Lunch Special $22 Chicken Satay appetizer and Cashew Nut with Tofu. $6 Thai iced tea with coconut. Tofu was well seasoned and surprisingly more delicious than the chicken satay which was already pretty decent. Really nice flavor profile with plenty of umami, spices, and oil to provide fullness. Thai Iced Tea tastes like the premade stuff I'm familiar with at many restaurants. Good food but not necessarily worth going out of your way to try. read more

Bua Luang - Chicken Satay and Cashew nut with tofu - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

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Normally we really love this place but last night we were planning to eat there and arrived at 8:35. Their hours say that they close at 9 pm. In the past, while there, we've known them to stop taking orders at 8:45. We were ready looking forward to eating there and really disappointed that they didn't seat us. For people looking to eat here, make sure you arrive at least 35 minutes before closing and for the restaurant, you might want to be more clear on your listings what time you actually stop serving. We did however find a really good Thai restaurant alternative that we wouldn't have tried otherwise and they are open until 10 which is nice., We don't normally eat so late but last night we had some unavoidable delays. We wish they had been more flexible and clear on the hours of operation. read more

With such a plethora of excellent Thai options nearby, we never got around to trying Bua Luang until just recently. Walking in on a Friday evening, we were able to snag a table right away without any wait. They have both indoor and outdoor parklet dining options, and both are very nice options to choose from. The interior is very spacious with tables sufficiently spread out so you can have private conversations without feeling like you're intruding upon your neighbors. For our meal, we ordered the following: Fresh Rolls: Wrapped with tofu, shiitake mushroom, rice noodle, romaine, carrot, cucumber and cilantro. And comes with a side of sweet & sour and peanut sauces. We found this one really refreshing and light. And I really enjoyed the delicious sweet & sour sauce that was included (so much so that I used it as a sauce addition on my entrée as well). If you choose to, they are also willing to customize and add shrimps or other proteins of your choice for an additional charge. Pumpkin Curry w/ Chicken: Curry with pumpkin, green pea, bell pepper and sweet basil. My wife is a big fan of pumpkin so she really enjoyed this one. You have your choice of proteins (some with an additional charge) to choose from. My wife opted for the chicken. Pineapple Fried Rice w/ Beef: Fried rice with Pineapple, garlic, green peas, onions, egg, raisin and cashew nut. I'm a big fan of this dish overall and I found Bua Luang's version to be ok. A bit light on the flavor, but overall enjoyable. Overall portion sizes were on the smaller end. Service was excellent and they make sure to check in on you regularly throughout the meal. read more

Bua Luang - Pumpkin Curry w/ Chicken - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

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They should improve their service i ordered a dish to take out arrived home it was the wrong dush . They promised a refund and told me to ckne the next day with my credit card, i cane the manager was not there i brought the dish back. The worker tried to refund abd saud there was a oroblem with the system that in about 10 minutes it will come back and she will refund. so far diidnt get the refund 2 weeks later. i used to be a regular customer i called them they dont really help read more

We've ordered from Bua Luang several times before but they seem to have gone down hill. Tonight, we paid $94 for a meal and received tiny portions that weren't enough for 2 adults and 2 kids who don't eat much. The portions were about 25-40% what you would expect to get and what we'd gotten in the past. There were a few pieces of beef and chicken in small, half-filled containers. We thought maybe there was a packing error and called them to show them how the food had arrived. They weren't open to rectifying the situation and said this is how their portions are. The food also tasted greasy and not as good as it used to. read more

Our first time having lunch here, with a recommendation from a 'friend'. I had the Pra Ram with chicken lunch with crispy fried shrimp rolls with dipping sauce. My lunch buddy had another lunch dish, that looked scrumptious and a lil' spicy. With both were served a mini crisp lettuce with a smidge of corn salad that was served cold, it was a refreshing start the meal. Wanda and the other server checked in on us from time to time. As we caught up with another and totally enjoyed the Thai lunch. We were amongst other diners as we admired the art pieces among us. We'll be back to engage with other items on the menu. Bonus: off street parking, 90 minutes. Also, there's plenty of local shops to browse upon. read more

Bua Luang - Pra Ram with grilled chicken & prawn rolls w/dipping sauce - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

Such a lovely little spot in Albany! Was looking for a nice bite after a beach day and I couldn't have picked better. Outdoor parklette was spacious and comfy, the service was very nice, and the food was delish! They brought my dog a dog bowl of ice water, and we chatted about dogs and how much love (and mischief) they bring to your life I got one of the specials and the chicken melted off the bone into a delectable curry sauce with crispy egg noodles. I also had to get the mango + sticky rice and it did NOT disappoint! Highly recommend this spot, an absolute gem. read more

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The food was good but we thought we were ordering lunch menu and then got a big a La carte bill because we ordered in two parts as a friend came later . It should have been made clear and whrn I asked they did not adjust the bill . If you want people to come back just be fair . There are many Thai places to choose so be kind to your customers ! read more

Very very poor business practices!!!! Thoroughly disgusted. Three adults /a 5 year old and a 10 year old and the bill comes with an automatically 20% tip on top of my $174.00 bill for warm, mediocre at best Thai food!!!!! Tom ka soup = warm All other food = warm Servers are smug and bothered. When I question the automatic 20% tip added the server states it's because of the party of 5! Seriously a 5 and 10 year old??? Nfw I will not have it. I refuse to pay the bill until the server takes the tip off the bill. Here's the deal. They tried to sneak the tip in on the bill. They did not volunteer - stating that the tip was included. Had they just given me the bill wo the tip included, I would've given them 20% for the warm food. Anyways - this place is shady at best. I will not return They are not kid / family friendly. read more

This is review is from a long time coming. If you're looking for authentic Tai food, the Bua Luang is your go to. The staff is always pleasant, courteous and accommodating. I highly recommend this establishment and encourage you to give it a try read more

I've lived in the neighborhood my entire life but never tried Bua Luang! Each time I've passed by it's been jamming so I was excited to try this spot for a girl's night out. The restaurant is simple and modest with indoor and outdoor seating. The interior has natural elements with a calming environment surrounded by Thai decor. The workers are all kind and constantly check in while dishes come out promptly. Whenever I go to a Thai restaurant I order Pad Thai as a basic standard dish. Their Pad Thai with Chicken was everything you look for in Pad Thai--sweet, savory, and slightly nutty. I liked how it also came with tofu! My friend enjoyed her Duck Noodle Soup. For the price, portions were plentiful and a take-out box was needed for both myself and my friend. Bua Luang is a popular destination in Albany for Thai cuisine. Find them off Solano Ave. with street and neighborhood parking. I wouldn't mind coming back to try their other dishes! read more

Bua Luang - Pad Thai with Chicken - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

I am quite passionate about Thai food since much of it is delicious. However, since much of their food is on the spicier side, I tend not to eat a lot of it. Which takes me to the city of Albany where I had the opportunity in trying out "Bua Luang". Located in the heart of downtown Albany directly on Solano Ave and just a couple blocks east of San Pablo Ave, this place has been dishing out delicious South Asian Thai food dating way back to 1990. Which means locals and residents of surrounding areas have eaten here at least one time or another. As far as their menu goes, this place is fairly standard with a wide variety of Thai offerings. This includes noodles, curry dishes, seafood specialties, soups, fried rice, and salads. I came here with my significant other during the evening of Saturday 4/20/2024 at around 8:00pm. Luckily they were open until 9:00pm which gave us ample time to dine-in, order, and enjoy our food. As far as the interior layout, this place has a very classic cozy feel to it with wooden accents and unique Thai-inspired displays throughout. It isn't the biggest place but still enough to accommodate at least 30 customers. They do have a very nice wooden outdoor deck (which I am guessing was built during the pandemic) to enjoy the more comfortable days and evenings. The hours are also quite generous as they are open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30am-2:30pm (for lunch) and 5:00-9:00pm (for dinner) while they are closed for business on Monday. Once seated, we were given two iced water. I knew exactly what I wanted prior to coming here and that was none other than one of their main signature dishes, their "Panang Beef". This dish used thick red 'Panang' curry with tender beef, lime leaves, ground peanuts, bell peppers, sweet basil, and coconut milk while served with broccoli. My lady went with their "Pad See-Ewe" (with chicken) which is pan-fried rice noodles with traditional broccoli, Chinese broccoli, carrots, eggs and bean sauce. We also opted for a side of Jasmine rice and I chose their Thai Iced tea as my beverage of choice. Both of our dishes arrived in roughly 10 minutes and everything was piping hot. As for my beef dish, it has the perfect amount of sweet and spicy with a distinctive and noticeable coconut/curry flavor to it. Even though I am not the biggest fan of spicy food, I could tolerate this. I sampled some of her Pad See-Ewe and this was cooked to perfection as there was a very generous serving of chicken inside. Overall, its safe to say that the food in general was above average and delicious. Not jaw dropping amazing but a smart choice if you're looking for a family-owned Thai restaurant in the East Bay. All in all, "Bua Luang" was the perfect comfort food for our Saturday evening. And if you can't dine-in or even pickup your order, they offer online ordering & delivery through all the major food apps; DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Postmates. As for the restaurant itself, the service that our female waitress provided was excellent as she made sure our waters were filled up and that everything tasted delicious. The atmosphere, ambiance, price, and most importantly, the food was good. My rating for Bua Luang, an above average four stars. read more

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I love the food, service, and ambiance here. The pumpkin curry is my favorite. Pad Thai, drunken noodles, eggplant, chicken satay, everything is good. No complaints. read more

Bua Luang - Ambiance - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

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My husband saw Miang Kham on the menu and said, "We have to eat here. I never see this on restaurant menus because it's not very popular." It was delightfully refreshing and I could've eaten many more! We also ordered Tom Yum & Tod Mun and they were as expected (tasty). Even though we tend to eat at 'weird' hours where we might be the only patrons dining outside, I'm happy this spot was open and the food was definitely fresh. read more

Bua Luang - Meang Kum - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

Best bang for the buck is the lunch combo. Ordered the cashew chicken & tom yum soup. Food is flavorful, fresh & no skimping on the ingredients. The menu is quite extensive & service was attentive. Was a bit skeptical about the green tea since the description had watermelon & rose in it, but surprisingly, it was the right flavor combo without any specific one overpowering it; multiple refills were enjoyed. read more

Bua Luang - Cashew chicken & tom yum soup lunch combo - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

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My friends and I came here on Solano Stroll afternoon and they almost turned us away. We didn't know they were closing early due to Solano Stroll but luckily they let us in! We had a delicious meal of pumpkin curry, shrimp pad thai and tofu satay. I was so great to catch up with old friends. This place is as amazing as we remember. read more

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We ordered lunch for pick-up at BuaLuang. The earliest pick-up time on a Sunday was 12:35pm (they open at noon), but the food was ready about 12 minutes early, which we appreciated. We didn't see parking immediately outside but there was a place for me to pull over while my partner went in to pick up the food. Everything was good, note they package the soup & noodles separately for the Kao Soi, and the most unique dish was the Gaeng Hung Lay! Pad Thai - 4 stars Pad See-Ewe (beef) - 4 stars Kao Soi - 3.5 stars. While good, just a little less going on than the other dishes. The curry is tasty but it's just a plain soft tofu in there. There are crispy noodles to add some texture. Gaeng Hung Lay - 4 stars The cost: $62.47 total including tax & fees. We also got a jasmine rice. read more

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This is the best Thai food in the East Bay. It's a bit pricey, but well worth it. I love the Penang curry with shrimp. The flavor pops and the portions are good. My husband gets their mixed vegetable and we always have spring rolls to start. Service is consistently excellent! This is our go to Thai restaurant! read more

Fairly nice decor and location to take someone out for lunch. I don't recommend driving on Solano Ave. There are too many entitled peds and bicyclists and imbeciles. The duck soup is good. The portions are on the small size though for the money. Too bad they don't serve carne de perro because it might help thin out the heards of dog walkers. read more

With our car in the shop, we needed delivery service. Having seen great reviews for this restaurant and having the all important delivery, we ordered our usual Thai favorites, Curry puffs had no curry sauce and were overfilled with gluey mashed yams. Fried spring rolls tasted stale Pad Thai had almost no tamarind sauce. Tiny bit of egg. Lots of broccoli and carrots, string beans and very large cubes of uncooked tofu. I lived in Thailand and have never seen these vegetables in pad Thai. Garlic eggplant was mostly mixed vegetables - mostly carrots and broccoli. Maybe some market was having a sale on broccoli - it was the main ingredient in all our food. BBQ beef was like shoe leather. Very disappointing, even wi5 our lowered expectations for take out. read more

Best Thai I have ever had. I love their seafood combo and their fried banana with coconut ice cream.

I love this restaurant. It's the place I want to go with for lunch or dinner with family and friends. The food is great, consistent, the staff is great. It's a lovely atmosphere. I have been going for years and will keep going! read more

Parking might be a problem, but I can tell you the food is great. Of course, Pad Thai is always a safe bet at a Thai restaurant. This one did not disappoint. Chicken Satay is also one of those safe bets. The peanut sauce is slightly different from other places, but still good nonetheless. Their barbecue dishes are tasty, though I wasn't sure the sweet and sour sauce was necessary. I recommend swapping the white rice for brown rice as a healthier option. Overall, I'd recommend this if you're looking for Thai food in the Berkeley or Albany area. read more

This is my favorite restaurant!!!!! The food is delicious and the service is wonderful! It is where 2 friends took me for my birthday...lunch and dinner in one day! We always have the Corn Fritters! I always order the Fresh Rolls because they are fun to eat and so yummy! There are many fantastic choices on their menu!!! read more

Came here on a rainy day and it was SO cozy. The Christmas tree was up, there was a warm heater on, and we sat in a corner all bundled up and toasty. The service was great! Our server was very nice and attentive. We didn't wait long for anything despite there being there other tables she was waiting on at the time as well. We got: Chicken satay as an appetizer Hot tea Pineapple fried rice Green curry Pad Thai Mixed vegetables They served a salad to each of us first which was refreshing, but it had that sweet dressing I'm ambivalent about. The hot tea was so fragrant and delicious (unsweetened) - one of my favorite things in Thai cuisine. My only complaint is that the beef in the curry was a little tough, but everything else was great! The portion sizes were PERFECT for sharing. Four of us shared everything family style and we were all stuffed at the end. If it were just me eating a meal, I would have had leftovers for sure. They have outdoor seating ready to go for days with nicer weather. I will absolutely come back! read more

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I have come to love South Asian cuisine, and enjoy the regional distinctions. Thai has become so commonplace, and restaurants proliferate the Bay Area. With that said I look for and expect freshness, great tasting dishes with flair. But like what's happened with Chinese food you tend to see the same things repeated over and over at Thai restaurants. As an example, I am becoming increasingly tired of Pad Thai on menus... I came the Bua Luang Thai with some friends for lunch. They have the typical menu and a special lunch menu. Being particularly fond of Asian eggplant dishes I opted for the eggplant entree with pork. The dish was vibrant in color and looked quite appetizing, with a side of rice. This restaurant seems to avoid the ubiquitous, overly ornate, aluminum covered container of rice for the table, which is fine with me. Although the food was fresh and appropriately cooked it was totally void of flavor. The eggplant and vegetables were cooked just right but that's where it ended. The sweet basil didn't even come through in the taste, and unfortunately it came across as typical Thai food you can get in dozens of other places. Some fresh herbs and spices would do wonders. Service was somewhat on the sluggish side and not very engaging or personable. read more

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I was pleasantly surprised by this place! So far love the Pad Kee Mao, Kao Soi, Thai chicken and rice. Good portion size, nothing is too sweet which is a relief as Americanized food is often too sweet. Fried Banana and Coconut dessert is a nice way to end the meal. The iced ginger tea is also great. Love that they still have an outdoor patio. The service is quick and everyone has been kind and attentive. This has become a regular spot of ours on Solano :) read more

The food, service and ambiance are all great! Wonderful vegan dishes. I've only been for lunch and it's been pretty sparse. I hope they are more crowded other times. read more

Bua Luang Thai has been here for decades. outdoor dining yes. didn't see any inside diners. offerings: on line menu isn't as comprehensive as in house one. lunch combos are an innovative way to try more items. eats: lunch combo: mixed vegetables with tom yum soup. brown rice (16) -salad was the usual lettuce and dressing -tom yum soup had tofu, carrots, cabbage, brocculli, onions, no straw mushrooms, shellfish.... had the usual tom yum taste without the characteristic lemongrass tartness. -mixed vegetables had tofu, carrots, cabbage, green peppers, green beans, brocculli, onions, green peas. tasted fresh. didn't have any specific flavor. -basmatic rice was fresh & crunchy. read more

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Haven't been here for a year or so because prices went up and portion sizes went down. Decided to try it today and the food was very tasty. Very very tasty. Uh oh... I realized too late that there was MSG. I should know better..whenever anything tastes that good it's because there is MSG. I had pounding heart and swollen tongue starting 10 minutes after eating. Still feel like Im plugged into a electrical socket. 2 stars for fresh veggies and good service. read more

Delicious and authentic Thai food. Served indoor outdoor they do have heat lamps it gets cold. It's very authentic food and they have great salads as well as noodles and soups. Sony fryer the spring rolls read more

Bua Luang - Pumpkin Curry - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

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Our favorite Thai restaurant ever. They now served Kao Mun Gai (chicken and rice) Thai style. Tasty and good price. We also had Tamarind Prawn. It's crispy jumbo prawns topped with tamarind sauce and grilled asparagus. Yummm. Best food, service and vibes. Love this place!!! Recommended!!! read more

Bua Luang - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

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We got takeout from BuaLuang last night. I had the massaman curry with prawns and a Thai iced tea. Curry was quite flavorful and not too spicy. Thai iced tea was quite refreshing. Though I don't remember everything we ordered, two had the pumpkin curry and one had the green curry. Also, I might have tried the crab fried rice on a separate occasion a few years ago. I had a difficult time figuring out what to order as the menu is quite extensive! Although I don't live nearby, it's no surprise why it's one of my dad and his gf's go-to restaurants for takeout. Can't yet comment on the service or ambiance but hopefully it's as good as the food. I can't wait to try more dishes next time we order from BuaLuang! read more

Normally, I like this place, but tonight was very disappointing. I ordered two pumpkin curries, one very mild and the other medium, and coconut rice for pick-up. Usually, the to-go curries are sold in a 32 oz container. When I arrived, I noticed the curries were in a much smaller container (16 oz.) I asked the host about the size difference, and she said, "Oh no, it's always this size." I took her word for it and thought maybe I was confusing them with another restaurant, but when I got home, my family confirmed that last week, when we ordered the same curry, it came in a 32 oz container. I was ripped off! We paid for two curries, got one divided in half, and they lied to me about it. Plus, it usually did not taste as good as it usually does. There are too many other Thai restaurants in this area to risk returning to this one. read more

Bua Luang - Paid for Two Curries and got One Order Divided in Half :0( - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

We have been to Bua Luang many times over the years and always found the food delicious and staff very professional and efficient. We'll definitely be back! read more

I have driven by this restaurant so many times without stopping but a few weeks ago stopped after a flight because it was the only restaurant open at 930pm . The food was great! I had pumpkin curry and because it was so delicious have been back four times and the food is always very tasty! Great coconut pad thai, fried dumplings, yellow curry.. it was all great. The restaurant is very busy with To Go orders and delivery drivers and they have a nice gathering in the restaurant as well. The prices are reasonable, the service is very good and the food is excellent! read more

Ended up at Bua Luang by chance because the Ethiopian restaurant up the street was not open. It was a nice surprise. Food was excellent (had the pork panang, extra spicy ) and service was prompt and professional. We ate inside but there is a nice, covered outside eating area if you are looking for that. I would definitely eat here again! read more

I ate here for the first time last week. Even though I have lived in Albany for 30 years, I never tried it before. Looking at the bad reviews didn't help. I met friends and shared many different dishes. All of them were excellent! The shrimp rolls were great. The Pad Thai excellent as was the pumpkin curry. Dessert was sticky rice with mango, and since I told them I loved coconut ice cream they added that too. The place is clean and inviting, the service was impeccable, the staff were very kind. They answered any question we had with grace. I'm definitely going back and bringing my friends. People should think about what they say about a business and quit nitpicking. read more

I came here with family to dine-in, and loved that they had a large outdoor seating area built into the street. The big picnic tables were well-spaced, lit by string lights, and surrounded by several heat lamps--so you'll feel very comfortable. We shared several different dishes: the Pumpkin Curry was a total hit, but the Red Curry was pretty forgettable. Green Papaya salad was super fresh and flavorful. Sadly, they never brought out our Pad Thai, so we had them remove it from the check. Seems like they do a good takeout business as well, with lots of customers arriving to pick up to-go orders. read more

Bua Luang - Outdoor seating area - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

Some of the best Thai food around. Gotten it both to eat at the restaurant and as takeout, both are good options. Staff is lovely and restaurant is clean. Good portions for curries! read more