Busaba Eathai Covent Garden

Have visited their Covent Garden branch a couple of times and wouldn’t say I am very impressed. The food is good but quite over-​priced in my opinion, about £10 for a portion of Pad Thai that doesn’t even fill you up?! Their duck main is lovely, but again, very pricey as you need a side order and altogether it comes up to about £19. Service is okay, the waitresses tends to be slightly rude and during busy lunch/​dinner hours it can get very noisy in there. But, food does have some good flavours and everything tastes fresh so three stars for that.

On a cold Sunday afternoon I stumbled upon this restaurant while craving hot soup. Although there are a few window seats for single diners– they were all taken that day. I’m glad… instead ended up at one of their family style tables.
They have an extensive menu, at very reasonable prices — including special group and lunch menus. I ordered some new spicy coconut broth, chicken, noodle and vegetable soup plus Thai chicken wings. l and the obligatory Asian beer to go with.
All of it was fantastic. The soup came in a huge bowl and was loaded with chicken, mushrooms etc (instead of just noodles) I couldn’t finish it — even though I ate far more than I should. Ended up taking the wings home with me for dinner. Everyone at my table lived their own choices.
It was packed with people, but after a slow start the service was attentive the service was attentive and friendly.
This is a great, affordable Thai spot if u r visiting London and craving some spicy goodness– conveniently located right near covent garden.

I’m not one to gravitate towards chains, but I stop by Busaba whenever I’m craving a spicy pad Thai. The only dish I actually like is the sen chan pad thai, but find it a little pricey for a dish that is essentially wok-​fried noodles. I’ve tried a couple of their dishes and found most of them to be average. All are good enough for a casual meal with friends or when you just need to get a fix of Thai cuisine. But if you’re craving delicious Thai food, I’d look elsewhere. So, 3 stars from me.

I was thinking about 3 or 4 stars. I have decided for 4 star because of the food.
I liked it a lot and it was my first time to a thai restaurant.
Prices are high i think but the quality of the food worsted enought.
I took spring rools and noodles, i don’t remember the name but they were with chicken.
Rolls were well fried and with nice taste. Normally they are quite heavy for uour stomach because if the fry but this time they were quite delecate.
Regarding the noodles: they were nice but not great. I mean i have eaten noodles that were more tasty than those ones.
A friend of mine took noodles with shrimp. They were spicy and tasty. I think next time i will take shrimps ones.
By the way i think prices might be a little lower (we spent 25£ each one and we were 6 eating the same stuff)
I will definitely eat there another time.

Busy Thai eatery conveniently located next to the ROH.
Most of the seating is communal in big ample wood tables. The people seated at our table happened to speak Spanish. Two couples from Galicia. One couple wre visiting their friends in London and not used to the spicy food. They swapped dishes. Lol!
The food was excellent.
We ordered a sample of dishes:
Chicken Satay
Sticky wings
Crab Fried Rice
Sticky Rice
Pad Thai
Pad Kwetio
Jasmin rice
Chinese broccoli
Washed down with Lemon Ginger tea and Singha beer.

I’ve dined at other Busabas and found the service and food quite good, so when planning an evening at the theatre for a large group I was delighted to find that I could make a reservation for 10 people at this location. The food was just as good as I remembered– the duck curry in particular is a total star. However, the service was so incredibly abysmal that I cannot recommend this restaurant to any future diners.
Upon arrival we were seated at our giant table and then promptly ignored for 20 minutes. No menus, no, drink orders, nothing. I had to go find a waiter and ask him to please provide us with the pre-​theatre menu (which is listed on their website), and my request was met with utter confusion. Finally after consulting with multiple other waiters and the manager they rustled up some pre-​theatre menus that were completely different from what was listed on the website (from which everyone had already chosen their meals). Okay, menu had changed, we reassessed and decided on new orders.
25 minutes into our ‘meal’ we now at least had menus but still no waiter in sight, as the one who had given us our menus claimed he couldn’t take our orders because he wasn’t the assigned waiter (cue vague gesture towards that back of the restaurant where no waiters were to be seen), and made no effort to alert our ‘assigned waiter’ that we were ready to order. I had to stand up and go ask the manager to please come take our order as we had a show to get to and were all getting quite hangry at this point. Our waiter finally materializes and takes everyone’s orders, then comes back 10 minutes later and says that actually they are not accepting the pre-​theatre menu so can we all please choose different entrees. Are you kidding me? Luckily the manager bustled over after seeing the combination of anger and hunger on my face and he told us that the waiter was mistaken and that they are running the pre-​theatre menu and he will put in our order. The food arrived 10 minutes later and it was yummy and and we were finally able to fill our growling tummies.
What I don’t understand is that this restaurant is quite small and they had more than enough wait staff to handle the number of guests, so they clearly are putting zero effort into training and preparing the staff. It’s a definite shame because the food has so much potential!

We frequently dine at other busaba locations, and have always been impressed with service and food. We were walking through covent garden and dropped in for dinner at this location. Mistake.
We ordered «starters» from the menu. The main arrived first. No big deal, we can live with that. But when we asked the server about our starters, he replied ‘we don’t do starters.’ Well, the menu says ‘starters.’ The vegetable curry was tasty as always, but there just a few measly vegetable bits floating in an ocean of liquid. When the tom kha chicken soup starter artived for our party of 3, we had no bowls. The server suggested that patrons all eat from the same bowl. The soup was bland coconut milk, lukewarm and free of flavor, as if the kitchen forgot an ingredient or two. Duck was good. Squid also good, as were the fishcakes. Staff at this location require training, management, and attitude adjustment. We will be avoiding this location.

What with the British summer rain and clouds destroying our plans to go up to the top of the shard on my birthday at the time we wanted we were pretty much left to fill the time with eating. I fancied Thai food and after reading the reviews we ended up here.
I was not disappointed despite there not even being a hint of Thai iced tea anywhere, which must be an American invention. We started with the prawn crackers and Bellinis and homemade lemonade. Their list of drinks is extensive and creative, though the portions are somewhat smallish.
We wanted the roti bites but sadly we were out of luck as they didn’t have any. Instead we ordered two mains, more than enough for two of us to share at lunch.
The beautifully presented tamarind duck was amazing and I would order this 10 times over for the tangy sauce alone. The side order of sticky rice that came in a cute little woven box was a good accompaniment.
We also ordered the sen chan pad Thai dish which was good and had a completely different flavour profile but it was not as memorable as the duck. There was just about enough meat in there and the shrimps had been properly prepped, so I wasn’t eating fish poop, yay :)
If I was to go again I would definitely order the duck again and then perhaps try another new dish or two.
The decoration is modern and the ambience is relaxed. You are sitting on benches at large square tables that could seat up to 12 friends and maybe 8 strangers. So yes you may well be eating right up close to someone you don’t know but I personally love that cause I like eaves dropping!
I can’t remember a desserts menu but if they do one I bet it’s creative.

I avoided Busaba Eathai for years after several underwhelming experiences paired with my dislike of communal-​style dining. However, I was in search for an affordable option on a Friday night in central London and discovered that Time Out cardholders receive 50% off of their food bill here– valid any day– so I put my prejudices aside.
We visited the Covent Garden location and were greeted by the ubiquitous Busaba queue– a permanent fixture outside of their Soho branch in particular– but were seated almost immediately. We ordered prawn crackers to graze on and some drinks– the crackers were moorish and a satisfying complement to a cold beer. They were more scampi fries than the bland, Styrofoam variations often proffered to diners in Asian restaurants. The sweet chili sauce appeared to have come from a bottle and was uneventful.
We then had issues with our drinks– I was brought the wrong order and had to ask twice before this was rectified. My boyfriend was happy that they offered a selection from Five Points Brewery, but he was given a glass that had obviously just come out of the washing machine– he fortunately prefers to drink from a bottle!
The most astounding moment arrived with our mains when our server asked if we could manage with chopsticks and spoons– she explained that they were out of clean forks. This didn’t cause me any consternation with my noodles, but my boyfriend felt that his curry required more practical utensils. We sent the waiter on a hunt for a fork while we eyed up our dinner.
The food was average– my pad kwetio was billed as a spicy dish of flat noodles, smoked chicken, shitake mushrooms and prawns. In reality, it was a slick nest of noodles that lacked any real heat and was very sparing on the chicken. The king prawns were the highlight, perfectly plump and meaty and had somehow avoided soaking up the oiliness of their surroundings.
My boyfriend’s songkhla red curry arrived swimming in an aromatic broth and looking more appetizing than my meal. Sticky rice was required on the side because none was offered with the main. The ingredients of the curry were a bit sparse– the hunks of beef were generous, but there was a lack of tomatoes and peppers, which would add vivacity and visual interest to the dish. The flavours were good, however, and there was a discernible hint of heat.
Service was sluggish and disorderly throughout the meal and there was muddling over our bill– our server accepted the Time Out card without any issue, but we had to request the bill several times. When it did arrive, he had already forgotten about the discount and it had to be recalculated. In the end, the meal and drinks came to £22.33, which I can’t fault for a central London meal on a Friday evening.
The central locations of Busaba Eathai are best avoided because the service suffers as a consequence of how busy they are. If you do visit a Busaba, the curries are a flavoursome choice, but don’t expect more than a barebones version. If you’re not in a rush, you are advised to track down an authentic Thai restaurant, as there are some wonderful and affordable gems all over the city.

For a chain place it at least abandons the ambiance. This location is nicely nestled behind the Royal Opera House, one of my routine hangouts. The food did take awhile to arrive as I think the layout of the restaurant really does not help their staff know who is at what pace with their meal. Sort of the darker sexier Wagamama, but I enjoyed myself none the less. Had the prawn chilli rice, which was great but a lot more kick than I had planned. My friend had the fried chicken and sticky rice, which was great. I would return and try more things as we did not have the time to eat through the starters.

I used the yplan deal and I’m so glad I did! I got the pad Thai with the Thai calamari and they were both delicious. And definitely an added plus for having sriracha too! The calamari was sweet which was pretty unique and the pad Thai tasted like every other good pad Thai I’ve had. It gets pretty busy but they try to accommodate everyone in as soon as possible.

Best Thai food ever. I love their noodles, starters, juices (especially their juice with jasmine and yugert!!). The food is soo good and the atmosphere is very nice. I would Recommend it 100%.

Good food. Good time. Good laughs. Good vibes.
I highly recommend going here, whether it be with a small or large group. Very accommodating and fab customer service. Is nice to have waiters laugh at your poor jokes!

My Korean friend raved about this place… she said it was the BEST thai she’s ever had… umm… i’ve been to Thailand… and I’ve had great Thai food that was not in Thailand and i LOVE Thai food… so I was really excited… but was disappointed~ sorry~
–the calamari was too salty
–the fish curry was TEENY plate? wasn’t even a place a half bowl? (I thought it was an appetizer dish)
–coconut rice was too sticky
what i liked:
1. ambiance (dark, bench style seating– GREAT for a date)
2. Food… was oki… honestly thought it was a might salty and the coconut rice was sticky… which was odd… didn’t expect it to be so sticky… i’m asian. i know my rices…
3. The staff was nice~ our waitress helped with recommendations
**like i said this is a great date spot because you can sit next to each other and it’s sharing a BIG table with our guess so it kind of makes it less formal and more easy going but still with a nice ambiance.

I’m reading the consistently poor reviews of this particular location of Busaba Eathai and I’m sorry fellow Unilocal diners, my experience was a good one. *Ducks underneath desk*
I’m not really a fan of chain restaurants, especially when they warp the cuisine to match the western palate. Thai food is meant to be fragrant, bold, illuminating… and coconut rice is among my favorite things to eat, ever, so, of course, I’m going to rave about Thai food as if it’s the most brilliant thing on the planet.
First, they have a weird reservations policy. So, we couldn’t book on a busy night but thankfully for a Friday, in the heat of the dinner rush, we were seated. Communal dining isn’t my thing but with the right people, we’re able to have a chat and forget that we’re eating at the same table as some man in a suit who does things with his Sriracha that are too obscene to mention.
We skipped starters and headed for mains. The vegetarian choices (for diners like me) are idiotically limited. If you want something added to a dish, it’s impossible, the staff says. If you want something taken away, however, it’s their pleasure. Portions are irrationally small. I was so hungry after eating my pad thai jay that I had to order a side dish and rice to soothe my hunger pangs and ultimately looked like Miss Piggy to the rest of the table. I wouldn’t ever claim that this is authentic Thai fare but I wouldn’t say it’s the worst either. We cleaned our plates and enjoyed our food but this is a Thai place I’d visit in a pinch, not as a first choice. There is room for improvement but it was a quick, easy dinner and one can’t complain too much without reservations on a Friday night.

I’m not a fan of chain restaurants and this proved why. We ordered some very simple dishes that are relatively simple to cool even at home. First there was a very log queue outside on a windy and wet night, only when we got inside there was enough seats for double the size of the queue. The dear they gave me was right where the waitresses kept knocking into me.
One of the side dishes was so late after me reminding them about the order only for it to arrive under cooked. For me the food tasted of a lower quality disguised by sauces and seasoning. It’s a shame as the atmosphere is nice, but no dessert on their menu???

Ah, what can I say… I’m never bored nor disappointed when I come to Busaba… This one is especially well located too, in Covent Garden.
For once I didn’t get the Mussaman duck curry, which is one of my favouritest curries in da world, but I went for the Black Pepper beef, and Coconut rice. Aye, muchachos !!! It was amazingly good, not at all dry as I had feared, a true blessing from Asia ! The spice was elegantly matched by my Nam polamai fruit juice, which made the whole dinner yet another very pleasant Busaba experience to tell about !

Second visit to Busaba Eathai. This time it was not great. It was fine, decent food but I didn’t enjoy it enough to finish anything.
I ordered the Tom Kha and the pumpkin curry.
Service was great and the restaurant is a nice retreat from the madness of Covent Garden at Christmastime.
I’ll try it again…

Had a decent Thai meal here one night after work. The interior of the restaurant is very nice and inviting — lots of wood everywhere. They have a pretty good menu, although I actually found that there weren’t quite enough choices. I’m used to thai restaurants having a pretty extensive list of noodles & main dishes, but Busaba’s left me wanting more to choose from. Service was okay, but I was definitely left to my own devices on more than one occasion. I asked for some spicy sauce from someone who wasn’t my waiter and got nothing.
To eat, I had some spring roles, which were tasty; an order of roti; and smoked chicken noodles (Smoked chicken vermicelli noodle, Chinese broccoli and egg). Add a ginger tea to that meal and you’re pretty much satisfied for 20 quid. I’d say it’s good, not great. Worth a try to formulate your own opinion!

Very affordable and tasty Thai food. I’d seen this chain (10 restaurants in London) recommended in various places and I’d say it’s a great alternative to the blander, overpriced fare on offer at Wagamama and co. The food here is very reasonably priced (lots of dishes under £7 which really impressed me) and my chicken and lemongrass soup, as recommended by another review, was excellent (except for when I bit into something hard and bitter thinking it was a potato. It was not). My friend loved his chargrilled duck dish, which did indeed taste great.
It also has a slightly nicer décor and atmosphere than the more canteen like versions and service was efficient and attentive.
These restaurants tend to be in locations, e.g. Westfield, close to Covent Garden, where a lot of the food on offer is mass produced, sub par and at premium prices — if you find yourself in that situation — head here!