What a gem!! I'm so glad I discovered this Thai food place. I've been here twice in the last month and have tried over a dozen dishes. I've loved ever single dish. The food here is super affordable and comes with great vegetarian options. I take my parents here on their vegetarian days. I recommend their Spicy noodle and pad see yew, the pad thai was pretty decent, the eggplant dish and panang curry is delicious. Papaya salad is on point also! Definitely going to be a regular here :) read more

Meh. This was was decent, but definitely not my favorite. I do appreciate the ease of online ordering as many Thai food places have not moved along with the times and still require you to call in if you want to place an order to-go. I ordered the Pad See Ew and was surprised to find they they do not have a simple vegetable option. Because of this I ended up debating between the mock chicken or tofu and decided to go with tofu because I knew I'd like it at least. I will say that they did not skimp on the tofu and provided a ton of it with the dish, but I would have much preferred extra veggies instead. The flavor of the noodles were on par though. As usual, I added a Thai Iced Tea to my order and it was delicious. At first I was thrilled with the size of the to-go cup, but once I began to drink, I realized it was filled to the brim with ice so didn't have much of the actual drink, which was disappointing.....hmmm maybe I should sue for 5 mil ;0 I kid, I kid. It took me a little while to actually find the restaurant. I frequent the CVS in this parking lot, but had never noticed a Thai restaurant so I was really confused when the GPS took me to this location. I didn't realize there are about 4 or 5 business that wrap around the side of the building, kind of behind the gas station to the east of the parking lot. The GPS does not take you there either, it takes you to the front of CVS. I actually only figured it out because a fellow Yelper mentioned it in his review...thank you Yelp Friend! I suppose I'd order from here again, but I think I'll still keep an eye open for other options. read more

FOOD - We tried this place last night for the first time. THIS is my new go-to. Holy heck, the red curry was AMAZING. My husband's yellow curry was the best he ever had. No, seriously folks, no joke: their curry is heaven in a bowl. I was not too proud to lick my bowl clean. My lil one ordered chicken tenders off the kid's menu and it was really good: big, tasty portion, with rice, and steamed broccoli. They even had ketchup for him (a must-have for a 4 year-old). SERVICE - Wow! A+! Pam was the nicest person ever. I asked how the red curry was and before I committed to ordering it, she brought me out a sample to try. Helllooooo, awesome! She brought out a colorful plastic service set for my son to use. He had a blast using a green fork, a blue plate, and an orange cup. At the end she gave us a $5 coupon. Then she brought out a Twix bar for my son. Basically, Pam is an angel sent from heaven disguised as a server at Bua Thai. The guy who works there was super nice, too. RESTAURANT - This place has class, no doubt. One word: cloth napkins. Okay, that's two words. It's ambiance is nice enough for a date night but casual enough to show up in yoga pants (which I did). Parking is plenty. BOTTOM LINE - In the famous words of The Terminator himself, "I'll be back!" read more

Bua Thai - Red curry with chicken and jasmine rice. Amazing!!! - Thai Near Me - Poway, California

I definitely recommend Bua Thai for anyone looking for tasty Thai food. My fiancee and I switch off between ordering yellow chicken curry and chicken pad thai. Both plates are delicious. We have eaten at Bua Thai enough times to know they're consistent with their quality. I also got to meet two of the owners, and they were both really nice which makes me extra content to spend my hard earned dollars here. read more

I came here with my family of 4 and ordered the Pad Thai, Panang Curry, and Pineapple Fried Rice. Each of them were excellent in flavor and filled us up! Our waiter always made sure that our glasses were full and was very attentive. Next time you are craving Thai food, make sure the give this place a visit! read more

Have been here many times tihis me probably the best of all- great customer service great food great atmosphere wonderful dining experience... recommend to all Thai food lovers. Excellent service Bernard read more

Bua Thai - Thai Near Me - Poway, California

Decided to try this place again. The previous time I came was 3 years ago and I THINK there was a change in ownership since? Not sure. Anyways it was okay the first time and is okay this time around. The plating was very pretty. We got the garlic wings, khao soy, and pad see ew. We did enjoy the garlic wings and the khao soy was tasty. We were disappointed in the pad see ew because it was just mush... we usually like the pad see ew to have that char but the noodles were just sad my bf didn't even want to finish eating his plate. Instead he ate the chicken and broccoli and left everything else alone ‍ read more

Bua Thai - Pad See Ew - Thai Near Me - Poway, California

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Sometimes I get food amnesia- that moment where you forget you've tried a place, didn't like it and then return again after a period of time after you've forgotten your last experience to be sub par only to discover the same result. Isn't that the definition of insanity? Trying the same actions and expecting a different result each time? Anyways I literally work next door to this place and having grown up eating Thai food since I was 2 ft tall. I'm what you call a Thai food snob. Now I can give it to a place that they Americanize dishes to the non foodie palette, but this place disappoints me thoroughly. First time I tried the Pad See Ew with chicken lunch special. Comes with a spring roll (crispy and decent) and small salad with a gross peanut dressing on top. The noodles were ok, but overall bland. I add Sriacha sauce to everything so It was "better" drowned in garlic hot sauce. I always judge a place if they have sticky rice or papaya salad. They had both so that was +2. The papaya salad was too sweet for my liking and not spicy enough. I hate it when I order food and when you expect 8/10 spice u get 2. Maybe I'm too white washed and they dialed the spice down b/c of that? Second time I ordered the Panang Curry w/ Chicken. Something to be desired. I think the premade store bought curry sauce tasted better. It was too watered down with only chicken and a couple bell peppers thrown in. Not much veggies in the curry- at first I thought they mistakenly have me soup. I usually like bamboo shoots in my curry and this one didn't have any. As far as service goes the the younger waitress that seems to be the daughter of the boss lady was nice and smiled when I placed my order. The other lady was grumpy and unpleasant. My family has had a family owned restaurant for over 25 years and this type of customer service is not acceptable. I felt like I was burdening her by merely placing my order. If you hate your job so much find something else to do with your life. When I returned after I got my takeout order and noticed I didn't have the soup that was included with the Meal she just mumbled at me in audible about dine in only and gave me a dirty look. Hey news flash your menu doesn't state soup is not served with takeout so don't get smart with me if I inquire. Overall it was a hot meal for under $8 that at least was edible. Will I return? Oh hell no. I'd much rather go to Ipo BBQ next door where the service is always friendly, eats are good and easy on the wallet. read more

Perhaps not the best thai food restaurant but it's one of the decent ones in Poway area. I like that I get Buy One Get One 50% off coupons from the mail therefore makes my meals here more cheaper. I come here for their spicy noodles; their curry is alright but not it is not spicy at all! I've only been to Bua Thai twice. the first time I ordered the spicy noodles, it was really good. But the 2nd time was just alright.. It wasn't as good as the first time I had it. They gave me less noodles and meat for the 2nd time. And it wasn't as spicy. (they never asked for my spicy level) I do prefer Sab-E-lee, but since Bua Thai is so close to my house, i'm not complaining and it satisfy my cravings at times. They do have lunch specials on weekdays. read more

Did take out this time. Ordered it thru yelp. The restaurant called within 5 mins to let me know that they were out of something I ordered. I didn't want to deal with getting refunded or paying more so I asked for all the same price options. The guy who was on the phone with me listed things without hesitation. Got Angel wings Tofu fried rice medium spicy Garlic pork medium spicy. Really love their fried rice. Perfect amount of kick to it. They even stayed open past their closing time so I could pick up my food ! read more

A gem in Poway. Authentic Thai cooking with great service and good price. There is not a single item in the menu that is not good. All delicious. read more

They have changed ownership in the last year-ish. I really liked it before and still really do. They redid the decor inside and its very nice. Service- top notch. Friendly, attentive but not too much so. Helpful with explaining items on the menu. Food -yum. They have the best peanut sauce of anywhere I've ever had. Hands down. Same recipe as before. I ordered angel wings for an appetizer. Very tasty. A stuffed crispy "chicken wing" more the size of a large drumstick. Stuffed with a mixture of glass noodles, mushrooms, etc. So good. Pad Thai was spot on too. Fresh rolls were delish. They do close on Sunday for about an hour or so and reopen ar 4:30. They saw us sitting outside waiting and opened 15 min early. read more

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4.5 stars This is good Thai food! Probably one of the best Tom Kha soups I've had, amazing use of coconut, Great Laab salad, amazing flavors ! Probably one of the better Thai restaurants in San Diego for sure! Tucked away in a strip mall in Poway, definitely easy to pass by and easy to miss ...but the flavors are hard to forget! We've ordered twice here during our mini layover between Encinitas and Austin tx during our move, and got to enjoy some great places in Poway. Everything from the shrimp, chicken, tofu, to the curries - absolutely delicious. Only reason it's not a five is the spice level can vary. First time we got a 6 and it was perfect. Next time we did the same and it felt like I got a 10. Even though I'm indian and love spicy food, I do love the roof of my mouth and def need my tongue intact - for many reasons! So tread carefully bc this stuff can get pretttttty hot Otherwise , great food! read more

Decided to try this place out because of the rave reviews. Ordered the yellow curry lunch special to-go. The egg roll was very good and the dipping sauce hit the spot. The salad is romaine with what tastes like the peanut sauce that typically comes with fresh rolls. TUpon opening the curry, I discovered a black hair in my food. Definitely ruins the appetite and I won't be coming back. My advice to the restaurant: tie hair up and wear hair nets to avoid these types of mishaps - the food could be the best Thai ever tasted but is ruined by one hair. Also good to note that their yellow curry comes with "mock chicken" or "fake chicken". I paid an extra 50 cents for real chicken so make sure you clarify before ordering! read more

Bua Thai - Thai Near Me - Poway, California

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My first time eating at Bua Thai. I ordered delivery through Uber Eats. The ordered arrived in a bag and with sufficient utensils and napkins with the order. I appreciated the clear wrap around the pad see ew and the Tom yum soup as it kept it secured. The Tom yum soup was flavorful but the chicken I added to it (which cost extra) was very dry and the mushrooms in the soup was not fresh. It appeared to be white button mushrooms that were in the soup and white button mushrooms are typically white and do not have brown spots all over even when cooked. The pad see ew was very sweet. It tasted too sweet. I did not see a option in the uber eats app while ordering to adjust sweetness or the spice level, although it was not spicy at all. The beef was dry and the broccoli was not fresh like the mushrooms in the soup. I really wanted to love this place but unfortunately the not so fresh veggies may deter me in the future. read more

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The food is a favorite of our house. When we order food from here it always becomes like half the menu. My roommate and I appreciate how kind the staff always are. They forgot to add my wings to my order and called back to let me know and offered to deliver. They go above and beyond to make it a meaningful experience for their customers. Thank you, for your delicious food, amazing customer service. We will be visiting again soon. read more

Great food and wonderful service. Spicy fried rice and glass noodles plates were fantastic. The Tomkha soup is tasty too!

Sorry Bua Thai. We've been customers occasionally for many years. We came in for lunch today. A "swamped" gentleman behind the counter pointed to a table for us to sit. We weren't even acknowledged for at least 10 minutes and we decided to leave. Your food has always been pretty good, but I think you've now lost a customer after we found Thai Ladle around the corner. Comparable food and at least some acknowledgement. It looked like you only had TWO workers in there and they were both overwhelmed from what we could see. You can do better than this!!! Hire more people... at the very least a host/hostess for the front end!!!! read more

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Bua Thai! They take really good care of you here. Over the years my family and I have become close to the servers and owners because of how often we visit. I'm genuinely surprised they don't get more business!!! Their food is reasonably priced, especially if you get the lunch special. Their Tom Yum soup is soup-er yum-my. And their yellow curry and pad thai is to die for. The servers are also extremely friendly and accommodating. The restaurant has let us host dinners there for graduation parties, and birthdays! There's nothing not to love. read more

Great customer service and quick delivery when ordering delivery. Quality products and fresh veggies. Nice job to the entire team at Bua Thai!!! read more

Ordered a pickup on Yelp. Walked in a could hardly understand the lady. But wow the food was amazing. Probably one of the best Panang curry I've had. It comes with a side of rice so you don't have to order it separately. Perfect medium strength spice and the rice was cooked softly, which is the way I like it. They also saran wrapped my curry container so it didn't spill all over the place transporting it to go. Awesome restaurant! May be my new go-to Thai food lunch :) read more

Bua Thai - Saran wrapped my curry container, great idea! - Thai Near Me - Poway, California

Great for lunch! My husband and I went there for lunch and he had Chicken Pad See Ew which is fried thick rice noodles w/ carrots and broccoli in black bean sauce and I had Pra Ram w/ shrimp which is broccoli, carrots, green beans, baby corn, book choy, cabbage with peanut sauce and came with rice. Both lunch entrees came with soup, salad and egg roll, for $7 each! Service was friendly & fast, and water glasses were always refilled. read more

Great service, easy to find location, and really kind staff. Food is hit or miss. Their pad Thai and spicy Thai rice is my go to. I did try their green curry but I felt like it was sweet rather than savory. I go here when I'm not willing to make the drive to other locations. Over all decent enough. read more

We came here over 3 years ago and it was ok. Today it's not. We came here to try the lunch specials and 50% off appetizer. The lunch specials included a complimentary tom yum soup, side salad and a main which you can choose from a list. The soup was too sour and too sweet at the same time. We couldn't drink it. We ordered the pad thai, again it was too sweet. And also had the pork stir-fry with sweet basil. Not what we expected. It wasn't the minced meat stir fry with sweet basil. Also too sweet. The food was awful, nothing like the Thai food we've had in Thailand. Not even what we've tasted at other Thai restaurants here in San Diego. 1 star for the attentive servers. read more

Foods here are amazing. My favorite are pad Thai with duck, yellow curry and fish cake!!!! So good

Good food, really good service! Portions are healthy, not too small, not too large! The Pad Thai was exactly what I expected out of it. Would recommend and eat here again if asked any day. read more

Yellow curry tasty, reminds me of Indian curry. 4.1. If you are a fan of curry this place is solid. Spicy noodle. 4 stars. Tasty, action packed. Green curry is still my fave read more

Best Thai place in Poway! Their food is always fresh and great! Coconut rice is the best!!!

Nice little place in the corner on Poway Road. We came here after a tiring day of hiking and the food was really delicious. We had Spring roll, Tom Yum Soup, Panang curry and spicy basil. Everything was really good. The prices are pretty reasonable as well. The service was good as well. The ambience is good enough for the price you pay. We will definitely come back. read more

For over a year that I've lived in Poway I've been looking for a great thai place and it has arrived! The restaurant is small but cozy. The service was great and the woman that helped us was very nice and accomodating. The food was great and decently priced. I had the Hot Basil with Beef and the beef was of good quality. The flavor was excellent and they delivered on the spice level that I requested (most places really hold back and it ends up being not spicy enough for me). They were having drink specials for the holiday season, which I thought was an added treat. The glass of wine I had (Riesling) was also good- it was not too sweet and it complemented the spice nicely. I will definately be back. This is one of my favorite thai places so far. read more

Been here about half dozen times and it's hard to find good Thai in sd that's local to me but this place is up there for food taste, quality, price and proximity to my north county hood. It's not best north county Thai place for date night but good for taking care of Thai fix for regular days. If looking for date night Thai in area try Siam Nara in Mira Mesa as option. Costs a bit more but u make the call read more

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This Thai place consistently makes great food. We have been customers for many years. The proprietors run a tight clean ship.

Top-quality Thai food with a pack of great flavors. The papaya salad is the best. Tom yum has full of veggies and spices. We love the mango sticky rice, but it was available. The drunken noodles with Tofu and pad Thai are great. A great neighborhood restaurant with a variety of options. Thank you Bua Thai. read more

This place is great. Decently priced for delicious food. I like the music they have playing in the background. The wait staff is very attentive. I ordered coffer with my Vegetable Delight and I got my own little pot, which was cute and nice to have. Husband got Duck with yellow curry and ate every last bite. I ate all my vegetable delight but it's a much lighter dish (and I didn't eat the rice). We will be back again! read more

Bua Thai - Vegetable delight with chicken. - Thai Near Me - Poway, California

SO good! We had the panang curry and the eggplant basil dish with black bean sauce. Good portion size, and plenty of leftovers. We had the fried bananas, they were more like egg rolls with banana inside. Still pretty good. Great service too, we did takeout and it was ready very fast. read more

PRICE/PORTIONS: Generous Portions that taste authentic, not too pricey at all- even for dinner. LEGIT THAI? Their pad thai has the nice tamarind base so you know it's good! FREE DELIVERY: Didn't know they delivered! You can call them direct and if it is within the area, they will deliver for free with just a $25 minimum. Given their fair pricing, you can get a lot! It takes 45 min or so... WHAT WE'VE HAD: We've had their curries, noodles, fried rice, papaya salad, wings etc... haven't had anything we didn't love! THAI SPICEY SCALE: (1- what spice? thru 10-burns, gimme milk!) The only thing to watch for is the spicy scale can sometimes change based on who is cheffing it up. I like to cry when I eat my thai and a 6/7 seems to be where my threshold is if it's the legit thai spicy scale. I've had times where the 6 was very mild... but overall still bomb. read more

Best hole in the wall Thai place in Poway! Their food taste authentic and the flavor is on point to the best Thai food that I have ever had. Support local and hope they stay open. read more

Delicious food! It's a nice little place that served quality thai food. The flavors are balanced and they kick up the heat for those people who love spicy -HOT food.The staff is very friendly . Attentive and kind . I ordered green tea ice-cream to go, so they added an ice bag to it so it wouldn't melt . Will come back tomorrow. read more

Bua Thai - Thai Near Me - Poway, California

Let me start by saying that I usually LOVE Bua Thai. I have ordered delivery countless times as well as eating at the restaurant. However, my last experience was less than good. I ordered the usual- spicy noodles, papaya salad, chicken wings, and tom yum soup. The spicy noodles were good as usual. I wish it was spicier. (I ordered spice level 8 and it tasted more like a 4 or 5) 8/10 The tom yum soup was a treat for today's cold weather. Yummy mushrooms and broth with a spicy filling broth. 10/10 ALL of the chicken wings that I got were red in the middle. This was disappointing because I usually love their wings. It comes with a nice crunchy exterior. Too bad it wasn't cooked thoroughly :( The deal breaker for me was the papaya salad. Papaya salad is my most favorite food of all time. I love the balance between fishy, spicy, I love the dried shrimps and peanuts. However, this time, I think the cook mixed up peanuts with brown sugar cubes. There were no peanuts and SO MANY brown sugar cube things. It was so unappetizing to bite into a sugary block when you're expecting shrimp. :( Also, there were no dried shrimps. Sigh. I guess I'll just stick to my regular Pattaya Thai At least they have good customer service, the driver was nice. read more

Bua Thai - Look at all the sugar cubes in my papaya salad :( - Thai Near Me - Poway, California

This place it legit - family-owned, good quality, nice people. They are one place that's using good covid-safe procedures. Take-out only; use their website to order. We've tried a variety of dishes and almost everything has been spot on. They get a bit backed up on weekend evenings (it must be a small kitchen), but turn orders around quickly on weeknights. They have occasional on-line coupons. Use their app to place orders; it's a little clunky but it works. read more