Everyone in West Seattle who loves Thai food knows about Buddah Ruksa "crack chicken" otherwise known as crispy, garlic basil, chicken..., But not everybody knows you can add broccoli for just a few dollars more it's coated in the same amazing breading and sauce. Great service and staff read more

My recommendation is maybe, and I want to be clear that this review is based primarily on the service and overall treatment we experienced. The food itself was decent. My concern is not with the meal; it is with the overall hospitality we received. From the moment I entered the restaurant, I observed differences in how guests were greeted and engaged. Some guests were welcomed with smiles, courtesy, and friendly conversation, while my own initial interaction felt more reserved and minimal in comparison. After being seated, I waited approximately 15 minutes before anyone offered me water, despite the restaurant not being particularly busy. During that time, other tables around me were served water and received refills more promptly. I was waiting for my friend to arrive. Once my friend joined me, we were asked shortly after if we were ready to order, even though we had not yet had sufficient time to review the menu. Later, when we indicated that we were ready, the server took the menu and walked away without taking our order at that time. One interaction during the ordering process stood out. In general, I observed warm and friendly engagement between staff and other guests. When my friend asked a question, the response we received felt brief and less welcoming in tone and expression, which contributed to our overall impression of the interaction. Standing alone, a single expression or moment could be easily misread, and I would not base a review on that alone. However, within the context of the full experience, it contributed to our perception of inconsistency in service and attentiveness. That pattern continued throughout the meal. Some tables that ordered after us received their food before we did, and appeared to be served more quickly overall. We were also brought to-go boxes without requesting them while we were still eating and in conversation. This made us feel somewhat rushed to finish. The interaction when it came time to pay also felt brief and less engaging than expected. I can only speak to what I personally experienced. The concern here is not a single incident, but the overall pattern of service: delayed water, limited engagement at times, ordering delays, slower food timing compared to nearby tables, and feeling rushed toward the end of the meal. Again, the food was decent, and this review is primarily about the service. Based on our experience, the level of attentiveness and hospitality was inconsistent. For those reasons, my recommendation is maybe. Regardless of the cause, I believe every guest should receive consistent courtesy, professionalism, and attention. read more

This place is super popular and busy, and I guess there is usually always a wait. I came to get takeout and tried to place an order over the phone a few times but they never picked up. When I ordered in person, I ended up having to wait an additional 40 minutes before getting my food. I got the crispy garlic chicken and pad kee mao with pork. Their signature crispy garlic chicken was delicious - so flavorful with the spicy sweet savory sauce. Some pieces were a little more dry than others, but I loved all the basil on top. The pad kee mao was good but nothing special, I think it could use more char. If you're preparing to dine in be ready to wait, otherwise hope you can get a phone order in! read more

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The "bags of gold" appetizer is a winner - perfectly crispy pastry wrapped around shrimp-mushroom-water chestnut filling and tied with a strand to resemble sacks of gold. The crispy garlic chicken is so good everyone calls it "Crack chicken." It's addictive! Perfect crunch and spicy flavor, drenched in a rich black sauce, and adorned with basil. Every table was full; service was great, attentive, and polite. Overall, a great meal. read more

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Everything was delicious. The lychee martini put me on my ass after a couple of sips but it is a must! read more

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Don't sleep on the crispy garlic chicken. Possibly one of my favorite dishes here. It was also decent size portion! Prawn salad was way too salty. Skip it. Crab Rangoon appetizer is hard to mess up. Was decent, but overpriced. Pad kee mao is delicious. Skip the massaman curry - way too watery and only had chicken and two slivers of red pepper and some basil. I'm used to this dish being thick and hearty with peanuts, potatoes, onions, etc. This lacked flavor. Blood orange margarita was more sugar than anything else. Skip it. Overall, I would come back for the noodles and garlic chicken. I also want to try the crispy duck next time! read more

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Consistently one of the best Thai restaurants in town - I'm typically a curry person but the crispy garlic chicken is *so* good here that it always pulls me in! This is a place I take people to. read more

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This place is always packed and the food is great! 4 stars because I ordered the half chicken and it was ice cold in the middle. read more

Buddha Ruksa - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Food is soo good here! Food comes super fast too. Ordered crispy garlic chicken, panang short rib and phad kee mao. The short rib falls off the bones and the crispy garlic chicken is flavorful and super crispy. read more

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Came here with a few of my friends after helping them with an event, and we came hungry! They've been praising this popular restaurant a lot, so I was excited to see what Buddha Ruksa had to offer. We were seated pretty quickly, and we ordered dishes to share family-style. I can't remember the exact name of each dish, but we got a fried rice, chicken dish, soup, and pad see ew. Everything was good, pad see ew being the best (but that might just be the fact that it's one of my favourite Thai dishes to order). The chicken dish was probably my least liked item we ordered, I've had better from other places. read more

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If you're looking for a hidden gem in West Seattle, Buddha Ruksa absolutely delivers. This small, unassuming Thai spot is the kind of place you might walk past without realizing how good it is, but don't make that mistake. Just be prepared that if you go on a Friday or Saturday night, there's likely going to be a wait. They don't take reservations, so it's first come, first served. That said, it's 100% worth it. Even with a line out the door and every seat filled, the service made us feel like we were the only table. Everything was quick, friendly, and super efficient without ever feeling rushed. The ambiance is casual and authentic. Nothing flashy, just a comfortable spot focused on great food. We started with the Bags of Gold appetizer, and this is a must-order. These perfectly crafted little pouches are packed with flavor. Stuffed with shrimp, chicken, shiitake mushrooms, and water chestnuts, then paired with an incredible sweet garlic chili sauce. Honestly, I'd go back just for these. For mains, we tried the Swimming Rama with chicken, and the peanut sauce completely stole the show. Rich, flavorful, and something you'll wish you could use at home daily. It really brings the whole dish together. We also had the garlic chicken with broccoli. It might sound simple, but they nailed it. The garlic flavor really pops without being overpowering, making it anything but boring. We'll definitely be back since there are still so many dishes on the menu we want to try. Just next time, we might plan ahead for that line or bring a snack while we wait. read more

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This West Seattle institution has been around since roughly the Dawn of Time. It stands to reason there's a lot they're getting right. THE ROSES: First and foremost, it's the food, Sweetheart! Buddha Ruska makes delicious Thai cuisine. Their menu features a wide variety of dishes. The service is professional and efficient. The servers are gracious, charming, and at the risk of being called a Toxic Male Chauvinist Pig (tm), I have to say they are also quite attractive. The prices are also reasonable. THE THORNS: The dining room is LOUD. Not just your normal loud, I'm talking 'Boeing-747-taking-off-next-to-you' loud. I guess it's a function of the small size of the room and the hard wooden walls and ceiling. If the restaurant is busy (which it usually is), you simply can't hear yourself think. If you like that kind of energy, this will be a feature, not a bug. 2-top tables are kind of small. If you order more than two dishes, you run out of real estate to park your plates really fast. They have no dedicated parking, and finding street parking can be problematic on weekend evenings. THE VERDICT: It isn't hard to see why BR has been successful so long; they hit the 'sweet spot' of delicious food, great service, and reasonable prices. My only gripe is the noise level, which they honestly can't do much about. If you want quiet, I recommend you order takeout. Recommend, especially for takeout. read more

Visiting good friends in Seattle, they recommended this spot for quality Thai food. We picked up takeout and brought it to their house for dinner. To feed four, it cost over $100 with tip. I hear the food is better at the restaurant. Half of us enjoyed our takeout and the other half didn't. I personally enjoyed the green chicken curry. read more

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I got hyped by my friend about this restaurant. When I arrived, I had to wait in line for almost 45' to get in, super busy! The service is quick and efficient! For the food, I notice the sour taste is very outshining. For all the food that we ordered, curry and chicken are probably the most stable. The trout fish lacks for fish sauce and savory taste, I mostly only notice sour taste and ginger! For the beef salad, really sour as well, it took away the balance and savory that Thai food usually known for! read more

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The crack chicken here is next level. Perfectly sauced, full of garlicky sweet flavor, just spicy enough to make my taste buds dance, and the airy crisp fried basil is impossibly good! read more

This spot is pretty solid, although I was expecting a lot from the reviews. Nothing I would go out of the way for but since I was in the area, it was a decent option. Prices are reasonable but not as cheap as the prices are listed on yelp for some reason. My biggest issue is that the meat is a bit overcooked here. The beef was SOOOOOO tough it was almost inedible. The garlic chicken was pretty tasty but burnt and tough in some areas. Flavor of pad Thai, green curry, and pad kee mao was good though. Solid place for Thai food but maybe wouldn't get the beef as the protein option read more

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Definitely one of the better Thai restaurants I've been to in Seattle. The stand out dishes were the garlic chicken, pad see ew, and the pad Thai. The steak was a bit on the chewy side but the sauce that came with it was fireee. The spice level of a 3 was more mild in my personal opinion. I should have gone to to 4-5 in spice level. The drinks were delicious, I had the lemon grass lychee mocktail and it was delicious! Service was great and attentive. The restaurant is a bit on the smaller cozy end. But great for some good vibes, good food and good drinks. read more

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This is the best food I've had in my life!! The crispy garlic chicken OMG!! I think about this meal everyday and wish I lived closer to go weekly. I also really enjoyed the spicy veggie soup. They were pretty busy but service was great and fast. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their dinner! The ambiance is dark and really sets the mood for a nice dinner. I can't want to return. read more

Could not recommend this place enough... arguably one of the best standout restaurants in the Seattle food scene. Food is incredible, some of the best Pad Thai I've ever had. Service is great - the staff is very attentive, engaging, and the staff are on top of everything. Ambiance is intimate and welcoming. Can't say enough about the ownership and employees tho... their level of care goes a long way and this establishment proves their value. Buddha Ruksa is never not busy. Please pay them a visit and enjoy high quality Thai!! read more

The crispy garlic chicken here should be illegal. Shatteringly crunchy on the outside, juicy all the way through, and buried under a pile of golden fried garlic that somehow manages to be both aggressive and delicate at the same time. I've tried to recreate this at home twice. I failed twice. The garlic rice is not a side dish -- it's a co-star. Fragrant, buttery, each grain separate and toasted just enough to make you scoop more before you've finished the first serving. Together, these two are the kind of combination that makes you go quiet mid-bite because your brain is busy processing. Buddha Ruksa is the kind of neighborhood spot that locals pretend doesn't exist so it stays uncrowded. Don't tell anyone.Really nice food. Enjoyed their crispy garlic chicken and garlic rice! read more

Amazing experience all around! The food was packed with flavor, the service was great, and the atmosphere made it even better. The crispy garlic chicken was the absolute standout! Perfectly crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and with just the right chicken to flour ratio. The pineapple curry leaned a little on the sweeter side, but the depth of flavor was spot on. I also loved the Larb Gai, great kick of lime and onions, and the seafood stir fry was fresh and tasty. I'll definitely be back here every time I'm in town! read more

Buddha Ruksa - *Crispy Garlic Chicken* Chicken Pineapple Curry* Beef Pad see ew * Seafood Medley * Larb Gai - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Ok this is my first time here and maybe I'm being a little harsh because I can tell the menu has a lot of amazing options and maybe I just didn't like what I ordered. But here is my truth: The crispy garlic chicken everyone raves about, not my jam. Too much crisp not enough chick. I would do just about anything for some crab wontons and when I saw they were $16 I was like that's insane but I'm getting them anyway. Truly very disappointed, just not very stuffed which leaves a lot of fried wonton paper. Super not worth the price. My husband got the steak fried rice and wow that was totally the most delicious thing ever and that is why I think I just ordered wrong. I would definitely come back to try something else but overall was very sad given my excitement levels to try the chicken and crab wontons. read more

Placed an order Togo, the host was quick and nice for the pick up service. The food here is one of the best Thai food in Seattle with generous portion. Highly recommend! read more

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A place that's been on our list for years that we finally got to check off, and we regret not doing it sooner! Even on a hot Sunday night this place was bustling. We were able to be seated right away and ordered some lemonade and fresh salad rolls to start. The drink was fresh and sweet and the sauce for the salad rolls was great. For mains we tried pad thai and the famous crispy garlic chicken. Both were hot and fresh, though we don't think ordering a jasmine rice to accompany the chicken was needed as it wasn't too saucy. Service was quick and attentive. Lots of leftovers to take home but we couldn't resist the seasonal mango sticky rice, the mango was so soft and sweet a favorite dessert for me. Can't wait for more meals here! read more

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The food was very tasty especially the crispy garlic chicken- highly recommend trying it! We also ordered the veggie spring rolls but were not a huge fan of the accompanying sauce. For the entrees we ordered the short rib noodles which was very flavorful and the garlic stirfry with beef; i would recommend ordering a side of white rice to go along as the stirfry does not have noodles or rice in it. The service was excellent and our server was very attentive. Unfortunately there is not a lot of parking right out front, and the table was a bit small after ordering so much food and our drinks, but our waiter was kind enough to clear finished items quickly to give us some space. will definitely be back!! read more

Garlic chicken as always was amazing! And so was the Thai basil rice and pumpkin curry

Was in the West Seattle area and curious about the good eats in the area, and Buddha Ruksa popped up as a highly rated restaurant by the community to check out! We went on a Friday around 12pm and had a 5 minute wait to get seated. Buddha Ruksa doesn't really have a dedicated parking lot, as we parked street side in the neighborhood right behind the restaurant - there were a decent amount of spots, but I could see it being full during the restaurant's busiest hours. The ambiance is nice, dimly lit entrance, with a hallway that leads to a well lit natural light area with 7-8 dining tables. There is Thai inspired decor throughout the restaurant. Service was fast even with the singular server handling all the tables - we got our food ~10-15 minutes after ordering. We got two dishes, which I'll review down below: Phad Thai with Beef ($14): This Phad Thai was interesting - I was a fan of the noodles, as they had a nice chewy texture and a delicious flavor profile from the tamarind. I think I wasn't the biggest fan of the beef, since it had a gamey flavor that started as you chewed that wasn't too pleasant. Maybe it was just the beef, I'm curious if the other meat options are better as that flavor was a turn off for me. Mee Ka-thi Moo Grob ($24): A delicious dish - especially on the coconut sauce that clung to everything in the bowl. Vermicelli was soft and chewy, and there were plenty of other textures in the bowl that provided a nice crunch to contrast the noodles. I do think that the pork belly could have been hotter, as after they cooled down (which was very fast as they were served lukewarm) they were pretty hard to bite into. In the end, everything you see here was ~$40, which I think is decent given the quantity and quality of the food and service. There were many options in the menu that looked interesting, and I would stop by again if I'm in the West Seattle area! read more

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They just keep upping their GAME! Buddha Ruksa has been my GO-TO for Thai food for many years! We usually get the must have Crispy Garlic Chicken that is also imitated yet never duplicated. A curry; panang or massaman. Pineapple fried rice, and Green Beans. Oh and my favorite the Five Spice Duck Noodle. Last week I was in with friends visiting from the east coast and tried a few new dishes! The Grilled Chicken with a sauce that is to die for...The dish that blew me away??!! The Chili Sauce Fried Rice with Short-ribs!!! The short-rib...sweet, savory, smoky...deliciousness think char grilled Galbi. The fried rice...insanely packed with flavor! The green onion, kefir lime leaves, and chili oil...SILLY! By far my best Buddha Ruksa experience to date. I've been dreaming about short-ribs every day since! The staff and vibes are always amazing & service professional. We talked with the owner's niece about the additions to the menu and shared our praise. Thanks for another amazing dining experience! I'll be back soon! -Can't wait! read more

Buddha Ruksa - Grilled chicken, crispy garlic chicken, green beans, yellow curry, chili oil fried rice with short rib. - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The beef salad is the best. Cocktails well done and service is quick. The spice range is high so be careful. The curry and phad thai are near perfect. read more

I love it here! Ever since moving to West Seattle, this is our go to Thai food spot. The garlic chicken is a must get. Often in the evenings, they are SO busy, but regardless the food is worth it. The tables are a bit small if you end up buying a ton of dishes wanting to share. That is just good to know. Otherwise the service and staff are great. They are very attentive and it has always been impressive to taste the food here. read more

Buddha Ruksa - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This place is always a good time!! Came with2 girlfriends and we had reservations. We were seated as soon as we checked in. The server was great, offered dishes based on our appetites. And the let us linger after the meal. No complaints. Parking is tricky, because it's on street parking on a residential black, so arrive early. The ambiance is really cozy and relaxing. We had the Brussel sprouts with pork belly, Phad Kee Mao (with extra broccoli and (noodles swapped for thin noodles). Prawns and pumpkin curry, phad thai. 10/10 for all. read more

I definitely love everything about Buddha Ruksa! They have a nice ambience, Service, and a wide variety of yummy dishes to choose from! The staff is wonderful, friendly, and helpful! It's a fun place to dine it! Try it you'll like it! read more

The restaurant was a lot busier than we thought, we had to wait 25 minutes, but it was a Friday night. The Manager gave us a plate of spring rolls as an apologies, and it was a nice gesture. We followed the recommended dish, crispy, garlic chicken, the portion was large and it was phenomenal, we also ordered the pumpkin prawn Curry was also great however, the portion was smaller than expected, but it was also delicious. Garlic Green bean was crispy and tender at the same time the sambal garlic sauce was great. Chicken pad Thai was also good, but nothing out of the ordinary. Overall, it was a very delicious meal and definitely worth the wait. The restaurant decor was pretty, the indoor plants design at the entrance was beautiful. Definitely coming back here again. read more

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Long has Buddha Ruska been on our Yelp bookmark list primarily because it is so infrequent that we come to this neighborhood. But when a planned visit was in the works to go there then we made a reservation just in case it got really busy. We are glad we did because at first it didn't seem busy at all but by the time we left it most certainly was. I often cannot resist and get the Pad Kee Mao noodle dish if I can at Thai restaurants and while I did see it I was really more in the mood for a curry dish. I prefer green curry the most because of it's spicy flavor profile so I went ahead and proceeded to do that. Steve got a red curry dish. I got mine with chicken while he got his with tofu. We shared both dishes and both were phenomenal. The flavors were fresh, vibrant and just the right amount of heat which was three stars. For dessert we got the black sticky rice which is something we always enjoy and this time was no exception to that. It too was great! We also had some lemongrass tea to warm our cold bodies... it was a wonderful tea! A very good dining experience and I'd love to try that Pad Kee Mao next time around! read more

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Really nice Thai restaurant in the West Seattle area. Terrific ambiance and wonderful service! We had the Pad Thai, Crispy Garlic Chicken, and Bags of Gold The presentation on all of them were great, especially the bags of gold. The Pad Thai was made very well and with a perfect amount of spice. The crispy garlic chicken was really good but a little too fried for my liking (there were a lot of pieces that were not chicken but just fried breading), but overall a very delicious a flavorful dish, and the bags of gold, which were a little overly fried but the content inside were really good. Definitely glad we came here to try it out and were very pleased with the meal and looking forward to trying some additional items on the menu! Definitely recommend checking this place out read more

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I cannot say enough positive things about this spot. Where to begin, our party of 3 walked in on a weekday for dinner and we waited just 15 mins. The decor and ambiance of the restaurant is so cozy and charming, you really feel like you're in Thailand! We ordered the garlic fried chicken(which was frequently mentioned on other Yelp reviews), pad see ew, khao soi and short rib fried rice. EVERY SINGLE dish was absolutely incredible, full of flavor as well as generously portioned. The star of the show was definitely the garlic chicken, it's a must try! Can't wait to come back and try more items. read more

This place is amazing! You must try the crispy garlic chicken! It is totally on another level! We have tried that dish at many Thai restaurants and this beats them by far! You will not be disappointed! All their dishes are delicious, but you will come back for the crispy garlic chicken! The Bags of Gold appetizer is also a winner! We have taken all of our family and friends there and they all have loved their food! It's a small place, but they do take reservations. read more

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This is one of best Thai restaurants in Seattle. The food is delicious and the dine in ambiance is nice albeit loud when it gets busy. Take out is always delicious and packaged well. Everything I've tried on the menu thus far has been tasty, flavorful, and fresh. Some of my favorite items to get here are papaya salad (seasonal), tom yum soup, and pad see ew. Took one star off because on busy nights even if you order early, take out orders can take over 90 minutes. read more

Buddha Ruksa - Tom Yum soup - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Customer service is not a priority. Waited 15 minutes to just check in on getting a table. Staff is too busy dealing with take out orders or just didn't care. Not worth the time or frustration read more

I was not expecting to have some of the best Thai food I've had all over Seattle in West Seattle, but I'll take it. My girlfriend and I share two dishes at Buddha Ruksa. The first was their chili oil fried rice with short rib. This fried rice was delicious. It was certainly spicy and had that irresistible smoky, charred flavor that you get from cooking on a wok (wok hei). The short ribs were also grilled nicely and paired well with the fried rice. I even appreciated whatever crunchy vegetable they had in the fried rice (my girlfriend says it's gai lan?) The second dish was my favorite of the two: the Ba-Mee Nua Ob. This egg noodle dish with braised beef brisket, wild mushrooms, and Chinese broccoli unfortunately is apparently a monthly special, but I absolutely loved it. It tasted similarly to a beef stroganoff (the Russian version, not the Brazilian one) with its super tender beef, creamy mushroom sauce, and chewy egg noodles. If it's still on the menu when I come back, I certainly would order it again. This meal capped off a beautiful day walking along Alki Beach Park with my girlfriend after a long time away from each other. 10/10 would come here for date night again. read more

Buddha Ruksa - Chili oil fried rice with short rib - Thai Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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