Des Moines has have blessed with so many Southeast Asian immigrants and because of that we have a huge Asian food seen. Liam Anivat is one of the entrepreneurs and drivers of the Thai cuisine part of the Asian food boom. I remember his Thai food empire at "Thai flavors: on East 14th Street long ago. He is the major owner of "Cool Basil""Banana leaf", and "Thai Flavours" on Ingersoll. The "Cool Basil" location has killed many restaurants but somehow.they are not only surviving but thriving. Cool Basil is a very large restaurant that seems always busy, and it has to do with it's it serves delicious Thai food. It has great parking, great food and excellent staff. It can be a busy place so depending on the time of day lunch or dinner you may have to wait but they move poeple through quickly. The restaurant is clean and modern the food is still great. It has similar menu items to his other restaurants. On this particular day I had Red Curry chicken. Liam has figured out consistently of his food products at all his restaurants. I've had Red Curry at all his restaurants and it's steady, regular and uniformly good. I always like to support a locally owned business. Liam has developed quite a system and serves a large number of people at all his restaurants. I had my niece and husband from out of town and they both enjoyed it. I think all of his restaurants have some healthier menu including fresh vegetable dishes. I believe they all have vegan dishes as well. Of course the restaurant has pot stickers, basil stir fry, pad thai, and other traditional Thai restaurant dishes. There is lots of variety on the menu. It's also about expectations, everyone is under staffed, so I always appreciate the service staff who are working. Having said that, the service was fast and efficient . It's also about being realistic about the food. The food was served quick and hot. I would definitely check any of his places out. If you have out of town food guests who are Thai foodies they will definitely enjoy it. read more

Cool Basil of WDM has new hours where they are open through lunch to dinner where you can order their fantastic garlic egg noodle & chicken, pad see ew, and egg drop soup all with that umami flavor. The prices are average, parking is great and the service by my wait stafferAugustine T. was very professional, timely and customer forward in a super relaxing environment. read more

See all

The gluten free options were out of this world and so are the prices. I will definitely be back. We had the lettuce wraps. I couldn't find them on the Gf menu but our waitress said they could make them GF! I had the green curry and it was outstanding. I can't wait to go back. read more

Cool Basil - Gluten free menu - Thai Near Me - Clive, Iowa

See all

Singapore noodle number one. nice and quiet place to stop by for lunch specials passing through iowa

the food was exactly what i wanted and we had great service! We got seated in the middle of a bunch of other tables but it ended up not taking away from the experience at all! Cant wait to go back ! read more

Cool Basil - eel roll - Thai Near Me - Clive, Iowa

See all

The appetizer sampler and the chicken satay were phenomenal, every appetizer was delicious. We also enjoyed the chicken fried rice and the luk chin tod. Unfortunately the first date (sushi roll) was a flop, it had too much rice and not enough of anything else, the sauce and flavor was also very bland. I ordered the chicken rad na again and it was still average, will probably skip it next time. Service was excellent, Jenny was on top of everything and made sure we were taken care of. This is my second time here and I would highly recommend. read more

See all

My husband and I love the seafood fresh rolls from cool basil. They're so refreshing and the seafood just kicks it up a notch with their three sauces My top three dishes to get here are the bbq pork fried rice, larb, and I actually enjoyed their crispy chicken special. I want to try their pork belly next. The curries are not that special to me. They're not bad they just don't stand out if that makes sense. The steak flat noodles is good if there was more sauce to bring the umami. I will say their fried rice is just so smoky I love it. The pad kra pao is also very good. read more

See all

Me and some of my coworkers went here last night. We didn't have to wait long to be seated, everyone didn't have to wait at all. Everyone got different variables of dishes and drinks. They had 13 levels of spiciness, and I went with level 7. The restaurant was very clean, the restroom was clean, and the service was excellent. The food was great too. I would give this place 10/10. read more

My favorite food spot in Des Moines. The OPPOSITE of watered down food. Everything here is exploding in exotic flavors. Friendly servers and good lighting and vibes. The fried herbal catfish stands out to me as it is delicious, unique, and a very big portion. I encourage you to try some more exotic things but even something standard like Pad thai here is well above average. read more

My husband and I went after lunch time.l craving pad Thai. There was no one waiting in front of us. But it took a few mins until someone realized we were there even though many employees walked past us. The bathrooms were smelly and dirty, no toilet paper. The server was all business and not conversational when we asked her what her fav app was. We ordered water and it was yucky sewer smelling and tasting. The food came out fast and hot, it was ok. The veggies were undercooked. Had to flag down the server for refills and silverware. Overall glad we can say we tried it but wouldn't go back. read more

See all

Cool Basil offers Thai, Japanese, and Chinese food, a unique collection of cultures and options that lead to a fun menu and a tasty experience! A vast parking lot enables us to gather easily, and their restrooms are clean. Coca-Cola products. I was here for a business meeting, or else I would have ordered more appetizers (spicy edamame, maybe?) and explored the menu further. Thanks to our server, Sao, for her terrific work, which combined kindness, patience, and a no-rush overall experience. I selected the Thai route and thoroughly loved my Pad Thai dish (chicken for protein, rice noodles, egg, green onions, bean sprouts). Their spicy meter is 1 to 6, with six likely being volcanic. I was pleased with my #4 selection, the perfect combo of a lot of spice without being uncomfortable--chopsticks upon request. I'll be back! read more

I've eaten here about every two weeks for the past few years. As always, the food and service were great. I highly recommend an Angry dish or one of their curries. We've eaten there so often we have two favorite waitresses: Sau ad Jenny. I am heading there for lunch in an hour. read more

Went here with a couple of my referee partners and some of their friends/family. Service was impeccable and our large group was checked in on regularly. I ordered the Massaman curry with chicken at a 3 star level. This was described in the menu as "hot" but seemed very mild. I also detected very little of the deep-fried shallot and roasted peanut as described in the menu. I was pretty disappointed in my entree. The Tom Yum soup I had at a 3-star level was quite good, adding to my confusion in heat levels. read more

Cool Basil - Massaman Curry - Thai Near Me - Clive, Iowa

We have been frequenting Cool Basil lately. I've become addicted to the seafood rolls. They are stuffed with seafood and are so fresh. The dipping sauce is a perfect blend between sweet and savory and sour. I also like to order the drunken noodles at full spice. There's a lot of heat but it's so flavorful and the texture of the noodles and Tofu are always great. Another fav is the yellow curry which can be a little watery, but has a lovely mellow sweetness that our four year old is especially fond of. read more

Had a lovely lunch here with a colleague. We were seated quickly after briefly huddling out of the way to wait for the other. Waitstaff were very attentive and patient. I was very pleased with my panang curry and had plenty to take home with me. I grew up in a big city neighborhood with a lot of Thai places and this scratches a good itch. I'll have to keep it in mind for future visits. read more

We've eaten here many times before but I always forgot to take pictures of our food before diving in! Food is always fresh and delicious, service is courteous and friendly, and the atmosphere is relaxing (unless you sit at the bar during football season ). Props to Cool Basil for keeping the quality of what they do at such a high level for so many years! As always, we'll be back! read more

The menu has a lot of variety, and everything is solid. You can't go wrong with their Tom Yum soup. It's killer! I always tend to order a sushi roll as well. The Arizona roll is really tasty. Servers are kind and attentive. It's a cool place for a larger party or a nice date night. It can accommodate a lot of occasions. read more

Bathroom smells permeated the whole place. Our food was horrible and badly presented. The whole meal was a disaster. Everyone in our party complained and still we paid for everything. We'll never go back! read more

Good and delicious food, I highly recommend Everything is so tasty and satisfying Authentic oriental food. I haven't eaten there in a while but planning to go soon read more

What a delightful spot! Cool Basil boasts Thai, Chinese AND Japanese fare. There is something for everyone-- with a good many gluten-free and vegetarian options, as well. We popped in on a Sunday afternoon and were seated right away. The space is large with a ton of seating options-- you could definitely have a big group dine here, no problem. (They do NOT take reservations though, so plan accordingly.) The egg drop soup, sushi and crab rangoons were fan favorites. The day I came the special was the a crunchy pad thai-- I'd go with the traditional one, next time. (Word to the wise, be cognizant on the spice level! They do offer some very spicy options.) HOLY KIDS MENU. So, so many options -- all for about $8. Honey Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Orange Chicken, Chicken Satay, Wings, Nuggets, Egg Noodles, Pad Thai and Fried Rice-- along with a drink and fruit. Wowza. My kids left full and happy. Pro Tip: Don't miss out on their lunch specials (M-F, 11-2:30PM). You can basically get a beef, chicken, pork, tofu or veggie dish for $10-12. What a steal! Overall, Cool Basil is a Clive must-have. Pop in any day of the week! read more

See all

Disappointing lunch. Ordered rice and vegetables. Another ordered pineapple shrimp. Everything tasted old, as if it had been sitting around. It also was not hot. Since it was about 2 minutes from order to delivery to the table, it certainly was reasonable to conclude that it was not prepared fresh. Won't go back. read more

Celebrated a family birthday with a large group here. They did a fantastic job! A few of us enjoyed some tarot and mango bubble teas. So delicious! Then we ordered a variety of dishes. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the special sushi rolls we chose. I especially liked the orange dragon! The birthday rolls were a bit too much, but the flavors were still good. All of the noodle dishes and fried rice options looked good! The few bites I got to try were tasty. I'd definitely check this place out again. read more

See all

The beef teriyaki had the same texture as a rubber tire on the side of the highway. My tummy hurts. They didn't have AC. A box fan? Really? Turn on the AC bruh! Very very friendly staff and gave my wife a birthday treat. The food runner was funny though. He joked with me that my food was a "6" on the hot scale (it wasn't even spicy! Silly him). Anyways.... Eat here for good times, not for tasty food. read more

Food tastes great. Be careful what you order! Make sure the staff understand what you want. You may even need to point on the menu to ensure you get what you order. read more

Everything looks and tastes amazing. Great option for a date. Call ahead on weekends - this place is usually busy. The menu is very diverse. Not a great place for kids, but picky eaters will be able to find a few American-style staples. read more

Cool Basil - First Date Salmon Alaskan Pad Thai (GF) Coconut Noodle Soup (GF) Three Flavors Chicken - Thai Near Me - Clive, Iowa

I've seen them show up on Grubhub for awhile but finally tried today. Yum!! We did the app combo where everything was delicious. Not just good but delicious. We did one of the curries with crispy chicken. Yum!! We also got the side of cucumber salad. Only complaint was it was silly small for $3 otherwise amazing. Very sad it was not a decent size. Some of our order did not make it but got refunded immediately. I can not wait to try more of the menu. I'm sure it is all on par. Excuse me while I go back for seconds.. BTW, portions are huge. Definitely leftovers to enjoy another meal. read more

Dropped in on a Tuesday. Was able to get a seat immediately. Service was solid. Great communication and recommendations for our table. Food never disappoints. Variety of tuna was perfect to get us started. Finished with pad Thai. Service was fast and efficient. Atmosphere was perfect for a family dinner. Exactly what we needed to fill our tummies and get us hike in time for a normal bed time. read more

See all

here again, I'm always impressed with their staff. they always take good care of us. I got my usually pad set ew pork 3 spice level. I almost went with a 4 and was thankful I didn't. read more

Thai Food to go during the pandemic- just OK! During COVID19 review: Found it easy to order on phone and easy to pick up. Ordered the seafood pad thai and veggie potstickers. Sauce flavor for pad Thai was light. Good but not the best. Seafood included 2 scallops, 4 shrimp pieces, and 2 cuttlefish/squid. No veggies. Veggie pot stickers were unique. Filling was very veggie filled had good flavor. Total was $16.xx Take away was good portion and filling. Made for an ok lunch. Waited 20+ min because they messed up the pad Thai order as they naturally put egg in it and NO egg was requested. Still not fully impressed but they were ok. read more

See all

Nice place. Food seemed fresh, flavorful and generous portions. Service was prompt and friendly.

Love the food. Love the ppl. The restaurant is beautiful and well kept. The employees are friendly as can be.

Did Cool Basil takeout today for lunch. Lunch portion of Cool Basil Asparagus, three star with chicken, and crab rangoons. Loved both. The crab rangoons are more on the savory side v. sweet and have a little thicker wrap than other places around the metro. The Cool Basil Asparagus was a perfect blend of components in a brown chili sauce. Beautiful color and wonderful flavor. I haven't eaten at Cool Basil in years. I'm fact this was my first visit to the Clive location since they moved there. Definitely my loss. I'll be back. read more

Service and ambiance was great! And the food was pretty good. The only thing they could have improved upon was the temperature of the soup. It wasn't as hot as I would have liked. But overall good meal with attentive help. read more

The sushi here is fresh and huge! One of my favorite places for sushi. They also have vegetarian options. The atmosphere is large and lively. The Tom yum soup is sooo good! read more

I absolutely love Cool Basil and am so happy that it is now in my neighborhood since I moved to the Des Moines area. I am addicted to their Sweet Basil Spaghetti, but I have taken several friends here and have never seen anyone unhappy with their meal. read more

Cool Basil - An order of Edemame Beans and a Shrimp Tempure Roll. Yum!!! - Thai Near Me - Clive, Iowa

Historically, we've had very good experiences with Cool Basil. During COVID, they had great carryout protocols in place and their usual excellent dishes. That has not been the case during our last couple of orders. We had three mostly diverse entrees (beef and chicken) and found them all over-seasoned in some manner. Mouth-burning, flavor-killing... we ended up throwing it away and eating frozen pizza to get by. I leave three stars out of hope that this is a rough patch that will be sorted out and because their Tom Ka Kai soup was - and remains - excellent (chicken three stars spicy - good coconut flavor without the annoying chewy bits). In fact, until the course is corrected, we probably will limit ourselves to lunchtime soup and appetizers. Things to know: * This may sound odd, but Cool Basil sits behind a Mister Carwash. If it is winter, be careful of icy parking lot/driveway as you enter and exit the area. * While Cool Basil is a comfortable restaurant, it is good to know that they take online and call in to go orders. read more

The entrée was outstanding. The issue that I have is, they will not allow any substitutions for anything and when you order your food comes out within five minutes, but it was outstanding. read more

This is our go-to for Thai food. The Pad Thai is not like any other we have had, and it is delish. They also have an expansive menu with some great sushi options! Take out or dine in, you can't go wrong. The service is great and the atmosphere inside is comfortable and cozy. read more

Came here for a dinner with two friends! My friends ordered the special yellow curry (hot spice) and the orange peeled chicken (mild spice). I had come to dinner with a small appetite so I ordered the medium size of the miso soup - but I also recommend the Spicy red curry (thai spice). The place was packed when we got there around 7 but was slowly getting less and less busy. We were seated at booth by the bar, so it was a bit loud, but we were still able to hear each other. The only thing that really stuck out to me was about 15 minutes into our food coming to the table, our server started to ask us if we were done and ready to head out and pay. This happened every five minutes or so, even though there seemed to be no wait and there were open tables around us. All of us still had more than half of our food on our plates, so it was a bit odd. read more

Cool Basil - Miso Soup (GF) - Thai Near Me - Clive, Iowa

Food tastes great. Price is good as well. Very friendly staff. The restaurant is maintained well. Very clean.