These days you have to venture off The Strip to find high-quality buffets at inexpensive prices and one of the better examples of such an offering can be found at the Cannery hotel and casino in the northern part of town.

While their Cannery Row Buffet may not be as upscale in terms of amenities or food offerings as their Strip counterparts, neither are the prices. For $7.99 you can get a terrific lunch spread while non-them night dinner is only going to run you $11.99, less than half what you’d pay at Bellagio for instance.

We visited during their champagne Sunday brunch ($12.99) and were impressed with the wide selection of cuisines. Sure, you’ll find the standard salad bar and carving station, plus the more common ethnic varieties like Mexican and Chinese, but they also offered interesting touches like made to order omelets and a heaping pile of cocktail shrimp and crab legs.

As with most of the newer buffets the serving area is divided into stations, mostly based upon regional varieties. Menu items change daily but during our visit the Italian section had pastas, lasagna, sausages, and pizza; the Chinese section had noodle and rice dishes, egg rolls, orange chicken, and shrimp lo mein; the Mexican section had fajitas, tacos, and more; and the American section had barbecue, breakfast/brunch items, and a carving station. Throw in a huge salad and fruit bar and a truly satisfying dessert station and you’ve got the makings of a really good meal.

The room is bright and airy, done with more of the ‘40s World War II era design that the rest of the hotel is done in. It’s a pleasant room and at 450 seats large enough to accommodate the crowds but not so big as to be intimidating or create long lines at the stations.

The downside to off-Strip places like this is, of course, that they are off the Strip. The Cannery is located just off Interstate 15 at Craig Road, about six miles north of Downtown. If you aren’t going at rush hour you can probably make it from The Strip in 15 minutes but that’s only going to be an option if you have a vehicle at your disposal. A cab is going to be cost prohibitive and although the buffet is good, it isn’t spectacular enough to be worth the additional money you’d spend getting here.

But we at Vegas4Visitors.com still highly recommend you get off The Strip when you can to experience how the rest of Las Vegas lives. If you are in this neighborhood (it’s not too far from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for instance) stop by and treat yourself to a good buffet at a decent price.