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

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 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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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

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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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazing food and excellent service tucked away in Saint James and my new favorite spot. The atmosphere is comfortable with an open kitchen concept that is full of action all night. My dinner entree was perfect blend of spice and heat & finished the night with the perfect warm molten cake desert. read more

An accidental find, but definitely will be going back again! Our waitress, Nikki, couldn't have been better. She was sweet, attentive, informative and just a pleasure. The owner was circulating throughout the evening and was warm, friendly and made sure everything was going well. Because we just happened upon this place, we didn't know that they didn't have a liquor license yet, so that tip is for you, it's BYOB. No corking fee. The food was phenomenal. Such amazing flavors. They put flat bread on the table to start while we looked at the menu, which was a simple basil pesto with tomato, but so delicious. For dinner, we split a citrus spinach salad which was perfect. I had the Soltani, a combo of grilled beef tenderloin and ground beef skewers that comes with basmati rice and a charbroiled tomato, again, excellent. My husband had the stew special and was equally impressed. We were stuffed but I can't not have dessert, which was the baklava with vanilla ice cream and the best coffee I've had out in a long time. My rating is an A+, now go try it for yourself and enjoy! read more

Dined for the second time. Sat outdoors in their beautiful garden. Had the feel of a quaint European cafe, far from St. James. The food and service were again excellent. The sautéed eggplant appetizer was wonderful. My wife had the stuffed flounder special, I had the chicken Madeira. Both were really, really good. No liquor license yet, but we brought a bottle of wine. Amazing how reasonable a bill can be when you don't pay for liquor!! Ray and his lovely wife could not be more gracious. Our server (on her first night by the way) was a sweetheart. Overall, a wonderful dining experience. Will definitely be a "go to" restaurant for us! read more

Food was terrible. Had the filet mignon. Sauce on it tasted like crap. Joe the the waiter was great though.

Basil Cafe a pleasant small restaurant with a unique menu of flavorful dishes. Persian is not a commonly seen quinine where I am from, so eating here was a new experience. Staff was friendly and attentive. The food was flavorful and portioned well. The meat I had... a chicken cooked on kabob... was a bit dry, which is not hard to do. It would be a nicer place if the kitchen could be more isolated from the dining room. read more

This is my new favorite spot. The food is delicious. Since I tried it the first time I go just about once a week. Everything I have tried from there Cesar salad to there flat breads and entrees especially the Persian rice has been phenomenal. read more

Really great dining experience as a first time patron. Ambiance is quaint and not loud so you can enjoy dinner conversation. Staff was soooo nice. Our server, Nikki, was phenomenal. She really knew the menu well and was so attentive. The menu has lots of great dishes to choose from. Flatbread appetizer was awesome. Grilled shrimp was very tasty. Really flavorful entrees as well. It's a BYOB establishment with no corking fee to boot! Desserts were amazing and everything is reasonably priced. I don't often write reviews like this but this restaurant deserves the review. A definite must visit and a definite go back for me. Add it to your list! read more

Wow!!! Coming from Los Angeles and being surrounded by upscale restaurants, I did not expect to be so wowed by Basil Cafe. The food is so delicious and the restaurant is so cute! Wish I had this place back home btw: I ordered the eggplant appetizer and the barg (which is basically like filet mignon) read more

There is a slice of heaven on Lake Avenue here in St.James and it's called Basil Café. Guys, run don't walk to this warm, sophisticated delight. From start to finish our visit was perfect! The attentive, friendly service is not second to our amazing meal but equal to it. The food was so delicious that halfway through our dinner we were planning our return visit. Portions are generous and the prices are very reasonable. Do not skip the jeweled rice, you will not be disappointed. Are you still sitting there? Go already!! read more

Excellent! We've been there twice. Food (and presentation), service and ambiance are all top notch. No liquor license but they invite to bring your favorite adult beverage and you'll see a bottle of wine on most tables. I prefer beer and I bring it. Fantastic little hidden gem in St. James. read more