Buddhanusorn Thai Temple

Beautiful Thai Temple. Tranquil & peaceful. All are welcome, but please do come dressed appropriately. Casual & comfortable is totally fine, but nothing too revealing. It’s a wonderful temple. If you come for Thai food on the weekends, you’re in for a treat! Delicious!

There is a English Dharma class here every Tuesday night from 7 pm — until 9pm complete with meditation

I used to come here every Sunday for Thai dance, playing the khim, and reading/​writing/​comprehension when I was little. It’s where I had awesome memories growing up and where I made some childhood friends. I’m kind of bummed that the food court is no longer around, hopefully the Berkeley Thai temple still has theirs.

I emailed the temple to find out why the food court is discontinued. Their response:
«The city they have brought up the issue that our present use permit does not allow us to have a food court and to offer food to the public. We are presently working with the city to determine if a change in our use permit is possible. We are hoping to resolve the issue in the next month or so but at this point we are unsure if food will be possible in the future, or if so, when that might be. Here’s wishing us luck to be back with the food court soon.»
They will truly be missed. My Sundays will never be the same.

6^th update and last.
2 things. 1^st, Wat Buddhanusorn food court continues to remain closed with no plans to sell any food, to public or to anyone. The temple has reverted to the original charter which is to support the local Thai and Buddhist community by providing Thai cultural awareness classes like traditional music, dance and language. I was told there is no future plans to sell food.
2^nd, the good news. Some of those noodle dishes are being sold at the Le Moose restaurant in Fremont.

This is the Thai temple, where I first met my wife and when they used to serve food on Sundays. We still go there on Sundays to pray. The temple and its surroundings are very beautiful and tranquil for meditating. The people we have met there are also so nice and friendly.

Just an update I wanted to post.
I have heard from my friend who volunteers at the temple that there is no more food for sale to the public anymore. This includes any Sunday, even special events or festivals (I think previous info on here had said food is for sale then). Their permits only allow them to operate as a church – not a restaurant. The parking is also an issue with neighbors, so just please be respectful of the church, fellow Fremontonians.

I came here last year when they were still selling food… it was so much fun with my family! Mouth watering Thai/​Laos food for cheap, great scenery, so many people, etc. I came here again yesterday on Sunday to check it out but the food court was closed! I’m so sad & upset that somebody ratted out the temple… the cooks and workers were volunteers! The food was amazing and authentic, the people were generous, the vibe was filled with happiness and alive. A wonderful place to bring your family, loved ones, & friends to enjoy Thai/​Laos culture.
Please come back soon!

When my coworker told me that it is thai new year this weekend and this temple celebrated, I jumped on the idea of making an appearance.
I haven’t been here in years just because it’s really out of the way from where I live. This time I made an exception to witness the new year. I’m all for american new year, chinese/​viet/​korean new year and indian new year, but only until know did I explore thai new year. This sunday, I drove the distance and as expected the parking is still not under control even after 5 plus years. I had to park at the Montessori school, because I do want the thai temple to stay open to the public – so DON’T park near the residential if you want to keep coming back. There was singing, dancing and music for all to listen. And the best part is the food! I gorged on all that I could-​pad thai, penang curry, sticky rice, catfish, thai tea, sausage, pork wrapped in rice paper and some spicy veggie side. All delicious and spicy! I lucked on tom yum soup and the dessert but I will be back for them.
Loved the concept – exchange green bills for silver coins and buy your lunch. If you have leftover coins you can always get greens back. I love the ambiance of the temple – it’s a little escape from american civilization and into a world of thai. The temple is a glimps and tease of what traveling to thailand will be.

I feel like I’m that lady in the Mervyn’s commercials standing at the door saying OPEN, OPEN, OPEN. [For those that don’t get that reference, you’re probably too young, and you’ll likely not get ½ of my other references either ;) ]
A friend told me, and its confirmed below that this place isn’t open right now. They are restructuring, or redoing something to make a better experience.
Other than the parking, which I’m sure pisses the crap out of the neighbors, I don’t see how they can make this any better.
Being in Northern, CA, the weather is amazing almost ALL year long. Being in the East bay, even more so. Bring a blanket or something to throw on the lawn, and have a nice Thai picnic. They do have tables and chairs, but sitting outside, under a tree, or by the fountain, can the location be any better?
You go buy tokens, and then you pay for the food/​drinks with the tokens, thats a lil weird, but so what. The food is cooked right in front of you. So you get to see exactly what they are doing, what they are putting in each dish, etc. The small down side is that if you’re sitting near the cooking area, it can get a lil smokey.
Everything I’ve had here is top notch. The Thai Tea, the noodle soup, the regular noodles, the grilled meat, etc.
The weather is getting nice… so please open up soon!

This place has the most authentic Thai food you could possibly get in the Bay Area. The atmosphere, the people, and the quality of everything is just amazing. If you want pad-​thai, make sure you purchase that before anything else because you’ll have a long wait ahead of you — trust me its worth it. I wish they would be open to serve food like this every day. But once a Sunday gives you something to look forward to.

I absolutely love the fact that I live within walking distance from the temple since the parking lot is always packed during Sundays.
Fresh Thai food is made in front of you and served from 10:30AM-2PM on Sundays. You have to experience the Thai cuisine offered at the temple! The people working at the food stands are super friendly and will help explain to you what each dish consists of.
My dad and I ventured to the temple for the first time today and I guess it was obvious we were new to the food stands since we were confused about which lines to get in, where to purchase tokens, and unsure of what ingredients were present in many of the food items. Fortunately, the people working there helped guide us and even gave us samples so we would feel comfortable purchasing the food items. How nice!
Make sure to have cash on you because you have to purchase tokens before proceeding to the food stands. You pay $ 10 for a bag of 10 tokens– each token is worth $ 1. The guy informed us that if we had any extra coins, we could come back to cash them out.
Even though many of the reviews state the pad thai takes the longest, my dad and I only waited a few minutes. We came here a little after 12:30pm so it wasn’t too hectic. The pad thai was only $ 1! OMG what a steal considering how much food was packed into the to-​go box. I am not sure if I was charged this amount by accident since it seems most dishes are priced at $ 6-​$ 7, but the woman only took one coin from me before giving me the food.
Then my dad got an order of the BBQ pork and sticky rice. He doesn’t even like pork, but he absolutely loved this entrée! Total for this hardy potion was 6 coins.
Then we saw a small area with a bunch of different desserts. The one that caught my eye was the banana leaf of mystery! I asked one of the vendors what it was and he let me know that it was coconut custard… Coconut custard OMG– I had to get it! It cost 1 coin. The coconut flavoring was not overwhelming and it was packed with shredded, flavored coconut that was seasoned with brown sugar– YUMMY! I really wish I had bought like…20 of these #fatassforlife
Before leaving, I had to get some Thai Iced Tea, which wasn’t much different from other places, but it was still yummy and costs 2 coins. My dad and I left very happy and took mental notes of what to purchase the next time we come.

I love going here on Sundays for fresh Thai food. It get’s crowded here so if you plan to go, go early or go a bit later in the afternoon but get there before 3pm because they start closing down the food stations.
My favorite dishes here include: Boat Noodle, Papaya Salad (Laos style spicy), Noodles in fish curry sauce, and the Larb! When they do have them, the fried bananas are awesome for dessert so get it!
Pricing is $ 6 dollars per dish and the portions are «ok» but filling so for the experience go and try it out if you have not been.
I’ve brought family and friends here and none has been disappointed so if you’re in the Fremont area, go for it!
Oh yes, I almost forgot! This is a buddist temple (I am christian) so ladies, no tank tops, mini skirts or short shorts … supposedly, monks are not to be tempted and by wearing such short and revealing clothing get’s them in trouble! Believe me, I have a friend who helps out here t the temple and I get yelled at each time cus I forget!!! ;)

Apparently, I have been missing out!!!
This wonderful temple actually has a weekly event every Sunday where it is like a street food fair. You buy tokens ($ 10 per bag) and then you can purchase all the mouth-​watering dishes and desserts. There are noodle soups, pad thai, rice plates, papaya salads. For desserts, there are the standard thai ice tea, mango with sticky rice, but they also have lots more that you could not buy anywhere else but here! I was too busy eating so I did not take any pics and I dont really know the names of these desserts in English. Although they are mostly Thai, they are very similar to Indonesian desserts such as «Rangin» and «Kolak».
There are also tables where you can eat and chat with your friends and let your kids run around. It’s a pretty cool place to hang out with your family/​friends.
Parking is an issue. Too many people know about this place now, so come early.

Wat Buddhanusorn’s Sunday food court from 11−2pm is truly a wonderful community experience. Even if you do not speak Thai you will feel right at home. Some of the volunteers are non-​Thai as well. If you are lucky you will see some youths studying Thai dance at a nearby pavilion. Please wear the proper attire if you plan on entering the temple.
The som tum papaya salad is the *best in South Bay. When you order you will be asked to state your preferred hot/​chili index and during the process you will be given a taste test where you can ask for more lime juice, sugar, fish sauce etc. Basically your som tum is custom made. Don’t be scared to try it with crab and fermented fish it adds a rich flavor to the salad.
The BBQ pork, which is supposed to be dry, was also good however the sauce was straight out of the bottle. Traditionally, BBQ pork will have a different sauce. The order also comes with sticky rice.
The curries are above average however I find the portion to be small for $ 7.
Thai tea is at the same level as any restaurant. Try Thai tea without the half and half you will get a real taste of the smooth flavor.
***** Special note: To cut down on the cost of plastic implements and take-​out containers please consider bringing your own thermos for drinks and tupperware. The vendors really appreciate this and it will help the environment.
Wat Buddhanusorn is a great place to bring your family. There are plenty of kids playing and people of many ethnic backgrounds there chilling out.

I just became a fan. I met up with a friend today who attends classes and tutors here and from 12 – 2 this place is like your downtown Thai street food market. Okay it’s not as big, but the heart of it is there. First of all, parking is not super easy, but it’s plentiful if you know where to go. If there’s no space in the main lot, there’s a dirt parking lot just left of the temple. After parking, you need to stop at the token booth. $ 1 = $ 1 token. You use these silver tokens to purchase food. All normal type drinks are $ 1, for thai ice coffee, tea, or longan ice tea it’s $ 2. Pretty much any of the entrée dishes are $ 6 and it’s a steal for the quality you’re getting. It’s as authentic Thai as you can get. If you want Pad Thai, come early otherwise you’ll be waiting for 20 – 30 min before you can get your order as it is made to order. Two women in the back cook up a wok storm with pad thai flying from left and right. Unfortunately the rice to entrée ratio is a little high, and a little watery thus the star less.
I will definitely come back and bring friends :) Everyone is friendly and get ready to say some «Sawadi-ka”/“Sawadi-kup» while you’re there. Also might do some volunteering here to learn how to cook some of these dishes. NOM!

Alas! I was finally able to drag my lazy near winterbreak-​comotose body out of bed in order to enjoy brunch with friends at the thai temple. I’ve wanted to try this place for a long time ever since I learned that there was such a place in my hometown. I’ve loved the thai temple in Berkeley, so I was really excited to go to this one.
Steps/​tips to take for an awesome time at Thai Temple:
Cash: Like the location in Berkeley, the food is in a donation based form, which means that you will need to exchange cash for tokens. The price is a 1 token more expensive than the one in Berkeley, but everything is pretty cheap, and it’s for a good cause! Most dishes including desserts are usually 6 tokens and thai iced tea&coffee is 2 tokens, so plan accordingly!
Parking: There was a pretty big lot that people could park in. Before 10:30 AM, you could get parking in here, but it gets really filled up. But no worries, Fremont is a residential area so there is plenty of street parking if you just go across the street.
Pad thai: This location is really awesome because they stir up the pad thai right then and there. Fresh off the… wok? I think that is what is used. Not sure though. They put prawn in their pad thai, which tastes pretty fresh. like FOB fresh. Because of the preparation, there use a waitlist system. I would go to this section which is further in on the left. The waitlist can get pretty long. I personally don’t think it’d the best pad thai I’ve tasted, but I still like that it’s so fresh!
Thai Ice Tea&Coffee: I get coffee every time because. it’s early. Really yummy. A decent size. My sister found a little fruit fly in her tea though, but she told the lady and they gave her a new one. The ladies there are really cute and nice! I had an awesome conversation with the one serving curry about deliciousness of squash. They’re always laughing, dancing, or talking to each other. Really cutesy.
Other dishes: 5 types of curry, different soups, meats, and some sort of fried chicken wings? I didn’t even get to see all of the types of food that was there. The curry I liked esp because there was so much variety, but it wasn’t as good as the curry in Berkeley Thai Temple. I found it really heavy for my taste, but it’s really personal preference I think. The squash and eggplants in the curry were REALLY good though. I’ll try a different kind next time. Tried the Five Spices Pork Soup thing. Really yummy! Especially because it was kinda chilly. There was a LOT of meat and veggies and a choice of 3 types of noodles. Highly recommended if you want something warm and yummy in your tummy. :)
Sticky Rice&Mango: Bigger in size and really effing delicious.
There’s plenty of seating. Sit, eat, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings! I’m definitely going to make this a Sunday tradition with family and friends!

It’s funny how this temple has reviews like it’s a restaurant.
I’ve been coming here since I was a child, although not religiously. Yes, I am Buddhist but I only come here when there are special events. When I try to get other people to go (mostly because of their food and chill atmosphere) they’re hesitant because they’re not Thai… BUT NEITHER AM I! Something about Buddhism that screams it doesn’t matter your ethnicity, gender, beliefs… this temple doesn’t even go into that. I really don’t even think they care. No one here is trying to convert you. they simply just want you to enjoy everything :)
Come early, do the outdoor ceremony (sometimes flee doves, offer oranges to monks, watch the musicians play, and Thai dancers dance), then hit the food court! AMAZING THAI FOOD! I have to say that the pad thai is NASTY if end up bringing it home. it tastes MUCH better if you eat it right after buying it. BBQ Pork with sticky rice is another favorite and so is the papaya salad, made to order :) Both of which are very take home-​able. Actually, most of the food is made to order here. Free water, coffee, ovaltine, and tea. Each entrée used to be $ 5, but since the gas prices went up, so did the entrees to $ 6.
On big events they have raffles that are super fun for the kids. For a dollar you get to pick an easter egg out of that spinning bingo cage thing and inside the egg is a number which denotes your prize. they range from toilet paper, cup noodles, to toothpaste, sweatshirts, bicycles and tvs so it’s super cool in my opinion :)
After eating and leisure, head into the temple for prayer. The monks are extremely nice and try to conversate with everyone.

Oh boy even better the second time around! They didn’t have that green jello dessert or the cookies but they had a REALLY GOOD coconut egg dessert. I have no idea what it’s called but I attached a pic of it. It’s basically tiny pancakes that have egg yolk on them?
Again my fav’s were:
— Tiny pancake dessert thingies
— BBQ Pork with yummy sticky rice!!! Yeeah!
— Thai iced tea
— coconut ball desserts
The pad thai was again «meh» and the papaya salad wasn’t all that good but I’m not a fan of papaya salad to begin with so that might be biased.
The wait for the pad thai wasn’t long at all this time around!

I know people have found spouses, friends, relationships on Unilocal.And I applaud them and Unilocal for bridging two distant points that were it not for a site like this would have been very unlikely. I only find really good restaurants, eyebrow threaders – a really good pedicurist still eludes me for I am not only a creature of habit, I am also a lazy creature of habit and have not ventured beyond a five-​mile radius in search of one. Today, I explored beyond my five-​mile comfort zone and found not only the best Thai food I’ve had in a long time but also food served by friendly, warm and inviting people located in a beautiful and serene setting.
Wat Buddhanusorn Temple takes Thai food to a whole new level. The line for the papaya salad is long for a reason. Note to self: medium hot in Thai cooking results in dripping sweat from various orifices – choose mild at next visit. Great texture and flavor but be sure to save some tokens for at least 2 Thai iced coffees. The salted crab legs in the salad make for an interesting flavor surprise! The fried chicken and sticky rice were only ok but went very well with the spicy papaya salad.
What I loved most about this setting was the atmosphere of calmness and simplicity. The community tables allowed me to check out what others were eating. The people staffing their booths were friendly and warm and there was some real pride behind the food they were serving. And the big tree with this sign:
*Be not attached to the beloved and never with the unbeloved. Not to meet with the beloved is painful and also to meet with the unbeloved.*
I don’t usually get all emo when I eat Thai food, but this tree made me do just that. On a less deeper note, I’ll be back to sample the pad thai – I hear it too brings people to tears.