The food is super good here. It is exactly the same taste when I traveled to Thailand and had food there. I will highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Was excited to try this place, but it really fell flat. Sake cafe has way better thai curries. We had the mango curry with chicken and the mixed seafood and salmon curry. Both tasted very similar and bland, with very little vegetables mixed in. Also had the gai gapow and papaya salad. They were ok, salad also a little bland. We will be sticking to Sake cafe from now on. read more

One of the best Thai restaurants and that's coming from a NYC Thai aficionado. Hidden gem.

Terrible service. There's only one server. Couldn't get our order correct, never filled our waters and would grumble if we asked for things. Do take out if you are going to eat here! read more

The best Thai food in the area. In fact, Sweet Basil has the best massaman curry I've ever had. The restaurant is tiny, so be prepared to wait if you go during peak hours, but it's a cute cozy place and it's definitely worth the wait. Love this place. read more

Great food and great service. I stopped here to get dinner on a road trip and really enjoyed it. Get the Thai iced tea, by far the best one I've ever had! I'd also recommend the drunken noodles. The service was friendly and the good arrived fairly quickly! read more

Average place with decent food. Nothing extra ordinary and very poor ambience What more can you expect if you converted an apartment into a restaurant. Feels a bit dingy but since the food is good I guess you are satisfied read more

Don't let the outside fool you, this place is absolutely amazing! I was told by one of my friends that this place was great. So today another friend and I were thinking about ordering take out, but was told that the wait would be 40 minutes so we decided to just go over and sit down. The waitress had a table waiting for us and already had our order placed. The place is adorable on the inside, small but cute. Our food took some time but they were very, very busy! But it was worth the wait!! My friend and I both got the drunken noodle, one with beef and one with chicken. We both agreed that it was utterly fantastic. While we were eating we were already planning our next trip to Sweet Basil. Highly recommended! :-) read more

Upon entering the restaurant, there was food left out on the patio table where flies covered the food. We walked inside and there were more empty dishes left on an empty table. This was a turn off but we thought to give it a chance. Two glasses of water were brought out and there were things floating in them. Didn't drink the water. We should have gotten up and left but stayed. The appetizer was mediocre and so were our main dishes. I think if the establishment was cleaner, we might of had a better experience. Clean and clear your tables immediately! Most likely will not return. read more

Sweet basil has the best Thai food around. Love the curries and spring rolls! The restaurant is small, so getting a table on a weekend night can be iffy. Their takeout quality is just as good so I would definitely recommend! I just wish they delivered. read more

We (3 adults and 2 kids, ages 5 and 2) dined here last night for the first time. This place was packed and worth the wait. Call for a reservation if you want a seat! We ate on the porch and it was lovely. It is was also lovely inside - romantic I think! We waited a long time to be served, but the service and the meal was worth it 100%. My spouse said that we have found another favorite place. We had Siam chicken, Kee Mao, Yellow Curry, pineapple fried rice, and three veggie appetizers. Our meal was perfect. With our kids, sitting outside was helpful! read more

Sweet Basil is by far the best Thai food restaurant in the Albany area, hands down. Ive eaten most of the menu items and haven't been disappointed yet. The Spicy Sweet Basil is my favorite, and the Ginger Mushroom is a close second. If you really hungry also go for the Thai Sweet Basil Wings! You won't regret it! Nice sweet little restaurant, always friendly staff. My wife really likes the Mango Curry, I think it taste fine but it just doesnt like me lol Food comes our quick and hot! read more

Thai food is my favorite and this place did not disappoint! I got the beef pad see ew and it was sooooo good! The curry was also very rich and full of flavor. I'm not a big pad thai fan but when my friend ordered it family style I found myself reaching for it over and over again. The service is kind of slow but the workers are super nice. The only bad thing about this place is the size. They don't really do big parties so you could end up waiting an hour if you have a party bigger than 4. read more

One of the best spots for a quick but consistently good meal on Newbury Street. I love the Pad See Ew and the shumai is good too.

One of the best Thai places I've had in Albany. Usually get the red curry and drunken noodle, no complaints here :)

A cosy little place with fewer than 10 tables. We made a reservation for a Sat night - the place was full but our table was ready and waiting for us. We were in a rush to get to a movie at the Spectrum and our food came really quickly. I had Siam Chicken which was hot crispy and delicious! Great experience and a really nice pre-movie spot. read more

I was visitinf the area and i walked 3 miles to go here. Well worth the walk! I had the chicken skewers and spicy drunken noodles, both choices were excellent! read more

Small place with limited seating indoors and outdoors on the main drag. Nice, pleasant staff. Good food cooked fresh and nice quality. Prices a bit high, but, portion sizes are reasonable. Panang Curry Chicken very good. Deep Fried Thai Spring Rolls very good, but side sauce was different and had dairy product added to plum sauce. A bit odd, we asked for the Duck Sauce standard sauce. We also had another noodle dish, smaller fettuccine pasta dish with some nice sweet zucchini, baby corn, broccoli, mushrooms. The crispy fried noodle strips on top okay and a tad bit too much green gravy sauce drowned out the vegetables. Make sure you have a reservation for parties of 4+. The wait time is worth it and they been in business for 5 years. White Jasmine Rice here is excellent and served steaming hot - well done job on that. read more

Very friendly staff and incredibly delicious food! Can't wait to go back!

This is the best Thai restaurant in the capital region. It is authentic and reminds me so much of the food we had when we went to Thailand ten years ago. If your lucky enough to grab and outdoor seat on a summer evening, and order the red curry then you will have a wonderful evening! We had a sweet server the last time in who taught us how to say a couple of Taiwanese words after we told her about our trip. Really engaging and genuine. Will go back often. read more

3.75 stars! Sweet Basil is a small, cozy space that sets the mood with dim lighting and makes for an intimate setting for a small party of 2 to 4. A heart shaped glass contains water with two floating candles and a gerber daisy all of which sit prettily on each table. The restaurant is well kept and clean, further lending to its comfortable appeal. We came in as a large party (of almost 20), filling up the restaurant with chatter and laughter. One hostess/server took care of all of us, and did so ever graciously. There were no delays in service as what might have been anticipated and instead the service throughout the night was attentive and helpful. The pad kee mao and pad see ew, popular dishes and rather standard fare, were well created with great flavor and made with fresh ingredients like broccoli, carrots, and onions. The portions were generous in size, enough for almost two meals. I highly recommend the papaya salad made of papaya strips, bean sprouts, steamed green beans, halved cherry tomatoes, and chunks of peanut, all mixed in a sour and slightly spicy dressing. Aside the salad were bits of lettuce, used to balance the flavors of the papaya salad. Take a bite size amount of salad wrapped in crisp and juicy lettuce, and you have a truly flavorful but not too overpowering experience. All was well save for the spicy sweet basil entree, which was a medley of vegetables in a spicy basil sauce (I added duck to it) and a side of white rice. The dish came with a half cm thick layer of oil glistening in all its glory. The duck meat came with plenty of fat, which together with the already oily sauce, was simply too greasy. The sauce itself was salty, but given that it was to be eaten with white rice, I think that's understandable. However the amount of oil in that dish was simply frightening. I would very much want to try other things on the menu, provided that they're not oil laden like the spicy sweet basil entree. Perhaps a curry on my next visit? read more

My first experience at this restaurant was wonderful. Today I returned to the restaurant hoping to recreate that experience. I found myself in one of the most uncomfortable restaurant experiences I have ever had. The waitress took our order incorrectly. After we mentioned we had ordered a different appetizer she indicated that we were wrong and that was what we ordered. She then proceeded to return to the kitchen complaining about us the entire way. She was loud enough that the entire dining room could hear her complaints. I let her know that we could hear her... We left. I am still in shock about what happened. Be wary when you go here. I won't be back. read more

Here visiting from NYC. This Thai restaurant had the BEST soup ( l had a soup with delicious noodles, basil scallions and scallops. Simply delicious. Also had the steamed dumplings and a salad...yum ! read more

What a wonderful intimate Thai restaurant in Albany! The restaurant is impeccably clean, the staff very kind and friendly, and the food is fantastic! If you like spicy Thai, you should make very sure you tell them, they are very sensitive to American tastes. read more

Wow. What a great meal. This is the best Thai food I've had in a long long time. Maybe the best I've ever had. The drunken noodle was outstanding. Very small dinning area. We arrived just before noon and it was a good thing because they filled up quickly. There was a birthday party with 10 people that took up half the dinning room. The rest of the tables were all full a little after noon. The nice waitress said to several people to come back in 45 minutes. One group waited 45 minutes for a table. That's says a lot about the quality of the food that people would wait 45 minutes during their lunch hour for a table. read more

My girlfriend and I dropped in on a whim because of the other good reviews we saw on Yelp. Turns out we were very lucky - the place was packed and there was a reservation list, but a table had opened up just before we arrived. The dining room is small, with 5 four-seat tables inside; 3 or 4 more were available on the patio out front. The staff was friendly and responsive. Our orders were taken within minutes of sitting down, and our water glasses never emptied out completely before the waitresses came by to top them off. We started with the fresh basil spring rolls as an appetizer. They were delightful - each had a leaf of basil and fresh, crispy veggies with a sweet and savory dipping sauce. Next came shrimp tom yum soup - red curry and coconut milk broth with scallions, cilantro, onion, white mushrooms, and a couple of jumbo shrimp. A nice blend of savory, spicy, and sweet, and it left us satisfied as we waited for the entrees. For dinner, I had the mango curry duck. It came with a rich, creamy curry sauce and was loaded with peas, red peppers, and basil, and the duck itself was cooked to perfection; tender, juicy, and delicious. My girlfriend had the chicken pad thai. We've had pad thai at several restaurants in the area, and we both agreed that this was by far the best one we've had so far. Finally, we both had a glass of the Thai iced coffee. It was practically a dessert unto itself - sweet, cool, and refreshing, with a hint of spice (nutmeg, maybe) and a taste that reminded us of cocoa. The price is right - everything above came to $54 total, and I would've gladly paid more for my entree (and probably would have at some other restaurants). We can't recommend this place enough - but be sure you make a reservation if you're planning on coming in during busy hours! read more

OMG - this was the most delicious thai food I had in a long time!!! A must go for anyone looking to eat thai. Although the neighborhood seems off and there's only 1 waitress to take orders, clean tables, serve water, etc. - the food is the best part!! read more

Best Thai food in Albany! My husband and I went and were very impressed with the strong flavors and delicious spices. We look forward to coming again in the future! read more

Stopped there on the way back from Canada. We were the only people there. It was late about 9.30. They looked like they were about to close but served us. We ordered the Pad Thai and the Mango chicken dish. We really enjoyed the Pad Thai and gave it two thumbs up. The mango chicken dish threw me for a loop. I did not like it with the pad thai but I did like the flavor, so I decided to eat it with the white rice (not a big white rice fan). It was perfect. I could not believe how well they complemented each other. I would definitely go back. Very nice but on the high end of reasonably priced food. read more

Love love this place. This was my go-to spot for my pregnancy craving of pad Thai, and let me tell you I tried lots of spots! It's also small and cute with little wait. read more

Excellent Thai food. I almost always do take out, but the restaurant itself is cute and almost always full when I pick up my food.

Cute little place. Service was a tiny bit slow, but we really weren't in any hurry, and the one server was working hard. Crab rangoons were really great, and our entrees were large and flavorful. Also: the server was super-friendly, smiling the whole time, very accommodating. I'm sure this place will be on our list anytime we come through Albany. read more

I don't often write a review for a place we didn't actually get to eat, but I've also never been to a restaurant that said "we're full..." and then nothing, when we walked in the door, rather than "the wait will be 15-20". It's almost like they were trying to drive business away...so we went elsewhere. read more

I don't go out to eat in Albany anymore. I can't even tell you the last restaurant I have been to. But Sweet Basil is the only one I will get take out from. It's unbelievably good and I've had every Thai restaurant in the area. This blows them all away. It's a shame eating anywhere else. Their prices are reasonable and not once have I been disappointed here. Like any American faking that they eat Thai, their Chicken Pad Thai is unbelievable. But so are their other dishes such as their curry or appetizers like crab ragoon. I never had dessert from here though but the pictures look great. I always get a slice from Grandma's Pie Shoppe.... Thai and Pie...perhaps the best combination on a Summer day. read more

Having grown up in Albany before going to school and eventually London/San Francisco, my expectations for the quality of food are never very high. However, Sweet Basil delivers some of the best thai food I've had, ever. My mom and I shared the crab rangoon, and then I had the panang curry with fried tofu. Delicious! I'll be back here the next time I'm home for certain. read more

Small, charming little mom and pop place. Loved the crab rangoon--you can actually taste the crab, it's not like many places where it seems you just get a glob of cream cheese. Pot stickers were pretty good, but not great. Had the duck pad kee mao and it was really tasty with lots of duck. I'll be back... read more

When we first walked in here I was definitely concerned. Felt like we were intruding on a private party or something. The place is just about the size of a small living room. And there seems to be about 4 people running the entire restaurants -- 2 cooks, 1 waiter and the owner. We started with the wonton soup which was just out of this world delicious. I can't describe how awesome this soup really was. It was intense with flavor and served piping hot. They definitely made these soups to order and you could really taste the difference. For dinner we had the drunken noodles with chicken and the seafood adventure. Both dishes were just outstanding. The drunken noodles were cooked 'al dente.' The chicken was tender and the peppers added some nice color and texture to the dish. Excellent portion too. The seafood adventure was even better though...fresh, tender seafood with vegetables with glass noodles. My god it was like a taste of heaven. I really appreciated the fact that neither dish was swamped in sauce or oil. Everything tasted healthy and I say that in the best possible way. My ONLY complaint is the service and wait time. We waited about an hour for our meals (25 minutes for the soup). I think this is due to the fact that the restaurant's max capacity is about 20 people, and when we came here on Saturday night that's exactly how many people were there inside. If you don't mind waiting a while for homemade Thai at its finest, you should definitely come here. Delicious. read more

Very very solid Thai food. Walking in, I felt like I was walking into a family friend's house -- table layouts are cozy, lots of warm decorations, and very friendly greetings at the door. We ordered spring roles, drunken noodles, pineapple friend rice, ga-grow (kra prow in other places) and red curry. What resonated with me most was that everything (except the drunken noodles) was not greasy and maintained all the bold thai spice flavor. Waitresses were very attentive. Will be back the next time I visit Albany. read more

By far the best Thai food. Its a very small place that serves food with such a good presentation and taste that can make 4 start restaurants look average. Any curry and noodles is must have. Try Thai ice tea in beverages. read more

Received poor service not sure if it's because I sit here alone or what but the tables were not even full. Tried the tom yum noodle soup first time ( usually I get Pad Thai) and the noodle is too stiff..really a disappointment. I recommend Sukho Thai for Thai food in the capital region read more