We fell in love with Basant last night during Chicago Restaurant Week 2026. First of all the interior is very well decorated, earthy, and cute. Seats and tables are comfortable and service is quick with attentive servers. All of their cocktails were unique, beautiful, and flavorful. -Gulabo (left): was a light and refreshing vodka cocktail super cute and pink -Pink Palace (right): mezcal that will make your heart melt, especially after trying the raspberry salt coated rim -Hari Pari: Reaallly good, I don't like gin so I subbed for vodka and I was very pleased -Let's Get Tammered: My husband was obsessed with the heat from this one -Punjab da sher: Husband loved this as well The dinner menu was a great sampler of what the restaurant has to offer and honestly we loved everything that we tried. Star of the show would have to be the fish basant, super crispy and with a little bit of heat. The vindaloo pork belly tonkatsu was so well cooked and crispy on the outside but light on the inside. Make sure to order garlic naan on the side, we wish we ordered a second portion to take home that's how good it was. Definitely check them out, it's being added to the rotation for us. read more

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Had a chance to visit this place for dinner and had absolute fun! It is an upscale Indian bistro so make sure to have reservations before hand. The service was decent even though the place was crowded at the peak hour. Absolutely amazing ambience with light music and sufficient lighting. We ordered lot of drinks and couple appetizers with two mania. All the four dishes were delicious including the drinks !! I will definitely visit again! read more

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Super friendly service, nice space, delicious food and drinks, what more can you ask for? We walked in without a reservation on a Friday night and snagged the last patio table available. Everything we ordered was interesting and delicious, from the starters to the mains and drinks. Would definitely come back for more! read more

Basant Modern Indian - Lots of seating inside and cute outside patio space too - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Basant is one of my favorite restaurants in the city! The staff are always so kind and the chef is incredible--very accommodating for food allergies. He even came to our table to check if the modifications were to our liking. I cannot recommend Basant enough because the food is stellar. The vibes of both the indoor and outdoor seating are incredible--the ambiance is set perfectly by great decor and lightening. Perfect for a date night, girls night out, or to celebrate and birthday or special occasion. Shoutout to the whole team, but particularly Sloan. Sloan slays! read more

Basant Modern Indian - Chicken Basant - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came here for the Diwali menu -- specifically, to try the Raj Kachori. I absolutely loved it, the filling was perfect, but the dish definitely needed a lot more yogurt to be more authentic. I also liked the mushroom kulcha, thought it felt too dry and didn't taste like truffle enough. The bread quality is really good, but the flavor was too mild. Paneer was good, but could be more spicy. Overall, food was good though! read more

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We have reserved expectations when visiting an Indian restaurant because being Indian, we have a tough benchmark of enjoying a good Indian meal. I'm so happy to share that Basant managed to delight us all. We were a party of 6 celebrating my father-in-law's birthday with brother-in-law also flying in from NYC. The hostess was sweet and readied a corner table when she saw the notes to give our family some privacy. I was impressed how the server anticipated our needs as we requested bowls for the Raita, or naan to be extra hot and crispy. The flavors of the food were absolutely incredible, though rich. The quantities were apt for family-style sharing. My one disappoint was that despite us having his birthday in the notes and ordering two desserts, they didn't put a candle or anything for him. Hope you take this feedback into consideration because that would've made the whole experience a lot more memorable. read more

Went there on a weekend for a dinner. Ordered 1. mango cocktail- was good with a kick in it. 2. Panner tikka- was ok. I have had better panner tikka at other places. 3. Jackfruit cutlets- really good. Loved it. 4. Chicken makhni- was ok. Too much tomatoes gravy.. 5. Dal makhni- average taste. Had better taste than this at other indian restaurants 6. Malai kofta- again ok. Nothing exceptional. 7. Gulam jamun cheesecake- was good. Over all didnt match the expectations. read more

I LOVE Indian food. I was so excited to try Basant. My friend and I came in early to Sit at the bar and catch up on life. We ordered two drinks off of the happy hour menu, and the drinks were very yummy. We ordered the fish and chips as well and honestly the fish was just okay. My friend and I then moved to the dining room for dinner. This is when the wheels fell off. We wanted to try a few different things so we ordered Dahi Bhalla and Chicken Paneer Malai Cilantro. I have never taken one bite from food and said "EWWWW" the Dahi Bhalla was shockingly bad. I don't send food back but this was BAD and we sent it back. I had better hopes for the Chicken Paneer but this is where the food got even worse. The chicken tasted like it came from Costco frozen section and the flavors were just all off. Nothing seemed fresh or like real Indian flavors. This is where we drew the line. We immediately expressed our disappointment to our waitress and asked for our bill. The waitress then took more than 10minutes just to bring the check, I'm pretty sure she forgot us. We had our coats on standing at our table in a not so busy restaurant. My friend had to go get her and get the check. After we went to another restaurant to get a really good meal. read more

Basant has become one of my go-to spots, especially on Sundays--it strikes the perfect balance between modern Indian cuisine and comforting classics. The vibe is chic yet welcoming, and the menu never disappoints. Sunday Favorites: Kichad Chole Bhature (Sunday Special) - Absolutely soul-soothing. The bhature is fluffy and perfectly fried, and the chole is rich, spiced just right, and deeply satisfying. It's the kind of dish that makes you plan your next Sunday visit before you've even finished eating. Samosa - Crisp on the outside, flavorful and well-spiced inside--classic and done really well. Mushroom Truffle Naan - This one's a game-changer. Buttery, earthy, and indulgent, it pairs perfectly with any curry or even on its own. Cocktails - The drinks here are surprisingly great--well-balanced, creative, and just strong enough to keep things fun. Perfect for pairing with bold Indian flavors. The ambiance is cozy yet modern, making it a great spot for anything from a casual weekend lunch to a slightly fancier night out. If you're looking for a thoughtful twist on Indian food with a side of great drinks and warm vibes, Basant is a must--especially on a Sunday. read more

Basant Modern Indian - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Looking for a great dining experience and phenomenal modern Indian food? you cannot go wrong by visiting Basant. If you have been to the Brigadiers in London, you may find some similarities in the taste profile. Everything on the menu that we tried was outstanding. I've never had a more succulent fish tikka. The fish and chips were as good as it gets, bursting with a host of flavors.The aloo tikki with tamarind sauce and mint chutney was very flavorful. The chana masala is different than what you might expect, but it's a pleasant change. However, some may not like it due to the spice profile and it being on the drier side if you're used to the classic chana masala. The cocktails were very well crafted, and I loved the Eastern touch to the Western ingredients. Overall, Basant offers a unique and delightful dining experience that I highly recommend. We will definitely be back to try more of the menu! read more

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Truly exceptional from the moment you get there. Cozy interior, wonderful and knowledgeable staff, top-tier drinks and the food was out of this world. We will definitely be returning. read more

Basant Modern Indian - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What the kheer is this? It's giving prison and not in the fun way. Though it had a nice taste, it was water as h-e-doublehockysticks read more

Basant Modern Indian - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Basant had a really pretty dining room. The patio is pretty too. It's nice when a place takes the time to make the outdoor space special. Went twice-service was good the first time. Second time our server didn't seem to know much about the menu. The food is good but nothing stood out as super delicious. Pretty standard fare. Nice area to walk around after you eat. read more

Basant is one of my favorite Indian restaurants in Chicago. The decor is gorgeous, from the lighting to the wall art, to the gorgeous bar- it's so pretty inside. The service is pretty quick, and the staff are quite friendly. The best part is obviously the food. As a vegetarian, I've tried almost every vegetarian dish on the menu since I've been here over 5 times. My favorites are the mushroom Kulcha, the Chana masala, and the Malai kofta. They make lovely mocktails/cocktails that are flavorful and a good size for the price. I go back every few months and can't wait to go back. read more

Basant Modern Indian - Malai Kofta, Eggplant Bharta - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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One sentence review: From the quality of the food to the delightful service, perhaps the best dining experience I've had in 2023. I'll start by saying I am not a connoisseur of Indian cuisine. I've had the basics over the years, and ate many a masala at friends' houses as a kid. Some of those early experiences, like many, kept me at arm's length - but that's simply because they didn't taste like the food at Basant. We started with the Gobi Manchurian and the garlic naan, a delightful pairing enhanced by the absolutely incredible "complex red sauce" adorning our crispy cauliflower koftlas. Delicate with stunning depth of flavor, the layers of chili, garlic, ginger, and more make this sauce a standout - we were strategizing on having enough leftover for our naan, as well as seeing how it could be the base of a great pasta sauce or salsa. Jar that up and I'd be first in line to stock up. While we were deciding on an entree, we enjoyed the Chana Masala, an Old Delhi bean dish with brown sauce that we ate so fast we almost had a second round of. Absolutely delicious, almost like an Indian pasta e fagioli in some ways with the taste and texture of the beans. Another delicious dish that impressed us even more. The Saag was equally delicious, essentially an Indian pesto made with proprietary greens, another dish with layers of depth and complexity, atop perhaps the best cooked Jasmine rice I've ever had in my life. It's the kind of dish you almost have to force yourself to stop eating because it's so delicious - we actually had to do so as we simply kept wanting another bite. The service was great too, super friendly and attentive, and able to help guide you through unfamiliar dishes or ingredients. Our server was Mira, who was delightful. It's so rare to be blown away by a meal at this point, especially at these price points. We split four dishes and had two cocktails, and were out of there for about $100. And the meal and experience stay with you - on the walk home, we were texting people about it, thinking back to the last time we felt like this after a meal (Safta in Denver back when it opened in 2022). This is one of those restaurants that instantly goes in the rotation. The only problem is going to be forcing ourselves to try something else on the menu, knowing how delicious and nearly perfect all of these dishes were. read more

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Very good Indian. Cocktails left a little to be desired but food was spot on. Would consider just doing tapas style with the apps next time read more

The cocktails were so creative, the hari pari was definitely the favorite! All the dishes we shared and were so flavorful. Our favorite was the pork belly achari, definitely don't skip it! Only dish we were slightly disappointed by was the mushroom kulcha with truffle garlic butter-- none of the flavors were really apparent, we actually ended up confusing it with the naan. Would definitely come back, some of the best Indian food I've had in Chicago. read more

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Basant truly offers delicious creative modern Indian dishes with great accompaniments. Love all their chutney sauces. Pork Belly Vindaloo Tonkatsu is a great dish and love the plum sauce! Great ambiance- clean and amazing service from both FOH and BOH. We like to order a lot of their appetizers and share an entree or two. Of course add some garlic Naan and Jasmine rice to the mix and it's perfect. read more

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We really enjoyed our experience at Basant Modern Indian. We gave them a try for the neighborhood restaurant week. The food was amazing, the drinks were great, and it was beautiful inside too. Win, win, win. Our only regret is not knowing about this place sooner. read more

Took my boyfriend here for his birthday and we loved this place a lot. We ordered the gobi manchurian, lamb shank, and channa masala along with a cocktail. My favorite was the gobi manchurian because of the sauce. I have no idea how they do it, but it's a super tasty sauce that gives a very good spicy kick at the end so as you keep eating it you'll just keep feeling the heat. They're really good with the sauces at this place. The lamb shank was PERFECT, but a little too heavy. The meat fell right off the bone as it should and I was blown away on how they marinate it. If you're into slow cooked meats that fall off the bone then this is your kind of dish at this place! The oil from the dish definitely made a bit too heavy for the both of us but I STILL LOVED IT! The food here is freaking amazing! We came back a different day because we were just in the mood for some Indian food and this place immediately pops up. The ambiance is very romantic/intimate and the workers here are very nice. They are able to answer any questions you have about the menu as well as try to recommending you items to try whether it is your first time or returning customer. I cannot wait to be back here! Parking was free and we never parked anywhere farther than a block away or around the corner! We parked across the street the first time we came here and it was amazing! read more

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We loved Basant's food. It was creative and delicious. Unfortunately, they have a very real problem with noise. We didn't return with a party of 4 because we knew we wouldn't be able to talk. read more

When you walk in you are struck by the design-- it's a gorgeous spot. Our server was wonderful and anticipated our needs. The food was fantastic but what I was really obsessed with were their mocktails! The cocktails were good too as I tasted everyone's but I ordered strictly mocktails and I was blown away. I can't wait to return! read more

Wanted to tried this restaurant from a while back, I tried this restaurant with my husband over dinner. I feel the food is more Americanised. We started off with Khule Aam, Azadi Time pass for drinks and for appies we had Jackfruit Cutlets and Chicken Malai Cilantro. The food was decent in taste. For main course we had Saag Paneer and Chicken Basant again the food was just average in taste and we felt that the chicken was cooked separately and then mixed with the sauce. I feel in terms of taste of food this place is little overhyped or may be I was hoping for more authenticity in terms of flavours. The ambiance was amazing and the service was fabulous. I would say try this place and see it for yourself! read more

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Came here for a random date night after finding a reddit thread discussing the best indian food in the city. Was seated on the patio, which was absolutely perfect, although inside seemed like it wasn't too loud.. The food was all phenomenal and our server was really fun and playful. We don't normally drink with indian food, but all of the drinks looked amazing/unique.. so we went for it. I got something with dill and a lot of citrus that our server said was her favorite drink- it paired perfectly and was absolutely delicious.. I could have easily drank a second one. Overall, it was a top tier experience. I can't wait to come back.. read more

Basant Modern Indian - some sort of spicy fried chicken - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Basant has amazing cocktails and appetizers but the food left much to be desired. On a whim, my boyfriend and I grabbed a table on a weeknight at Basant after admiring the lights and patio while walking by. We were seated right away and the vibe inside did not disappoint. The decor is modern and definitively Indian-inspired, which was a fun and romantic backdrop for our date night. Service was friendly. We ordered cocktails and they were inventive, strong and well-balanced - 10/10. We ordered the Aloo Tikki to share and kick us off and it was crispy and flavorful. This was hands down the best dish of the night. To round out our meal, we also ordered the fish basant, chicken makhani, and garlic naan. While we enjoyed the garlic naan, the fish and chicken was over cooked and quite dry. The portions were also incredibly small, which was pretty disappointing since prices are on the higher end. Overall, we would return if we needed a north side spot for apps and drinks, but would skip having any full meals. There are plenty of Indian restaurants where the value is better or the food is simply more tasty. read more

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Basant - what's to say. The Pan drink had me hooked the day I first visited over five years ago. Over repeated trips I have tried a vast majority of their menu. Each item meticulously prepared, delicious and tasty. Now I have seen many Indian restaurants, but Basanth brings Indian food with class, consistency and - seriously that Batura is truly amazing. If you are looking for an Indian restaurant with a fresh look and taste - it's here. read more

Second time here as the menu tends to rotate. The lamb chops were amazing and a must try. We had a reservation but depending on the day it seems you can possibly get by as a walk in. It is a smaller sized restaurant and tables are rather close. The decor was beautiful and had a modern Indian restaurant vibe. I'd definitely give it a try if you like Indian with a twist. The chai espresso martini was so good too. The food wasn't too spicey at all which is awesome for those who can't handle so much spice either. Definitely will come back here again sometime. Daal Makhani was really good, along with the malai kofta and pork belli achari. The gulab jamun cheesecake however was disappointing it was literally just cheesecake with half of a gulab jamun. The cheesecake itself wasn't infused with anything make it plain. read more

Basant Modern Indian - Lamb chops and fries, old fashioned and chai espresso - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been fortunate to try a few fine dining and contemporary Indian places in Chicago but Basant blew me away. Delicious rotating seasonal menu, spicy offerings, drinks were great and service spot on. read more

Basant Modern Indian - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went here on a weekend afternoon to try their diwali menu. Ambiance was awesome with a really clean and friendly staffs.Coming to food. It was supposed to be special curated menu. For appetizers we had the raj kachori and chettinad chicken fry which was excellent. For mains we got lamb shank biriyani, kheema mutter , masala poori with raswala aloo. The mains all of them were lower than average. It was not authentic and the taste was toned down and Americanized. Biriyani was bland. Kheema mutter was dry and not spicy. Coming to raswala aloo it is supposed to be the easiest dish and even a average restaurant can make this but unfortunately it wasn't tasty. Overall really average food. Seeing the reviews I had such high hopes but i was disappointed. read more

Three of us enjoyed a spectacular New Year's Eve meal here. We ordered so much food that we recreated a thali meal sans the small bowls and any need to replenish. Our favorites included the chicken malai cilantro, lamb gustaba, fish Basant, and yellow dal. Cocktails--particularly the Pink Palace--were delicious. Service was impeccable. 10/10 read more

Very good food and drinks. First class service. Sexy atmosphere. NOTE: Beware they may decide to an early closing while people are still eating at 8pm! read more

I was so excited to check out this modern Indian food. We get seated quickly and the ambiance was welcoming and cheerful- they had beautiful Diwali decorations! We ordered the apps and drinks first and everything was good, not amazing though. I was a little disappointed by the paneer cilantro app- the texture was rich but the flavors just weren't there. The mushroom kulcha was also lacking the mushroom flavor and was pretty much like a normal kulcha with truffle oil. The fries were good! The drinks were the best part! The o sanam was flowery and sweet while the rum chuski was strong and took you back to the villages of India. For main entrees, the paneer makhani was a good portion and came with rice. However, it was very mild and tomato forward, instead of creamy. The chicken was much better! Overall, I loved the drinks and the vibes but wasn't super impressed with the food for the prices they were charging. read more

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Chilli chicken - 2.5/5 ( will try paneer next) Mushroom kulcha - 4.5/5 (delicious!) Aloo tikki chat - 2/5 (average) Hope they include more vegetarian dishes! read more

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This was an overall good experience across the board. We ordered 2 apps and 4 dishes for 4 people (this was a bit overboard and we had quite a bit left over) The food was great (I highly recommend ordering the saag paneer) . The staff was friendly and the outdoor space was really nice as well. read more

If you want to experience excellent Indian food in elegant surroundings served by waitstaff that understand and know the food really well. The ambience is wonderful and the noise level not so overpowering that you can hear each other talk I strongly recommend this restaurant if you're in the area or even if you're not, and just feel like having Indian food in Chicago. They keep the menu limited to a few items that they do really well. read more

The food here was excellent. Definitely worth coming back. Perfectly spiced and flavorful without burning out your mouth. Cocktail menu is unusual and worth trying something new! Chai Tai cocktail dusted with nutmeg and is like a Christmas delight. It's quite filling! Pink Palace is a nice, refreshing cocktail. Chana Masala side (with chunks of potato and tomato) was the same size as the entree portion, but no protein or rice. Saag Paneer had big lovely paneer pieces. Rice came with the saag was perfect. The single saag entree, Chana side, and mushroom naan appetizer was plenty for 2 people. The service could be improved. The hostess was obviously struggling with the seating software and was a little short when we touched base after 5ish min since she hadn't acknowledged us. The waiter had not tried most of the menu and needed to read over our shoulder to be sure he got the thing we asked for (lots of pointing, no saying of the menu items). The waiter also rarely came by and we got our food over an hour after we were seated. We ended up being there for many hours, which worked fine for my night but would have been very frustrating in a different situation. The timing issues seem like a learning thing and they were doing a hopping take our business with only a few people seated in the dining area - so I expect in a few weeks they will figure it all out and the service will live up to the food. read more

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The reason i am giving 4 star and not 5 star is because the staff was not very accommodating in seating. I made the reservation about 10 days in advance and mentioned its for a family Birthday dinner, but they still seated us on a table that was in the middle of the restaurant near the bar area. When asked, if we can seat in the corner cozy couch area (which was empty) , the lady (not sure if she was owner or not) said no. Instead they said you can sit near the kitchen entrance. They should have been more considerate. Food: Food was actually very good. All the items we ordered came out really good except one Jackfruit Cutlet: we ordered that and the server did not tell us how many come in a order. For 5 of us, they gave 2 Cutlets. Usually restaurants tell or ask, if we want to order more based on the quantity. Mushroom Kulcha: it was good but it could have been served with butter gravy. It was too dry to eat it by itself. Chicken Basant: I personally didn't try but who ate said it was super amazing. Daal Makhani: it was also amazing. Chana Masala: My favorite. I just loved them. They were kind of how i liked them back in India. Jalfrezi: it was not good. I don't know why they decided to put water in it. It should be dry Everything overall in food was really good. Its little far from my place to go casually but i will consider it again for some occasion. read more

Basant Modern Indian - Our Dinner - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was really excited to try this place, very modern designed restaurant. It closed at 9pm on a Saturday night, which was rather early - but I assume it's the area since most businesses were closed by 9pm. The Order: - Drinks: (1) Paan Chicagowala, and (2) Hari Pari - Appetizer: (1) Sweet Potato Chaat, (2) Tomato Lemon Shorba Soup - Entree: Takka Tai with Paneer - Sides: (1) Cucumber Raita, (2) Garlic Naan, and (3) Plain Naan The entire cocktail list is full of unique creations, that everything sounded delicious. We went with the house favorites - and both were absolutely phenomenal. The Paan Chicagowala had the flavor of paan without the true after taste of paan. Fun Fact: The bartender, Taylor, created the Paan Chicagowala! We ordered "unique" dishes on their menu. The Tomato Lemon Shorba Soup is the type of tomato soup you would find at a restaurant in India - it was warm, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. I didn't enjoy the Sweet Potato Chaat - it was steamed sweet potato with indian spices. I was expecting a chaat with a crunch and additional flavors. The Takka Tak happens to be a top seller, but it was not as flavorful or spiced as Indian food traditionally is. Unfortunately, they were out on the Gulab Jamun Cheesecake. Our waiter said many people come just for this. Excellent service from our waiter (Scott) and bartender (Taylor). Overall, I think this restaurant was designed for non-indian flavor palettes. If you don't come in for the food, definitely come in for a drink! read more

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Really good Indian food! The items are not overly spicy and have a good balance of flavors. The malai kofta and tandoori chicken were really good. The place is beautiful and the service was great as usual. read more

So good! I randomly popped in tonight to grab take out and it was delicious! Saag paneer and garlic Nan. The interior of the restaurant is elegant and intimate, very tastefully designed. I will be back to dine in. The food was perfectly seasoned and I am excited to try other dishes. read more