Busaba Eathai Soho

Cool restaurant and easy going vibes. The food is good but I have had more authentic Thai food for sure. Considering it is a chain, I am not entirely surprised by this. I recommend for someone that is just looking for good trendy food and not necessarily authentic Thai food. Fun fact, my buddy sat next to an Olympic Swimmer named Tom Daley here.

Busaba Eathai Soho is situated right in the centre of Covent Garden and naturally had a long queue outside so it was helpful that we had a reservation.
All of the tables were square and could fit 12 diners but they insisted on a strange seating plan because of another reservation which meant that I was on a limb and separate from the rest of my group. It also meant that I was ignored by the waiting staff who weren’t interested in my request for a beer. The food was ok but nothing special compared with other venues in London. For the main I had ginger beef which although good, was not much food at all. On the whole, the experience annoyed me so I won’t be back.

Think about the drab, flavorless stereotype of British food, and then think about it’s exact opposite and you’d get Busaba. This place is awesome — they have a lot of locations, which is usually a red flag for me, but the fact that more areas of the city get to experience its awesomeness is fine with me. I’ve been to the Soho location and the Leicester Square location. Which one is better? It’s a Thai.
BOOM. Nailed it.
The prices are super reasonable, the wait to get seated usually isn’t crazy, and the service is efficient and friendly. If you’re an American, don’t be lazy and get the pad thai that you always get at every Thai restaurant you’ve ever visited — go for the chicken butternut squash stir fry and the duck curry. You’re welcome.
Food: ⁴⁄₅
Value: ⁵⁄₅
Service: ⁴⁄₅
Atmosphere: ⁴⁄₅

The chic décor is a win, but the food could be a bit better. I found most things to be on the blander side, and maybe that’s necessary to cater to a UK palate, but it was a bit of a letdown for this Asian gal. The Chili Prawn Fried Rice (shiitake mushrooms, lime with pickled morning glory) lacked spicy seasonings to balance out the citrus. I also tried some of the curries (forget which ones) and definitely felt they were more cream than anything else.

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!

Arrivées à 22h pour faire la queue devant le restaurant, c’est à la fois un peu rageant et un peu rassurant. Bön, on risqué de forcément bien manger et ce fut le cas ! On mange sur de grandes tables pour 8, c’est assez sympa et il y a pas mal de choix au niveau de la carte même s’il vaut mieux aimer la viande marinée et le riz.
Le plus pour moi: les «mocktails» ou jus pressés qui sont très très bons.
Ah et le plus pour tout le monde: vu la qualité des plats et l’ambiance chic, on est très en dessous des prix «parisiens». Pour nous, apéro + boissons + plats pour 2 = moins de 20 euros par personne !

I had a dream that I was in a hot room, sitting on a bench and being served by a Eastern European waitress and my drink order taken from a Thai gentleman… If only there was someone else fanning me with leaves, I would have thought that I was royalty.
Oh Wait, it wasn’t a dream.
I was actually in a hot building sweating through the pores of my face and back due to lack of ventilation. I was at Busaba Eathai.
Despite the restaurant having no cooling system except for a couple of fans in the ceiling which rotate ever so slowly, I enjoyed my time here.
I ordered their homemade lemonade which was good and not too sugary but part of me feels like a few drops of bottled lemon was poured in there due to the slightly acidic and unnatural taste. Or maybe that’s just the way they make it. After that, during meals, I quite enjoyed their Guava Bellini (Prosecco, guava, strawberry) and ended my night with a glass their 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Villa Montes which I quite liked taking into consideration my picky-​ness with wine.
For main, which I dived right into, I had their Duck Breast in Chinese Broccoli and Taramind Sauce which was like … WOAH! Hold on, is this taste real?! I loved it! The tenderness of the duck breast accompanied by well cooked broccoli and a Taramind sauce I want to go hunting for.
As sides, I opted for their Phad Phak which, with the crunchiness of the cashews and pine nuts, complimented the Duck dish very well. Low carb meal, you say?! YEAH!
If you have been to Wagamama before, you will see some similarities but I prefer Busaba. I would go again and hope that their air cooling system works, if they have one in this location!

Friend and I were in the area craving for Thai food and came in for an early dinner and really just beat the dinner rush at around 5pm. By the time we were seated there was a bit of a queue outside. Loved the interior of the restaurant; really pretty, modern, and sleek compared to any other Thai hole in the wall joint I’ve ever visited. The communal tables made me kinda go ‘eeeek’ inside. But after being seated, the concept really works. The tables are huge enough that rubbing elbows and overhearing conversations isn’t even an issue.
Like the piggies we are, my friend and I ordered four plates to share between the two of us.
–Som Tam: Our server wasn’t kidding when he mentioned that this papaya salad is HOT. The little dish of grated green papaya, dried shrimp and cherry tomatoes looks unassuming enough, but the sauce they use packs a huge punch. As much as I enjoy spicy food, I was in pain eating this. In the best possible way.
–Mussaman Duck Curry: Very different, but very delicious! I’ve never had a duck curry before this, but now I’ve gotta say I’m a fan. The duck was super tender and the flavor of the curry was unique to other Thai curries I’ve tried. A little more gritty in texture and much more earthy in flavor. Don’t forget the sticky rice with this!
–Sen Chan Pad Thai: Reallyyyy good pad thai. Worth splurging on the extra £1 or so for the crabmeat, they’re pretty generous about it! The flavors were nice and the noodles were perfect. Definitely one of the better pad thai I’ve had.
–Spicy, Sweet & Sour Fish: The skin was crispy while the inside meat was still moist, and it came served in a sweet and sour sauce topped with chiles. As hot as this dish appeared, the chilies didn’t pack a punch like the papaya salad did and my tastebuds said thanks! Definitely worth ordering if you’re a fish fan like me.
While the food is excellent, service on the other hand is kind of lacking. While they are extremely efficient at getting you into the restaurant, seated, and ordered, it seems that once the food arrives to the table that we become forgotten about. It took us a long time to flag someone down to get our check, and don’t even think about trying to get a refill on your water. A few bites into that inferno of a papaya salad, and my water was already gone with no refill in sight. Should have ordered a beer instead!

This is the bus you need to hop on in order to get to FLAVOUR TOWN.
the crab rice? Omg! I want to die and be buried in it. The flavours are divine… Considering I had a pet crab, I’d order this 1 876 654 433 times over. I did feel guilty. RIP Mr.crab.
I picked from the pre-​theatre menus, which was a side and a main for £9.90, it was a complete bargain! I almost slapped the waiter when I found out how cheap it was.
I picked the squid as a side, it was sweet and savoury, delicious.
I’d recommend this place, you get great tastes for a decent price.

Having eaten in other locations, I am a Busaba fan, but this is the first Busaba at which I tried the pre-​theatre menu (I think only this and the Covent Garden location do it) which is an appetiser and main course for £9.90, which is a freaking amazing deal.
You do have to ask for this menu though, it isn’t given it to you otherwise, and it is limited. I have to say, I was not into any of the stuff we tried. I didn’t like the pad thai that much as it was too sweet for me and I really missed my regular order of pad kwetio. I also could not deal with the calamari texture, but my friend was quite happy to eat it. We had the chicken satay sticks with peanut sauce which was a bit bland unless you really cover it with sauce. I had the ginger beef which came with rice and was decent, but nothing really felt above average to me. Usually, when I order pad kwetio, I am super happy and obsessing over Busaba for a few days. I would come back and try something else I think, perhaps you just have to find the dish that works for you.
The restaurant itself is nice. There is shared seating and much needed place to hang your coats on the side. Going to the bathroom, I am always surprised by how heavy the doors are. The lighting is nice, not too dark, not too bright and I enjoy being here.

La queue pour entrée dans un restaurant? Je n’ai jamais connu ça, à part dans ce resto thaï! On y mange entouré de parfaits inconnus à notre table. Au début, on n’ose à peine manger avec nos baguettes devant le regard moqueur de nos voisins (surtout quand on n’est pas une experte comme moi)!!! Mais on engloutit vite son plat tellement c’est delicious! Ambiance tamisée, serveurs agréables et toujours à votre disposition même un samedi soir.

Spicy Spicy
Après une promenade sous la pluie et le froid, contente de s’arrêter au BUSABA. Un endroit agréable, et des plats succulents mais tres epicés. Les noddles étaient très bonnes et heureusement que le coca m’apaisait la gorge car très très fort mais je crois que c’est le propre du thaï??? Enfin, pour celles et ceux qui supportent l’épicé, foncez c’est délicieux!

Eines der angesagtesten Cross-​over-​Restaurants in London-​Soho, dessen Interieur komplett mit farbenprächtigen Marionetten ausgestattet ist.
Zum Abend bilden sich lange Schlangen hungriger Gäste vor dem Restaurant, die sich dort bereits ausgiebig mit der übersichtlichen Karte beschäftigen und ihre Bestellungen aufgeben. Entsprechend schnell ist die Abfertigung im Restaurant selbst, in dem jeweils acht und mehr Personen an quadratische Tische platziert werden.
Der Geräuschpegel des Speisetempels darf getrost als infernalisch bezeichnet werden. Das tut dem genussvollen Essen aber keinen Abbruch. Wer sich für eine an Thaifood orientierte Fusion-​Küche erwärmt, wird hier mit hoher Qualität schnell und preiswert (Gerichte zwischen 7,00 und 12,00 Euro) bedient. Empfehlenswert: die hauseigene Limonade.
Der Name des Restaurants, das noch zwei weitere Filialen in London hat, wurde übrigens aus dem Namen der thailändischen Blume Busaba und dem Kunstwort «Eathai» (aus «eat» und «thai») gebildet.
Reservierungen sind im Busaba Eathai nicht möglich. Kreditkarten werden — ausser Diners — akzeptiert.

Busaba Eathai: Bön mais bruyant !
18h30, c’est le meilleur moment pour aller y dîner: pas de queue à l’horizon. Déco sympa, lumières tamisées, serveurs aimables, mais pressés. On s’assoit sur des bancs autour de grandes tables carrées en bois sombre prévues pour environ 8 personnes. Du coup, on partage la table avec d’autres clients, ce n’est pas forcément pratique, ni agréable. Mais le contenu de l’assiette fait vite oublier cet inconvénient. Pour ceux qui n’aiment pas les plats au curry des restaurants thai comme moi, il y a des alternatives comme les nouilles sautées aux légumes (délicieux, vraiment très bon) ou les brocolis au champignons shiitake (succulents). A prendre une boisson, essayer leur limonade maison ! Question prix, c’est raisonnable, pour plat principal+side+boisson, j’en ai eu pour £14. Le point noir, c’est surtout le bruit. Dès 19h, quand la queue se forme devant le restaurant, le restaurant est plein et devient extrêmement bruyant. On né s’entend pas dedans, c’est dommage.

Restaurant thai dans le Soho que je recommande vivement à ceux qui sont de passage dans la capitale Britannique. La cuisine est excellente, l’ambiance agréable et le décor asiatique est très stylé. Malheureusement on né peut pas réserver, donc si vous venez à plusieurs vous devez être prêt à attendre (nous étions 12 et avons attendu 1h quand même) Les prix sont raisonnables pour Londres en plus! Attention à ceux qui n’aiment pas la cuisine épicée!

En plein coeur de Londres (il y en a plusieurs en plus!) Busaba eathai est un tres bon plan pour manger rapidement, entre ami ou seul. Les saveurs sont excellentes, vous n’oublierez pas les jus de fruits ingenieux et tout cela sans vous ruiner… Suffisament rare a Londres pour etre mentione!
On né reserve pas de table ici, et compte tenu de leur succes il est tres courant de devoir attendre un peu pour avoir une table… faite le, ca vaut le coup!

(Presque) impeccable !
Ce resto est extraordinaire ! Au premier regard, un endroit chic, déco bois, lumière tamisée, grandes tablées accueillantes, bref, on s’y sent tout de suite bien ! Premier petit bémol… le bruit est déjà là, presque étouffant, mais la convivialité à un prix, forcément… Deuxième surprise et de loin la meilleure: la cuisine est absolument succculente, nous étions 6 et avons tous commandés des plats différents. Un bonheur du début à la fin ! Du calamar au poissons en passant par le poulet-​papaye verte… c’était incroyable ! Fin de repas, le premier bémol s’est transformé en vraie gêné, l’équation est malheureusement connue: très bon resto donc grande affluence et service bâclé voire même agressif. A peine le repas terminé qu’il fallait laisser sa place… dommage, on aurait envie de profiter ce moment et le faire durer plus longtemps.

Un restaurant Thai
Un restaurant très, très beau avec un intérieur en bois, des prix pas très élevés (entre 5 et 8 livres), une bonne qualité, des tables communes, vous y trouverez pleins d’étudiants très ouverts à toutes les discutions.

Thaï
On y est allé sans en attendre grand chose mais en voyant l’endroit et en découvrant les plats on né peut être que conquis. C’est délicieux, copieux et rapide ! Le cadre est superbe. La décoration se décline dans des tons chauds (bois et lumière tamisée), il y règne un léger parfum d’encens et le service est prévenant et efficace. Bref, on y retournera à coup sur lors de notre prochaine virée à Londres.

Super bon plan !
Ce restaurant n’est pas facile à trouver mais quand on y est c un vrai trésor. La nourriture est super bonne et le service aussi. Si vous allez à Londres il faut aller la bas vous n’allez pas être déçus.

Prueba algo diferente
Si te apetece probar algo diferente de la comida convencional este sitio es magnifico, se trata de un restaurante thailandes. El local está perfectamente decorado con detalles tipicos de Thailandia, el ambiente es casi mistico debido a las tenues luces. La comida es parecida a la china, pero con más salsas y aromas a especias. Hay un menu de degustacion que al cambio con la libra sale por unos 20 euros

Pour l’ambiance
Ambiance très conviviale dans ce restaurant où vous mangez sur une grande table pour 10 personnes. les plats sont excellents mais un peu épicés quand même. Les jours d’affluence, cela peut être assez bruyant et vous pouvez faire la queue à l’extérieur mais ça va assez vite. Pour le prix, 2 plats (nouilles avec crevettes et crabes) et une bouteille de blanc pour 47Euros (28£). Donc plutôt honnête pour Londres.

Food is pretty good, but not extraordinary here, except the aromatic vegetable curry. That is an excellent curry with pumpkin. I actually don’t remember what else we ordered except the pumpkin curry. Oh yeah, the simple papaya salad was just ok; we’ve had better plenty of places in the UK and US. A very pretty restaurant with posh décor in a fashionable part of London. After a dreary, rainy day visit to Harrod’s (skip it, not worth your time), this meal was just the ticket. The pot of green tea was also good.