- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Bua Thai Cuisine
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
163 reviews for Bua Thai Cuisine
Review Highlights
-
"The BF loved his Drunken Fried Rice." In 11 reviews -
"Other than that, one of my favorite places in the Village." In 17 reviews -
"Nice atmosphere, good food and great prices." In 5 reviews
Loading...
163 reviews in English
-
Review from Shawn M.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
5/14/2012
Short and simple..
Great food, cheap prices, great fast service.
Chow Mein, Pad See Ew, and Pad Thai all very good. Drunken Fried Rice is an acquired taste. Will be back for more, and more. -
Review from Katherine C.
Claremont, CA
4/15/2012 5 Check-ins Here
#19. I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai lunch special the last time I was here. Their lunch specials are available if you come in during the weekdays between 11am and 3pm, and includes rice, veggies, and your choice of soup/salad. It's a lot for me, so I always end up with enough for another meal. The Pad Thai wasn't super oily and still tasted pretty good. I also got to try the Green and Yellow Curry, both of which were delicious. The spiciness wasn't too much for my taste buds, which is often a problem when I eat curry!
You can always expect to be seated immediately if you're party isn't huge. The service, however, can be slow at times. But the servers are really attentive when it comes to refilling your glass. Props to the water people. -
Review from Anita C.
Claremont, CA
3/10/2012
Came here with a couple friends on a pretty tight budget. They both went for the Pad See Ew but I got the Pad Thai because I was being really indecisive. I wish I would've tried the Pad See Ew! Both of them said it was good.
My Pad Thai was pretty good but a little bland, I felt. Still, it was a really good price. I also got a very large portion that will probably last me another meal, so this place is a really great value!
Also, I really like the atmosphere. It's modern but also interesting, and the servers are very nice and attentive. -
Review from Corinne D.
Claremont, CA
5/5/2012
Bua isn't the highest quality thai food, but it's good. It's really conveniently located to the Claremont Colleges, so I go here a lot. I like basically all the noodles. They have good thai iced tea too. Sometimes the service is slow, but they are usually good about filling up water. My friends and I have also ordered large quantities of food for events and they were good for that. The food was great and ready on time. There lunch specials are a good deal too.
-
Review from Kaydi M.
Covina, CA
1/18/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Fabulous. Food was great and prices were even better!
I went here a couple days ago for my moms birthday and we ordered several different dishes (family style) including the tofu and chicken won ton soup, drunken fried rice (omg yumm!), and tofu and chicken pad thai. We ordered a few other things that I can't remember right now, but all of them were equally yummy. We had 9 people with us and the bill came out to $100 even. Can't beat that. I love this place. -
Review from Daniel C.
Chino, CA
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pineapple fried rice served inside a pineapple which I had never seen before and thought was absolutely brilliant. BUT I have had better pineapple fried rice.
Also ordered Pad Se Ew and it was probably the best I have had in a long time
It was my birthday and the server was so cute, she had an ice cream scoop with a candle hidden behind the check for me.
I would go back if I was craving Thai and in the area. -
Review from Grayson S.
Glendora, CA
4/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Loved the food and service was very quick. Fried rice is my favorite Thai food, and this place did it great! Service was great; my water never got empty.
-
Review from Michael O.
Diamond Bar, CA
5/14/2012 4 photos
The fried chicken wontons here are the best. Extra stuffed with chicken. I would think one or 2 should be included in the lunch special to replace most of the veggies. The red curry chicken as well was really good, just the right amount of chicken/veggie mix. Overall, I would go there again. Nice atmosphere for a not to crowded downtown area
-
Review from Pasin T.
Pomona, CA
3/25/2012
My personal opinion is that nothing can compare to the Bua Thai cuisine,best Thai food I've had.Padthai,Drunken fried rice,or curry is full of flavor and alway tastes.The waiter or waitress are really nice.Attractive and accommodating
-
Review from Marix B.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
2/21/2012 11 photos
Valentine family dinner! For Valentine's day we were seated quickly..:)
I don't know how couples on a date feel about all the heart stickers on the walls and foil heart balloons all over, but ambiance worked well for my family. I ordered thai BBQ pork spareribs that was tender...meat slips off from rib. Pad-see-ew was just ok...can't beat Sanamluangs. Chicken wonton soup, I thought, lacked flavor. I liked their beef satay and hubby thought garlic pork chop was tough. Mango sticky rice was yummy! Service was good and they gave my daughter a heart balloon when we left...I thought that was sweet! -
Review from Dave and Elaine N.
Upland, CA
3/14/2012
I've eaten here several times over the past 5 years, and it never fails, every time I do, I ask myself why I haven't been back sooner! Food is really fresh and very reasonable.
-
Review from Catherine W.
Saratoga, CA
4/25/2012
The food is excellent, my favorite is the eggplant stirfry with pork, but the only reason I put it at 4 stars, is that it's really expensive for dinner--in my opinion! I think you can get equally good or better Thai food elsewhere for cheaper! But the service is great, it's clean, fancy, a great place to take family and visiting people!
-
Review from Phuong T.
Mira Loma, CA
3/12/2012
Horrible customer service! Never, ever, again!! Waitresses are extremely rude, and food was terribly bland. The only reason we ended up eating here was because there was too long of a wait at the Back Abbey :(
-
Review from Tammy T.
3/6/2012
The Thai food here is okay (although I did have one friend complain about food that seemed cold in the middle). It's the only Thai place in the village so it gets convenience points but there are much better Thai places in the region.
-
Review from Molly F.
Bellevue, WA
4/18/2012
I think this is probably the most overrated restaurant in Claremont. As a student at the colleges, my friends and i tend to come here for any special occasion, and I've been repeatedly disappointed. I've tried many dishes including: phad thai, green curry, phad see ew, chicken satay, spring rolls, eggplant stir fry, and a salad (can't remember which) and have been disappointed every time. The servers are consistently flippant and it is slightly overpriced. You'll get a decent meal but there are better places like sanamluang or family thai that are close enough.
-
Review from Cat B.
7/27/2011
Went here with the BF the other night. Dinner for $28, great price.
Got seated next to a screaming baby, which wasn't the restaurants fault, but it definitely didn't add to the atmosphere.
I ordered Phad Thai with pork+beef, and a side of sticky rice, the BF ordered Drunken Fried Rice with pork+beef+shrimp.
We were waited on fairly quick, received our drinks, and our orders were taken.
Our entrees came out lightening fast, minus the sticky rice. The portions here are quite large, plenty to take home for leftovers.
The Phad Thai was good, nothing outrageously mind blowing, just good. Slightly sweet, chewy noodles, absolutely no spice, (kind of disappointing. They give you little bowls of Thai chilies and such, but I wish it would've been cooked with them instead.) and plenty of pieces of meat (all overcooked, but I guess that's standard.) Served in a large dish, I had plenty to take home with me.
The BF loved his Drunken Fried Rice. It wasn't greasy, and had a lot of flavor and slight heat. And again, a large portion. I preferred his dish over mine.
We weren't really checked on at all after our entrees came out... and then the bill. They had still charged us for the sticky rice that we never got. So I kindly told our waitress, she acted surprised and double checked our table (as if I was going to lie about something that f'cking stupid.) Didn't apologize, just took our bill and went to make the changes.
It was a Tuesday night, and they still managed to mess up, and have lack of customer service, and when there WAS service, it wasn't GOOD.
There are plenty of Thai restaurants around to try, so I probably wont be returning anytime soon. -
Review from Pooja B.
1/7/2012
Came here with a friend that said he knew the owner and the food was pretty good. I enjoy downtown claremont and didn't mind giving this place a try. The service here isn't that great and they are kind of stingy with the food an extra cost for rice I thought rice was usually standard. I guess because it was brown rice it makes a difference so there's another $2 added. I had the panang which wasn't that great I have had better. I probably wouldn't mind giving it another try but I wasn't that impressed. Overall not that bad.
-
Review from Sue K.
Claremont, CA
maybe i was too tired to really taste much...or maybe i was worried about my final papers to really know what was going on...
Tofu Green curry, beef pad seew(the wider flat noodles), pineapple fried rice.
Green Curry: i like this better than red because it is a bit sweeter and milder. We got tofu and it was just right (for me..i forgot to ask my bf about how he felt about this...haha). It is a little on the creamy and less spicy side but i asked for medium. i will remember to ask for spicy next time we go...(if we go).
pad seew (?): was flavorful but salty. the meat was chewy and stringy...but i like the crunchy-ness of the vegetables...
pineapple fried rice. OK, so the presentation of this dish was impressive - it came in a real pineapple..i took a picture and posted it...it was pretty. flavor? ehhh...it was alright. i think i've had better thai...
ambience is ok...it was pretty slow and quiet - granted it was sunday night. grabbed a quick bite before studying at the library til the cows come home. it would have been a better experience if we had come on a less stressful night...i will give this place another try soon..and update the review. -
Review from Kay D.
7/19/2011
Thai food may be my favorite cuisine, and while this place does an alright job, it just isn't that good relative to most other Thai places to which I have been. In fact, I might even call it mediocre.
I came here for lunch with my sister, and ordered a lunch special with chicken panang curry. This included wonton soup, which was fairly terrible. The soup literally tasted like water, and they don't provide any hot sauces for you to add flavor. Sad. The curry arrived, and following in the tradition of mediocre Thai restaurants, their panang curry is actually just red curry. I still like red curry, but it's not what I wanted. In addition, their curries are super watery, as though they didn't cook them long enough. The flavor was decent, though it could have used more spice. Most Thai restaurants ask you how spicy you want your dish; they don't do that here.
The service was friendly, and the ambiance was nice. Previously I had their pad thai for takeout, and that was actually good...maybe they just have curry problems. -
Review from M. D.
Claremont, CA
Updated - 1/24/2012 5 Check-ins Here
This is a solid 4, maybe 4.5 star place. I love Thai food. There are several I used to frequent including Mix Bowl, Thai Diamond, and Thai Diamond BBQ. What Bua has that the others don't is quality meat and a great location. The flavors are good at all of them but I really have a problem with fatty & grissly meat. It grosses me out. Bua uses much better meat and its in the beautiful Claremont village so I'm willing to pay $1-2 more per entree for that. Everything I've tried there is pretty good. My personal favorites are the Pad Thai noodles & Cashew chicken.
I think some people unfairly compare this place to take out / counter service places and you really can't expect quality food at a full service sit down restaurant for the same price as a take out joint. I highly recommend going for lunch since lunch specials are the cheapest way to enjoy Bua. I do agree the service can be slow at times but it's usually not. BTW, don't forget to ask for the chili sauces. They only bring it upon request.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
6/18/2009
I really like this place. I was a big Mix Bowl fan before I ate here. They use better quality… Read more »
-
-
Review from Tori G.
Somerville, MA
8/25/2011
Bua has solidly tasty food at good prices. I can't count the number of times I went here for college birthday bashes. They're generally conscientious about making dishes vegetarian (most things include fish sauce, but they'll always make it without if you ask). They'll also make Thai iced tea with coconut milk instead of condensed milk for the vegan and lactose-intolerant members of your party.
Their curries are great and their drunken fried rice is AMAZING.
However, DO NOT come here if you're a big party and tight on time. Despite having been open for a couple of years now, they still haven't figured out how to coordinate the timing of multiple entrees (with a large group the lag was once as bad as 20 minutes). If you're a group that's happy to share/eat off of each other's plates all will be well. But definitely avoid the instinct to wait to eat until others have been served. If you do try to do the traditionally polite thing you may end up with a very hungry belly and a plate of room-temperature food.Listed in: 5C Freshmen--Look here!
-
Review from Leslie E.
On a hot day i was surprised how slow this place was, and i was pleased at how dark, cool (air conditioned) and spacious it was inside. The decor is pretty and clean. The servers were very attentive but not talkative at all. I didn't read this as unfriendly, more that they were just trying to remain unobtrusive.
I ordered the Pad Woon Sen. It was made almost perfectly. It had a very good balance of flavors without being at all heavy, greasy, overcooked or bitter (the complaints i have had with the dish at some other thai places). I ordered it with tofu and the amount of tofu as well as the overall dish size were very generous for around $9. The only complaint i have was that i specifically asked for EXTRA spicy and what i was served was medium spicy at best, however as they are in a fairly trendy downtown location (right next to a raw food organic grocery and a pilates center) i can only assume that they have Americanized their spiciness levels accordingly. I had to add A LOT of chili paste and powder, which was slightly annoying, but not a deal breaker for a really quite pleasing dish over all.
My father ordered some garlic BBQ ribs...I can't remember if they were on the main menu or a special. What he received was a little bit smaller than my dish but it was amazing! VERY tender small pieces of pork ribs with a delectable, complex, sweet (but not too sweet) BBQ garlic sauce on a bed of shredded cabbage and a side of perfectly cooked white rice. The portion was a little small, the meat was a little fatty, but they were AMAZING. Slightly crisped meat on the outside, melt in your mouth under the surface. -
Review from William P.
Montclair, CA
7/30/2011
After catching a movie at the theater a block away, we were hungry, and our restaurant of first choice had a pretty long line to get in, so we wandered over by the parking lot and found this place.
We liked the decor, and the food was very good. We ordered beef drunken fried rice, and honey duck, along with an appetizer. Each dish was very tasty in different ways.
I look forward to eating here again! -
Review from Les S.
9/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friend and I came here last weekend only because the Thai restaurant in Pomona had a long wait and we needed some real food in between all the sugar loaded desserts we were eating that day.
I knew exactly what I was getting into when I walked into this place. Judging from the clean, modern decor, I knew it wasn't going to be anything like the Thai places in LA. I don't know what it is about Thai restaurants but the good ones usually tend to look run down and a bit grimy, with a health code of B.
I ordered the beef salad and my friend ordered some duck dish (I think honey duck). I'm really weary of Thai places that don't even ask me how spicy I want my food. Jut as I expected it wasn't spicy at all. My salad just wasn't balanced in flavor. All I can really taste was the salt and mint. They could've used little more sugar and lime juice to balance it out but it just tasted lopsided. My friend's honey duck was too sweet for my taste. The food here is more like Panda Express of Thai food in a fancy restaurant setting. It's definitely edible but is not for hardcore Thai food fanatics. It doesn't have any repeat factor for me. -
Review from Stephanie P.
Pomona, CA
5/28/2011
#42 Located in the Claremont Village extension, Bua Thai was always perfect for taking the parents and/or relatives visiting me on campus. It was cheap, but it didn't come off that way. It's been a while since I've last been to Bua Thai, but I surely miss it and the fact that Thai food was so readily available and cheap in SoCal. I've always been here with groups hovering around the 3-5 person range and I've always enjoyed myself. There's plenty of seating and I've only ever had to wait once. Even then, however, the wait was only for about 15 minutes.
Their food is delicious, though I'd venture to say their menu isn't extensive enough. I always order one of their curries with white rice and it never fails to hit the spot. Their lemon grass soup is also pretty decent. I do appreciate the fact that their entrees aren't nearly as greasy as Mix Bowl, but that's why I never choose Bua Thai for my hangover meals. =) All in all, if you're in the area, Bua Thai is definitely a choice. -
Review from Vicki M.
Claremont, CA
4/6/2011
Keep in mind my context: poor college student, no intimate knowledge of Thai cooking, and limited to restaurants within walking distance of the Claremont Colleges.
Every time I try something new here, I love it. It's inexpensive, lots of big tables so you can come with all your friends, and next door to fro-yo. MUCH BETTER pad thai than Mix Bowl. I have always been seated and served quickly.
I don't recommend takeout, as they use plastic boxes that do not retain heat well. Other than that, one of my favorite places in the Village. -
Review from Ann T.
Upland, CA
10/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food is very good, but service is quote slow. We had a group of 20 (that was expected, with reservations place a month previously). There was only one waitress for the entire restaurant. My friend ordered a beer and it took a full half hour for her to get it... even after she went up to the bar and asked for it.
Food, as I have said, is quite tasty and the price is good, so if you don't mind waiting, this is the place for you. -
Review from Rosemary M.
Seattle, WA
1/28/2012
Mediocre food, nice atmosphere, but extremely overpriced. I wouldn't be mad if you took me here on a date, but $12 is too much for me to pay for take-out curry. WTF is with charging extra for rice???
-
Review from Ralph D.
Claremont, CA
3/7/2012
forget everything else, GET THE BEEF SATAY !! it is amazing, excellent, delicious, incredible, every good adjective. If you are in the neighborhood, especially up on the top of the parking structure, there is an amazing aroma in the air and it comes from this beef satay. its the best !!
-
Review from Jimberly W.
Claremont, CA
1/22/2012
Not bad, but not great. Consider it Thai-lite - pretty dulled down and westernized - far from authentic. Reasonably priced and nice sized portions. The food itself just doesn't stand out. Disclaimer: having spent time in Thailand I might be a bit biased.
-
Review from Nydia A.
This place is http://bomb.com! I love Thai but most thai restaurants around here are not that nice. Giving it five stars because this place has the location, the modern look, mood- setting vibe, and the food is quite scrumptious. For the two of us having an entree and alcoholic beverage each, the bill was less than thirty bucks.
Tip- try the pad sew yoo and Thai spare ribs. -
Review from Mariel D.
Seattle, WA
1/25/2012
Pad Thai made with ketchup. Not authentic at all. Good service, though.
-
Review from Shan S.
Victorville, CA
6/11/2011
We went there about 45 minutes before closing on a Friday night. I was surprised to see it so empty. However, it looked pretty, smelled great and the menu looked appealing. Service was quick and friendly. Stuffed mushrooms with peanut sauce? Yum! Crispy duck with orange sauce? OMG. Took me back to a happy childhood memory.
Kind of odd that both items were served with sides of broccoli and carrots. A little variety would have been nice, but the broccoli and carrots were well cooked. I felt a little rushed when we were asked if we'd want anything else *right after* the food was served because the kitchen was closing. Overall, though, it was good food and a pleasant experience. -
Review from Madge A.
Claremont, CA
9/30/2011
Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce= AMAZING! Chicken Pad Thai is super tasty. The owners there a great and friendly. Their take-out service is quick.
-
Review from Sheila P.
Seattle, WA
1/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is some of the best Thai I've had in awhile! I can't wait to bring all my friends back here. I went with 3 other people and we all had something different and everything was delicious!
The atmosphere is also very calm and mellow. -
Review from Robert K.
Claremont, CA
12/22/2011
I love the atmosphere however the food was not as good as other local Thai restaurants. We tried several dishes to give it a fair comparison. I think we have been to about 10+ Thai restaurants from LA to San Diego.
-
Review from Lisa E.
Ontario, CA
9/15/2011
I really enjoyed my lunch here. Nice atmosphere, good food and great prices. I will eat here again.
-
Review from T. H.
Riverside, CA
12/15/2011
Great prices for Claremont, and an attractive, modern interior. I am addicted to the glass noodle dish Pad Woon Sen. Definitely a solid option for those of us without deep pockets, but looking for decent ethnic cuisine in the village.
-
Review from Tara M.
11/27/2011 1 photo
We are still trying new places in town and this was an experiment laden with mixed results. We started out with the Chicken Satay, it was pretty standard, the peanut sauce was good, and the pickled veg was a decent relish. My boyfriend and ordered the Wonton soup, I as a starter and him as his meal. We were not impressed on this dish, the veg was fresh, but it lacked flavor all together. I ordered the Phad Kee Mao, it was great, the flavors were awesome, the noodles were perfect. We will probably try this place again, but I think we will skip the soup.
-
Review from Matthew T.
Los Angeles, CA
12/19/2011
Hard 3. The curries here are pretty dec (especially panang and green). A mediocre pad thai. Terrible chicken satay. The staff was nice and accommodating. Overall, I would go again if I were craving Thai food.
