My husband and I went to their sister restaurant Kao Sarn for years, and once while waiting for the bathroom, I started reading the framed articles on the wall. That's when I first read about Bua Luang. It would be many years before we'd have a chance to go. I really like their food. Their sampler appetizer plate is good and a good deal. My go to is the lava fish. I love the crispy basil, crispy fish and the soft eggplant. The sauce is very good too. And leftovers heat up quite well, when I have them. I avoid the curries because I don't want to have to deal with the shellfish thing. But they have plenty of other dishes. My husband likes the cargo rice (it's a reddish brown variety) and I like the red rice. I love the fact that when I leave, I feel full and satisfied. Also, the staff is totally nice. They welcome us, seat us, and get our order. They are quite attentive. I could see that they were monitoring the room, but not in an intrusive way. It seemed quite organized to me and I appreciated it. I also love the decor. It's cool and modern and sitting in there on a very hot day, seems like just the thing to do. read more

Very delicious fresh ample portions Very clean Very satisfied!!!!! Vegetarian choices Fresh spring rolls great appetizer!!!! read more

yay! I'm currently obsessed with thai food in albany, so this was stop number two. the ambiance was surprising, bua luang is a hole in the wall and was surprisingly big inside and was ADORABLE. it was really cute and clean and fresh. i was in a rush and ended up getting take out, which was ready for me and waiting and still warm. i got the fried rice and pad thai (don't judge me, i know what i like.) the rice was impressive. well cooked, just enough chicken, and the rice was smooth. pad thai was standard. it was not bad at all, but im still wondering if there is better... bua luang was impressive. i'll be back. read more

I am still full and feeling awesome about it. I will admit, I didn't want to eat Thai tonight, but my friend said this place was in walking distance and was tasty. I didn't realize how tasty! Calamari was not too fried, and I liked the Thai sauce served with it. The menu offers a lot of different types of dishes, and I had a hard time deciding. Ultimately, I went with the fish lava, which had a perfect amount of crispiness, sweetness, and spiciness. I also loved the eggplant that came with the dish. My friend's pumpkin curry was also unique and flavorful. Do yourself a favor and get the fried bananas with ice cream. A great way to end an awesome meal. Great service on top of all this awesome food. read more

Here's a link to a UYE event we had here, http://www.yelp.com/biz/uye-yelp-family-dinner-at-bua-luang-thai-restaurant-albany#hrid:Cpc_v_EhP2hy-R2dNB1XpQ read more

When you put raisins in the starter salad, it's over! Service was blah, food was blah..even the Thai Iced Tea was blah and I can drink those any time. Boo! read more

Had a craving for thai and they looked really good with a high satisfaction rating. Fast forward to now. Ordered brown rice and got white rice. Plastic containers were on top of my my food instead of separately in the bag. Those are nitpicking cause small mistakes happen all the time in restaurants. To the food: - chicken satay fantastic, super juicy and well seasoned - the peanut sauce was so oily it was swimming and watery instead of creamy - panang chicken curry was great but a little mild read more

Been going here for decades. It's been great since it opened. They're now a newer generation and it's still great. They were the first to have pumpkin curry. Desserts are gooood! The "brown" rice is excellent. Very flavorful dishes. Lunch menu is particularly good for a varied meal with lots of choices. Pleasant staff. What more can I say? read more

I went for lunch. They were located on lower Solano Ave in Albany, CA. I found free parking on a side street. The lunch menu didn't really appeal to me at the time, so I ordered off the regular menu. I ordered the Mango Salad Thai Hot. Half of the plate was iceberg lettuce wedges and the other half of the plate had shredded mango, large chunks of tomato, 5 shrimp with the tails on, sliced red onion, shredded carrots and red cabbage, and cilantro with a sweet lime dressing. Beautifully presented. This was one of the few Thai places that can make a dish Thai Hot. It was almost too hot for me and I like Thai Hot. The server said to ask for one step less than maximum next time. I had ordered a Thai Iced Tea and really needed it to neutralize the heat of the salad. I will be back after I've eaten at every Asian restaurant on Solano Avenue. read more

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We miss dining in with them. Nevertheless, all dishes we order remain as fresh and delicious as if they just came from the Kitchen. We occasionally request delivery, same quality. Start with a Ginger Salad or the New Apple salad. Last night we started with apple salad and fresh rolls, favorites. We added Panang Beef and Pineapple Fried Rice. We are always pleased and grateful for their continued service to our community. Support them, We do. read more

The only reason this gets 4 stars and not 5 is that I've only been there once. I need to sample a place a few times before I give it the big 5. However, I was super impressed with the cute place, the service, and especially the tasty, tasty food. Even the lunch special salad was crisp and tangy. We had pumpkin curry with chicken and pad see ew, also with chicken. Both were excellent; the pumpkin curry rich but not oily with red curry and coconut milk, tender pumpkin and chicken, served with a black-brown rice molded into the shape of a heart. The pad see ew, my go-to Thai comfort dish, was big, fresh, with perfectly done noodles, savory yet slightly sweet sauce, and crisp Chinese broccoli. We ordered the pumpkin curry medium because I read from someone here that "spicy" was crazy spicy. Our experience was that medium was hardly hot at all and even I could have done spicy. (My friend's a spice fiend; I'm fine with hot but not fiery). I think the food was priced very fairly for the quantities and quality; I can't wait to go back. read more

"We only went here several times because there was a buy one entree, get one free coupon in the Entertainment Guide. The food was OK overall - nothing special. I was impressed they had a pumpkin curry since you don't often see that on menus; however although it was fine I wouldn't get it again. Here are some of my individual dish reviews: BBQ Beef - Cucumber garnish; just beef and sick of it quickly. (C+) Yellow Curry Chicken - Not spicy, too bland, good meat quality. (B+) Cashew "Bua Luang" Chicken - Boyfriend thought it was too syrupy a sauce; I thought it was just right. (A-) Beef with Eggplant and Sweet Basil - Sauce too sweet; iridescent beef (which usually means low quality beef). (B) Why go here when there are so many good Thai restaurants nearby (Ruen Pair for instance)." read more

2.8 Rainy Saturday last--time for Thai! Atmosphere is great....warm, soothing, nice touches. Colors are pacifying---the pad kee mao (pork) was lacking.. noodles were really melting and falling apart. Disappointed. Flavor ok---too wet altogether, which made those poor wide noodles a sludgy mess. Very little noodles, resulting in an imbalanced dish. read more

What I ate: pad Thai, pumpkin curry, basil fried rice, Thai iced tea Visit date: February 14, 2015 First time? Yes. I was craving some Thai food so we decided to try a new-to-us restaurant in the area. We ordered the pad Thai, pumpkin curry, and basil fried rice. I have to say, I wasn't a big fan of any of the dishes (the flavors were not bold enough in the pad Thai or the curry), but I did appreciate the basil flavor really coming through in the fried rice. I've never had basil fried rice before and thought that this was a good first time. We had ordered our food to-go. I'm wondering if eating at the restaurant would change my perceptions on their food. The restaurant is tastefully decorated and the staff is friendly. I did, however, enjoy my Thai iced tea. read more

Bua Luang - Thai iced tea for two. - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

I went here for take out because I was craving pad Thai and their reviews of the dish was pretty decent. Granted, this was for take out, the tofu was just warmed up, and it was bland. NOT crispy deep fried like the pictures. I don't know what happened but this completely ruined my day... See image. I wish I could have the dish remade. Such a waste of $16. read more

Bua Luang - Bland Pad Thai: chicken was dry and the tofu was not deep fried like the other pics posted. Wish I could have it remade... wasted $16. - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

We have eaten twice in Bua Luang to support during COVID-19. The food is wonderful, but since everything is "to go" these days we have noticed that many containers and to go bags are plastic as well as the cutlery, which we do not really need. We would really like to see paper bags or ask customers to bring their own bags as well ask customers whether they need cutlery. (Wooden cutlery or other compostable alternative would really set this restaurant as one of the best Thai places in Albany) read more

A pleasant veganesque lunch at a reasonable price in attractive surroundings, with matter-of-fact service. Great choice for a business lunch or first date where you need to count on solid service and reliable quality as a backdrop to more serious endeavors. The less than favorable reviews seem credible, but it wasn't my experience. I noticed that a lot of them involved takeout. This was my second visit in about three months. After surveying the $16 lunch special, which adds an appetizer for just a couple dollars, I chose instead to have the $13 Pumpkin Curry off the regular menu. Definitely the right choice! It was plenty of food and included both salad and rice. This is the second time I've had the Pumpkin Curry, with tofu as the protein, and it is delicious. Not too heavy on the coconut milk, with perfectly cooked, al dente vegetable garnish, including decoratively-cut carrots and zucchini, red and green bell pepper, fresh bamboo shoots, and some tender-crisp green beans. The kabocha itself was perfectly cooked: firm enough to hold together, soft enough for the full sweetness to bloom, and comfortingly warm in the mouth. Spice level was aimed dead center at the East Bay palate, laughably mild by Thailand standards, perhaps, but definitely would have been decreed "hot" by my nieces and nephews. I would call that success; although not as I would have seasoned it myself, it was definitely not bland. I'd say the level was half a red thai-bird chili per bowl. Given the widely variable American palate, I can empathize with any restaurant that is trying to titrate spice levels for a mainstream audience. The complimentary side salad was bigger than you get in a Japanese restaurant, but similar: iceberg lettuce with attractively long, thin threads of carrot and red cabbage, the unusual touch of a few raisins, in a mayonnaisey dressing. Hmmmm. Might be some egg in there. The sauce on their well-regarded Pumpkin Curry was wonderful! It tasted as if some of the pumpkin had being pureed into it, with flavors of coconut cream, thai basil, galangal, and umami from fish sauce or perhaps shrimp paste. So it's veganesque, not pure vegan, but close enough for those without religious or ethical dietary choices. Service was just how I like it for a solo lunch: dignified and prompt without fawning or pressure. I was offered brown rice (surcharge), and I felt this was more in the spirit of health than upsell. I had hot tea, and it was a quality orange pekoe which they refilled a couple of times. Reflecting on all the times I've had Thai iced tea using the same pekoe base, I realize that this hot, simple tea is actually a more appropriate beverage for the cuisine unless you order Thailand spice levels for your meal. I don't understand why they don't have more business in the daytime. On both visits it was three-quarters empty. Perhaps this is a function of the relative absence of business lunch dates in the area. On the Peninsula, it would be packed. My overall evaluation is that this Thai place takes more care in preparation, presentation and service than most. It uses a wider variety of fresh ingredients, and has elegant knife work, cleaner and more attractive surroundings, and competent, unobtrusive service. The bathroom -- for me, a telltale mark of the overall commitment of an establishment -- was large, clean and well kept. I would definitely return, and next time I'll request hotter spice levels. I couldn't find a single thing wrong with the meal, and in fact I think they're doing everything right for their local audience. My personal taste may be for more adventure, more surprise, more delight, but this restaurant delivers a conservative but solid experience for the East Bay mainstream. Great for a business lunch or first date where you want quality without surprises. read more

Bua Luang Thai is exceptional. With so many Thai restaurants nearby, many of them good, Bua Luang stands out from the crowd. The unassuming demeanor of the staff and the cozy and inviting dining room make me feel very much at ease and pleasantly appetized every time I come. My personal favorite dish is Scallops with Ginger. Sometimes I get brown rice. Other times I will go all out and order coconut rice. I also love the hot ginger tea. I have come here for years and will continue to return. The food is just that good and the staff is so very nice. read more

We ordered the pad see ew and pad kee mao. The pad see ew was with tofu but it tasted bland in comparison to other Thai restaurants. I realize that tofu might not be the most exciting protein, which is fine but it generally absorbs whatever seasoning you use. If I'm being honest the dish tasted more like old leftovers. read more

Yum! Came here when Da Nang Krungthep (which is around the corner) was not open at the time they said they'd be. I ordered they're Tom Yum Noodle Soup with chicken, my buddy got the Pad See Maow. Both were screamin'! To add, the service and ambiance were great; staff were friendly and food came out within 5-10 minutes. I will certainly be back. To add: they get their tofu from the local "hodo soy". Anyone familiar with the food world knows hodo soy has some of the best tofu - US grown, non - GMO, organic, needless to say, good stuff and thumbs up for them! read more

Bua Luang - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

Authentic Thai food!! I fall in love with their appetizer, Meang Kum. It's a must!! We also ordered Basil Fried Rice...omg, it is so good! I'll definitely come back to try more... read more

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My sister and I took my mom to get her hair done @ Albany Hair Salon and afterwards, we came here for lunch. The place is super cozy - it was warm and toasty inside and the décor is Thai, holiday and semi artistic. I liked it. The 4 of us came for lunch around 2:00 ... and despite a good handful of patrons (6-7 other tables), there was only 1 person working the front -serving food, taking orders, cleaning etc. This made the service a bit slow (which is fine) but she seemed disinterested ... just going through the motions ... which I felt quite contrasting to the warm, snug interior in the midst of all the rain and bustle outside. We ordered - curry puffs ... which I thought were described a lot better than they tasted. sample appetizer plate - which I wouldn't bother with next time since it was all a bunch of deep fried stuff that I'd normally not order al la carte. tom kha kai which was pretty good ... though it had tomatoes it - which I've never seen before. Pumpkin curry - this was better as leftovers BBQ Pork - tasty and tender - but I would have liked it a bit drier ... the BBQ sauce was still oozing off ... read more

These folks have take out down! Amazing food and way more veggies in every dish we ordered than any other Thai place we have tried in the El Cerrito Area! Food was delicious and even better the next day. read more

Moo Yang (grilled pork) and sticky rice is a dish that you can get often on the streets of Bangkok but isn't common on more Thai menus in the US. Luckily for San Fran, you can get this dish at Bua Luang. It's grilled pork shoulder that's marinated in tamarind, soy sauce, and fish sauce so you get the sweet and salty combination. It goes perfectly with sticky rice. For a more authentic experience, pass on utensils since sticky rice is eaten with your hands rather than a spoon and fork in Thailand. The interior is traditionally decorated without being tacky and the servers are all Thai as well. Even though Thai Town is in LA, you can still get a fully authentic Thai experience at Bua Luang. read more

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

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Pros: friendly service Thai decor Cons: food was very salty read more

Visited on a Thursday night after not going to another Thai place on Solano, they weren't busy. I was hungry though and it seemed like being seated in the corner, they didn't pay us much attention. -1 star For some reason I keep on imagining that this place used to be a florist. It was nicely decorated and quite comfortable. The Corn Fritters were ok, but I ate a lot of them because I was starving. For $7 you get 10 pieces which was more than what I thought they'd give, +1 star. Ordered the Tom Yum soup and I asked them to make it not too spicy, and it came exactly the way I wanted. It came with 8 shrimp, which to my Asian heritage, was a good deal. They were good too. The "Running Squid" was pretty awesome despite it being a little on the expensive side, and by the time I got to my Crab Fried Rice, I was too full. I didn't like the fact that they used these frozen green peas in the fried rice, not impressed by it because the bill came to almost $60 for 2. I'd definitely come back and try the other items on the menu though... read more

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My go-to Thai place especially for outdoor dining right now! They have heat lamps which is really nice in the cold. Staff is attentive and friendly. I've been coming here for years and have never been disappointed. Mango Sticky Rice is my favorite thing ever!! read more

Bua Luang - Sweet Sticky Rice and Mango - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

First timer to this restaurant and loved the Asparagus/jumbo prawns, Spring rolls, hot and sour soup and wholesome brown rice. Will definitely return because the food is delectable, and the place is nicely situated near the Albany Landmark movie theater. read more

Bua luang has now became my favorite Thai restaurant!!! Their pad Thai is the best!! It has the perfect amount of goodies in it from the tofu, prawns, a little bit of egg Green onion and peanuts ! My mouth is watering!! The curry, both green and yellow are excellent. I also tried the pad prik, which is chicken and a veggie stir fry, the flavor is addicting. It's located in quiet little Albany nestled in between other shops, great place for a casual meal or a date. Oh and how could I forget the salads are off the hook! I love Thai food and how guilt free it can be without making sacrifices on flavor read more

This is my favorite spot in Albany. Must stop by and try Meang Kum, Thai tradition dish. Hospitality is at best read more

Bua Luang - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

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We love Bua Luang and have been coming here for years for their pumpkin curry, pad thai, pad kee mao, etc. It's our go-to Solano restaurant for Thai food. read more

I don't like leaving these bad reviews, but this was truly one of the worst delivery meals I've ever had. Maybe it tastes better in-house, but I spent over $100 trying to impress a guest from out of town and ordering something like 5 or 6 different dishes. All were so bad and I'm left with the memory of this very weird gelatinous sauce meant to be poured over one of the veggie dishes... horrible. :( read more

Cutting corners. Took my salmon out. Being cheap. I got the pumpkin curry with salmon. Watery sauce and not jasmine rice. It tasted like microwave rice. I barley ate my food and when I got back home I noticed I had more pumpkin then salmon. What happen ‍. Did you take my salmon out and leave me a tiny piece...SHAME ON YOU. I paid $30 for this shit. I really want my money back... read more

I live in the neighborhood and have gone to Buy Luang for years. I have been a huge fan! That said, I have noticed some inconsistencies in the quality of the food there. I went with some friends a couple of weeks ago and ordered a lot of food. All of it was delicious! That said, the last few times I have ordered food to go, it has been a far cry from what I had in the restaurant. The quality of the dishes were COMPLETELY different from what I had while dining in at the restaurant. I ordered a dish that had shrimp, and there was a meager, thin slice of shrimp only. I had to really look to find the shrimp. Pad See Ew in the restaurant was loaded with fresh noodles and lots of sauce and broccoli. My last to go order, again, was meager on the noodles and sauce and instead of broccoli there was some carrots, cabbage and mushrooms. I now feel I should only eat at the restaurant. I have no idea why these inconsistencies are happening, only that it makes me reluctant to order to go. A loss for me. read more

I really enjoyed having lunch at this spot. Initially when I saw the sign in the window that said best Thai food in town I figured well I will give them a try. I was not disappointed in any way at all. I had the Tom Kha with chicken, and the Pra Ram with beef. The Tom Kha was very good. The Pra Ram was one of the best dishes I have had in a long long time. The peanut sauce that came with the dish was one of the best peanut sauces I have ever had. I will definitely be going back to the spot, and bringing friends. read more

Bua Luang - Thai Near Me - Albany, California

Love this place! I've been eating there for the last five years and they are consistently good. Their pumpkin curry and Khao soi gai are my favorites but everything is fresh and delicious! read more

Love the food. Great sauces, always fresh, always good quality. We pick Bua Luange over many other local Thai restaurants because of the many vegetarian choices and because of the fried sweet potatoes appetizer my kids love - please owners, add these fried sweet potatoes to your website online menu! I can't order these without calling and that always delays when we can get our food. read more

Good Food n Polite Service !!! I'd go back here. It's been a while - but my ' one brief visit ' was a positive experience ' !!! Live closeby - s..o. o must remember to ' pop in again ' .... Too bad most in this area close @ 9 - 9.30. As an S.F. transplant ....find dat a bit dull, but then again ; atleast we got " Durant Street " Food Court by the Campus w/Late Night Thai .... Cheers ... read more

Duck curry is delicious! Very friendly and everything was ready quickly and was well done! Coconut rice, Panang beef, and bbq pork were all amazing. We will definitely be going back. read more

I had curry chicken with jumbo shrimp and fried bananas as a dessert. Everything was good. Service and atmosphere was also pleasant and inviting. The server was pleasant and fast read more

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