To be honest, based on the exterior building, I never would have tried or even noticed Thai Cafe. I heard that it used to be a Dairy Queen, but today there is worn signage and it sits a bit below street level so it's easy to pass by. But co-workers were going so I joined. I was quickly greeted by a friendly hostess and directed to a seat near the buffet. The restaurant was simple in decor, very homey and sparkling clean inside. I had the buffet after going to wash my hands. I wish they would direct everyone to do the same, but the buffet itself was kept spic and span with frequent food refills. I don't eat much Thai food but found the basil chicken, pad Thai, green beans, veggies, mushrooms and fried chicken to be spicy and delish. They will close soon as owner is retiring so check them out before it's too late. read more

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Where do I begin? Everything is amazing including the service. This is the first Thai Buffet I've ever eaten at and I was a little worried but trust me. It's outstanding. Just remember this. If the item is on a pink colored card it's spicy. $15 is a steal. I can't believe this place will be closing in the future. Just a shame. I will come back often. read more

We went for the lunch buffet and I thought the veggies, spring rolls and noodles were so good. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star was because I thought all the meat was a bit dry and the curry was a bit watery and tasted a bit weird to me. The service was great. Even though there was a lot of people we didn't have to wait long and the food still tasted fresh. It was a bit crowded inside because the tables are close and the buffet area is smaller but it still looked clean. read more

Thai Cafe - Plate from lunch buffet - Thai Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

A Thai restaurant with a Thai lunch buffet?! Sign me up! Monday - Friday is $15.99 and Saturday buffet is $19.99. I did not realize they charge more for Saturday because all of the videos I saw on social media said otherwise. Oh well. The buffet is small but has great options. Fried eggrolls, tofu, and wings are served alongside a variety of sauces and chilies. There is also tom kha soup, eggplant, mushrooms, beef larb, pad thai, yellow curry, fried rice, garlic shrimp, and others! Dessert consists of ice cream, fresh fruit, and two hot desserts. One taro and the other is kabocha squash. I definitely recommend having both because they were so good. Interior of the restaurant is a little outdated but the buffet is clean. It would be best to bring cash because they do charge a credit card processing fee (there was a sign at the checkout counter). read more

The food is always fresh and delicious at Thai Cafe. The servers/owners are super sweet and efficient at what they do and one of the servers knows I always order a small Thai tea when I come i . Lucky me! If you're going for the buffet, be sure to read the rules before you get started! read more

Thai Cafe - Buffet etiquette - Thai Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

We had 10 staying at a vaca Airbnb for 5 days over Thanksgiving and decided to try this place on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving - very glad we did!! We called in the order for pickup and they repeated it to make sure they got it right. They gave us a pickup time of 45 minutes which was very reasonable given the size of the order. We arrived 45 minutes later and they were packaging up the last items. The staff was very friendly. We asked if we could have some soy sauce, sweet and sour, plenty of utensils and napkins and they showed us a bag and there was already plenty of each inside! Big points for that as too many places somehow forget that. The following is what we ordered: Shrimp Pad Lo Mein (#47) Shrimp Lemongrass Soup (#10) Shrimp Pad Kee Map (#46) Spring rolls x3 (#5) (5 in an order) Cashew chicken (#23), egg over hard Chicken fried rice (#33) Yellow curry # 19 Green curry # 17 Shrimp fried rice # 33 Pork Fried Rice #33 pork and shrimp Pad Kee Map #46 When we got home everything was there (more big points because too many places mess up large orders). Every container was clearly labeled so it was easy getting everyone their correct order (still more big points because few places label the items)! The quantity of each item was very generous - I mean, nobody in our group finished their entree - lots of leftovers! Now, often when a restaurant gives large portions, it is to make up for the lack quality and flavor - not here! The flavors were very, very good. A number of dishes that were supposed to have a 'kick' to them most definitely did! My wife was glad she asked for 'easy' hot peppers and jalapeños because it was just right for her. The 'as it comes' Spiciness of man was perfect for me. Everyone truly enjoyed their meal, which is not often the case when 10 folks order from an unknown restaurant. We would absolutely return if we are in the area again! Great job by the staff and cooks!! read more

Did a mobile pickup order and the food was made fast and it was delicious. The chicken fried rice was a solid 4/5 for me. The reason for the 3 stars is for the desert I ordered. I ordered the Sweet sticky rice which in the description says comes with fresh sliced mangos. Well they forgot the mangos which was a bummer. I tried calling them twice and they didn't answer. read more

Thai Cafe - Chicken Fried Rice and Sweet Sticky Rice (missing the Fresh sliced mangos) - Thai Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I just heard this restaurant is closing, and I am saddened because it was one of the first Thai restaurants in SA. I came back to town after a 21-year military career and had experienced Thai food at a few different places in that time frame. Thailand was one, and Fayetteville NC, Near Ft. Bragg was the other. I looked up Thai restaurants and I think there were three at the time, but Thai Cafe was in my old neighborhood, so I tried it out. They had wonderful authentic food. I didn't go a lot but whenever I did the food was great. Sorry to hear you are closing, but I understand the retirement age thing, and I pray you have success in whatever comes next. I will be by before you close; Tom Ka Gai! read more

The food is so good, it got me to eat at a buffet Didn't realize there was a to-order menu, I'm gonna come back next time and just do that. The flavors are so authentic. I'm looking around the restaurant and there's a bunch of people sweating from the spice with red faces. But they just keep going. I love it. Also there's sherbet and mango sticky rice for dessert. S/O to the chef, I will definitely be back. read more

Thai Cafe - Thai Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Wow! Very impressed - food was flavored so well! My pad see ew noodles were a bit mashed but any shortfall was overcome by the flavor. Savory, spicy...the way Thai food should taste! Spice level was spot on and food was simply amazing! Highly recommend if you want an authentic experience. Do not let the location fool you. I'll be back for the buffet! read more

10 out of 10! I love me a good hole in the wall restaurant. They're always the best! The combo rolls are so good with the cheese being my favorite! Thai tea was such a surprise for my tastebuds. It got better with every gulp! Pad Thai was so good and sweet with a great peanut flavor. The combo rice... omg. That was the most moist rice I've ever had. Amazing!!! The food came out so quickly. I've seen reviews complaining about the price, but look how much you get! I didn't think it was expensive at all. Took a bunch home! We will definitely be back! Merry Christmas! read more

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I went there because I think they have lunch buffet. But they do not do it anymore. I ordered lunch special chicken pad woon sen. I got the clear soup with some daikon in it. And I did not like it. But the entree is huge and delicious. It came with 1 cheese roll and 1 veggie roll. The cheese roll is one of the best cheese I've ever had. read more

Thai Cafe - Lunch special: Chicken Pad woon sen - Thai Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Seriously the best!! I visited the Thai Cafe at 11:30am to try out their lunch buffet. I got there before it started to get crowded so that I did not have to wait in line at the buffet. I was greeted and sat right away. It's a small buffet with everything needed to enjoy a satisfying meal. The cold beef salad and pumpkin soup were probably my favorite dishes! I was so stuffed! Everything I tried was delicious and the service was great! Make sure you get there before the lunch crowd shows up as it is a pretty quaint place. read more

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Excellent food! I haven't been here in years... Food is so fresh and tastes amazing! I had the chicken larb which was excellent, I remember it when it was on the buffet. And then the last time I went I ordered the beef salad and it was delicious! I'm going to make this restaurant into my weekly routine of restaurants. If you're looking for good fresh Thai food, this is the place for you! Oh, they no longer have the buffet. I love Thai Dee, don't get me wrong but this place is good as well!!! read more

Thai Cafe - Chicken Larb, spring rolls and rice. Excellent! - Thai Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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3.5 stars. Since the restaurant reopened the buffet, it has been a popular topic in SA. I haven't eaten here since before Covid-19, so I decided to give it another try. When we arrived, there was a line outside the door waiting to get in. The dining room is an average size, but with the buffet, the space is having a hard time accommodating everyone. The staff is friendly, and they try to be attentive, but they are slammed with customers. The buffet is a good concept but hard to execute, especially in SA. It starts on the dessert end, which is a little odd. The food is fresh and there is a good variety to choose from. People can be relentless when it comes to a buffet so much so that they have a sign with rules on it that you can clearly tell they experienced issues before. The food taste was okay, I definitely like some items better than others. However, I am very picky about my Thai food. So my opinion on that is subjective. It's not a bad meal if it's not packed in there. read more

Thai Cafe - Line for the buffet. - Thai Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I was gate keeping, but the word is out. So, I'mma gone and write a review. The staff is very attentive, kind, and receptive. Sometimes the seating area gets a little cramped. To me...for a buffet this place is wonderful in many ways. Pretty extensive buffet line with dessert (i.e.; fresh chilled fruit, Thai desserts) too. Most the food is delish, especially the sauces...so, authentic! The quality of the beef used in the beef salad is poor, but beef on a buffet and Thai buffet at that, usually isn't found. The beef salad alway has an aftertaste that I can't figure out. Maybe the the ground toasted rice, I don't know. The beef is very sinewy and makes that dish my least favorite on the line. The larb, fried rice, fried chicken (sometime over fried and old), pad that, pad kra pao, pad see ew, pad soon wen, and much more are good! Southeast Asian food (Thai, Cambodian, Khmer, Laotian, and Vietnamese) are my favorite cuisines....this place hits for me. Asian food in SA isn't as good as it is in Houston and Austin. But, at least we got some places and this is one of the better spots, in my opinion. Their "stir fry" buffet options fluctuate at times, but nothing that a bit of lime, fish sauce, garlic, and Thai chiles can't fix. read more

A great little hole in the wall place. The staff was nice and attentive. Service was good. Glasses were actually made of glass and the napkins were made of thick paper that felt like cloth. The got the Chicken Green Beans that was labeled as medium spicy (imo it was closer to mild). The amount of chicken I got was good. The green beans were good too. I saw many things on the menu I would like to go back and try. Over all, a great find! read more

I ordered unsweet iced tea & the lunch chicken Padd Thai medium spicy. It came with a cup of soup of the day and 1 cheese roll & 1 egg roll. The soup was bland tinted water with slight pieces of overcooked celery. It looked like sink water. The Padd Thai was fairly inedible. Thai food should be sweet, salty, spicy, and sour. There were only 2 overwhelming flavors: a funky fish sauce and the hot Chiles. Unfortunately a sign on the door said no refunds for food ordered that is too spicy for your enjoyment. Essentially, eat at your own risk when ordering spicy. I assumed medium would be ok. I was wrong even though I love spicy food. Usually if the other flavors in the dish are delicious, then I will eat passed the spicy burn and enjoy. There wasn't any reward to eating this beyond self-flagellation for my sins. On the bright side ... The tea and rolls were good. read more

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This restaurant has more to it than meets the eye, the food is extraordinarily flavorful full and full of culture. Would love to see this restaurant with a million dollar look over to help match the atmosphere to the exquisite taste that hits the soul! 5 stars read more

We really enjoyed the little buffet. They,of course, don't have the selection a Big Buffet has but they had plenty of options and everything was Really good!! We will be back for sure even though we live in Helotes. I wish I had caught the waitresses name she was very sweet and attentive. read more

What a treat! I had never even heard of Thai Cafe and connected with them online. I'm so glad I did! They have central Thailand cuisine which differs heavily from the south & north in spices, sides, and cooking style. The location itself has always been known to be a Thai Buffet but due to Covid-19 safety protocols, they changed their operations to be a sit-down restaurant. The location itself is a little dated but it gets the job done with plenty of seating. The service is great and the waitress was very attentive. I got to try the Combination Fried Rice, Cheese Rolls, Beef Salad ( Yum Na ), Thai Tea, Chicken & Basil, Spring Rolls, & Grilled Pork. Every single entree & appetizer was delicious, fresh, and the presentation on every dish was excellent. My fellow Yelp community, I highly recommend you give them a try and check them out. It's been 20 years for them and they are still rocking & rolling into the future. read more

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Lunch buffet is very good. Plenty of choices to choose from. Place is clean & staff are prompt & very pleasant.

Went for the buffet and to silence the haters online saying the food was over priced. $15 for an all you can eat buffet was a deal. Pad Thai and pad see ew were great. Lots of veggies to choose from and spring rolls for days. Spice it up as much as you want because they all come on the side and even have ice cream for dessert. Didn't try the Thai coffee but it was ordered at almost table when I was there. Definitely going back. read more

Buffet is delicious. Great variety at a great price. Highly recommended!! Wonderful staff. read more

My expectations were high. And they were definitely met. The buffet was really good, with a nice selection, including pad khi mao, a spicy and lean beef. There was also chicken in a tangy orange sauce. There were marinated mushrooms, pad thai which was sweet and lightly spicy, fried rice, spring rolls, and cheese rolls. There was fruit and ice cream. Great service! Friendly and attentive, I got plenty of refills on my tea. I drove 30 mins in the rain to get here and I would say it was worth it! read more

Listen, truth be told they are probably the best Thai in town. authentic and not overly sweet like most places. Their lunch buffet is a classic. Reason behind the 3 stars is 1. Their ridiculous rules that you have to agree to before eating. LOL. So ghetto. 2. The price per person for lunch buffet is essentially a nice dinner entree. And they put automatic gratuity for our 3 adults, 1 toddler and 1 baby. 3. The rudeness of staff who told us to keep our small children seated/can't walk around despite the fact that they were held in our arms and supervised and we were trying to keep them quiet. Not kid/family friendly at all! Felt like I was paying to be eat in a supervised environment. Btw, they have like 10 cameras inside. Not sure why you need 10 cameras at a tiny restaurant but ok. read more

I have been going here since it reopened. Not so much as I used to due to increasingly busy projects and personal life. I can share I have never had a terrible meal for a reasonable price. read more

This was the first Thai restaurant I ever ate at over 20 years ago when stationed in San Antonio and they have maintained their incredible flavors! My wife and I drove specifically from Fredericksburg to eat here again! We had the Garlic Chicken with medium spice and it was sooo flavorful! Fantastic food and the service was great. read more

STOP -- Don't drive by this place. The food is great. The staff is attentive, and did I say, the food is great. Tables are super clean!!! Ac at a very pleasant level. I was feeling veggie inspired, so I went with the eggplant dish which comes with steamed rice. Perfect in every way. I added a runny egg for that saucy boost . Plate was enough for two, and I'm a BIG eater. And don't forget a large Thai tea to break that Texas heat wave!!! read more

THE BEST EGGPLANT IN ALL OF SA!! I've been coming here for years. They used to have one of my favorite lunch buffets- small and restocked often. However, due to covid, they've removed the buffet and are only doing menu orders. This has in no way dampened my experience here. This mom and pop shop does Thai food right. From the Tom Kha to the eggplant to the green curry, everything tastes delicious and authentic. If you happen to be in the area, definitely give this place a try. read more

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A little building hiding off the street. Stopped by to try it based of the reviews. The food was amazing!! We all ordered something g different to try. Everything was fresh and tasted great! Service was friendly and fast. Food came out hot and extremely fast. Thai tea was great! Will definitely be back to try more!! read more

First of all, I am SO GLAD I finally found a Thai place with pineapple curry close to home. Second, the server was as sweet as can be and you can tell this is a truly family-friendly, family-owned restaurant. Third, when you ask for Thai hot, this place ACTUALLY brings the heat. None of that weak crap that's milder than baby food like some of these other "Thai" restaurants in San Antonio. Authentic Asian food is rare in San Antonio, but this one definitely makes the list for being truly legit. I'll definitely be back soon! read more

You know that if a Thai person eats at this restaurant , you know it's got to be good. The food taste just like it does in Thailand. I have been going to this cafe since the doors opened. I have known this family for more then 30 years and can say that this is one of the best Thai restaurants in San Antonio . read more

Amazing food the most authentic place we have been to in SA and this is coming from my Husband who is Thai!! We will definitely be going back soon our new favorite place read more

It is very good if you are in the area you need to try it. Staff is very nice great service and overall the best Thai food I've ever had.

If you want authentic Thai food from a Thai family, come to Thai Cafe! Seriously though, the food and service are outstanding. The beef salad is outrageously good, everything is super fresh and quality. The other go to dishes are chicken basil and chicken with hot pepper. If you are hungry for Thai, make sure to go to Thai Cafe! read more

I've had Thai Cafe on my "Must Try" list and I'm so happy we were on the opposite side of town and had a chance to try it out. It is the "Hole in the Wall" location I'd seen raves about on multiple platforms and it did not disappoint. The staff was so courteous and patient while I asked questions about the different meals and even asked the chef if she could add an additional seafood to my dish. Appetizers: 7. FRIED RIBS MARINATED FRIED PORK RIBS SERVED WITH THAI BBQ SAUCE. *The housemade Thai BBQ sauce was amazing 8. COMBO ROLLS (6) A COMBO OF THREE SPRING ROLLS AND THREE CHEESE ROLLS SERVED WITH SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE *Delicate, crisp & incredible One Dish Meals: 25. SHRIMP AND GARLIC SHRIMP STIR FRIED WITH GARLIC AND BLACK PEPPER. *They added mussels per my request and it was all so flavorful 42. PAD THAI Combination STIR FRIED RICE NOODLES WITH CHOICE OF MEAT, BEAN SPROUTS, GREEN ONIONS, TOFU, AND CRUSHED PEANUTS *My husband had the Pad Thai but we didn't get a pic of it because the table was overflowing at this point and we were more than ready to dig in Drink: THAI TEA *I'd never had this before and I am now wishing I could have it daily I cannot wait to have an opportunity to go back even if it is our only destination on the opposite side of town read more

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I had the pineapple chicken curry. Huge serving of food. The spice blend was amazing. High spiciness, he puts portion size. Fresh ingredients including jalapeños and fresh pineapple really caused an explosion in the mouth. Plus the cost was fairly cheap. Total price was 14$. Overall I highly recommend for some of the best Thai food in San Antonio! read more

Thai Cafe - Pineapple Chicken Curry - Thai Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

My impression overall is everything is too sweet. Pad Thai, too sweet. Chicken and basil? Sweet. If you get the Thai tea, you'll leave there pre-diabetic. Surprisingly, they don't serve sweet iced tea. Pad Thai was not horrible, just really sweet. Like eating pancakes sweet. I've had pad Thai plenty of times and it's never like this. Also, for the price ($17) of the combo pad Thai, you get two sad looking shrimp and some beef and chicken pieces. I was embarrassed for both myself and the establishment for this dish. Chicken and basil was really runny and also too sweet. Spicy level was good. I prefer the chicken ground up but slices are ok. I also ordered the coconut sticky rice and mango. For $13 I'd expect more than a tiny scoop of rice. Mango was plentiful but the sticky rice portion was laughable. I don't think the sticky rice is cooked in coconut milk because they give you a minuscule amount of coconut milk to pour over the rice. Decor was minimal. Change a few pictures on the wall and it could be any type of restaurant. TV's we're too loud in two different channels. Tables were set up like a school cafeteria and too close together. I could hear my table neighbor's eyebrow-raising conversation about his sister's ex husband. Spicier than the basil chicken! Service was great. Waitress came around often but never offered refills of tea even after I slurped the last of it. Overall, it was really overpriced for the quality of food. I'm all for supporting small business but not like this. This isn't California or New York where people are used to paying $17 for a plate of passable Thai food or any food. I will most likely never go back. $3 for unsweetened iced tea. This is a perfect example of passing on the cost to the customer while cutting corners. Bathroom was clean, plenty of soap and paper towels. read more

Best Thai food in all of SA!!! The chef actually went to culinary school in Thailand. The service is amazing too, everyone is so sweet read more