Bua’s Thai Kitchen

Great hole in the wall Thai restaurant. Members of the family got avocado and pumpkin curries. While not traditional flavors, they were both very good. We were even able to get a relatively benign dish of Thai orange chicken and rice for our little ones that they gobbled up. They are definitely on our short list of places to visit again.

They’re back! Ok, they have new paint, placemats and a sign with another name out front but it’s the same ladies, same good food and an expanded menu. Go! Go!

It’s 2:00 pm and my taste buds are craving thai food. I’m in the area and the thai food sign reels me in. Placed my order for their Pad Thai w/​Shrimp (spice level 7) and arrives at my table within minutes. The platter looks amazing! I’ll take a picture to share the joy. ;) For $ 8.95 this place went above and beyond my expectations. My lunch also included a small side salad, a cream cheese wonton, and a small wedge of melon. Thanks! I will definitely return when in the area again.

Not the great food I was expecting. I should have listened to my gut when I walked in the place. There are certain types of resteraunts that you expect to be overtaken with a wonderful smell when you enter, specially mexican and oriental foods. If you aren’t blown away with sensory overload when you walk in a a taco shop or oriental resteraunt, it’s a pretty safe bet it won’t be an enjoyable meal. We’ll this was the perfect example. …walking in I was assaulted with a slight musty and sulfur smell. There were 4 tables seated, so I figured with the great Unilocal reviews, and half the tables taken, it must be good to spite the first impression. WRONG
We did order to go because of the unpleasant smell. My husband had a question about the seafood soup, which couldn’t be answered because no one there spoke enough English to understand what he was asking [Are there noodles in the seafood soup?] He ended up giving up and ordering a noodle soup and added seafood. Seems easy enough, yet we ended up with an order of noodle soup and an order of seafood soup. My daughter ordered pad Thai very mild [a 1] and I ordered the pumpkin curry, with chicken and shrimp, medium [5]. They got the 2 mixed up and she ended up with a pad Thai she couldn’t eat and mine had no spice at all. Too bad my daughter doesn’t eat curry! Besides being too hot for her, it was very dry and lacking everything but heat. My rice was burned, the curry was watery and tasteless, with no heat, it was full of green bell peppers, a few slices of chicken and 1 rubbery shrimp.
Will not return and would suggest you don’t even try!

I’ve only eaten here once so far as I recently discovered it after moving to the area, but as of right now I’m impressed. Even though I got food to go, they still give me water (and refilled it!) while I was waiting. I love spicy food but wasn’t sure how their spice scale worked so I ordered #5. I could have definitely gone with a 7 and will be trying that next time. Overall though, I think the food tastes really good and the service is great. I’m so glad I found a good Thai place that’s close to home!

I was starving in Santee on a late Friday afternoon and the Vegan options are slim to none here in east county. I order fried tofu, veggie egg rolls & some type of pancit noodles with vegan chicken. The fried tofu was to dry and the noodle dish was good but the Vegan chicken was not. The sweet and sour sauce was amazing but the menu was too much to figure out what I wanted. The service was great & it was there for my hungry tummy. I will come back and try something else with out meat or the vegan version of meat. I really enjoy the noodle dish I had it was yummy.

Pros:
None! This place needs get reviewed by the health dept.
Cons:
The two ladies working there are extremely rude.
I watched them eat in front of me before I got my meal.
The shrimp is not deveined and has a really bad fishy smell to it.
It took 20 minutes to get my soup, I was the only one dining there.
The lady ahead of me that was ordering take out was also very irratated with the customer service she received from those 2 associates.
The utensils are dirty.
Be aware when ordering shrimp dishes, you’ll get 3 nasty shrimps.
They also expect a tip, after I had to come up to the counter and order my meal and while they were dining if I had questions or anything I have to come up to their table. Ha!
I got my check as quickly as 123. That must be what they were asking a tip for?:)
Hair was found in my green curry, disgusting!

Considering the food was VERY good, it’s Santee so we were just hungry and weren’t expecting anything like this, it’s cheap and extremely clean, I have to give 5 stars !
Really a nice surprise in an area where I’ve never found acceptable food !
Tom Kah: one of the best
Veg drunken noodles: as above
Pineapple fried rice: Good as it was the coconut rice.
Warning: I usually get a spice level 5 and I asked same here. it was really hot ! I will go for 3 next time :)

:(Sadly, can’t leave a review on their food… However, false advertising sucks! Just the fact that their website, and Unilocal profile is incorrect. I was SOOO excited to see that there was a new Thai delivery option available to East County! Today is mother’s day… I wanted to skip cooking and have a few glasses of wine. Alas, Unilocal and Bua’s Thai Kitchen have deceived me. After anxiously reviewing their online menu and getting our order all together and calling it in I was told that the info I had been provided with through their website and Unilocal was incorrect, they in fact do not deliver :(
No thai food for this mama tonight… Get your details straight folks! I appreciate you telling me 3 times that I can drive to Santee and get it, but I don’t want to.
Take delivery off your page please…

I have been here twice within one week. if that gives you any indication of how good it is.
I ordered the panang curry both times. First time I ordered a 3 spice level, and it was great. I upped it to a 4 the next time, and it was just the tiniest bit too hot for my palate. My sister got the yellow curry at a 5, and she was feeling it. She is also the kind of girl who can out eat most people on a spicy food challenge, so i would say 3 – 4 is a good safe bet for spicy food lovers.
The panang is coconut-​ty, with a mellow curry flavor, filled with peppers, and green beans. I ordered chicken the first time, beef the second. Both sliced nice and thin. Both equally delicious. My sis got the yellow curry with potatoes and tomatoes, and it definitely has a stronger curry flavor. I prefer panang style.
At dinner time, my girlfriends and I also ordered mango sticky rice and fried tofu. First time experience for me on both. I’m not a fan of tofu, but it was ok. The dipping sauce was yum. The sticky rice was delightful. We didn’t know it would arrive warm, and the combination of sweet warm rice, with a fresh mango slice was divine. You must try it. It was a large enough portion for all of us to have our fill, and there were a few bites left. Our dinner portions were also large enough to eat half and take home the rest.
For lunch the portions are smaller, but you get this lovely cup of garlic-​y vegetable broth. And the lunch plates come with a little salad, wontons, and an orange slice. We also ordered the shrimp spring roll and it was fresh and flavorful.
Prices were great, and service is awesome. GO!

My wife and I walked in around 9:00 pm and were told to sit anywhere, cool as the first place we tried at 8:30pm told us they were closed, even though they closed at 9pm.
We ordered soup, noodles, curry, and spring rolls — wanting to try several items, and we are ok with leftovers. Everything was great! We ordered a heat level of 3, the wife would be happier with a 2, and i think a 4 would be great.
The best part — the leftovers were just as yummy.

I used my noodle instead of a crystal ball to choose Bua’s Thai Kitchen in Santee for our dinner for 5 people. Jackpot! I read Jack M’s 5-​star Unilocal review for this joint, and knew it would be a gem. The food was better than Amarin Thai in Hillcrest, and that’s saying a lot. It’s family-​friendly, very casual, and it’s located in a strip-​mall on Mission Gorge Rd. with plenty of parking. If you’re looking for a romantic atmosphere, this is the wrong choice for you, but if you want fantastic Thai food, definitely give Bua’s a try. Five of us were all pleased with our food.
There are 4 veggie egg rolls in one order, but we had 5 people. I asked if we could have 5 egg rolls, and the kitchen said, sure, no problem! (-; They were delish with a nice crunchy texture.
I was crazy nuts in love with the 2 noodle dishes ordered by the other peops at my table. I stole as many Drunken Noodles with chicken as possible! That dish is outrageously good! I’m not normally a thai noodle fan, but I LOVE this dish, which also came with veggies & chicken! We ordered the noodle dishes with spice level 3/​10, since the server said they tend to be spicier than at other Thai places. There was plenty of delicious heat in our noodle dishes.
I also sneaked noodles from my hubs ka-​pao noodle dish. Wow! I dunno what they put in that dish, but the taste was unusual and scrumptious. It was $ 8.50 on the specials board.
I chose the #45 broccoli stir fry with beef and house sauce on the menu for $ 8.50. It was a very fresh and tasty dish, and I liked the option of brown rice. I asked for spice level 4/​10, since the server warned that the dishes tend to run spicy. On the stir fry dishes with rice, I’d ask for a ⁵⁄₁₀ next time.
The crispy chicken with mango for $ 8.50 on the specials board was perfect for my little granddaughter, because she doesn’t like spicy food, and it was mild. It was enough for her to share with an adult, and had plenty of mango, crispy chicken, and broccoli, although my granddaughter probably stole most of the mango. (-;
For dessert, Sticky rice with mango for $ 6.95 came with juicy sweet ripe mango slices, and we all loved it! Yum yummy yummiest!
The kind staff surprised my granddaughter with a coconut ice cream, on the house! She had the biggest grin on her face. I asked her what flavor her ice cream was, and she said «It’s white.» (-;
The food was so good that I asked our server if the chef was also the owner, because I could taste the love & pride that goes into the recipes. She said, yes, the owner was in the kitchen and she was the chef. (They also have 1 other chef.) Bua came out of the kitchen and I got to meet her and tell her I’ll be back soon! Bua said if I come again with my granddaughter, just send word back to the kitchen if we need something to be prepared specially for her, such as a kid’s portion. (-;
Bua’s Thai Kitchen is in a strip mall on Mission Gorge Rd. which at the moment also has a Bevmo, a Petco, and a Fantastic Sam’s. I’m so grateful to Jack M and to Unilocal for helping me to find this hidden gem in Santee!

Great food! I got the drunken noodles with chicken and a Thai tea. The noodles were very good and the dish had a great ratio of vegetables to chicken & noodle. The Thai tea wasn’t as sweet as most, you could actually taste the tea which I liked. We also got sticky rice with mango, that was soooo good!
This place is a hole in the wall with not much atmosphere, but the help is extremely friendly and combined with the great food, I definitely recommend Bua’s!

Best Thai food in East County !
That’s a pretty strong statement, I realize, but I think it’s truly the case. Bua’s Thai Kitchen is a small, casual, and new eatery on the south side of Mission Gorge Road in central Santee. I never would’ve come here but for the advice of the trusted and respected Unilocaler; Mr. Jack M, the Legendary Unilocal Godfather.
As I mentioned, the atmosphere is casual, but the food is truly outstanding. My group tried a variety of dishes, and I opted for the special Ka-​pao Noodle with chicken. This spicy dish was a blend of red and green peppers, Thai basil, onions, and what appeared to be chopped green beans. Everything was stirfried together and the dish was served over noodles with a light brown sauce. Extremely tasty. In terms of spiciness, I ordered it a 3 out of 10. That was plenty spicy for me, and in the tradition of the best Thai restaurants, much above a 5 or 6 is inedible for a westerner.
The owner came out and greeted us — she was also the cook tonight. I’ve noticed that small, family-​owned and run establishments always seem to produce the best dining experiences.
I certainly hope that Bua’s Thai Kitchen survives in this location. I will definitely be back, and hope you give them a try. You won’t be disappointed!

Great service, great food, good portions, good prices. Spice wasn’t overwhelming. Love it. Will be back for sure.

Truly an amazing Thai food experience ! I went for lunch not thinking too much of the profile of this simple strip mall restaurant. To my surprise the food was spectacular !
I love Thai food and this was truly up their with the finest Thai in San Diego !!!
The service was above expectation, truly cared for the customer experience !
CAnt say much more than try it for yourself !

I will admit that I don’t know much about Thai food. So there’s that.
I went here with my wife and we enjoyed it. The young lady that served us isn’t a native English speaker so there was some small difficulty ordering, but she was very sweet and eager to please.
I had the patay chicken as an appetizer and it was very good, especially with the peanut sauce.
I opted for spicy noodles and chicken as a main course and asked that it be prepared at a 7 out of 10 spiciness level. It was perfect.
If you order this, I’d recommend splitting it with someone as it is a large portion.
My wife has the same experience level with Thai and ordered the curry beef. She didn’t care for it, but admits that it’s likely a product of her unfamiliarity with Thai cuisine. So for all we know it was perfectly prepared and we didn’t know it.
It’s a new place so they’re working out some kinks but I hope they stay in business because we want to go back.

Thank you to Unilocal for recommending this place to me! I LOVE Thai food, and the fact that the pickings in Santee are rather sparse, I’m happy there is a new place! I ordered the Pad Thai Noodles, and the guy asked me if I wanted the lunch or dinner portion. I don’t care for cream cheese rangoons (I know, I’m crazy), and the lunch option came with those, so I opted for the dinner portion. Figured I could save some for dinner :-).
When I went to pick it up, Ty helped me out and was just delightful. Gave me a free Thai tea with my noodles! Food was excellent, I just wish I had gotten it spicier. I asked for a 4 (out of 10), and wish I had gotten a 7.
Overall, I will definitely be back!

They say good things happen for a reason, and for my last minute change of plans, I ended up here, by the click of my Unilocal button, looking for a new place to venture.
I was around the block when I located this place on my smart phone, and when I arrived, I was greeted by a sweet young Thai women with a grin that would melt any man’s heart, including this contemptible gentlemen. Her smile and laughter was so contagious, that I found myself laughing, for almost no reason at all. Well, I knew before even ordering my meal, that I was in for a treat.
After sharing pleasantries, I ordered the appetizer of 4 fried vegetable spring rolls for $ 5.25, and the drunken noodles with chicken that came highly recommended by Belle for $ 8.50. I also, enjoyed a refreshing glass of Thai Iced Tea that was some of the best I have had. (
)
The vegetable spring rolls were fried to a perfect golden crispiness (
), but what impressed me the most was the fresh mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, and glass noddles they had inside. (
) I was able to taste and enjoy each individual ingredient inside, and was not mush, as I have experienced at other locations. Well done.
The Drunken Noodles were not to disappoint, not only did Belle shine with her personality and service, but her ability to identify a winner. (
) The flat noodle’s flavor and texture provided a sinful party in the mouth. My taste buds kept asking for more and more, even before I was able to put down what was in my mouth. They were that good. (
) The chicken was very tender and flavorful (
), and the vegetables, such as the Chinese broccoli stems, carrots, and peppers were all a prefect al dente and full of fresh flavor. (
) Thank you Bau for such a special treat.
Belle also recommends the sweet basil chicken, which is on my list for when I drag some of my friends down, or even some of you Unilocalers and visitors a like. They are just getting under way, and I learned that their quality of food comes from providing fresh foods and preparation each morning, but more importantly, the passion Bua wants to share, the food.

Not only is the food good the service is amazing. If you are in the Santee area check this place out. The spicy mussels are perfection and although wasn’t planning on having dessert tried the mango sticky rice I absolutely love the sweetness and the fresh mango on top.