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I have never been so excited to write a review for a restaurant in a long time. This lovely little bistro is a must visit when in town. We have seen it before and have passed up on it. Well we visited today and man are we kicking ourselves for all the times we missed out! We made reservations online, it's a must. We arrived a bit early, but we were greeted with a friendly welcoming "hello". Are table was ready very quickly. Our knowledgeable "host" David was amazing. Everyone was so helpful and attentive. It is a small establishment with a few tables and booths. Which makes perfect sense with the reservation being necessary. Food was absolutely amazing. Everything was delicious and fresh. Portions were generous for sure. We were celebrating our 30th anniversary and this one goes in the books as a great decision! Thank you to everyone a this diamond on the mountain!
We just had my birthday dinner at Sweet Basil Bistro. It was very busy when we got there on a Saturday evening. The staff were running all over the place, but they could not have been nicer and the service throughout our meal was excellent. I had the Gorganzola-stuffed Filet Minon, and my friend had the Chicken Parmigiana. We also had the Crab Cakes and the Garlic Shrimp appetizers and a couple of glasses of Chianti. Everything was delicious! We loved our whole experience here and will definitely be back.
Not our first time here and will not be the last! Family owned and operated, and the family is amazing! The wine lists consist of plenty of options direct from Italy. If you're more of a beer kinda person, they have Peroni among other options. The inside is small, but comfortable making the experience very personal. The food is top notch and made fresh to order. The Gorgonzola filet is outstanding. This place is always slammed, reservations are a must and can only be done online. So plan ahead of time to ensure you get in.
Absolutely amazing dinner. We ordered the artichoke and harvest salad to start. Then we both had the sea bass and finished up with the chocolate cheesecake brownie bomb. Omg it was delicious this is now our favorite place in Big Bear for dinner.
My wife and I ate at Sweet Basil on a Saturday night at 6, were advised to make a reservation ahead of time, and I'm so glad we did as the restaurant was packed. Overall, my 5 star rating reflects our general dining experience, which was exceptional by every metric. Delicious and elegant food, warm and attentive service, comfortable surroundings, wonderful wine parings, and super yummy cocktails, made this a memorable dining experience. Once seated, we were bought a loaf of warm bread and the most delicious, garlic olive oil for dipping. Some fresh ground pepper really kicked the oil up a notch. Since my wife is vegan and allergic to sugar, we called ahead, spoke with the owner Allison at length to ensure we understood our dining options. Our service was delivered by a team that included two servers, a support staffer, and the owner Allison. Our water was kept full and our dining needs were fully met with friendliness and efficiency. For such a small place, Sweet Basil has a nice selection of wine and spirits. My wife ordered their seasonal passion fruit moc-jito and it was wonderfully refreshing. Allison helped with our wine selection, offering samples to help my decision. I tried a Cab Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon before settling on the Bonanza Cabernet Sauvignon Lot7 (a rich and round cab with soft tannins and a bit of spice produced by Chuck Wagner from Caymus Vineyards in Napa). This wine far exceeded its $15 per glass price point expectation and was an excellent pairing for our meal. There are quite a few vegan options on this menu, and as we had spoken at length with Allison about our sugar-free choices we ordered the grilled artichoke to start. Flavorful, tender, and quite big enough to share, we enjoyed dipping in both the garlic aioli & garlic olive oil. This seemed to be a popular appetizer at tables around us, all without vegan diners. We ordered 2 entrées. First was the Mushroom Truffle Pasta, packed with sautéed mushrooms, house-roasted tomatoes, garlic, & vegan Parmesan. The sauce was light and absolutely delicious. We also ordered the Grilled Eggplant Parmesan. The sautéed eggplant was topped with roasted tomatoes and vegan Parmesan before broiled, and served atop angel hair pasta tossed with their house-made tomato basil sauce. Spectacular! Both are highly recommended! If you are looking for excellent Italian, where everything isn't smothered in heavy red sauce and cheese, check out Sweet Basil. We will be back the next time we're in town.
I was in heaven here! They have authentic, delicious Italian food. I can't have gluten and there were plenty of options and they were so very accommodating. The staff were all amazing. I planned on getting one of the many dishes they offer with gluten-free pasta, but I could not pass up the Gorgonzola stuffed filet. It was so good! The table bread they serve DOES have gluten, but thankfully, I brought my own bread. I am so glad I did because I was able to dip it into the olive oil that comes with their bread and it was one of the best things I ever tasted. There are a few gluten-free desserts, but I was way too full. Maybe I'll try next time. I will be back!
This place is a small restaurant in the corner of the first floor of a bright red barn in Big Bear. The place exudes local small restaurant energy with warm lighting and classical decor. My waiter, David, was polite and timely with service and seated me quickly. The food menu was a double-sided page with the drinks spanning 2 pages. I ordered the gorgonzola pasta adding Italian sausage. The food here is excellent and really feels like it was made fresh (in restaurant). The parmesan sauce with gorgonzola mixes the nutty taste of the former with the aged tartness of the latter to create a wonderfully rich and heavy base for the oval shaped pasta. The tomato puree adds a nice bright zesty note to the dish as a way to prevent fatigue from the rich sauce. The sausage had a solid bite with mild Italian spices intermingling with the rest of the dish. The only thing to note is that the amount of tomato puree is too little in my opinion to dot the vast amount of pasta and sauce. The bread came partway through my meal (Due to dining on opening, bread was delayed but freshly baked.) The bread was soft and slightly spongy with a crisp outer shell. Very delicious. (To point out the wonderful service, David bought any additions I requested.) All in all, a very splendid meal. If you're looking for Italian in Big Bear, this is the place!
Cozy Autumn Magic at Big Bear Lake Had the most amazing dinner here on a crisp fall evening in Big Bear The red leaves outside, the glow of wine glasses, and the warm red lights inside -- pure magic. The big painting on the wall caught my eye right away It made the whole place feel extra artsy and romantic. I also loved the little candle on each table -- such a sweet touch! If you're looking for a cozy date spot, this is the one. The Blushing Martin is a must-try -- gorgeous drink with a tiny crescent moon inside I ordered the salmon (so good!) and the little bread was ridiculously delicious Left with a happy heart and the warmest memories. Highly recommend!
Food was excellent ! So fresh and wonderful. Service was a little lacking, I know they were busy. Can't handle large parties either but it is a small space.
Stopped here for dinner, and ordered the Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and Angel hair pasta with pesto sauce with a side of seared broccoli - both were delicious! Also ordered the garlic shrimp antipasti and the butternut squash soup - soooo good. The staff was friendly, but it took longer than we expected for our entree. It's a small restaurant, so be sure to use the reservations link on their website in advance. Plenty of parking in their lot.
We are on our honeymoon and decided to go to this restaurant based on recommendations we got. First impression is that they are busy and don't have enough staff but our waitress was very nice. She sat us down and immediately took our orders, we felt kind of rushed to pick what we wanted. We got our drinks about 15-20 minutes later and noticed that the waitresses have to make the drinks themselves which is why it takes awhile. Our appetizer of garlic bread was good but the salad we ordered was not what we would expect from an Italian place. Our food arrived and my husbands plate was not very good, he took maybe two bites and decided he was done. While the ravioli I ordered was great. We waited for a long while before someone showed up to check on our meal, never asked about getting us more drinks. We let them know that his chicken was severely overcooked and that the pasta was clumped together (you could pick it all up with one fork) and they gave us $3 off lol. Overall we would not come back and would share with others that for the price it may not be where you want to go.
HIDDEN GEM in Big Bear A charming Italian Bistro located within walking distance of Big Bear's downtown Village. The food was phenomenal!! So flavorful and balanced! If only there was smell-o-vision...Absolutely impressed and exceeded my expectations! Very friendly service!! What we tried: Sautéed Crab Cakes Fried Calamari Fried Cheese Ravioli Garlic Cheese Bread Sizzling Garlic Shrimp Salad Spaghetti with Creamy Basil Pesto Sauce Linguine with Clams
5 months ago
3 months ago
5 months ago
12 days ago
I have never been so excited to write a review for a restaurant in a long time. This lovely little bistro is a must visit when in town. We have seen it before and have passed up on it. Well we visited today and man are we kicking ourselves for all the times we missed out! We made reservations online, it's a must. We arrived a bit early, but we were greeted with a friendly welcoming "hello". Are table was ready very quickly. Our knowledgeable "host" David was amazing. Everyone was so helpful and attentive. It is a small establishment with a few tables and booths. Which makes perfect sense with the reservation being necessary. Food was absolutely amazing. Everything was delicious and fresh. Portions were generous for sure. We were celebrating our 30th anniversary and this one goes in the books as a great decision! Thank you to everyone a this diamond on the mountain! read more
5 days ago
4 days ago
We just had my birthday dinner at Sweet Basil Bistro. It was very busy when we got there on a Saturday evening. The staff were running all over the place, but they could not have been nicer and the service throughout our meal was excellent. I had the Gorganzola-stuffed Filet Minon, and my friend had the Chicken Parmigiana. We also had the Crab Cakes and the Garlic Shrimp appetizers and a couple of glasses of Chianti. Everything was delicious! We loved our whole experience here and will definitely be back. read more
Not our first time here and will not be the last! Family owned and operated, and the family is amazing! The wine lists consist of plenty of options direct from Italy. If you're more of a beer kinda person, they have Peroni among other options. The inside is small, but comfortable making the experience very personal. The food is top notch and made fresh to order. The Gorgonzola filet is outstanding. This place is always slammed, reservations are a must and can only be done online. So plan ahead of time to ensure you get in. read more
2 months ago
Absolutely amazing dinner. We ordered the artichoke and harvest salad to start. Then we both had the sea bass and finished up with the chocolate cheesecake brownie bomb. Omg it was delicious this is now our favorite place in Big Bear for dinner. read more
My wife and I ate at Sweet Basil on a Saturday night at 6, were advised to make a reservation ahead of time, and I'm so glad we did as the restaurant was packed. Overall, my 5 star rating reflects our general dining experience, which was exceptional by every metric. Delicious and elegant food, warm and attentive service, comfortable surroundings, wonderful wine parings, and super yummy cocktails, made this a memorable dining experience. Once seated, we were bought a loaf of warm bread and the most delicious, garlic olive oil for dipping. Some fresh ground pepper really kicked the oil up a notch. Since my wife is vegan and allergic to sugar, we called ahead, spoke with the owner Allison at length to ensure we understood our dining options. Our service was delivered by a team that included two servers, a support staffer, and the owner Allison. Our water was kept full and our dining needs were fully met with friendliness and efficiency. For such a small place, Sweet Basil has a nice selection of wine and spirits. My wife ordered their seasonal passion fruit moc-jito and it was wonderfully refreshing. Allison helped with our wine selection, offering samples to help my decision. I tried a Cab Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon before settling on the Bonanza Cabernet Sauvignon Lot7 (a rich and round cab with soft tannins and a bit of spice produced by Chuck Wagner from Caymus Vineyards in Napa). This wine far exceeded its $15 per glass price point expectation and was an excellent pairing for our meal. There are quite a few vegan options on this menu, and as we had spoken at length with Allison about our sugar-free choices we ordered the grilled artichoke to start. Flavorful, tender, and quite big enough to share, we enjoyed dipping in both the garlic aioli & garlic olive oil. This seemed to be a popular appetizer at tables around us, all without vegan diners. We ordered 2 entrées. First was the Mushroom Truffle Pasta, packed with sautéed mushrooms, house-roasted tomatoes, garlic, & vegan Parmesan. The sauce was light and absolutely delicious. We also ordered the Grilled Eggplant Parmesan. The sautéed eggplant was topped with roasted tomatoes and vegan Parmesan before broiled, and served atop angel hair pasta tossed with their house-made tomato basil sauce. Spectacular! Both are highly recommended! If you are looking for excellent Italian, where everything isn't smothered in heavy red sauce and cheese, check out Sweet Basil. We will be back the next time we're in town. read more
2 months ago
I was in heaven here! They have authentic, delicious Italian food. I can't have gluten and there were plenty of options and they were so very accommodating. The staff were all amazing. I planned on getting one of the many dishes they offer with gluten-free pasta, but I could not pass up the Gorgonzola stuffed filet. It was so good! The table bread they serve DOES have gluten, but thankfully, I brought my own bread. I am so glad I did because I was able to dip it into the olive oil that comes with their bread and it was one of the best things I ever tasted. There are a few gluten-free desserts, but I was way too full. Maybe I'll try next time. I will be back! read more
1 year ago
This place is a small restaurant in the corner of the first floor of a bright red barn in Big Bear. The place exudes local small restaurant energy with warm lighting and classical decor. My waiter, David, was polite and timely with service and seated me quickly. The food menu was a double-sided page with the drinks spanning 2 pages. I ordered the gorgonzola pasta adding Italian sausage. The food here is excellent and really feels like it was made fresh (in restaurant). The parmesan sauce with gorgonzola mixes the nutty taste of the former with the aged tartness of the latter to create a wonderfully rich and heavy base for the oval shaped pasta. The tomato puree adds a nice bright zesty note to the dish as a way to prevent fatigue from the rich sauce. The sausage had a solid bite with mild Italian spices intermingling with the rest of the dish. The only thing to note is that the amount of tomato puree is too little in my opinion to dot the vast amount of pasta and sauce. The bread came partway through my meal (Due to dining on opening, bread was delayed but freshly baked.) The bread was soft and slightly spongy with a crisp outer shell. Very delicious. (To point out the wonderful service, David bought any additions I requested.) All in all, a very splendid meal. If you're looking for Italian in Big Bear, this is the place! read more
11 months ago
Cozy Autumn Magic at Big Bear Lake Had the most amazing dinner here on a crisp fall evening in Big Bear The red leaves outside, the glow of wine glasses, and the warm red lights inside -- pure magic. The big painting on the wall caught my eye right away It made the whole place feel extra artsy and romantic. I also loved the little candle on each table -- such a sweet touch! If you're looking for a cozy date spot, this is the one. The Blushing Martin is a must-try -- gorgeous drink with a tiny crescent moon inside I ordered the salmon (so good!) and the little bread was ridiculously delicious Left with a happy heart and the warmest memories. Highly recommend! read more
3 months ago
3 months ago
3 months ago
Stopped here for dinner, and ordered the Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and Angel hair pasta with pesto sauce with a side of seared broccoli - both were delicious! Also ordered the garlic shrimp antipasti and the butternut squash soup - soooo good. The staff was friendly, but it took longer than we expected for our entree. It's a small restaurant, so be sure to use the reservations link on their website in advance. Plenty of parking in their lot. read more
9 months ago
We are on our honeymoon and decided to go to this restaurant based on recommendations we got. First impression is that they are busy and don't have enough staff but our waitress was very nice. She sat us down and immediately took our orders, we felt kind of rushed to pick what we wanted. We got our drinks about 15-20 minutes later and noticed that the waitresses have to make the drinks themselves which is why it takes awhile. Our appetizer of garlic bread was good but the salad we ordered was not what we would expect from an Italian place. Our food arrived and my husbands plate was not very good, he took maybe two bites and decided he was done. While the ravioli I ordered was great. We waited for a long while before someone showed up to check on our meal, never asked about getting us more drinks. We let them know that his chicken was severely overcooked and that the pasta was clumped together (you could pick it all up with one fork) and they gave us $3 off lol. Overall we would not come back and would share with others that for the price it may not be where you want to go. read more
5 months ago
2 years ago
HIDDEN GEM in Big Bear A charming Italian Bistro located within walking distance of Big Bear's downtown Village. The food was phenomenal!! So flavorful and balanced! If only there was smell-o-vision...Absolutely impressed and exceeded my expectations! Very friendly service!! What we tried: Sautéed Crab Cakes Fried Calamari Fried Cheese Ravioli Garlic Cheese Bread Sizzling Garlic Shrimp Salad Spaghetti with Creamy Basil Pesto Sauce Linguine with Clams read more
10 months ago
For the past 3 years, we come up to the big bear area for our anniversary and we always pick a night to eat dinner at Sweet Basil Bistro while we are here. The food here is always good. The area to eat gives a relaxing vibe. Also each year we come to eat here, we recognize it is the same staff and the ladies who work here are nice and service is great. We will be here again next year and I would definitely recommend eating here. read more
2 months ago
1 year ago
Very cozy restaurant tucked underneath the bowling barn. Limited seating but we were able to be seated right away as walk in's. Service was great and the food was nice. The portions are generous. I recommend the limoncello cake for desert! read more
1 year ago
Sensational quaint Italian restaurant with plenty of great options. The ambiance is peaceful and the service is quick and friendly. The food is top notch, the lobster lasagna is creamy and thick. The vodka sauce is perfect too! read more
6 months ago
Food was amazing so was the service. David was our waiter, his banter and attention to detail really made all the difference drinks were always full. He was very pleasant. Working in the food in over 10 years you can tell he loves what he does. Thanks David for making the evening special read more
1 year ago
Mine and my dad's first time here! We are in town for the Holcomb valley trail run, and asked our lovely front desk staff (Natasha) at the lodge we are staying at in town, which place she recommended, and this place did not disappoint! The service was exceptional and they were busy! Food was excellent- we got the mushroom truffle, watermelon salad (amazing!) and topped it off with dessert. We will be coming back! read more
4 months ago
7 months ago
1 year ago
Meh... and I hate to say that because I've had several good experiences here long ago but ya I'm just not impressed. Literally every lunch item is a sandwich (I just didn't want bread but still wanted some protein & a good size meal) I felt super rushed trying to figure out what to eat and so I ended up with a very sad caprese salad that was all lettuce (not even what a caprese salad is supposed to be or look like) I barely ate any of it while my date had something much better. Our waitress was just going too fast rushing me when we were the only people in the restaurant for lunch so I just ended up so disappointed & starving when we left. The wine I had was ok but I was just so bummed out from what was supposed to be a nice date lunch. The place did look nice & was clean but dark for lunchtime. Anyway it was much better before under the original owner in my opinion... read more
1 year ago
I'd recommend reservations. We took a chance going on an off time. I'm so glad they were able to accommodate. Everything was excellent. I love a good grilled artichoke. We originally had a different restaurant in mind to celebrate our anniversary, but we are happy we went with this restaurant instead. Great wine options. Cheers read more
3 years ago
While in Big Bear, we checked out Sweet Basil Bistro for dinner. Inside was already busy when we arrived just after 5:30pm, and we hadn't made reservations; however, we were fortunate to snag the last, unreserved table, so it wasn't too bad! We opted for crab cakes as starters-- honestly, they came as two, extremely small pieces that really weren't worth the $16 paid for. We also got a garden and a beet salad, which were fresh and solid salads, nothing bad to say. I ordered the mushroom truffle pasta (with linguine), as I love truffle. Portions were generous, but unfortunately, it fell flat on the flavor. There was absolutely NO truffle flavor to it (is it just supposed to mean the mushrooms instead?), and overall tasted just like your typical, oil-based pasta. Not much flavor to it, sadly. However, I did enjoy a bite of the chicken parm that someone else had ordered. Perhaps it was just the dish I chose that was lackluster. Sweet Basil Bistro is okay for Italian food-- not the best I've had, but it does the trick when you're craving a fancy-ish Italian experience. read more
8 months ago
8 months ago
We went to celebrate our 3 year anniversary and this place was nothing but incredible. The service was top tier, she helped us pick out a bottle of wine and gave many personal recommendations from the menu. Overall so helpful and kind. As for the food we were blown away by the bruschetta Burrata platter, it was a special for the night and it was delicious. The Ribeye was cooked well to our satisfaction and the lasagna was a rich and hearty meal as it should be. The restaurant itself is small but extremely cozy and makes you feel at home. Would 100% recommend! read more
9 months ago
11 months ago
2 years ago
Just went and they have. Lunch special menu. I love this place with a passion! For lunch I ordered their portobello mushroom Panini sandwich with their salad on the side. Yumm!! great service as always and I just love how intimate it is even during lunch hours! read more
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More info about Sweet Basil Bistro
40629 Big Bear Blvd
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
Directions
(909) 866-9212
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http://sweetbasilbistro.net
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Ask the Community - Sweet Basil Bistro
Can you accommodate a party of 11 guests?
Hi Kris, we are able to accommodate parties of that size at times. Please contact the restaurant directly at 909-866-9212 for availability and arrangements. Thank you!
How come you guys dont pick up your phones? How can we order?
Sorry you missed us! We are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Do they take reservations? If so how do you make them? They don't seem to ever answer their phone, I've been trying for a week, I try when they first open, I try early before dinner, I try late after dinner, all I ever get is an answering machine.
Yes, they take reservations and walk-ins.
Any vegan entree options?
I'm vegan and just had pasta and vegetables cooked with water and a little olive oil :)
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