Buddha Cafe
2719 Iris Ave, Boulder, CO, 80305
Buddha Cafe Menu
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Address :
2719 Iris Ave
Boulder, CO, 80305 - Phone (720) 565-0506
- Website https://www.buddhathaicuisine.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Griffin B.
Buddha is my favorite Thai food in Boulder and the restaurant is great. It is an authentic feel since the family that owns it are all Thai, they have nice photography on the walls, although the ambience generally is a bit sparse. The curries are my favorite and for my palette (which likes a good amount of spice), I choose 4/5 spicy for my food. 5/5 is wildly hot and meant essentially for native Thais (a good indicator that the place is authentic). Overall, the food is great and reasonably priced, and there is almost never a wait
(4)Miranda A.
Delicious, amazing, reasonably priced food. If you like wontons, do yourself a favor and try their crispy parcels. Their Buddha chow mein is addictive (even though it's closer to low mein), their curry is yum and their drunken noodles are divine. Unfortunately - their service leaves something to be desired. Don't try to eat inside, it regularly takes more than an hour for food to get to your table. What's worse is they don't stop very often to refill your drinks while you wait. I also still get a little sour about how they once got our takeout wrong, and then argued with me on the phone. They ended up charging me to remedy the order they got royally incorrect, after I had to drive back to the restaurant from our house and pick it up a second time. We have only been 100% successful with their delivery... I guess that's all we really need anyways.
(4)Jay E.
Wow, what hit-or-miss entrees! Some of the dishes here are excellent (all of the curry dishes and the tom yung soup) and some of the dishes are terrible (most of the noodle dishes including pad thai and drunken noodle. in fact the drunken noodle is some of the worst I've ever had). The service isn't great either. I showed up for take out one time and they were more than 20 minutes late and didn't apologize. They asked if I wanted some ice water while I waited. But, if you can get past the spotty service, and you order curry dishes, this place is decent.
(3)Brianne H.
Every dish I've tried here has been absolutely delicious. The drunken noodles are a favorite, as well as the Buddha Chow Mein or Buddha Noodles & and all of the curries are wonderful. I like things on the spicer side so a 4 on a scale of 1-5 packs just the right amount of heat. They have a bit of a small space and kitchen though, so plan a little extra time for your meal with either dining in or take out. Worth the wait though!
(4)Kaley S.
The Good: Buddha Cafe is a hidden gem serving up authentic Thai food in a shopping center in North Boulder off 28th. I kind of don't want to even tell everyone how awesome it is because I love how easy it is to get a table (they do TONS of takeout) and I love hiding out here on holidays and weekends when everywhere else is packed. I am a curry fiend and was ecstatic to find Buddha Thai offers six different kinds of curry - red, yellow, green, Panang, massamon and jungle curry. You can get any curry with veggies, chicken, pork or beef -- each is the same price, even the veggies, but it's totally worth it because they treat veggies with the same respect as meat-- they give you TONS of veggies in huuuuge bowl of curry. You get your choice of brown or white rice, always hot & perfectly cooked. Tip: Their spice system is 1-5. I like spicy food and the level 3 I found to be really, really spicy -- not in a bad way, but it was definitely super spicy. We watched a kid get burned up on his level 4, and ordering a 5 is just unnecessary unless you want to be in physical pain (or you're Thai and can handle it). 2 is reasonable and will still be spicy. The Bad: I wish they had real hot tea and not just tea bags. Not the worst thing but I like drinking tea while I'm eating with chopsticks :) The Food: Overall, excellent but sometimes inconsistent. The first time I tried the Panang curry, I was in heaven and swore it was the best curry I've ever had -- the next time it didn't blow my mind but was still super tasty. All their curries are delicious, full of flavors, in generous potions and beautifully presented. The Service: We've always had good service here - attentive, polite and friendly. Overall: I love Buddha Cafe!!! My favorite spot for curry in Boulder, an understated and quiet place for authentic, spicy, delicious Thai.
(4)Kris K.
Amazing food at a decent price! I can say truly that the customer service is some of the best in Boulder. After eating here for a few years now I'd say that they are also some of the most consistent in town, I can always count on that perfect calamari and the mango sauce :) Try it!
(5)Alanna M.
A friend and I went here for dinner on a Friday night. The restaurant wasn't too busy so we were sat immediately. The server promptly took our order. I decided upon the massoman curry. We each ordered a beer, which came quickly. But then, we waited, and waited and waited. Other tables were getting their food who ordered after us, but nothing to our table. Finally, which seemed like forever, our food was delivered. And it was SO good! My curry was incredible! I wanted to devour the entire bowl but I decided the best of it and got a box. It was even better the next day. So, other than the long wait to get our meal, the food was great!
(4)Lauren S.
My roommate discovered Buddha Cafe last year, introduced it to me and now I am in love. Their Pad Thai is absolutely delicious (get it with chicken), and their coffee is amazing as well. I went there for my birthday this past year, and all of my friends also enjoyed their dishes. The portions are large, and very worth the money. Leftovers for days! The atmosphere was cozy, but they could accommodate my party which was about ten people. Their staff was very friendly, and I thought the service was quick. However, if you order for delivery, it will take a little longer. Overall, I love Buddha and would highly recommend them!
(4)Rio S.
My friends took me out to Buddha Thai last night for my birthday. They wanted to try it based on the Boulder Weekly rating it the best Thai food in boulder. We all wish we had gone somewhere else. It was a thoroughly disappointing experience. The service was extremely slow. It took an hour and 10 minutes to get our food and that was only after we threatened to leave. Even then, it was brought to our table in to-go boxes even though we were seated and dining in. This place was rated the best Thai food in the Boulder weekly, so we at least expected the food to taste good. In fact, it was awful. I wanted fresh spring rolls, but they don't offer them (first Thai restaurant in my experience to not have fresh spring rolls). I ordered the fried version instead. What arrived was four greasy soggy oil tubes stuffed with flavorless cabbage on a plain white plate. Even the sauce was non-descript brown stuff. There was absolutely no detectable spice whatsoever. The Pad Thai came with enough portion to easily make three meals out of, but again, was bland and flavorless. The only flavor was the fresh lime i squeezed over it with a finish of the dirty oil it was cooked in. The menu stated it came with egg, but there was none to be found. My friends' dishes were not much better. The green curry was just okay, but had some strange bright green color suggesting food coloring. I don't know what the other dish was, but it had some basic bland brown soy based sauce with no detectable spice. On her first bite, she complained immediately that there was some kind of grit that she bit onto. I've eaten Thai food everywhere. Thai food is all about the intricate lively bright spices and herbs and delicious sauces. With such a high rating we had high expectations, Honestly, we would not have cared about the plain interior or slow service either if the food was fantastic. We would have been satisfied if the food was simply just good, but it was really bad - the worst Thai food I've ever eaten. We will never go back.
(1)Corrine S.
Wasn't very busy at all when we arrived. Took our waiter a few minutes to grab menus & waters after he seated us. We got the sampler appetizer which was very delicious! I got the Tom Kha soup with coconut milk which was missing a few authentic ingredients (like stone mushrooms) but other than that it wasn't bad. Wasn't the best I've had nor the worst. I ordered the red curry chicken for my entrée, which I shared with my bf because the portions were huge! It was flavorful, tasted good. Had enough to take a doggie bag home. I would eat here again.
(3)Joel D.
I've had unmemorable Thai before (at least I think I have; I can't really remember), but never bad Thai. Sorry to be negative, but this was bad Thai. Everything tasted off, and the green curry not only wasn't Thai spicy as requested, it had some sickly sweetness to it that was tough to swallow.
(1)Julian Q.
This rating is more like 3 and half stars and this is why. First things first, this is not thai food. I'd put money on the fact that the owners are Mongolian. The restaurant is decorated to be a Japanese restaurant and does not have one Thai decoration. Second, the food is not bad but again does not taste anything like thai food. Everything is oddly sweet as if they use some kind of Chinese sweet sauce in their cooking. Two good things I will say about this place is that the portions are big and the spice is definitely there. Go to Thai Avenue if you want authentic Thai food. Update: the owners are in fact Nepalese
(3)Hannah M.
Amazing curry, horrible service. The only reason I didn't give it one star is because their green curry is some of my favorite curry in town. Besides their curries, I would never eat at this restaurant. I came in with some friends and someone who I presume was a waiter told us to pick any table. We picked a large table in the back since our party consisted of 6 people. After 10 minutes of not one person acknowledging us, I flagged down a waiter to ask for waters. 10 minutes later and still no water. Got up from the table to ask a waiter if someone would come take our order. 5-7 minutes later someone took our order. One person ordered wine which never came out yet was still on our bill. Once we had our food we had to again flag down a waiter for more water. Let me be clear, the restaurant had four other tables besides us, and as a server, this would not be considered busy enough to warrant slow service. The last straw was that even after we asked for our check, again we had to flag down a waiter 10 minutes later to remind them about bringing out check. This was seriously an unacceptable experience in my opinion and if I ever eat here again, it will only be for take out.
(2)Pete S.
The food is very mediocre. I got the drunken noodles and the sauce tasted very much like it was just from a can and I barely had any vegetables. On my visit here the service was super slow. Either they were understaffed or just a lot busier than expected. So maybe on a different night it may be better. From an atmosphere standpoint, very bland. Could be any run of the mill strip mall restaurant. At least the food is pretty cheap.
(2)Lara P.
*raw till 4 vegans this is the place for us :) So I've been to my fare share of Thai restaurants (yes I know I haven't yelped them, sorry) and I have my go to dish, the vegetable panang curry. So once again I go ahead and order my dish. This vegetable panang curry was the best vegetable panang curry I have EVER had!!! The flavor was right there with Pin Kaow on Eastern in Las Vegas, Nevada. But what makes this curry better than them was everything else. 1) The portion was tremendously huge, it literally came in a bowl for soup. 2) The vegetables. You were not only given a ton but they tasted so fresh that I thought a farmer was unloading his haul in the pan. 3) The rice was perfect, it was clean, fluffy and very fresh. Oh and once again if you order extra rice for just 2 dollars you actually get rice!!!! The only bad thing I can say about this place was the service. Only because the restaurant is so busy with take-out orders I literally watched a busy "drive thru" come through the restaurant picking up there gigantic orders one by one. You come here purely for the food and they really do feed you at a wonderful price that every restaurant should follow suite.
(5)Louise S.
Divey thai place - delicious! This place was full on a weekday at 7:00, plus a constant stream of to-go orders. Service is a little lackluster, but our food was great, so we don't care. I got Buddha Noodles, rice and lots of veggies smothered in peanut sauce - big enough for leftovers the next day. Husband got a curry dish, also great. Restaurant is cute, not fancy. Same with our waiter, he did not dote on us, and the man behind the bar up front may not have been aware he was the host on duty.
(4)Adam S.
I'm actually a longtime customer and advocate of this restaurant. But as time has gone on, there's just too many negatives to deal with for pretty average thai food. If you're expecting anything that resembles a timely delivery, cross your fingers. We ordered via their online system and somehow missed the memo stating they reserve an hour to cook your food, and another 25 minutes to deliver. In our experience, they'll use the full 85 minutes, and then some. Further, they include a little note (apparently, I missed this too on my receipt) saying * or ASAP (which is completely open-ended and they'll take full advantage of that too). Pick-up is also a crapshoot, we've ordered on the way home from work numerous times to find our order hadn't been documented or that they had forgotten to start it. Seriously, each time I walk in I expect to see a frazzled look on the staff's face, followed by some chattering, a rush to the kitchen with our freshly printed order ticket and a "its coming right up". I've never requested a discount or even put in a complaint, this last time I did and it was an endless string of excuses and clinging to "policy". I was completely surprised honestly. Oh, and if you dine-in, the good luck with that too, and be prepared to shower all the grease out of your hair when you return home. Good luck Buddha Thai. If you cling to "policy" and don't make it right with customers who order on the regular, and refer customers, you'll always have to find new ones!
(1)Jason F.
It's cheap, so they have that. And the people running the shop are obviously really nice, hard working people. Kind of a family joint feel. But the food I ate just wasn't that good. Had the drunken noodles; seemed like a jar sauce, thick and unlike any drunken noodle I've had before.. Curries aside (which may be better, I don't know), many of the dishes (like the drunken noodles) don't seem Thai. More like Chinese influenced, stereotypical "Asian" food.
(2)Michele s.
Auspicious 108th review!! :) Fresh, delicious food, generous portions and moderately priced. Straightforward menu with lots of vegan options. Restaurant is also very clean with nice, minimalist decor. Friendly service. Will be back.
(5)Nicole H.
Came in and ordered a take out order and both myself and the family next to me have been waiting almost 45 minutes. They could have told us ahead of time that the wait would be so long.
(1)Olivia H.
My friend and I searched boulder high and low for a place to get some good pad Thai and this place finally blew us away! The portions are huge (we usually share unless we want leftovers) and the prices aren't too high! I would also recommend the crispy parcels with plum sauce Side note: they'll ask you what spice level you want your pad Thai (0-4) and from my experience if you're with a group all ordering different levels then they usually won't listen
(4)Susanna J.
I love this place, but I have to admit, I've only had the panang curry. I dream and salivate over the panang curry here and I've never met a panang that can compare the the curry here. The service has been slow on occasion.
(4)Shelly D.
I'd give this place no stars if it was an option. I'll admit, I am a bit of snob when it comes to thai food. But we were desperate last night driving back from a long ski day and really caved some thai. My expectations were extremely low but it was worse than I could have imagined. Our thai beef salad looked like dog food on iceberg lettuce with some soggy cucumbers. Not edible. The pad se ew was greasy and tasted like buttered noodles. My husband found a long, blonde hair in his food which couldn't have been ours so that was upsetting. Oh and low and behold I find another small, dark hair in my green curry! We were outraged. Enough so that we called to complain and demanded our money back. They said they would credit us back the $33 we spent but I have yet to see it in my bank account. I will never ever ever go back to this place - I really hope it foes out of business.
(1)Avelynia C.
The food is always fresh and hot with just the right amount of spice! If you love fried rice the Buddah Thai Fried Rice! Their curry is amazing!! The Penang Curry is AMAZING and the Red Curry is also great! They have different spice levels. The levels go from 1-4. 1 being mild and 4 the hottest! so tasty! its a must try!
(5)Sepideh M.
This place hasn't killed me yet! I usually avoid Thai places because I am allergic to peanuts and shellfish so that rules out most proper Thai food. I can eat various things at this restaurant, and I have not had to leave due to an allergic reaction yet. The portions are quite large. Their spiciness scale is a little extreme for my taste. Medium is usually pretty hot, and I have a friend who orders her food at a hotness level that is beyond their scale. I tried her food, and fire did not shoot out of my eyeballs; but I thought it might. I've eaten here twice.
(4)Mr. W.
This is my go to spot for healthy inexpensive takeout. I love the green curry.. I usually add broccoli. I have some for dinner and have some left over for lunch the next day. Great Deal!
(5)Vixay S.
I'm thai, have been to many thai restaurant and have eaten authentic meals before. I'm not sure what that soup they serve as an appetizer was for but it was waay too sweet. While I was there another customer sent it back because it was too sweet. As far as the red curry goes it was pretty but wasn't fantastic. It's still on the sweeter side. I don't know what it is with this place and their over use of sugar but they need to tone it down.
(3)Duncan M.
Not authentic Thai and too much msg for us. We gave it a try. Starters were nice, not Thai though. Drunken Noodles was like sriracha noodles. Pad Kra Pow was in thick msg sauce. Service was nice. If you want great Thai food in Boulder go to Aloy
(1)Conny F.
Great Thai food and I like that you can make it as spicy or mild as you want. They are sometimes a bit slow but pretty good in getting you the food if you let then know that you have only limited time.
(4)Janice M.
Wow, pretty bad Thai food. Sure it is cheap but it is bad. I order pad kra pao - what part of it is pad kra pao when there is no kra pao (holy basil) in the dish? Most people can't tell the difference since most Thai restaurants do make that substitution because holy basil doesn't stay fresh very long and can be hard to find. However, I do know for a fact that local grocery joints in Denver metro do offer fresh holy basil. I ordered 6/5 on the spice level and it was actually spicy, which I do enjoy. If you crave pad kra pao in Boulder, I would go to Urban Thai in Longmont because they do use real basil but it is a bit pricier and the portion is quite small. Other than that, the next closest town that has decent Thai food is Westminster.
(2)Sara B.
I thought this was a delicious place. Not a great dining area necessarily, but we got it to go. Not sure about authenticity but I never really care about that as long as it is tasty. Chow Mein, glass noodles and panang curry were great. Liked the spring rolls too.
(5)David B.
The food is really good here. However I just had some food delivered and despite the fact that they charge a delivery fee the delivery guy complained that I didn't tip him. He basically told me that he doesn't get paid. I told him that if there wasn't a delivery fee I would tip him. He continued to complain to me and told me that he gets $3.50 of the $4.00 delivery fee. At which point I just closed the door. As a student I don't have money to pay a delivery fee and tip the guy for a total of something like 7 or 8 extra dollars. Its incredibly rude that this guy complained to me. And it is quite unfortunate if the restaurant doesn't pay their delivery guys. Don't complain to me. Get a different job.
(3)Casey M.
Never had a bad experience at Buddha cafe! The pad tai is delicious. And if you are looking for a starter so are the spring rolls! The portions are huge so you definitely get what you're paying for. The sizes are for sure shareable.
(4)Katie B.
As I always feel like I have to do when I give good places three stars, here's my disclaimer: Three stars is NOT a bad thing, folks. This place is good. Not great, but really good. I was craving pad thai after a long day of climbing, so I came here by suggestion of my buddy who lives nearby and loves their drunken noodles. The service is a little slow, but who's in a rush? This spot isn't the best if you're tight on time, but if you have the leisure of enjoying the company of whoever you're with, it's not too painful to wait for your food. I saw a lot of people coming in to pick up take-out orders, so that might be a good option if you don't feel like sitting around for a bit. The pad thai here is definitely different from what I'm used to. Instead of a more creamy peanut base, this dish is heavy on the tomato. It was unusual from what I'm used to, but still totally delicious. The portions are great; my two friends devoured their dishes, but I had more than enough left over for breakfast the next day.
(3)Lori C.
Delicious food. My meal was not over-sauced like most Thai/Asian food I often get. The server was kind & attentive. Awesome little find while I was in town from Mpls!
(4)Shattered T.
Are you kidding? This place is awful!! Extremely slow service, horrible atmosphere and BAD food!! It took 15 minutes for them to take our order, then we waited 42 minutes for our food! It was VERY hot in the cramped dining area. Also too noisy to carry on a conversation. And they couldn't make me a Thai iced tea because they were missing something. The Jungle Curry was terrible!! It tasted like canned vegetables in tomato sauce. Nothing at all like authentic Thai. The Drunken Noodles were the worst I've ever had by far!! I would give them ZERO STARS if that were an option.
(1)Allison B.
We've never eaten something we haven't liked. My favorites are the panang curry and the drunken noodles. A word of caution, five stars is HOT! We like our food spicy and order it at 3 or 4.
(5)Barry G.
We've been eating here for many years and it's our go-to Thai place in Boulder. Our favorites are the Asian Fried Rice, Buddha Chow Mein, and Buddha Fried Rice. Good spring rolls and the crispy parcels are yummy. The place is very low key and the staff is always friendly and helpful. Highly recommended!
(5)Krisitn M.
Needed a place to grab a quick lunch today and decided to try this place. Big mistake. Worst Pad Thai I have ever had. Tasted like rice noodles drenched in ketchup. Not authentic at all. Have drank a chai tea, kombucha, and ate a candy bar and still cannot get the gross taste out of my mouth. Apparently, I am destined to spend the rest of my day being haunted by that wretched pad thai.
(1)David B.
Buddha cafe is pretty good (3.5 stars). The portions are very large, and the price is quite reasonable. I can easily make two meals out of an entree. Overall, the flavors are pretty average so if you are going for quality you can find better. The service was terrible as well. I think they had one person serving the entire restaurant and it took a very long time to get the food (maybe 45 min). So, overall it's a pretty good option and i'd be willing to try it again as take out so i don't have to deal with the slowness
(3)Scotty A.
Possibly the WORST Thai food I've ever had. Don't go here. I've spent several months traveling in Thailand, and ate local food off the beaten track most of the time. After eating here last night, I'm fairly certain the cooks are neither Thai, nor have ever eaten Thai food before. If you like really bad American Chinese takeout, then this place might be for you. All three dishes we ordered were really similar, despite two being stir fries and one being a curry. Huge mounds of wilted vegetables, covered in thick brown gravy. Edible, but not enjoyable.
(1)Colorado K.
This is the kind of place you can go wearing your fat pants and just burry your face in awesome, spicy curry. They have a 0-10 spice rating. I tried the 10 and almost had to go to the emergency room. This place is legit.
(4)Cheryl P.
Gave two stars because I can't speak to the quality of their food. They cannot make their curries vegan (except for the yellow curry), they have shrimp in them. We love panang and massaman curries, so we didn't stay for the food. Bummer!
(2)Bridget H.
I just moved to Boulder. I honestly have had Thai food here ranging from mediocre to horrible. I don't really get why - there's great Indian food in Boulder - but the Thai is miserable. In any case, for Thai in Boulder, this place is the best so far. It's still not good, but it happens to be one of the few restaurants we can walk to from our new house, so we've given it a few tries. The one strange standout in a good way? The spring rolls, which are pretty much always awful everywhere, are really good here. For spring rolls. I almost had the idea that they make them from scratch as opposed to defrosting them. They're fresh and gingery inside and served with a nice sauce. Besides that - we've had the Massaman curry, nothing to write home about. The curry itself was too thick, and had an odd flavor, and the vegetables were few in number and poorly cooked. The Green curry was a little better, but kind of more like white than green curry, with not enough herbs added to color it, and very heavy. The Drunken noodles are awful, basically it's like they are stir fryed in ketchup. Very strange. The Buddha noodles, on the lunch menu called the Angel noodles I think, are pretty good - we've ordered them twice - but has got to be the ugliest, least appealing dish I've ever seen. They put some steamed vegetables on the plate, then cover them up with a pile of clumpy rice noodles, then pour thick peanut sauce on top. What arrives in front of you looks like a pile of shit, to be honest. However, once you mix it all together it's spicy and and has a nice flavor. I really don't understand why they can't mix them up for you and present an appealing dish. It makes no sense. Had the Hot Basil also. Nothing great, but totally edible and satisfying. Do be warned - I've lived in Asia for some time and can deal with very spicy, and I order medium here. When they say hot, they mean it. Finally, my first experience there was ordering some takeout on a Friday evening at 8pm. Yes, I should have known better, but they told me it would be ready in 20 minutes. I came back in twenty minutes. My husband was waiting in the car with the puppy. They told me to sit down, and alternately ignored me or told me it would be ready in ten minutes. It look a full hour all told. Would it have killed them to be honest with me so I didn't waste my time? But that's kind of part and parcel of a restaurant like this. We'll be going back, but I'm not terribly happy about it.
(2)Conor H.
Buddha Cafe has the best green curry in the world hands down! I have lived in LA and NY and eaten at tons and tons of Thai places and Buddha is just miles above the rest. I usually just order delivery or takeout so I can't comment on the service or ambiance, but as far as taste and quality go, you can't find better. I order the curry mild (1 on the 1-5 scale) and it is still delicious. If super spicy is your thing, have no fear, they can make it hot as well. My only complaint is that they don't offer mango sticky rice, my favorite Thai dessert. Oh well. . .
(4)Robert H.
Came into reception and waited 10 minutes to be acknowledged. They were NOT busy 5 customers inside and a table of 4 outside. Never got seated although waiter had time to chat-up solo female dinner for the whole time I stood at reception. Bar tender was doing something with the cash register and never looked up to see if anyone was waiting to be seated. Restaurant apparently is so good it does not need hospitality. I left, and still no one noticed. UHG!
(1)Jeremy T.
Mmmmmmmmmm Panang Curry We have been big fans of this place for quite some time and go here very frequently. Both for lunch and dinner. I find their panang to be the best in town and the price is great. It is not fancy It is not pricey It is just good food at a great price and is always served with a smile. I have had items from all over the menu, but seem to gravitate back to the Panang Curry and the Chicken skewers. Panang isn't on the lunch menu, but it is available if you ask for it. They have good noodle dishes too and most all items on the menu you can get on a scale of heat.
(4)Greg A.
Approaching the place, it's full of couples canoodling and friends friending. we came during the dinner rush, and it was full, but not so full that we didn't get seated immediately. We soon learned why this place is so popular. Prices for entrees is a dollar or two below the controlled (!) "market price", and the helpings are generous. You order the hotness of your meal on a scale of one to five, and you get what you ask for. My pardner ordered Pad Thai with pork, and it was delicious. I ordered the cashew stir fry with chicken, and it was delicious also. Neither of us could finish our meals, so we each got a bonus lunch for the coming week out of it! For those who imbibe, there's a bar near the entrance. It has a view of the kitchen. The music is elevator light-jazz. What can you do? There's no wifi, but fortunately our gear had already been programmed for a hotspot in a nearby establishment, and the signal was fine. However, to do this you would need the password to their hotspot. Bottom line: no open free wifi available.
(4)John B.
Just so people know - the only curry they can make vegan is the yellow curry. If you are looking for vegan curry, don't go here.
(1)D. W.
Big fan of the Green Curry and Dumplings! Friendly restaurant with easy location and parking. Boulder surprisingly does not have very good Thai restaurants but I do think that this place is the best in town.
(4)J T.
Yum! Drunken noodles are delish! Green Curry is also very good - The food in general is great and really consistent. Service is also excellent, all the servers are very nice. Feels very "mom and pop" like. Lunch deal comes with soup (which is yummy and sour) It's consistently good and the prices are very reasonable. If you are nearby, you need to visit - it's a real gem in Boulder!
(4)John-Mark L.
I am fairly new to Boulder and a friend recommended this place to me. We just got take-out but it was sooooo delicious! The curry dish I got was the best curry I have ever had-- a bit sweet-- and it made three meals! Looking forward to my next visit-- soon!
(4)Jonathan S.
The most important thing to remember is that the spiciness is done on a 1-5 scale. 3 is still hot, and 5 might make your eyes water for days. But that's not their claim to fame. Buddha does Thai in a way that doesn't load up on oil or spice, but instead favors unique and distinct flavors for each dish. So there's plenty of reason to keep coming back time and again.
(5)JeZippy E.
I used to go to Buddha Cafe on a rare occasion, since it's less than a mile from my house and I like frequenting my neighborhood places. But I can't go anymore :( Most everything has soy in it and I'm allergic to soy now (boohoo). They cook almost everything in soy oil here, which just makes me gag. Mostly tho, I get terrible stomach cramps (pee-yew don't get to close), headaches and then hives from everything soy now! G-d I miss Asian & Thai food, and my tofu pudding! The last time I went (over a year ago now), I sat at the counter on a cold winter night, waiting for my carry-out and having a beer while I read my book. It was getting close to closing and it wasn't busy anymore; so I chatted with the waiters quite a bit as I waited. These guys were great to chat with. Too bad the food quality is sub-par. I had requested extra veggies in pad thai but found virtually none. Elephant Thai is way better, and they don't cook everything in soy oil. They know I'm allergic to it, so they use canola or peanut oil for my food. However, ET's service isn't always so good. Once, the chef came out to serve me! So now, I just order carry-out. I think ET's pad thai is the best in town.
(2)Greg G.
The food here is good to great depending on what you order. But the service is amazing. I like to hang out here and sometimes do business because the atmosphere is always positive and refreshing. Sometimes they have sports on TV.
(4)Steve V.
We used to be occasional customers, since the food was decent and the place was convenient for take-out. But after today's experience, I think that we're done with the Buddha Café. Instead of the Pad Thai that we ordered (and which was on our ticket), we discovered after getting home that we got some kind of fried rice dish instead. Thinking that we might have been given someone else's order, and with food allergies and vegetarian diets to accommodate, we called to check. Their response was to acknowledge that they gave us the wrong thing, but not to apologize or try to make it right. Instead, they insisted that the dish that we didn't order but got was really good and cost the same as what we ordered and paid for, so we should just be happy with it. When I finally had to suggest that we shouldn't be charged for food that we ordered but didn't get, they reluctantly agreed to refund part of our check (paid by credit card), but then didn't do it. It is bad enough to send out the wrong food when the kitchen isn't even busy, but to take the attitude that customers should just be happy with whatever they happen to get is just inexcusable.
(1)Rachel W.
They're playing some kind of sick joke on me. Never going there again. I ordered drunken noodles with tofu a few weeks ago and it was amazing. The past 3 times I've ordered it it was bullshit. Tonight they forgot the tofu so my husband had to drive back to get it. They handed him another order without any fucking tofu. We're never going back and I hope this restaurant closes it's doors for good in a week.
(1)Grace E.
We were wandering around boulder looking for a good meal when everything we could have hoped for was closed as it was new years day. We stumbled up Buddha cafe with positive intentions for tastey food. We were greeted by a friendly server and reviewed the menu. We ordered the Tom yum hot and sour soup and it was sooo incredibly tastey. We also got the drunken noodles and the cashew stir fry. Both fantastic!! I have gone back many times since this occasion and every time have been in absolute food bliss! The Tom Kha is by far my favorite dish, I have never been without ordering it. The Panang curry is delicious and so is their Pad Thai. Big portions so you won't go home hungry! I think this is the best Thai in Boulder. Wayyyy better that Khow Thai. Enjoy this wonderful Thai restaurant!
(5)Carmel U.
The food wasn't as spicy as i had hoped. The beef salad also lacked the lime punch and ground rice that i was looking forward to. Oh well.
(3)Margaret B.
This is my favorite place to order red curry with chicken. It is hands down the best curry dish in Boulder!
(5)Kati J.
I love this place. The food is great, as is the service, even when you have a screaming two year old! I've been here a few times and can't wait to go again!
(5)Marisa M.
I love Thai food with an intense passion, which makes me a little bit biased. Sure, here you don't get super interactive and cheery servers, but they are attentive and not rude- they just are not too engaging. I had the red curry and was very satisfied. They have generous portions and customizable spice levels. I was nervous about going all the way up on the spice scale so I asked for a level between the second highest and the highest (they go by stars) so they said I could have a 4.5 star spice level which was perfect, whereas my mother (my dining partner) cannot handle any spice at all so she asked for 0 stars and was satisfied as well. I will definitely be back!
(5)They Call Me L.
Well, the search for passable Thai in the Boulder area continues. Four of us had dinner here Sunday night. It's a cute little space that's dominated by the kitchen, where a lot of hustle and bustle goes on. Our waiter was lax in getting us water when we first sat down. Granted, they were pretty busy with to-go orders and such, but still, it seemed an inordinately long wait. No spring rolls, as they were all gobbled up by previous patrons of the day. Seriously, though, when you're running an Asian restaurant - who runs out of spring rolls? We had the combo app platter - tasty fried goodness with four dipping choices. Beef drunken noodles were okay - the meat was a bit chunky/chewy (if it's gonna be chewy, I'd rather it were thin). Cashew shrimp - lots of veggies...sauce was aight. Green curry chicken - a little alarming that the sauce itself was a bit *too* green...almost fluorescent. But still yum. And the chicken tom kha - whoa. Hold it right there, buck-oh. I've had my share of this coconut soup all over the nation, and this one was just about the worst I can ever recall. It's like they dumped a bunch of sugar in it to disguise something. You could barely perceive the coconut flavor. Yech. Where oh where to find decent Thai cuisine around these parts? Actually, wait - Chez Thuy has been good. But it's nice to have other options just for a change of venue.
(2)Fair W.
Really delicious green curry with seafood (calamari, Pei mussels, mild white fish). I've only been there once but would go back for this one dish, typically great Thai food. They serve wine and beer but the jasmine tea was good on a cold winter's day.
(4)Jennifer G.
Just had lunch with friends there- small joint in a strip mall. We got there at 11:30, practically the first ones there, although it filled up later. For apps we tried the chicken satay and the crispy packets. The chicken itself was ok, but the dipping sauces were great, and the crispy packets were basically crab cheese wontons, very good. I had the Panang curry w/ jasmine rice, medium hot. Delicious! Great favors, yummy coconut milk and lots of veggies. my friends had yellow curry, red curry and broccoli with oyster sauce, and everyone loved it. The service was good and the check was small. Will definitely be back to try some other dishes.
(3)Liz S.
I've been to Buddha Cafe several times in the past for the massamon curry, which was always delicious, but my order last night was very disappointing. I ordered the pad woon sen, which was a big, soggy pile of vegetables with maybe two teaspoons of very finely chopped glass noodles, and the thai basil dish, which was a big, soggy, flavorless pile of vegetables. We also got the tom kha, which was quite good, but the rest of the meal was a sad disappointment. I won't be going back for anything but the curry in the future.
(3)Dave C.
I gave them 4 stars because 5 stars is perfect and nobody is perfect....however Buddah Cafe comes real close. Small place with about 15 tables tucked in the strip mall at Iris and 28th. The service is fantastic and the food is even better. I went there with my wife and 3 children, 17, 7, and 3. Everyone found something they liked. I had the panang curry, medium, great flavor nice heat. My son at the last noodle dish on the menu HOT and he thought he was going to explode, so good yet so so hot. My girls had a mixture of the appetizer sampler (the best deal on the menu by the way) and the pad se yew. My wife had this basil shrimp dish that we to die for, no skimping on the shrimp or the basil. They also make their version of the cream cheese won-ton which was AMAZING. We'll be back just hope my review doesn't make the place get that crowded.
(4)Rebecca R.
If Chef Boyardee made Thai, this would be it! The Pad Thai tasted like simple tomato paste and we asked for HOT. No heat at all. Also, ordered steamed dumplings which only tasted of ground chicken inside, no seasoning. We told our server we were unhappy with the food and were offered a bottle of Sriracha. No other attempts were made to satisfy us, and we were presented with a full bill for payment. We should have taken the hint when we noticed the previous customers left plates full of food and empty take home boxes on the table.
(1)Raoul R.
I hear over and over again how wonderful the food is here. Super nice people, great local vibe. But, the pad Thai with chicken was a glorpy mess of red sauce, as in tomato sauce. It was more like Asian style spaghetti. Very odd... Not for me.
(2)Solange J.
I joined yelp just so I could review this place - that's how bad I thought the food at this place was. This was the absolute worst Thai food that I've ever had in my life (in Boulder and NYC) To begin with, the service was quite poor and the server who took my 'to go' order seemed really annoyed that I was asking him about the spice rating. I overlooked this as I worked in restaurants for close to 10 years and I know that I most certainly was not always the most courteous person to patrons, so I ignored the attitude and just chalked it up to him having a bad day. Anyway - the food. I ordered the veggie drunken noodles and a papaya salad - boy was I disappointed. There were hardly any vegetables and the veggies that managed to make it into my order were limp and mushy. The flavor/sauce for the noodles was just 'flat' and had very little taste dimension to it. It tasted like a tomato based pre-made sauce. ick. The texture and the entire meal as a whole looked like something I purchased from the frozen food section of the grocery. My 12 year old son (who normally loves drunken noodles said "ewe" when he saw the noodles and refused to eat a bite) The papaya salad had way too much fish sauce in it. Never in my life have I ever not finished an order of papaya salad (I loooove papaya salad!) It was obvious that the salad is 'pre-made' ...what I mean by that is that they probably make a big container of it and leave it in the fridge, as opposed to many places that toss the papaya ingredients together as you order it because the papaya gets soggy and salty if it marinates in the dressing for too long. How would you feel being served a salad that had been tossed in dressing and refrigerated for 2 days? Blech. I order drunken noodles at least once a week but I decided to try Buddha Cafe because it's close to my home and I didn't feel like driving to my usual Thai place on the hill. I can definitely say that I'll never go back because the food was just absolutely terrible.
(1)Amanda W.
Have I had better Thai food? You bet. But not in Boulder. Buddah Cafe is my go to Thai take-out in Boulder, because it's consistently good, I get a fair amount of veggies and the meat isn't over-cooked, which seems to be a problem with some other local restaurants. They are really good with ingredient tweaks (I omit eggs and peanuts) and deliver promptly. I order here often enough they will know me by the sound of my voice any day now. My favs? Drunken Noodles, Panang Curry, Tapioca with Coconut Milk. Yum!!
(4)Rachel V.
Wow this was bad. I'd give it 0 stars if I could. We did take out. Drunken noodles and pad see eyew... Not the nice big flat noodles you should get at any Thai place, but the dry flat ones you can buy at the grocery store. Hardly any veggies, meat tiny and unidentifiable, no taste, everything overcooked. Just really bad. Worst drunken noodles I've ever had. And the pad see was identical just not spicy. Regret. There has to be better Thai in Boulder. Or, just get a frozen microwave meal from grocery...will be better.
(1)Seth H.
Buddha Thai is hard to beat in Boulder. Everyone on the staff is friendly and you can always count on it to be a delicious and filling experience without the hefty price tag you'll find at some of the trendier Thai places around town. If you only order one thing and want to be blown away: Green Curry w/ Brown Rice. That's all you need to know - the green curry is easily one of the best I've found anywhere in Colorado and the rice is always cooked perfectly. Even with the affordable prices you'll still walk out with plenty of curry left for the next day's lunch and more. I can't say enough about Buddha Cafe - if you're reading any negative reviews on this site, do yourself a favor and ignore them and swing by for a great Thai meal in Boulder. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Cara W.
This place was disgusting. The soup was nine dollars and it tasted like poop soup. The pad Thai tasted like they used ketchup to make it. The customer service blew too. So my review- don't ever eat here.
(1)Steve H.
$9 for a noodle dish that's a small step up from spaghetti o's? No meat, no flavor. Avoid. AVOID.
(1)Jennifer J.
I've lived in Boulder for 3 and a half years and this is the best Thai I have had here. I have not gotten a single thing on the menu that I haven't loved. Everything is full of flavor! You can get it as spicy as you like (on a scale of 1-5) and level 3 has *plenty* of kick for me! The only thing is that you will have to be prepared to wait a little while. It takes them a little bit to get your food to you.... but it is well worth the wait.
(4)An-d C.
Buddha Cafe, aka Buddha Thai, is my favorite Boulder Restaurant. They are able to veganize a lot of their menu upon request (no fish sauce, no egg, usually). I recommend going here for dinner rather than lunch even though dinner is about $3 more expensive as their cooks seem to switch out and make things taste VERY different. It's all about Drunken Noodles with fried tofu made vegan, Yellow Curry with fried tofu, and Veggie Spring Rolls - by far the best dishes I've had here. I go here at least once per week if I can reign it in -- sometimes twice. Unbeatable local Thai food!
(5)Jess B.
I am a Thai food junkie, and I'm always looking for a good place. The restaurant itself lacks a lot of character but the food is fantastic. My family lives out in Boulder so I visit often, but if I lived there, I would eat at this place constantly. The Massamon Curry is mmmmm mmm good.
(5)Mike S.
My wife and I love this place as an easy take-out option. One dish will usually feed the two of us, so it's a great bargin, and the food's pretty good!
(4)Dorinda S.
I ordered delivery from here and it wasn't good. I ordered 3 different things and they were overly sauced, greasy and bland. No thanks. It could have been worse, but not much worse.
(2)Christian M.
I love this place. The food is just great! I've tried a lot of their dishes and every one of them leaves me wanting more. Great food and great prices (for Boulder) make for a great experience :-)
(5)Yoyo T.
I just had my first meal from this place. Meh. I called late so they only had curries left, so I went with the green curry. I usually make green curry, but I was lazy (and my fridge is empty) so I ordered instead. The service was exceptionally fast, and friendly. But the food was not so hot. The curry sauce was too spicy and too sweet. It's a strange feeling knowing there's a lot of sugar in the curry. There wasn't a finesse to the curry. The veggies they put in there were disappointing too. I've never seen zucchini and green peppers a green curry before, and I'm not a fan. Both those items were cooked to where they started getting smushy. It's a huge amount for just under $10, but I couldn't order this again. It was a slapped together meh-feeling meal. Maybe I just had a bad batch at the end of the night, but I don't know if I can get over this meal.
(2)Kat C.
Buddha cafe is my go-to for delivery. The food is delicious, the man taking my order is nice and helpful, and they arrive very fast. The best part is that almost all their food is dairy free.
(3)TJ S.
Nice location, the food is edible, but just not Thai. My wife is Thai, born and raised in the north eastern part of the country and we ate here and found that the taste of both the curry and the Pad Thai we ordered was completely off, completely not authentic. We've eaten at literally hundreds of Thai restaurants since we've been married and this one has to be one of the worst. For great Thai food, moderately priced, check out Cafe de Bangkok in Fort Collins, Co: cafedebangkok.net
(1)Ken S.
When they first opened up more than two years ago, they initially hired chefs from Thailand, who they flew out here to cook for them. The Thai food there was so good, that it rivaled restaurants in New York City. Yes, the food - back then - was that good. Since then, the thai chefs have left, but they did train the staff on the recipes. They have managed to keep the recipes well intact except for a few items that have gone downhill since I've frequented there. I recommend either getting the Combo Appetizer or Super Combo Appetizer plate. That can easily feed 3 or more people with appetizers. Sometimes, I'll just go and get that for dinner. Out of all the curries they make, the Red Curry (Kang Ped) is the best. It is better than Khow Thai, and I frequent Khow Thai all the time as well. The Red Curry here is far thicker, and filled with more vegetables than most places. And, if you order it 5 star, it will be 5 star spicy. I garontee! Their Buddha Thai Noodles are okay, but they tend to be a bit over-greasy. Probably use a bit too much butter or something similar. The family that owns the restaurant is Indian. Every now and again, you can ask for Momo (which are indian dumplings.) They make some killer Momo. And eating that with some red curry ... yum. :) Either way, they do some things well, but they fail at others. Avoid the Green Curry. If you want Kang Keao Wan (Green Curry), go to Khow Thai. Trust me on this.
(3)Scott M.
Went their last night after peak dinner hour. only female waitress there very slow service. also she had to come back to table after we ordered because she forgot to ask what kind of meat which slowed service even more. will only do takeout there in future.also stay away from there pad thai and fried rice - just masses of non-descript food.
(2)Reid P.
Came here for lunch. The prices were great, the service was good... BUT! The food. It just didn't have good flavor to it. I ordered a chow mein noodle plate and was all excited because I wanted to eat the broccoli, mushrooms, and cabbage. Sadly, there were very few vegetables and the dish mostly tasted like the cooking oil used. Wish I had better things to share about the food, but that was my truth.
(2)Alex V.
we had the red curry, pad se ew and pad thai. red curry and pad se ew were OK. pad thai was DISGUSTING. tasted like they poured tomato paste all over it. AVOID. We literally each had a bite to confirm how bad it was and then told the waiter. His response "many customers like this." Seriously? no apology, no offer to remake or take off bill... needless to say we won't be back.
(2)Thighmaster M.
This is our favorite local place for consistently yummy pad thai. Also the green curry and Buddha chow mein are high on our list. The servers are friendly and fast, the ambiance is cozy when the place is jumpin, which we like. Easy to carry-out as well.
(5)Miles D.
3.5 stars is about right. Not the best Thai in town but fine if your in the neighborhood. Nice people.
(3)Colie J.
Good for them and me that I ordered two dishes or this would have been a whole different kind of review. EDIT: if I had finished reading ALL the reviews then I would have known to stay away from the Pad Thai. My bad! I sat down and was promptly brought a cup of soup and water and then a few moments later a menu. Good, cause I was STARVING. I really wanted Pad Thai for lunch (was the reason I sought out a Thai restaurant) but also decided to also get a Cashew chicken. The good- My cashew chicken was just the right balance of soy and sweet chili sauce. Almost the best Thai Cashew Chicken I have had. The hot and sour soup was also good. The bad- My water was never really chilled. No ice. Not lukewarm just not cold enough for me. The UGLY- seriously, the worst Pad Thai I have ever had. To me it resembled something out of a box at the grocery store. The sauce was just plain. If I had only ordered the Pad Thai I would NEVER return. However, I did order something else and I will be back. I will just stick to stir-fry dishes!
(4)Michael S.
it's good. I got take out drunken noodles. Medium is good spice and flavor
(4)G M.
Boulder's best Thai" no questions asked. If you are looking for a quiet atmosphere, fantastic Thai cuisine, and friendly staff, we have a winner with the Buddha Cafe. I have to say I was a bit hesitant to try it due to other Thai experiences in Boulder, but I'm glad i did. I now frequent Buddha at least 1 or 2 times a week, and have introduced many a friend and colleague to the tasty cuisine. Most of whom have also become frequent Buddha visitors. My favorite would have to be the Fresh Ginger or Drunken noodles, but my wife insists the Swimming Angel is to die for, and the curries are always spot on. The food is always fresh and and they don't skimp on vegetables or meat. For lunch you get a cup of hot and sour Thai soup with an entree for $6.95, and dinner runs a couple dollars more. Don't let the location throw you off, this place is a hidden gem.
(5)Kybear R.
I have been searching for a yummy Thai place in Boulder for 5 years and FINALLY have found the one! The waiters are super friendly, funny and entertaining and the food is delicious. I recommend the green curry and the tom kha soup... great...now i am salivating just thinking about it... it's what I had for dinner last night and will probably go there again in a few days for more! I have been to Thailand and can admit that this is the best Thai food I have had in Colorado! Buddha Cafe is the real deal. Enjoy!
(4)Kat B.
Underwhelming. Still trying to find a good thai place in boulder. We had our usual -- cashew chicken and green curry. just watery and tasteless. Did not even bother to bring home the leftovers.
(2)Cynthia B.
You're kidding me, right? I was sick a couple of weeks ago and El Sweetie runs down there for a bowl of tom kha gai for me. Except he forgets that "gai" means "chicken" so he asks them for whatever they think best, and that I want it hot, and they give him something that is SUPPOSED to be "tom kha" but it's made with BEEF, and a bunch of sweet red curry and tomatoes and you know what? Frak you, Buddha Cafe. I didn't like the place the FIRST time I ate there, and I ain't coming back.
(1)Ian B.
I hate to do the 1 star review, but I've been a thai food fan for years and this was definitely some of the worst thai food i've ever had. the pad thai had almost no vegetables in it and the sauce or flavor was almost like tomato. the spring rolls were too large and not crispy enough and their sauce isn't very sweet and unlike any dipping sauce for spring rolls i've had....in a bad way. the massaman curry was passable, but only barely. we were seriously disappointed and obviously won't be going back.
(1)Lisa G.
First things first - do NOT order the Pad Thai. I don't know wtf they use to make it, but it tastes like Spaghetti-Os. But, that aside - everything else on the menu is incredibly delicious and ridiculously cheap. The service is awesome and there's something unexpectedly cozy about the place.
(5)Rachael H.
I decided to change things up a bit and stray from my usual fried rice and try the pad thai (I have a fave pad thai place already) and it left something to be desired for sure. Get the buddha fried rice and you wont be disappointed.
(4)Shayna F.
Decent enough. The yellow curry way very good, the drunken noodles were pretty good and the peanut sauce noodles were kinda grossly oversauced. Overall, nothing wowed me, but I'll probably come here again for convenience.
(3)James W.
This place was a disappointment. Pretty inauthentic Thai food, even in Boulder. The "real" flavors just weren't there or balanced. Had some over-battered food and also some goopy over-sauced dish. I think we went cause I had a coupon? Decided not to come back. Kinda miss Jazzy's Crab Shack! We need more fried food in Boulder, yeah!
(2)N A.
Green Curry is so damn good.... I think I might go back tonight again=)
(5)Tory w.
I don't live in Boulder, so I can't say whether this is the best or not, but it was pretty good. The highlight was our waiter who, after greeting us, informed us that he had had a late night, was tired, and drank all the iced tea so that there was none left in the restaurant. Throughout our meal we also learned that he is big into video games - I think Mortal Combat in particular, and that he had to quit school because of girlfriend troubles. Oh yeah, this review is supposed to be about the FOOD. It was ok. For an appetizer, try the Golden Buddha Bags (or something like that) - sounds weird, tastes good - it's just potatoes in wonton wrappers. This was one of those occasions where I liked everyone else's meals better than my own. I had (again) the lard nar, and it was absolutely nothing like how it should have been. I think they gave me the wrong thing. It was bland, my noodles were not crispy, they weren't even the right kind of noodles, and there were eggs in it, which I had never seen, in many, many years of eating lard nar. However, the drunken noodles, yellow curry, cashew chicken, and jungle curry were all delish. I recommend it.
(3)Shelley O.
We recently tried out Buddha Cafe for take out and was very impressed. Distinct flavors, noodles cooked just right, and the green curry was fantastic! Since then everything we've had has been wonderful. The restaurant feels more cafe like in size and its only drawback is the parking lot (not their fault). Very nice wait-staff.
(5)David F.
Great service...many restaurants could learn from the attentiveness with which the wait staff place on their customers. The food was very good with generous portions. We were visiting in Boulder so don't know how this might compare with other Thai restaurants here. Simple, but friendly spacious seating both inside and outside. Nice location in an attracitve retail center. Very reasonable prices.
(4)Aaron H.
I took some cooking classes up at the culinary school. The chef who taught my class focused on Vietnamese and Thai food. He told us that for the best Vietnamese food in the area to visit Chez Thuy, and for the best Thai that it had to be Buddha. He may have been right on both counts. Get a seat outside at Buddha if it is nice. Start with a thai tea and make sure to get an order of satay for an appetizer as well as one of their types of homemade crispy dumplings. Whatever entree you go with make sure to get it at least medium spicy in order to experience the full flavors. It is inexpensive and excellent. I love Khow Thai as well but this place has better atmosphere, variety and authenticity.
(4)Jeanette B.
I love this place! The food is tasty, the wait staff is friendly and accommodating. My roommate and I go here quite a bit because it's around the block. They all know our names and love to guess our order. The food is quite tasty, we always order it hot in terms of spicy-ness. I recommend the basil chicken dish, the panang curry or the drunken noodles and if your a dumpling fan, the chicken dumplings are great. If you're looking for an inexpensive yet satisfying meal with a friendly atmosphere, and no pretense this is the place.
(4)Brad B.
I like Thai food, and Boulder has largely been a mild disappointment to me. Well, Buddha Cafe is my new go-to takeout Thai food place, and I'm no longer so disappointed. I can't speak to anything but delivery orders, but that's filled a place in my soul and my belly that's been empty for a long time. We've ordered three times from here in the last month, with everything as a 4 or 5 on the 1 to 5 scale, and it's definitely hot, but without melting your face off (the scale is gringo-friendly). I'm also partial to the red curry pastes, and the Jungle Curry and Pad Prik Khing we ordered were excellent. The brown rice was really nice too, and they packaged the food with more than enough (rice is basically free -- if a restaurant doesn't give me enough with takeout, I just think they're mean). Not much else to say other than I'll do this again. Probably many times.
(4)Erin C.
You don't go there for the atmosphere or the decor. However, excellent thai food! Great curries - make sure to increase the spice level a bit for better flavor. They do a great job. Dining in you get larger portions than take out but by far the best Thai food in Boulder!
(5)Anaya S.
Buddha Cafe is by far the best Thai restaurant in Boulder. The panang curry, massaman curry, drunken noodles, and buddha chow mein are my favorites. The dishes are consistent, flavorful, and can be quite spicy (my husband likes his food spicy and three stars is good enough for him!). The wait staff is friendly and the lunch specials are a great deal too!
(5)Marissa B.
Buddha is average in pretty much every possible way. That being said, it's probably some of the best Thai you can get in Boulder proper.
(3)Tomas S.
I literally go here twice a week to have their yellow curry, cashew nut dish, or to try something new. The food it tasty, extremely consistent, and the staff are as nice as could be. Lunch is $6.95 with soup and I always take home leftovers. Great spot, go check it out!
(5)Nicholas S.
For lunch you can get an entree and soup for less then $8 (incl tip)! Go past the pad thai and you will be fine. Buddha dish or drunken noodles are awesome, yellow or massamon curry are other favorites. The interior is a little odd, but the food and service are great. Low key decent priced place.
(4)M E.
Think about some of the best formulaic Thai hole-in-the-walls you've been to. Lower the food quality down 2 or three notches and you get Buddha Cafe. Might be the best in Boulder for curry-from-a-can type curry dishes. Thai Teas are good. Sometimes to-go orders for Panang Beef only have a couple of strips of beef. Fried Calamaris appetizer is good. Soup is sub-par. If you ask for hot sauce on the side you get this stuff from a jar, as opposed to the chilli-garlic-fish sauce-coconut vinegar combination in traditional places. Garlic Basil type dish is pretty good. To-go orders work well, wait staff is nice.
(3)Jen A.
Not the best I've ever had but pretty good for Boulder, which is definitely lacking in the ethnic-food department. Pad thai was sweet (tamarind?) and the drunken noodles were delish. Good amount of spice. The shrimp that came with the drunken were plump and plentiful.
(3)Stephen P.
Well, I went there with no expectations and found the actual restaurant a bit tacky, but the great food made up for it. I had the green curry and it was very tasty. Other people I was with liked what they had and my Mom went last week and had good things to say about the food.
(4)david k.
Tried this for the first time last night. Very fresh tasting. Could have been a little spicier but will definitely be going back.
(4)Angela R.
I started going to this place because it is one of the few restaurants within walking distance from my apartment, and it is now one of my favorite spots for low-key atmosphere and quality food. Don't let the fact that it's in a strip mall fool you - the curries are excellent and the restaurant is very cozy.... love it!
(5)mj m.
Sad to say, Buddha fell way below our expectations. Highlight of meal was the cold Singha! We should have known after recieving the Chix Satay which were flavorless and dried out, even the sauce didn't help much. The Drunken Noodles, supposedly a specialty and our servers fav, had a decent flavor but were mushy and heavy. My wife's Jungle Curry was slighlty better but the sauce and pasty rice overwhelmed the taste of the food. We won't be back.
(2)Chelsea P.
Oh man! My room mates and I LOVE Buddha. We always get drunken noodles, Buddha Chow Mein and Pad Thai. Get it extra hot! MMMMMM. I would say we go to Buddha every special occasion or 3 weeks. Whichever comes first.
(5)Mark T.
Based on my experience and the wide range of the reviews, I think your enjoyment will be a function of which dishes you get. I had the yellow curry and it was outstanding. If I lived in Boulder, I'd go often just for that dish alone. The brown rice was fine. I also had the spring rolls and they were not good. Greasy and tasteless. Stick with the curry and I think you'll be happy at this restaurant.
(4)