Giggling Squid in Basildon

Visited this restaurant for a birthday celebration believing it served authentic Thai food. How wrong we were. Curries were insipid and lacked the ingredients normally found in authentic Thai food, such as galangal, lime leaves and lemongrass. Service needs to improve somewhat as orders did not arrive. When questioned, we were informed that we hadn’t SPECIFICALLY ordered a dish. What more confirmation do you require other than saying “I will have the……”? When pressed, the waitress finally admitted she forgot to order it. The rather blase response from Giggly Squid showed utter contempt for the customer. If Giggling Squid cannot provide authentic food, they might aswell leave it to restaurants who can. Throughly disappointing.

I do not complain but this evening we ordered from giggling squid who have chosen Deliveroo as the delivery. Accepted the meal, opened the bag to two main dishes and both rices missing. I phoned and spoke to giggling squid who were not willing to deliver our rice and to go through Deliveroo and place a refund request. Really? So they are packing our order and choosing Deliveroo to deliver, we now have two meals with no sides. Poor

Wonderful place, service was fantastic and the food was the best I've ever had. Can't wait to come back!

I cannot fault the giggling squid, from the staff to the food, all I can say is this place is absolutely amazing,so clean,the food is to die for and the staff are worth their eight in gold,it’s definitely a place to visit time and time again, well done to everyone involved ❤️❤️❤️

The .meal was nice but it lacked the usual flavour in the sauce, it was watery. The dish was chicken and nut stir fry. Aaaaa

Food was amazing and staff was very professional

It is absolutely brilliant. I would definitely recommend it.

Amazing food make sure your mouth dance ans sing with flavour

isited the billericay branch today and given i visited many thai restaurants, and can easily say this was not authentic thai. quality and quantity was awful, food lacked taste. There were items missing from the menu, but server didn’t suggest anything else. won’t be retuning. service charge was added when no real service was offered. i ordered a curry and server didn’t even tell me i needed to order rice separately, many thai restaurants offer rice with the curry, or server will let you know. food was bland and tasteless. looking at all reviews of this place not sure if i went on a bad night. but i wouldn’t recommend.

Been meaning to go here for quite a while and was finally taken by our family. The visit did not disappoint. Located at the top end of the Billericay high st, it's a well decorated and spacious restaurant. With one of us in the group being a celiac, we were guided to the online menu, which allowed us to view the various allergens in each dish, which made it super easy to see which dishes were gluten free. We ordered a selection of dishes, ranging from chicken pad Thai, to pork belly, but the star of the show was the lamb shank massaman, which seemed to also be the dish of choice for many other diners. Overall, a very tasty meal, and with them having over 40 branches now, you would expect the same level of quality across the branches. Would recommend.

We had an amazing meal and drinks here and the service, especially from Daniella, was excellent. Highly recommend!

Over rated and over priced. Tried a take away [twice!] as they were recommended to me, but not impressed at all. Wouldn't recommend. Maybe just the takeaway but I won't be trying again 😕

Really nice place to eat, we went with a large family. Good quality food for a chain. Drinks very expensive. No large bottles of beer or draught lager so paying £4 to £5 for a small bottle of beer is not good. 600ml bottles out of stock . Overall good experience but you need to look at the above for me to return.

Superb food and excellent service

Good food, good service and good value in the main. The restaurant is conveniently located and the staff are friendly and helpful.

Went here with a group of us. As we always like it here some of us had tapas lunch menu and some main menu the rice was so small it was ridiculous and the satay chicken as a main 3 skewers my son got. My other son had a child potion he got more than adults we should of all had children the sizes are ridiculous for the amount of money and we can as all hungry later.

Great food & service. Loads of Vegan options all served with care. Table sittings are for 2 hours but unfortunately we were moved on quite abruptly inside our 2 hours which was a little disappointing.

I spoke to Anna at 7:20 tonight head office as Deliveroo did not help regarding the poor disgusting food that we once again had delivers through Deliveroo! I am fed up with spending money on food and we can’t even eat it! This is not the first second or 3rd time delivery from yourself (Billericay) When you eat in there it’s lovely it’s completely completely in eatable when ordering. I have paid good money! My husband has just came out of hospital from a operation and spend all this money on food, and I am So angry that no one is helping me or has no empathy to help me resolve this matter! I would Like a partial at least refund! I am fed up of these restaurants taking advantage of customers ! As I said this is not the first time we have ordered from them. I look forward to hearing from you! Sarah

I am fed up if buying this disgustingly food! When delivered! When you eat in the restaurant it’s completely different! I’ve made a complaint to Deliveroo and head services complaints! I will never ever ever be ordering from here or coming into this restaurant! We have spend money on our food and can’t eat it! I want my money back! I wouldn’t even feed my dog this! I will he delivering this food outside there shop or going into and showing then what they served us! DISGUSTING YOY SHOULD BE ASHAMED

Lovely evening celebrating my twin boys 25th birthday. Food was nice apart from noodles were a bit gloopy and stuck together. Overall was nice and we would go back on another special occasion. Bill was £355. Quite pricey but OK for a special occasion.

Lovley service and a really good meal

Great food and excellent service. Probably everything you'd want to hear if you were thinking of visiting! Just add great company and your night is complete. Happy retirement Jacqui xxx

Great food and great service. One tiny moan is that the restaurant seemed to be a little noisy. However, it didn't spoil our evening.

What a beautiful restaurant and amazing floral decorations as well as the seating area. Lovely food and amazing service. The only criticism was it took an hour to get the bill

Food outstanding as always and a surprise desert birthday plate for two people on our table, great food, great service, thank you 😊

Overall surprisingly good for a chain.

I want to give the giggling squid Billericay a huge thumbs up! Best restaurant we have been too in a long time! Food was fantastic and the staff amazing! Sal was always smiling and looked after us exceptionally well as we weren’t experts in Thai food so very special praise to her! She made our night and was very welcoming! Defo will be returning and recommend to anyone who loves their Thai food or who wishes to try something new! Go to Billericay giggers!!

Lovely restaurant. Great food and excellent service. Definitely recommend.

They charge you service charge Do not pay it. It is a con.

Lovely staff and fab food. Quiet.. But considering it was Tuesday, still a good atmosphere.

Amazing food, amazing service and great value . Lunch set tapas menus were lovely. Can’t wait to go back

Amazing birthday lunch and delicious food

Lovely place, great food just a touch cold - the place not the food! Great service

Very tasty, great service and Thai Colombard

Billericay High Street, huge parking lot across the street behind Iceland or behind the next-door Waitrose. On the first floor (there is also a ground floor), there is a nice table. They inquire about my moderate nut allergy at the door, and there is a specific app with excellent allergy guidance. Excellent food quality; neither the appetizer nor the main course disappointed me. Also nice is wine. The smallest two scoops of ice cream I've ever seen were included in our desserts, which were all ice cream and cost £6.50 each. This has to be improved because there was only one strawberry as a garnish and no ornamental wafer or sauce. Stern was not welcoming, and service was a little slow. Despite this, the environment was positive and we

ordered for my bday last night. I tried it for the first time, and wow, I wasn't disappointed! The cuisine is delicious and bursting with flavor and spice. Upon my arrival to pick up, my order was already prepared. friendly personnel. Thank you, it was fantastic!

Food is out of this world, and generous portions. Best Thai meal I have ever had. Will keep going back.

Never a let down, the food is always amazing. To top it off they have added some top desserts. Definitely back again very soon.

Great service. Very attentive and quick to respond when we asked for anything.

Easy to book a table online same day, Arrived and seated in very busy restaurant. Been a year since i visited and 5 minutes after seated a waitress did take our order, we had our food served 15 minutes after even though it was a busy Saturday night. Staff efficient and polite but could do with being a bit more friendly, Maybe a smile or some small talk although it was busy. Have dined in since it first opened and I remember staff at the giggling squid always lovely and Friendly and chatty. Would visit again, My friend was really happy with the food. Beautiful restaurant, Vegan choice, Disabled toilet downstairs and service charge added to bill.

My experience at Giggling Squid restaurant was an absolute delight. The culinary journey through Thai flavors was a treat for the senses. First, the Pad Kee Mao, also known as drunken noodles, was a burst of flavors. The wide rice noodles were perfectly cooked and sautéed with a delightful combination of vegetables and Thai basil. The heat from the chili peppers gave it a nice kick, making it a spicy lover's dream. Next, the Thai Red Curry with jasmine rice was a true highlight. The creamy, aromatic curry had just the right balance of spice and sweetness. The tender chunks of chicken (or tofu, depending on your preference) soaked up the rich flavors beautifully. Paired with fragrant jasmine rice, it was a match made in culinary heaven. Lastly, the Thai Pad Noodles were a delightful surprise. Stir-fried to perfection, the noodles were coated in a flavorful sauce and loaded with fresh vegetables. The choice of protein (I went with shrimp) was succulent and added a satisfying seafood element to the dish. The ambiance and service at Giggling Squid were also commendable, making it a must-visit for anyone seeking an authentic Thai dining experience. I left with a happy belly and a newfound appreciation for Thai cuisine.

I regret to leave a negative comment on this occasion as I have been a patron to several Giggling Squid restaurants near me and I have usually have a much more satisfying dining experience in the past. My wife and I visited the Billericay restaurant just before 3pm with the intention of grabbing a quick, late lunch. The restaurant was notably empty at the time, with the exception of perhaps one or two other customers. We were greeted by a mature Asian (Thai) lady, petite in stature with permed dark hair, however her demeanour did feel somewhat devoid of the traditional sense of Thai hospitality even down to a lack of a greeting smile. I thought perhaps we’d arrived at an inappropriate time that day to the annoyance of the kitchen and staff who were supposed to be on a break? I even asked if lunch was still being served to which the lady responded that they are open throughout the day, and arranged for us to sit… One of the things I have always been fond of were your lunchtime menus which feature your lunch tapas sets, I was somewhat disappointed to find that they had all had their prices increased, whereas previously you could get a set for under £10 which I thought was outstanding lunchtime value. To be fair, price increases were understandable given our current economic climate so I’m not here to gripe about those but I can clearly see it has had an impact on the lunchtime patrons from all the empty tables! So after examining the lunchtime menu for a few minutes, the lady serving us returned to our table still with a rather disgruntled, cold look about her, and asked us for a drinks order… I said we’d like to just grab a quick lunch and asked if I could order a single Pad Thai dish from the lunch menu to which she promptly interrupted me and snapped rather sternly that she was taking a “drinks order first”. Taken rather aback with the sudden interjection I responded that I’d simply like a glass of tap water - as I often do, after all it was a hot sunny day and I wasn’t minded to study the drinks menu in too much detail as I’m not really one to drink anything alcoholic at lunchtime nor was I in the mood for anything sugary in the way of soft drinks - i didn’t think this was an unreasonable request. However I regret to say the response I got from the lady serving us was enough to prompt my wife to get up and walk out without ordering… the lady had scoffed at my request for tap water and shook her head as if disgusted. I just gave her a smile and informed her “we have changed our minds and won’t be eating here today” on my way out. This is only the second occasion ever I’ve felt it necessary to walk out of a restaurant due to the service, which is a shame because, as a bit of a foodie myself, I do think the standard of food and dishes offered at GS restaurants are of a generally decent standard and flavours are quite authentically done... after this unfortunate experience I don’t foresee us returning to the Giggling Squid at Billericay any time soon to be honest. I can understand any restaurant business wanting to promote its sales of drinks and beverages, but to be subjected to this amount of visible disdain and disrespect from staff would be enough to spoil anyone’s appetite…

Lovely food. Attentive staff member serving us (Tum). Clean restaurant. Nice atmosphere. The lunch tapas sets are amazing. Will be back and will definitely recommend to others ☺️

Usually love the restaurant but on this occasion I found a hair in my dish. Staff were very apologetic.

Billericay high street, large car park opposite behind Iceland or at the back of neighbouring Waitrose. Nice table on the ground floor (there is also a first floor). I have a mild nut allergy and they ask this at the door and there is a special app with all the allergy advice, which is very good. Quality of the food is excellent, I can't fault appetiser or main. Also wine nice. However we all had ice cream deserts which were £6.50 for the tiniest two scoops of ice cream I've ever seen. They need to improve this - no decorative wafer or sauce....there was one strawberry as a garnish. Service was a bit slow and Stern not friendly. That said, the atmosphere was good and we did have a very nice evening.

We had an amazing here for my 50th birthday in July . The food was great The service was excellent & the atmosphere was comfortable & pleasent. The staff were so helpful we were served by Lek nothing was to much trouble they even brought out my desert with a candle in & Happy 50th Birthday written in sauce As I've said before this lovely friendly restaurant is a great place to goto Totally worth a visit x

Lovely food great service a bit pricey

Very helpful prior to visit, especially has numbers of our party kept changing. Service on the night was friendly. Food was delicious managing to accommodate all the allergies in our party. Separate menus helped insure this. The only reason for not giving 5 was that the restaurant was extremely loud making conversation difficult.

What a lovely meal. Very tasty. Decent sized portions. The tastes are amazing. It's like a party in your mouth. Will be going again.

Perfect will definitely go back food was awesome

What a lovely evening with delicious food and friendly, attentive service. We will be back soon! Thank-you!

Excellent service, lovely food, nice atmosphere. Everything very clean. Staff very attentive without being intrusive. Will deffo go back soon

The food was ok - I had to ask for soy sauce as it was a tad bland. The coconut rice was good - had the black sesame ice cream; unusual but if you don’t like sesame then possibly not for you.

A work hen do, made fabulous by Sal and her team. Attentive, friendly and nice food which all came out together for our large group. Everyone had a lovely time. ❤️

Top marks! One of my favourite chains. Staff were fantastic and the food was delicious. Very reasonable prices considering how tasty the food was.

Starters took 40 mins to arrive and were lukewarm. The squid had an undercooked texture about it. We asked the server to ensure that the mains were hot. We waited another 35 mins for them. The food was only hot where the plates had been heated (the base), the rest was tepid. My free glass of fizz (for my birthday) was added to the bill and when removed the service charge wasn't reduced. We weren't offered another drink and couldn't get anyone's attention. All in all very disappointing birthday meal. We go to the Chelmsford branch once a month and I have always been able to give it 5 stars. Unfortunately it was fully booked (understandably).

1st time here, took my mum and dad out for Sunday lunch. Very tasty food,care was taken over prep to deal with allergies. Service was top notch. Wife's 1st time eating Thai and she loved it.

First visit ,the found was delicious and the service outstanding

Restaurant is in a good location and itself is well presented and pleasant. Staff are very friendly and welcoming. The food is very good.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at the exquisite Thai Spice Delight, and I must say, it was an absolute feast for the senses! From the moment I stepped inside, the aromatic scents of lemongrass, basil, and coconut whisked me away to the vibrant streets of Thailand. Let's start with the star of the show: the food. Oh boy, the food was Thai-riffic! Each dish burst with authentic flavors that transported my taste buds to culinary nirvana. The Tom Yum soup was a harmonious symphony of tangy and spicy goodness, while the Pad Thai danced with perfectly balanced sweet and savory notes. The green curry, with its velvety coconut milk base and tender chunks of meat, was a true masterpiece. Every bite was a Thai-rrific adventure, leaving me craving more. Not only was the food exceptional, but the service was also top-notch. The staff members were friendly, attentive, and always ready with a smile. They effortlessly guided us through the extensive menu, offering insightful recommendations based on our preferences. It was evident that they were passionate about their cuisine and genuinely cared about ensuring a memorable dining experience for each guest. Now, let's talk about the beer selection. As a beer enthusiast, I was delighted to discover that Thai Spice Delight offered Chang beer straight from the heartland of Thailand. Sipping on a frosty Chang while indulging in flavorful Thai dishes was a match made in heaven. It added an extra layer of authenticity to the meal, making me feel like I was dining along the streets of Bangkok. However, I must confess, there was one minor hiccup. The restaurant boasted a wide variety of beers, including Singha, a popular Thai beer. Sadly, upon closer inspection, I discovered that it was not brewed in Thailand. It was a small disappointment in an otherwise exceptional dining experience, but the presence of Chang made up for it. In conclusion, Thai Spice Delight is a Thai-riffic gem that truly captures the essence of Thailand's culinary treasures. The flavors are authentic, the service is impeccable, and the friendly staff create an inviting atmosphere that makes you feel like part of the family. So, if you're craving a Thai adventure with a pun-tastic twist, don't miss out on this spicy sensation!

Food was excellent. It was my first taste of Thai and really looking forward to going back for more. It was easy to book a table on line via their website. Service was friendly, good full of flavour and well presented. It did get a little nosey but that is due to its popularity.

We went as a party of 10 some arrived quite late due to an issue but the staff still made sure all starters & mains arrived at the same time. I can never fault this restaurant. Staff, atmosphere & food are always the best. We...

Lovely food and atmosphere only downside was left me wanting more

This is a lovely place to eat. The food is amazing and service was pretty prompt but we didn't feel rushed so it was relaxed. Tables are quite packed in, so this isn't a place for a quite meal but the general noise of people enjoying themselves creates a good atmosphere

I loved their lunch tapas style selection of starters and main combined on the plate, which was delicious and great value! I had the Royal Squid, which came with Lamb Massaman Curry, Duck Spring Rolls, Samui Zingy Prawns, and Jasmine Rice.

the best really expensive but wow the food is amazeing 10 star

Felt very rushed had a drink starters and dinner, was paid and in the car within 40 mins. Quickest £100 spent Disappointed 😞

Wow! talk about try and intimidate an innocent 16 year old looking for work, for her first job! out of all the shops and restaurants in Billericay high street this was the ONLY place to be rude, unpleasant and unkind. This could have knocked my daughters confidence looking for her first job as this was her first time in the real world, we were all there once! let's hope that one day when she is the owner of her own restaurant that this rude lady does not come looking for a job at her restaurant! I certainly will not be eating at this restaurant again! and we were regulars.

Excellent service. There was an overpowering taste of turmeric in Thai Red curry.All the dishes were quite sweet.

Very nice food, nice restaurant

Lovey food ! Leaves us wanting more !!

Fantastic food , excellent value for money

Great food and lovely people but sharing the same bathroom with men is a big no no for me otherwise I would of rated a 5/5 for me to come back it would need to be separate toilets x

Dear Giggling Squid Billericay Team, Thank you for making my Mum's birthday dinner such a wonderful experience. The service was exceptional, and the food was delicious. Your team went above and beyond to make the evening special, and we truly appreciate it. Keep up the great work!

Great food, great prices, great atmosphere, friendly staff

As a general question, why is the cost of dishes on your takeaway menu the same prices as in your restaurant ? These should be cheaper as you are not dining inside ?

This place is amazing! The staff went above and beyond and the food was absolutely stunning. I would 100% recommend. The decor is beautiful and is definitely one for instagrammers. Absolutely loved it x

Thank you to Lek, for an outstanding service. Always a winning experience at Giggling Squid. We had Two Giggling Squids and Feasting Squid with a side of Jaew Beef Tips. Delicious!

We enjoyed our evening at the Giggling Squid. I’d booked a table for six of us, using their online booking system, about 8 weeks before our visit. When we arrived it was very busy, so I was pleased that they found our reservation with ease...

Was busy tonight and seemed louder than normal. Great food n great service 👍

The food was excellent, and the service was great, too. Definitely will be visiting again

Popped in for a ladies lunch and the food was absolutely fabulous. Wait staff were really friendly too. First time in one of these restaurants and will definitely be revisiting at some stage.

Came here for the first time this evening and the food was amazing. The staff were super friendly and the atmosphere was lovely! I’m not used to eating Thai cuisine but wanted to try expand my palate a bit and I’m so glad I did! Deffo coming back. The chubby cheek pork was honestly the best pork I’ve eaten. And the trio of desserts was lovely too!

Great range on the menu and great service such a lovely place and reasonably priced Had both red and green curries And a shared starter which is well worth the money

We enjoyed every time that we visited giggling squid billericay, Warm wellcome , we will be back agin soon.

Great value for the Sunday lunch menu option. You get four small dishes on the same plate for around £14.

Sadly this visit wasn’t as good as previous visits, and has put us off going again. We booked for 17:00. On arrival, we were by a waitress (? In a pink top, not uniform) told the table was needed back at 18:00. Hardly made to...

Went for lunch on Sunday afternoon with my husband was sitting waiting to be served when a family of 4 adults and 2 children came in and were seated near to us. This was fine until both children were set up with phones on the...

Thoroughly enjoyed the food we ordered at giggling squid billericay. The vegetable pad Thai with a vegetable red Thai curry was delicious. Highly recommend, lovely food and friendly and attentive staff. Will definitely return.

This is a great place for a date night or for a gathering of friends and family. Staff are helpful and attentive and the food is lovely

More like miserable squid ..my daughter and i had diner last night at this branch. We ordered with the food a pot of green tea. Two arrived. We sent one back. .when the final bill arrived i had been charged for 2 pots. Nearly £7 . I called over the lady in charge. She rudely and aggressively said WE CHARGE BY THE CUP. Without giving me a chance. and turned her back and walked off. My daughter commented on this and we both said wow !! My message to the owners. Meal spoilt by exceptionally rude manager. If you want a giiggly squid atmosphere dont employ a miserable trout !! I would add cambridge branch superb conpared to this one. Portions in this branch seemed poor by comparison. We will not be returning to billericay for any more miserable trout.

Not often you visit a restaurant and can't find a fault! We arrived to a really warm welcome from a very enthusiastic receptionist who took us to our table. The drink selection is good with a great choice of beer and wine. The drinks arrived quickly and a serving staff member was always close by to attend to us. When we were ready to order the server was knowledgeable about the dishes on the menu and spoke about them with confidence. We had pork dumplings and pork skewers (moo ping) to start which was fantastic. The mains were equally tasty (crying beef) and prawn dishes and noodles. It's impossible to put down in writing how tasty a meal is but this is one of the best I've had. The portions size was good and at the correct temperature. This is a covid aware restaurant with ample sanitisation station's. Just outside there is disabled parking and a gentle ramp for wheelchair users. Makes a really tasty change to boxing day roast and best of all no cooking or washing up. We will definitely be returning for another fantastic meal.

Having eaten in a couple of times at this restaurant, which on both occasions was very nice, I decided to have a takeaway from there. Delivery time was quite quick, however I was quite underwhelmed with the food. It arrived quite cold & had to...

This was our first time visiting this restaurant in which we got a take away. Food was very tasty however the pad Thai was quite dry. Will go back and try other items on the menu

Have an allergy to mushrooms, but still served my order with them, not once but twice!! Did not apologise until we complained, attitude was atrocious also had No vegan starters without mushrooms.

I loved this place, food was good, staff were polite, a slight discrepancy over the food which I knew we were correct about. Would visit again if wasn’t that far.

Flawless food. Lovely atmosphere and great staff too. Went here on a first date and the food was amazing 👏

Very nice food and lovely service from staff. Wouldn't miss it if you're reading this and still making your decision of where to eat in billericay.

Amazing service and great food, Would recommend!

Had an 8pm Friday night booking, the restaurant was packed full and we sat upstairs, decor is nice throughout! The staff were all very friendly. Prices were reasonable for what we had, I would have liked to try more cocktails but we drove on this...