Summer Buffalo

UPD: It has now been 7 years since my first 5* review of this place, and IMHO, this is still the best Thai restaurant in LA. Thank you, and keep up the good work!

I miss the salt and pepper wings. But the food and thai teas are top shelf!

Love them, service and food are great

Delicious vegetarian food 🔥

On an Ocean of Thai restaurants, this restaurant follows a classic formula that creates a successful business: family owned and operated along with quality ingredients that are cooked on the spot instead of pre-cooked food. The ambience was authentic and comfortable. A plus was the tea and beverage selection

I enjoyed my curry brown rice 👍

Amazing lunch specials, efficient, kind service. It feels like you are sitting in a nice family run place where they also care about the presentation of their food. Authentic Thai food. Their Thai iced tea looked delicious as well, but ask to go easy on the ice. Parking can be challenging on Melrose, but there is metered parking and limited street parking - read the signs!

I love this place! Great food! Fast service. Yummy. Had the fried rice and yellow curry with noodles(!). I love the fact they give you noodles instead of rice for the curry to sit on. Definitely my favorite dish

I came to the spot just because I knew they would let you bring your dog in and I was pleasantly surprised with this being the best Thai food I’ve had in LA

Amazing food and great service. One of them best Thai restaurants I have been to recently. The only slight minus is lack of alcoholic beverages especially beer on the hot day.

I ordered takeout from here and it was really good. They offer vegan Beyond Meat options, which is great. The Thai spicy level is no joke.

It is at the corner of Melrose and poinsettia, I love the vibe here, and the food came out faster than what the waitress said, food is very tasty, and the lechee thai tea is fantastic, I will definitely come again when I am near

Great food great price. Mostly Thai food. There are very few tables but Pleasant atmosphere

Absolute favorite Thai spot in the city! I don’t think I’ve had food this good since I was in Thailand. All of the dishes are bursting with flavor, perfectly seasoned and very generous portions. The flavors are very true not Americanized, which I really appreciate. Current favorites are the pad see ew, papaya, salad, green curry, grapow gai with egg, and of course, a mango sticky rice when it’s in season! Cute spot for a casual lunch/dinner, and definitely worth getting takeout if you’re not feeling up for it

Summer Buffalo is our favorite Thai restaurant in the area and we've tried many. We're pretty basic and always get the summer rolls to start followed by the Pad Thai and Pad See Ew for our mains. For dessert we often get the Mangi Sticky Rice. All of the above are delicious. The only criticism I can come up with is that I wish the tofu in the Pad See Ew was crispy.

Not gonna lie, this place is actually a great addition to the eateries at Melrose...and compared to the most places here, it's affordable. Food is tasty, has a great variety, and they have lunch specials. Definitely would be back to try more things. Only got to try the Pad See Ew, Sweet and Tangy Wings, and the Grilled Pork Butt with a side of rice.

I have been going here for years and they never fail. It is by far my favorite Thai in Los Angeles. The prices are fair, the ingredients are fresh, and I have been so happy about their recent beyond meat additions to the menu!

The food is really good, I would say very good quality. Even the name doesn't sell as a Thai food restaurant it has been a good decision coming in by first time and won't be the last. The service is fast and friendly. I recommend to try the Mango & Avocado Shrimp Salad 🥗👌🏻

It was great!! A small, laid back corner spot. They have some indoor and outdoor seating. Unique selection of fresh food. Friendly service and fair prices.

Had larb and khao soi gai and loved both! These are two super delicious, super authentic dishes that a lot of Thai places don't bother with. I love that SB has them, and they were both punchy, balanced, and oh so savory. I also liked the atmosphere and service!

YUM. Just the best thai food. I had the salmon curry noodle dish. Such a good choice on a rare rainy california day. I also had the thai iced tea and the mango sticky rice. Best decisions of my life. The nuance of flavors and the friendliness of the staff is incredible. Delish all the way.

This modernized Thai food place makes food fresh to order. Hand made juices, lots of appetizers, and self seating. Last visit I had drunken noodles and Thai black tea lemonade.

The food was so good and the portions were big. Took left overs back to my airbnb to eat later.

Iwona

I ordered takeout from here and it was really good. They offer vegan Beyond Meat options, which is great. The Thai spicy level is no joke.

jake wong

It is at the corner of Melrose and poinsettia, I love the vibe here, and the food came out faster than what the waitress said, food is very tasty, and the lechee thai tea is fantastic, I will definitely come again when I am near

Christina Rackohn

Absolute favorite Thai spot in the city! I don’t think I’ve had food this good since I was in Thailand. All of the dishes are bursting with flavor, perfectly seasoned and very generous portions. The flavors are very true not Americanized, which I really appreciate. Current favorites are the pad see ew, papaya, salad, green curry, grapow gai with egg, and of course, a mango sticky rice when it’s in season! Cute spot for a casual lunch/dinner, and definitely worth getting takeout if you’re not feeling up for it

Ryan N

Summer Buffalo is our favorite Thai restaurant in the area and we've tried many. We're pretty basic and always get the summer rolls to start followed by the Pad Thai and Pad See Ew for our mains. For dessert we often get the Mangi Sticky Rice. All of the above are delicious. The only criticism I can come up with is that I wish the tofu in the Pad See Ew was crispy.

Mariah Go Chua

I have been going here for years and they never fail. It is by far my favorite Thai in Los Angeles. The prices are fair, the ingredients are fresh, and I have been so happy about their recent beyond meat additions to the menu!

Matt Curaming

Not gonna lie, this place is actually a great addition to the eateries at Melrose...and compared to the most places here, it's affordable. Food is tasty, has a great variety, and they have lunch specials. Definitely would be back to try more things. Only got to try the Pad See Ew, Sweet and Tangy Wings, and the Grilled Pork Butt with a side of rice.

Luis Mariduena

The food is really good, I would say very good quality. Even the name doesn't sell as a Thai food restaurant it has been a good decision coming in by first time and won't be the last. The service is fast and friendly. I recommend to try the Mango & Avocado Shrimp Salad 🥗👌🏻

Robert Stephens

It was great!! A small, laid back corner spot. They have some indoor and outdoor seating. Unique selection of fresh food. Friendly service and fair prices.

Bill Flanigan

Had larb and khao soi gai and loved both! These are two super delicious, super authentic dishes that a lot of Thai places don't bother with. I love that SB has them, and they were both punchy, balanced, and oh so savory. I also liked the atmosphere and service!

Mary Aracena

YUM. Just the best thai food. I had the salmon curry noodle dish. Such a good choice on a rare rainy california day. I also had the thai iced tea and the mango sticky rice. Best decisions of my life. The nuance of flavors and the friendliness of the staff is incredible. Delish all the way.

Ren Jawa

This modernized Thai food place makes food fresh to order. Hand made juices, lots of appetizers, and self seating. Last visit I had drunken noodles and Thai black tea lemonade.

Arianna Gaffney

The food was so good and the portions were big. Took left overs back to my airbnb to eat later.

This is a nice, small, quaint place with great service and delicious food. It's a smaller, more intimate type of restaurant that serves Thai food. I was with my daughter and we both had the Thai Tea which was very good. We ordered egg rolls for an appetizer, then she had the Snow Crab Meat Fried Rice and I had the Garlic Chicken Noodle. We both were full after eating just half of our meals so we were able to bring the other half home. The female server was really pleasant and helpful (didn't catch her name) but she saw my daughter looked cold as we came in from a day event and my daughter had on a short sleeve shirt but we were seated at a table by the door and there was a cool draft coming in. So the server turned on the heat in the restaurant just for my daughter. And she was sure to check on us throughout eating our meal to make sure we were good. I'd definitely return. My daughter had been here before but it had been a long time and she wasn't sure if it was still there or where it had moved to, when we stumbled upon it. There is 2 hour street parking nearby and a few metered spots, but must be careful as there's also permit parking too. But the 2 hr parking is available in the permit parking area but can't park there between 8pm and 8am. There's also a paid parking lot behind the restaurant that I saw cost $12 (we parked on the street during the 2 hr allowance).

Summer Buffalo on Melrose is one of those rare spots that delivers every time. The food is consistently flavorful, fresh, and beautifully presented. I’ve had several dishes here, but the Pad See Ew and Panang Curry are standouts—bold, comforting, and perfectly balanced. Spice levels are on point too, so don't be afraid to ask for medium or hot if you're into heat. The vibe is casual but cute, perfect for a low-key dinner or catching up with friends. Staff is always friendly and attentive without being overbearing. Parking can be a little tricky (hey, it’s Melrose), but the food more than makes up for it. A must-visit if you're craving Thai in LA.

Ari

I miss the salt and pepper wings. But the food and thai teas are top shelf!

Jacob Rosalez

Summer Buffalo on Melrose is one of those rare spots that delivers every time. The food is consistently flavorful, fresh, and beautifully presented. I’ve had several dishes here, but the Pad See Ew and Panang Curry are standouts—bold, comforting, and perfectly balanced. Spice levels are on point too, so don't be afraid to ask for medium or hot if you're into heat. The vibe is casual but cute, perfect for a low-key dinner or catching up with friends. Staff is always friendly and attentive without being overbearing. Parking can be a little tricky (hey, it’s Melrose), but the food more than makes up for it. A must-visit if you're craving Thai in LA.

katherine quinn

This is a nice, small, quaint place with great service and delicious food. It's a smaller, more intimate type of restaurant that serves Thai food. I was with my daughter and we both had the Thai Tea which was very good. We ordered egg rolls for an appetizer, then she had the Snow Crab Meat Fried Rice and I had the Garlic Chicken Noodle. We both were full after eating just half of our meals so we were able to bring the other half home. The female server was really pleasant and helpful (didn't catch her name) but she saw my daughter looked cold as we came in from a day event and my daughter had on a short sleeve shirt but we were seated at a table by the door and there was a cool draft coming in. So the server turned on the heat in the restaurant just for my daughter. And she was sure to check on us throughout eating our meal to make sure we were good. I'd definitely return. My daughter had been here before but it had been a long time and she wasn't sure if it was still there or where it had moved to, when we stumbled upon it. There is 2 hour street parking nearby and a few metered spots, but must be careful as there's also permit parking too. But the 2 hr parking is available in the permit parking area but can't park there between 8pm and 8am. There's also a paid parking lot behind the restaurant that I saw cost $12 (we parked on the street during the 2 hr allowance).

The food was delicious. However I like thai food when it is a little more savory than sweet, and this restaurant goes to the sweeter side of things. The interior of the place is very charming and cute. It's a little on the pricer side too.

Nice staff, pleasant space, and somewhat unusual dishes. The curry dumplings were great and they will make them vegetarian if you ask. The almond tofu was fun but not earth-shattering. The peanut dressing on the summer was tasty and the ingredients very fresh. One issue was that the air conditioning didn't see be powerful enough on the very hot day we came. It was hot and steamy inside.

Went couple times during lunch . They offer lunch special dishes which comes with Salad and spring roll. Friendly service and good tasting Thai food. Had pad thai chicken (slightly sweet ) and beef Curry, both are good. Will be trying other dishes next time.

The cooks definitely pay attention to detail. The recipes are sophisticated,....tasty not bland. But overall the two curry dishes we tried (vegetable tofu green curry and beef panang curry) were just a tad too sweet. The chicken fried rice was also a bit too sweet. But the drunken noodles were very very good.

Well priced & modern Thai restaurant.

This was my first time here. A great local Thai place. Menu is simple but flavorful. We ordered a bunch of dishes and shared. Everything was good and even had leftovers to take home.

The best buffalo wings I had in my life, recommend it to all !

I finally checked out Summer Buffalo after my sister kept raving about it had to see what the hype was about! I ordered the tofu pad Thai with extra sauce and the mango sticky rice. The pad Thai was solid the extra sauce definitely helped. The mango sticky rice was good but I wish it was juicier? Maybe a bit more of the coconut sauce could’ve made it less dry. That said, the space itself is really cute dark, cozy, with a nice ambiance. And the staff is SO sweet and welcoming. Seriously, thank you for being so kind! Not mind-blowing, but overall a really good experience. I’d come back!

**Takeout review** 4.5 stars. I got beef panang curry, hub's got pad kee may (drunken noodles). Apps were grilled pork butt and frog legs. Splurged on the herb drinks - ginger lemonade and lemongrass (they didn't have the lotus root). The curry was sooooo delicious and just so yummy! The beef was a bit too dry. Pork butt was exactly what you get at the Vietnamese restaurants (lemongrass) - mouth watering but so not worth the price! It was barely any meat in such a big container! Drunken noodle was okay but I've had better. Frog legs are so yum but would be better if a bit more crunchy and not so chewy.

Abeera khan

I finally checked out Summer Buffalo after my sister kept raving about it had to see what the hype was about! I ordered the tofu pad Thai with extra sauce and the mango sticky rice. The pad Thai was solid the extra sauce definitely helped. The mango sticky rice was good but I wish it was juicier? Maybe a bit more of the coconut sauce could’ve made it less dry. That said, the space itself is really cute dark, cozy, with a nice ambiance. And the staff is SO sweet and welcoming. Seriously, thank you for being so kind! Not mind-blowing, but overall a really good experience. I’d come back!

Carmen Chan

**Takeout review** 4.5 stars. I got beef panang curry, hub's got pad kee may (drunken noodles). Apps were grilled pork butt and frog legs. Splurged on the herb drinks - ginger lemonade and lemongrass (they didn't have the lotus root). The curry was sooooo delicious and just so yummy! The beef was a bit too dry. Pork butt was exactly what you get at the Vietnamese restaurants (lemongrass) - mouth watering but so not worth the price! It was barely any meat in such a big container! Drunken noodle was okay but I've had better. Frog legs are so yum but would be better if a bit more crunchy and not so chewy.

Small thia restaurant. The service was superb! My tom yum soup was spot on delicious! The pad ke ma was a little mushy BUT the flavor was delicious! Would definitely come back.

Beef curry was really delicious, thought the service was quite good and they had an interesting menu. Clean bathroom and restaurant. Wish they had more seating options but overall was super happy with the food and service. I didn’t think the curry was as “sweet” as some reviewers mentioned and thought the food was high quality, and a good price for the generous portion. Loved the bok choy garnish and the brown rice was beautiful. Update: We were coming here at least once a month, including for an anniversary, but the last time we were here the service was terrible. We understand that they are short staffed but we have never had an issue before. Also, the dish we had an issue with (just your typical old Pad Thai) was basically almost hard sugar coated noodles with no "char" on them and were basically inedible. The waitress never checked on us during the meal. The waitress then tried to argue when I told her that the dish wasn't good that she'd only give a partial refund and then told me after I pointed out that the noodles were just moved around and barely eaten that I should have told her it wasn't good before. She never came to the table once while we were eating so I guess one of us was supposed to track her down and do her job for her. Could have done without the weird attitude or the bad food. A shame because we have recommended this restaurant to other people and enjoyed going there. An off night is one thing but at least be apologetic when customers are unsatisfied. Also, the bathrooms are no longer clean. Update: They have improved since this review and it looks like the restaurant is maybe less short staffed and doing better. Food and service are back to normal and so are the restrooms.

I loved this restaurant! The food is delicious. I ordered Larb with chicken. I don't know how they made it so tart, salty and flavorful, but I was thoroughly impressed. My one issue with the restaurant was that there wasn't much seating, it was cramped, and when the door opens, it creates a wind tunnel that is unpleasant to sit in. We had to move tables because of it.

CRYSTAL VALENCIA

Small thia restaurant. The service was superb! My tom yum soup was spot on delicious! The pad ke ma was a little mushy BUT the flavor was delicious! Would definitely come back.

Kate Shaefer

I loved this restaurant! The food is delicious. I ordered Larb with chicken. I don't know how they made it so tart, salty and flavorful, but I was thoroughly impressed. My one issue with the restaurant was that there wasn't much seating, it was cramped, and when the door opens, it creates a wind tunnel that is unpleasant to sit in. We had to move tables because of it.

R.M.

Beef curry was really delicious, thought the service was quite good and they had an interesting menu. Clean bathroom and restaurant. Wish they had more seating options but overall was super happy with the food and service. I didn’t think the curry was as “sweet” as some reviewers mentioned and thought the food was high quality, and a good price for the generous portion. Loved the bok choy garnish and the brown rice was beautiful. Update: We were coming here at least once a month, including for an anniversary, but the last time we were here the service was terrible. We understand that they are short staffed but we have never had an issue before. Also, the dish we had an issue with (just your typical old Pad Thai) was basically almost hard sugar coated noodles with no "char" on them and were basically inedible. The waitress never checked on us during the meal. The waitress then tried to argue when I told her that the dish wasn't good that she'd only give a partial refund and then told me after I pointed out that the noodles were just moved around and barely eaten that I should have told her it wasn't good before. She never came to the table once while we were eating so I guess one of us was supposed to track her down and do her job for her. Could have done without the weird attitude or the bad food. A shame because we have recommended this restaurant to other people and enjoyed going there. An off night is one thing but at least be apologetic when customers are unsatisfied. Also, the bathrooms are no longer clean. Update: They have improved since this review and it looks like the restaurant is maybe less short staffed and doing better. Food and service are back to normal and so are the restrooms.

Meh. Very underwhelmed by the food. We had the chicken larb and the orange chicken. Flavor wasn't anything special. The decor was really cute and the server was super nice. I don't see myself going out of my way to eat here again.

Stumbled upon Summer Buffalo for dinner and had a mixed experience. They were severely understaffed and we didn't mind waiting or the hectic service. Unfortunately, however, we ordered their beyond meat pad see ew and specifically asked for it to be vegan (no egg). Didn't realize when it arrived that it had egg in it and my partner, who is a vegan of 4 years, was eating the egg, which really made her feel off. The kitchen made us another one but unfortunately the staff weren't very apologetic nor did they offer any kind of compensation. It concerns me for people who might have allergies. At the end, our bill had vegan (no egg) written on it, so it's worrying that the kitchen aren't reading the orders properly. No fault from the front of house staff who were doing their best with little help. Food was tasty but the evening was spoilt by the mistake. When a restaurant advertises that they are vegan friendly (and states this specifically on their vegan friendly menu), it's disappointing when egg or meat products are given to customers.

Chicken was dry. Sat for about 10-12 minutes before anyone took our order and there was one other table. Waitress was busy with phone orders. Didn't offer us water and had to chase for it. Disappointing all around. They utilize a parking in the back? That was also a bit confusing if you had to pay or not.