I have a confession to make to all you Yelpers. I actually stole a big bottle of the sriracha hot sauce from a Busaba Eathai. And for that alone, I guess I have to give the place props. Busaba is a decent quick service thai eatery. Prices are average and the food is consistently good. Good, not wonderfully great, but decent enough to stomach for lunch and be happy. Busaba doesn't take reservations and be forewarned that you eat group style next to a bunch of strangers, so not particularly good for a date (unless you don't like them much). The service is quite frequently crappy, but the calamari make up for it. The Soho chapter of this restaurant always seems to have a big queue outside in the evenings so be prepared to wait anytime after 6pm. read more

Late-night, tasty Thai food in the centre of London. Result. Post-pub kick-out, you'll probably find a long queue outside this Soho restaurant. But don't give up! The canteen-style seating means the line moves quickly, the over-head heating means you'll be comfortable in winter and you get to play with the touch-screen menu while you wait. The food's great (from a statistical survey of 6 meals: the noodles are marginally better than the currys. I've no error bars on that result though) and not too pricey for this 'hood. While you'll likely be sharing a table with strangers, the seating's spaced out enough that you won't have to listen to them chew. Service is speedy, particularly as most people have decided what they want before they've even put a foot in the door. So you might just make that last tube after all... read more

I was walking by towards Soho when my nose and neck yanked me backwards into the restaurant to explore. Cute! 1. Food: delicious! Friends and I had the grilled calamari, pad thai, and chicken dish. Despite being full, we polished everything off. Most delectable calamari I've ever had, and that pad thai was delicious too! Also got the coconut water with lychee juice, and the carrot orange coconut juice. Very interesting combinations and the ingredients worked well together. 2. Service: it was rather busy that night, and the waiters were stretched tightly. 3. Atmosphere: casual, dim, laid back and relaxed. Food around square cafeteria tables. Loud din. read more

My quest to find a very good and decent priced thai restaurant in London it has been proving to be very difficult. Thais that are not thai, chinese restaurant doing thai food, fusion-more-or-less-like-thai-but-believe-me-not. I found almost everything, but not the perfect thai. (Like the one in my hometown where they served food decorated with real flowers...aww) Just to be clear, Busaba Eathai is NOT the perfect thai. But is the thai you can visit almost regularly in the meanwhile your search for the perfect thai continues. The interior is dimly lit but the atmosphere is relaxed and somewhat refined. The menu is not huge but full of interesting dishes. Beverages are very original and well blended. I had a plate of chicken satay (one of my favourites thai foods) and it was well presented and well cooked. The peanut sauce was not so peanuty as I would loved it to be but it was tasty. Then I tried some ginger ostrich and the meat was very tender and very well seasoned with ginger. Also the Pat Tai Jay (wok rice noodles with vegetables) were well presented and tasty (I wasn't to impressed by the oily and spare tofu and the very very light aftertaste of burnt that apparently is so common everywhere except my fav thai in my hometown) We also tried the so famous calamari and they have held well their reputation, they were tasty and tender. At the end the bill was just right. So what can I say more about Busaba? That is really an OK place, if you wanna try it I don't think you will be disappointed. read more

Hands down the best Thai food I have had while abroad. I came here last summer and stumbled over this restaurant. The location is great, the restaurant itself is very inviting and is great for both large groups or an intimate date. I've been here 4 times now and each time I've been delighted with my meal. The pink grapefruit mojitos are absolute heaven and the smoked chicken noodle dish is outstanding! You of course must try the pad Thai as well. I will always be back to this restaurant that's for sure! read more

Tip: sometimes waiting in line is worth it. This is one of those times. And it moves pretty fast given the Benihana style communal seating. They turn tables quickly, so the wait wasn't more than 15 minutes or so. While I normally don't go for the classic pad thai (it reminds me too much of pub food, which I know is a weird statement) we ordered the version with all sorts of vegetables, along with a spicy chili prawn dish. Both were delicious. And while the food came quickly, we didn't feel rushed out the door, either. read more

In short, this place is YUUUUMMMMMMMYYYYY !!!!!! I love the layout. The square tables are fun and are great for peole watching. I love this place and I have to go back for more. In short, be adventures and try out things here, you have never tried any where before. You will be pleasantly suprised. This place has a very sheek look to it. Yet, dates in here can be tricky. It gets really loud inside and conversations can be difficult. So keep that in mind. read more

Superb thai food, excellent service and a lovely shared-table atmosphere. Only downside is the obligatory 10-15 minute queue to get seated. Make sure you order a 'Guava Collins' smoothie, really good as a accompaniment to the spicy dishes. read more

Delicious today for lunch as always. we had the seng chan pad that ( with huge prawns and crabmeat) crab and prawn stirfried rice ( delish,) the awesome calamari with peppercorns, spring rolls and a 3 beers. Service prompt, the place was packed and I quite like the communal tables ( even though no-one talks to you!) £35 for 2, and we were stuffed! Service can be a bit haphazard and the third beer had to be asked for but all in all , great food and a lovely restaurant. read more

I have never been a big fan of Thai food but thought to give this a go. We managed to get seats quite quick sharing a table with a group that were celebrating a birthday (maybe not the best table to put us next)-STRIKE ONE. I then took the chicken noodles, upon placing the order the waitress who was highly rude and very impersonal as she did not explain how spicy the dishes were, it is common knowledge by now that each restaurant has their own version of what they think is spicy - STRIKE TWO. The final straw was when the dish came out it was covered in oil and hardly any chicken can be found, i ate as much as i could, separating the noodles from the oil base floating at the bottom of the dish- STIKE THREE. This is a restaurant that i shall not be visiting any time soon and i do not recommend it to anyone who prefers more substance to their food. read more

I have continued to frequent this thai restaurant at multiple locations because everyone I know says its fantastic, the Yelp reviews are great, and it's incredibly convenient for a quick meal. However, every time I come away disappointed. I'm unsure if I keep ordering the wrong thing or I'm just biased by experiences of thai food in Thailand, but for some reason, it just never really hits the spot. That being said, the service is very quick, there are multiple locations, it's always a decent meal, and it's great for big groups. Additionally, the salt and pepper squid starter is actually quite good! I would recommend (and have recommended) this place to people looking for decent thai food before a show or someone who wants something quick and easy, but if you're looking for top-class thai food, I would move on. read more

The food was average with prices to be expected for the area. If you want authentic Thai food look elsewhere and boy are there plenty of other/better Thai options in London! Service was a little slow but the food came out really fast. read more

Busaba Soho - Loatian beer. Light and sweet. - Thai Near Me - Soho, XGL

Wow. This place has heaps of reviews already so i will keep this short and sweet. It's dead good here! You should go. If you want. Yes to Thai calamari. Yes to Mussaman duck curry. Yes to Jasmine rice. read more

(Let's get the cons out of the way first.) The communal-style dining is done better on Wagama's long benches, where you sit at opposite sides of the table; here, the tables are square, meaning that you and your party perch around one corner, making conversation a bit of a challenge when it's busy, and when it's busy, it gets very, very noisy... (Right; now on to the pros) Don't worry about the noise, though; you'll be too busy enjoying the food to be bothering with conversation. Our party of 4 had 6/7 dishes between us (not including rice), and everything was top notch - nicely presented, with wonderful, fresh flavours bursting out of every bite. A couple of other reviewers have complained that service was slow, but that wasn't our experience. Although we had to wait a while for drinks to arrive, the food was delivered to the table very promptly. Pro tip: Get there early. We *left* at 7.15 and the queue was already 50-odd people long, and considering how many other great eateries there are within spitting distance of Busaba, they must be doing something right if people are prepared to wait in the rain for a table. Can't wait to go back and try some of the other things on the menu. Bonus tip: Try the calamari. Forget the pale, rubbery bits of elastic band that you've had in other restaurants; these guys know how to cook it to perfection. read more

Another visit at Busaba Soho . Chicken livers and Som tam salad are amazing . Staff professional , not disturbing you where you are on your own . read more

Busaba Soho - Thai Near Me - Soho, XGL

Awful to bad, not one person in the kitchen must be Thai. Truly the worst thai food I've ever had. I really feel bad giving this review because the staff was so nice and friendly , but I can't recommend it. The place has a great atmosphere. They asked us how our meal was and we were honest, but I feel bad about it, but it really wasn't good. Hopefully they will understand our review and improve because it's a great place and location. It's been around a long time, so I'm sure it will last. But I hope they go back to what it must've been before or something. I have to update the review a bit, they listened to us, comped pretty much the whole meal, but I still feel bad. I hope the food is normally better, it is the first time we have been here, I will come back to see. read more

I first went to this place when I'd only been in London a couple of months. I met with an old friend and, decided where to eat, he said, 'There's this place I know that is really tasty and not too expensive, especially given its location. Oh, and if the line is big, don't worry - it moves really quickly.' I'd say that was about spot on. The line can be off-putting, but don't worry. I don't think I've ever been (I've now been five or six times) and ever walked straight in. That tells me its popular, and the longest I've ever had to wait is half an hour, and that was queuing round the corner! You can browse the simple but varied menu while you wait, and it is definitely worth the wait. The spring rolls are great to start, and both the Thai green curry and Phad Thai are too good for me to have tried anything else.... yet! Great service, great prices, great atmosphere, great food. Get it? Good. read more

The food here is delicious. Perhaps some of the dishes are £1 or £2 extra than I would normally want to pay for Thai food per dish, but it is not unreasonable, given the quality, the central London location and the lovely restaurant itself. I like the clean, modern, airy feel to the place. I like the big wooden benches and the staff uniforms (they wear long black aprons round their waists). On my last visit I shared a bottle of sake, chicken wrapped in pandan leaf (really succulent and tasty), char-grilled tamarind duck with broccoli and papaya salad. Everything was fresh and delicious and came in good portion sizes. For overall everything, this place is a winner! read more

This review is in comparison to other eclectic, fusion, chef-centric Thai places... This definitely was the best meal I had in London. I knew I was coming to this place before I bought my tickets to london. The location is in one of my favorite parts of London. The décor is beautiful and the food...oh man, the food. A very talented chef put an awesome spin on classics. High quality and superb taste and ingredients a full spectrum menu that provides options for everyone. The energy in this place is a lot of fun as well. We went in a large group but I had the homemade lemonade, chicken wings (sooo unique and amazing), and the Red Lamb Curry...this was the Star of the meal...really unique and rich. There were other dishes that my family tried like the Chiang Mai Noodles which was also great... but I can't remember everything. FOOD: 5 STARS DÉCOR: 5 STARS SERVICE: 3.5 STARS...BUT WHO CARES WHEN THE FOOD IS SO GOOD. LONDON ISN'T EXACTLY KNOWN FOR GREAT SERVICE. read more

We had a great time at Busaba. The food was great. The service was good. We came at the right time, it was a short queue. We had the ginger and peppercorn Thai calamari. It was very good (though, it did not include the tentacles? boooooo). Since every Thai restaurant I have ever been to cooks with different spice levels; I tried to determine from our restaurant server how spicy the food is prepared at Busaba (or what is the best way to convey to them how spicy we want it)...... Example: Spice level 1- 5 or 1- 10 with 10 being the spiciest, etc.... The server really didn't give us a straight answer so we just said 'Thai spicy' the food came out real spicy, the way we like it. The Red Lamb Curry was very good. Kate loved her Pat king Talay dish. The side of Chinese broccoli with garlic and shiitake mushrooms was delish ' !! The brown rice was good. The Singha beers were flowing. We would return to Busaba. read more

Okay, yes I'm still catching up on reviews from May, but I can't leave this place out, this place is absolutely unbelievable! The Thai food is amazing and I'm so happy Steven M. dragged me way too many city blocks to get to this place. The atmosphere is fun and flirty, parties are sat at huge square tables capable of sitting 20 or so so it would be great for large gouts. We were a group of 3 and it was perfectly intimate. The food is absolutely unreal and the grapefruit mojitos are fantastic! I have never cleared my plate so quickly, get the pad thai! I hope I'm in London again soon because I absolutely will be jaded here! read more

Had been to many Thai restaurant back in US. Never had had Thai food this good. Curry Lamb is very tender and delicious read more

Busaba Soho - Curry Lamb and coconut rice - Thai Near Me - Soho, XGL

Busaba is one of my favourite eats in London. I've yet to find a better place with a pad thai to rival and there is a lot of choice in London! I think the portions can be quite generous, depending on what you are eating, and the chicken satay comes with thick chunks of breast meat and nice substantial dipping sauce. There are some things can be a bit hit and miss, like the jungle curry, which the waiter said was 'rustic', which basically meant, lots of fat and gristle on the meat and some things like the ginger beef that are just divine. The Thai green curry could be spicer, but it could just be me and my liking for things hot, and the jasmine smoothie used to be my favourite drink there, but they seems to have altered the recipe a bit and it's more watery. If it's your first time, you can't go wrong with a stir-fried dish as they are all pretty nice, I think I've tried 80% of the menu, so it's a more than informed opinion though the rose-apple one is one you might steer clear of.. it's a bit weird having apple in a stir-fry! I like the solid wood and the windows that open out unto the street and if the Busaba in Soho is crowded.. don't bother queueing, there is one just off Oxford Street near Gap and it's just as nice and a bigger restaurant. I have never had to queue for very long if ever there. read more

My goodness, this has to be one of my new found favourite restaurants in London. Thai food at its absolute best! I went a few nights ago and sampled the green curry and jasmine rice which was the best Thai meal I have ever tasted. The restaurant has a casual vibe and is perfect for grabbing a seat by the window and eating your meal whilst watching the people of Soho pass by. No one will notice if you are on your own as the seating layout makes it easy to do this without feeling isolated in that 'table for one' kind of manner. The best thing about the place (aside from the food of course), is the price. So cheap! They have really got the concept of serving great food at great prices right. You will leave very fulfilled! read more

I heart Busaba! The Soho restaurant is the original Busaba and the best for people watching. The best time to go is for a late lunch during the week or weekend. You'll avoid the (wrap-around-the-block) queue that is a permanent fixture after 7pm. I have been eating here at least once a week since it opened 10 years ago (Dang! how much money must I have spent). I have tried everything on the menu (honest troof). I love initiating Busaba virgins and watching as they become enlightened by the wonders taking place in their mouth. Listed below is a guaranteed palette pleasing fail-safe meal for the uninitiated. Sides (they don't call them starters) - Thai Calamari (People walk out of the restaurant if this isn't on the menu, it's that good) - Goong Tohd (Shrimp in batter - yeah I know that's nothing special but it's the mango dip that comes with it that will blow you away!) Noodles - Pad kwetio (If you're in the mood for noodles and like spice) - Rose apple stir-fry, Pat king talay or Chilli prawn stir-fry (all very easy on the tongue. Eat with Jasmine Rice) Curries - Green chicken curry, Jungle curry (Very spicy!), Muslim beef curry or Southern curry (the lamb in the latter can sometimes be a bit fatty). - The curries are best with Coconut or sticky rice. Drinks (Sorry I'm thorough!) - Homemade lemonade (So good you'll wish all swimming pools were filled with this) - Boylan cherry soda (nostalgic and very nice) Stay away from the following dishes: Prawn and yellow curry stir-fry, Fish cakes and Som tam salad. I don't know why they're still on the menu. They used to do a duck salad that was divine. Please ask your server to bring it back. Maybe if enough people ask for it they'll re-instate it. SIT, ORDER, ENJOY! read more

Granted, I was beginning to be sick with a stomach bug, so in no mood to enjoy food. Having said that, I was still disappointed with this place after hearing so many rave reviews. We ordered a morning glory to share and I ordered a seafood pad thai for myself. The morning glory was amazing -- I loved every bit of it including the freshness and the sauce. I appreciated my pad thai less. It was solid, but not much different from what you'd get elsewhere. Service was solid. We were seated in the far corner, so a bit off the servers' radar at times, but when serving, they were kind and prompt. Ambience was also good. More of a food court/chain feel than had expected, but relatively posh nonetheless. Overall, I might give it another try sometime but for now, three stars. read more

Wait a minute, is this actually some spicy Thai food in London? Oh Shit! It is! I couldn't believe it, bright red thai peppers, nose running, that building burn at the back of my throat and a little bit of fire in my belly as I walked out the door. Busaba is ready to fulfill a craving I just didn't think could possibly fulfilled in London. I got the Tom Yum and the broth was spicy delicious. The whole squid floating in the bowl was shockingly tender and the noodles made it a satisfying start. Next I searched the menu for Thai Garlic (got that craving, you know) and after asking the waitress to confirm, its true, they only use Thai Garlic in one dish and not with pork, no, its Thai Garlic and Cod. That seems weird but, whatever, lets do this. I could barely taste the thai garlic but damn that was some good cod. I ate here at 4pm on a Sunday because I'm a weird-o social isolate with no friends in London. Not a bad place to eat alone at off times, but the hostess for some reason thought it made sense to seat everyone in the place right next to each other and leave a bunch of other tables empty. So the service is very much a "what is easy for us" mentality, but I'm not gonna hate. read more

AMAZING. Good prices, and such delicious food! I ate here a month ago so I don't remember what I ordered, but the experience was unforgettable. Also unforgettable is the male host who got mad at me because I changed my mind about sitting inside, and wanted to sit outside. So cut the indecisiveness so the host doesn't get mad at you, and this place is 100% perfect =) read more

Excellent thai food! One warning: when they say "spicy", they mean it. So, don't throw on your cowboy hat like this American did and assume you can take it-- it's hot. Excellent pricing, great drinks, and what an amazing space! read more

The food was reasonably good but the customer service was definitely subpar. When we arrived they pushed us out of the restaurant into the cold to wait. Then they told us it would be a 5 minute wait. Over the next 30 minutes they let several smaller groups in ahead of us (7 people), rather than saving space for us at one of the tables as parties left (the tables are all shared and seat 11 people). Once inside the tables were crowded and the noise levels were high enough where I couldn't hear conversations from across the table. Several times they took peoples drinks before they were done and without asking (in one case before the food had been served). If you want moderately good Thai food, long waits, crowded conditions, noise and poor service, this place is for you. Otherwise, I'm sure you can find 10 better places within a couple of blocks. read more

Lovely Thai restaurant with a bubbling atmosphere. It gives a very warm feeling especially with the communal tables. The food is always immaculately presented and tastes delicious. I recommend the green curry with chicken - my favourite dish. Can get quite busy in the evenings but it's worth the wait. read more

A tasty way to end an evening. A few of us were looking on Yelp! for somewhere to eat after an evening of wine and Canapes and stumbled across this place. We were told to order quickly as they were closing, so we quickly sat down and scouted the menu. I settled on the Char-grilled chicken spicy cucumber salad and coconut rice and a glass of the finest tap water they had. The speed of service was efficient bordering on rushed, but the food was delish! I'd like to go back again when we have a bit more time to enjoy ourselves! read more

If you love Thai cuisine, you will love love love Busaba. The decor, the incense, the big buddah at the door, the family style seating -- and I haven't even gotten to the food yet! I ordered the Sen Chan Pad Thai -- which comes with crabmeat and mango. It was delicious and perfectly spicy. Best pad thai I have had in a long time and was so surprised to find it in the SoHo of London during my visit there last week. We also shared the Thai Calamari which was awesome! I, of course, took nibbles of my friend's dishes as well and the curry and regular pad thai was excellent. Just really interesting flavor combos, fresh ingredients, and good service too. Overall, delicious food and I actually enjoyed the communal dining, although a bit uncomfortable at first, but it really creates a cool vibe when the food, and most importantly, wine comes out! Also - I think this is a chain or there are multiple locations because I also saw this restaurant at a mall I went to. read more

Local chain restaurant that's 100% yummy. I ordered the tom yum soup and curry - it was delicious and hit the spot after a full day of sight seeing London. It's not completely authentic, not super fast food, but for what the restaurant is trying to be - a trendy, hip scene with thai influence - it's definitely hit its mark. If you're looking for some quick, delicious food, no reservations needed kind of place, this is it. read more

Hands down the best meal of the week. Maybe a Top 5 meal of life. Calimari, best I've ever had. Awesome fried prawns. Pad Thai with shrimp and crabmeat. wow. Giant bottle of Sirrachia at the center of the table. Top it off with a crisp Singha. The line was way too long for a Saturday night so we came back on Sunday and walked right in. The place is dimly lit, and probably plays some cool music, but I couldn't hear it because the conversation level is up there. Simple, delicious, no too pretentious. read more

This is my oriental/fusion lunch spot of choice in Soho. The Thai green curry is to die for (though it has a real kick, so don't be expecting a milky concoction designed for Western tastes). I just discovered how much I love coconut rice, and their version is nice and fluffy. Tastes great as well. I've been here several times, and really enjoyed it. Shared tables a la Wagamama, but spacious with room to breathe. I'd go here with friends, or a very good work contact, but not for a business meeting as it's a little too busy for that. The Wardour Street outlet has an unmanned coat rack and very nice bathrooms. There's dark wood everywhere, which keeps it warm in the Winter - but cool in Summer (they also open up the front windows so try and get a space by the front of the restaurant if it's hot). It does get crazy busy in the evening and weekends, you'll regularly £30 for two for a main, side to share and soft drinks. Well worth it as I'd treat that as my main meal of the day, then have something small at home. It's one of those places you can have something hot but not walk away feeling stuffed. read more

Great service, no ridiculous wait times, the recommendations are spot on. Skip the Mango Lassi though - it tastes like mango juice mixed with yogurt! Go for the house specialty Pad Thai and the fried rice is top notch too. A place in Central London that won't break the bank, and will also fill you up - win-win! read more

Busaba Soho - Ordering so many starters. Loved the fish cakes. Order the rainbow! #colourblast - Thai Near Me - Soho, XGL

Great place - the food was lovely and the place had a wonderful vibe. I had a soft crab rice dish with spring rolls and prawn crackers. My friend had a chicken curry dish, which was also nice. They have a personal Thai beer which goes brilliantly with the dish. read more

Busaba Soho - Thai Near Me - Soho, XGL

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Busaba Eathai is an extremely popular Thai restuarant in Soho, sometimes too popular. If you turn up close to, or on a weekend, you will be waiting a long time in the queue. Once I found myself so far back in the queue that I eventually realised that I was standing in the smokers section of the pub next door - the two groups had merged. Needless to say, I got back into the correct queue. Once you are in the restaurant I would advise you to choose fast and order quick because your waiter will be rushed off his or her feet, and you are not ready to order, you may not see service again for a while. Also bare in mind that this is a very noisy place, and you have to practically shout to hear yourself or your dinner companions. If you are going for safe bets, the green, red or yellow curries are substantial and very tasty. A great side is the crispy squid, which was far larger than I would have expected and could almost have been a main. The chicken parcels which come on banana leaves are also very good. Desserts are kind of left out on this menu, but people don't come here looking for puddings - usually this place is a pit stop en route to Soho watering holes. A little interesting side note - I met a lady in the toilets who used to work here and she said that the food was marginally better in the Russell Street branch. read more

Not sure what all the hype about this place is. The food is decent fusion food, but the service is horrendous! We ordered: Calimari : Good Jungle Curry : Extremely spicy and tasted of burnt curry Spring Rolls : These are little fried egg rolls that you can buy at the market and not the cold rolled spring rolls Lemon Green ice tea : The highlight of the meal We were charged for extra lemonade that we never ordered and never got an apology for that from our server. Also one of the waitresses spilled a drink on this poor guy at the next table. It soiled his nice suit jacket and never once did they apologize to the guy either. read more