Busaba Eathai

Good points:

1) Excellent food -- The best Thai food I've ever had. Really amazing, especially the deep fried squid side dish. I really can't stress how delicious the food is.

2) The price -- Very reasonable.

You're probably looking at this thinking "Amazing food? Resonably priced? London? What's the catch?"

Bad points:

1) The queues -- the queue to get in is quite insane. We waited half an hour just to get inside the restaurant.

2) It's a cattle market inside -- Absolutely packed. It feels very cramped.
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Jerome
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, March 11, 2008

I have been dining at the restaurant in Store Street for the past 5 or 6 years. This establishment is very, very high on my list of dining destinations. The food is superior, the service is first rate, and the atmosphere is stimulating The place is child friendly, important for my family, but also nice for a dinner for two. Try it !

Jim

Texas

USA
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D. J. Atwood
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Monday, February 11, 2008

Consistent, fun and buzzy - I really like this place. Having gorged on lots of good Thai food while living in Sydney this definitely fills a gap - the food is also great value, and so is the wine, I don't think I've ever spent more than 20 quid a head in here.. My particular favourite dishes would have to be the calamari, the Pandan Chicken and the Mussamun Duck. Sensational.

Not sure why the previous reviewer is complaining about the communal tables when they say they go there often and so presumably know what to expect? It all adds to the vibe - not a place to go for a romantic dinner, but great for a mid-week catch up with your mates..
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Dud
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, February 06, 2008

We often go to Busaba Eathai and I was always in two minds about the restaurant. Generally I don't like this canteen style of eating. It feels rushed and I don't particularly want to be sat with next to WAG wannabes planning who they're going to target at the weekend - sadly this just the type I found myself sat next to on Friday. Also, I don't want other people listening to my conversation with my friends either, which it is impossible not to do. Still, Busaba Eathai is popular so it must have something going for it. The food perhaps?

Well not quite. I mean, it's tasty and once you order the food does tend to come fairly quickly - most of it anyway. But it's Thai food for a Western city palate and Busabab Eathai are not alone here in being too scared to serve proper Thai food. And what's with the chopstick???? As far as I'm aware, the Thai's use knives and forks. Still, I'm picking now.

What really upset me on 23 Jan was that I didn't get my squid (although they like to call it a very un Thai calamari in Busaba). I had been looking forward to the squid as it's one of the best things Busaba do. I wanted my friends to try it too. My curry came. My rice came. My friend's food came. But no squid. I asked the waiter where it was and he said it would be along in a couple of minutes. Half way through my curry my squid still hadn't arrived, yet I saw a number of portions being taken to other tables - one of which was probably my squid. I asked for a second time if it was on the way and the waiter said he'd check. He never came back to me. I left it few more minutes and asked again, this time the waiter claimed to only be a "sitter" and didn't know anything about my squid. Once I finished my curry I no longer wanted my squid as we all had to get back to work. So I asked to see the manager, who seemed to think that a customer not getting their order was hightly amusing and something to laugh about. No apology nothing.

They have staff training needs.

Oh and my Jungle curry was supposedly the hottest thing on menu. It wasn't very hot, so if like me you love the burn of an authentic Thai curry, give this place a miss, otherwise you'll be sorely disappointed.
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Andrea Papaconstantinou
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 5
Monday, January 28, 2008

As a Thai who loves eating myself, I think Busaba is one of my favourite Thai restaurants in London. The atmosphere is not very Thai but that makes it interesting in my opinion.

The food deserves compliments as they are as authentic as typical Thai food you would get from Thai restaurants in Bangkok although they merely give you small portion (of everything). If you really want better Thai food than this, just go to Thailand. Or if you think Busaba does not really please you, there is another tiny place called Pum Kham off Tottenham Court road 3 minutes walk from Busaba. Very cheap there.

All in all, it is a great place to eat.
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Lalita
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Thursday, January 24, 2008

I havent felt the service was bad, but i guess things like that can happen. It was crowded but we were seated far from other ppl, so it was fine. The food...didint have to wait extraordinarily long for it, and it was delicious!! Hard to describe, spring rolls, duck, shrimps, sauces, exceptional food, for quite reasonable price!
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Ania
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Monday, January 21, 2008

Went to the one on Wardour Street the other day, was really looking forward to it as I love thai food and have always been a fan of Wagamama. The problem I had with this restaurant was the staff. We went in at 5pm, early for dinner, and the restaurant had at least two free tables at the front which seat about 10 people each. The rest of the tables were about half full. However, the waiter leads us to the only table that has just 2 seats left and sits us down on a corner. My partner was barely able to sit down as the guy to the left of him had spread out. So we decided to move to the table just behind us, which had people on (I normally don't mind sharing a table, I just don't want to be sat ON by other people). We left a space between us and the other people, and the waiter immediately rushed over and told us to 'move up'. I wouldn't have minded, but there was loads of other spaces, he wasn't trying to seat anyone on our table, and other couples had been allowed to spread themselves evenly round tables without permanently having to rub legs with someone at one of the corners. So we moved up, but felt upset at how rudely we had been treated so shortly after we got up and left without even ordering food. I really wanted to give the place a chance, and never normally have a problem with communal seating, but just felt that after being almost yelled at and treated rudely and abruptly by the staff that there was no way I was going to stay and give them any of my money. So we went somewhere far nicer. They need to be careful, in this area of London there are plenty of places to eat, and unless it is very quiet I would suggest you go elsewhere.
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 4
Sunday, January 20, 2008

My husband and I walked in last night after watching a show, we'd never been before but menu and decor looked interesting. We were seated quickly and drinks arrived soon after. To cut a long story short after 45 min waiting for our food and having complained, (several other diners who arrived MUCH AFTER us had got their food), we simply walked out. All the waiting staff offered us was a drink, not an apology or explanation.

I was disgusted at the bad service, will never go there again and will give it bad publicity!
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Deirdre Farrugia
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Saturday, January 19, 2008

The Green Curry Fried Rice is simply amazing here! The rice is done to its soft and fragrant perfection. The chicken is absolutely tender and brilliant. Recommended for a good thai food! Try one of tea as well! Lemongrass tea is superb too!
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Lovely
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, January 15, 2008

I love this restaurant!

Have been sat promptly every time i've been and the food is great, with brilliant prices and quick service. Don't go if you want an intimate, lengthy meal where the waiting staff give you their undivvided attention as it is just not the place. You have to hang your own coats up, but I like that you don't have to hang around for the staff to get things for you.

I would highly recommend this to anyone that is after a quick bite to eat, wanting good food and good prices.
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Sarah
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Monday, January 07, 2008