is listed from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm. Opening hours can change for special events and festive periods.
Sarkies is on the lobby level of the Victory Annexe at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, 10 Lebuh Farquhar, George Town, Penang. The hotel stands close to the seafront and the UNESCO-listed historic center.
During our visit, vegetarian choices included salads, soups, samosas, potato salad, pickles and ingredients for gado-gado. The exact buffet changes, so vegetarian and vegan diners should ask the restaurant about the current selection and preparation methods when reserving.
A reservation is recommended, particularly for weekends, themed dinners and festive promotions. Booking ahead also gives you the opportunity to request a quieter table away from the busiest buffet stations.
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