Buddha's Belly
Category: Asian Fusion [Edit]
Neighborhood: Santa Monica205 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401 (310) 458-2500
![[ 06.07.08 today's special = glazed fish and shrimp tacos ]](http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/DdydbzlkDx_DJj2T1hmY2w/xss)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Garage
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
273 reviews
Neighborhood: Hollywood
"I love this place! The food, the service, the atmosphere and the view. This is definitely a date or anniversary spot. It is romantic and…" read more »
48 Reviews for Buddha's Belly
I had the Spicy Tom Yom Koon Thai Ramen for lunch yesterday and it was stellar. Basically, a delicious, gourmet version of the sketchy ramen you made in college.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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02/28/2008
I'm a big Buddha's Belly fan. I used to go to the one on Beverly a lot, so I was stoked when I… Read more »
I find the food very creative in taste and presentation. I have enjoyed everything I've tried on the menu -- but the Ahi Tuna Tartare and Sweet Chili Shrimp are favorites. My boyfriend had the Green Curry, which was good over all.
All the dishes I tried were delicious and totally affordable!
Spicy Ahi Tuna Tartare ($7.95) it was very light and refreshing. i think the cucumbers and wasabi created the "refreshing" taste. and it went well with the crispy won ton chips.
Spicy Crispy Calamari Salad ($10.50) the calamari was perfectly seasoned and fried. the dressing was also delicious.
Ahi Tuna Burger with Sweet Potato Fries ($11.95) it's a medium-rare GROUND ahi tuna patty not a huge piece of fish. The burger was pretty good but not my favorite dish of the night. But the best part of the dish were the sweet potato fries! Just as good as Father's Office.
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My girlfriend and I recently spent a few days in the Santa Monica area. We were wondering where we should dine our first night in town. After a bit of searching I found this fine restaurant. I guess the place is relatively new... but you wouldn't know it.
We walked in and I immediately noticed that the decor is decidedly Asian-upscale. We were seated and within a couple of moments we were greeted by Mike D. (not of Beastie Boys fame)... at least that's what my receipt said his name was... we will call him Mike D. My girlfriend and I decided on our meals, I ordered the Sweet Chili Shrimp and she ordered the Thai Green Curry Chicken and Jasmine Rice. We also ordered the Sweet Miso Infused Japanese Eggplant to start.
The appetizer was very good. It wasn't the best eggplant dish I've ever had (her and I are huge eggplant fans) but it was very decent none-the-less. If you like eggplant it is worth trying.
Our dinners came in a timely fashion and we began to chow-down. My food was very good. The shrimp was very nicely and lightly fried and the chili sauce was perfect, though not hot enough for my insane taste buds (note: I am ridiculous when it comes to spicy food -- chili paste and Sriracha hardly faze me). The asparagus was prepared very well and the rice was steamed just right, if just slightly al dente,
I can't speak much for my girlfriend's meal. I had a taste and it tasted as good as any other good green curry I've had in my life,
Overall the experience was very whelming -- as in it didn't exceed or fail to exceed my expectations. Everything was very decent and safe. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area. It is not necessarily anything special, but it is very good at just being good.
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I never thought I'd like a restaurant with the word "belly" in its name, but I did. This is an unpretentious pan-Asian place. We went for a Saturday afternoon lunch, and it was the perfect place for that. The room is clean and modern. Service is friendly and efficient. The food was just fine. I had spinach ramen - tasty and plentiful in a satisfyingly salty broth. The group of four shared a bunch of appetizers, including the shrimp tempura, some chicken things that you wrap in lettuce, and the steamed shrimp dumplings. Nothing to knock your socks off, but all nicely done.
By the way, we inquired about the restaurant's name. We learned that if you rub the hostess's belly when she is seating you, you will get a 10% discount. I didn't believe it, but I saw it happen when some people came in. Just reach over and do it. It only takes a second.
I always have this problem of wanting to do dinner and a movie in Santa Monica. The problem is there are no restaurants by the promenade that are really yummy and affordable. In comes Buddha Belly. It has been a few weeks for my visit so I cannot remember every thing we ordered, but the Ahi Tuna burger with Sweet Potato Fries lives on in my memory. Definitely number 2 on my Sweet Potato Fries Short List. (#1 is Father's Office) The food was so yummy! And the check didn't make me cry. The decor was great, and good people watching if you get a window seat.
I am excited to return on my next movie date!
I visited this place a week ago for a client meeting. Walking in, you'll immediately notice the nice decor and fancy ambiance. Unfortunately, the food wasn't up to par. The food was good, but it didn't stand out. I ordered their yellow chicken curry plate. There was nothing memorable about it other than the chicken being bland. The service was fast and friendly, but I've had better Thai cuisine.
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Yo, I'm all about this place. And not just because my friend Nicole used to work there. And not just because my friend Nicole's kid sister Alexis used to work there. And not just because Tom, the chubby computer nerd from my former job, and I went on a date there. And not because they gave me free food that one time that my order got screwed up. And not because they have those nifty little green doo-hickies that help you use your chopsticks. And not because it's the perfect place to people-watch. And not because the crispy chicken breast is heaven on a plate. And not because the chocolate mousse is super-tasters, either. I like it because I read a review about it on Yelp and I'm incredibly susceptible to other people's opinions.
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Great location
Courteous and Helpful Hostess and staff
Nicely Decorated
Not Pretentious
Loved the bamboo glasses
Ordered the spicy peanut noodles - $9.95 (great price for non sketch take out Thai) It had a few shrimp, a lot of chicken, flat rice noodles, celery, mushrooms, edamame and a creamy & spicy peanut sauce. I liked it so much I don't think I ever want pad thai again. I just want this!
It was served in an interesting slanted bowl.
I bet I'll be here for lunch quite a bit since my office is moving there in a month and we're already scheduled to have someone's going away party there : )
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Buddha rubbed me belly JUST RIGHT. Starving after the Price is Right taping, Drew Carey sure worked me up an appetite.
Seared Ahi Tuna Salad - A+ - wasabi-yuzu dressing is yum
Wok-Tossed Zucchini in red curry sauce - A+
Ahi Tuna Burger - A++
Service was a bit slow though it was busy
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This is your standard 3rd St. Promenade - Asian fusion - come as you are kind of place. Nothing to go out of your way for, but not objectionable either. The food quality is decent, prices are in line with a typical Asian fusion place, and hey almost any Asian place beats P.F. Chang's dead with a stick.
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I was craving good Thai/Asian food for a while so when my friend suggested Buddha's Belly, I was anticipating a delicious meal reminiscent of Berkeley Thai food.
I should've known better. I ordered the spicy peanut noodles because it sounded good on the menu -- noodles with chicken, shrimp, edamame, mushrooms, and celery in a spicy peanut sauce. It was more like...all of that mixed with liquid peanut butter. Way too creamy and peanuty for my taste. I ate just about 5 bites before I put my fork down. I kept taking bites of it hoping that it would magically start tasting better, but I just ended ended up washing everything down with water.
Standard Asian Fusion dining. Nothing to write home about, but not bad at all either. I'd never crave this place, but I wouldn't object to eating here either.
I was surprised. A perfect spot for Asian fusion in Santa Monica. The menu offers a nice selection of appetizers, salads, noodles, and main entrees.
My TOP must-haves:
* Ahi tuna burger with SWEET POTATO FRIES
* Spicy Thai beef salad
* Japanese eggplant
* Shishito peppers
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I am by no means a purist, but having lived in the Bay Area for longer than I will ever admit on a public website, I figured that I had tasted every food combination that could be squeezed together into some sort of cuisine ending in "-fusion." Although for restaurants like Buddha's Belly that combine culinary elements of a geographic region, I think maybe the prefix "pan-" might be more fitting. Anyway, the problem I have encountered with this style, whatever you want to call it, is that everything often gets thrown together for the sake of novelty and at the expense of flavor.
I didn't come in here with much expectation. Hell, it was next to my hotel and I just had a hankering for some noodles. I was very pleasantly surprised.
The Albacore and Avocado Spring Roll was very tasty, combining the lightness of a spring roll, with the substance of a sushi roll.
The sweet chili shrimp were pretty perfectly flavored. Often anything in the "sweet and sour" category can seem like it was dunked in chutney, but these shrimp were lightly flavored, and the chili part actually did have a bit of a kick to it and was not overpowered by any overbearing sticky-sweetness. Similarly, the spicy peanut noodles had ample peanut sauce, but wasn't drowning in it.
And it wasn't devastatingly expensive, which is surprising given its location.
In sum, if the eightfold path ends at a bowl of spicy peanut noodles, I will be a happy man.
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If it wasn't for my adorable fellow, I wouldn't have tried this place because I am pretty much anti Chinese fusion restaurants. I am not Chinese but I grew up in ESGV (welcome to Taipei 626) where good traditional yet affordable Chinese food are easily accessible. However, this place wasn't all that bad. especially compare to PF Changs this place is so much more edible and more Chinese.
However, I am a biased reviewer and I was with a great company who made my dining experience extra enjoyable.
we started out with sweet potato fries (did i mention i love fried food? did i also mention i love anything and everything sweet potato?). we shared fried rice and steak dish. they were both flavorful but i definitely had better Chinese food. Overall, i think it's a decent fusion restaurant with more appeals to non-Asian population. I would go back but I wouldn't be craving to go back.
honorary mention: Sake sangria is deadly delicious.
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We forgot to rub the Buddha belly before we left! Oh well. At least our bellies were happy after a meal at Buddha's Belly.
Baby and I came out to Santa Monica to escape the sweltering heat in the SGV. During our stroll around the Third Street Promenade area, we passed by Buddha's Belly. Baby and I looked at each other and said hey, let's eat here for dinner.
Instead of the regular crayons and coloring book, baby got an erasable doodle pad. Way cool. While he was playing with the doodle pad, I ordered pad thai noodles for both of us. The noodles were perfectly portioned and contained heaping amounts of chicken, tofu and shrimp. The bean sprouts and peanuts were on the side so we could add as little or as much as we wanted. Of course, we used it all. Noodles were slightly spicy, but baby handled it well.
Baby and I agreed that we should come out to Santa Monica more often to enjoy the ocean breeze on these hot summer days. And also to try the other menu items that Buddha's Belly has to offer.
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We visited this place on vacation but and really enjoyed our lunh there.
At ourt table we have the Yakisoba (huge) and served just like it should be with pickes and japanese seasonings. We also had the bento with the cold noodles and dipping sauce that is hard to find done right. Finally we have a salmon salad that was nothing special but still good!
The service was OK but hey it's a beach town!
After dinner here my belly was as round and happy as Buddha's.
I came here for dinner for one and thought that it would be a quiet contemplative dinner. Turns out I was convinced to sit at the bar, where the bar tinder was great. As it filled up, The rest of the patrons and I had a great night talking and enjoying our meals together.
I also highly recommend the tuna burger, which comes with sweet potato fries. Both are a bit spicy and very delightful to the taste buds.
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Americanized Asian food, which is not a knock, just a fact. The food was really well priced, but there was little wow factor to it. From my perspective I found this very lackluster food, but I can see how this place can appeal to a good portion of the population. We had the tuna tartar which was reasonable although I have tried far better. For the main course I had the Korean beef, and my date had some special. In the realm of Americanized food I think I prefer P.F. Changs down on the other end of 3rd street.
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Can you rub your belly and pat your head at the same time?
I bet a Buddha could do it.
I know I sure can... and most certainly WAS rubbing my contented stomach as I strolled out of Buddha's Belly in Santa Monica last night. We ordered and ordered and ate and ate to our hearts content. Everything was de-li-cious.
When you go I suggest you consider...
To start:
1. Soft Shell Crab
2. Shao Bing (little finger sandwiches... not as good as other items)
3. Chicken Lettuce Cups
To share:
1. Chicken Pad Thai
2. Spicy Peanut Noodles
3. Ginger Shrimp Fried Rice
4. Chinese Broccoli
5. Buddha's Chicken Salad
6. Spicy Tom Yom Koon Thai Ramen
The chicken salad (very light and fresh), the peanut noodles, and the Tom Yom soup (an incredible taste and spicy on the lips... yummy!) will make any aspiring Buddha jolly. I know people are generally adverse to Asian "fusion" restaurants, with all the cuisines lumped together, but even the symbol of Buddha is shared by different Asian countries (India, China)!! Fusion it is, then. In the end, I'm all about taste, and it tasted GOOD.
The service is also worth mentioning, as every worker there was attentive, polite, and generally speedy. Be aware that they prepare this food in what seems like micro-seconds... we were surrounded by piping hot dishes before we could blink.
In the end, 8 happy little Buddha's left (with 8 happy wallets... the prices were very reasonable for the portions) and soon discussed when they'd return. Having a serious belly, like Buddha, won't be so bad, right?
Buddha: (n) One who has achieved a state of perfect spiritual enlightenment in accordance with the teachings of Buddha.
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May Buddha bring fortune to me because I rubbed his belly and left some coins at his feet tonight.
Buddha please forgive me for I must be honest and Yelp with my whole heart, soul, stomach and tastebuds. I just wasn't impressed.
We started with the tuna tartare and rock shrimp tempura. They were MEH. We finished them both because we knew that we couldn not reheat either one for leftovers.
We chose the crispy (read "fried") chicken breast and ginger fried rice for dinner. I thought the crispy chicken would be delectable little bites of chicken breast crisped (aka fried) and then flavored. Instead, it was one breast of chicken deep fried. I felt like I could have made it better and cheaper..at home! The ginger fried rice was a melange of shrimp, sirloin steak bits (literally, as small as a small die), and pink ginger. It was mushy in some parts and just not that good.
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Asian fusion restaurants always have interesting dishes and in hearing good reviews on Yelp, I decided to try this place. I went on a Thursday night, at around 8:30pm, so there was no wait and service was fast to get our main entree on the table. I ordered the spicy Thai noodles with chicken and it was pretty good. Priced under $10, this meal was very reasonable and it was fun trying something new. My friend ordered the green curry chicken rice dish and it was pretty good for not being a traditional Thai restaurant. Overall, the food had no "wow" factor and I don't think I will be back. The service was good as it was not that crowded on this weekday night and my glass of water was always full. Therefore, I give 3 stars.
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I usually cringe at the word "fusion." To me, it means expensive Asian food. But if someone wants to try something new, I'm not going to say no, just b/c I have my own feelings about it.
I tried Buddha's Belly with my landlady and her two nephews visiting from Chicago. Overall, it was a nice dinner. We ordered:
- Spicy ahi tuna tartare - Not too spicy, flavor wise - reminds me of the premade spicy tuna you get at supermarkets, but one step above that. Small portions with four wonton crisps.
- Chicken lettuce cups - Tasty (it was fun for me to demonstrate how to assemble these lettuce cups for my dining companions, they were simply fascinated by the process)
- Chilled Seafood Noodle Salad - Disappointing. The noodles were drenched in the sauce and there wasn't enough seafood in the salad.
- Rock Shrimp Tempura - Batter was a little too heavy for my taste, but it's tempura, how bad can it be?
- Lychee Cooler - Very refreshing drink, easy to make. I'll save the $3 and make it myself this summer.
It's an experience. I mean, if someone wants to go here I'll go back. But, it's not my first choice. I can see the appeal for tourists and those new to the area. They did a nice job with the interior design. I think the place used to be an Asian import/export store.
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went there on a date, it was OK I guess. nothing seemed to stand out . I ordered their beef salad. Definitely better than PF changs.
It's like the stepford wife of Asian food. Pretty, well-mannered, reasonable, accommodating, presentable to your family and friends and virtually soulless.
It is satisfying - don't get me wrong!! But too much of it will make you long for complicated, tempestuous meals that cost you in more ways then one.
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Ending up at Buddha's Belly was a result of finding out that Joe's Pizza is not really a sit down type pizza place. Which is what me and the guys were looking for on Sunday night. After Buddha's Belly, we felt like saying f-it we shoulda ordered our pizza and ate on the street!
Here's why...
Everything was over done flavor-wise. We had the Shao Bing as an appetizer which was just okay, split family-style the Spicy Peanut Noodles, Thai Green Curry Chicken and Jasmine Rice and Korean Steak. The noodle dish had way too much creamy like sauce, which I don't think we were expecting given the name of the dish. The Green Curry Chicken was okay, but the coconut sauce overpowered any flavor from the rest of the ingredients.
Personally I think this place is probably great for tourists and SaMo yuppies. SiMonster made a point to say that probably the fews Asians that were eating there were unsuspecting tourists.
I want my pizza damnit!
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As I'm no longer a LA local, I still find Asian fusion kind of adventurous and fun. So I found the options at BB really different - dare I say original? My family (locals) likes the Beverly location, though not the schlep, so we gave this new outpost a try. It's good stuff, varied, tasty and not that expensive. The staff was friendly and our server's recommendations were on the mark.
For those on the Westside who are looking for a low-key place that won't break the bank and doesn't require a long drive, BB fits the bill.
I am usually not a fan of Asian fusion restaurants, but a few of my friends were in town and we were just roaming 3rd Street Prom looking for a place to eat. One friend took initiative and said she'd just pick a place we all haven't gone to. Welcome to Buddha's Belly. From the looks of it and the crowd, this place looked expensive. We walked in without looking at the menu or anything. We were seated in about 10-15 mins and they tried to seat us in a really bad section of the restaurant...near the bus-station and bar area. My friend spoke up and we were able to get a better table. The menu looked like it had some variety to it. I ordered the Spicy Peanut Noodles. If you've been to Cheesecake Factory and ordered the "Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp"...this dish pretty much tasted like that, except for the flat rice noodles instead of white rice. The dish was a bit too sticky for my liking and it really wasn't spicy. Overall, though the prices were very reasonable. Highest dish there is like $15 I think. I would try this place again. Also, the Lychee Martini is pretty strong. Good, but strong.
I really like this place. I think it kind of looks like an asian coffee shop, but the food is really good. i love the japanese eggplant and the seaweed salad. It is a great place for a casual dinner. The price makes it even better. And do not forget, they have chocolate fondue for dessert.
Nice ambiance and decor. Ok food.
I had the veggie egg rolls, which were nice and crispy but also VERY greasy! I had to blot them because of the oil.
Also had the veggie chop salad. I wasn't impressed at all. It was like they just chopped up some lettuce, sprinkled some veggies in, and tiny pieces of fried tofu.
I had a better salad at A Votre Sante in Brentwood.
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If you're going here looking for authentic asian food of any type this ain't your place
If you're going here looking for a decent "asian fusion meal" this is definitely it
I went here for lunch the other day with some coworkers
We "upgraded" the potstickers to an order of 4
They were potstickers
I had the korean steak
I substituted the rice for the cucumber salad, they were relatively accomadting about this (I just didn't want rice)
I asked for the steak medium rare
The steak didn't look rare, but tasted and felt rare
They had a rather odd mix of asian dishes (pad thai, korean steak, some sort of pho looking dish? huh?) but all of it looked fresh and rather rather tasty though slightly overpriced
But what can you expect for SaMo ?
I enjoyed my meal
I felt slightly gypped on my 20 dollar lunch
But I'd go back for a dinner if I was in the area or if the company was treating for lunch.....
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The place is a pan-Asian food place. It has food from Japan, Korean, Thai, Vietnam, etc. It's a P.F. Chang's meets Starbucks. I'm not a huge fan of fusion anything but this place isn't so much a fusion of food as it is more a fusion of menu items. They make it pretty traditional for the most part, they just have different national foods on the same menu with no deliniation.
Food: 3 stars
The food was hit or miss. Overall, not a bad place but some of the food wasn't all that great. I ordered the vietnamese spring rolls and they were very stale and parts of the rice paper was crusty HARD. I mean, come on, buy some Saran Wrap and keep it moist! The edamame was good and boiled in salt water instead of just sprinkling it on top which I thought was authentic and good. Also it wasn't microwaved which I hate.
The Tom Yom was tasty and worth it. The ramen noodles were a bit undercooked. I wish they'd use better quality ramen noodles. The seafood thai noodle thing was ok but the noodles were a bit dry. We also had a taste of the spicy peanut noodles which wasn't that spicy and also were a bit overcooked and limp. More oil and higher temperature cooking would have made it more moist/chewy and less mushy.
Service: 3 stars
The service was friendly but very sparce. It was packed inside but the seating was quick. I didn't get enough attention from the waitress though. The water guy came around once during the whole meal. The waitress came over to pick up the order after about 15 min wait and that was pretty much it for the meal. I caught her attention by griping which she overheard while walking by and the check service was quick after that.
Price: 4 stars
Very reasonable prices for the food. Apps ($4-8), salads ($7-10), entrees, ($10-16), drinks ($2-4). Most bills would come to about $20-25 per person with appetizer, drink, entree, and tax/tip per person.
Summary:
Worth trying the different foods since they have so much variety. Seems very popular so they do pretty well I'm sure. I would come again to try the different fares. Good neighborhood joint for a quicky meal or a relatively inexpensive dinner date.
Everything about this place was okay. The decor was okay, the service was okay, and the food was okay. Nothing spectacular but not bad. Nothing to rave about but nothing to complain about really. It was a so-so experience. That's right, this place was a big "Eh" with a shrug for me.
Though I am often wary of going to a restaurant the first week they are open, we did it for ThursdayLunch.com and Buddha's Belly did not show any of the normal first week jitters. The service was friendly and polished, the food was delivered in a timely manner, and everything came out looking and tasting great.
The menu has an eclectic selection of Asian fusion dishes with something to fit everybody's tastes.
Since we weren't sure what to order, we asked our server to just start bringing food to the table. They picked a nice variety of appetizers and entres and by the end of the meal all of us were satisfied.
After the meal I had a short chat with Evan (manager) and it sounds like this place is going to be well run.
We will definitely be back.
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loved it! started with the egg rolls (true they were slightly oily) and the edamame (couldn't stop). i got the tofu steak, was awesome (the sauce was a bit much, but very japanese, i'm weird about sauces) someone got the spinach ramen (maybe she didn't like it, or maybe she was still sick) and the other person ordered the ahi salad (which she liked) the tequila martini recommended by the waitress wasn't very good but the mind over muddle was really good. our server (natalie) was super attentive and nice. it was a nice find amongst all the chains and italian places in the area.
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I am in love!!! I have heard of this place for a couple of years always good things. I was driving in santa monica about to go to this cute french place but i ran across buddhas belly in santa monica which is a new location for them. I decided that was The place I was going to do lunch. Now im so addicted. I had a amazing asian thai soup and side salad and chicken potstickers and elxier herb drink.
I was very impressed with this place! Good food at a reasonable price for the area, good service! I left full and happy! We went around 745pm on a Friday and we didnt have to wait for a table, how often does that happen in Santa Monica??? NEVER!
I had the Crispy Chicken dish and it was very delicious, my boyfriend had the udon soup, sooo good, I ate half of it!=) I didn't try my friends dishes but they loved them also!
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Last night, a Saturday night, my husband and I wanted to try it, as we've been driving by for a while now. Looks nice from the outside, so why not? They don't take reservations on parties under 6 people, so I called and asked the woman what a good time would be to get a table. She said 6:30. Great. When we got there it was packed with tourists exhausted from a day of promenade shopping. Ick. We ended up waiting for 20 minutes for a table at the bar.
Now, I realize any restaurant up near the promenade will be tourist-ridden. But shouldn't the staff know what the good times are? Regarding the food, it was okay. Potstickers were bland, tasted like water actually. I had the Pad Thai, which was mediocre and actually made me feel sick because it was too rich. The menu is big enough that I would consider trying it again, maybe for takeout. But last night the only thing good was the Lychee Martini I had while waiting!
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I'd been eyeing this place before it even opened. Finally made it here for dinner and the prices are surprisingly reasonable! I felt a little apprehensive about going in (I had just come from the 24 post-workout) but they paid my abercrombie sweats no mind and after a 5 minute wait we were seated. If I can waltz in dressed like that, don't even sweat the dress code! The entrees range around $10 and up, everything is very Asian-fusion. Started out with some chicken dumplings, then I had the Ahi burger with sweet potato fries (you just can't go wrong with a sweet potato fry), my friend had the yakisoba, and we split the chocolate fondue dessert. My only complaint was that the little tealight candle didn't keep our chocolate warm enough.
The service was great; our waitress was upbeat and made plenty of recommendations. I will definitely be going back to try more of what they have to offer!
