I love this temple Every time me and my husband went to this temple always make me feel happy and want to praying. Some temple we attend it make me feel scared and not happy, but this one we always go. I recommends this temple because they are always welcome everyone not like some temple at Stockton and sacramento. read more

I am so glad that the temple is open post Covid. I needed a place to quiet the mind and practice my meditation and Wat Buddhanusorn is a perfect place for anyone seeking peace. The temple is open for anyone who wants to practice meditation inside or outside of the temple. There is a nice pathway that circles the temple and not a lot of people come here during the morning or afternoons. It's free and open to the public, social distancing is practiced and everyone wears a mask (even the monks). I have been back to my Tuesday evening meditation group here for almost a yr, thanks to Covid (jk), via Zoom. We still meet through zoom bc it is so easy for anyone who lives far away, or can't make it with the commute. I really enjoy talking to Ajahn Maha Prasert, the Abbott at the temple and he is so kind and easy to talk to. The Abbott really cares about the well being of people and I am so blessed to be a part of this community. I really feel so welcome every time I come here. I'm non-Thai and it doesn't matter because everyone here is so kind and will help you if you are new. It's a really lovely community between the sangha and lay people. I really feel like I'm in Thailand at times, lol! If you're missing Thailand and the beautiful Thai community this is the place to be! I'm so glad it's available to anyone for free. read more

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple - Vesak celebration inside temple - Buddhist Temples Near Me - Fremont, California

CASH ONLY! Updated review as of Sun 4/13/08 now 3 stars: We went around 1pm and it was very crowded. Hard to find parking since the neighbors in the area are MEAN & won't let u park on the street which has to be illegal. School parking fills up FAST. Long lines for tokens, food, no seating. Don't get medium spicy papaya salad - it'll kill you. $5 some noodle dish like angel pasta $5 2 small scoops of curry & rice $5 sweet roti $1 Old post gave it 5 stars: I love to come to this Thai Temple during their Thai Holiday and eat!! I like the pad thai and the haw mok (steamed fish), sweet roti is awesome, chicken curry dish, chicken satay, etc. Lots of places to sit, good food, plenty of parking in the 7-11 parking lot across the street. Just awesome!! Bring cash!! Check their website for upcoming Thai Holidays..next one is Sun May 14, 2006 Visakha Puja Day! http://www.watbuddha.iirt.net/calendar.html read more

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I came here a couple of weeks ago. If you don't look for it, you'll miss it (like me). On the left side of the temple is a couple of booths, each offering something different. The first booth on the right is where you give them money for the tokens. To me, it was pretty cool to see the different foods available. We tried the papaya salad, noodles, and bbq pork w/ sticky rice. The papaya salad was good, and had a crunch thanks to the crab in it. The only thing with papaya salad is how spicy is spicy? One place can put like 5 peppers and its not that spicy while one can put 3 and its off the hook. We went safe and got medium, but wished we could gotten it spicier. The amount you get is quite a big amount. Noodles, I think was very bland and I was feeling the noodles that much either. I say pass on it. The bbq pork with sticky rice was great. We had it to go and they were nice enough to wrap the rice in aluminum foil. Also included is the vinegar sauce. Recommended for all to try it out. read more

I absolutely love the fact that I live within walking distance from the temple since the parking lot is always packed during Sundays. Fresh Thai food is made in front of you and served from 10:30AM-2PM on Sundays. You have to experience the Thai cuisine offered at the temple! The people working at the food stands are super friendly and will help explain to you what each dish consists of. My dad and I ventured to the temple for the first time today and I guess it was obvious we were new to the food stands since we were confused about which lines to get in, where to purchase tokens, and unsure of what ingredients were present in many of the food items. Fortunately, the people working there helped guide us and even gave us samples so we would feel comfortable purchasing the food items. How nice! Make sure to have cash on you because you have to purchase tokens before proceeding to the food stands. You pay $10 for a bag of 10 tokens- each token is worth $1. The guy informed us that if we had any extra coins, we could come back to cash them out. Even though many of the reviews state the pad thai takes the longest, my dad and I only waited a few minutes. We came here a little after 12:30pm so it wasn't too hectic. The pad thai was only $1! OMG what a steal considering how much food was packed into the to-go box. I am not sure if I was charged this amount by accident since it seems most dishes are priced at $6-$7, but the woman only took one coin from me before giving me the food. Then my dad got an order of the BBQ pork and sticky rice. He doesn't even like pork, but he absolutely loved this entree! Total for this hardy potion was 6 coins. Then we saw a small area with a bunch of different desserts. The one that caught my eye was the banana leaf of mystery! I asked one of the vendors what it was and he let me know that it was coconut custard...Coconut custard OMG- I had to get it! It cost 1 coin. The coconut flavoring was not overwhelming and it was packed with shredded, flavored coconut that was seasoned with brown sugar- YUMMY! I really wish I had bought like...20 of these #fatassforlife Before leaving, I had to get some Thai Iced Tea, which wasn't much different from other places, but it was still yummy and costs 2 coins. My dad and I left very happy and took mental notes of what to purchase the next time we come. read more

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I know people have found spouses, friends, relationships on Yelp. And I applaud them and Yelp for bridging two distant points that were it not for a site like this would have been very unlikely. I only find really good restaurants, eyebrow threaders--a really good pedicurist still eludes me for I am not only a creature of habit, I am also a lazy creature of habit and have not ventured beyond a five-mile radius in search of one. Today, I explored beyond my five-mile comfort zone and found not only the best Thai food I've had in a long time but also food served by friendly, warm and inviting people located in a beautiful and serene setting. Wat Buddhanusorn Temple takes Thai food to a whole new level. The line for the papaya salad is long for a reason. Note to self: medium hot in Thai cooking results in dripping sweat from various orifices--choose mild at next visit. Great texture and flavor but be sure to save some tokens for at least 2 Thai iced coffees. The salted crab legs in the salad make for an interesting flavor surprise! The fried chicken and sticky rice were only ok but went very well with the spicy papaya salad. What I loved most about this setting was the atmosphere of calmness and simplicity. The community tables allowed me to check out what others were eating. The people staffing their booths were friendly and warm and there was some real pride behind the food they were serving. And the big tree with this sign: *Be not attached to the beloved and never with the unbeloved. Not to meet with the beloved is painful and also to meet with the unbeloved.* I don't usually get all emo when I eat Thai food, but this tree made me do just that. On a less deeper note, I'll be back to sample the pad thai--I hear it too brings people to tears. read more

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple - The Emo Tree - Buddhist Temples Near Me - Fremont, California

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I really miss my Temple in North Hollywood so I was excited to find this one in Fremont. Its not as big as the one in North Hollywood but everything I wanted. There was a beautiful temple, monks of course, and great Thai food! My friend and I decided to come here for "Songkran" which is Thai New Year's! Thai New Year's is celebrated from April 13th to 15th and its celebrated by not only Thai people but other nearby countries such as Laos, Burma, etc. Its really too bad that it was raining cats and dogs when we came! The temple made it as accommodating as possible but rain just ruins everything. All the Thai performances were cut or shortened because it got so bad. There was a lot of people so I'm glad I showed up at 11am because by noon a lot of the food at the different food booths were either gone or a super long wait. When we got there we were instructed to park at a nearby Park by the lake and were shuttled back and it was free so that was great! When we got to the temple you were able to go to the food, inside the temple to do a prayer with incense, do an offering for monks, watch the Thai performances, or buy a good luck set for $3.00. You get a bunch of quarters to deposit on the day of your birth or every day of the week and put a piece of gold on the statue of Buddha. All these rituals are to symbolize good luck in the New Year! Okay lets talk about the food! There were soo many vendor booths and I just wanted EVERYTHING. I really miss authentic Thai food and some of this stuff you just don't get in restaurants. You have to trade in your cash for coins of 1.00 and 2.00 increments to purchase any food but of course you can trade them back if you don't use them all. The drinks were about $1.00 or $2.00 and the main dishes were $6.00. We got: - Hoa Mok (spicy fish with vegetables) so delicious - Papaya Salad (super spicy Thai style) OMG my mouth was on fire. I eat spicy food but wow this was soo spicy but it was a good challenge! - white rice to tame down the spicy food. - Thai Iced Tea - Roa Mit (Thai dessert) - Pork bbq with sticky rice - Roti The pad Thai looked good too but you had to wait 45 minutes! Talk about being popular. Yeah tons of food. I wanted more to eat for later but I tried not to be a glutton. I look forward t coming again when its not raining and it was hectic. read more

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple - "Songkran" Thai New Year in April! - Buddhist Temples Near Me - Fremont, California

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This place is so cute! It reminds me of the street markets in Asia. There's just a long line of vendors and you exchange tokens for food! After drooling over this yelp page for over two weeks, I finally made it over here last Sunday! I didn't order the mango sticky rice like everyone said (although I probably should have) because I wasn't hungry enough to gobble down a whole entree. And it's $6! So instead, I ordered the squash with egg custard and the black sticky rice with egg custard. I spent so long trying to decide what I wanted to eat...but luckily the people there are fluent in English and are super nice. They'll explain things to you if you ask what the heck anything is. The squash I had was pretty good! But I also really like squash. The egg custard was kind of strange because I'm used the Chinese egg custard. The Thai version is not as sweet, but still pretty good. The black sticky rice made me realllly full. And it wasn't anything special... it's just black sticky rice with egg custard. This one tasted kind of weird. I think they put coconut juice on the rice too. The chicken also looked really good. They bbq it right on the spot and you can get it fresh off the grill. read more

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Grew up with this temple. My family stays loyal to this temple I think it also provides a sanctuary and a piece of home away from home in Thailand. The head monk has been there knowing my grandparents, parents and now my new and first born whom he blessed yesterday! A beautiful temple of course and a beautiful ceremony! read more

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BeautifuL LittLe tempLe with a heaviLy fiLLed parking Lot depending on when you come to visit. Great pLace to stop by and refLect on Life or simpLy to soak in the Quiet|peacefuL environment the tempLe has to offer. My mom and I drove here from San Jose a handfuL of times to induLge in the authentic Thai/Laos/Cambodian foods. DELISH and very affordabLe. It saddens me to hear that they no Longer seLL... read more

This morning my sister and I Just took a short visiting to this Temple! First time. Very peaceful and Beautiful. Two Buddhist Monks inside the Temple. Peaceful and quiet! Looking forwards again to visit this beautiful Temple! read more

Is it possible to find such a peaceful Thai temple amidst the impacted suburb of Fremont? I didn't think so until we came here for the first time. If you don't look careful enough, you most likely will pass this place and have to make a u-turn. Remember first and foremost, it's a practicing Buddhist temple so please be respectful as this is a house of worship. The temple architecture is beautifully detailed. The represented golden deities will humble you. After you pay your respects, step to the side of the temple where wondrous aromas fill the air. From a distance you hear women chitchatting in Thai; almost melodic against the harsh scraping and burner sounds of a fierce kitchen. When you turn the corn from the temple, a Thai marketplace explodes into view. Booths after booths, women cooking, cutting, chopping and serving fresh homemade Thai specialties. $10 will get you 10 coins (1 baggy) to use to purchase your food. Most of the specialty drinks are 2-3 coins. The main dishes are 5 coins and desserts are 3-4 coins. For two people, I suggest starting with 20 coins and sample a little of everything. Coins you don't use can be refunded or donated. Everything is delicious, hot and fresh made right in front of you. Warning: if you want Pad Thai, make sure it's the first booth you visit to put in your order. It's the most popular dish and can take up to 20-30 minutes. This is a great Sunday retreat. It's inspiring and the food is tasty. Come by foot, car or bicycle and they will accommodate your Thai cravings. Note: Come early for the best seat under the tree or bring a blanket to sit on the grass. If the main parking lot is full, pull out and parking in the overflow lot (it's actually closer to the food). read more

Wat Buddhanusorn's Sunday food court from 11-2pm is truly a wonderful community experience. Even if you do not speak Thai you will feel right at home. Some of the volunteers are non-Thai as well. If you are lucky you will see some youths studying Thai dance at a nearby pavilion. Please wear the proper attire if you plan on entering the temple. The som tum papaya salad is the *best in South Bay. When you order you will be asked to state your preferred hot/chili index and during the process you will be given a taste test where you can ask for more lime juice, sugar, fish sauce etc. Basically your som tum is custom made. Don't be scared to try it with crab and fermented fish it adds a rich flavor to the salad. The BBQ pork, which is supposed to be dry, was also good however the sauce was straight out of the bottle. Traditionally, BBQ pork will have a different sauce. The order also comes with sticky rice. The curries are above average however I find the portion to be small for $7. Thai tea is at the same level as any restaurant. Try Thai tea without the half and half you will get a real taste of the smooth flavor. ***** Special note: To cut down on the cost of plastic implements and take-out containers please consider bringing your own thermos for drinks and tupperware. The vendors really appreciate this and it will help the environment. Wat Buddhanusorn is a great place to bring your family. There are plenty of kids playing and people of many ethnic backgrounds there chilling out. read more

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple - Wat Buddhanusorn (Buddhanusorn Temple) food I brought home in tupperware. - Buddhist Temples Near Me - Fremont, California

I just became a fan. I met up with a friend today who attends classes and tutors here and from 12-2 this place is like your downtown Thai street food market. Okay it's not as big, but the heart of it is there. First of all, parking is not super easy, but it's plentiful if you know where to go. If there's no space in the main lot, there's a dirt parking lot just left of the temple. After parking, you need to stop at the token booth. $1 = $1 token. You use these silver tokens to purchase food. All normal type drinks are $1, for thai ice coffee, tea, or longan ice tea it's $2. Pretty much any of the entree dishes are $6 and it's a steal for the quality you're getting. It's as authentic Thai as you can get. If you want Pad Thai, come early otherwise you'll be waiting for 20-30 min before you can get your order as it is made to order. Two women in the back cook up a wok storm with pad thai flying from left and right. Unfortunately the rice to entree ratio is a little high, and a little watery thus the star less. I will definitely come back and bring friends :) Everyone is friendly and get ready to say some "Sawadi-ka"/"Sawadi-kup" while you're there. Also might do some volunteering here to learn how to cook some of these dishes. NOM! read more

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I feel like I'm that lady in the Mervyn's commercials standing at the door saying OPEN, OPEN, OPEN. [For those that don't get that reference, you're probably too young, and you'll likely not get 1/2 of my other references either ; ) ] A friend told me, and its confirmed below that this place isn't open right now. They are restructuring, or redoing something to make a better experience. Other than the parking, which I'm sure pisses the crap out of the neighbors, I don't see how they can make this any better. Being in Northern, CA, the weather is amazing almost ALL year long. Being in the East bay, even more so. Bring a blanket or something to throw on the lawn, and have a nice Thai picnic. They do have tables and chairs, but sitting outside, under a tree, or by the fountain, can the location be any better? You go buy tokens, and then you pay for the food/drinks with the tokens, thats a lil weird, but so what. The food is cooked right in front of you. So you get to see exactly what they are doing, what they are putting in each dish, etc. The small down side is that if you're sitting near the cooking area, it can get a lil smokey. Everything I've had here is top notch. The Thai Tea, the noodle soup, the regular noodles, the grilled meat, etc. The weather is getting nice... so please open up soon! read more

As mentioned last week, while shopping at the Ran Kanom Thai store, we found out from a fellow shopper about the Sunday brunch at this temple. We've been to the Berkeley one quite a few times in the past but never realized there was one even closer to us and there are similarities and pros and cons for each. Pros: The grounds at this location is gorgeous and seems cleaner than the one in Berkeley while the variety is pretty comparable (this location may offer a bit more) with both having the 1 or 2 item plates, pad thai, papaya salads, mango rice, thai ice tea, etc.. and both using the token system. The pumpkin curry I found over here is more tender than the other one which is a big plus as I love pumpkin. The cons that I found with this one was you had to start off with buying bags of tokens in $10 increments and then if you don't use them all, you return them on the way out for your money while Berkeley lets you buy what you need. Also I found that most stations did not have prices unlike the Berkeley one so unless you have been here before, you have to ask how much everything is. One suggestion I do have for both is I wish they would have different bowls for tossing the papaya salad as if you want it to be mild heat but the person before you ask for spicy, those hot chili peppers are still mixed into yours. With this one offering a choice of shrimp, crab, or anchovies, if they use the same bowl, it may be an issue for those allergic to shellfish. Parking: Come early as parking here can be scarce and confusing with them telling you to park in a certain area while there's a sign that says no temple parking at the same lot. We ended up parking in the side streets just to be sure. read more

I came here last year when they were still selling food... it was so much fun with my family! Mouth watering Thai/Laos food for cheap, great scenery, so many people, etc. I came here again yesterday on Sunday to check it out but the food court was closed! I'm so sad & upset that somebody ratted out the temple... the cooks and workers were volunteers! The food was amazing and authentic, the people were generous, the vibe was filled with happiness and alive. A wonderful place to bring your family, loved ones, & friends to enjoy Thai/Laos culture. Please come back soon! read more

I love going here on Sundays for fresh Thai food. It get's crowded here so if you plan to go, go early or go a bit later in the afternoon but get there before 3pm because they start closing down the food stations. My favorite dishes here include: Boat Noodle, Papaya Salad (Laos style spicy), Noodles in fish curry sauce, and the Larb! When they do have them, the fried bananas are awesome for dessert so get it! Pricing is $6 dollars per dish and the portions are "ok" but filling so for the experience go and try it out if you have not been. I've brought family and friends here and none has been disappointed so if you're in the Fremont area, go for it! Oh yes , I almost forgot! This is a buddist temple (I am christian) so ladies, no tank tops, mini skirts or short shorts ... supposedly, monks are not to be tempted and by wearing such short and revealing clothing get's them in trouble! Believe me, I have a friend who helps out here t the temple and I get yelled at each time cus I forget!!! ;) read more

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(Review of the food) I've had this place bookmarked for such a long time but never had the nerve to come to this place. I was very confused when I heard about it - is it a temple that turns into a restaurant or something? But after reading the great Yelp reviews (and since it's right across the tracks from the boyfriend's house) I figured it's worth a shot. Since it was a last minute decision to go we called and asked what time they were serving food until. They said until 2 or 3. From the reviews we figured that we should just walk so we wouldn't have to worry about crowds and parking. We parked right off Mission Blvd. across the tracks. Took the 5 minute stroll across the tracks and past the apartments. Imagine our surprise to see a handful of parking spaces and no crowds. We walk to the back where there are a handful of people sitting around. I felt a bit awkward, like we were coming to someone's family picnic where we know no one. But haven't you always had the urge to crash a party that had better food than you had? But yeah that's what it felt like and like a family party, they invite you in and make you feel comfortable and make sure you get enough to eat. Everyone was super nice. The 2 guys exchanging the cash for tokens explained the whole process to us and we went on our way looking at the different food options. The people who were originally sitting around were now behind the stations excitedly asking us what we want to eat. What a treat it was to see everyone work their magic behind the woks, mortars, grills, etc. The smell alone was amazing! Our group of 4 all got the same thing...BBQ pork w/ sticky rice, pad thai, papaya salad, and thai iced teas. Yelpers were right on the button again w/ these suggestions. Although next time I'm getting a pad thai all to myself! I can't wait to go back to try everything else. read more

Ha! And I thought I'd be the first to yelp about this gem!... I discovered this place thanks to my Thai friend Joe, and I just love going there for lunch on Sundays. This really is a Buddhist temple, in case you're wondering, but on Sunday mornings the back of the place turns into a street food paradise. By that I mean: all the Thai grannies from the area come and cook their specialty dish on camping tables for your enjoyment. For 5 to 10 bucks you can fill up on maybe the best and probably the most authentic Thai food you'll find in the area. I had the best pad thai in my life there, and I also loved the green papaya salad and the haw mok (try finding this at your regular Thai restaurant!). If you like Thai ice coffee as much as I do, you won't be disappointed. The desserts are also very good: try the fresh mango with sticky rice. What a great way to spend a Sunday morning!... read more

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple - Buddhist Temples Near Me - Fremont, California

It's funny how this temple has reviews like it's a restaurant.. I've been coming here since I was a child, although not religiously.. Yes, I am Buddhist but I only come here when there are special events. When I try to get other people to go (mostly because of their food and chill atmosphere) they're hesitant because they're not Thai... BUT NEITHER AM I!. Something about Buddhism that screams it doesn't matter your ethnicity, gender, beliefs... this temple doesn't even go into that.. I really don't even think they care.. No one here is trying to convert you.. they simply just want you to enjoy everything :) Come early, do the outdoor ceremony (sometimes flee doves, offer oranges to monks, watch the musicians play, and Thai dancers dance), then hit the food court!. AMAZING THAI FOOD!. I have to say that the pad thai is NASTY if end up bringing it home.. it tastes MUCH better if you eat it right after buying it. BBQ Pork with sticky rice is another favorite and so is the papaya salad, made to order :) Both of which are very take home-able. Actually, most of the food is made to order here. Free water, coffee, ovaltine, and tea. Each entree used to be $5, but since the gas prices went up, so did the entrees to $6. On big events they have raffles that are super fun for the kids. For a dollar you get to pick an easter egg out of that spinning bingo cage thing and inside the egg is a number which denotes your prize.. they range from toilet paper, cup noodles, to toothpaste, sweatshirts, bicycles and tvs so it's super cool in my opinion :) After eating and leisure, head into the temple for prayer. The monks are extremely nice and try to conversate with everyone. read more

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple - Buddhist Temples Near Me - Fremont, California

Apparently, I have been missing out!!! This wonderful temple actually has a weekly event every Sunday where it is like a street food fair. You buy tokens ($10 per bag) and then you can purchase all the mouth-watering dishes and desserts. There are noodle soups, pad thai, rice plates, papaya salads. For desserts, there are the standard thai ice tea, mango with sticky rice, but they also have lots more that you could not buy anywhere else but here! I was too busy eating so I did not take any pics and I dont really know the names of these desserts in English. Although they are mostly Thai, they are very similar to Indonesian desserts such as "Rangin" and "Kolak". There are also tables where you can eat and chat with your friends and let your kids run around. It's a pretty cool place to hang out with your family/friends. Parking is an issue. Too many people know about this place now, so come early. read more

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Oh boy even better the second time around! They didn't have that green jello dessert or the cookies but they had a REALLY GOOD coconut egg dessert. I have no idea what it's called but I attached a pic of it. It's basically tiny pancakes that have egg yolk on them? Again my fav's were: - Tiny pancake dessert thingies - BBQ Pork with yummy sticky rice!!!! Yeeah! - Thai iced tea - coconut ball desserts The pad thai was again "meh" and the papaya salad wasn't all that good but I'm not a fan of papaya salad to begin with so that might be biased. The wait for the pad thai wasn't long at all this time around! read more

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple - The BEST dessert! - Buddhist Temples Near Me - Fremont, California

I'm a little reluctant to yelp Thai Temple because I dont want it to become a commercialized eatery (I know... a little too late), but I MUST express my affections for this awesome place. I love backyard food style and this is exactly what it is except it's in the backyard of a temple and not someone's home. The ladies preparing your food were nice and pleasant and worked fast to get you what you want. We came around 1 pm and it wasn't that crowded. We found a table almost right away and ordered up a storm. I especially loved the Pork Larp (Laap) over rice with an egg and the spicy papaya salad. The ingredients were fresh and binded sweet, sour and spicy perfectly together. I'm still yearning for the flavors now after what I thought was a satisfying amount yesterday. What a great beginning to a beautiful day! read more

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple - Buddhist Temples Near Me - Fremont, California

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First of all, I'm white. :) But I've spent the better part of the past four years in Thailand, my wife is Thai and we own a home in Thailand, too. So, for a white guy, I think I'm pretty connected. (I need to learn Thai, though!!) I have been to so many temples in Thailand that when we walked onto the temple grounds in Fremont, we felt like we were back at 'home' in Thailand. For those of you that have never been to Thailand, trust me...its remarkably the same if not for the weather and trees. The sights, sounds and languages take you away from America...without the cost of a plane ticket! Secondly, this is NOT a restaurant. To review the temple as a restaurant would be misleading. Everyone there cooking and helping out are VOLUNTEERS and their sole purpose is to bring families, friends and strangers together and raise money to support the temple and all it's wonderful activities. Not to mention to share Buddhism. Children can learn how to play musical intruments, dance and learn the Thai language. There's so much that is offered that is intangible...like sharing time with others. We love it there and go every Sunday. My wife volunteers on Saturdays to help prepare food for Sunday. So the next time you go, don't forget that the volunteers are not award-winning chefs, but people that believe in community, family and culture. I love Thailand and I love Buddhanusorn Temple. It makes this white guy feel Thai. Thanks so much! read more

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When my coworker told me that it is thai new year this weekend and this temple celebrated, I jumped on the idea of making an appearance. I haven't been here in years just because it's really out of the way from where I live. This time I made an exception to witness the new year. I'm all for american new year, chinese/viet/korean new year and indian new year, but only until know did I explore thai new year. This sunday, I drove the distance and as expected the parking is still not under control even after 5 plus years. I had to park at the Montessori school, because I do want the thai temple to stay open to the public--so DON'T park near the residential if you want to keep coming back. There was singing, dancing and music for all to listen. And the best part is the food! I gorged on all that I could-pad thai, penang curry, sticky rice, catfish, thai tea, sausage, pork wrapped in rice paper and some spicy veggie side. All delicious and spicy! I lucked on tom yum soup and the dessert but I will be back for them. Loved the concept--exchange green bills for silver coins and buy your lunch. If you have leftover coins you can always get greens back. I love the ambiance of the temple--it's a little escape from american civilization and into a world of thai. The temple is a glimps and tease of what traveling to thailand will be. read more

Thanks Danvin R. for bringing us to authentic Thai food! Even though it was not a festival weekend, we were still able to eat a variety of delicious and authentic Thai dishes -- Pad Thai, Larb and Pad Prik Mooh, Papaya Salad, BBQ Pork with Sticky Rice, and some drinks. All were delicious and very filling -- I was still full past dinner time! And for $5 per dish (and portions are huge, definitely shareable), what a deal! How often can you get quality food on the cheap?? Usually you get what you pay for, but not here. $7 for a ton of food and a Thai Iced Tea. I was stuffed. I've always wanted to like Pad Thai, but never really had a good version of it though I gave it many chances at various Thai restaurants (the closest was when an international student from Thailand tried to make Pad Thai for a potluck once...but she had never made it before...it was still better than the restaurants though!). This place redeemed Pad Thai and Thai Iced Tea for me!! My only recommendation is that if you want Pad Thai, order it first thing -- they make each portion one at a time, so you might have to wait a long time before they get to making your dish. Order that first, and go eat something else while you're waiting! Can't wait to come here on a festival weekend!!!! read more

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Based on the recommendation from a fellow yelper (http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=No-z4NfZSN7kOdSucW6eaQ), I navigated my way to the outskirts of Fremont and locate the hidden treasure. The temple is well hidden and parking is scarce. Note: Avoid the main lot and drive a couple feet and you will find another parking lot. The food is amazing. It's basically home-cooked food with fresh ingredients. This is the closest home-cooked meal that I've eaten. All the cookers (mainly Thai female) are friendly and helpful. I've been to the temple many times and I usually get the Papaya salad, Grilled pork & sticky rice, Pad Thai, and of course the Mango and sticky rice for dessert. I've tried the Thai tea and did not like it because it's way too sweet. FYI: Go before 11am or you'll be out-of-luck with the Pad Thai. It's in pretty high demand! read more

Today was my first time here... but apparently many people know about it. I ran into two people I knew here. My cousins RAVE about this place for the authentic thai food. I thought it was strange.. temple, food? and we're not praying but it totally wasn't even like that. Yes, it is a temple and there are people who go here to pray. Step 1: buy tokens, $10 gives you a bag of $10 tokens. Most dishes are $6 (6 tokens) we did see a few that were 4, thai tea was $2, sodas and water were $1. We walked around to see what they had we had 6 people and a baby. We ordered, 2 pad thais, 2 basil pork with rice, 1 bbq pork with sticky rice, 2 papaya salad, deep fried chive cakes, and thai tea to go around. There was PLENTY of food, my belly is definitely satisfied. The papaya salad and basil pork was really good and had a kick of spice to it. The pad thai tasted good as well, especially with the lemon squeezed over it. The bbq pork was alright, i found it to be a little salty and I thought it was weird with the sticky rice (I wasn't too fond of that). The thai tea was refreshing especially after all the spicey food. I've had the asian chive cakes, but never deep fried before. It was different and I liked it. Next time I will have to try some of their noodle soups and desserts that they have... I was far too full to eat anymore today. The ambiance was nice... lots of families and canopy tents set up around. This truly is a hidden gem on niles... I must've drove by a few times and jut thought it was a house. I look forward to coming back again. NOTE: we got here around 10/10:30 and it was already getting full... by the time we left at 12:30 people were waiting for parking spots. COME early! I've also heard in April when it's the Queen and princesses' birthdays the festival is even greater and have EVEN more food to choose from. read more

Loved it went today.. I wish the food was a little better.. but in context at a mere 5$ a plate.. this was a good place to go. The atmosphere is very friendly.. lots of people enjoying the great weather. You get culture.. you get food.. you have happy people.. Definitely a one of a kind experience.. And where.. Fremont baby! read more

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After reading the mostly positive reviews and also wanting to check out a "different" food venue, I decided to venture out to this place today. I called beforehand, as I wasn't sure how this whole food thing was incorporated with the temple - it was a Sunday afternoon and they said they would be serving food until about 2 or 2:30pm. I got there around 1pm; the parking lot was small - it was a backwards "L" shape and probably didn't hold more than 50 cars. Considering the size and layout of the parking alot, and also the fact that all spots were taken (with a few spot stalkers in the aisle), I quickly left and parked across the street in the residential area. For anyone coming to this place on a Sunday afternoon, I would recommend skipping the parking lot entirely to avoid getting "trapped" and park nearby. The temple faces the parking lot, and you walk around the corner to where the food stands are. One aisle runs along the fence (5 to 6 booths) and on the opposite side is another 2 or 3 booths. Some picnic benches line the middle aisle between the two sides. If you're wondering about shade on those hot summer days - not to worry. The picnic tables are covered by a canopy and there are other tables sitting along the shaded area by some trees. It does resemble a food festival, only to a much smaller extent - the whole thing could probably fit in large backyard, so don't expect aisles and aisles of food stands to choose from when you come here. At the front is where you buy tokens - one token = $1. It won't hurt to buy extra tokens, as if you have any leftover, they'll cash them out for you. I'm guessing almost all the entrees run at about $5 - we bought 3 or 4 entrees and they all ended up costing $5 each. Thai iced tea was $2 - not sure how much bottled water or soda cost. For two people, you'll probably end up spending about $15 - it'll cover 2 entrees plus drinks. Cheaper than restuarant dining, and a little below average for fast food. For those expecting typical Southeast Asian food such as pineapple fried rice, coconut curry beef, etc, you may be disappointed here. We circled the stands, not sure what to get as the food was unfamiliar to us. The only thing I recognized was the Pad Thai, but the stand looked like it was closed :( There were noodles (some looked like pho or plain noodles with accompanying dressings) and various curry/meat/vegetable sauces, BBQ pork/chicken, rice plates, etc. I'm guessing this is probably more "authentic" thai food, as the flavors and types of food I saw were different than what I see at the resturants. Less adventurous folks may be hesitant on trying the food as some things I saw looked questionable and/or not extremely appetizing. It doesn't necessarily mean the food is bad - I think we're just more accustomed to the foods we see at Krung Thai and other places. We got some noodles, BBQ pork, and some Thai iced tea. I thought it was interesting that everyone commented on what big portions they got - I felt they were on small to average in size. The BBQ pork came with a about a "cup" of rice and maybe 3/4ths cup worth of pork. In terms of taste, it was pretty mediocre - I can't say it was "delicious" and it wasn't that bad either. Overall, I think I would be coming back. Not so much for the food, but for probably one, if not all, the following reasons: A) $5 lunch (I think whether or not you get your money's worth depends on what you order) B) It's nice to sit outdoors on a Sunday afternoon (I have no idea what other days they're open) C) It's something different than your typical resturant or fast food joint read more

This place has the most authentic Thai food you could possibly get in the Bay Area. The atmosphere, the people, and the quality of everything is just amazing. If you want pad-thai, make sure you purchase that before anything else because you'll have a long wait ahead of you - trust me its worth it. I wish they would be open to serve food like this every day. But once a Sunday gives you something to look forward to. read more

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple - Best papaya salad. - Buddhist Temples Near Me - Fremont, California

This place is AWESOME! It IS a temple NOT a restaurant just like what boss n. said below. I went here last Sunday around 11:30. WARNING: parking lot can get really full since the lot is pretty small and it's around a residential neighborhood. The food court is located at the back yard and was packed! It was really hot that day so the outdoor seating was really nice. The tent didn't really do much to cool us down BUT the Thai iced tea did! 2 tokens is all you need to get this sweet, cold drink. Since there were so much people, it was hard to find a place to sit but you just have to be patient. A shaded area under the trees is also a good place to eat your food but that was packed as well. When you go here, you exchange your $10 for 10 tokens which you will be using to buy your food. Almost everything here is 5 tokens. Food we ate: Foodie friend Frakie had the: PAD SEE EW - Recommended! - she felt like she was gypped though because the portion was small BUT it was super delicious! She also got the MANGO with STICKY RICE dessert. The mango was really sweet and was overall good. Me: PAD THAI - Highly Recommended - Oh man! I can see why you have to wait 15 minutes or so to get this, it was amazingly good and the portion can feed 2 people. YES! believe it or not - there's a line up of to-go boxes to order this. You give the vendor your name and they'll call you or you just go back there and ask if your order is ready. I guess this must be the all-time favorite. Another thing I got was the FISH CAKES - now this will set you back 6 tokens for 2 pieces. According to the vendor this is a specialty dish. She said it was catfish. It is steamed and presented in a banana leaf and had lots of flavors. It was really good and worth every token. Sharon had the: (2 dishes) GROUND PORK and FISH with SPICY COCONUT SAUCE - she said it was delicious! Gerald had the: BBQ PORK over RICE - good and recommended. Portions are great so come come hungry! read more

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Three stars for the food but five for the cultural experience, hence, the four stars. There is a good variety of food, but it's expensive for temple food. A drink will set you back $2 and each plate, whether rice or noodle, was $6. For that price, you're better off at an actual Thai restaurant. The minced basil chicken (gai kra pow) was okay. It was tasty and had a good amount of spiciness. The papaya salad was way too sour and the pad thai was bland. The sticky rice and grilled pork sticks were good. The fried banana is probably the best thing here. Aside from the food, the temple is beautiful. It's surrounded by a grassy area, a garden area, picnic tables and a small parking lot in front. There's an additional parking lot to the left of the temple, but spaces are limited. read more

Having been here for the Saturday chanting and heard from my friend that they have Thai class on sunday around 100 a.m. so we decided to check it out. Plus there's food selling, and it's thai food. Well, it's the end of summer time and there's not much out door event or farmers market (thet we know of) around, so we decided to check this place out. We arrived around 11 and the temple were packed with the cars, they have to have us park in their extension area and that were still almost full. Wow!!! Walking to the food area was like walking to the food court out door in Thailand. The food are so tempting as all of it looks even more authentic than the one in the restaurant. I thought it would be hard to find some kind of food thet sold here in many thai restaurant. It's was so much and I just want to try everything out. But having had a medium size of stomach I could only take so much that I can't go through all of it. So what we tried were: Rice and entree plate which were the basil pork with bamboo shoot curry over rice. Dang the taste of the basil pork was so super close to the taste in Thailand. And the thickness of the curry were the authentic kind, which is not too thick. I*t was gone in less that 5 minutes by 2 people. We also got the Sai aua which is the northern style sausage with some sticky rice. It was great. Having had 2 dishes for 2 is not enoguh, I decided to head for the Namtok noodle. The is another hit, the soup is so right that you don't have to add anything to it. This also gone is less than 5 mins. Dessert were the one that we don't get often, which is the kao niaew dam sung ka ya. I know the name is long and complicated but what it look like is the black sticky rice with coconut milk and top with that style custard. Everything was go right together and was so yummy. We also tried the Ruam mitr which is the mix of seasoning tropical fruits in a cup. The color of the coconut milk and the chunk of fruits were so cute together. The coconut milk was pink and itwas contrast witht the yellow, green, bright pink white etc. of what's in it. Well, after those things we had, I still want to try the rest but my tummy said enough, so it's my mission to go back there and try the rest. We also tried the thai ice tea, well why not when we are eating thai food. For those of you who want to go into the temple and pay respect to the buddha statues can do so. It's really tradition and you could smell the holy place of the light incent and feel the respect and peace in the temple. read more

Please note: Carnivorous guests are welcome since they do serve meat! Thanks N for showing me this place! They are opened Sundays 11-2pm (i think..not sure!) We arrived on Sunday at around 12:30pm. Yay!!! This reminds me of Berkeley's Thai temple! There are tables and chairs set up under the tent, so you can come on a sunny or rainy day. At the front, there's a token table, where you trade your cash for tokens to purchase meals. Each meal averages about $6, and dessert ranges from $3-$6. There are drinks as well--i think they were $1. Awesome! The AUTHENTIC THAI food is delicious, hot, and fresh! There is definitely a good variety, and my favorites are: 1) Noodle soup 2) Fried coconut pieces (not too sure what the name is called) If you never been to a Thai temple Sunday meal, I highly recommend dropping by and checking out this place. Parking was not horrible either. read more

The parking was suspect, but the food and atmos was one of a kind. Came here with the fam-a-lam and we all enjoyed the good eats and festive vibe. $5 a plate is righteous. Exchange your cash for tokens then peruse the offerings. BBQ pork w/ rice - sweet, moist, and savory Ground pork w/ rice - the best dish there with supreme flavor Pad thai - wholesome goodness Papaya Salad - good minus for all the sauce that spilled out Mango sticky rice - probably wouldnt order again too much coconut Environment - excellent way to start sunday Give thanks. . read more

Buddhanusorn Thai Temple - :: tokens :: - Buddhist Temples Near Me - Fremont, California

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So I was completely surprised. Cruising through Yelp with the cheap eats filter on, a Buddhist temple came up as a highly-rated eatery. Like many have said, you exchange money for tokens, $10 at a time. It's 5 tokens for most entrees, 2 tokens for Thai iced tea, etc and tokens you don't use can be re-exchanged for money. Overall, it's a positive experience. You're taking part in and contributing to a community, watching them cook and interact, and there's so many great things to try. The people who came to sit by us were friendly and amused that a Web site was directing people to come eat with them for lunch. Just don't make the mistake I did and WAY over spice your soup. A spoonful of chilies was too much. read more

Oh nooooooo... we're all yelping about it. I guess it was inevitable. I'll kiss this hidden sanctuary good bye. (mmm-WAH). Talk about taking one for the team! If you've never been to Thailand and want to sample a feel of what it might be like - head to this Wat on Sunday. If you have been to Thailand and want to go back but can't afford to... get in your car and drive over to Fremont for this authentic Thai experience. You'll be glad you did. My Thai friend Jinni, shared this place with me about three years ago. We'd all head over on Sundays to purchase great food that is made to order, just like you'd find in Thailand. Then we'd sit under the shade of the trees and eat lunch, chat and relax. The food is amazing. PadThai, sticky rice, BBQ chicken, all the many sticky rice desserts, the spicy soup, the paypaya salad... I could go on. Oh and the ambiance... the beautiful temple, the monks, the thai children running around the courtyard playing, the trees and the peaceful aura that only a place like this could exude. It's bliss. It really is. read more

Just an update I wanted to post. I have heard from my friend who volunteers at the temple that there is no more food for sale to the public anymore. This includes any Sunday, even special events or festivals (I think previous info on here had said food is for sale then). Their permits only allow them to operate as a church--not a restaurant. The parking is also an issue with neighbors, so just please be respectful of the church, fellow Fremontonians. read more