Buddha Belly Thai in Southend-on-Sea

Excellent food authentic Thai ! About time this end of Leigh ! Loved it …. Had a second meal here , this time was bad cold satay like it had been in fridge badly prepped steak full of fat and the staff non responsive after complaining , I should expect some kind of discount or other rather than a feeble sorry . Probably won’t go again disappointing as the first time was good .

Wonderful to see a manager claiming benefits and having 2 restaurants at the same time! And having all family as employees!

Always a treat eating here. Staff are friendly, food is authentic Thai street style. Full bar available too. I tried pad kra tiem this time and wasn't disappointed. Will always recommend this place. Aroi margk 👌 Khawp Khun krup 🙏

Delivery driver was very unhelpful and rude when I asked about the missing item.

The restaurant boasts a uniquely stylish interior design and serves decent food, though the portions are rather small and hardly justify the menu prices. The place feels cramped and disorganized due to the excessive number of staff crammed into a limited space. compounded by an uncomfortably noisy atmosphere that made conversation difficult. Our drinks took 20 minutes to arrive, and during a five-person meal, two guests had already finished their appetizers while the rest were still waiting. After complaining, the remaining appetizers were served alongside the main courses—an awkward solution. The most off-putting moment was when the server explicitly demanded a tip at checkout. While tipping is customary, it should be given willingly by the guest, not solicited. We had initially considered hosting a birthday party for dozens here, but this experience completely changed our minds.

Been here so many times, food’s amazing and so flavourful

Perfect 🤩 I celebrate Mother’s day with my Son today-we happy till the Moon 🌙 Food delicious,serving quick,atmosphere calm and clean-highly recommend and off course I will visit with my Husband this restaurant in Leigh-on-sea area to.

The food was tasteless, really disappointed for the price.

First time ever eating Thai, great food, great atmosphere and really lovely staff, will definitely return!

Food is absolutely vile. Thai green curry is so spicy you cannot eat it. Soup is too salty and pad Thai noodles are awful…my 9 year old has made better

Last night, We had the pleasure of dining at Budda Belly, the new Thai restaurant in Leigh on Sea, and it certainly didn't disappoint. The food was nothing short of authentic, packed with those banging Thai flavours that transport you straight to the streets of Bangkok. From their wide selection of Thai street food to some unique dishes, every bite was a burst of joy. The atmosphere complemented the dining experience beautifully. It was very cool and laid-back, perfect for unwinding on a weekend night. Adding to the vibe was an excellent selection of Thai beers that paired wonderfully with the meals. Service at Budda Belly was on point. The staff were attentive and quick, ensuring our night went smoothly without any hitches. It’s refreshing to see a new spot get it right from day one. I’m already planning my next visit to Budda Belly, and I suggest you do too if you’re in the mood for some top-notch Thai food. They’ve certainly earned a soon-to-be regular customer in me!

Delivery time kept moving. Pad Thai was sweet. Beef in the Massaman was dry and the sauce had little flavour. Ribs were just horrible - as in one bite horrible. Real shame as our first order from here was very nice. Feels like we ordered from an entirely different restaurant (we didn’t).

Superb food, great service, very authentic Thai food

The only danger you have with this place is becoming addicted to Thai food

The staff had no personality and wasn’t trained properly, the wait between starters and main was about 45mins. Special fried rice was bland but the curry was flavourful and fresh, tea was nice . Not the worst experience Iv had but I won’t go back .

Dreadful, ordered and still waiting for food….told it was delivered on app but nothing arrived. Could nt get hold of shop for ages then told app was wrong and it was on it s way….nothing came and no answer on phone.

Ordered Singaporean noodles..it was very much dry, chicken was overcooked. Not happy with the dish.

Ordered and paid for delivery which never arrived. When I called to see where the food was I was told they only cook the food and are not responsible for delivery. I pointed out they took payment for both the food and delivery service. After waiting 1.5 hours the food didnt arrive and they then refused to answer the phone. Still waiting for my food along with an explanation-and refund! Disgusting service shall not be ordering from here again.

A review for the Leigh on Sea restaurant. I really don't like leaving negative reviews but feel we had to as we all left feeling very disappointed, it's probably the worst meal out we've had in a long time. When you order a pint you expect a pint especially at the prices you charge, not a half a pint a half of froth. We were looking forward to eating at your restaurant but felt the service was chaotic, the menu is very misleading indeed. If a dish has a fried egg on it I'd expect the dish to arrive with it on. Only after enquiring about the missing fried egg it turned up 5 minutes later rock hard and we were charged an extra £1.50 for! If you order a prawn pad Thai, you expect prawns to be in it, not a pad Thai and an extra £3 for prawns?? You seriously need to look at your menu as it's not clear what you're actually ordering. When paying the bill the guy started saying the photos of the dishes were for example only, what! My wife ordered a main which turned up as a sliced hot dog and a couple of mini meatballs for £10.50. All main courses were lukewarm, not very appetising at all. My main was lukewarm pork belly, mainly fat, and rice. Overall the food quality was very very poor. It felt like the food might of been cooked by your chef in Southend and then reheated and serverd Leigh. Your social media food posts look amazing but the food on our table was a million miles away from that. What went wrong??? Sorry guys, I don't know if you have a different team working Sunday's but based on today's experience we definitely won't be coming back.

We went today and the food was absolutely amazing, proper authentic Thai food, drinks were served quickly and service was great. Will definitely be back

Went there for the 1st time and enjoyed the food too much.. the food was so authentic and we enjoyed everything of what we ordered… wanted to order more for takeaway but the waiting time was long.. wish they have a bigger space and can’t wait to go back there again to enjoy more foods

Fresh, clean tasty food. Lots of choice and our waitress guided us through the menu with recommendations. Fabulous cocktails too. Food arrived nice and quickly. Buzzy atmosphere. Highly recommend. Advisable to book. Fabulous!

Absolutely cracking. Turned up hot and on time. Food was great. Definitely be ordering again

If you’re looking for delicious and authentic Thai food, this place is a must-try!

Tasty Pad Aew Chicken, will definitely order again. Thank you.

We went to their new restaurant in Leigh on a Sunday evening. Great to see them busy even on a quiet night for eating out. The service and hospitality was great and we really enjoyed the food. A great addition to Leigh’s food scene and we look forward to going back again soon.

Great restaurant excellent food and drink

i ordered dinner, it took over 2 hours to come and when i called the restaurant they lied and said the driver left over an hour ago, however when i asked the driver he said he left the restaurant 20 minutes ago.

DON’T order from this place. Ordered at 19:15 and still waiting 2 hours later. No help from the restaurant at all after 15 times of calling. Place is a joke

Food is all cold, prawn toast soggy, the order was 2 hours late. Ruined our Valentine’s Day and not worth the money at all.

Amazing food and it was full of flavour. Would definitely go back.

Little restaurant but the decorations are so cute! The food are amazing, had Thai tea after the meal oh my god soooo nice. All the dishes reminds me of the old days staying at khaosan road Bangkok, definitely my favourite place in Southend! Highly recommend!!!

I had a great experience at this restaurant for a Thai expat like me. The food is very delicious. The staffs are friendly. Everything is very good. Five stars for me. Will definitely come back.

After travelling for over an hour to visit Buddha Belly with our family of 6, to dine at 1pm, at a table I had booked over the phone 2 weeks prior. We arrived and no table was available for us. No apology and a long wait, which when pressed, the staff said would be probably over an hour! Not impressed. Will not return. Instead we went to the Italian restaurant 4 doors down and had an amazing lunch.

Food was fresh, hot, perfectly cooked and delicious. Will definitely be ordering again regularly

Had a great meal, their was 3 of us. Food was great and very tasty. Green curry was lovely, loads of flavour. Would definitely recommend. Owners were great made sure we was happy. Loved it

Fantastic authentic Thai street food, had Thai BBQ Moo Kata and was delicious, staff polite and attentive and great selection of Thai beer and stocked my favourite LEO! Highly recommend!

Got a takeaway and everything arrived hot and the food was unreal. Tastes just like you’re in Thailand 🇹🇭

Chill restaurant, good food ,friendly owner

I lived in Thailand for 10 years and this is the most authentic and delicious food I have tasted since I have been back. The staff are are amazing and very helpful and I would 100% recommend it to any one whether they have experienced authentic thai street food or are interested in the classics. They will be happy to give you recommendations and beers are great.

Excellent food and great service, I eat here every week

I always at Buddha belly Thai restaurant I love the service, company and great food 10/10 no doubt 🥰🥰

I’ve had to put 1 star just so I can leave a review, I have never experienced Anything like this in my life, £28 pounds for a pot of oil & mushy soggy prawn toast

Possibly the worst 'Thai' food I've ever had. For context, I've now tried this place four times... twice eat in, twice takeaway. I must be a glutton for punishment as today, my 59th birthday, it was the only Thai/Chinese place delivering at lunchtime and so, stupidly, I spent 40 quid for four dishes of frankly, garbage. 1. Moo Ping, or as they describe it, 'Thai Pork Skewers' . I'm still chewing... 10 hours later. Joke. 2. Pad nam-mun Hoi Gai (or chicken, as it says on the JE receipt). Well, the three tiny pieces of chicken I received for 10.95 were ok. Hmm. 3. Grilled Spare Ribs. You should be effin ashamed of yourselves. Ribs by definition have bones; there was one in the plastic garbage box you sent me for 7.50, along with a lot of, what my colleagues described as, 'mush'. 4. Pad see Aew Prawn. Wrong noodles, and by the way, it would have been maybe better, if you'd sent me prawn rather than chicken. All in all, your food is really very bad, and I could cook and have cooked any dish you serve infinitely better than you can obviously conceive. Isan food? Really?

Lovely food and chilled atmosphere. Definitely will return here!

starters are small for the price thai green i i did not enjoy the food didn't taste like a thai green from my experience to spicy needs to be more sweet and needed more ginger.

5 star all round from a genuinely lovely family serving authentic food cooked with love. Thank you!

Ordered on Uber Eats - order was left preparing for 40 minutes then cancelled with no reason given.

Food was so delicious. Had pad thai noodles and a green curry with sticky rice. Chefs kiss! So good, can't wait to go back!

Best papaya salad I have ever eaten !!!!

Amazing place, you have to go! The food is great, service is perfect. Delicious. Pad Kra Pao is perfect

Loved everything about this place, the service was great but the food was fantastic. Will definitely be back very soon

Amazing the ribs fell of the bone ! Curry was so yummy

Was really looking forward to trying this place but sadly the food was very poor. I had chicken panang which looked and tasted like nothing I've had before and I have been in Thailand many times and stayed for months. The krapow moo Kob was dry tasteless pork belly. I would not bother sorry to say...waste of money

By far the best Thai food I have ever had and I’m one fussy eater. I definitely will not be going anywhere else from now on !!! 🔥🔥🔥

A bit disappointing, the article in the Evening Echo was very good , but the rice was very sticky and lumpy and they kept bringing meals to the wrong tables. So not a good experience.

The food wasn't amazing, the meat was very chewy even the mince meat, also I paid £3.5 for a latte that was instant made so super overy, but the staff was super friendly and nice.

Food was amazing! Fast delivery

Great food, relaxed vibe & friendly staff - will definitely be back.

I truly love this space. If the journey was shorter it would definitely become a regular spot. Buddha belly is a small boxy compact space. With the feel of a small business who have effectively made the space work for them, no thrills or ornate Thai deco- simple and no pretence. There is a small bar on entrance, which with some bar seating and then a few steps to the next level where the main seating is for about 16 covers. There is also a small garden you can eat or drink in, tucked away through the slim staircase enroute to the bathroom of the building. What Fat buddha lacks in size it makes for in food quality. Happily for me it has some of my favourite ISAN style dishes from the North east region of Thailand, which are not always easy to find . The grilled chicken, fermented pork sausage , pork laab, Soom Tum with fermented fish sauce were definite winners , if you enjoy pungent, strong and spicy flavours. The Pad krap pow pork had a great flavour with, a aniseed and salty balance from the basil and fish sauce; all rounded of with a background of mild sweetness and chilly heat and the best part the crispy fried egg , one is never enough! Also enjoyed the seafood Yum Woon sen (glass noodles ) and Seafood Tom Yum. Both had a good amount of seafood and nice balance of hot, sour and salty sweet. Portion sizes are not huge, but don't need to be when the flavours are right. Didn't try the curries as these are available everywhere else. I would say the prices are competitive compared to other Thai restaurants/eateries. Service was friendly , warm and straightforward and you cant argue with that. Cant really judge atmosphere as on the occasions i have been there it is mid afternoon and quiet. Although imagine it can get busy quickly especially as they do towers of Singha beer. The opinion of Good Thai food can be difficult to agree upon, but the food flavours and textures at the Buddha belly are reminiscent of eating in Thailand just without the weather !

A small restaurant with a nice covered patio out the back, playing pleasant Thai pop music and beer Singha on tap. I had the “krapow moo geop sai kai dao” - which was the closest I’ve got to authentic in England - thanks!

I was shocked when I walked out after lunch to find myself in Southend on Sea. I was convinced I was eating in Thailand. Excellent in every way. Beer is a bit pricey though.

Really lovely food. Great flavours. Helpful service. Definitely going back. The inside is not fancy schmancy and is a bit more punk rock, hence the 4 star if that is your thing. For me, the food is front and centre and that was great.

Service and food was great and at great prices Aswell staff very friendly

Amazing and authentic Thai food! Worth every penny.

Utterly terrible, expensive, small portions and no great flavour or seasoning. The soup was like dishwater, chicken bland and overcooked, the prawn toast soggy and mushy, the main courses -stingy potions, sauces like water no body or sufficient seasoning. AVOID if you like your food -straight in the bin waste of MONEY L#%8S

The food is always such good quality and warm.

2nd order in 1 year. First order was bland and simply not very nice so I decided to never order from here again. Today since it’s been around year and the positive reviews I decided to try it again. Unfortunately still bland and a waste of money. Can’t believe people call this authentic. Much better Thai places in the area for the same price. Only ordered here as it was the only one open at midday.

The food here is always great! Slightly disappointed though as the stir fried meals come with rice in the restaurant, but mine arrived with no rice. However they're the same price. Not sure if the rice was forgotten or you just get less when it's takeaway?

Great food, friendly staff. Lovely little place.

We only eat here now and again but the welcome we get is like we're family. The team, Yupin (now I know her name) speaks to us like we're regulars. Very friendly and chatty. Plenty of regulars, including the giggling Thai ladies at the bar. Such a warm atmosphere. Food is great and the addition of the garden is a great idea.

The food was good, they had vegan options too Staff were friendly and polite Would go again

Me and my husband have now been here a few times and the food never disappoints (we are huge lovers of Thai food) this food is amazing. We have also bought family members who have also throughly enjoyed. The young lady at front of house is very friendly and informative of all the dishes.

Food was hot and extremely tasty

You guys are awesome! Took my friend here tonight it was her first time trying it and she loved it! It's my 3rd time eating at Buddah Belly, & i just love the place! The food is so tastey , i love the chang beer, the staff are beautiful, friendly people. I've never been to Thailand but everytime i go here i feel like I'm there. If i could afford it I'd be there every week trying everything on the menu 🤣.

Beautiful tasty food..felt like I was back in Thailand! ThankYOU x

Felicity Gorgeous hot feesh food so authentic.great portion size Thank you!

Thank you once again for your service and hospitality, second to none

Best Thai authentic in Southend

Probably the most authentic Thai I have eaten at in the UK. Good food at a reasonable price. Very spicy

You gave me the wrong thing. I'm disappointed. It's supposed to be pork, not seafood for noodles. Pay more attention.

Food is fabulous and the staff are welcoming and helpful you should definitely try this place I haven’t eaten anywhere else all week…

Absolutely unreal thai food - super authentic, quick service and totally delicious - I would say the food is on par with Speedboat restaurant in London - amazing!

My sister and I tried this restaurant as this was recommended by a very good friend. It started off great but ended up disgusted and disappointed. I felt sick upon discovering hair in my rice. I ended up not finishing my food. The staff and management were dismissive and nobody came forward to applogize.

Food was ok but didnt live upto the reviews and personally my expectations! My beef curry was very salty, and the soup was nice but not enough flavour for me- compared to other thai restaurants in the area!

My husband and I love this place. Reminds us of our trip to Thailand so much. Delicious food, fantastic staff, and a really great atmosphere. Yupin is the best! Will be back soon for more delicious Thai food. Got to make room for the mango sticky rice!

Easily the best Thai in Southend, yupin is so friendly and welcoming. Singha on tap, and stunning street food, it was like we were back in Thailand, highly recommend coming to this place

It’s the best place for authentic Thai, Yupin is so kind and friendly. Easily the best Thai in Southend. Thank you for yet again a great night

Really cute little spot, really felt like we were back in Thailand.

I decided not to bring my family to eat today as I was greeted by 3 intoxicated people I thought where customers, ended up being the staff. I swiftly turned around and left. It was a shame, I heard the food was good!

Very popular Thai bistro, both for meals and drinks. Don't miss it if you want a drink or are in a hungry state! Their special menu is highly recommended, especially if you like seafood!

It is a very good place. Foods are good, the boss there are the best

Great authentic Thai food and lovely relaxed decide and atmosphere. Nice simple menu but accommodating on spice level you want to your taste

Nice Thai cooking in the restaurant, all tasted very good and the restaurant had a buzz to it,the ladies working there all chatting away in Thai and making me feel like I was in Thailand..only the hot weather missing.

Me and my Partner have been waiting to try this place for ages. It did not disappoint one bit. The Food was incredible. I had the Pad Kha-prow moo krob. I cannot recommend it enough. My Partner has the Tofu Massaman curry and that was just as amazing. The staff were also friendly, so welcoming and funny! Without a doubt we will be back again!

Authentic Thai food, full of flavour, potion size was spot on. Highly recommend

One of the best Thai curries I have had in a long time

Really scrumptious food absolutely recommend coming here the atmosphere is fantastic aswell

First time using buddha belly and was very impressed! fresh and authentic ✨️

Fabulous little place in Queens Street, nice little seating area where we ate. Absolutely brilliant street food I had the pork soup and my wife had the Chicken and Cashews. Super service. Lovely friendly staff,