Really good food, attentive staff. Definitely somewhere I'll eat again next time I'm in town.

Amazing food and service - really world class. I will remember this meal for a long time. Highly recommend.

The tartare is excellent -- one of the best tartares you'll find. The ahi tuna ceviche is also very nice, with a great lemongrass sauce. The lobster roll is small and not worth $27. The pork larb na cabbage rolls are okay but a bit too "P.F. Chang's"-y for my tastes. read more

One of the best meals we've had... and we are old!! Lovely atmosphere, delicious drinks and the food was top notch. Tuna, branzino, deviled eggs... and the most amazing sticky toffee dessert. Our server was fabulous and in training! Go if you get the chance!! read more

The hostess was friendly and helpful. The food was delicious and fresh! We haven't had pancakes with such substance in a long time! Homemade jam and fresh produce and locally sourced coffee and vegetables made a huge difference in the quality of food. I highly recommend this restaurant for breakfast. read more

Worst lunch experience ever! Amanda was an awful Waitress and Christopher the manager was bad too. We had someone in our party from Bon Appetit and she was horrified with the way we were treated....we will never go back to sweet basil read more

One word: Appalled. That's it. That is how I feel right now in reading through Yelp reviews for Sweet Basil. I have officially lost some of my faith in Yelp. I'm sorry to admit it, but 3 1/2 stars??? Come on people, really. Every year for the past 20+ years, my family has taken a family ski (or in my case, snowboard) trip to Vail. And every year, we make at least one reservation at Sweet Basil (although oftentimes we eat there twice during our stay). This restaurant is an obsession, and is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere and at any price point. Period. We have spoken with the owner about opening up a location in either Los Angeles or New York, but each time he has said no, he is not interested in profit, he is interested in keeping his one location in Vail. Fair enough, I can completely respect that. So back to the story. Make a reservation, and make it considerably in advance (preferably months in advance), or else chances are you will only be able to attend this gem of a restaurant for lunch. Lunch is okay, don't get me wrong... but dinner is better. True to form, this past weekend, we ate at Sweet Basil twice. Between the two trips, here is what we ordered: Appetizers: -Spinach and endive salad with green apples, sultana raisins, warm Colorado camembert, pecan streusel, sherry maple vinaigrette ($13) -- The camembert was so fresh, and the pecan streusel added a perfectly sweet element to the salad. -Marcona almond dusted sea scallops with green apple, spinach and bacon slaw, sunchoke apple puree, tarragon oil ($17) -- while there were a host of flavors in the dish, they all complimented and maintained the focus of the dish on these beautiful scallops. -Jumbo lump crab "mac and cheese" with house-made ricotta agnolotti, parmesan brodo, orange, and black truffle ($20) -- this was an interesting take on mac and cheese, especially since it didn't in the least bit resemble mac and cheese. The crab was delicious, however, and come on, it has truffle! Great Northern Cattle Co. steak tartare with brioche, one hour egg, cornichon, capers and bagna cauda ($17) -- first off, the beef was fantastic. It was so fresh and tasty and perfectly textured, wow! The brioche and egg yolk that seeped through the whole dish really rounded things out. Entrees: -Colorado rack of lamb crusted with mustard seed and herbs de Provence ($44) -- I don't remember the entire contents of this dish due to the fact that my gf inhaled it, but the few bites that I did manage to steal were unbelievable. The lamb was so tender and fresh, I can't begin to describe. This was a special, but it should become a regular option, because (as a lover of lamb) these were without a doubt the best lamb chops I have ever had in my life. -Parmesan-crusted veal chop with fingerling potatoes, vegetables, mushrooms and foie gras "hash" ($48) -- Again, this was another special. The foie gras hash was interesting and had a very unique (and enjoyable) flavor. While it wasn't in need of the crust, the veal chop itself was a fantastic piece of meat; this was unlike any piece of veal that I've ever had. -Filet mignon with truffle scented potato puree, creamed spinach with parmesan and pernod, Paul's 58 Sauce, violet mustard ($42) -- For those of you who know me, you know that I am a beef enthusiast (understatement). This was one of the finer cuts of filet that I've had of late. While filet mignon is not my go-to steak, as I prefer a fattier cut with more marbling, this meat simply melted in my mouth. All hail Great Northern Cattle Co.!!! -Pan seared duck breast with foie gras ravioli, medjool dates, dried pumpkin, wild mushrooms, squash puree ($38) -- Did you read what I just typed? FOIE GRAS RAVIOLI... need I say more? I enjoyed this dish so much that I actually ordered it two out of three nights in a row. The duck was perfectly pan seared, with slightly crispy skin and a beautifully medium-rare interior. The foie gras ravioli was otherworldly, and the dates and pumpkin gave the appropriate sweetness to this savory dish. Yes, it might be a heart attack on a plate, but this was an unbelievable dish. I understand why it's Sweet Basil's top seller. This is an absolute must order. Desserts: Let me break this down for you. Sweet Basil has unbelievably amazing desserts. But no matter how tempted you are by the other offerings, YOU MUST order the hot sticky toffee pudding cake ($10). In fact, order two. This ties with my gf's dobos torte as my favorite dessert IN THE WORLD. The cake is sweet but not too sweet, with a tender consistency and the most amazing caramel sauce. Topped with whipped cream, this is the ultimate must order. Okay, running out of space. Won't gush further. 5 stars without a question. Friendly service, nice ambiance, and unbelievable food with unique preparations and top-notch ingredients. And for all of the naysayers... go eat at McDonalds, and give your Big Mac a 5 star rating! read more

We dine here every year, but won't be returning. The service was sub par and the food was mediocre. We sat at our table with dirty dishes for twenty minutes before they were removed. We had to call for the waitress to ask her to have the table cleared, then again to obtain the desert menu and again for the check. read more

Definitely my favorite restaurants in Beaver Creek and the surrounding area. Everything we ordered was delish. The staff here is one of the few in the city that are a well oiled team and it makes the dining experience so much more enjoyable. read more

Went here on a recommendation of a local friend in the Denver area while I was skiing at Vail with friends. First off, this is NOT a Thai restaurant, and I'm not sure if any dish on the menu contains basil so there must be a story involved regarding the restaurant's namesake. Having initially made reservations but then deciding to cancel due to post-ski fatigue (#first world problems), it was gastronomical destiny/reverse karma that another last minute cancellation allowed our party of 7 to dine here after randomly stumbling across the restaurant by complete chance searching for food options later that evening. Upon entering Sweet Basil, the bar is positioned in front of the main dining area with extremely wide and comfortable bar stools perfect for intimate conversation and the experienced bar staff had a nice selection of classic cocktails with modern twists as well as a comprehensive array of scotch, bourbon, and brandy ideal for warming the belly on a chilly evening. I would characterize the ambience as casual sophistication (one would feel right at home whether they were wearing jeans and a blazer on a first date or dressed to the nines having a wedding rehearsal dinner) and the food as illusively modern (seasonal ingredients prepared using modern techniques by a subtle expert hand). Always a good sign when one is conflicted by what to order due to the indecision of every dish sounding like a winner. For the appetizer, I went with the organic salmon belly "teriyaki" at the server's recommendation, although I could have just as easily gone for the lobster bisque with fresh lobster and lobster roe "dust", crisp veal sweetbreads with wild rice risotto, chestnut stuffed quail a la plancha, or saffron gnocchi "paella" (see what I mean?) The salmon belly was cooked into that blissful textural juxtaposition between raw and cooked coated with a caramel-like tamari glaze with compressed cucumber and shishito peppers cutting through the fatty richness of the fish and the surprise element of intermittent clumps of sesame powder that I initially confused as feta cheese which our delightful server pointed out as 100% pure crack cocaine. I would have gladly snorted it in rows off my plate if it was supposed to make the dish any tastier. I was able to sample two main courses with my lady friend 1)Golden Canyon Filet mignon served at a perfect medium rare atop mildly creamed arugula and accompanied by roasted Jerusalem artichoke, ciopollini onions and a large raviolo (single ravioli) stuffed with short rib and bone marrow and 2) Pear and pecorino tortellini served with braised kale and shaved walnut sunchoke accompanied by meyer lemon marmelade, brown butter, and a sherry vinegar foam. I would stack either of these dishes against those of any number of destination restaurants in Manhattan. Probably what impressed me the most was how each dish was beautifully plated to create the illusion of being lighter than they actually were and the fact that I enjoyed the secondary components as much as the primary ones. For the ultimate local experience, the Colorado lamb T-bones and Rocky mountain trout are not to be missed. i would be remiss if I didn't provide a wholehearted endorsement of their signature dessert: the sticky toffee pudding. Warm bite stradding between cake and pudding with notes of dates and vanilla soaked in a hot buttery sauce of brown sugar and brandy counterbalanced by cool whipped cream and a crispy nutty tuile, this is perfection exemplified of the British response to the American apple pie a la mode. I customarily do not have a sweet tooth, but I would get my double-O license to kill for a bite of this dessert. Definitely place this on your list of must-eats when skiing/boarding in Vail. read more

The boy and I decided to splurge on a night out at Sweet Basil, hoping for a positive dining experience in Vail. I did my Yelp research and ordered everything that came so highly recommended by others: - Warm apple & beet salad: 2/5. Mild flavors, nothing too impressive. I was disappointed that they only used red beets, no yellow beets, as described in a different review. - Pork raviolo: 2/5 Everyone raved about this dish but neither my boyfriend or I were impressed with it. It was a little cold in the middle and the flavors didn't complement each other well. - Cauliflower bisque: 3.5/5. This was actually pretty tasty! I liked the tiny lump of crab that they poured the soup around. Not sure if I'd order it again because it was so rich, but I'm glad I tried it. - Lamb chops: 5/5. WINNING! The lamb chops were definitely the star of the dinner. Perfectly cooked (medium), flavorful, tender, and tasty. Yay for yummy lamb chops! - Pork chop: 3/5. Less impressive. Okay, but not as good as the lamb chops. - Sticky hot toffee dessert: 4/5. The first bite was DELICIOUS! Warm, sticky, and sweet, just as advertised. The dessert decreased in enjoyment with each bite, and I would have been happy with just one or two. The boy said it was too sweet for him but I like sweet so that was fine with me. - 3 glasses of red wine Dinner for 2: $260 including tip. Yikes. For that kind of money, I was really hoping for a 5-star dining experience across the board. Service was lackluster, our table was very wobbly, the overall vibe was snooty, and I felt kinda out of place being the only female in the restaurant without a giant, puffy fur coat. Overall a mediocre dining experience. Would've been made more sense had the price been half of what it was, but it is what it is. read more

My friend who visited Vail in March recommended this place so I made a reservation about a month in advance. Good thing I did, because when I checked availability a week out, there were all booked until 9pm+! Upon arriving to Vail, practically every person we met (mostly locals) said that Sweet Basil was the place to go. For the past 25 years, it has been one of the best restaurants in Vail. Since we were only in the city for one night, I'm glad we picked this place for dinner. Upon arriving, we checked in with the hostess and did not have to wait more than two minutes to be seated at our table. We wanted to order wine, but we had to show IDs as that is state policy. Note, you will not be served alcohol if you don't have your ID, so don't forget it! We got one of the Oregon Chardonnays -- it was AMAZING. I highly recommend it. We got a tomato salad to start. It was an heirloom mix soaked in a balsamic vinaigrette, along with burrata. I love burrata. The puffed farro was interesting. Never thought of it in a salad, but the crunchiness was a different texture in the salad. Not too sure if it worked or if I liked it, but good thought. For dinner we got the salmon and the pasta. My friend loved his salmon. The friend oysters on his plate looked delicious, and he devoured them. The pasta was also amazing. I love that it came with a soft-boiled egg. I love eggs and I think they enhance any dish. The roasted corn was excellent, along with the queso fresco. It was a light pasta dish, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The most unique part to it, which I didn't expect, were the lime pieces. They were surprising, maybe too large of pieces, but definitely lightened the dish and made it quite refreshing. For dessert, our new Vail friends recommended the sticky toffee pudding, so we had to get it. Next to us, a couple got the pavlova and sticky toffee pudding. I love pavlova, so we had to get it! The pavlova was a ricotta pavlova, so not your typical egg white meringue. Nonetheless, it was wonderful. Very light for a dessert, which is maybe why it was still called a pavlova, with blackberries, hazelnut wafers, salted caramel ice cream, and blackberry coulis. All parts of the dessert were amazing and plated well. The sticky toffee pudding was wonderful as well, but more heavy. While we could not finish it, we enjoyed every bite. Only downfall was that service was slightly slow. Overall, loved it; I'll have to be back. read more

Lovely restaurant in Vail village. They have a kids menu and the cheese dip was a hit because it comes out as a poof and you have to break it. They don't have crayons or coloring sheets which they should given the number of kids that also dine there. Sticky toffee pudding for dessert is a must. read more

Sweet Basil must be the most popular restaurant in Vail because reservations were impossible for weeks before our trip. We kept checking and there were openings at times like 930pm only. We called and someone told us there's also a waiting list to eat at the bar, so we showed up on Wednesday evening to see if we could get in. There was a long waiting list at the bar and also no openings for tables until 930pm. So we made the reservation for 9:30 (it was already 8pm by the time we asked) and just walked around the village for a while. Fast forward to 9:30 and we arrived and were seated in the back of the restaurant. Our waitress got our wine order right away - Amalaya Malbec. Tasty wine for decent $48 price tag. Good start. Then they brought out bread with soft butter and rock salt. Perfect start to the evening. The menu was a little confusing because there are "shared" items, then there's a section called "one" and then "two" and "three". The "one" also looked like appetizers and some of the shared seemed to be shared entrees. Our waitress straightened it out and we finally decided on one item from "one" section (cold, appetizers, to share), two items from "two" (soups, salads, other warm appetizer/small plates), and then entrees from "three". I did find it odd that she said they would bring out the first three all together. I suspect because they technically close at 10pm? However, if you are going to seat people up until 9:45pm then you should expect to give them full, as usual, service until they are done. Right? Right. Ceviche - albacore tuna with coconut leche de tigre with peanuts and mint cilantro and key lime. This isn't your Tex-mex ceviche, this is high end with a sauce on the side. It was fresh and unique and we ate all of it. Scallops - served with raisins and pumpkin seeds and squash - buttery and perfectly cooked with sweetness. She crab soup - MMMMMMMM. Everything you love about she crab soup was right here. Rich. Creamy. To die for. The BF had the filet, medium rare, which was perfect. I especially liked sniping his roasted garlic cloves that I found on the plate. I had the lamb T bone with roasted squash, walnuts, carrots, apricots and madras curry. This was medium rare, very juicy meat, quite a decent sized portion. The flavors were very middle eastern and sweet/savory in nature. Which I adore. So, yeah, the food here was worth the $$$ and the wait...but for this type of cash we should have had our wine glasses filled by the waitress and our table checked on to see if we needed water, etc. Even when she came by she didn't pour the wine...we waited to see if she would. That's pretty standard. Also, it felt like since we were eating later in the evening that perhaps they were hoping to rush us out of there. Other tables were still there finishing up wine and such and I'll be damned if I drop a few hundred on dinner/wine and rush out. The last seating of the evening should expect the same service as the prime time seating. It isn't some crappy chain or something, this is fine dining. Anyway, soapbox off. We pretty much drank our wine as fast as we could and got the check. Overall, I say plan ahead and get you a reservation here at Sweet Basil or show up early in the evening and eat at the bar. The food is definitely creative and worth the effort. read more

Sweet Basil. Oh how I love thee! Every time we go up to the Ritz over in Beaver Creek, Sweet Basil is a given must stop! Everything has always been over-the-top crazy delicious and always super fresh and made to order. This past weekend, we were fortunate enough to make it up to Vail and pop in for some tasty fare. I almost always order the scallops of some sort and my partner usually gets the lamb shank. I'm not the biggest fan of lamb; however, Sweet Basil knows exactly how to cook it. This past weekend was also part of Vail restaurant week or something where we could order three courses for $45! I started with the cauliflower and truffle bisque which was REALLY good, while my partner ordered the tortellini. For dessert, we both ordered the toffee cake! (It is that good that you will want one all to yourself!). If you get the chance to experience this place, definitely don't hesitate. It has got to be one of my favorite restaurants out there! read more

Ryan J., while I appreciate your fondness for Sweet Basil, you have to admit it is not the BEST place to eat in Vail. How can you be so appalled?! I like Sweet Basil but I don't love it. They can never serve the bread warm. Why?! Because the kitchen is on a separate floor from the main dining room and apparently it's impossible to serve bread warm. I am a firm believer that the bread is kind of... an introduction to the meal. And their bread... well... sucks. The night we were there in February, they ran out of cod by 8pm! But the soup and salads were nice. Grits and chicken were great. I prefer other places in Vail for dinner but I love their lunch. The truffle fries are great. I had a wonderful sweet potato ravioli dish there in previous years. The staff are very accommodating, but I've lost my faith in this Vail "standard." read more

This was the best meal I've had in a very, very long time. We had a 3-course meal that was part of the spring (off-season) special. The waiter told us that, cliche though it might sound, literally everything on the menu was great, and he spoke the truth. All three courses were fantastic. Our table of 4 shared all 3 courses, but of all 12 dishes, our favorite appetizer was the beed carpaccio, favorite entrees were the lamb and the haddock, and favorite dessert was the mud pie. However, trust me, choosing favorites was not easy. Our waiter was so friendly and knowledgable. He was able to, not only tell us which dishes were good, but a little about the process behind designing and preparing each dish. We would highly recommend! read more

Sweet Basil - Top, appetizers: tuna, flatbread. Middle, entrees: lamb, salmon. Bottom, desserts: mud pie, fruity dessert (forget the name). - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

I went here with 2 girl friends last night and we all thought the food was fantastic, but it ended there. We had 2 apps (foie gras and yellowtail, both awesome), sweet potato tortellini, an $80 bottle of Austrian Riesling (so so good), 2 desserts (donuts and toffee pudding cake), a 20 year tawny port wine and a glass of Malbec. The bill was 220 which I think is reasonable for the quality of the food.. People upset about portion size should know that this is upscale dining. Service was atrocious. We felt like we were being IGNORED on purpose because we were younger (23,25,30... Really?). We waited on 3-4 separate occasions for the waiter where he walked past us several times while we tried to wave him down to no avail. He messed up on our dessert orders, where we had ordered drinks to go with the dessert. We ended up waiting so long for the dessert wine that we finished the desserts. I tell him we ordered the drinks, he sees our finished desserts, and says "oh yes, those are only suggested pairings" ....."Yes, I know, but I ordered that and my friend ordered a glass of wine that still hasn't shown up." No sorry for forgetting our drink orders and compromising the dining experience.. That was the last straw. I think his service could've been redeemed up until then. read more

Went here for Valentines day while on our honeymoon. Amazing place. Food is spectacular. Try the lamb chop. And the apple pie. read more

Sweet Basil - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

Couldn't snag a last minute reservation so we decided just to have drinks and appetizers at the bar. Superb drinks and service. The food was great too. We shared the salmon belly tartare, the caesar salad and the ahi tostada. Very well thought out and creative. Next time we're in Vail, I'll make reservations for lunch or dinner. Very pretty restaurant. I can see why it is so popular! read more

Overpriced restaurant in Vail Village that tries to be fancy by overloading its menu with vocabulary that you wouldn't know. In other words, they are trying too hard. The complimentary bread was cold, but at least the butter was spreadable. We shared the duck confit as an appy: it was pretty tasty but the accompanying toast was too burnt. It detracted from the flavors of the duck. I had the Bibb salad. That was fairly standard and good. Another one of us got the stuffed cannelloni--just meh. For entrees, I got the bass with parsnips and leeks. The fish was good--a fairly mild whitefish. The parsnips were well prepared, but continuing with the burnt theme, the leeks were too charcoaled to enjoy. Our party also ordered the Red Snapper cioppini--the seafood in it was all good but the sauce was more like a vodka pasta sauce. Kind of not the best pairing. The salmon was a farm-raised sustainable fish--that's probably why it was bland. The preparation of the dish was to be commended, but the actual fish was so-so. The restaurant itself is beautiful, especially the bar. The waitstaff could be better. Our waiter seemed very dour. And very unprofessional. We were "ordered" to do many tasks for him. "Can you give me that empty wine glass? (So that he could put it away). Can you bring your water glass closer? (To refill). Can you move your bread plate over? (Because he wanted to put the salad down). Even when he was clearing the table, we had to get everything for him. And the table was not a long one. We also found it uncool that he brought out all the entrees even though one in our party had stepped away from the table. The waiter needs better training. I wouldn't go back. read more

Sweet Basil - Wine cellar - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

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We had lunch at Sweet Basil because it seemed like the popular vote. The menu was seasonal, with organic products and had quite a few options that caught my eye. The ambiance my nice, but nothing memorable. Everyone enjoyed their meal, but the only complaint was the very small portions. My enchiladas weren't even appetizer portioned. For what they charge, I expected a little more. How about adding a side or a salad to the entree if it's so small? That would be an easy and cost-effective way to give the customers a better bang for their buck. Though the food was good, I am not sure if I will return to Sweet Basil upon my next trip to the area. read more

I visited Sweet Basil with my husband 2 years ago and we both LOVED it - the food, the location, the service. A few weeks ago when we were back in Vail with another couple, a return visit to SB was at the top of our "must do" list. This time around we ordered specialty cocktails and took a recommendation for red wine from the waiter. They were delicious. The various breads they serve while waiting for your meal-yum. Their salads-not your average salad. They all have an interesting twist. Between the four if us, the entrees we ordered were the scallops, lamb shanks, filet mignon and the duck. We all tried little bites of each meal. None of us would agree that any except our own meal was the best! Sweet Basil stays in my top 5 list-highly recommend it. read more

We dined here twice , 1 st evening we sat at the bar and my bf asked bartender if he had any suggestions or some specials they are known for, he abruptly replied that everything on the menu was good and just handed us menus. Dinner at the table was much better and our server was way nicer and very accommodating. We truly enjoyed our meals. I had pork with lingonberries and my bf loved his lamb shank, meat was super soft and falling off the bone. Their Cesar salad had real anchovies on it and was very tasty. We truly enjoyed everything what we ordered , highly recommended! read more

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Excellent restaurant. Apparently it's considered one of the top 100 places to eat in America? I loved the bourbon selection. It's rare that you see a place offer Buffalo Trace small batch bourbon, but they did and their old fashioned was very tasty. This was one of the many places my wife and I stopped on our honeymoon in Colorado and I'd recommend this place to anyone interested in creative and innovative dishes. I would also recommend hitting this place in the off-season as we got a 3-course meal for $45 dollars per person. Normally, when places offer deals like that they skimp on the food or cut back on the quality, but I'm happy to say that neither happened at Sweet Basil. It really says a lot about their character and flexibility to work within budgets. read more

One of the best dinners I've ever had, had the 3 course meal which included the beef carpaccio as an appetizer, lamb sirloin as an entrée, and panna cotta as the dessert. All 3 were beautifully prepared and full of flavors. read more

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Fantastic meal. Had the pork cheek apitizer, very flavorful and had a fun cross of creamy and crunchy textures. Fantastic apetizer. Next we had the rack of lamb and new york steak both were perfectly cooked. I didn't expect the steak to be surf and turf but they snuck some lobster in there. Great dish. read more

Sweet Basil - Rack of lamb - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

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Pros: Good food and nice atmosphere Cons: Service is really off Had dinner here during summer and while the food is good, service is totally disconnected. Our server was aloof, and acted like he was just too cool to be working here. On top of his nonchalant attitude, he managed to forget all of my side orders and the bartender screwed up my drink, but "fixed it" by sending some simple syrup to the table so I can re-mix his drink... very classy. Just what you expect when paying $$$$ for food and drinks. I am not sure how hard it is to hire quality service professionals in Vail during 4th of July and the summer season, but the service I experienced at Sweet Basil was really bad. I am surprised the owner(s) are not on top of what is happening on the other side of the kitchen. I give the food 4 stars and the service a big nice round zero, hence the two stars. Just for reference, I found the service at Pazzo's Pizza to be 10x better. read more

Ate here recently and cannot wait to go back. The only reason it gets four stars and not five is due to the attitude and attention from one bartender (the other one working was fantastic!). Started with drinks at the bar. Pinkish, bubbly and potent, I forget the name, but I would have ordered another. Dinner consisted of Ahi Ceviche (BEST fresh fish I've had since moving to the Valley) and Crab Tataki (I think that's what it was called...). Both were fantastic. I followed with the Buffalo New York au Poivre, which was enjoyable as well. Even though ordered well done (I know, I know), it was still a little pink, but appropriate enough for me to eat and not get squeamish. All was paired with an Australian Syrah. I didn't hold back on dessert as a co-worker is also a pastry cook here. We ordered the recommended Sticky Toffee Pudding, as well as the Rum Roasted Pineapple Tart (subbed passion fruit sorbet instead of coconut) and Fresh Baked Cookies. I couldn't finish any of them, but they were all phenomenal. Service was on par - friendly, willing to ask the Chef questions (the AHI!) and didn't crowd or rush us, even though they were busy. Expensive, but worth it for a nice night out. I look forward to returning. read more

To celebrate the last day of our vacation, my family and I decided to eat at the most sought after restaurant in Vail. Sweet Basil! It was next to the creek in Vail Village, which is a definite plus. The view was AMAZING... BUT! It was nothing compared to the delicious food. APPETIZERS- Scallops: 4.5/5 The scallops had a very nice smokey flavor that went really well with the sweet corn butter. They were so tender, it was like butter! Ahi Tuna Ceviche: 5/5 In my opinion, this was the best dish of the night. The tuna melts in your mouth- it's so good! I loved the tangy coconut milk sauce with the peanuts. Everything went so well together. This plate REALLY wowed me! Caesar Salad: 4/5 This is your typical caesar salad. There were white anchovies in the salad! It was surprisingly pleasant. MAIN DISHES- Note: We got 2 Ribeyes but 1 was sent back to the kitchen. Creekstone 2oz Prime Ribeye for 2:4/5 #1 This dish is SUPER HUGE, and is definitely big enough for two, maybe even three! There are six large pieces of the ribeye with smoked potatoes and blue cheese. To be honest, I wasn't a big fan of the blue cheese. This dish was okay. Creekstone 28oz Prime Ribeye for 2: 2/5 #2 The ribeye was supposed to be rare, but instead, all of the pieces were medium well and very dry. We sent this plate back to the kitchen.. Creekstone 28oz Prime Ribeye for 2: 5/5 #3 The kitchen must have taken extra care on this dish, because it was like HEAVEN SERVED ON A PLATE... so good! The meat was cooked perfectly, and SUPER tender! We were all so full after we finished this dish. Blue Bass: 4/5 The fish had a good balance of spices. The bass was perfectly soft. Although the fish was very sweet and tender, I had to peel the top off of the fish because there was too much salt and seasoning.The pancetta was a wonderful addition, and was very crispy. I recommend not eating the big pieces of pancetta, unless you want to down 3 glasses of water. Alaskan Halibut: 3.5/5 The fish was a little too fishy for my taste. The sauce on the bottom definitely complimented the fish. Unfortunately, I also had to peel off the top, because it was burnt. Ahi Tuna: 5/5 The Tuna was very fresh, and the sauce was light, and gave the fish a nice flavor. The fish was very soft, and enjoyable. This might even be better than the ribeye! DESSERT- Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake: 5/5 The cake was really soft... so delicious. I loved the rich and creamy dark chocolate mousse. The fresh raspberries made everything tasty. I can eat this everyday! Lemon Cream Bar:5/5 The tart lemon bar complimented the sweet marscapone cream. I absolutely loved the bright, pastel colors. This dish tastes the best when you eat everything all at once. :-) Hot Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake: 3/5 As Sweet Basil's most popular dessert, I was a bit disappointed. I wasn't crazy about the flavor or texture of the cake. The sauce was too sweet and thick. I would rather have ordered the "Daily Spin". Overall, this place is pretty good. I will definitely come back! read more

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Super disappointing. Food, service, atmosphere...all have degenerated from the restaurant we used to love. Arrived early but the hostess declined to seat us despite a near empty restaurant. When finally seated, after two sets of walk ins, end up with a rushed and harried waiter. The food is over seasoned and some food like the garganelli wasn't even cooked. When we sent it back, you would think they wouldn't charge us. But not at this poorly managed place. My soup came with no spoon and Brussels sprouts were burnt. The saving grace is the bar. Great cocktails, better bartenders. With all the great choices in Vail, you'd be better off with a place that tries a little harder. read more

Sweet basil topped all my dining experiences in Vail and I'll definitely be back if I have a chance. The decor is really "zen" like with clean lines. Service was top notch. The highlight was the quality of the goods where you can really tell the chef is using top quality organic ingredients and is making a sincere effort to come up with a perfect balance of flavors, colors and texture. All dishes we ordered were perfectly executed: nice salad, perfect corn bisque, awesome sea scallop, amazing halibut. Sweet basil is a must when in Vail. Make sure you plan ahead and have reservations. read more

Was told by many to come here... food was extremely overrated and the server had a massive attitude. The seared tuna dish was bad, unbalanced, and sliced so thick. Wouldn't come back. read more

Sweet Basil is still a must stop for lunch or dinner every time I come to vail. Just avoid dinner at the peak time and you will be fine. The menu tends to be the same but if it ain't broke... All the dishes are excellent and I think they have the. best seafood in town. Nice cocktail list and an incredible wine list. Service has always been excellent. read more

Sweet Basil - Yum - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

This was a fantastic experience that came highly recommended by locals. We had a late reservation. We came in very hungry and left very satisfied. I feel that Sweet Basil goes above and beyond expectations and it was probably the only restaurant I've been to at Vail where I didn't have to qualify certain aspects of the meal by saying "Well, we're at Vail." The menu is as exquisite as it is exclusive and each dish was better than the next. This restaurant alone would be one of the focal points of living at Vail if I am ever fortunate enough to do that. read more

We have eaten at this restaurant for the last 40 years. Our experience this summer and last night September 28 have both been disappointing. They no longer provide bread with the meal even if you ask for it and their prices are higher than ever before with worse service and food. We started the shrimp and mango spring rolls. Unfortunately they are loaded with cilantro which is not disclosed in the menu. Server Mia said she knew and didn't like cilantro either but there are lots of herbs not disclosed. We deconstructed the rolls and did our best but they were awful. We also had the Heirloom Tomato salad. This is a poor imitation of previous years. One of the tomatoes still had leaves attached. One had a large bad spot I believe is called blossom end rot and several others had very hard spots found in tomatoes that are not mature. I had the halibut as the main dish. It was not fully cooked in the middle. The shrimp as part of the sauce were like rubber and the slices of sausage were hard as a rock and inedible. I guess whoever was running the microwave on this Sunday night was inexperienced. My spouse had the lamb which was delicious with perfectly cooked vegetables. The dessert was sticky toffee and was excellent. For an almost $200 meal the food was poor and the service mediocre at best. Even though we pointed out the problems during the meal, the servers (there were several) were disinterested and seemed to be just going through the motions. read more

I just did not enjoy this restaurant. Nothing healthy on the menu, and way too pretentious for a relaxed ski village. I was so hungry after traveling all day, and the salad I ordered barely consisted of anything filling, and it included fried items. I hope the restaurant considers offering healthier options. Not everyone wants to eat fatty, dense food. read more

Out of all the restaurants we dined at in Vail, this was my least favorite...as far as food goes. The salmon belly appetizer special was delicious. Our sweetbreads were pretty good, and my venison was A-OK. I wanted to give this place 3 stars but the service just wouldn't let me. Yes, the dinner was leisurely but after a week of 16 hour days, that was just what I needed. And when my drink didn't match my dinner, our server said, "I got you" and quickly produced his suggested glass of white. And when I didn't like that, he brought me something awesome that I did like. Along with the great service, the dessert course made this place for me. The sticky toffee pudding is unreal. Paired with the brandy tasting, it was incredible. Actually, the fact that they have a brandy tasting is pretty great in itself. But with that toffee pudding...mmmm, so good! I'm not so sure I'd be running back for dinner but I'd be back for dessert and a nice evening out in a heartbeat. read more

Did anyone else expect a Thai restaurant from the name? I really enjoyed my meal here and so did the group I came with. The decor is nothing special but the service, food, and area are great. Among the 4 of us we had/shared: White Bean soup Soup D'Jour (I think it was a red pepper soup?) Truffle Fries Deviled Eggs Trout Scallops (but prepared the way the trout was prepared) Scallops (prepared the way it said it would be prepared on the menu) Strip steak? Some time of red meat dish We literally scraped our plates clean, everything was fantastic! Pros: Lovely hostess Coat check Location Ability to customize an order (scallops prepared the way the trout was prepared) Cons: We asked for bread service but we didn't get any. It took them 15 minutes to come take our order but otherwise, service was great. I highly recommend dining here. It was also a very pretty area to walk around and browse the shops. read more

Presentation is fantastic. Service is good. Sadly, taste does not compare. We're also a bit spoiled in food choices with where we come from but the menu was interesting but not anything special. It has all the basics covered - which is what you'd expect of this Vail institution - but they doesn't make it interesting. Note that I'd hope they take me up on: this isn't an Italian restaurant so why is Pellegrino the only sparkling water choice? Sweet Basil chooses local for a lot so why not local, fresh Co sparkling water? No need to import it from Italy. read more