New restaurant openings are always likely to cause some buzz, but a new all-you-can-eat spot has people lining up around the block.
ELYMI, a new family buffet spot in Calgary’s northeast, only hosted its grand opening on April 30, but word has travelled fast, and the line is not for the faint of heart.
The all-you-can-eat spot offers several different themed meals every week, from Mediterranean fare on Thursdays and pub night on Wednesdays.
However, the surf and turf buffet on Fridays and Saturday dinner services is drawing in huge crowds. It’s relatively affordable, with Friday and Saturday dinners costing $49.95 for all-you-can-eat prime rib, lobster tails, crab and more.
One user on TikTok, @ruchino70, shared a video of the line to dine at ELYMI, and Calgarians had turned out in the masses to indulge in surf and turf.
@ruchino70Elymi calagary insane line to get into this restaurant♬ original sound – ruthidisi
The line is shown starting from the door of the restaurant and running down the side of the building before winding around the parking lot with dozens of groups waiting patiently to get inside.
“This is insane,” the TikToker said.
“It’ll be worth it,” another person is heard shouting.
In a follow-up video, @ruchino70 gave a tour of the food on offer and said she had waited around 2.5 hours to get in.
@ruchino70This is what all the fuss was about after 2.5hrs wait at elymi calgary♬ original sound – ruthidisi
Meanwhile, in the comments, people weighed in on whether it’s truly worth the wait. One user claimed to join the line at ELYMI at 5 pm, adding that they were finally seated at 8 pm.
“Not worth the 3hr wait but the 50$ dinner was worth it,” they added.
“I waited last weekend for 2 hours and I say it’s worth the wait. I was a fan of the lobster but everything else was amazing, especially the snow crab,” another person added.
Others shared alternatives for similar buffet dinners such as Thursdays at The Grey Eagle Resort & Casino, where its all-you-can-eat seafood costs $58.99 per person.
Another drew comparisons to Vancouver’s recently opened Hello Kitty Cafe which drew enormous lines for its opening day.
So if you’re looking to get stuck into some serious surf and turf, be prepared to arrive early or plan for a long wait.
Address: 3010 23rd Street NE, Calgary