Great restaurant with good service and large menu. We were apprehensive on a Friday night about a long wait with the number of cars in the parking lot. But we were seated immediately. When we left people were queued up for tables, but the restaurant is large, particularly when the patio is open. The menu included Thai, Sushi and Chinese sections. (Actually divided by cuisine for those not familiar with some of the options) We ordered the Salmon rolls off of the Thai appetizer menu. Excellent choice, with 5 rolls and fried fried tempura veggies. It was big appetizer for the price and would be plenty for a table of four. For entrees we had Massaman Curry and Avocado Curry. We have had both item at other Thai venues and these two compared remarkable well. The Thai Iced Tea was delicious. The portions of each plate were enough for two to share. The service was good. However, both the appetizer and entrees were delivered by deliverers (not our waiter) and both times they failed to bring plates and we had to flag someone down to get some. Besides those two gaffes, we never wanted for refills, the waiter was attentive, brought extra rice when admitted we should have ordered spice levels lower than what we did, and boxed our left-overs for us, which is (in my opinion) the mark of a classy place. Even the fortune cookies were a step above the competition. We were very happy with the experience and will certainly return. read more

Cool Basil - Thai Iced Tea. Pretty and delicious. - Thai Near Me - Clive, Iowa

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First time going to cool basil's new location for dinner so it been a few years since I been there. I had started with the deep-fried spring rolls and the spicy edamame. The rolls were pretty good, but the spicy edamame was just salted and nothing else. When you ask they give you a side of spicy to put on it after it is cooked. Then for dinner had ordered the Pad Thai with tofu, now they had to make it with no fish sauce and they really didn't do anything else to it. It was very bland just like the edamame. It very disappointed, as I don't recall them being like this before. Not going to go back anytime soon. read more

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After 3 failed attempts to dine in at other restaurants we stumbled upon Cool Basil and I'm so glad we did! Everything was sterilized and clean and the service was great! I ordered Sesame Chicken with an added side of fried rice and my husband got a small cup of Tom Ka Kai and a Captain Crunch roll. I got my meal and his soup came out and they told us it would be a wait for the roll but we didn't mind. We weren't in a rush and were happy it would be fresh! The food was amazing!! Some of the best fried rice I've ever had! Had great service as well. Our drinks stayed filled and he made sure we had everything we needed. read more

Went for lunch on Friday and was blown away! The place was packed so it's obviously a favorite lunch spot. We were instructed to wait for about 15 minutes for a table, which was no problem at all. To our surprise we got a table within 5! The lunch menu was three pages long and jam packed with great deals! (Perfect for broke college kids like me) I ordered the drunken noodles with chicken. The food was delivered extremely fast and the staff was very nice. They refilled my water anytime it dropped below halfway. Portions were the perfect size as well! My whole meal was under $10! read more

Cool Basil - Thai Near Me - Clive, Iowa

I regularly enjoy Thai food and was certainly looking forward to this. I ordered some chicken Pad See Ew Thai hot for that spicy goodness. I received a dish consisting of some thinner noodles (those giant rice noodles are what makes Pad See ew so wonderful!) some American broccoli, a Butt ton of egg, medium spice and a whole bunch of missing flavor. I dunno if the restaurants ratio of dark soy sauce and oyster sauce is just off or something's not being used but the flavor just wasn't there at all that I was willing to risk tossing some soy sauce on which didn't help anything either. I pretty much ate the chicken and broccoli and took the noodles home where they ended up going uneaten because I couldn't justify putting myself through the disappointment again. The calamari appetizer is pretty good, yet the chili sauce included with it could use quite a bit less sugar in it. It almost tastes like a dessert it's so sweet. read more

Honestly I'll probably go to other Thai options nearby however... This was the only Thai place open! All the other restaraunts were an hour away from opening and I was trying to pick up food to take home *now*. So I gave them a call and placed an order for three entrees and two appetizers; they told me 15-20 minutes. I arrived 20 minutes later and my food was ready and hot! I found this place a bit more expensive than I would expect .. but they didn't skimp on portions at all so maybe that works out. Even the sushi roll we ordered (the Des Moines) was enormous... I don't think I've ever seen a bigger roll. I had garlic egg noodles.. it was a good dish. I ordered spicy level 2 and found there was barely any heat so I wish I had gotten a 3. My Husband ordered the Pangang Curry and liked it. I think he felt similarly was for the heat level. The crab rangoons were great! read more

Excellent lunch. Food was flavorful. Serving size large. Price was affordable. Staff was friendly and attentive. Also, I like that you can dial up the heat based on their 1-6 star rating (I only had three stars). Good for lunch as we were in and out quickly. read more

We ate at cool basil on 7/7 for dinner and my whole family became ill. The shrimp at the time tasted strange. Even before getting sick the food wasn't good. Be careful!! read more

Fabulous food! I will confess I didn't dine in, but was snowed in and I ordered Uber Eats and had them deliver the food to me! It was delicious!! Everything! I think it might be the best Thai/Asian food I have ever had. The dishes tasted so fresh. Veggies were crisp and tasted fresh, the chicken in my Cashew chicken dish was thick nice tender slices of mostly white meat. Veggies excellent with the right amount of sauce. The Jasmine rice was the perfect texture rice should be. I ordered the crab Rangoon which was very good also! Probably the creamiest best tasting crab Rangoon of any Asian place ever. The chicken egg rolls were thin with a delicate wrapper not those thick ones. So much better the roll was bursting with flavor and the right amount of crisp crunch. I will definitely eat here again. Best food EVER! Seriously I can't wait to come back and dine in for the full experience! read more

Cool Basil is the best Thai restuarant in Clive, maybe even all of Iowa. The menu was recently renovated and trimmed down. No worries about loss of flavor though as the classic items like Pad See Ew and Tom Kha Kai soup are still there. Every time I visit I always make sure to select one of those dishes. Thai tea and hot thai coffee are also worth the almost $4 per cup. Besides Thai food Cool Basil has Chinese rice and noodle dishes, plus Japanese sushi. I've yet to eat my way through the entire menu, but I know it is most likely killer. Additionally, the staff is always plentiful and friendly. They are always willing to share their personal take on a dish too. Ask for a suggestion and you can't go wrong! read more

Ordered here many times and usually has been pretty good food... I'm not sure if they have a new chef or something but tonight I ordered masman curry, chicken, 4-stars spiciness and crab rangoon. There was literally zero spice (the receipt said 4 stars so it wasn't an error taking the order). ZERO spice. Toothpaste is spicier so obviously they simply forgot to add heat. AND THERE WAS A HAIR IN THE CRAB RANGOON. A 2-inch light-colored hair sticking right out of the rangoon. And I couldn't pull it out so it was actually cooked into the thing. If they got a new chef they need to fire him/her immediately because this is a bunch of crap. read more

By far my favorite Thai in DSM. I had another place I was going to but there is much less salt/msg in the food here. Everything tastes fresh and authentic. The service is always pretty good and the prices are really reasonable. My favorite is the Tom Kha soup. Perfection. read more

Most amazing crab rangoon's I have ever had! Everyone else is doing crab rangoon's wrong!! So good I didn't get a picture. read more

Cool Basil - Thai Near Me - Clive, Iowa

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Stay away from the take out!!! The online order system crashed mid order. Tried to call to clarify but their phone system was down. Drove to site and waited in line an hour (only because we had already paid) just to find out my order was no where near being ready. As frustrating an experience as I've had in years. read more

Our family goes here about 10 times per year and we never regret it. My personal favorite is the avocado green curry. I get it with no spice and it still has a bit of a kick to it. So, it's not for you if you can't take a little heat. Big menu. Good drinks. read more

Haven't ever had anything I disliked here. I feel like the strength of each "star" as far as spiciness when ordering could be stronger. At other Thai restaurants I will order a 3 and it's barely bearable -- just how I like it. I ordered a 3 here the last two times and it has been MAYBE a 2 or just over a 1. If you like spicy keep that in mind! We recently went for my birthday, a party of 12. They don't take reservations so the boyfriend and I got there an hour or so earlier than what we told people and it worked out perfectly. The atmosphere is great and the staff is incredibly friendly. The only negative thing I would have to say, and was related to my last experience, was they wouldn't bring out people's drinks as they were made. They waited for the entire table's drinks to be ready so we received our round nearly 40 minutes after we ordered. read more

Great food still hasn't changed a bit since COVID. The food is consistently good. The service is amazing. Absolutely recommend

Absolutely incredible! I had the Avocado Curry at spice level 2. It was perfect amount of heat and sweet/salty. It was lunch and wish I got the dinner sized portion--it was that good! Will definitely will be back and would highly recommend to anyone! read more

I have been to Cool Basil many times and it never disappoints! Whether I'm with family or friends someone always suggests heading to Cool Basil for some clutch Asian cuisine. Noodles? Stir-fry? Rice dish? Curry? Soup? Sushi? No worries-they have it. And it's all super delish. Vegetarians/Vegans don't fret- there are plenty of options! Another great thing about Cool Basil- their staff are attentive, pleasant, and are well-informed about the menu. The dining space is large, so don't worry about having to wait for a table during busy hours (I've never waited for a table). Secret lil tip: the Clive Greenbelt trail passes right by the parking lot. Skip the drive and bike on over! This place should be on your go-to list for a casual lunch/dinner out in Des Moines! read more

Cool Basil is an upscale Thai restaurant that serves similar fare to it's similar local establishments such as Thai Flavors and Siam Table. Cool Basil, however, is a step-above in freshness, presentation, and flavor. The restaurant features a high-class sushi bar and full bar as well. Nearly everything is good and many of the dishes are highly customizable to customer preferences and/or dietary requirements. From classic pad thai to curries to sushi to stir fry, if you're looking for Thai in DSM, this is the place to go. read more

I been here so many times and was shocked I hadn't left a review. I think I've eaten most items on the menu and that's a feat all in it's own. Their menu is huge you think of it and they have it. Mango stir fry check larb check sushi check and everything is top notch. I've never been disappointed. Their spice level isn't as hot as others in town, 5 is about a 3 anywhere else. I always order 5 here and get the spice rack. The spice rack comes with hot peper powder, sambal oelek, and crushed peanuts. The sambal oelek taste home made and a little sweeter then the jarred variety. I love it and put half of what is brought to me on everything. Crushed peanuts are also a hit with me, I don't know of anyone else in town who does that. That condiment rack is the best part about eating here. On my last visit I tried a desert something I hadn't done in the past. I tried the Mango with sweet sticky rice. WOW maybe the yummiest desert I've ever had the pleasure of eating. If I wasn't already full I would have ordered an other one. If you have't tried Cool basil you should and if you have your the reason I have to wait a few minutes before I'm seated. read more

Great food but the service lacks big time when ordering to go! The staff is rude. very rude. But. The food is so good its like a drug addict going back to an abusive partner just to get their drugs. In my case, the drug is the Chicken with Cashew spice level 4 and the Tom Ka Kai soup spice level 3. The spice level ordered is never consistent but the foos is always awesome. read more

honestly. this place so mediocre at best. granted, i'm not from the area, and maybe this is the best that's around, but it was such a far cry from what i feel thai food should be. the red curry was too much coconut milk and not nearly enough red curry paste. the cool basil salmon roll appetizer was awful; the salmon was NOT fresh. you'd think with a namesake that reflects the restaurant, you'd want to wow the consumer. blegh! the pad kee mao (drunken noodles) were fine. the green papaya salad was limp and just ok. i asked for everything extra spicy. like spiciest possible (i think they called it level 6). it was not very spicy. but maybe they are catering to the local palette. i don't know. overall, i was SUPER disppointed in the quality and taste of the food here. i guess if you're in the area and you want a reprieve from all the beef and pork and potato around... it's something different. but truthfully, i'd rather have mcdonald's or something. read more

Experiencing Iowa restaurants! The crab fried rice was delicious but I didn't enjoy the eggplant. Not a show stopper as I'll revisit to try other dishes. This restaurant cane highly recommended. read more

i have to agree this place has taken a turn for the worse. Orders are wrong or else they don't answer the phone. I got the wrong order and so i said --well do you deliver? May asked me "Did you eat any of it?" i said--Yes, why? Do you want it back--and she answered "yes; we'll need it back" Gross. I said "Forget the whole thing" Never going back ever. read more

I ordered pad see ew, I wanted to love it but I didn't. The most flavorful parts of the dish were the carrot and broccoli, the noodles and tofu really fell flat for me on flavor. The hint of spice was there, though, which was nice. I ordered this during quarantine, I'd like to give this place another try when I can sit down and eat in the future, but I'll be ordering a different meal then. read more

Came here with family out in IOWA for the first time. It was amazing food. Would come back.

One of my favorite Asian cuisine places. Big portions that'd last for 2 meals for one person, however the service sometimes leave bit to be desired. Might get hard to get in at times for dinner so be prepared. Have a full bar with a nice selection of drinks including wine. read more

Excellent Thai food. Des Moines has an incredible array of Asian restaurants to choose from. Cool Basil is one of the best! Their Summer Rolls are superb, Tom Yum and Tom Kha soups flavor some HD delicious. Curries - Red and Green are some of the best out there. A new favorite for me. They also can get the meals to a 'heat' that I like - HOT! Something that can be difficult to get right! Yummy!! read more

Cool Basil has quickly become one of my favorite lunch locations. The new location has a ton of seating, so even if the parking lot appears to be full, you can get right in the door and seated right away. The employees have always been very helpful if myself or my dining companions have any questions about a particular dish. They're also well-versed in the dishes and willing to provide recommendations. I've had the Pad Thai with chicken on my last two visits and it is fantastic. The serving size is ideal, filling but I'm not uncomfortably full when I'm done. The flavors are great and the best thing is that lunch is just $8! You can't beat this at all. read more

OMG, I dropped by here again on my way for business trip. This place changed into a bigger stand-alone building. Last time, I had lunch here and it was in a strip mall. Well, the parking lot was packed and realized why. Mon and Tues is happy hour night and their menu is pretty nice. You get to try out Captain Crunch (tempura shrimp) as well as the Des Moines sushi (tempura salmon) for special price. I had a seaweed salad too and that was my dinner. Totally satisfied but come with a friend to help you. The portions are pretty large for happy hour specials. I thought it would be smaller than your average portion for dinner entrée. read more

Cool Basil is amazing. I personally love the garlic egg noodles with chicken. My husband loves the TST sushi roll. We brought my dad here to eat when he was in town back in February and he hasn't stopped talking about it. Every dish I've tried here has been great! read more

One of my favorite restaurants in the Des Moines area. All the curry dishes are amazing. Really can't go wrong with any of the options.

OMG! Delicious Ramen!!! The food here is amazing! They pack "em in because of the food! The staff is nice too! Cute fortune cookies!

Reliable for a quick lunch away from the office. Love the avocado curry, crab fried rice and pad Thai. Always consistent for carry out and I love that they're always timely. read more

The place is fantastic. The crab Rangoon are the BEST! We have ordered several different items off the menu and have enjoyed all of them. We frequent this place whenever we have the chance! read more

Had the pad se ew and it was great. Service is excellent and even with special need of no spice and no onion it was very tasty.

My party of four came to Cool Basil as one out of the four had been there for lunch before and she said it was awesome! She is also vegetarian and on top of that a picky eater so I knew it had to be good. It was a Saturday and arrived around 5 (knowing it would get busy soon from the Garth Brooks concert in town) so we decided to have an earlier dinner. Our waitress was very kind and recommended some great drinks -- she even made my boyfriend his dirty martini because she said she's also a bartender and made great ones (he loved it). **Side note: I've been a bartender & server for 14 years and this is going out of the way to make sure your table has a great drink. We ended up ordering appetizers: the vegetarian spring rolls, pork spring rolls and the heavenly beef. All were wonderful! I've never had heavenly beef and it was great. We then ordered spicy white tuna roll, and my vegetarian friend custom ordered her own rolls (2 of the same), my brother and I also ordered the Chicken Pad See Ew (we got to choose our own spice level on a scale from 1-5 which I thought was cool. And my boyfriend ordered Tom Ka Kai (which we have all the time back home) and they let us choose spice level on that as well. All of the dishes were great, and our waitress was very attentive and did a wonderful job. I will be going back! read more

First time eating here. Had the black pepper beef. It was excellent. Had number 2 heat on a scale of 1 to 6 and it was perfect. My son had number 3 heat and it was a bit hot for him. Other dishes in our party were the birthday roll, California roll. and pineapple chicken. Everything was great. read more

My husband is allergic to shellfish. So whenever he is out of town are first stop is Cool Basil. The Captain Crunch sushi roll is the best!! Pad Thai, Massman Curry, Orange chicken, or the spicy grilled shrimp salad are all fantastic options. It's hard to know which one to get when you want all four. read more