What delicious food! The place was packed but we were able to be seated right away. The staff was very helpful when explaining the menu, as this was our second time having Thai. We really enjoyed our meal. read more

Busaba Soho - Delicious :) - Thai Near Me - Soho, XGL

Not too shabby for Thai food! The taste of each dish is fairly consistent, but it's not always piping hot when it comes out unfortunately. It's fairly true to form, however the names are ridiculously confusing. For example, the Prawn Pomelo has neither proper prawn nor pomelo. It's supposed to be a modernised Western form of "mieng kum" which is a favourite of mine, and it's still pretty tasty :) It's one of my top 3 Thai restaurants in London, only because they have crab fried rice, one of my favourite dishes. Some might find it bland, but the way they make it is exactly how it should be. Also I enjoy the fried shrimp, and their version of pad thai that has crab meat and is supposed to be "spicy." read more

This was one of my favorite restaurants in London and some of the best Thai food I have ever eaten. Be prepared to wait though - this trendy restaurant is very popular and there is usually quite a long line out the door for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. The unique wrap-around communal seating arrangement gave the restaurant an interesting vibe, but it was hard to include people seated on the other end of the bench in conversation during dinner. I had an awesome guava bellini with my meal, but it was very expensive for a tiny, tiny glass. The food was well-prepared, but it was also on the pricier side. I really liked that Busaba had many more interesting menu options than the typical Thai noodle and rice dishes, though. Thai restaurants in California tend to have HUGE portions, so the artfully plated normal-sized portions here surprised me a little. I definitely preferred the more manageable portions though - leftover Thai food never tastes quite as good the next day! read more

Great Thai food in the heart of Soho, with quite reasonable prices. All day open either for lunch or dinner. Avoid after 19.00 and weekends as it becomes too busy/with long queues. Excellent for a pre-theatre meal. Great variety of Thai meals and nice combos that can save you even more money! read more

Busaba Soho - Thai Near Me - Soho, XGL

Busaba exercises a common British deceptive, unethical business practice towards their customers in their content of their menus and their training of their servers; waiters and waitresses. As usual from what I have noticed, many, many, many restaurants in England try to purposely fool the customer by writing or verbally saying that an extra item is "included" or "comes with" a dish. Items such as a salad or chips or whatever. But these are infact side dishes at an extra cost, therefore they are not "included" or "comes with" the dish yet it is written as such on the menu or described as such by their server. And then the extra side dish is added on the bill at the end when you didn't expect it but by that time the restaurant is betting on you not complaining because you are English and most Brits don't complain about inaccuracies on the bill nor if the meal was bad. But people from other countries do not stand for this type of arrogant swindling and so a restaurant gets offended when you confront them on this deceptive practice and tell them that they said "included" or "comes with" ALWAYS means it is a free side dish that comes with the meal. So when I asked them why I was being charged for an extra side dish of pork fried rice that clearly said on their menu that it came with the meal they thought I was the one whom was crazy. Well I'm not your typical foolish British push-over which always gets taken advantage of from these typical London restaurants. The décor is nice but it's set up like a cafeteria with park benches on the inside, (the place has no terrace) and the portions are too small for the price they are charging. Thus after forcing them to take it off the bill and leaving with a sour experience, I do not recommend this place to anyone. With such a huge number of places to eat in this city of 10 million people, a restaurant gets ONLY 1 chance to impress a patron and deserves a repeat visit and a good review. So Cooks or so-called "Chefs" management and staff...get it right the 1st time! Bon Appétit - The Phantom Gourmet Ego read more

I love this place...if your in London you must pass by! its not chic and glamourous, the shared tables make for interesting conversations. the food is amazing and the atmosphere is quaint! pop in at Bar Italia for an awesome cappucino near by and you have a night of magic! read more

The food was great. I had soft shell crab and Pad Kwetio. The Pad Kwetio only had 3 pieces of shrimp. This is not substantial. Another person I was with got the same amount of shrimp so it was intentional. The atmosphere is very nice. They have large tables to seat about 9 people so you get seated with other groups. That concept is okay for me but might be awkward for some. read more

What can I say about Busaba Eathai. Well let's start with the do nots. Do not go here if you can't want to wait to be seated Do not go here if you want to sit at your own table Do not go here if you want some time for a quiet conversation But if you do want good, reasonably priced, very consistent Thai food in Soho this is your place The first time I came to London a few years ago I asked several friends where to eat and all of them said Busaba Eathai, and they were right. Every time I come to London, I make time for a meal The food is consistently good, and many of the dishes have a spicy kick to them. I think the spicy green rice and the Mussman duck curry are the best dishes they have, but I have liked all of the dishes I have tried. The atmosphere is also different from what you would expect in most places. The tables are big and different parties are seated together. Although I don't generally talk with other parties it gives you an oddly social feel. It is also busy enough that people generally eat pretty quickly and don't hang around. I don't feel rushed, but I also don't want to hang out like I do in some other places. I wouldn't rank it as the best Thai food I have ever had, but it is high on my list. If you are in London and looking for a good meal, it is worth a stop. read more

FYI I went to the new branch in Old St, which isn't yet on Yelp it seems. Ten years on from my first Busaba experience at the Soho branch this new one felt rather 'meh'. Food was good, i ordered the spicy prawn fried rice, tea and some spring rolls, but nowhere near worth the bill I got for it. The atmosphere and 'ambience' is the same I remember but to me it doesn't justify charging me 13£ for some fried rice and spring rolls that seem defrosted. Better thai joints around and Little Vietnam is around the corner offering better tastes for cheaper! read more

Ooh, I really really really like this place, when I walk inside, the smells remind me of Thailand, and from all the Thai places I have tried in London, this place seems to be the most authentic with regards to the ingredients and flavours.It does seem to use the best ingredients (Fresh peppercorns and good quality meat!). The food is generally consistent (Squid starter is fab!!) so I am always satisfied when I leave. It looses a star cause It's a bit on the pricey side, compared to other Asian eateries and if you have a drink then the bill goes up a fair bit. Good thing is that there are quite a few of them around town now.Recommend! read more

There are enough reviews of this place to keep them around. I just want to hit on two things here. First is service. I'm an American and yes, I may be pampered with overly attentive service and unnecessary amounts of food while dining but service here was outstanding for all the wrong reasons. I was with large party and our service was just slow and and the waitstaff inattentive. We had to hail our waiter several times because our drinks needed attention and the food just came out at different times. But the food was glorious. It was a huge break from the bland tasteless food our party had been subjected to while working out near Windsor. I loved my black pepper ostrich and the consensus around the table seemed to reflect that the food was pretty good. I thought the portions were just right but some at the table thought that the portions could have been bigger. If anything, I would recommend using the bathrooms here. The symbols for the bathroom are UHMAYZING! Just stand there and reflect on the simple beauty and hilarity of it all. I'm a little slow sometimes. I'm not gonna lie it took me longer than normal to figure out which symbol represented the designated area. I'll leave you with a pic. But if you are on that side of town I would recommend this place for a decent plate of food. read more

So solid! The calamari is outstanding and good pad thai. It is popular and noisy, but had to say we enjoyed the seats at the window for a bit more private conversation. The grilled beef by the way was nice and spicy. Service could have been better but all and all--a great place with a happening vibe and solid food. read more

Honestly, if you love Thai food - you should go here. If you don't like Thai food - you should go there as they will change your mind about it (or at least you will dislike a little less!). The service is outstanding - especially given how busy it gets in the evenings. The best time to get there is about 6-6.30pm, as it is not empty already, but it's not yet too full so that you'll be queuing outside. It's best to go there with a few people and order many things - because you would want to try everything once you try at least one dish from there. Their selection of juices with coconut water is amazing - I love mixing up some quirky ingredients! I would strongly recommend this place for seafood lovers - we ordered a melange of seafood, squid and prawns (three dishes) and all three were outstanding and very different in taste! Definitely stay away from rice though - simply, because you would want to keep your belly free for some nicely cooked veggies and proper meat! read more

Think about the drab, flavorless stereotype of British food, and then think about it's exact opposite and you'd get Busaba. This place is awesome - they have a lot of locations, which is usually a red flag for me, but the fact that more areas of the city get to experience its awesomeness is fine with me. I've been to the Soho location and the Leicester Square location. Which one is better? It's a Thai. BOOM. Nailed it. The prices are super reasonable, the wait to get seated usually isn't crazy, and the service is efficient and friendly. If you're an American, don't be lazy and get the pad thai that you always get at every Thai restaurant you've ever visited - go for the chicken butternut squash stir fry and the duck curry. You're welcome. Food: 4/5 Value: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Atmosphere: 4/5 read more

We ate here summer of 2010, while traveling in europe. I'm from LA and LA has best foods of the world. Didn't think that I'd get even better Thai food in London!!! Very nice ambience with great food. The portion isn't that great compare to what we're used to in LA but that's all around Europe. I'd definitely go back here if I come back to London in the future! :) read more

The chic decor is a win, but the food could be a bit better. I found most things to be on the blander side, and maybe that's necessary to cater to a UK palate, but it was a bit of a letdown for this Asian gal. The Chili Prawn Fried Rice (shiitake mushrooms, lime with pickled morning glory) lacked spicy seasonings to balance out the citrus. I also tried some of the curries (forget which ones) and definitely felt they were more cream than anything else. read more

Some of the best Thai in central London I think... or at least some of the best thai in great surroundings. It's open late too. I like to take people here who haven't experienced it before and feel smug. Like I've let them on to one of the worst kept secrets in London! Can't really add to the positive remarks aleady made but I will echo that the long queue and the sometimes less than spacious canteen style eating are the only downsides for me. But their restaurant just off TCR is usually less busy and more spacious though. You need to have the thai calimari. Incredible. read more

I really like Busaba. The cafeteria style, bench seating is not always to my liking, and is very "Wagamama", but it is good enough. The ambience, service, food and drinks are all to a decent standard. If you have eaten with me in a place such as this... you know that I always attack any calamari dish with gusto. It is a good test of a restaurant... is the squid stringy? Tough? Rubbery? Well, at Busaba, they can nail it. Bonus! It is not the most regular of places for me to visit but nonetheless, I'm sure I will return here soon. read more

With a queue that always seems to rival Floridita, and a set up that reads like an upscale Wagamama, I wasn't sure what to expect. Service was fast and friendly, the (s) on the menu that warned me of spice was half-correct...well, it wasn't a scale of chilies, just a heads up, and I asked if it was one of those British incantations of the word spice, or if it actually harbored some kind of chili, it did, but my face wasn't melting. Still, quite nice to get something returned with an (s) that isn't sweet. And they made a calamari that I actually liked, not those generic onion ring-looking things. I left feeling like I was about to explode. In the best way possible. And the queue moves pretty quickly, so don't be turned off by it! read more

I went to a different Busaba a few months ago and was pretty disappointed - the portion was small and seemed overpriced compared to other Thai I've had in London, but I have to admit, my most recent experience changed everything! Having been to Thailand a couple months ago I was craving some khao soy, a curry noodle dish from northern Thailand that's known as "Chiang Mia Noodles" in the Busaba menu. I've never seen in it an American or British Thai restaurant before, so when I came across it I knew I had to try it. Did it disappoint... NO! I actually felt like I was back in Chiang Mai while I was eating. Traditional - check! Tasty - check! I'll probably never order anything different at Busaba again, but that's ok by me. read more

Busaba Eathai Soho is situated right in the centre of Covent Garden and naturally had a long queue outside so it was helpful that we had a reservation. All of the tables were square and could fit 12 diners but they insisted on a strange seating plan because of another reservation which meant that I was on a limb and separate from the rest of my group. It also meant that I was ignored by the waiting staff who weren't interested in my request for a beer. The food was ok but nothing special compared with other venues in London. For the main I had ginger beef which although good, was not much food at all. On the whole, the experience annoyed me so I won't be back. read more

I was really excited to eat here based on all the good reviews, and also because i've seen ridiculous queues outside this restaurant, and also the one in Hoxton. i came, i ate, i left pretty indifferent. i'm no expert on thai food, and it is definitely not my favourite cuisine, so do bare that in mind when reading this review! the atmosphere in here is dark, atmospheric and has a nice buzz to it. obviously if you don't like being social or sitting with other people, you might not enjoy the seating arrangements, but they work well for me. i ordered the coconut prawns and sticky rice (i love coconut. l.o.v.e it!), and my boyfriend the fried chicken and coconut rice (i thought going for coconut rice and coconut prawns was overkill, but i really wanted to, BOO!). i didn't think the portions were huge, but they were certainly acceptable, and kept me filled up all evening, anything extra would have been eaten, and enjoyed, but not necessary! if you do have a big appetite though, i would recommend ordering some sides to share perhaps. the food for me was just okay. i'm glad to have tried it, but i'm also equally glad that i can now take it off my bookmarks! i probably wouldn't venture back here with the plethora of eateries in london that i want to try, but i would probably recommend it if someone was looking for thai food in a central location. also - i didn't think that £30 all in for two stirfries, two rice and two diet cokes that was reasonably priced at all! the waitress who served us towards the end was scottish, HI SCOTTISH HOME BRO, and really friendly and enthusiastic, so i think she is also worth a mention. read more

Really great thai food. Get the sen chan pad thai, which has real crabmeat on it. I've never had such a thing before, and now hope to have crabmeat on all my pad thai, in perpetuity. I also recommend the honey ginger tea. Our starters of chicken satay, prawns, and some other thing I forget are all worth recommending. This place has a very modern, buzzing, bustling atmosphere. You will sit at a table with another group that speaks a foreign language. It will be fun to people watch. read more

Another little gem in the middle of SoHo! Typical of all the other restaurants here, the interior is modern and dimly lit-- something I'm definitely not used to seeing in Thai restaurants. Seating here is odd-- there are bar-like seats by the window, and large, square tables filling the rest of the room. The larger tables are communal seating, which I'm not really into. We settled on the pad kwetio, something I've never seen on menus in the states. It was kind of like pad see-ew and pretty damn good. The portion size was pretty generous too. The bf got the red beef curry, which was also good, but a tad small. Overall, everything was reasonably priced and yummy enough to be worth the pretty pence we spent. read more

The fried chicken, calamari, and red beef curry are absolutely amazing. If they only served these three dishes, I would probably rate Busaba 5 stars. Contrary to what some of the other reviews have stated, I actually thought the service was sub par both times I've dined here. The restaurant is quite busy and it can be hard to flag down a server. However at the end of the day, it's really delicious and I definitely plan on coming back! read more

Nice modern Thai restaurant and we had a very nice waitress. I ordered the orange chicken which wasn't the most "Thai" thing I could have ordered, but it was good and had good flavor and was a good portion. My boyfriend had a more traditional dish and he enjoyed it very much, (I apologize for not remembering what he ordered). We really like the location, it didn't appear to have any outdoor seating, but if you sit by the window they open the front windows on nice days allowing for a nice breeze. Very pleasant and relaxing eating experience. It wasn't the best food I've ever eaten, but it was good and I'd eat here again for the experience. read more

Came here for dinner Friday night after a couple drinks at Marketplace. I enjoyed the meal here. You have to ready for a loud, rowdy dining experience but the food was good. The chili prawns and the Thai calamari were the winners for me. Both unique dishes I haven't really had a Thai restaurants before (I usually stick to the usual green curry, pad thais, etc). The only dish I was disappointed with was the jungle curry - it was watery and the curry tasted like grilled chicken. Four dishes and two rice were more than enough for two people. It's not exactly cheap, but I'd say it was reasonably priced. read more

Really great place, great food in a cosy atmosphere (you get seated around big tables with unknown people). You have to wait outside, in the cold, for a log time though before they get you seats. I had the Mussaman Duck Curry, which is maybe the best curry I've ever had ! Nice deco, toilet doors signs, and shared sink between guys and girls are perfect for eavesdropping on girly chats ;-) Have a nice meal there ! read more

Nice place in Soho, dim lights and cozy. Big tables to cher with other guests,(good or bad? depends if the people sitting next to you have take an shower or not, not in my case:(,) Food is good! actually much better then hakkasan( yes i know Chinese vs Thai, but Busaba is better) So if you want a nice simple dinner, the place is perfect read more

I am a veteran to both Busaba's in town and I believe this one wins hands down to it's sister in Bird Street. The menus are the same and the food is equally good in both restaurants. I think the atmosphere of this restaurant is much more electric than the 'stuffy, business lunch' that can sometimes be present over on Bird Street. This restaurant adopts a no booking policy which means in busy periods, especially on the weekends, your queuing in the street. A brief shudder may of just come over you but fear not. Your not just queuing in any old street, your queuing in one of the busiest of Soho. Your getting dinner and a show! Where else can you que and wait for your hearty meal whilst watching the fashion elite, the resident transvestites and a massive gay movement of London. Turn to your left and you can start salivating and picking your dinner as fellow diners tuck in. The que usually moves quite quickly and once inside you can enjoy the hustle and bustle of a good Soho eatery. The architects, the fashion students, a few media savvies, one or two celebs, there's always a good mix in here and it's by far the best place in town for a good fill and some people watching. read more

Busaba Soho - Thai Near Me - Soho, XGL

I had to review this place because I love to come here for lunch and it really is worth the trip! I always order the coconut rice which always comes in a pot with a lid on it and is delicious. I also order the chicken satay with extra peanut sauce supplied free of charge. You get 2-3 skewers and the chicken has a really nice flavour. I also like this other dish consisting of meat wrapped in leaves. They put hot sauce and fish sauce on the table. It gets very busy especially in the evening but you can usually get a seat during lunch. I try to get a table near the window and in the summer they open up the shutters straight out on to the seat and watch the people go by whilst I enjoy my lunch. Highly recommended! read more

After three months without Thai food, it was becoming hard to ignore my cravings, so my friends and I decided to come here when we found ourselves too tired to forage for food in our flats after travelling all weekend. We arrived around 9 pm, and even though it was Easter Sunday, the place was packed. We waited in the line outside for about 20 minutes before they ushered us in and seated us at a table with two other groups. The service was quick and friendly, and we got our food within another 20 minutes (thought we were so hungry that it seemed like 20 hours). I ordered the chicken noodle dish with Chinese broccoli. It wasn't what I was expecting -- the noodles were very thin and dry -- but it was delicious. My friends' dishes were also amazing, and I think I liked the beef noodle soup dish the most. Make sure you try the iced green tea -- it comes in a packaged bottle, but it goes perfectly with Thai food. I'll definitely be back if I'm hit with another Thai food craving before I leave London. read more

Totally aaaight. Fast & not particular courteous service, some awesome, some bog-standard food. Inexpensive. The job here is turning tables, which they do well. Can be hard to hear over the din (it's a lot of people and all hard, slick, solid surfaces) I wouldn't queue -- long -- but if I was in the hood and the Q was short, well... I'd go. read more

One of the worst meals I've had in London. The duck massaman was tiny, mediocre, pricy and I had to pay extra for white rice as if it's some posh place and not a chain with communal tables. Will neither return nor recommend. read more

Stopped in with a friend for dinner and was seated immediately. Service was spotty at best and shameful at worst. Our server disappeared completely for periods of twenty minutes or more. We were left waiting for water, to make our order, to receive our food, and then to get the check so we could get the hell out. Server seemed flighty, nervous, and way too busy. She brought us an appetizer no one ordered. There should have been more employees there to handle a Saturday dinner crowd. I got the chili beef rice bowl and it was delicious. However, it was so spicy I was in physical pain. I enjoy a mild to medium spice, but this was overwhelming. I was unable to eat more than a few bites and I was nearly in tears. There needs to be a spice rating system on the menu. I took the remainder of my meal home and enjoyed it with a large glass of milk and no stress over whether I'd receive the check in five minutes or five years. 2/5 because the food was good, but the service needs improvement and the menu should warn for extreme spice read more

This is a pretty hoppin place that drew a big crowd the night we were in. Fortunately we got seated just before the line started extending out the door and down the block. While not an authentic kind of food place, it gets the fusion thing right and the prices are great for London. The teas were yummy and the calamari was amazing. It's definitely the thing to order here. You can thank me later. read more

Clean, quick service, and don't be intimated by the long line outside! It moves pretty quickly. Good ambiance... you're seated at a large, squared family style table. Do order the Thai calamari and ginger tea with citrus fruit. read more

2.5 Stars Busaba reminds me a little too much of Wagamama - the food is bland and they like to sqeeze as many people on to a table as humanely possible (and call it 'communal dining). The food is supposed to be Thai, but i would describe it as mixed Asian (meals range from Thai, to Malaysian to fusion). Prices are mid-range for main meals in London (around £6.50-£12.30) food is brought out speedily, so good for a quick lunch-and-go option however don't expect too much in the way of getting any peronsalised service. Simplistic decor doesn't offer much in the way of a intimarte dining experience, most definately better for groups. read more

Still consistently good thai food in Soho. The service, prices and most importantly food are all good. The only critical thing I can think of that may be new is the habit the servers have about asking if you like spicy food. IMO the food is good enough that the kitchen should make it the right way and send it out with correct seasoning and heat level. Ie. Noodles shouldn't be spicy, and a curry should. Let customers do what thais do and add some chopped chili if they want it hotter. If someone goes to a thai restaurant and can't handle a chili in their curry they deserve to get burned. Similarly, if some bumpkin complains that their pad thai or rice doesn't come spicy you should just kick them out of the restaurant. read more

Great athmosfere, if you fancy a teenager or young people style place. I have no complaints about the wait, you can choose several types of Thai food, although I do not love canteen style dining. I have even heard the chain restaurant is from the same owner of wagamama, which would then make perfect sense. I do recommend it for the quality of the food. It is a great experience, and worth at least giving it a go, even if you hate the cons I have cited above. It is a good cost benefit experience after all. read more