Soi 1268 by Buddha Belly in Birmingham

Having experienced Buddha Bellys food at Herbert's Yard,We thought we'd give their Stirchley venue a try. Like most new food & drink places in Stirchley,It's a converted shop,So can be on the small side. Great decor,Only 1 toilet though,But spacious & clean. It seemed like it had quite a small choice on the menu..And lacked a knife to cut the chicken (??) Reasonably priced & pleasant staff though.

Incredibly delicious meal. Lovely, friendly welcome & great service. Another really enjoyable visit, definitely recommend (& already have!)

The chicken penang was a flavour journey and the prawn toast was fresh and crunchy. This was my first order and most likely the start of a regular.

It was great! Very, very nice food.

Second visit here and it was just as good as the last time. Tried the bbq aubergines and the Thai Fried Chicken this time - absolutely delicious and the lemon beer was good too! Love the small homely feel of the place and the great service from Ellie. The food though speaks for itself! Thank you all - I'll be back!

The team at Buddha Belly have crated an amazing space here in Strichley. The food, service and ambience are second to none. We came with three kids and they had games and drawing along with a really tasty and great value menu for them. We tried 7 of the dishes and they were all absolutely fantastic. No hesitation in recommending this to anyone!

Lovely place, great food, amazing flavours and lovely staff. Ellie was particularly great helping us find a table. The food was so tasty. Thanks folks!

Food was good the photo doesn't do it justice

Food was average . service very poor to non existent.Price to high .Not worth the journey.

I had a pork stew rice, they're delicious :)

This is my most favourite place to eat in Stirchley & the best Thai food, it's fabulous. Nice friendly staff are helpful not pushy. Service is quick, everything about this place I love. Looking forward to my next visit. Be sure to book as not to be disappointed as always full when we go.

Recently tried their food at Herberts yard. The service and food were very good. The only criticism really was the portion size. For £13 or £14 I can get a decent full bowl of curry and rice at most Indian restaurants. Maybe closer to £20 in the more expensive ones. For my £13 i had maybe a cup of rice with 2 desert spoons of curry and some decorations. For that kind of money, I like to eat and feel satisfied, not sample and have to go get more. Hence the dropped star on overall. I will try their static venue though in the hope that Portions are bigger and I can enjoy more of their delicious food.

Second trip... What a lovely place and even better food.

love Buddha Belly food. This the street food experience elevated. Visited for a late lunch on a Friday. Everything was fresh and totally delicious.

Cannot recommend the food here enough. Tasty Thai treats!

Realised today they had joined Deliveroo. Absolutely delicious … just as good as eating in.

Best fried chicken I’ve ever had 👌🏻 chef’s kiss 💋

Food was absolutely delicious and the service was great.

Hidden gem. Amazing thai food in an unassuming location - best I've had in the UK.

Soi 1268 has been on my bucket list for a while. I finally made it there, and boy was this a treat! The meal was absolutely delicious and every bite was a hit. I highly recommend!

The food here taste great and is really high quality. My only “gripe” is the pricing. A little higher than I was expecting considering the atmosphere and portion size. Great customer service though and would recommend trying Soi 1268

One of my favourite places to eat! I could eat the vegan curry every day, keep doing what your doing 🙌

Perfect in every way. Thanks to the staff who were just lovely.

Wow beautiful food taste and excellent atmosphere. Best seats at the bar

Delicious food here and everything was seasoned perfectly and served fresh and hot. Both the fried chicken and beef massaman is tender and saucy. Curry is on the mild-medium degree with a kick of spice. King prawn toast and wings were also flavourful, and good choice of sauce paired with each dish. Would suggest to make a booking, as it can get quite busy here, sometimes even on a weekday.

Excellent authentic food with a variety of selections for both small plates and main dishes. Prices aren’t cheap but it’s value for quality because the food is that outstanding. However, service recently has dropped and the new staff that were working weren’t very sure about the menu or the IB discount which I’ve used every time previously. A bit of a shame.

Really lovely food and atmosphere.

Great food and fantastic service. Lovely looking restaurant also, with decent sizes portions. Recommend a visit

Excellent. Better to get a table later on in the evening. Everything is a bit calmer. Small menu but really nice food.

Popped in to Soi 1268 today for a late lunch (booked online 40 minutes prior to arrival) We have eaten Buddha Belly food many times in pop up/street food settings at Digbeth and Hockley so were keen to try the restaurant. We were warmly greeted by a lovely lady who showed us to our table and explained the menu. We chose 3 sides and 2 mains. Aubergine Nahm Dtok Enoki Tempura Garlic Lime Wings Spicy Chicken Penang Thai Fried Chicken It is disappointing to place your order at the bar, and to carry your drinks own back to your table. I would have preferred table service, but I suspect it’s to reflect the Thailand street food experience. Perhaps customers would be encouraged to add a tip when paying at the end of the meal to show gratitude or to reward great service rather than to pay up front. The food was absolutely stunning. My favorite being the enoki tempura, it was so light and crispy, and not at all greasy. The Spicy Chicken Penang was delicious, very authentic as it seemed identical to the chicken dishes I have tasted in Thailand but with coriander whereas Thai basil seems to be used more in Thailand, maybe that’s a regional thing! A tastefully decorated environment to which captures the essence of a Thai street food cafe with a modern twist. A seamless step from street food vendor to restaurant ownership with no compromise in the quality and excellence of the food. Well done Sai and James, we will definitely return. We would have loved for Sai to come and say hello so we could have had a chat, I felt sure she would have know us from the Birmingham street food scene.

Been meaning to try Soi 1268 for a while and it did not disappoint. Had the prawn toast, aubergine salad, beef massaman and Thai fried chicken curry to share between two. Honestly couldn’t pick a favourite, they were all bursting with flavour and we’ve been thinking about it the next day. Restaurant was half full as we went quite early but it was getting busy as we left. Only thing I would say is that I was a little cold even though I was far from the door. I’d be interested to know how much they switch up the menu over time but I’m definitely keen to come back with friends.

So, you put the booking for three on a table only big enough for two, whilst the booking for two has a table for four after arriving after us (and they were just a walk in). Your service really was rubbish today. Wanted to like you but Sabai Sabai is head and shoulders above you.

Nice decor, really nice lighting. Lovely tableware and friendly staff. Prices were reasonable. I liked that it wasn't too noisy and the staff didn't hover. Would prefer table service. It is a small, galley style restaurant and queing at the bar feels a bit awkward as you are between tables in the que. We ordered 5 small dishes and a bottle of wine between 2 which was enough and came to around £70. We had the rice noodles, tofu, prawn toast, bbq pork and aubergine salad. Everything was well presented and well cooked. My only real criticism would be the saltiness of the noodles and aubergine salad. I love salt, but it was so much, even for me. I wonder if someone slipped with the shaker when seasoning... made it not enjoyable, which was a shame, because the aubergine, fresh herbs, onion and chilli would have been a lovely combination if not for the overwhelming salt/5 spice seasoning. I think it may have been an error but should have been corrected and not sent out. The manager was professional and checked on us just the right amount. (I was too British to complain about the salty salad) Overall, I would go back. Nice place.

Booked 2 weeks in advance as a special celebration, our table for 3 was a picnic table for 2 with a stool added. Apparantly trying to move things to get us seated more comfortably but as a couple with no reservation arrived and were seated at a table for 4 we realised it wasn't happening. You tip when you order at the bar before you've experienced any service! Food was good as are the beers ( but why aren't you serving local beer like Attic :), we had our table for 1.5 hours but as they didn't have the deserts ( half of the flavours not available, this is at 7pm on a Friday) we left .

Amazing food, enjoyed every dish but the bbq chicken and chicken panang were divine!!! Will definitely return.

I visited this place 6 months ago and was totally wowed by the staff and food, the overall experience was wonderful. However I returned last week to tKe others with high expectations to find it had really changed, sadly the waitress was rude, interrupted the meal to clear plates whilst people were still eating, and we ordered to then be told certain things on the menu weren’t available till a later time and we weren’t allowed to wait till then. The experience felt rushed and the food wasn’t the same, something has gone wrong.

Not the best vegan options. Food was nice but I ended up leaving hungry as it's all just vegetables and no source of protein.

First time to Buddha Belly’s new restaurant in Stirchley, and it’s the complete street food experience with a luxurious edge! Beautiful food, fantastic service from the gorgeously friendly staff, and the perfect ambience to recreate the real deal. If you haven’t been to Buddha Belly, give it a go!

Visited Buddha Belly /Soi 1268 last night in stirchley. Food as always was amazing. I had the chicken panang which was nice and spicey. Lovely place. Well worth a visit!!! Also the fried chicken is my other go to favourite!

It was our first time at Soi 1268, but not our first time eating Buddha Belly's food. We have stalked their food from the DDC days, through the lockdown cook at home kits (which we still miss), Hockey Social Club and Warwick Uni market days. Now finally we made it to Soi for a belated Valentine's meal. The food was everything we had dreamed of. The staff and service were great. The new to us location was good I just wish it was a bit closer to where we live, but it was well worth the journey. It's just a shame there are not more parking options nearby. Hopefully we will be back soon.

We visited for lunch on a Saturday to celebrate our anniversary and bought our baby. Even for a lunchtime there was a fair few people in the restaurant, so I would recommend booking. The food was delicious and arrived promptly. The beer they served was also fresh and tasty. We all had a lovely time and look forward to returning. One thing to note, you have to order at the bar and there didn't appear to be any table service.

Amazing food and quick service! Small menu with quite a variety of vegan dishes. Would heavily recommend!

First time at this beautiful restaurant ..Top Class.thank You for such amazing food and hospitality..Your just amazing ..A Mills & Co

Service was great. But food was disapointing. Portion was small and over spiced. Not worth the price.

All dishes shared by three of us were delicious. Averaged about £20 each overall for plenty of food. Drinks reasonable restaurant prices. Service friendly and prompt. Atmosphere buzzing early Friday evening. Will definitely add to the places to visit on a Stirchley night out.

First time visiting and was very pleasantly surprised. Each dish was so flavourful and there was a real variety of tasty vegetarian food. Very welcoming service and great wine. Will be visiting again.

Travelled from London solely to try this restaurant and it didn’t disappoint. The enoki tempura was delicious and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. The noodles were insane - the sauce was like nothing I’ve tasted before. The staff are really friendly and knowledgeable and the atmosphere was perfect. I can’t wait to come back.

This restaurant is a great addition to Stirchley being the only local Thai restaurant to me. Having visited a total of 3 times I have mixed reviews but mainly positive. The mains are great! I’ve sampled four different dishes with the Thai fried chicken being my favourite. What I did find that lets this down is the side dishes. They are expensive based on what you get. For instance, the prawn toast was £9 for two small slices. It was not even memorable. The chicken wings also seemed quite plain and the worst being the Thai styles Cumberland sausage which was £12.50 and only tasted of overpowered lemon grass which was off putting. If I was to return, I would be very selective on what I order and would skip most of the side dishes based on experience of cost, quality and quantity. The drink selection offers some great tasting craft beers but again these are on the expensive side and the cost of a pint cannot be justified based on its represented image which is roughly £7 - £7.50 a pint. One of the most expensive in Stirchley and I don’t see how they could justify this. One other notable thing to mention is the cold air draft, if you are seated close to the door you will know it. Also closer to the bar is an air conditioning unit which turns on in intervals with cold and then hot air. This was noticeable quite a few times when eating, making me want to put my jacket back on and off every 15 minutes. Some improvements could be made, I understand the cost of goods have gone up but the quality here hasn’t and those costs are being passed on to the consumer during a cost of living crisis leaving me feeling slightly cheated. All staff were very friendly and polite, service as a whole was great.

We can’t wait to return! The food is phenomenal with the most incredible flavours! The service and staff are fantastic and the atmosphere and feel of this restaurant is perfect!

I really want to support independents in Birmingham, but I found this experience frustrating, with the menu confusing and chaotic. Ended up paying £9 for prawn toast and £12.50 for essentially on over-spiced cumberland sausage - no accompaniment. The staff were friendly, but no one explained the menu or informed us we needed to order at the bar. The majority of the flavouring in both dishes was lemon grass and that's all I can taste still some 6 hrs later.

I was desperate to visit Soi 1268, after previously enjoying the food at Buddha Belly, and I wasn't disappointed! Honestly, I can't recommend the place enough. The food is delicious - the chicken penang curry was my highlight! It went down well with the great variety of thai beers. Staff were so welcoming too; already planning my next visit even though I'm over an hour away!

The food and service at Buddha Belly is fantastic. You will not regret trying here!

Every bit as delicious as the street food but in a nice restaurant environment and with more menu options!

Decent place for having a drink and some tasty tapas style Thai food but I was slightly disappointed with the lack of options and it wasn't the place to go if you're super hungry like I was on my first visit. More of a chill place for a nibble and a social. Atmosphere and service was decent and the food available was above average but not amazing.

I went in for an impromptu lunch and it was amazing. The staff were friendly, the food came out really quickly and the beef massaman curry was sensational.

Lovely meal, great atmosphere, but felt rushed. Need 2hours rather than 1.5

Food was average but it had been hyped up by friends so maybe that’s why I was disappointed. Fried chicken was crispy but not worth coming back for. Aubergine was far too spicy and I love spicy food. Noodles were reasonable. Nice decor and friendly helpful staff

My first time here and I'm going to go back again. The food was excellent.

Delightful experience the atmosphere, food and service were great. The staff were first class, when the young waitress wasn’t sure about my order she was honest, polite and went to find out. Our table was then visited by the head Chef herself who was warm and professional in her manner as well as helping and accommodating my wishes concerning her menu and beautiful tasting dishes. We will definitely return in near future.

I think potentially the best Thai food I’ve had outside of Thailand. The Chicken Penang curry is one of the tastiest dishes I’ve ever eaten and will dream of in future. Even the salad they serve on the side of dishes is bursting with flavour. The vegan curry that my friend had was also incredibly tasty. Was sad to discover they have taken the Som Tam Thai (Papaya Salad) that appears in the images and reviews off the menu though, I hope they bring it back in future. 10/10, can’t wait to return to try more of their menu.

Nice to see the DDC members getting their own venues and I have always loved the food at Bhuda Belly. The service was a little poor. Granted its small but you need to know it's like Nandos where you pay for everything up front so not the best if it's a birthday celebration. I would say the prices are also a little on the high side given the small menu. It's also geared to the meat eaters with little seafood or vegetarian options available. Parking is a big issue as iys a main road there is nowhere to park. Would I go back? probably not.

Came here on Saturday night, fantastic food and beers were great too Thank you 🤩

Nice but my food was far too salty. Friends enjoyed their food too.

Four of us went to restaurant last night, table was booked weeks ago. Great decor and wonderful smells of cooking food met us. Anticipation was great and it excelled our expectations. Fantastic welcome, we opted for chicken and beef bowls as the mains and have a few starters to share - food was excellent. First time going to the restaurant and will definitely be a regular. All four of us couldn’t stop talking about our experience.Kudos to staff and the Buddha Belly team!

Great food, great addition to Stirchley!

So good you could call it a salivation station.

Really enjoyed trying this place. Small but sufficient menu. We tried most of it and were stuffed. Nice independent ale to wash it down.

Fabulous menu, beautifully prepared and highly recommended.

Absolutely amazing food and atmosphere. I can recommend the pangang bowl, very flavourful.

Been trying to find the time to come to Buddha Belly since they opened. Oh boy was it worth the wait! The restaurant itself has a really nice vibe with its stylish decor and a nod here and there to their street food and Thai roots. We had Beef Massaman, Spicy Chicken Panang, & King Prawn Toast. We’ve honestly never tasted anything this good! Beautifully rich and fragrant flavours to die for! The chicken and beef were cooked to perfection and simply melted in the mouth. To say we were left speechless is an understatement. We’ll definitely be returning. (Apologies for not sharing photos of the food, we got stuck in the second it hit the table! The only thing we wanted in our hands were the chopsticks not our phones!) Well done Sai, James, and team.

We are staunch Buddha Belly fans since their debut at DDC in 2012. We have been waiting to come here since it opened, and boy were we not disappointed. We had 4 sharing plates and they were all incredible. The service is second to none and the ambience is on point. This place will no doubt be THE place to eat in Birmingham, and we will rave about it to everyone...even sending photos whilst we were out! We are als soooo happy that we are able to order and take out too. Thanks again for a fab night 😋

Some of the best food I’ve ever had!

Never disappoints. Food and service excellent, and great beer on tap.

The food was absolutely sensational and really good vibes!!

Don't get me wrong the service and the food is fantastic and the food looks great but the price for a child's sized fruit juice carton for £2.50 is a joke. Do some homemade fruit juice for £2.50 and it will worth it, and asking for 2% or 8% tips on cards before you have your food. They know how to make thier money well giving a choice if a customer wants to give an 8% of the total per transaction on top is a tip joke too

Great place for food. Tasty and spicy. Will be going again

Amazing food, very authentic. Staff friendly

Super friendly staff and the food is tasty, but bit on the pricey side. More variety of vegetarian mains would be good.

Incredible food and great service. Must try ☺️

This place is highly rated and I can see why. Food is amazing. The veggie bowl was great, and good sized portions. We visited on Saturday evening and it was busy so would definitely recommend reserving in advance. Order at bar rather than table service. No zero alcohol drinks on menu, but plenty of soft drinks on offer.

Unbelievable recommend a visit I’m sure like us you’re be going back before the turn of the year

Lovely meal had after being a fan of the street food van. The fried chicken is the best 😍😍🤤

Absolutely love this restaurant. Really delicious small plates, great bowls with rice, laid back atmosphere and great service and the bill is always reasonable. A great addition to Stirchley. Will be back.

Love love love this place. Amazing food, relaxed atmosphere and friendly service. Absolutely worth a visit.

We are obsessed with your beef massaman so are thrilled that we no longer have to hunt you down at food events around the Midlands! Came for dinner and had the prawn toast and the massaman and loved it. Definitely coming back soon ❤️

The best Thai food in the Area! I’ve visited Thailand 5 times over the last 8 years and this is the best Thai food outside of Thailand I have ever had!

Have eaten here twice since they opened and both times the food has been IMPECCABLE, such a great addition to Stirchley!

3 of us popped in on a whim and it was great to hear that they were fully booked. Not great for us without a booking, but great for them and the area. Luckily there was space left for walk ins so we sat at the bar/till area and had a wonderful time. The food was amazing as per and the staff were fantastic. My curry was so good I ordered another to take home. Yeah, THAT GOOD! I’ve loved Buddha Belly for years and enjoyed every portion of street food they’ve ever served, but the restaurant is NEXT LEVEL!

My favourite place! Have been eating food from Buddha Belly for years and it’s always perfect. Tried almost everything on the menu and can’t fault anything! Packed with flavour and served by friendly staff, keep up the good work 🥰

I don't get the hype. The prices set the expectations for the food to be on par or better than some of the best restaurants in the area and it just didn't deliver. For me this felt like a restrained version of what Thai cooking can be, lacking impact and inspiration.

We were looking forward to our visit given the reviews but to be honest it didn't quite hit the mark. Decor is industrial chic but gave the dining area a slightly cold feeling rather than warm and cosy. First the good bit ..the Prawn Toast was magnificent and if I could give it eleven out of ten then I would. However the main course was mixed as while my daughter's beef massaman was given the thumbs up, my Thai chicken was fairly uninspiring and tbh a Jacques chicken tenders would have given it a run for its money at a third of the price ! Jasmine rice was average although dipping sauces were fine. Service was friendly if slightly haphazard and whilst the Italian wine was quaffable.I felt a small bottle of coke for £3.50 was a bit steep .

We finally made it here, & boy I’m so glad we did. Had a fantastic birthday meal earlier this month. We will be back 100%. Keep up all the hard work guys!

LOVE THIS PLACE SO MUCH!! Best Thai food I’ve ever tried! Big love, Emma (Brum Yum) ❤️💙

Great restaurant serving superb food, with a friendly atmosphere. We were lucky to get the last few walk-in seats available at 18:30 on a Friday, so definitely try and book. The Pork Pa Lo and the beef massaman were superb, as was the succulent Thai fried chicken and dips.

We have just visited as a family with our two boys and absolutely loved it. The best food, in an atmosphere where you feel so comfortable. Can't recommend it enough!

Just seen your restaurant on tv very good 👍 luck 👍 xxx

Every time I eat here I have an 'Anton Ego' ratatouille moment with the vegan curry.

Tasty Thai food with small menu and decent beer. What's not to like...

Even though it's a small menu. I adore the thai curry, totally delicious. They some times are at hockley social and have tried their food there and at Soi which is closer to home. It's always busy and hard to get table bookings.

Banging, authentic food. Good atmosphere. Perhaps a little expensive but worth it!