Just flew into London and this is the first place we've popped into. We saw a bunch of people waiting outside and naturally thought it was good. Which it was! We aren't Thai fanatics but this was pretty darn tasty. Would come back. read more

Food just so-so and communal seating = not our favorite dining spot in London.

Great food and service. We were the oldest patrons there. It obviously is a young people's hangout. We were looking for good Thai food after two weeks in Sicily. This was it. read more

I just love this place; I went there with work last year for the first time and was blown away by the whole experience. You all sit around communal tables, which is odd at first but it's cool, apart from a few seats which are by the windowless window overlooking the streets of Soho. The food, oh my god, was amazing!!! Every time I have eaten there it has been delicious, the staff are very friendly without being annoying or pushy, they are prompt and very professional. It is all very reasonably priced as when you first go in, I thought I could be paying a lot for a meal here. But I was wrong, you can get a large noodle dish for around £7.50. Dim lighting and neutral colours make this eatery a real gem, definitely a place to take that special someone on a date as well as with a group of mates. The only downside, albeit a minor one, is that they don't take bookings, but on the occasions that I have had to queue, even in a long queue, it's only been 10 minutes max. read more

Expensive Very expensive for what it is. Especially considering there is s better takeway Thai just around the corner in the alleyway next to Cote!! Be prepared to wait half an hour and groups of 5 or more are unlikely to get a table in that time! read more

The food is decent. I had the Pad thai, pretty tasty but could have done with more prawns. Not very accommodating either with wanting to sub out tofu for something else. Not a bad place but not the best I've been to and a little surprised given the overall rating. read more

Over priced. Ordered red mullet curry. The soup was tasty but the fish didn't have have flavor.

Busaba on Wardour St has to be my favourite (so far) restaurant in London. I love the communal eating set up and the way that you can be jumped right past an entire line of people depending on your group size! Friday and Saturday nights there's always a big queue, but I've never waited longer than 10 or 15 minutes. Great service with food arriving quickly after you order, but no pressure to vacate and make room for the next bunch when you are finished. The food is amazing, with my personal favourites being the Goong Thod Prawns, Thai Calamari and fantastic Sen Chan Phad Thai. Two big thumbs up! read more

Great Thai Restaurant in Soho with communal tables and varied menu. Everything seems to have chili in it which is the only downside for those like me with less tolerance for spice. Londoners still seem fascinated by Thai food and it is often busy with a line out the door, but it usually moves pretty quickly. Not the place to linger though, they move you on pretty sharpish so if you're after a leisurely dinner this is not necessarily the place to go. read more

Excellent and tasty Thai food that offers good value for money. The inside has a canteen style seating arrangement. It was really busy when we went and it had a noisy and lively atmosphere. The staff were very friendly and happy to provide recommendations. Be warned, they do not take reservations and on the Friday evening by the time we left there was a queue outside of people waiting for a table. I love Thai food and will definitely be heading back. read more

They have decent green curry and tasty tom yam! The seating is really fun- large tables accomidate about 15 people. The sake is also well worth it. You may have to wait a while for a table, but this restraunt is fun time for a night out with good food and a really excellent setup. This being said, London is the curry capital of the western world, and if you are seeking this enigmatic dish, there are much more affordable options with an authentic feel. I would suggest Tayyabs or Needoo Grill. read more

As far as affordable fancy London restaurants go, this one is definitely one of them! What I love about this city is that you can get the most amazing meals for just £10-£13 per meal, and in a upscale atmosphere, with excellent service, value for money and even presentation! Busaba is one of these places, where you can have so many different experiences such as an amazing, fun night out with a big group of friends, or an intimate dinner on a date without the tension. The atmosphere is dark, relaxed and busy but I love it. Even as you walk in, there are incredible scented smells welcoming you and making you feel like you are in Asia for a moment. There is a coat rack, and plenty of room for everyone to sit and get comfortable at the big tables. There is a real feel of 'social eating' but in a more upscale manner. The food always exceeds my expectations, and I always walk away happy and with a belly full of delicious food. My favorite is the curries with coconut rice, and the natural tropical juices. Highly recommended, take a friend, your mum, or go for your birthday! read more

This is another OK Asian food place in Soho. The food is generally good, but won't blow your mind. The prices are reasonable, and the service ok. All in all, quite average. read more

When they open was in my opinion one of the best fusion restaurants in London, but the last two times i was there, my opinion change a little bit, the porcions are smallers and the quality is not like the beginning, I think they lost a regular client, but i hope they recover, is a beautifull place to be with friends, a little bit too much noisebut i recomend to try. FV read more

There are low slung square community tables throughout the restaurant, so this isn't a place for a private, intimate conversation.This place recognizes exactly how to combine spice with flavor. read more

This place recognizes exactly how to combine spice with flavor. The prawns were very flavorful, the mango had a nice tanginess to it and the crab was wonderfully sweet and buttery. Their food was excellent. I love to go back here. read more

Good food and good place in soho. The food was tasty and the cocktails were good. They have shared tables which is where we were seated and really enjoyed the vibe. The service was prompt and very attentive. Would highly recommend.Line can form on weekend night so be aware. read more

Pretty damn good. We used to use this restaurant as a regular for taking clients and holding staff meetings, development chats and the like. Can't recommend the food enough. Shame our office is not in the area any more. read more

I saw this Resturant on yelp and it had over 200 reviews. It's my last day In London from Florida and I decided to give it a try since I miss my bi-weekly thai I usually get from the thai Resturant by my house. 1. Decor: It's a very hip artsy style Resturant in an expensive part of town. The lighting is perfect and the decor is beautiful. 2. Service: The service was nearly non existent at worst and lacking at best. Our server was in another galaxy and it took him 20 minutes to bring water and wine. There are several servers for the amount of tables so there is no excuse. I had to remind him several times to get out drinks. He was swift in his responded and had no real personality. (Servers in America actually try to be pleasant for good tips.) 3. Food: I ordered thai calamari. I might aswell have ordered sweet caramel toffee calamari because that's what it tasted like. It tasted like a mix between sweet popcorn and toffee. Two things that shouldn't go with calamari. My first main the chilli prawns. They were over salty and it came with way too little prawns, six to be exact and way too much salt. The friendly thai manager apologized for the salty prawns and let me pick something else. I chose the green chicken curry which was sub par and not as good as the cheap thai curry I buy by my house. My Conclusion, This Resturant is over hyped and fancy but the food does not match the decor. The food is nothing special and the service is lacking. read more

Busaba Soho - This is part of the menu - Thai Near Me - Soho, XGL

Had a REALLY BAD case of food poisoning once which lasted 24 hours. Have never returned since....

Second best meal I had on my trip. I recommend the calamari and the green curry. You will not be disappointed. Service is a bit slow. No line / queue if arriving early for dinner. Otherwise expect a long one. read more

love love love love love love everything about this place (and miss it dearly!). next time i'm in london, i'll be happily standing in line to eat here. everything is good (i've tried it all) do not miss the black-pepper calamari. it's out of this world. read more

There's a reason why Busaba Eathai is a hot topic consistently on Yelp! It's because it freakin rocks... and using the power of words and carefully constructed sentences... I shall illustrate why. I shall firstly justify why this establishment isn't a five star review, so that we all end on a high and we can skip around the room naked. Whilst the queue outside can be a long, dull experience for most I actually quite like it. It gives you a chance to peruse the menu and banter with the person you with. However, if that person has had a long day at work and have only eaten a cracker for lunch, the wait can be one of the most painful experiences as you gaze longingly at the delicious food served to the patrons through the glass windows of destiny. So half a point off for this painful part of the process. The second reason that Busaba doesn't deserve the full fury of my five stars is that, once in and seated, you get the distinct impression they (the staff) would like to to eat and get out as quickly as possible please. Whilst I can appreciate why this is the case, sometimes it is nice to savour your food, company and the thrill that comes with sitting in such close proximity with your fellow diners. However, once you've eaten your food, expect the bill to be on your lap quicker than you can say "Eathai". Having said that though, there is also a reason why I visit this cheeky little number on a frequent basis. Not only is the food superb. I've honestly never had any cause for complaint and despite wanting you out, the staff are super friendly and if you need anything it arrives immediately. Once you enter into the dimly lighted dance floor and are seated on a wooden bench, this is where things take a turn for the better. The food ranges from noodle soups to pan-fried deliciousness to a whole host of awesome curries. My personal favourite is the duck massaman curry with Jasmin rice, which will set you back around 10 English doubloons. The other two dishes I can recommend are the the Pad Thai, standard favourite at most Thai eateries, and also the pumpkin curry. Expect to pay around the same amount for these as the duck massaman. The other thing is that Busaba is good value for money. There are few places in Soho I have found where the atmosphere, food, service are all equally matched by the top prices. A meal for two with a bottle of wine will set you back £40.00. If you are in the Soho area Busaba comes highly recommended... Oh and I'm always free if you taking me out for lunch. Sexy. read more

Fantastic Thai. Good service. The Chilli Squid is the best I've had. Never had a real problem with the queues but if you get there before 12.30 for lunch you can usually pick your seat. read more

This place gets pretty packed, and you have to queue in order to get a seat. Large, square tables are shared and communal, which I actually really liked. We ordered: - Mussaman duck curry - what they're known for. Skip it - the duck is just ok and you get very few pieces, and the curry itself is not that good. - Green chicken curry - Amazing. Get it for sure - the smoked chicken is phenomenal and green curry flavors on point. - Thai roti - fun to eat with your hands! - Sen chan pad thai - Really tasty, but not really sure how different it is from their regular pad thai I really enjoyed our meal here, and would recommend any of their locations to anyone who is willing to queue for it. read more

What more to say that a delicious explosion of pleasure in my mouth ... mmmm the food is amazing ,,, the duck .. the masaman curry ...mmmmmmmmmmmm. read more

This place always gets my vote, but on one note the size of the restaurant is smaller than most Busaba's i've eaten at - and i've eaten at a few. The food is TASTY as THAI and the place is always buzzing. read more

There are hallmark dishes that, for me, clearly indicate whether a restaurant is up to the task. Hot and sour soup in Chinese restaurants. Salsa and totopos (chips) in Mexican restaurants. Caesar salad. New York steak. Creamed spinach. In Thai restaurants, it's Pad Thai and Green Chicken Curry. Busaba has enjoyed remarkable success at its Wardour Street location going back to the 90s when I lived in London. I arrived back in London a few days ago and, passing Busaba, noticed that there were, uncharacteristically, some seats available. I was starving. I ordered the green chicken curry and jasmine rice, observing once again that, at £2. 95, the profit margin on jasmine rice is absurd. Oh well. When the dishes were presented, my expectations soared. The curry was flecked with tiny green spots that suggested a complexity and care that this dish deserves. The dish was gorgeous. With great anticipation, I dove right in. What a disappointment. No flavor profile. No depth. None of the promised complexity. A hint of chili, yes, but that was about it. What Busaba offers in its green chicken curry is the stuff of all-you-can-eat buffets around Piccadilly Circus. I cleaned my plate because I was ravenous but not because the dish was savory. In response to the waiter's inquiry whether the dish was satisfactory, I told him my opinion. He offered to exchange the dish for another. But I told him that was not my intention -- I didn't want a free dinner or a substitute. I paid the bill in full. As I left the restaurant, the typical queue had formed outside the restaurant's door. It was all I could do to refrain from cautioning these innocent people not to order a signature Thai dish. Note to Busaba's management: collect about 6-7 green chicken curries from other restaurants and do a blind tasting. (Actually, any and all restaurants with "signature" dishes should do this regularly, regardless of the type of food on offer.) read more

This is one of the best Thai restaurants in London. They have a really good mix of stir fry dishes, soups and curries. I never know what to have when I go there as it all looks so good. My only complaints are that you never know the size of the portions you're going to get, the main dishes are not all the same and being the greedy man I am I like a decent sized meal. Also the table seating is a bit weird if you're in a semi large group as you end up sitting at different corners of a large square table wiht lots of other people. read more

Delicious Thai food with excellent proximity to the theater district. Very communal feel and great service. The spring rolls are worth the visit alone. read more

Ah, Busaba, my lovely - you are such a tease. The only way to recognize this place is the inevitable, long queue outside - the name board outside the restaurant is in a funky font that looks like jam roly-poly slices stacked vertically. The interior has a noisy, ramen bar-style communal seating arrangement - prepare to be seated cheek-to-cheek! I love their Guava Bellini, a champagne cocktail that's absolutely delicious. Their hot sake Kikumasamune is great if you're in a group. The first time I had their Thai Calamari, I was scarfing it down so eagerly, I almost blinded myself with the chopsticks! I've been here many times since, and have tried everything on the menu - the Pad see ew, Muslim beef curry and the Asparagus fried rice are my favourites. The restrooms are giggle-inducing - the male/female signs are just two ambiguous squiggles, so I waited for someone to exit one of the doors. After half a minute, I gingerly peeked into one, and sure enough, it wasn't the girls'. Eww. The sink extends into both restrooms, and lacks a divider near the bottom, so I could see male hands washing up on the other side - one of them went on to stick into the girls' side with an "ooblegooglegoo!". Real mature, boys. I want to give them a 4.5, because the operation is much like an assembly line, so they have no desserts. Head for Princi, right across the road! read more

I was on holiday with family and wanted thai food. We went here because it looked busy. Apparently it was because of the happy hour that attracted the locals two for one. The ambiance atmosphere was so terrible, we can't hear ourselves talking at the same table. The bench style tables are shared so you will be sitting with strangers and can listen to everything! It was super loud inside. The service was terrible and the food was barely edible. A party of 4 people we spent over $70pounds and the food was nothing like thai food. I would not recommend this place to anyone who want real thai food. If you want a nice sit down authentic thai food experience go somewhere else. Thai food is my favorite food. I've traveled to Thailand many times. This restaurant by far is one of the worst thai restaurants I've ever eaten at. I would never eat here again. read more

The service was good and the tables are communal. The food is very good quality and great late night vibes with dim lighting. Vegan friendly! read more

The last time I ate pad Thai, I was in Bangkok. HAHAHA IN YOUR FACE oh no wait it was at Busaba Eathai. Fail. However, it's so good that just a small taste and I might as well be back in Thailand, along the Khao San Road, with 50p fisherman pants being waved in my face, reclining in a bar decorated with puffer fish, sipping on a Chang, contemplating a foot massage. Good times. The Thai calamari has probably never been anywhere near South East Asia even whilst paddling along in the sea as a carefree, innocent squid, but I'll forgive them because it's the tastiest calamari I have eaten in my life, ever. I would lay money on the fact that I am happier whilst chewing that bad boy than it ever was whilst alive and THAT'S WHY I EAT MEAT. Pots of tea stretch to four cups and come with two biscuits. Winner! I love a free biscuit. It makes me feel like I'm at the hairdressers. I know that Busaba is technically a chain, and I'm morally against them in Soho, but they pull it off. I don't want to love them, but I do. And I think the Wardour St branch may be the original, so that soothes my conscience. I can't quite get over them charging £2.50 for a small bottle of Coke. And you have to sit at a table with Other People which grates against every one of my senses as a born-and-bred Londoner. But the ambience is fab and the service usually pretty speedy. Of an evening the queues stretch all the way down Wardour St, but at 1pm you'll walk straight in, making it a great spot for lunch which is slightly special, but since the mains are all under £15, not too special. I've been to Thailand you know. Mmmmmm. read more

I had the Green Chicken Curry. It was a really good choice. I also tried everything my friends ordered and I came to the conclusion that you can't go wrong here. The Ginger Ostrich was great. The prices are really reasonable and the atmosphere is good. I see why people line up outside in December to have dinner here! read more

I went to Busaba for the first time on Friday night, the queue came well out of the door, people lining the side of the building waiting patiently for a table. We were hungry but were prepared to wait, after five minutes a waiter came down the line looking for 2 people so we skipped the queue and were seated on a bench by the window. A bit distracting with the waiting people looking down on us while we were eating but we soon got used to it. It's a busy restaurant, benches and large tables with no booking option, fast service, fast turnaround and cheap for what you get. We had a bottle of delicious Pinot Grigio, chargrilled sword fish and Thai Calamari with ginger and peppercorn. Amazing food, definitely worth queuing and putting up with the unsmiling waitresses. read more

I didn't know what to expect when trying this restaurant since I've been to many good Thai food places in SF. I don't write many reviews but I had to for this one. It's very good Thai food based on what I've tried: Starters: chicken satay, calamari. Dinner: fried chicken lemongrass, ginger beef, vegetables. Every bit was excellent. The line outside was long but the churn wasn't so bad. read more

It was Christmas eve in London and No places were open. We came across Busaba and thought to try it. (LOVE thai food) so expectations are there. The place was nice and cozy, all the tables were shared (not the biggest fan but not bad). The servers didn't seem properly trained but they were all super friendly and nice. The food was good. Definitely above average. I would definitely come back if I were in the area but not sure about going out of my way for it. read more

I am currently on business in London, and have been deprived of Thai food after eating Swiss cuisine for months. It is almost impossible to find an affordable quality Thai restaurant in the French part of Switzerland. I don't remember ever eating at the same restaurant 2 nights in a row. Well I can now say I have done that. I had to, after seeing all the other yummy dishes I wanted to try, and having missed Thai food for so long. Definitely come before 7:30pm. Even during the week the place gets crowded starting soon after 7:15pm. The atmosphere is great, service good, and the prices are reasonable. The spices were perfect, and the tea was INCREDIBLE! You can't pass up the tea. Both flavors are great, but my favorite was the ginger. Would I go back for a 3rd night, yes, but I have to get some Indian food before I leave, as Switzerland is also devoid of good Indian food. read more

I enjoyed the rosebud chicken a lot. It was really tasty and I kind of wasn't expecting it to be. Maybe it's because I am the kind of girl that usually never steps outside the pad thai box. I did at this place and I wasn't disappointed. read more