Arrived ~6:30pm on a Friday night without a reservation and were luckily able to get a table for 3 for 1 hour before the next reservation! Staff were really friendly and attentive, with the entire team saying "welcome!" whenever a new guest arrived and refilling water frequently. Free street parking was ample and easy to find after 6 pm. Indoor and outdoor seating available. We split 3 dishes which was plenty for 3 people and averaged ~$30 per dish with tax and tip. Chili chicken: Sweet and spicy, the star of the meal!! Risotto: A Thai take on risotto this dish featured mussels and green curry! It was the perfect comfort dish. Pad kee mao: The Wagyu was delicious and appreciated the fresh veggies. Would definitely recommend for a fun meal with friends!! Thank you Holy Basil! read more

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VERY SPICY!! but very unique and delicious. I think this place was interesting because it juxtaposed elevated dishes with casual dining. I sort of wished the inside and service matched the elevated quality of the dishes though. The highlight for me was the chili chicken. It was so flavorful and different and I liked how it was crunchy but not overly heavy and fried and the chicken was perfectly cooked and juicy. The wagu meat on the noodles was another highlight however to me the noodles were just too damn spicy. That is how I feel about the whole meal, I wasn't able to fully enjoy everything due to the spice level. The crab fried rice was simple but every bite had crab mixed in which was really nice and this dish was less spicy. My table loved the green seafood risotto, it was super unique and tasty. We also did enjoy the scallops appetizer, they were very fresh and the sauce was spicy but tangy. Lastly the thai tea was perfect and helped with all the spice. I would go back but I just wish the dishes were less spicy, not sure if you can modify I would probably ask next time. read more

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Food was good but I don't think it's worth the price compared to other Thai places you can get in LA. They also say the food is very spicy but I would say it's more on the mild to medium side, not anything like Thai spicy. My personal fav was the oxtail pasta and the pad kee Mao. read more

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I've been wanting to check out this place because every time I drive by, it always seems busy. I ordered a pad kee mao for takeout and was honestly disappointed. The portion was small for the price, and the noodles tasted much sweeter than other versions I've had elsewhere. On the positive side, the restaurant has a cute interior and seems like a nice spot for a date night. Overall, the food was okay, but it didn't stand out enough for me to return. I'd rather explore other Thai restaurants in the area. read more

Holy Basil - Pad Kee Mao Noodle, Angus Beef ( Spicy ) - Thai Near Me - Santa Monica, California

The food here is so so and portions are tiny. It faces west so the sun comes down to people's. Everything is so pricey. The two dishes I like are Risotto 5/5 it is spicy, curry like, what an interesting Asian fusion combination Beef salad 4/5. The previous photos with pork skins look more appealing. I was disappointed of how the dish looks right now. Other dishes are so average and not recommended. Kao soi 2/5. The pasta is not al dente, it is undercooked. I couldn't finish it. The beef short ribs were soft and juicy. Pork belly 2/5 for like $25-28 this dish is so costly and little. I get $16.99/lbs for delicious pork belly elsewhere. I will not come back for dinner. Maybe I'll try lunch. Parking here is mostly street though I walked because I live close. read more

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The Vibe: An elevated, "cool kid" take on Thai food. The space is small but vibrant, featuring an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs work. The Standouts: The Scallops are bright, acidic, and incredibly fresh. The Thai Tea is a must-order. They were even kind enough to help us prep a birthday cake for a small fee. Elite Tips: Consistently ranked as some of the most "authentic yet progressive" Thai food in LA. It is excellent for a date night if you can snag a smaller table. read more

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Outstanding! I Loved the Thai Caesar salad, the sautéed eggplant, and the crab fried rice. Really unique takes on all of them. Bursting with flavor and spice! We enjoyed sitting at the table facing the chefs and watching them expertly cook each dish. The space is pretty small with a few tables outside; good to get a reservation as it fill up quickly. It gets pretty loud, better for smaller groups rather than larger groups. read more

Holy Basil - Eggplant - Thai Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I am so glad to have tried Holy Basil. The menu options are super unique and innovative, but they are also extremely limited, which is why I knocked one star off to start. As someone who does not eat meat, my options were few, and everything has a high price tag even if you don't want the meat in it. The pumpkin and eggplant was very tasty. I think the eggplant could have been softer and better cooked through, and I wish that the dish had more pumpkin, but overall, the flavor was great. The green curry risotto is a must try, and I appreciated that they could bring mussels on the side. The dish tasted much better with the mussels. The fried fish was ok, not bad, not amazing, and too fried for my taste. The ambiance is cute, trendy, and intimate. Service was mixed, one server was great, while the other still seemed to be training. Overall a good experience, but I won't be running back given the limited menu. read more

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We went here for dinner with a group of 5 on a Thursday evening. We made a reservation online. The dining area is quite small and our table was connected to another group of 4. Probably best for groups of 4 and less. Our waiter was really nice and gave feedback to our menu suggestions. He even suggested we order additional dishes which was appreciated. We ordered the risotto, pad kee mao, eggplant and squash, New York steak and the chili chicken plus 2 sides of white rice to share between 5 people. The sides of rice are huge and definitely shareable - we felt that all 5 of use could've shared one side of rice. All the dishes came out quickly except for the veggie dish (eggplant), we had finished most of the other dishes by the time this one came out. My favorite dish we ordered was the chili chicken, very flavorful and a nice size portion! The risotto and pad kee mao were on the spicy side but still flavorful. The risotto was more of a curry rice compared to an actual risotto, but it did have great flavor. Street parking only - metered parking available on Santa Monica in front of the restaurant and ends at 6 pm. read more

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Delicious and unique Thai food! Highly recommend. Found on NYTimes Top 25 LA Restaurant list. Plenty of tables available for Saturday lunch. We had the appetizer scallop dish, like a ceviche with a bit of spice (excellent!), the ground beef & rice dish (somewhat spicy, but not if you avoid the pieces of pepper) and the shrimp curry. All were so good! We also had the egg rolls, which were a bit too bland for my taste. They were long and thin, with glass noodles inside and almost no meat. Would rather save room to try another excellent dish! I will definitely go back when next in LA. read more

Holy Basil - Shrimp Curry dish. Delicious sauce and huge shrimp! - Thai Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I would not be surprised if Holy Basil ends up getting a Michelin star. The flavors are elevated, punchy, sweet, tangy, and delicious. Inside you'll find a small, cute setup, with an open kitchen where you can see the chefs working hard, and creating their masterful plates. Everything here is crafted with intention and is packed with flavor. The green curry mussel risotto, crab + uni bites, and steak chimichurri dishes are a must. Incredibly unique and flavorful. The crab fried rice is good, but not to the levels of the other three, in my opinion. So, that'll be the dish that I skip to try something else next time that I come. Service is swift and efficient. The place can't seat a lot of people, so they want to get you in and out. Understandable. And everyone is still friendly, knowledgable, and respectful. Holy Basil is pricier for the amount of food that comes on each plate, but you're paying for elevated Thai food. And that's exactly what you get here. So delicious. read more

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Eh, I didn't get the bang for my buck I was looking for here. I came for dinner during the week with a friend, and the service was great. We were seated outside. So I didn't get a look inside. I ordered the pad kee mao, and for almost $30, the portion size was rather small. The noodles themselves were alright, but I wasn't a fan of the giant tough chunks of pork belly. read more

This location is very small. The kitchen is open and since we sat in the middle of the restaurant, we felt the air of the chilies cooking around us. We ordered the lohn, the beef tataki, cabbage salad (too spicy to enjoy), pad kee mao, and a Thai tea. We really enjoyed the lohn and the pad kee mao- comes with crispy pork belly. Need to order rice with the beef tataki. The Thai tea was very good, made with pistachio milk. The meal was very expensive for 2 people, and the dishes were rather small. It was pretty busy so make sure to make a reservation. Would come back next time but with a bigger group to order more things! read more

Holy Basil - Cabbage Salad - Thai Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I'd been wanting to try Holy Basil and finally got the chance. The food uses incredibly fresh ingredients and has amazing flavors but the experience could have been better. Service was pretty mediocre, mainly driven by the fact that our server spent an inordinate amount of time chatting with customers at the counter seats and left us waiting to order (with a very hangry 4 year old!) for quite some time. Once we did order, the food came quickly. The rice salad with peanuts was amazing, and really well suited for our son. The pad kee mao was great too although about half the dish was bell peppers (red and green) so they felt more like filler vegetables. We would have referred more noodles and next time I would skip the wagyu, we got about 6 tiny postage stamp sized slivers that didn't really add much to the dish. I would have liked a wider variety of veggies in here. The sea bream was excellent, wonderful flavors and lots of fresh herbs and shaved garlic. The wine list is interesting and I had a glass of Free Your Mind, which was basically a non-fizzy Lambrusco, but quite tasty and a nice complement to the spicy flavors. I would come back but might order differently and probably wouldn't bring my son again as a lot of the food was much too spicy for him and there were no beverage options available to help him soothe the heat. read more

"Came in after seeing the hype on social media unfortunately it didn't deliver. We ordered quite a bit and the portions were consistently small. The eggplant plate ($16) came with just three pieces of eggplant, some squash, bell peppers, and onion filler vegetables. The wagyu shank noodles were similarly sparse. Flavors were decent but not worth the price. Ambiance is fine, though there's only one communal bathroom." read more

We went for their soft opening at around 5:30 pm on Saturday and was told there would be a 45 minute wait but were seated within 15 minutes. Very excited about this location because we love the Atwater one. Everything was really good. Favorite was the lobster risotto, the tom yum flavor was so powerful. I liked the touch of blistered tomatoes on top. The lobster was like butter. The lohn was so interesting and different to anything I've ever had before. The initial taste was like an explosion of flavor followed by the creaminess of the uni, while still having that crunchy texture from the puri. Nam tok tataki was like a mini boat noodle soup minus the noodles. The broth was sooo rich and delicious. Calamari was just okay. Pad kee mao was good, super smokey and spicy but the moo krob in it was a bit too fatty for me. We could'nt decide between desserts but eventually opted for the key lime pie. It was so good! I loved that the crust was like puff pastry rather than typical pie crust. The key lime flavor was so tart but the cream on top really balanced it out. Amazing, no notes. I love that the menu rotates seasonally. Excited to see what they add and how they improve from this soft opening. read more

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If flavor had a gym membership, it would train exclusively at Holy Basil. Santa Monica finally got its own outpost and WOW... my tastebuds are still doing high-intensity interval training. The space is bright and fun, the service is fast, and the food is basically an edible mic drop. Santa Monica finally has a Thai spot that doesn't feel like a consolation prize for not living in DTLA. Holy Basil SM, welcome to the neighborhood. I'm already plotting my return -- and yes, it's probably tomorrow. read more

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This isn't my first time at this place; these are my absolute favorite dishes. The staff is very friendly, the service is fast, and the food is delicious--my son and I really love this spot. We highly recommend it! read more

Holy Basil - Bangkok Crab Fried Rice Chilli chicken, schezwan sauce - Thai Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Holy Basil in Santa Monica might be my new favorite lunch spot. The skinny cigar pork egg rolls were perfectly crisp, and the wagyu grapow with banana bell peppers was bold, fragrant, and packed with flavor. Everything came out incredibly fast, making it an easy, standout lunch. Paired with a glass of orange wine, the whole meal absolutely woke up my taste buds. read more

Holy Basil - Egg rolls, wagyu grapow, orange wine - Thai Near Me - Santa Monica, California

A DINING EXPERIENCE THAT OUTSHINES MOST THAI -EVEN IN THAI TOWN. FYI - I make my own reservations, pay for all my meals and I tell it like it is. I went to Holy Basil in Santa Monica with excitement and left knowing that I now have an amazing Thai restaurant on the west side that can out perform almost every other Thai restaurant in LA.  In summary, the flavors are outstanding. These are not the standard Thai flavors, but deeper, richer, bolder and more aromatic flavors. The leave you wanting more and each dish varies so much from the other. You get a Thai meal experience that I have not tasted since my trips to Thailand. I made the reservation on Open Table a week in advance and was relegated to 5:45pm - all good, I'll go a little early to a popular place.  When I went the place was empty and some people were eating outside in the nice air and a few others inside.  I will touch on this later. The place is non-discript from the outside and you would miss it if not looking hard. Inside it is small, but impactful. You can see the cooks, the food prep and know what is going into each dish. I liked that. It created vibrancy and energy. You felt your food was going to be good, just looking at the chefs. The waitress was extremely friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Between her and looking at Tik Tok reels, we chose what I now know to be one of the best Thai meals I have had in a long time. The meal: Calamari in Salted Egg Brown Butter - a fantastic appetizer to start the meal. Not your usual Calamari, but the salted brown butter adds a umami to the taste. Perfectly cooked and the more I ate, the more I wanted more. Eggplant and Squash Basil- The squash turns normal Thai eggplant into a better dish. There is also a few other vegetables in there, lightly cooked, that also add more and more flavor and texture. Sauce is superb and with rice, you would just have this if vegan. Chilli Chicken with Schezwan Sauce - To me, a fan of spicy, this was one of two very star dishes. God was this good! So deep with flavor, so rich with taste and a nice spice that kept you coming back for more and more. This took chicken, a simple protein, to such a good place.  A must for dine in or take-out. Pork Collar in Panang Curry - MY GOD! The pork collar would be cut with a fork it was so tender, but the Panang Curry and the deep fiend basil bring this amazing dis together. This would be the best curry I have eaten in Los Angeles. They don't give you a lot, but enough to cover the pork collar and that touch of basil brings it over the top. Panna Cotta - I did like this, but it is sooooooooo small, you have to order two, as you cannot share it. I should have ordered the Key Lime Pie, but this was very good, just smalle. Pricing: Not too expensive, but not cheap. About right for high quality LA food. The atmosphere, space says it should be less expensive, but maybe they are going for that Thai-sheek authenticity.  That meal was about $125 including tip.  The waitress was quite good and I wish I knew her name she was that good. This will be my new go-to Thai place. Soooo Good.  Since it is small, I do suggest take out as a easy way to get some great food. I don't think Open Table does this place justice. We had to make reservations a week in advance to get 5:45p and I saw so many walk ins while we ate at 6p, even 6:30p - to me that is poor reservations and a bad system. Everything else was what I said - a highlight Thai meal of 2026. Bravo to the chefs and staff - 5 Stars! read more

Holy Basil - Check - Thai Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I'd heard that Holy Basil had opened a Santa Monica location and was eager to try this place. We showed up at 5:30 pm on a Sunday evening and were quoted a 30-40 minute wait. The wait ended up being exactly about that. Holy Basil is a nice addition to Santa Monica, which seems lacking in good Thai options. The restaurant is small and looks to seat about 25-30 people. The ambiance is bright and funky, with an exposed industrial ceiling, an open kitchen, and bright colors all around the restaurant. Our server was welcoming and happy to explain the menu to us since it was our first time. The menu is designed for dishes to be shared. We ended up getting one appetizer, one snack and two mains. We had an amuse bouche with uni inside. The inside was velvety and creamy and it contrasted well with the crisp exterior. The appetizer we got was a raw cabbage salad with napa salad, something that tasted like radish but may not have been, small pieces of chopped almonds, and sukiyaki sauce. It was simple but had an interesting flavor and texture. Of the two mains, the rad nah and green curry risotto, I preferred the green curry risotto. It was a unique spin on a traditional dish and I enjoyed the Thai flavors. The mussels were also fresh and silky. If you visit, I'd recommend this as a must-order dish. The rad nah is a Thai-Chinese dish consisting of egg noodles in a thick gravy-like soup. I've had some rendition of this a long time ago and I think Holy Basil's version is great. It was comforting and tasted like the perfect noodle soup to eat on a cold day, however, I preferred the risotto to the rad nah. We ended our meal with what was listed on the menu as 'coconut panna cotta'. It was difficult to say no to dessert, as their two dessert items were listed at a mere $4. We expected something tiny based on the price, and we weren't wrong, however the dessert also surprised us in another way. It was described on the menu as panna cotta, but with a caramelized hard crust, it was clearly creme brulee. There were no complaints, as the dessert was delicious and my husband and I both love creme brulee, but I would think a restaurant would know the difference. Either way, I'm happy to have another excellent Thai restaurant on the west side, and would highly recommend visiting. read more

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We have gotten takeout or delivery from Holy Basil a couple times now and all I can say is holy wow! The only disappointment you will feel is in your pocketbook, which will be a whole lot emptier than when you ordered. Every dish here is bursting with flavor in the best way possible. Surprisingly, they don't overdo the sauce or the salt - everything is both incredibly balanced and in your face. The takeout/delivery menu is fairly limited, but so far we have tried the gra pow Wagyu, Bangkok crab fried rice, eggplant & kabocha squash, and the pad kee mao. Everything has been a party in the mouth, but my personal favorites so far have been the pad kee mao (not too spicy, very generous with the beef, no onions!) and the eggplant & kabocha squash (although it was a little disappointing the second time because the eggplant was still a little firm). Child's favorite was the crab fried rice (of course it's the most expensive thing on the menu, cue eyeroll) and she has declared that we must order it every time from now on. Le sigh. It's not a large restaurant, and it has been hopping every time we've been there or driven by. If you're getting takeout, definitely place your order in advance. So happy to welcome Holy Basil to the neighborhood :) read more

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We had lunch here, and I can't wait to be back to try dinner. The curries were delicious, the service friendly, and the crab fried rice divine. Their egg rolls were a new experience, very long and skinny with a little bit of filling, much like a taquito. read more

Food service efficiency quality, seating, ambience, and taste. Just totally amazing here. read more

Holy Basil - Chefs table seating ? Amazing action ! - Thai Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Was surprised at how much I enjoyed Holy Basil. The crab uni bites were an excellent way to start the meal. The chili chicken sauce was lip smackingly good. The mussel risotto was fragrant and tasty, though we'd opt for something different on our next visit. read more

The food was great quality, better than your average Thai restaurant. Had the green curry with Jidori chicken, it included a lot of veggies, zucchini, squash, and the famous "holy basil". The wine list was pricey, so had a beer instead. The service was awesome, they were full of enthusiasm, the wait staff and the kitchen. Will be back, to eat in ot take to go. read more

As authentic as they come, Holy Basil could be in Bangkok. This is not your standard Thai American spot. I found the menu to be limited and challenging to English readers--I certainly needed help understanding it. Holy Basil's menu is filled with extremely spicy, bold tasting dishes, a good number of which might rattle the tummies of unassuming American palates. It's excellent for some, though, and there's an unending crowd for the takeout menu, which differs at times from the dinner menu. We found a steak dish with Thai chimmichurri to be solid, as well as a Thai eggplant appetizer. Wine selection is nice; a crisp Austrian white stood out. But beware those spices, and chat with the helpful wait staff before you order. read more

In a city drowning in "elevated" this and "inspired" that, Holy Basil Santa Monica stands out by being deeply personal, wildly flavorful, and completely itself. The room has a warm glow, and the whole experience feels like being invited to the chef's house on a night they're only cooking for people they genuinely like. Nothing here tiptoes. The Tom Yum risotto shows up with crab, heat, and zero apologies. The Nam Tok beef broth is a full architectural feat--layered, balanced, and bold. Even the small plates overperform like they're auditioning for Chef's Table. There are no substitutions because, honestly, the dishes are already dialed in. You're here to trust them, not negotiate. The vibe lands somewhere between casual neighborhood hang and dinner at your impossibly cool friend's place--the one who drops "Bangkok" into conversation the way other people mention Trader Joe's. In short: Holy Basil Santa Monica serves Thai with swagger, heat, and confidence--the kind usually reserved for surfers who can actually surf. read more

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Overall, great experience! Came here on a Tuesday night. It's still in their softish opening. They do not have alcohol yet but the menu states that beer, wine, and sake are coming soon. My favorite dish was rock fish dish. It had a great balance of spicy, salty, and flavorful. I also really enjoyed the calamari, green curry risotto, and pad kee mao. They all had their unique pieces that made them good such as the salted egg on the calamari. The giant tiger prawns were good as well but not at the same level as the previous dishes. The one dish I was disappointed in was the crab fried rice which was lacking in flavor. In terms of service, our server was great! She was very helpful in suggestions and checking in with us. She was also right about how we needed an additional dish which we added at the end. It is a small space but very cute. And since there is not much near it, there is parking along the street right outside, at least on a weeknight. read more

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I was pretty eager to try the newest Holy Basil location since Thai food on the westside is a bit lacking. The Atwater village location is way too far and the dtla location is in a sketchy food court. The food from the DTLA location is excellent. The new location was good but the menu was very limited compared to other locations and I was bummed to see significantly higher westside prices - $30 for a small plate of pork belly stir fried noodle?? I wouldn't have ordered such a standard dish at such a markup but the options were really limited and my friend is a little picky. The waiter also called it a greatest hits menu so I thought there would be something special about this. I was also expecting crispy roasted pork skin and they just pan fried slices of pork belly. It's Thai street food portion sized so small but not $2. Even for the westside, $30 is nuts, it might be the most expensive plate of Thai noodles for volume in LA. Unless you refuse to cross the 405, you can get cheaper and comparable at a lot of solid Thai places in Thai town. Tuk tuk on Sawtelle might have similar too. If you're going to pay premium prices, get their more unique dishes like the lhon - uni crab pani puri. They are tiny but pack a lot of flavor - make sure to eat in one bite as the most flavor is at the bottom. I really wanted to try the lobster risotto especially since it's pretty much the same price as the moo krob but they said it was a strong tom yum flavor which we don't love. The nam tok tataki was my favorite dish - lightly poached beef sitting in a small bowl of sauce that tastes like concentrated boat noodles. Unless the expand the menu, I may stick to the dtla location for more options at a better price. Also, it's Thai food, and they don't mute the flavors for western palates, so expect strong flavors including heavy on the salt. Make a reservation if you can or expect to wait. read more

Wow how does this place have any hype? First off, they somehow already have a "B" health score. Once you step in you are hit by a cloud of smoke because they don't have proper ventilation. We were coughing throughout our meal. Now for the food. We ordered at least 7 different dishes. The portions are laughable. More importantly, not a single item was decent. Steak was overcooked. Crab fried rice had no flavor. Pork belly was soggy. We couldn't believe how terrible this place is. I wouldn't in a million years go back. read more

Cute place. Great open kitchen. Great food. Spice level on point. Great addition to the neighborhood.

It was only okay, not much flavor. Small portions Would not recommend but not terrible read more

DELICIOUS. Tonight was my third visit, and I loved everything we ordered - flavors are unexpected and interesting, and the presentation is beautiful. The staff are lovely, helpful, and attentive. My only issue is with the noise level: my hearing isn't great, and I find myself saying g, "What?!?" a lot. Thankfully, they've added some outdoor tables since the last time I came, and I'm sure that will make all the difference for me. read more

Good Thai food with authentic flavors. Service is friendly. We went at lunchtime but heard the evening is even better but make sure you get reservations. We had the green curry, beef noodles, curry shrimp, egg rolls and the jasmine rice. All were very good and tasty. It's a limited menu but good to check it out and the space is not too big. read more

The crispy rice salad was so delicious and flavorful. I love the squash and eggplant dish. It was well sauced. The grandmas fish and rice had barely any fish. It was like the fried skin and no meat. read more

Amazing night at this new opening for Holy Basil in Santa Monica. Food and service were superb. We literally licked all the dishes clean. Not a bad bite on the menu, highly recommend. read more

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Interesting and tasty dishes. Not typical Thai. Well worth trying. Friendly and helpful staff.

the host was very accommodating he was able to seat us last minute the food was delicious i loved the eggplant dish best the decor is clean but less interesting then the atwater location. if i wasn't looking for the restaurant, i wouldn't notice it since it blends into a boring new building read more

A really great addition in Santa Monica. We went for lunch. The lunch menu is limited yet very good. We had the egg rolls, the fish, the green curry, and the fried rice with chicken. The Thai tea was good, and the hibiscus tea was refreshing. The service was good, and everyone was friendly. The ambiance is like going to a local favorite. All around, a great lunch. read more