We had the opportunity to dine here a week ago. From the minute we walked in we knew we had picked the right place. We were greeted warmly by the staff and showed to our table. The service was spot on as were the recommendation provided by the server. Our apps, dinner and dessert were all well prepared and delicious. Do yourself a giant favor and make sure to stop by Basil and treat yourself to an amazing meal. read more

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Second time around and just as good as I remembered! 3 of our party had the ZERESHK POLO: BASMATI RICE JEWELLED WITH WILD PERSIAN BARBERRY (ZERESHK), PISTACHIO, AND ALMOND SERVED WITH CHICKEN IN SAFFRON SAUCE And all 3 loved it. I had Pan Seared Salmon done to perfection. We were able to sit outside and have a casual relaxed wonderful dinner. Our waitress Carla was very sweet and attentive. We've been here during the winter and now the end of summer. Guaranteed we will be back for more delicious Persian homemade cooking, read more

We love it! Friendly service. Great staff. We have been there a few times. Never felt rushed. Great menu selection. We especially like the byob. read more

This restaurant never gets old. Simply our favorite restaurant. Romantic friendly quiet but not too quiet. The food is exceptional and always consistent. Hardworking husband and wife team who always make you feel like you are the most important patron. This restaurant is EVERYTHING!!!!! read more

This was my first time here and I was blown away by the delicious Persian cuisine. I had the Cornish hen and jeweled rice but my family were equally impressed by the "Barb" and chicken shish Kebob with basmati rice. Charming and intimate ambiance. read more

When Friday night. Party of 5. Seated in the patio. Great atmosphere. Great service, food. Great value for the money. Owners very friendly. Highly recommend. Bring your own wine. No charge to open the wine. Will be my number one choose for fine dining. Well done. read more

Great local gem in St James. We started with the eggplant appetizer and it was quite good. Then we had the Barg and the zereshk polo. Both main courses were great. Flavors were delicious. Dessert was the only item we thought was fair. We had the baklava which was dry and not as good as we've had at other places. We like the idea of BYOB. I would come back again. read more

The problem for me was that this place was hyped up to be excellent, and it was just good. The waitress we was very unfriendly, quite shitty actually. That aside, the food was just good, I would not go back again, but I would not say don't go try it for yourself. read more

We came for lunch yesterday to try out the Persian dishes. I had the Zereshk Pollo, which was grilled saffron chicken with rice and an absolutely delicious Persian sauce made with onions, nuts, and berries. My husband had the pork loin with Caramelized figs. Everything was delicious including the homemade pita bread, apple blossom, and Greek salad. The place is small but tastefully decorated. The hostess/server was actually one of the owners. She was delightful and friendly. The meals are moderately priced and the portions are generous. Sadly, they do not have a liquor license at the present so it is BYOB, which we were unaware of. We definitely look forward to coming back when the weather warms up, for Basil has two outside seating areas. read more

I've heard a lot of good things about this place so I decided to try it for lunch yesterday. We sat outside in the back and brought our own wine. We were very happy with the friendly service and the delicious food. Highly recommend their Koobedeh. The Affogato was the perfect ending to that meal. Totally looking forward to going back for dinner next time! read more

Basil Never disappoints. Excellent small cafe service and food top notch had Nicole as our server always on point even took the time out to call my cell when I forgot my left overs to me that's service. We had Wild Salmon Cajun chicken pasta Flat bread Mozz pizza Bread pudding ( Out of this world) Recommend by Nicole read more

What an amazing experience from the moment we walked through the doors. The warming welcome from Ari and all of her amazing recommendations were beyond expectations. The hummus and eggplant appetizer were the perfect start. Lamb shank was so flavorful and unforgettable! I'll be taking my "chef" here next weekend. This is a hidden gem I am so happy to have found! read more

Basil Cafe Restaurant - Delicious food! Our waitress Ari was so helpful with recommendations and every single dish was beyond! This is a hidden gem! - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Saint James, New York

I never write any reviews on yelp, but for this place, I simply had to! One thing I loved the most about this place is the lovely chef that greeted us on our way in, and Kate, who gave us great care and attention (thank you Kate! you're hands down the sweetest waitress!). If you are someone who loves small, cozy, and quiet environment, this place is for you. Polished, yet down-to-earth. Perfect place for a date night out for those couples out there. Most importantly, the food. I have no words to say, but I'd like to let everyone know, my belly is in the happiest state right now. If there was a restaurant only I want to know about and no one else - because it's so preciously good - Basil Cafe Restaurant would be the one. But, for the sake of this restaurant's higher reputation, I here write this review! Thank you Kate once again, and thank you chef for the amazing food :) it was a wonderful visit. read more

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If you haven't eaten here you must! I've been coming to Zar and Basil of over 5 years now and have never been disappointed. We went for lunch on Saturday with my daughter, her husband and my mom. The three of them were extremely pleased with there meals and asked me why I had not taken them her before. Selfishly I said I didn't want to many people to discover my secret spot over the years. Well the the cats out of the bag so to speak now. Great food and they are putting finishing touches to the back yard patio which looks great. So when I can't get a table now I can only blame myself! read more

Just go... everything is great. Bring your own wine and the food is delicious and affordable. My wife and I loved it. read more

Basil Cafe Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Saint James, New York

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Absolutely delicious food!!!! We love this restaurant!!! Wait Staff is very attentive and owners are lovely. The outdoor patio in the summer is beautiful and cozy indoors. Give this place a try. You won't be disappointed read more

Just discoverered this amazing restaurant. Food was great. Beef barley soup was a special but should be a regular menu item. Crab cake appetizer was very good and my entree of Persian rice with chicken was perfect. Service was great too! I can't wait to come back. No liqueur license so byo wine!! read more

First time visiting Basil. The owner/chef and his wife/hostess are incredibly warm and welcoming. I felt like I had been patronizing their restaurant for years. I certainly will be now. It is my new favorite restaurant! The food was amazing and perfectly prepared! New England clam chowder was incredibly delicious. I will not be able to order lamb anywhere else! The interior is charming and comfortable. I am planning many return visits and bringing my family and friends along. We have to share this experience with everyone! So happy to have found Basil. read more

Update: We we're offered a comped meal due to our previous experience and this time was very different. All of us enjoyed our meals and the service was great! read more

This hidden gem has become our favorite restaurant. We are serious foodies and frequent many excellent restaurants on L.I. but this place has it all. Though tiny it is beautifully decorated, the owners are so wonderful and the waitresses are the best . And of course the food is always above and beyond, plus it's BYOB.. The most flavorful food you will ever eat. We and friends have tried everything on the menu and we're never disappointed. Reservations are a must. read more

Basil Cafe Restaurant - Another fantastic meal at Basil Cafe - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Saint James, New York

Outstanding!! My new favorite restaurant.. BEST clam chowder ever had better than Newport RI!! Entree was fresh, tasty and ohhh so delicious.. I highly recommend going. It gets crowded so make a reservation.. read more

I just tried this restaurant Basil Cafe in St.James. They had the most amazing food and was cooked perfectly!!!! The place was so nice and the owners were a pleasure to talk to. Service was excellent as well!! Can't wait to go back again. read more

Tonight we discovered a gem of a new restaurant in St. James. Basil, Has a new and charming interior. We were surprised since we had been to it's this location when it was called Zar and found it crowded in the off season. The menu was varied and interesting. Prices were reasonable. We ate with friends and sampled several menu items. Everything served was delicious and presented with flair. In a word, this was an excellent evening in a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere. The owner/chef came to our table to inquire our opinion which was overwhelmingly positive. We recommend this restaurant with enthusiasm. read more

This is truly 5 star in every way. Food, service and ambiance are all amazing. Ray, the Chef/owner consistently exceeds expectations. The patio, in good weather, is so inviting. They've improved tbd patio over the last few years. It looks and feels lovely. Thanks guys. read more

I just had an amazing New Years Eve dinner at Basil Cafe in St. James!! It is our FAVORITE restaurant!! The hospitality is absolutely amazing! Arie, Ray and Nikki are very welcoming , and make you feel at home! We love them and feel like they are family!! The food is incredible!! The filet Mignon is better here then some of the fancy steakhouses. The Persian food is excellent. I would give them 10 stars if I could. read more

I've lived only 5 minutes away for nearly 7 years, just recently discovered this hidden, little gem and am so disappointed I didn't pop in years ago! The staff/owners were so friendly and made us feel incredibly welcome and the food was simply but very well prepared. I definitely recommend Basil to anyone new and old to the area, or just passing through, but part of me hopes they don't take my advice so there's a table for me next time! read more

Warm atmosphere, excellent food, super service. Easy to hear, nice outside area, part menu American, part Persian.

What an experience!!!! All positive . Let's break it down . 1) staff was extremely personable. 2) speed 3 course meal in less then an hour not to fast not to slow, perfect! 3)food!!!! Oh man the food!!! Amazing!! 4) price was very affordable... but with all the good stuff the can over charge me and I wouldn't mind. 5) the atmosphere is cozy comfortable and neat. Two thumbs up. read more

I just had my bridal shower at basil. The owners and staff went above and beyond for me. They made the back patio into a bridal oasis!!! The food was outstanding. I live local and cannot wait to spend many more date nights at Basil. Thank you for a wonderful experience!! read more

I came here last week for my fiancé's birthday and I must say it was such a great experience. I would definitely go back. The waitress was so attentive and delightful. With our dessert she brought the plate with happy birthday written on it because she heard me mentioning it was his birthday (even though he didn't want to be sang to), which was super thoughtful. The food itself was quite delicious. Most notably, the eggplant appetizer was DELICIOUS. It was the favorite of the table. Most of us got the zeresk polo for our main courses and it was so good! read more

Fantastic food service and ambiance no need to say more but yelp is telling me my review is too short so I have to keep going.

We just enjoyed an amazing lunch here. We took advantage of their signature Persian dish comprised of succulent chicken breast on a bed of basmati and yellow rice dressed with almonds, barberry, sauteed onions and saffron. It was plentiful and so delicately spiced! We will be back! The chef owner and his wife aim to please and succeed. read more

This place was such a wonderful find. The host was so warm and inviting. We couldn't decide on appetizers so we ordered both the eggplant and the hummus and I'm so glad we did because they were both unbelievably delicious. I also really loved the classy, intimate atmosphere. We had an overall great experience at Basil. read more

Basil Cafe Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Saint James, New York

Not to many byob spots on Long Island, and this is stellar. Delicious Mediterranean cuisine. Everything from the Cornish game hen (stellar) to the kebabs and more are just spot on. Lunch is an incredible bargain. Staff is sweet, attentive and engaging. We brought a few bottles of wine (it was a large group), they had all of the right stemware and kept our glasses filled. read more

Best kept secret in Suffolk! Dinner and service tonight was amazing- best meal we've had since I left my job in the West Village NYC. The eggplant dip starter is a must/ the Persian fare is to die for. Most of all- the ingredients and dishes were so fresh and from scratch- you can tell the chef is passionate about giving you a great product. Salad is perfectly dressed and our waitress was great. Definitely try this place- hope it thrives! read more

Had a super time at this lovely restaurant. The staff was very professional and extremely friendly. Since it is BYOB establishment, the costs was kept down. I had the rack of lamb which was very tender and tasty. The rest of my party had authentic Persian dinners and totally enjoyed them. We will definitely be going back. As a side note --there is inside and outside seating so select that at the time you make your reservation. read more

Amazing food... wonderful service!!! We've been regulars for the past few years and the food is consistently good!!! The owners go out of their way to make every dining experience exceptional!! Save room for the bread pudding :) read more

Very good food and the service is amazing. I recommend sitting on the patio on a nice day. It's BYOB as well, so bring a bottle of wine. They will even cork it for you and supply you a wine/beer glass! read more

Safe delicious outside dining!! Heaters made it nice and warm. We will definitely be going back soon.

It was my good friend's birthday celebration and we had dinner here last night...it was my first time here!!! Our party took up almost the whole place because it's a small cute place..I was so impressed with the staff but even more so each dish was so amazing!!! We ordered a lot of apps and then when my Chilean Sea Bass was set in front of me I was so excited!!! My taste buds are still thanking me!!! I can't speak highly enough of Basil.... I already have plans of returning and cannot wait to try another dish!! read more