<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-02-25</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001043156</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STAR BUFFET INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>STRZ</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001166432</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SONKIN PAUL D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>153 E. 53RD ST, 55TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>see footnote #1</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001101758</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HUMMINGBIRD VALUE FUND LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>153 E 53RD ST 55TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>see footnote #1</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001243818</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HUMMINGBIRD MICROCAP VALUE FUND LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>153 E. 53RD ST, 55TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>see footnote #1</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001164073</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HUMMINGBIRD MANAGEMENT LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>153 E. 53RD ST.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>55TH FL.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>see footnote #1</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001249876</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HUMMINGBIRD CAPITAL LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>153 E. 53RD ST, 55TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>see footnote #1</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common stock, $.001 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-02-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5276</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.7482</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>151260</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Acquired by The Hummingbird Microcap Value Fund, L.P.This Form 4 is filed jointly by Paul D. Sonkin, The Hummingbird Value Fund, L.P., The Hummingbird Microcap Value Fund, L.P., Hummingbird Capital, LLC, and Hummingbird Management, LLC. See footnote # 1 in the Form 4 filing of January 9, 2004 for details of this group.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Owned directly by The Hummingbird Microcap Value Fund, L.P., and indirectly by Paul D. Sonkin, Hummingbird Capital, LLC, and Hummingbird Management, LLC, each of which disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities owned by The Hummingbird Value Microcap Fund, L.P., except to the extent that each such party has an interest, if any, in The Hummingbird Microcap Value Fund, L.P.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Paul D. Sonkin</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>The Hummingbird Value Fund, LP</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>The Hummingbird Microcap Value Fund, LP</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Hummingbird Management, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Hummingbird Capital, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

