All-You-Can-Eat Vancouver: Every AYCE Spot by Price (2026)

Introduction

"All you can eat Vancouver" is one of the most value-native searches in this city — and nobody had built a single, current reference that puts every type of AYCE side by side by price. So I did.

When you search AYCE, you are really asking three things: what types exist (sushi, Korean BBQ, hot pot, shabu-shabu, yakiniku), what each one costs per person at lunch versus dinner, and whether it is actually worth it. Most lists answer none of those — they hype the same handful of rooms, skip the per-person price, and never tell you that a $40 Korean BBQ and a $22 hot pot are different value propositions, not the same "AYCE."

This is the hub. Start here for the cross-type price picture, then go deeper into the dedicated guides I have already built for the categories that deserve their own deep dive. I have organised AYCE across Metro Vancouver — Vancouver proper, Richmond, Burnaby, Surrey, the North Shore — by type, with the AYCE lunch and dinner cost (or an honest "check current menu" where I could not confirm a 2026 figure), and a plain note on what you actually get for the money.

I am Wendy Huang. I pay for my own meals and I take notes. AYCE pricing moves fast — restaurants re-print menus, split lunch/dinner and weekday/weekend tiers, add late-night menus, and quietly carve premium items out of the cheap tier to protect margins. So I have marked every number as verified (confirmed from a 2025–2026 menu or listing) or estimate / check current menu (a realistic figure I will not pretend is exact). Treat the verified prices as a 2026 snapshot and confirm before you go.

This hub ties together my deeper price references: the All-You-Can-Eat Sushi Vancouver: Prices Ranked 2026 guide, the Vancouver Ramen Price Guide & Map 2026, Best Ramen in Metro Vancouver 2026, and the Vancouver Dim Sum Price Guide 2026.

How to Read This Hub

• Verified price — a current 2026 AYCE price I confirmed from the restaurant's own menu, website, or a 2025–2026 listing. AYCE prices are per person, before tax and tip, dine-in.
• Estimate / "check current menu" — I could not confirm an exact current figure, so I give a realistic figure or range instead of a fabricated number. Confirm before you go.
• Lunch vs dinner — across every type, this is the single biggest lever on price. Lunch AYCE runs $10–$25 cheaper than dinner and ends mid-afternoon (typically 3–5pm). Dinner unlocks premium items and, for hot pot/BBQ, premium meats.
• The fine print that bites you — most AYCE rooms enforce a time limit (90–120 minutes), a leftover-food charge (you pay extra for what you order and don't finish), and a rule that everyone at the table orders AYCE. Soup base, drinks, and "premium" upgrades are often not included in the headline price — hot pot in particular charges separately for broth.

The Complete Metro Vancouver AYCE Price Table by Type (2026)

This is the master cross-type table — the single most complete AYCE-by-price reference for Metro Vancouver. Sorted by type, then roughly by dinner price. Below it, I break each type down with detail and link to the deep guides.

Summary: In 2026, AYCE in Metro Vancouver spans roughly $15 to $60 per person depending on type. Sushi runs ~$15–$48 (lunch is the value play, ~$20–$25). Korean BBQ / yakiniku runs ~$20 (budget rooms) to $40–$60 (Gyu-Kaku tiers). Hot pot runs ~$22 lunch (Happy Lamb) to ~$33 standard (Liuyishou) up to $56–$59 for premium wagyu late-night (Dolar Shop) — and almost always excludes soup base. The cheapest fill-up is budget sushi or weekday-lunch hot pot; the most expensive is premium hot pot or top-tier yakiniku. Across every type, lunch is cheaper than dinner, and the "headline price" rarely includes drinks, broth, or premium upgrades.

AYCE Sushi — Start With the Deep Guide

Sushi is the deepest AYCE category in this city, with the densest cluster (Richmond) and the cleanest published tiers (Kawawa, Burnaby). I have ranked 15+ rooms by price in a dedicated guide, so here I will give you the shape and send you there for the full table.

The range: ~$15 at the budget end (Happy Sushi, Kingsway Sushi — usually sashimi-excluded) to ~$48 for a top dinner (Kisha Poppo $47.95). The reliable mid-market is ~$20 lunch / ~$37–$43 dinner. Richmond is the heartland (Ninkazu's 100+ items, $21.95 lunch; Kisha Poppo's no-time-limit $47.95 dinner). Kawawa at Metrotown has the most transparent pricing ($19.95 weekday lunch, sashimi included). And note: Tomokazu on West Broadway is permanently closed — drop it from any older list.

For the complete price-ranked breakdown across Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, Surrey and the North Shore — including closed rooms and the à-la-carte traps (Sushi Garden, Sushi California) — see the deep guide:

→ All-You-Can-Eat Sushi Vancouver: Prices Ranked 2026

AYCE Korean BBQ & Japanese Yakiniku

Korean BBQ and Japanese yakiniku are the "cook-your-own-meat" AYCE family. The pricing logic is different from sushi: you are paying for meat quality and the grill experience, and the better cuts live in the higher tiers.

Gyu-Kaku (G3-888 Nelson St, Downtown) is the Japanese-yakiniku benchmark. Its AYCE is structured as three tiers — roughly $40, $50, $60 — and the catch most people miss is that AYCE is lunch-only, Monday to Friday, 11am–5pm, with a 100-minute limit; at dinner the restaurant is à la carte. The tiers buy progressively premium cuts (the higher tiers add wagyu-grade and more seafood). A non-AYCE lunch special runs under $20 if you do not want the all-you-can-eat. (Tiers per recent listing — confirm current menu.)

Shabusen (755 Burrard St, #202, Downtown) is the retro institution that blends AYCE sushi and tabletop yakiniku grill — a Korean-BBQ-style experience with Japanese sushi on the same ticket. It is a group-dining favourite. Pricing varies a lot by source (some quote lunch ~$28 / dinner ~$42; older or promotional listings quote far less), so confirm the current menu before relying on a number. (Estimate — check current menu.) Note Shabusen's former Granville St location is closed (that address now operates as Kyo); the active room is on Burrard St.

Seoul Grill House (Surrey, Guildford) is the long-running budget Korean BBQ AYCE that keeps appearing on "best in Metro Vancouver" lists — listings put dinner around $19.99 weekday / $21.99 weekend, which would make it one of the cheapest true KBBQ AYCE rooms in the region. Confirm the current menu before you go. (Estimate — check current menu.)

A note on the traps: several well-known Korean BBQ names in Metro Vancouver (Insadong in Coquitlam, Kook on East 1st Ave) are à la carte by the cut, not AYCE — you order proteins per plate. Do not show up expecting an all-you-can-eat price. If a Korean BBQ spot does not publish a per-person AYCE figure, assume it is à la carte.

Summary: AYCE in the meat-grilling family runs from budget Korean BBQ (~$20, e.g. Seoul Grill House — confirm) to Japanese yakiniku tiers ($40/$50/$60 at Gyu-Kaku, lunch-only). Shabusen is the sushi-plus-yakiniku hybrid institution. The big gotchas: Gyu-Kaku AYCE is lunch-only weekdays, and many famous Korean BBQ rooms are à la carte, not AYCE.

AYCE Hot Pot

Hot pot is the AYCE type that has exploded in Metro Vancouver, and it has the widest price spread of any category — from ~$22 weekday lunch to ~$59 for premium wagyu. The one rule to internalise: the headline price almost never includes the soup base. Budget around $8–$14 per pot of broth on top of the per-person AYCE.

Happy Lamb Hot Pot (1788 W Broadway, Fairview) is the value pick: lunch AYCE $21.99 (daily 11:30am–4pm) and dinner AYCE $29.99 (after 8pm til last call), both broth not included. Good meat quality and a wide spread of veg, noodles, and balls. The $22 lunch is one of the best straight-up AYCE deals in the city. (Verified.)

Liuyishou Hotpot (1542 Robson St, West End) runs $32.95 per person Monday to Friday (excluding Friday dinner), with 90+ food options including the meat circle and fried items; soup base not included, add $3.99 for all-you-can-drink, and +$2 for Friday nights, weekends and holidays. A reliable, central, big-menu standard. (Verified.)

ChoCho Hot Pot (Burnaby Station Square and Richmond) is the premium, "special-occasion-worthy" room — spotless dining room, robot servers — at roughly $42.99 per person. This is where AYCE hot pot starts to feel like an experience rather than a fill-up. (Estimate — check current menu.)

Dolar Shop (Richmond and Burnaby) sits at the top of the price range with a premium late-night AYCE (roughly 9–11pm) at $55.99 Sunday–Thursday / $58.99 Friday–Saturday, built around wagyu and sashimi. This is the splurge end of hot pot — premium proteins, premium price. (Verified, late-night menu.)

Summary: Hot pot has the widest spread: ~$22 weekday lunch (Happy Lamb) → ~$30 dinner (Happy Lamb) → ~$33 standard (Liuyishou) → ~$43 premium (ChoCho) → ~$56–$59 wagyu late-night (Dolar Shop). Always add the soup base (usually $8–$14) and watch the weekend/late-night surcharges. Happy Lamb's $21.99 lunch is the standout value.

AYCE Shabu-Shabu & Sukiyaki

Shabu-shabu is hot pot's quieter, more refined cousin — thin sliced meat swished through clear or kombu broth, often as an individual pot. The AYCE-versus-set line is blurry here, so confirm before you go.

Shabu Shabu Hot Pot (Richmond) does individual pots with combo options landing around $35 per person; whether that is a true unlimited AYCE or a generous combo set varies, so confirm. Several Richmond rooms (and ChoCho, listed above) straddle hot pot and shabu-shabu — the premium, robot-server experience overlaps both. For most diners, the practical takeaway is: shabu-shabu AYCE lands in the mid-to-upper hot pot price band (~$35–$45), and the broth/quality is the reason. (Estimate — check current menu.)

Summary: Shabu-shabu AYCE in Metro Vancouver mostly sits in the ~$35–$45 band, overlapping premium hot pot. Confirm AYCE vs. set pricing — some "shabu-shabu" listings are generous combo sets, not unlimited.

Is AYCE Worth It? How to Get Your Money's Worth

AYCE is worth it if you order to the format's strengths and avoid its margin traps. The restaurant's whole pricing model assumes you will fill up on the cheap-to-make items. Beat that:

• Go at lunch. Across every type, lunch is the single biggest saving — routinely $10–$25 less than dinner for largely the same experience. Hot pot and sushi lunch deals (Happy Lamb $21.99, Kawawa $19.95) are the best raw value in the city.
• Order the expensive-to-make items, skip the fillers. Sushi: order nigiri and sashimi, not rice-heavy California rolls. Hot pot: load up on the meat and premium seafood, go light on noodles and tofu. KBBQ/yakiniku: prioritise the premium cuts your tier unlocks.
• Account for the hidden costs. Hot pot soup base ($8–$14) is almost never in the headline price. Drinks, premium upgrades, and "all-you-can-drink" add-ons stack fast. Compare the real out-the-door cost, not the menu number.
• Respect the clock and the leftover charge. Most rooms run a 90–120 minute limit and charge for unfinished food. Order in waves — eat a round, then order again — so you neither waste time nor pay a leftover penalty.
• Match the type to the occasion. Budget fill-up with friends → weekday-lunch hot pot or budget sushi. Group dining / experience → Korean BBQ or premium hot pot. Splurge → Dolar Shop wagyu or Kisha Poppo's no-clock sushi.

The honest verdict: AYCE is worth it for variety, group dining, and the premium-item rooms where you would never order that much sashimi or wagyu à la carte. It is not worth it if you are a light eater or only want a couple of specific dishes — à la carte wins there.

Key Takeaway

In 2026, "all you can eat Vancouver" spans roughly $15 to $60 per person depending on type. Sushi: ~$15–$48 (lunch ~$20–$25 is the value play; Richmond is the heartland — see the deep guide). Korean BBQ / yakiniku: ~$20 budget to $40–$60 tiered (Gyu-Kaku is lunch-only; many famous KBBQ rooms are à la carte). Hot pot: ~$22 lunch to ~$59 premium wagyu, almost always excluding soup base (Happy Lamb's $21.99 lunch is the standout). Shabu-shabu: ~$35–$45, overlapping premium hot pot. Across every type, lunch beats dinner, the headline price hides drinks/broth/upgrades, and you get your money's worth by ordering the expensive-to-make items. Start here, then go deep: AYCE sushi, ramen by price, and dim sum by price.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does all-you-can-eat cost in Vancouver in 2026?

It depends on the type. AYCE sushi runs roughly $15–$48 per person (lunch ~$20–$25 is the value play). Korean BBQ and Japanese yakiniku run ~$20 at budget rooms up to $40–$60 for tiered yakiniku like Gyu-Kaku. Hot pot runs ~$22 weekday lunch (Happy Lamb) to ~$33 standard (Liuyishou) up to $56–$59 for premium wagyu late-night (Dolar Shop). All prices are per person, before tax and tip, and hot pot usually excludes the soup base.

What is the cheapest all-you-can-eat in Vancouver?

The cheapest fill-ups are budget AYCE sushi (Happy Sushi ~$14.95, usually without sashimi) and weekday-lunch hot pot (Happy Lamb $21.99, broth extra). Kawawa's $19.95 weekday sushi lunch is the cheapest verified, sashimi-included sushi AYCE. For Korean BBQ, listings put Seoul Grill House around $19.99 — confirm the current menu. Always factor in hidden costs like hot pot broth and drinks.

What types of all-you-can-eat does Vancouver have?

Metro Vancouver has AYCE sushi (the deepest category, densest in Richmond), Korean BBQ and Japanese yakiniku (cook-your-own-meat, e.g. Gyu-Kaku and Shabusen), hot pot (the fastest-growing, from budget Happy Lamb to premium Dolar Shop), and shabu-shabu/sukiyaki (refined hot pot, ~$35–$45). Each is covered with prices in the table above, and sushi, ramen and dim sum have their own dedicated price guides.

Is all-you-can-eat hot pot's price the full cost?

Usually no. The headline hot pot AYCE price almost never includes the soup base — budget roughly $8–$14 per pot of broth on top. Many rooms also add a weekend or late-night surcharge (Liuyishou adds $2 on Friday/weekends/holidays) and charge separately for all-you-can-drink add-ons. Compare the real out-the-door cost, not the menu number.

Is AYCE worth it in Vancouver?

It is worth it if you order to the format: go at lunch (much cheaper), load up on the expensive-to-make items (nigiri/sashimi, premium meats, wagyu), account for hidden costs like hot pot broth, and respect the time limit and leftover charge. It is best for variety, group dining, and premium-item rooms. It is not worth it for light eaters who only want a few specific dishes — à la carte wins there.

Which famous Vancouver "AYCE" spots are actually à la carte?

Several. For Korean BBQ, Insadong (Coquitlam) and Kook (East 1st Ave) are à la carte by the cut, not all-you-can-eat. For sushi, Sushi Garden (Burnaby), Sushi California and Sushi Oyama (Coquitlam) are à la carte. And Gyu-Kaku's all-you-can-eat is lunch-only on weekdays — dinner is à la carte. Always confirm a per-person AYCE figure exists before you go.

References

[1] All-You-Can-Eat Sushi Vancouver: Prices Ranked 2026 (OurFoodFix). Verified sushi AYCE prices for Ninkazu, Kawawa, Nordel, Sushi Bella, Kisha Poppo, Happy Sushi. https://ourfoodfix.com/blog/ayce-sushi-vancouver-prices-ranked-2026

[2] Happy Lamb Hot Pot, 1788 W Broadway, Vancouver. Lunch AYCE $21.99 (11:30am–4pm), dinner AYCE $29.99 (after 8pm), broth not included. https://www.tiktok.com/@celia.eats/video/7442565351772097808

[3] Liuyishou Hotpot, 1542 Robson St, Vancouver. AYCE $32.95 Mon–Fri (excl. Fri dinner), 90+ options, soup base not included, +$3.99 all-you-can-drink, +$2 weekends/holidays. https://www.tiktok.com/@deannawoo/video/7260285874510826758

[4] Dolar Shop, Richmond & Burnaby. Premium late-night AYCE (9–11pm) $55.99 Sun–Thu / $58.99 Fri–Sat, wagyu & sashimi. https://nomsmagazine.com/richmond-burnaby-dolar-shop-ayce-hot-pot/

[5] ChoCho Hot Pot, Burnaby. Premium AYCE hot pot, ~$42.99/person. https://www.chochohotpot.com/chochohotpotburnaby

[6] Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ, 888 Nelson St, Vancouver. AYCE three tiers (~$40/$50/$60), lunch-only Mon–Fri 11am–5pm, 100-min limit. https://www.gyu-kaku.com/vancouver/

[7] Shabusen Yakiniku House, 755 Burrard St, Downtown Vancouver. AYCE sushi + yakiniku grill. https://www.shabusen-yakiniku.com/

[8] Seoul Grill House, Surrey (Guildford). Korean BBQ AYCE, dinner ~$19.99 weekday / ~$21.99 weekend (per listings). https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g183462-d8532735-Reviews-Seoul_Grill_House-Surrey_British_Columbia.html

[9] Active Vancouver, "The Ultimate Guide to All You Can Eat Restaurants in Metro Vancouver." https://activevancouver.ca/the-ultimate-guide-to-all-you-can-eat-restaurants-in-metro-vancouver/

[10] Yelp, "Best Shabu Shabu in Richmond, BC," 2026. Combo/AYCE shabu-shabu listings ~$35. https://www.yelp.ca/search?find_desc=Shabu+Shabu&find_loc=Richmond,+BC