Special Thai Restaurant

sucks that they closed. just wondering where they are moving. for all the haters and whiners go ahead and get a $ 15 or so thai buffet somewhere else… oh never mind. cuz theres no thai food buffet in orange county but this.

Came here around 2 weeks ago but did not get a chance to write a review.
For $ 15 buffet, and probably another $ 2 or so if you want a drink, totalling up to around $ 20 per person, please go spend your $ 20 worth elsewhere.
First of, choices are LIMITED. when I say limited I mean it. They only have 2 rows of hot trays for food that you would normally see at buffet.
What they had consisted of:
Pad thai
Beef and broccoli
Pad see ew?
Chicken skewers
Fried rice
Onion rings
variety of viet foods such as banh xeo, spring rolls and so on.
To keep this review simple, everything was oily. OILY. by the time I finished my 2^nd plate I was bloated from the oil rather than full.
The chicken skewers and peanut sauce was delicious though.
They had some viet desserts too. Mainly the ones in coconut milk, and some sticky rice with mango.
Sticky rice with mango was mediocre. The viet desserts were great except for the fact that they were nearly out and did not even bother to refill them. We had to salvage what we could out of those trays.
Not coming again anymore. Funny thing is I passed by one day and they had a banner saying that a new restaurant is replacing it soon. Phở palace? Or something like that. lol…

Could come here every week if i could for their halal buffet. My husband loves their wide selections and so does my kids. Love that the original owners are back. Much better customer service and quality in food since their return. Yay!

This buffet is mediocre. I came here because someone I know suggested it. Didn’t really like the atmosphere or the workers here, however, the food wasn’t bad. It’s a small place and the buffet selection was also kind of small. I didn’t see any meat from their buffet selection other than chicken and shrimp. The only part about this buffet that caught my eye is the banh xeo (Vietnamese crêpe). Didn’t see any beef or pork, but then again, I only came for their selection of seafood. You can bet your bottom dollar that I devoured the seafood (crawfish, shrimp, clams, crab legs) yum! One other thing about this place that annoyed me a little was the fact that one of the workers kept eyeing me while I went up to get food. He gave me that look as if I was going to take all of the food and put it on my plate… Please fool, I have more decency than that. Get off mah nutz!

Service was OK. Food was not very good. It’s overpriced for the quality. It was hot today and they didn’t even have the A/​C on. You can see flies buzzing around as well. We won’t be back.

Had the buffet. $ 15 a person.
Went around 1:30.
A few dishes are Okay. Others were bad.
OK list:
Pad Thai and Pad See Ew
Spring Rolls
The Curries
Chicken on a stick
The soups
Bad:
Fried shrimp. cold, limp, underseasoned.
Crap. tasted like the crab itself was not fresh prior to cooking, also cold and limp as the shrimp was.
Orange chicken. really terrible.
Sweet chilli eggplant.
Mango sticky rice. obviously very old/​sitting around at least 24 hours, maybe more. The rice was dried up. probably good when fresh.
Overall I’d say the food quality is definitely a few steps worse than regular sit down Thai places. A trend with many of the dishes I had issues with were the obvious issues with serving old/​not fresh food. And I’m not talking about 2 hours old.
Tip for the business. don’t serve old food or use ingredients that are not fresh.
Wouldn’t say I can recommend this place. Nor will I be returning. 2 ½ stars.

Yesterday checked this place out right after work. The place is not bad, but was virtually empty which gave me pause. But, when the waiter showed up we ordered and the food came quickly. Tried a teriyaki beef plate, and pineapple chicken curry. Got a big bowl of rice, and some spring rolls, and a Thai Iced Tea. Everything was great. I would definitely go back. They were probably just having a lull before the dinner crowd. The wait staff was very polite and I am eager to try the buffet which I believe is only open on weekends.

Tonight was there first time I’ve ever heard of this restauraunt. I was pretty skeptic at first when my mom told me we are eating at a thai food buffet, simple because I’ve never heard of one. When we walked in around 8PM on a Saturday Night, the place was a bit packed with still some open tables. We were seated immediately.
I went straight for the Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, and Chicken Satay. Those were the three dishes I’ve always got at every thai food joint. I was expecting it not to be as tasty but I was proved wrong. They were just as good as every other place I’ve been too, not better, nor worst.
I tried random desserts and the first one I tried which was some dessert soup with green things inside and I was in shock. It was the best of that I have ever has! Went back to get 3 more bowls and my parent went back with an even bigger bowl.
Service was good. Took plates off our table quickly and refilled our drinks before it even empty.
Definitely recommend especially if you love eating thai food. The price is such a steal. 15 $ a person for buffet.
Interior design actually looks really really nice and modern. Only thing that could’ve changed were the tables, chairs, and booths. Walls and lighting were nice. Also should stick with one style of plates. :)

Service has always been great & food is decent. It’s rare to find a Thai buffet, so it quenches the craving @ $ 14.99/person comes w/​a drink. Buffet is served all day Friday, Saturday, & Sundays only.
Food the first time we went was overly & beyond salty. It was to the point where we did not want to come back because 90% of the dishes were inedible. However, it has improved & it’s not as salty as before. Some items that could use a little more sugar/​or less saltiness is the papaya salad & the Nuoc mam. Still too salty in our tables opinion, but bearable. This is just constructive feedback for the cooks.
You can tell they’re trying their best & running a restaurant is not easy. The owners & family who are helping probably are extremely tired. At least they look it. I hope they continue to succeed, so they can hire more helpful staff so they can rest. They are quite packed during dinner time which is a good sign.
Food items (I know I’m butchering the spelling): pad Thai, pad sew, Larb, beef panang, chicken curry (weird taste… didn’t like this), papaya salad, fried squid & shrimp w/​head & eyeballs still on them, steamed king crab, crawfish, deep fried chicken (not typical kfc style), eggplant stir fry, fried rice, 2 types of fried fish, orange chicken, Thai soups, chicken skewers, banh khot & banh Xeo, fries, mango & sticky rice, Thai desserts, & more.

It’s hard to rate this place since this seems to be the only Thai buffet around. But keep in mind that their buffet is only on the weekends (Friday-​Sunday). Hard to compare it to other Thai restaurants but the buffet novelty factor is definitely a positive.
The first time I came here, I came during the daytime and was rather impressed with the buffet selection. I tried almost everything but only felt that just few of the items really stood out. Surprisingly, their spring rolls are awesome. So were their wings. The crab legs aren’t the best but still has decent amount of meat. And the mango sticky rice served in tiny cups (among many other desserts) was a nice touch.
When I came back at night after that, I was rather disappointed that they didn’t have few of the items I enjoyed the first time. The wings were gone and the dessert selections paled in comparison to the last time and the mango sticky rice was missing. Did the owners change or something?
I’d still say it’s worth checking out the buffet once, but maybe first take a look at their selections to see if it will be worth your money.

Love this place !
My personal fav sea food combination
Customer service is Always first class!!!
Forgot the name of the guy always taking care of me; great service all the time thanks to you man!

Tasty Buffet. Comfy Booths. Fast refills. Fresh seafood!
This place was not what I expected. It turned out to be a mostly seafood buffet. It was really deserted and I was surprised how fresh and tasty the food was.
Our favorite items were the Basil Mussels, Basil Chicken and Papaya Salad and other salads.
They also had two types of crab, crawfish and huge prawns!
There were a wide array of deserts and several soups but we did not make it that far. I actually wished I had a bigger appetite just so I could sample more items. This is a big ironic for someone who is supposed to be on a diet.
I hope this place succeeds considering the food was pretty good and they had very little business.
I would rename it «Imperial Thai Seafood Buffet» to rev up the traffic.
It was a pretty amazing value at only $ 15

Food was pretty good here. Seating was mediocre (booths are hard to get up from). The best thing here in my opinion, was the Yellow Curry with rice and basil chicken. Basil chicken was a hit because all the flavors blended together perfectly and it was at the right spiciness level. This place is kind of hard to see if you don’t have the GPS on.
Overall, the Special Thai Restaurant is pretty decent as long as your in the mood for it.
PS The dinner buffet is $ 15 with a soft drink.

The food is pretty good and the best part is they deliver!
The Thai steak is good. I’m hooked on the sauce they give you. I put that all over my Combination fried rice, haha! The boat noodle soup, pad see eww pad prik king with chicken is alllll good. The hubs and I are pretty hooked… we have ordered here almost twice a week. :)

I’m giving this a 3 starts based on my experience, I’m sure if I had went with the buffet then it be a star higher.
$ 13.95 for all you can eat Thai buffet from 5pm-​9pm.
DO NOT get something from the menu, just get the freaking buffet. I got satay chicken because I wasn’t that hungry for $ 7.95, but I got like four sticks with little meats of chicken. I blame myself for getting the buffet but c’mon…they could give more.
Be warned — they do not give rice for any of their dishes. I think you buy it separately but don’t expect a side of rice with your plate dish.
We had some guy as our server and he was really nice and good. Periodically check up and see if we needed anything. So customer service was good.
The food was good, just little portion fir a plate menu.
Lots of parking but shady area so don’t leave anything too valuable in our car that’s visible.

I had lunch at Special Thai where they offer lunch specials which includes an entrée, rice & the buffet items of salad, two types of soup, french fries, cheese wontons, fruit and dessert.
My party ordered:
(1) Pad Prik King with Chicken
My spicy chicken with string beans and served with white rice was fresh and very delish!
(2) Basil Chicken
My associate had the basil chicken with white rice and she really enjoyed it!
(3) Pad Thai with Chicken
My other associate said he really liked the pad thai which he thought was seasoned well and very moist.
(4) Lunch Buffet
The lunch buffet items included with each lunch special were The buffet salad, french fries, cheese wontons, two types of soup, sesame balls, and fruit.
I enjoyed my lunch at Special Thai which offers a good deal and wonderful and friendly service. I’ll be back to try their dinner AYCE. I’m a fan … 4 Stars!

I am not a super fan of Special Thai, but my husband definitely is. So if he were to write this review, he would give it a 4 just for the AYCE buffet Thurs-​Sun.
We have probably been here 6 times, it’s good I guess, I just don’t feel a «wow» factor here. There is always a good amount of people dining though, of mixed nationalities too. And on Friday nights, they stir up a decent crowd. The servers actually stayed on track with clearing plates and refills, I had to tell one waitress (jokingly) to slow it down (which is really unlike me, since I incessantly long for speedy service).
The Pad See Ew, would be my favorite here. Chicken satay is okay. I also like the kung pao chicken, salad selections and onion rings. The key to better sampling for me, is to grab a handful when they bring out fresh trays. Entrees come from-​the-​pan or from-​the-​fryer hot and with it’s initial bursting or mellow flavors.
They have mini desserts on a separate table, something you could tier together yourself if you bought boxed pastries from a grocery store; with the exception of the big bowl of coconut milk with sweet tapioca and other gelatinous inserts. Well, I suppose you could make that too.
Overall, not my first choice for Thai, then again what do «I» really know about Thai food? Not much.

Came here specifically to try their buffet menu. $ 13.99 for an all-​you-​can-​eat dinner? Sure, why not?! This restaurant only serves the buffet dinner option during the weekends between the hours of 5pm-9:30pm. It’s quite a rare alternative to Thai dining since it’s the first restaurant that I’ve come across that serves this style.
Located on Brookhurst near Orange Ave., parking is somewhat limited since the restaurant shares it with other small business but don’t be fooled, because once you step inside it’s actually quite spacious.
The attendance of customers was plenty on a Saturday night around 6 pm. Since it was just the bf and I we were able to get a table immediately.
The buffet selection was surprisingly abundant. Most of the dishes were Thai but they also served a few Chinese staples like fried egg rolls, orange chicken and kung pao chicken. They even had a tray of Vietnamese spring rolls.
I didn’t try everything but the ones I did were:
–coconut soup with mushroom and chicken: very sour and slightly sweet. Enjoyed every spoonful.
–chicken satay with peanut sauce: the cute little pieces of moist, flavorful chicken on skewers were delicious. Since the pieces were so miniature I stacked 4 sticks on my plate and covered those bad boys with lots of peanut sauce.
–pad thai: average. A little bit sweet, which I like, but some areas of the noodles were either over-​cooked or under.
–pad see ew: disappointed. The noodles were mushy and cold.
–orange chicken: well, it ain’t Panda Express orange chicken if that’s what you’re wondering. Definitely forgettable.
–clam soup: lots of flavor in the broth and a bit spicy too.
–yellow chicken curry: creamy and sweet but average.
–Vietnamese spring rolls with sauce: delicious. They’re so cute, small and lovely. I grabbed a soup bowl and filled it up with the sauce along with 4 spring rolls. Good stuff.
–fried calamari: not bad just a little salty.
–fried shrimp: decent.
–sweet + sour fish: I didn’t really care for this. The fish texture was too mushy.
–crab legs: delicious but would’ve been perfect with melted butter.
–green jelly dessert: LOVE this! Always look forward to it every time the bf’s fam has a party. Reminds me of my culture’s (Filipino) take on buko pandan but not as sweet but equally as addicting =)
–mango + sticky rice: love mango. Love rice. The combo is always a hit with a Filipino girl!
Overall, Special Thai is a decent place when you’re craving Asian food. I like the various selections. There were many hits but unfortunately there were many misses as well. One thing’s for certain though – the price is unbeatable.

After having visited Thailand, it’s been difficult for me to find really good Thai food. I am so glad this place exist since it’s as good as it gets!
Each time I have came to dine here my experiences have been good. The servers have always been friendly and helpful anytime I have had questions.
I have yet to try there buffets so I normally just order from the regular dinner menu.
Shrimp Pad Thai– The noodles are cooked to perfection and sauce is just right. It’s one of my favorites.
Yellow Beef Curry– Also one of my favorites. If you like Panang you will like Yellow curry. Only difference is this has potatoes.
Angel Hair Wings– Ground chicken with noodles stuffed inside the fried chicken. It’s okay here but I would pass. Honestly, other Thai places make it better.
Satay chicken– There’s no going wrong. Dip it in the peanut sauce and it’s so good.
Overall this place is really great. I love how They give you a lot of food but what’s more important is the food is flavored perfectly.
I would highly recommend this place.

Came here on a Saturday evening for their dinner buffet for $ 13.99
Food: For a Thai buffet I was surprised to see how much food was out. There was a huge variety and there’s different types of food for everyone to enjoy. I really like that they have Tom Yum and Tom Kha Kai soups out. Not only were there the usual stapes such as Pad Thai, Pad Seew, and Yellow Curry, but french fries, fried chicken, and Pita bread were offered. I had to go up to the buffet multiple times to try all the foods I wanted to. As far as the quality and freshness, it was alright for buffet quality. Not anything super amazing, but they did replace most of the foods as often as they could.
Ambiance/​atmosphere: The restaurant looks like your typical asian buffet restaurant – lots of space, lots of seating. Not the cleanest, but it looks like it gets busy from time to time. My party went early during the buffet hour, so it wasn’t too busy yet.
Service: Service was good, our waitress was understandable when it came to having to constantly move around to larger tables as our party kept unexpectedly expanding. I was so grateful that she kept a smile on her face as we played musical chairs across the restaurant.
Tips: The dinner buffet is only on weekends for $ 13.99. They also charge you a dollar each for pita and steamed rice. Drinks (other than Thai Iced Tea and Thai Iced Coffee) are included in the buffet price. If you’re new to Thai food, or want to try a bit of everything I would recommend trying this place out especially since Thai buffets don’t come around often. Otherwise, I’d rather go somewhere else for better quality food.