Wow, this place is a gem. Thai food here can rival minneapolis I had the basil fried rice and it was very flavorful and delicious. Wouldn't change a thing about it. Egg rolls were just okay in my book. read more

Great food, nice people Lots of variety Vegan and vegetarian friendly Enjoy dining there, and carrying out too read more

Fast, fatastic, tasty food. We love to grab a quick lunch here and there is always enough left over for dinner!

This food is wicked good. I know a few spots in and around Chicago that arent this good in regards to the dishes i ordered.. green curry with chicken LEVEL4.... im yelling level 4... do it. Do it. This is how its supposed to be eaten. Dont be a baby. And basil fried rice with beef... level four... enjoy! read more

Great food all around and a favorite for take out. The restaurant is always full but the most challenging here is finding a place to park.

Great food, beautiful restaurant, and excellent variety of flavors! They have all kinds of noodles and soups of different textures and flavors. The servers are always eager to answer questions and suggest the best options on the menu. We were also there on their anniversary and they offered us a free dessert that they were considering adding to their menu. It was interesting and unique just like all their food. I like to try different things and experience new food and its like each bite of their meals have different flavors. Some dishes like the curry soup or the pho allow you to add sauces and veggies from a seperate plate so experimenting with the different add ins was a lot of fun. read more

I've been having a craving for some pho and found this good Vietnamese, Thai, Laos Restaurant in Appleton, WI. I'm Filipino and I grew up eating a lot of Asian cuisines from all over the world. I can say I've had better food than what they have at Basil Cafe. The menu in the restaurant is above average. I like how there's a description right beneath the entree which makes it easy for other people who aren't accustomed to the type of food. I think the restaurant caters to Caucasians primarily and having a simple, basic menu works best. My wife and I ordered Crab Rangoon, Beef Pho, Chicken Pad Thai, and Mango Sticky Rice. The rangoon was perfect. I love the consistency of the sweet/sour sauce. The Chicken Pad Thai was off the hook, I even ordered 1 to go. The Mango Sticky Rice was at par. My only negative concern is the pho. I'm a pho enthusiast and I can and have eaten pho everyday of the week. The Beef Pho broth was weak. It tastes like they either haven't boiled the beef enough or that they didn't use enough beef bouillon cubes. They give you a very small portion of Thai basil and bean sprouts. The jalapeño was sliced thick and was quite hard. The beef was also sliced thick and came in already fully cooked (I like how in most Pho restaurants I go to, the beef is raw and sliced so thin that it cooks in front of you while submerged in the hot broth). The atmosphere in the place was perfect. I would even classify it as classy dine in. The wait staff looked very professional wearing all black. There is only 1 Asian waitress who takes your order and can answer your questions if any. It was a Saturday night and every table was full. I guess with the location in the Asian district of Appleton, this place is a hit. I will definitely come back and try they're other dishes but I'll still be on a lookout for a great pho restaurant in the Fox Cities area. read more

Wonderful food and attentive service. Tried a Lao dish that was new to us as well as a familiar favorite-pho.

This place never disappoints me. I generally go here with friends at work and have tried a variety of dishes. Of all of them the dishes, signature tilapia is my favorite! Will visit again and definitely recommend to others! read more

Nice look, great food , don't let the outside fool you ! It's a great place and very friendly. The spring rolls were good and the peanut sauce was great , not the watered down peanut butter most places have , it is great for casual, but you would not be out of place if you were dressed up, had the pho vegan, I am kosher and it was nice that it had a lot of vegetarian choices, not a lot of kosher restaurants in the area, kids had Som Tum, she did not like it to sweet for her taste,my other girl had Mee Krob with pork she loved it and they two girls ened up spliting that, portions are big ...thanks basil for the great food and good time, will be back for shure!! read more

First off, I love the food and the people here are super nice. The huge problem here is the logistics. They're bad at estimating wait times. Wait staff seems to lose track of tables resulting in long wait times to order and to get your check. It's way to common to see people seated well after you get their food before you even order. I want to love this place, but they really need someone to reorganize they way they manage the dining room. I'm rooting for this place. They have the makings of something special. I love the food. Just don't go if they're at all busy. read more

I love the fresh rolls are the best appetizer I ever have in Thai restaurant and the water is so refreshing. My husband loves Pad Thai.

Excellent and unique food with quick service. Their coconut infused water is incredibly refreshing, and their portion sizes are generous. My only gripe is their restrictive restaurant hours; they seem to be closed a lot! Still definitely one of our favorite places. read more

My favorite restaurant in Appleton! The peanut sauce is something I crave! It makes me keep coming back. I've also tried about 4 other menu items but I love the peanut sauce so much I end up getting it almost every time I go! read more

I love Basil's food. Especially the green curry and the Pad Thai. I have ordered several dishes and I have loved all of them. I have eaten in the restaurant and have ordered take out and have been pleased with the service. read more

Pho-cure for the common cold! Best chicken soup you can get. Super flavorful broth. Best Pho in Appleton (that I've had at least). If you like Vietnamese food, give this place a try. read more

Yes this is a plain basic building outside, but a pleasant surprise inside. Never judge a restaurant by it's exterior, money should be spent on the inside décor and food. This is the case. The beef jerky marinated for apps was different, a good serving for 4 to taste, was ok but tough....then so goes most jerky. The side of sticky rice in the grandma made rice basket was great. The specialty of beef basil was good, spice lever of 3 was good for me, you can order extra spice on the side, enough of a serving for extra. Again the beef was somewhat tough but good spices. The rice cakes desert were new to me , and very good. They do have a good beer selection and wine, no spirits, not a problem for me. The service was out standing and with the great staff I will be back to tray the options next visit to the area. Overall one of the better Asian food spots in Appleton. read more

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This place is exceptional! Always busy, but service is nonetheless excellent. Prices on the very broad menu are reasonable and the food is outstanding! What more can you ask? Definitely recommend this restaurant! read more

Awesome Vietnamese, Thai, and Lao food. The variety of flavors and offerings will likely surprise locals, as it is not typical of the area. Atmosphere is calm, with an appealing and clean dining area. In my experiences the service has been good to excellent. The food is of the highest quality, and there are expansive options for vegetarians and vegans. Dishes are well adjusted for people who love spice, as well as for those who can't handle it. Do note that this restaurant frequently is closed for holidays and holiday weekends. read more

Lovely atmosphere, fantastic service, and inventive with table water infused with coconut water! Delicious, savory, with tons of choices! I only tried the massaman chicken curry, which was scrumptious! I want to try the tilapia soon! This place epitomizes Wisconsin at its best! Fantastic food, and simple Wisconsin values of honestly great food, sincere service! read more

The food is incredible- authentic, well prepared and fresh. The owners could not be nicer! Definitely requires a stop when in Appleton.

I've tried to eat here on 3 separate occasions. They keep some weird ass schedule. Sometimes not open for weeks at a time. Too bad. I hear their pretty good when they feel like being open. read more

One of my favorite in town so far. If you are craving for Asian food then this is the place to be. Have been here couple of times and had good experience. Only downside for me is that they close by 8:30 PM. Even then I have made an effort to get there before they close. Last time I made it there by 8:15 and still got served, no question asked. And of course the food was good. Service is excellent just like their food. I have tried their Egg Role, Lad Na, Basil Chicken and a soup. Prices are reasonable and definitely a good place to have a satisfying and delicious dinner. read more

Would definitely go out of my way for this spot. Some of the tastiest, authentic Lao food I've ever had. Had the Lao Sukiyaki and it was amazing. MUST try the jeow mak len sauce, it will blow your mind. They infuse their water with coconut essence and it sounds simple, but I would go for that alone. Service was amazing and very friendly. Jay at the bar will take care of any of your needs read more

I have enjoyed Basil Cafe on many occasions but I have a complaint. Today I showed up 10 minutes before their stated closing time and we were turned away. This is the second time that this has happened. Basil already has a very limited set of operating hours and to turn someone away during normal operating hours shows a bit of arrogance that, quite frankly turned me off. My mother owned a restaurant for over thirty years and she NEVER turned away a customer who showed up before the door was locked. If you want to not accept customers at 1:50 then say that you are open until 1:50. I know this may seem like a nit but I still found it to be very annoying. read more

Great Tai, nice atmosphere and good service. Nice hidden secret in Appleton area. Coconut water is delicious, spices are flavorful.

I came here with my mom on a Saturday night. The parking lot is small, so we ended up parking in the street in the adjacent neighborhood. Inside, we were seated immediately and served coconut water, which I though was unique and fun, although I'm not the biggest coconut fan. I ordered the spicy basil with shrimp, and for some reason I allowed the waitress to talk me down from getting the hottest level of spice. It was good, but it was quite mild for a 3/4 spice rating, and I should have just gone with the spiciest. I cannot stand that the shrimp was served tail on, add I spent half of my meal trying to remove the tail without flinging my food everywhere. My mom ordered one of their mixed drinks, a sort of Moscow mule with sake and pear, and she really liked it. I appreciated their recyclable take out containers, and they use plastic chopsticks as opposed to disposable ones. I would come back here again, but I would probably not order the shrimp just to save myself the struggle and mess. read more

Food and service were both good... We started out with veggie spring rolls which were very good and an order of veggie egg rolls which were also good ((a tad small, but tasty). I had the green curry which was spot on! My wife just ordered another order of spring rolls because they were so good. My mother in law ordered the pad Thai. The flavor was good, but it was a lot of sauce...which made the noodles seem over cooked and slimy. I love pad Thai, but I like it when there is very little sauce. Again the flavor was good... texture was a little off. Outside of building is very unassuming as it is quite nice when you walk in. Coconut water was a nice touch! read more

Basil has good food, but their service has gone downhill. My wife have been here several times, and were always welcomed with open arms. Today we called to make a reservation 45 minutes before arriving because it was Saturday and we wanted to make certain that we would have a table to sit in before we arrived. We were told they no longer take reservations and should be able to sit right away. When we arrived we were asked if we have a reservation. We said "no" and we then we were told we would have to wait until a table was open. We were shocked. We explained we tried to make one but we were told they no longer take one. We were given the manager who gave us the run around. About half or more of the tables were empty. I'm not certain if I'll go back to this establishment, as I feel they slammed the door on my wife and I. read more

This is my go to spot for high quality Thai food. The pho here is amaizng. The broth is spot on. Everything else is delicious too. The wide noodles super good too. Can't go wrong here. read more

This is seriously my favorite restaurant. The food is fresh, vibrant and so flavorful! Authentic Asian food with a twist of style unlike any other in Appleton. Not only is the food over the top good, but the staff are all warm, welcoming and helpful. The artwork on the walls (some of it by the brilliant artist Chad Brady) along with other inviting touches give the inside of this restaurant a great ambiance. Some of my favorite things on this menu are: Appetizers: Calamari, crab rangoons (best ever) and egg rolls Favorite dishes: Masaman, green curry, garlic & veggie, pho, Thai papaya salad, Lotus salad, broccoli dish, and more For dessert, you cannot miss the warm, gooey and decadent Mango Sticky Rice. A newer dessert is the fried bananas with Nutella. It was once the best hidden secret, but the secret is getting out.....as it should. read more

This is only a partial review of Basil Cafe, because the only thing I have tried here is their Pho. I thought the decor was very nice and the service was excellent. The other patrons who were there for lunch the day I was there all seemed to be enjoying their meals and seemed happy with the food and service. I thought the pho was good, but there are other places in Appleton and Green Bay that are better. Mai's Deli, Pho House, and Pho No. 1 all have better pho. On the other hand, none of those places are really full menu/full service restaurants. If you want to eat pho, but the others in your party are looking for other dishes, and/or want to eat at a "nicer" restaurant, then Basil's is your place. The pho is good enough that you will enjoy it. read more

I eat a LOT of green curry dishes, and this one was among the top tastiest! The curry is very creamy and thick - and not too hot. Just overall a very very good flavor. Chicken was cooked well, and eggplant was cooked just enough. I was very happy. I will definitely be back. read more

This place is my absolute favorite in Appleton. They have a wide variety of food, including vietnamese, thai, and chinese. They also have avocado boba tea! The service is always good and consistent when my friends and I go here. It also has a great cozy atmosphere if you would like to go here with your partner. read more

There has never been a time in my life when I didn't want to go to Basil Cafe. The boba tea there is one of my favorites! Food is delicious and staff is always very friendly...be sure to grab some of their calamari! I've had it at many other restaurants, but so far it's never been as good as theirs read more

This was my family's first experience and it was phenomenal!! Great service ! great environment ! I will definitely tell others and highly recommend it!!! read more

In all honesty, I do know the manager of Basil Cafe, and he's a great guy, but I'm not reviewing the restaurant glowingly because he's my friend. I've eaten a lot of pho in my day, and Basil Cafe takes their pho very seriously. They do a slow boiling process that brings out all the tasty flavors. Not to mention, I don't know anyone else in Wisconsin offering a Vegan Pho, which was incredible. Simply put, Basil Cafe has the best pho in the Midwest, and better than pho's I've had in Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. My (completely impartial) dining companions (who had the Vietnamese Crepe & the Pad See Eew w/ beef) were raving about their food days after we left Appleton. Not only is the food top notch, the ambiance enticing, but I know first hand that Basil Cafe is dedicated to great customer service, and it shines through. read more

My husband and I ordered the beef pho and crab rangoons. The appetizer was awesome but I wasn't impressed with the pho. All the topping to go ontop were nice, I felt like the broth didn't have a lot of depth. I also ordered boba tea which I didn't receive. I believe my husband forgot it though so it wasn't the fault of the cafe. They said I can come back and get one but not sure if I'll be going back or not. read more

Terrible service. They put us in the back room and forgot about us for 30+ min. Then when they sat another table in the room, they took the new table's order first. At that point we walked out. read more

Wow! Eating here made me want to get on past reviews for Asian restaurants and take a way stars. This right here is how you do it! Spicy and flavorful food, fresh ingredients, and more. I had the lemongrass chicken and it was delicious. Next on my list when in Wisconsin are the curries and spring rolls. To bad I wasn't a little more hungry that night. read more