Message from Basil Thai
What sets this Thai restaurant apart is its stylish interior crafted by co-owner Todd Sirimongkolvit, an architecture student at UC Berkeley. The wall between the restaurant and the building next door has been opened up with floor-to-ceiling glass bricks, and the large expanses have been broken up with yellow columns. The concrete-topped bar is backed with a midnight-blue wall; the same color is picked up on the glass shades of arched chrome wall sconces on the opposite wall. White tablecloths covered with white paper, bistro-style chairs, a dark wood floor and huge flower arrangements at the door complete the modern look.
Editorial by Citysearch
Good Thai food is not hard to come by in SF; good upscale Thai food--the sort to impress those out-of-state visitors who expect such things in the city--is. Challenging the high-end Thai hegemony currently held by the Osha empire is this Folsom restaurant, stunning in it's modern decor and appetizing in its affordable, authentic Thai cuisine. The airy, minimalist eatery is anchored by a glass brick wall that lets lunchtime crowds bathe in afternoon light while dining on specials of grilled chicken with papaya salad, yellow curry and rice or pan-fried noodles. Dinner is frequently less crowded but no less enjoyable--dishes like chicken wok-fried with the namesake basil, roast duck curry and minced shrimp-and-pork dumplings are palatable for sensitive American palates without losing the bold flavors typical of Thai cuisine. To further enjoy the atmosphere, and perhaps further impress those visitors, stay after dinner and take advantage of the space's full bar.Key Points
- Authentic Thai cuisine
- Modern bistro-style decor
- Wine & dessert offered
The Inside Scoop
- Know Before You Go - Basil has a sister restaurant at 1489 Folsom St. (just a few blocks away) that focuses more on Bangkok-style street food.
- What to Drink - Thai iced tea and iced coffee is almost sickeningly sweet on their own, but combined with some of the spicier dishes, they're a welcome reprieve.
Insider Pages Reviews for Basil Thai
Basil has a nice, modern, and casual atmosphere. The wait-staff was friendly, the food was delicious, and the prices were very reasonable. While the place is certainly white tablecloth, it's still very casual. An Entree will run you about $10-$15.
Whenever I first go to a Thai place, I always get the Pad Thai. This is the standard by which I measure all Thai places. While I a by no means Thai and have never been to Thailand, I can say in my lay opinion that it was really tasty. The prawns were jumbo and well cooked. A definite thumbs up!
They have a full bar and a mixed crowd. I'd definitely go back when I'm down for Thai, South of Market.
Posted 05/01/08 | Report Abuse
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
I've tried lots of Thai restaurants in East Bay and on the Peninsula (Thai Time, Thai Kitchen) and this is my favorite. The ingredients are fresh and wholesome, the food always tasty, and very friendly service. I haven't had one bad dish here....everything from the veggie to fish entrees. I highly recommend the veggie spring rolls and satays -- excellent.On the weekend evenings it can be crowded and loud, especially toward to the back. They are located in SOMA and I have never had a problem finding parking. I've also done take out where I've come to the restaurant and placed an order. They were super quick but invited me to sit at the bar while I waited for the food!
PROS: Moderately priced, good quality ingredients, friendly service
CONS:
Posted 06/26/06 | Report Abuse
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
\ Basil Thai is a refreshing change for a south of market lunch eatery. They serve up tasty thai appetizers and the entrees are just plain fun.
The pad thai is delicious, as is their stuff eggplant dish. In fact, I've heard very few complaints about any of the dishes.
Check it out if you're in SOMA.
Posted 06/23/05 | Report Abuse
Was this review helpful to you?
With your typical white tableclothes and wicker chairs, Basil Thai serves up tasty (if not spicy) thai food. It's almost worth ordering off of the appetizer menu alone. Try the fried shrimp egg rolls and lamb satay.
My favorite entree is the kang gai, with chicken cooked in a yellow curry with basil (what else) and bamboo chips. The pad thai is also delicious, as is their spicy seafood soup. In fact, I've heard very few complaints about any of the dishes.
Check it out if you're in SOMA. The screaming fish by the door are also nice.
Posted 06/21/05 | Report Abuse
Was this review helpful to you?
Latest reviews from Citysearch.
One of the worst meals ever
by rakeshlobster
I don't think I've been to a restaurant this bad in a long time. The skirt steak with peanut sauce arrived cold. The meat was charred (ordered medium) and the peanut sauce was a goopy mess.
Other food on our table was similarly bad.
Cons: Awful, overpriced food.
Posted 05/11/09
Unimpressive food, bad service
by jmand
Lacking in flavor and authenticity. They bring out shrimp chips when you sit down, which was tacky. Unless they are for kids, shrimp chips are really only good as a garnish. Our appetizer, the corn and bean cake fritters, was tasteless and cold. I ordered vegetables in green curry for my entree. The curry should permeate the vegetables and provide rich flavor when it's done right, but these vegetables were tasteless. Even worse, the curry did not contain the spices typically found in curry--it was more like sauce with lots of pepper. Worst of all, however, was the service. When you go to an American restaurant, the waiters don't take away your bread basket. These guys wanted to take away the shrimp chips after we ordered. Also, we had a lot of leftovers at the end of the meal, and the waiter never asked us if we wanted a box, just started gathering the dishes without a word. When we informed him that we wanted to take the leftovers home, I mentioned that I wanted to bring my rice as well. The rice never ended up in my box. Avoid this place. There are much better Thai places in the city, like Narin on Clement.
Cons: Poor service, pretentious
Posted 12/26/06
great music, great food
by akfj
My husband and I just went and really enjoyed it. They have a jazz trio that plays on Monday nights which was a total surprise especially when many restaurants are closed on Mondays. We loved the corn bean cakes for an appetizer. I had the pad see ew which was great but my very-picky-Thai-eater husband had the lamb curry and though he said it could've been spicier, it didn't stop him from wolfing down the whole thing. We parked easily one block away. And then continued on to the Metreon for a movie. Great night!
Posted 08/20/06
Very tasty and pretty cozy setting
by manusse
We were a group of six and sat in the end of the restaurant. The food was very flavorful, tasty and the services was great. I will definitely go back there.
Pros: Great Thai food, very friendly wait staff and good value
Cons: neighborhood is so so and there isn't really anything around to meet for drinks before or after
Posted 08/14/06
mouth watering
by kasalos
SO GOOD SO GOOD SO GOOD. Great food good service, decent bill. What more could you ask for.Except maybe making parking a bti easier but hey its San Francisco, I'll walk anywhere for good food
Pros: YUmmy tiger prawns
Cons: little wait but it was a friday nite
Posted 08/13/06
Bargain Thai without sacrificing ambience
by lsblondie
Living and eating in SoMa can definitely be a challenge on your wallet. Luckily with restaurants like Basil, you can have your dinner date and not break the bank. The best part about this place is that although their prices are low, their service, quality and atmosphere are not. Their flavors are great...and their menu is pretty extensive so you're never at a lack of options.
Pros: Price, street parking available, prompt service
Cons: Not really any
Posted 08/09/06
Great Thai food and value
by fjkahn
Basil is a true find. We had outstanding prawn appetizers, egg plant satay, mushroom on fresh spinach salad and duck in red curry sauce with no wait early on a Sunday evening. It is within walking distance of MOMA, Moscone Center and the Civic Center with lots of on street parking too. Our total bill for a filling and most satisfying meal for two was under $40 before tax. Given the high quality of the food, the prices are hard to beat. Highly recommended.
Pros: Excellent food, Fast service, Inexpensive
Posted 06/12/04
explores the young & hip side of Thai
by gosia0
The food here is indeed very "Thai" but offers a sort of younger, fresher, more hip twist to it rather than the usual traditional. The menu is extremely extensive and you will find many unique dishes not offered in other Thai restaurants. Which makes this a very fun place if you like to venture away from the expected dishes and try something new. We sampled quite a few different dishes and noticed they they are very 'potent' in flavor, sometimes a bit overwhelming, and definately on the sweet side. The only dish we were not crazy about was the Pad Thai which was too sweet. The green curry sauce used in a few dishes was very yummy and tantalizing but again quite 'potent' and best reserved for sharing as you might get tired of the strong flavors.
Pros: Something different, on-street parking
Posted 04/12/04
The BEST catfish!
by vandana_nair
Highly Recommended: the 'catfish sautéed in kaffir red curry paste' - yummmm... the best catfish I have EVER eaten in ANY thai restaurant!
The service is very friendly, and has helpful suggestions.
Pros: food, generous portions
Posted 01/25/04
Bad service
by urbancocoa
I scheduled a large b-day dinner at Basil. The service was horrible. The asst. mgr kept coming up to me during the dinner to tell me that our group hadn't reached the $15/person minimum (a minimum amt he failed to tell me about in our 3 phone conversations prior to the dinner). He said that if we didn't meet the minimum that he would automatically charge us $15 per head including $15 for any seats that were left empty at our table! His (and the waitress') constant badgering ruined the dinner (which, btw, came to $21/person as you would expect a large group dinner to come to - he should've known that the harrassment would be unnecessary).
Posted 09/15/03
One of the best date restaurants in town
by darklockci
Second only to Asqew Grill, I'd say this is about the best place in town to take a typical date. The place is classy, the food is good, service is excellent, the price is reasonable, and the locale is hip (SoMa clubs and bars aplenty are nearby). On Fri. or Sat. night the wait can be long, so get a reservation. Weeknights, the wait, if any at all, is quite short. This is not your typical Thai restaurant, but a very nice, stylish place. NB: They have a full bar.
Pros: good food, reasonable prices, swanky atmosphere
Cons: busy on weekends
Posted 10/29/02
Good lunch option
by daisy14
Great value for lunch specials - from the soup, to the meal, to dessert.
Pros: Good value
Posted 09/12/02
Decent
by mv6198
The food was not impressive and most of their lunch items came out cold. The service was unfriendly. The atmosphere was nice, but there are definitely better thai restaurants in the city.
Cons: Parking
Posted 09/06/02
Far from good Thai
by Bill_C
The mere fact that they have chopsticks and not forks and spoons already on the table is a sure sign that it is not an authentic Thai restaurant. The Thai people use chopsticks only for some noodle dishes and NEVER with rice dishes. Going beyond that technical faux pas, this restaurant has food that is clearly below average. It appears that they spent all their energy, time, and money on the decor and not on producing good food. In short, a place to be avoided.
Posted 08/22/02
Best Pad Thai in town!
by marie1978
Basil is a great place for lunch. I have called in and picked up my meal many a times! The Pad Thai is delicious, and I've tried many through out the city. I would reccomend this place to anyone for a great, quick service, lunch!
Posted 06/25/02
Great example of Thai
by fnordpig
I used to live across the street from this restaurant, and my Thai wife and I used to go here all the time. Although the food is somewhat overpriced, it is a rare example of excellent Thai food. Although ingredients for Thai food are easily accessible in San Francisco, and it isn't such a hard cuisine to master, there are few examples of truely good Thai food here. This is one. The service is generally polite and prompt, although there is one waitress that isn't very polite. Most of the waiters however are very nice and polite, which reminds me a lot of a upper end Bangkok restaurant that caters to westerners.
Pros: Good food, Good service, Good atmosphere
Cons: Parking, Slightly overpriced
Posted 06/11/02
Perfect even for lunch
by Jenifer1
I have only eaten at Basil for lunch and it is delicious. Authentic Thai flavors with a more elegant feel than the average SF Thai restaurant. The yellow chiken curry delicious and extremely fresh, as is everything else. The prices are comparable to regular Thai. The gai kra-prow is also fantasic: ground chicken, eggplant, basil and spices. A must in SOMA.
Posted 06/10/02
Delicious and Pretty
by uncarved
Food is delicious, but servings are not that big. Great atmosphere as well as good place to take out-of-towners. I would recommend their vegetarian dishes, especially the ones with eggplant. Everything is well flavored, but how could it not be with MSG? All in all, I would come back for the experience and the food, but not for the prices.
Posted 05/26/02