Staying in Universal City and in desperate need of some Thai for dinner. I was on a mission to find some great Thai soup and BOY did Yelp help me find the right place...like always!! Thai O Cha is just outside of Randolph AFB and is located in a little strip mall. Very unassuming when you arrive, but the inside is very nice and clean. I called ahead and ordered a bowl of their Thom Yum Gai which is a Chicken & Lemongrass with mushrooms, tomatoes and cilantro. The young woman at the counter was so friendly and quickly got my order out from the kitchen and in my hands! The soup was SMOKING hot even after a 5 minute drive back to my hotel. When I opened the to-go container I was hit by the most amazing smell, but the taste was even better. Yummo! Also, there was SO much chicken in the soup, it definitely was a meal! Stop by and get the Thom Yum Gai (it's #22 on the menu). You'll thank me later! read more

Thai O Cha - #22 - Thom Yum Gai soup with TONS of flavor...and chicken! - Thai Near Me - Universal City, Texas

Great food, fresh, lots to choose from including shrimp. They even do the buffet for take out, one container for the lunch price. Today it was 14.50. If you like Thai you have to go. Plenty of parking in the back. read more

Thai O Cha - A little bit of everything. - Thai Near Me - Universal City, Texas

Do NOT be fooled by the outdoor appearance. When you think of "hole in the wall" restaurant that has amazing food, this is it. We've been here multiple times, tried multiple dishes, and it has never ceased to amaze us. Laad nah, Pad Cashew, Pad Thai, any of the appetizers, you canNOT go wrong. Our favorite server, Jen, is a perfect representation of the service and quality of this restaurant. We cannot recommend Thai O Cha enough. read more

This is a gem tucked away near Randolph AFB. Located inside an old strip mall, this Thai place is worth the drive. Friendly greeted at the door, the sweet scent of spices guided us to the table. Iced Thai coffee was not too sweet but definitely strong. Started with ocha spring rolls that were fried to perfection. Tom yum soup with shrimp was so delicious that for a moment I was alone dreaming of Thailand and realized I was eating with my eyes closed. Back to reality I ate what I could of huge plate of Pad Woon Sen. It was probably enough for 4 people. All the while our water glasses were never empty. Our waitress was very attentive the entire time. Total bill for 1 app, 2 soups, 2 entrées was $35! Cute place for dinner if you find yourself in the Universal City area. Tip: share an app to save room for the yummy Texas sized entrées read more

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Last week my coworker treated me to his favorite Thai restaurant Thai O Cha. Honestly I thought I had hit all of them on my side of town but apparently I was wrong.. Since I was being treated I decided to go small and ordered a lemonade (tasty... But no refill offered) and some Pad See Eww (spelling may be off). He ordered the Pho and was polishing off the last off his soft shell crab when I sat down. While I'm from Charleston, SC and a lover of seafood, in 37 years I had never desired to eat them because I just couldn't imagine eating a crab shell with the intestines and eggs inside but he coerced me to try it here. The two crabs were served alongside Tempura broccoli and Tempura onion rings. This serving was definitely big enough to be a meal and unfortunately had a little too much grease for me... While flavorful, I couldn't even touch much of the Pad as my stomach started rumbling and making obscene noises trying to digest the grease from my crabby meal .. I tried politely to sip on my lemonade and had to box up the rest of the meal quickly before my tummy embarrassed me. I do provide a 3 Star rating as my coworker seemed thoroughly happy with his Pho that I did sample. The food came out quickly and was flavorful but if my stomach starts talking five or so bites in... It's too greasy ...and broccoli is a veggie in my opinion served steamed not deep fried... And I'll continue to eat my crabs with a dozen others boiled hard and bright red with a ton of Old Bay seasoning.. I can add that I was Not too pleased with my first soft shell crab experience.. Can't say I'll return.. Tongs Thai, Yum Thai, and Thai Spice and Sushi are my all time Favs.. Perhaps I'll give it a second try as long as my Coworker's Treating.. Ms. Foodie read more

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Great lunch buffet although a bit pricy. Like going at least a few times a year. Service is good. Ambiance....ok.

All you can eat Thai food? Sign me up. All you can eat GOOD Thai food? Check yes. The food was fresh and kept coming out of the kitchen on time when a tray would be low. They had a good variety of entrees to choose from. It wasn't huge like a Chinese buffet usually is, but it was enough to have different options. They came around to refill our drinks often and to clear used plates. Parking is a bit troublesome if you come at a busy time. There was additional parking in the back but it was full. Luckily, when we attempted to turn around to get out of the lot, someone was leaving. Come early, if you can. read more

Thai O Cha - Dining area. Buffet in the back. - Thai Near Me - Universal City, Texas

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Excellent food with that authentic Thai heat. You can choose the buffet, which has a nice variety quality choices, or order from the menu using the QR code placed on the table. The service is quick and the staff very friendly and efficient. It gets pretty busy during prime lunch hours but there's parking in front of and behind the building as well as directly across from the church one building over from the restaurant. I've eaten there three times in the last 1.5 weeks and have not been disappointed either time. Definitely plan to visit again soon! read more

Always hot and delicious, Thai O Cha offers a great buffet for those wanting to sneak away for a quick lunch. Yes, it's a little hole-in-the-wall, but it's great food with a wonderfully-friendly staff. Try this place out! read more

Service was fantastic, food was great. Would definitely come back to if I'm ever in the area again.

Been going for years & never disappoints. Food is always fresh & good. Large portions too. Staff treats us like family with above excellent service. read more

Love this place! It is more like the homemade Thai I am accustomed to. I hate overly sweet, fancified Sum Tom, pad Thai, etc. Their buffet is pricey but worth it because every single thing is good. I had not had the pumpkin dessert in a long long time. I wish they had mango with sticky rice. read more

This place is amazing. The food is delicious. It's hidden away in Universal City. It's a quiet little place but the buffet is to die for.

We had the buffet while dining in, it was Good not great but the prices were reasonable for what we got. Mostly everything we tried tasted good and as we expected but everything on the buffet Looked as if it had been sitting for a bit. In their defense we did dine in at the ass end of lunch so that may have been the culprit leading to the previously mentioned not so visually appealing food. One thing that they did do that I have never seen anywhere else that I really appreciated and loved was their version of the crab Rangoon. There's are done up like spring rolls and they are good. I should probably mention that this is a rather small buffet by today's standards But it had a lot of unique quality items compared to others. The cleanliness of the establishment was just ok- not the best but definitely not the worst I've ever seen. And last but not least our server could have been better in every aspect, refills never happened and our used plates only disappeared once. Would I and have I recommended this place to others yes I have and yes I would. It's actually a rather good place if you can get past the size of the buffet. Why three stars and not for: lackluster waitstaff and the inability to maintain a fresh looking buffet from beginning to end. *Poor *Decent *Good *great *Best *JLFoodie Certified Food. Good Service. Decent Cleanliness. Decent Value. Good I realize I'm a food snob, I eat out regularly some weeks 3 to 4 times which in my opinion makes me a bit of an expert on food, service, quality etc. I say it how I see it and I usually will give restaurants at least three chances before I give up on them and in some cases after some time has past I revisit the restaurants to see if anything is changed and my reviews reflect that change. read more

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The lunch buffet selection was decent, but wish it was advertised that it's buffet only during lunch hours. The Thai iced tea wad really good too. read more

My new favorite place for Thai food. Had their pad Thai twice now. So flavorful, authentic and not too sweet. Portions are very big for price too. Love the Thai tea here as well. Can't wait to try their amazing looking buffet. read more

Had an excellent lunch buffet here. This Thai food is so flavorful. It's not just noodles and curries. There is a spicy Chinese chicken like a general tso's, there are two amazing soups, and the spring rolls and especially the papaya salad is what brings me here and their homemade fish sauce with peppers in it. I won't need to go to any other buffet around here for Asian food. On the desert station they now have mango and sticky rice. You are supposed to put the mango on top of the sticky rice and I added coconut milk on top to make the sticky rice a little wet. Some people like Thai Chef serve the coconut milk on the side and you can use your fingers and squeeze some of the sticky rice around a piece of mango and dip it in the coconut milk. read more

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One of my née favorite Thai places to eat. The food was so good and the buffet was plentiful with several options and not just the basics. Apps, soups, rice, noodles and several dishes. Many other options on menu that I cannot wait to try. Could not recommend more. Wish I took photos but just trust me. read more

Wait staff isn't the most friendly but the food was amazing and authentic. Parking is also a bit challenging and small. All in all for 12$ lunch buffet it is totally worth it for a stop and to try out. Not sure I will rave or put up a fight to be eating here again but everyone's Thai preference is different so try it out! read more

Thai O Cha - Thai Near Me - Universal City, Texas

Okay, stop what you are doin' because I am about to break down this glory filled dream come true. Real thai food in Texas and in a frickin buffet. Thai peeps and chef running the gig like champions of a heavenly marathon filled with all my favorite food. Is this a dream, will someone wake me up and ruin this wonderfulness. Nope, bc we have gone several times and like ground hog day this place is amazing each and everytime. The food is switched up, which was a pleasant surprise-yaaas mango w sticky to make the experience perfect and the end a moment I did not want to ever end. A true love story I have been looking for all over San Antonio. I have gone to at least ten thai restaurants all over and not found one worthy to return to- well one but in comparison to this spot I will not waste a thai food craving. Also, please beware...this place is actual legit real thai food. Dont expect to get teriyaki, sushi or general tsos chicken here- those can be found at japanese, chinese or other faux thai restaurants that have caved to ignorance of people coming in and requesting food from the wrong country...on a large continent. read more

This place is AMAZING! I usually go to the buffet but the past two times I needed takeout so ordered the pad see ew with chicken and it was so flavorful and tasty. (Which is why i went back the next day and ordered it again). The noodles and chicken and veggies taste so delicious and I can taste garlic and other yummy flavors. I also appreciated that there was alot of chicken in the dish. If comes with one eggroll and some dipping sauce. The buffet is also quite a treat and I usually go back for seconds even though I'm already stuffed. The rice and pad Thai and crunchy chicken are my favorites at the buffet...and of course the spring rolls and the cream cheese filled egg rolls, yummy! My only complaint is the parking situation is always a mess. I've gone and waited and ended up leaving because a parking spot never opened up, I was so sad. If they could somehow expand their parking lot would be great! read more

Thai O Cha - Pad See Eww with chicken - Thai Near Me - Universal City, Texas

Great meal. Shrimp fried rice had so many shrimp in it I had a shrimp in every bite. The baby egg rolls were excellent as was the sauce.

Come for their lunch buffet. It's a great assortment of items to try. They have a good selection. Pick your favorite dishes and come back for dinner. read more

Little hole in the wall Thai restaurant. Very authentic and delicious food! It's a buffet style between Monday-Saturday open-3pm. Then order from the menu for dinner. (Yes you can choose the menu during buffet hours). Service is amazing and friendly. This is definitely a place to experience! read more

I'm not overly familiar with Thai food, so I rely upon the buffet to provide me with a selection of popular dishes from which to sample. Thai O Cha is there for me and everyone else at Randolph every weekday - the place is packed during lunch hours. My favorite of the buffet was surprisingly the eggplant delight. Others, like the papaya salad, were traditional, but didn't really appeal to me. They had two curries, too, but I didn't think as much emphasis was placed on the sauce as there should be. Good, cheap, and not Mexican. Yay, I'm a fan. read more

Thai O Cha - Thai Near Me - Universal City, Texas

Very good Thai food. Everything I have tasted is awesome. Some of the best Thai food in San Antoinio. Give them a try you will not be disappointed. The buffet during the week is really good and valued and good. read more

Thai O Cha is our favorite place to go. The lunch buffet will not disappointed. My personal favorite is Tum Yum soup! If you haven't been I hope to see you there soon! Soooooo good! read more

I've been going here for several years and it is still the best Thai food in the area! I always go during the height of lunch for the buffet. It's consistent; the food served, and the 2-3 ladies running the floor. It can become very busy at times, so the ladies do their best, but they are always friendly! I get the cheese rolls, pad Thai, fried rice, fried chicken, and soup. All of the food is very flavorful. I continue to visit often, although prices for the buffet have gone up. read more

The idea of a Thai food buffet is awesome. I was able to grab a plate and add whatever I wanted to it. My favorite was the spicy chicken and fried rice. The food has that authentic taste rather than the bland fast food chain taste. It's the perfect place to try new things and enjoy the Thai culture. The place is pretty spacious and busy during lunch time. read more

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Prior to Covid--love to eat at Thai O Cha's buffet! If you have never had the opportunity to try a variety of Thai dishes in on sitting, they are the place to try. They have the typical "everyone always orders" dishes like the spring rolls, fried wings and ribs, pad Thai noodles and the Tom yum soup that you can get at any Thai restaurant. The difference with this spot is they have at least 10 different entrees, 2 soups, 3 noodle dishes, fresh fruits and Thai desserts. They also have vegetarian options too. The spice level varies from dish to dish. They are normally crowded during lunch as Randolph AFB employees flood the place! The buffet is during lunch hours. They do close from 3-5 pm to clean and prep for dinner. If you want to order something from the menu try the Thai beef noodle soup! It's delicious on any day! read more

This is a nice place, clean and very welcoming. The waitresses are nice and willing to help you. The food is fresh and has good flavor and accommodate the many taste we have (hot and spicy, and mild). They also have fried chicken wings and fried pork. They have fresh fruits and tapioca pudding. The place is very clean and is always full it is very popular in Universal City. Highly recommended and it is affordable so if you're on this side of town need to five it a try. The parking is not the greatest there is some in the front and some in the back read more

Thai O Cha - Thai buffet - Thai Near Me - Universal City, Texas

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Delicious with a great way to try different dishes at one meal. Pumpkin, coconut soup & tapioca soup are delicious too.

Saw this place while heading home and decided to try. A little pricey in my opinion but you do get quite a bit of food and it is good.

Hands down they best Thai food that I have ever had. It's a sort of the hole type restaurant as the location could scare some away. I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai, Thai Noodle Soup and the Snow Rolls as an appetizer. The waitress (I wish I would have gotten her name) went above and beyond on our orders. Towards the end, she even brought us complimentary strawberries with whip cream. I will definitely be coming here again. read more

Thai O Cha - Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Universal City, Texas

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Buffet junkie that I am, I've been wanting to try Thai O Cha for awhile, so today I fueled the car and made the almost 90 mile (one way) trip to Universal City from Kerrville. I've driven three miles to be disappointed but in this case, the 180 mile round trip was well worth it! (I can hear some of you saying, "He drove that far just for food?" I've traveled up to 600 miles for a meal. To me, food is not just something we must have to stay alive; it's something we stay alive for. Understand the difference? Food can heal the desolate soul, bring people closer and elevate the spirit as much as any work of art or piece of music. And as one ages, that's needed more and more. So yeah, I'll gladly drive that far for a meal such as I had today.) But I digress . . . I love Thai food; could live off it; in fact, during my stay in Chiang Mai, I did. Most buffets (of any ethnicity) tend to place little care into their offerings; not so at Thai O Cha, thankfully. Each and every dish had its own distinct flavor, as good as any off-the-menu versions I've had. The steam table uses shallow pans which insure the food stays hot and they're replaced often. In fact, during my lunch almost every tray was replaced--that's fresh! I won't regale you with a long list of what I had; I've added a few photos (please forgive the quality; my phone was made when dinosaurs ruled the earth!); but I definitely will regale you with my favorites. The appetizers--egg roll, cheese roll, chicken wings and fried tofu--were excellent. Little to no grease and full of flavor. I usually stay away from pad Thai--the flavors are invariably washed-out, the noodles soggy. I decided to give it a go and ended up having two helpings! It's the closest yet that I've tasted which compares favorably to that I had in Thailand. The beef and papaya salads--don't miss them. Take a bite of one or the other intermittently during your meal as a palate cleanser--bright, bold flavors! And there's nothing wrong with all the sticky rice and mango you can eat, is there? But my hands down, no contest favorite was the red chicken curry. And to you, Gentle Reader, I make the confession that I had three bowls of it. And I ate every drop and would do it again in a heartbeat! It was complex both in spicing and textures with neither the curry paste nor the coconut milk overpowering. Honestly, I just wanted to load the whole pan in my car and make off with it! That alone was worth the price of the meal. My fortune cookie said, "Happiness will bring you good luck." If that's the case, I'll have good luck in abundance after that meal, happy guy that I am right now!!! Add to all of that friendly, efficient service and very reasonable prices--couldn't ask for more. Do yourself a favor--run, don't walk, to Tha O Cha and you'll be happy, too! read more

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Food is always good. Order beef salad.or phad thai ..recently ordered phad thai..it was good. Some of the chicken was dry..like it was older. So im guessing they mixed old in with new chicken. read more

Our favorite Thai restaurant decided to sell due to the location, and it has left us in despair. We have tried several, but they had given in the demands of the people and changed their way of making food. However, I decided to try an established Thai restaurant in UC in hopes of rekindling the love affair with Thai food! This restaurant is located in a small strip mall in front of Randolph AFB and was happy that is was still there. Upon entering, you are presented with a friendly hostess working in a very dated dining room. And, the hostess promptly took our order of Thai hot chicken Pad Thai, and I had combination very hot Pad Woon Sent. Once ordered, the hostess walked the handwritten order back to the kitchen and we immediately heard the goodness sear in the wok! Unfortunately, we had to work in a project fir the kiddo, so we had to take the meal to go. Once we arrived at home, we dove into the goodness and I was completely satisfied with the amount of meat, the texture of the noodles and the amount of red pepper flakes that donned the noodles. My ride was also very surprised with the flavor of the dish and the heat. In fact, she opted to never order that level of heat again. Finally, this place is our new Thai restaurant when we are in SA and hope to visit real soon. Don't let the decorations fool you, thus place is excellent a I'd show in their food! read more

Thai O Cha - Pad wood sent ... delicious! - Thai Near Me - Universal City, Texas

Wonderful food. The pho was very good starting with the pho broth. The pad Thai was delicious, a bit salt but everything over all was very good. Especially since she served us when we came in the door just moments before closing. Thanks for great dinner. read more

I live close to Thai O Cha and have been to the buffet a dozen times. It never fails to thoroughly satisfy. Unlike your standard Chinese buffet, the fried offerings (chicken wings, pork, cream cheese spring rolls) are FANTASTIC. Great curry, Pad Thai, and the desserts are always tasty. The only negative is they seem to close for private parties fairly often, as well as federal holidays. Pretty big recommendation when my only complaint is when I can't get in to eat their food. :) read more

Love this place always good and flavorful. I love that they have the buffet during the week so you can try different dishes. Hats off to the chef! read more