I Really Love Thai Food and have eaten at most of the Thai restaurants in and around the Santa Cruz area and that's why I say that Thai Basil (in Capitola) is by far the Best Thai restaurant I've ever eaten at and is probably one of the Best restaurants in Santa Cruz, period! Sure there are good Thai restaurants in Santa Cruz but they are what you would expect at any decent Thai eatery...But Thai Basil Is So Much Better than those other Thai restaurants! Rather small and unassuming, Thai Basil takes the normal Thai dishes and bumps them up several notches, serving you cuisine that is different from what you've gotten used to, from other Thai places! All of their dishes are unique, as they are so delicious and fresh, tasting like you're eating at a Thai home, rather than a restaurant! And in a way, you are. Thai Basil is a Family Run business that serves family recipes, as opposed to traditional restaurant dishes. Each dish looks and tastes different from what you might expect. The sauces explode with flavors of fresh herbs, spices and freshness that only comes from a family's favorite home recipes, cooked and prepared traditionally! Thai Basil is so definitely a "family affair"! Mom & Dad prepare the meals, (from their own recipes) while their daughter and son wait on tables. The more I went to this cafe, it became obvious that this was becoming a Capitola favorite too! You will see many locals eating here, store owners, city workers and law enforcement officers, filling up on the amazing Thai family food! So, my recommendation is that you get over to Thai Basil and eat like you're part of the family! read more

Authentic food, great taste, you can choose between 1-5 spicy levels, we chose 3 and it was perfect. Crispy rolls were served hot straight from the frier-excellent! Enough stuffing. Green curry was authentic, umami and comforting. read more

This little family-owned and operated restaurant has some of the best Thai food I've ever had (and I've had a decent amount)! I've been here a couple of times and have always sat in their outside patio because of my dog. The servers (who I believe are the owner's children) are very kind and hardworking. They check on us often throughout our meal and even offer to bring a bowl of water for my dog. One of the times I've been here was with a large group (about 8-10 people) and although I'm sure we overwhelmed the restaurant with our large party size, they were incredibly accommodating! I've been able to try several different dishes, and they've were all absolutely delicious! They offer all the classic dishes (pad Thai, pad see ew, yellow/green/red curries, fried rice) and even some not as well-known dishes that are definitely worth trying (curry noodle aka khao soi, spicy noodles aka pad kee mao/drunken noodles, mussaman curry). All the food is bursting with flavor, reasonably priced, of good quality, and cooked perfectly. They have signage outside addressing complaints over long wait times which is sad to see because 1) I've never had to wait an unreasonable amount of time for my food even when I went with a large group, 2) they very obviously have a small kitchen and only one chef, and 3) everything is fresh and made to order. I'd be more hesitant and skeptical if my food came out within a few minutes. If you're ever in Capitola/Capitola Beach or even in the Santa Cruz area, this place is worth it! read more

Lucky enough to eat here before the Beach Festival. Outdoor seating was Fantastic. We ordered the Panang chicken/Pork Hawaiian fried rice/Basil fried rice/Shrimp patai/Chicken chow mein. Delicious!!. Close proximity to Esplanade parking lot/village. read more

Thai Basil - Delicious food. - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

Thai Basil is one of a kind. This is by far the most delicious Thai restaurants in Santa Cruz County. The staff are kind (family owned) and the outdoor seating is outstanding. Would highly recommend, this is one I come back to often. read more

Good was excellent, basil beef, chicken curry and fresh rolls. We added brown rice. Very quaint and servers were very attentive. A true jewel. We will be back. read more

I used to come here between 2008 to 2013 when we lived in Aptos. We returned to the UK and in 2026 returned for a trip down memory lane... stoked to see this family run business still there. Delicious yellow curry with rice and loads of huge shrimp. Thank you for a wonderful lunch. read more

Absolutely delicious! Best restaurant along the water. Service was excellent, it's a family ran restaurant with quality food. Highly recommend if you like flavorful dishes read more

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Best food!! Be aware that their spicy is no joke lol. The hours can be hit and miss, but it's ALWAYS our first call, even if we have to drive from Scott's valley We LOVE Thai basil! read more

Yurt this place felt like a home away from home after a day in Capitola. Service was fast, wait staff was super accommodating and we loved the cool decor on the walls (sorry I didn't get a pic, you'll have to see it in person, but it's not worth solely going for that LOL) Anyways, food was really good, here's a breakdown: Chicken Satay Skewer 10/10 Maybe I'm being overly generous, but I've tried over 10 Thai spots and this has been the best. Chicken was perfectly cooked and the I mean just look at that picture. Yellow Curry 9/10 Not mind-blowing but it was good and there was nothing wrong with it! Panang Curry 9/10 Good level of spice but not anything painful. Good portions here! Saw some rather negative reviews on Google for this place recently, but I'm not sure I'd attach a lot of credibility to them. Clearly most people love this spot. read more

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We stopped in here for a business dinner a few weeks back. I've had Thai Basil in other cities, so I was hesitant, but this one really hit the spot! The kids working at the restaurant were kind, attentive, and overall great! It was kind of tight, but overall a good vibe and the food was made very well and quickly! I think I can remember everything we got, so let's try: there was a coconut curry soup (I think)-- never had that before and it was slammin'! We also had crab rangoons/wontons, drunken noodles (shrimp) and pad Thai (chicken). Exquisite meal and excellent service! read more

The food and service were great, and I enjoyed the atmosphere. I did want to gently mention a concern about the fish tank in the dining area. The tank is beautiful, but the fish seemed to be struggling to swim against the current from the pump. They kept getting pushed around and didn't seem able to rest. I'm not an expert, but I care about animals and wanted to share in case an adjustment to the flow or tank space could help reduce their stress. Overall food is delicious -- would come again! read more

Skip the pad Thai . Trust this Thai girl. Get spicy noodle instead, order it level zero spiciness, Like curry, get the curry noodles here ( koi Soi) Like fried rice, get basil fried rice. Instead of Thai ice tea get ice coffee. read more

Best Thai food ive ever had. Ive eaten Thai food all over and this hasn't been beat. My family and I have been eating here for 12+ years.

The food is fantastic, and the service was good too. The overall environment is a tad more simple than I might have expected, but that said it's great for a casual night out and very good Thai food. read more

Incredible Thai food. Yellow curry was perfect, green bean chicken was perfect, spring rolls made in house, perfect! This food is spicy, they Ask you the level of spice you want and their least spicy option is still very spicy! I love it but if you don't like spice, this is not for you! Would recommend this place for sure! read more

Excellent experience for our family! Wonderful service even for our large group of seven plus a well behaved dog. We ate outdoors enjoying the space they've created for outdoor dining. This place is quite small but so mighty! Yummy food. Every dish was great. Menu is quite extensive with lots of meats to customize the menu choices. Vegetarian options available as well. All three, chef and two servers, were family who served us attentively, warmly and politely. Loved it all! read more

DO NOT EAT HERE: Update to review: We were never rude to you, you were rude to us. Dont confuse the story here. Quite the opposite. We treated you how you treated us. We never came off in a. Aggressive way and looking at all the other negative reviews it looks like it's clear you may have some issues. Just try not to take it out on other people. The world's hard enough without ignorant and disrespectful people like you. You are embarrassing your kind and nurturing culture. You don't get to give me a " warning" or call people names on this platform. Calling someone inappropriate names is disgusting and you truly don't deserve any business. Please post this on the door. People should be aware of you. Get a life and treat people with respect. NOT EAT HERE! Absolutely ridiculous. We ordered food from here take out as we usually do and sat outside to eat the food. I was shocked when they told us we couldn't eat the food outside, and that was for dine in. I said we just paid for the food, tipped 20 percent why can't we eat outside. The owner literally said " we safe it for our costumers" Acting like we are not customers? I said okay then we would like a refund, he was completely rude and uncalled for. Yelling at us saying when we have a restaurant we can do whatever we want. We are Santa Cruz locals, and are absolutely in shock at the way we were just treated. Unfortunately the food is good, but never will I go back after being treated with such disrespect. Not to mention there is not one person eating inside or outside, there was no reason for this reaction. As I said, I will be reporting him to the better business bureau.The owner clearly is rude and doesn't deserve business or appreciate it. DO NOT EAT HERE! read more

The food was amazing. The Thai tea was the best Thai tea I've ever had in my entire life, yellow chicken. Curry was my absolute favorite fried rice is great. read more

UPDATE TO HER RESPONSE: that is not what happened at all. I came in 120 seconds early, to me that was basically on time because I was only paying, they said it hadn't been started and because I asked how much longer it would be they refused to make my food. (There is a hidden sign that says if you ask how long they won't serve you.) If you read the owners responses to other reviews they are super aggressive and honestly mean. I just saw she used profanity to someone in a review response. I would never spend a dollar in a place that abuses customers like that. I'm a very nice person. The most shocking thing just happened to me. We ordered food and they told us it would be ready in half an hour. No problem. I show up 28 minutes later and the kid in the front tells me he hasn't started it. No big deal. I ask how much longer bc my girlfriend is circling in the car and picking me up. He asks the cook and then everyone starts circling around and acting really awkward. Then he goes you need to follow the rules, it's going to be an hour, but I'm really broken English. I was so confused bc they kept asking if I still want my food. And I was like of course I do! And then the lady comes over and points to the paper and says I'm so sorry, the cook won't make your food for an hour. Then I read this piece of paper and was in shock. Whoever that cook is must be an incredibly abusive person in real life, not just in the kitchen. I was honestly kind of shaken up by the experience, I still am, and unfortunately we had to cancel our order. That was really sad what just happened there. For everyone. read more

A very unfriendly place for families -- the waiter clearly doesn't like children. In just five minutes, we were given three warnings, so we left. And mind you, my child is actually quite calm for a two-year-old. Of course, he's curious in a new place, wants to walk around, look at things, and touch the figurines. Found other review where it's also the same that their two-year-old wasn't welcome here -- so it's definitely a no if you're coming with kids. This was the worst Thai restaurant on the planet. It's surprising, considering Thai people usually love children. Overall, a terrible experience -- I strongly do not recommend it. IT WAS ALL IN 5 min fyi he didn't even say ask hello, welcome read more

The food here is absolutely delicious: amazing spice levels, fresh tasting veggies, and generous portions of meat to noodle to veggie ratio. Def the best Thai food in Santa Cruz, though I'll admit that's not hard to do lol. I'll one up it then and say it's the best Thai food in South Bay! So my go-to order here is a coconut water and the pad se ew at spice level 3 with duck. Omg it's sooooooooooooooo good! I think level 3 is the perfect spice. Like it's spicy and flavorful, but doesn't burn your mouth off lol. And I love that they aren't stingy with the duck on the entree - there's def enough duck to have some with each bite of your meal, which is just lovely and so yummy. The veggies in it are also always nice and crisp and fresh tasting, never over cooked. Just phenomenal food that will keep me coming back again and again now that I've discovered this place! I'd say it's my new favorite restaurant in South Bay. The customer service is also very friendly here. They're happy to take your order and for you sit and enjoy your meal. They only have limited outdoor seating, which has nice ambiance, but can be hard to get a seat at peak times - I just recommend taking a quick stroll along the beautiful beach waiting for a table to open up. I'd also recommend bringing a jacket with you though so you're not chilly at dinner when the sun starts going down as they do not have outside heaters. Just an absolute delight to come here, eat amazing food, and then take a walk around Capitola after. Def recommend this place! read more

Thai Basil - Pad se ew and coconut water - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

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Friendly staff, easy to order from, tasty and authentic food. I have come back many times.

Stopped in here for a late lunch with friends and was sat immediately. The spicy noodles with level 4 spice was perfect - just enough spice but not too overwhelming. This dish was super tasty and one of my favorites I've had. Service was also wonderful and prices were great as well - I would definitely come back to try more! read more

I live close to this restaurant and thought I'd try it after a long hiatus. After a long day I got my food to go, brought it home and was looking forward to enjoying a tasty meal. With the first bite, I realized the food was so salty, it was inedible. I thought "well this happens sometimes with restaurants", maybe it was just a slip of the hand with the salt. I called Thai Basil, described the problem, and asked that theycomp this order. Most places would do this in order to keep a customer. No, they wanted me to get back in the car and deliver the bad meal before they would return my money. That's it. Never going back. read more

Everything was good food service and ambience must try pad thai noodles and peanut sauce and ginger sauted vegetables. Please follow me @piyusha8738 and also on my you tube channel read more

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A hole in the wall place just a very short walk from the beach, not to be confused with the other type place that's next to Zelda's. My GF who is Vietnamese is very particular about her Thai food and just loves this place says it's the best Thai food in Santa Cruz. read more

I've ate here before during the pandemic and have been meaning to try it again but I always catch them when they're closed. I just happened to call them at 2pm on a Monday and got the yellow curry lunch special (they do lunch specials until 2:30). It came with rice, curry and a fried roll for $15 with tax and tip. I was blown away at all the flavors... so good! And I like that he asked me over the phone on a scale of 1-5 how spicy I'd like it. Im a wuss and said 2, and it was the perfect amount of heat for me. Hands down the best Thai curry in town.. I love all the veggies they add too, and they're properly sized not huge pieces of potato you need to slice. I thought I'd save some for tomorrow since the portions are generous but I ate the whole thing. Thank you for a delicious meal! I'm lucky to live up the street. Can't wait to try more items on the menu! read more

Came here tonight with my family after our original plan of going to Geisha sushi fell through. I have lived in Santa Cruz my whole life and yet somehow have never been to this restaurant. The food was amazing, definitely some of the best Thai food I've had in Santa Cruz. I ordered the pad se ew with shrimp and loved it. The portions were fairly sized and had a good meat/vegetable/noodle ratio. The staff was very kind and attentive, checking on our group often and keeping us updated on the status of our food. I will definitely come back! read more

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Got this for takeout and called in advance right when they opened for dinner hours. So delicious. There wasn't much wait at all (ALWAYS CALL AHEAD bc I've heard that the hours change frequently and people sometimes wait 1-2 hours to get their food even just for takeout). Red curry with chicken: good, pad see ew tofu: good, spring rolls: good. Consider yourself lucky when you're able to eat food from here because it is stupendous. read more

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This place is fabulous! Excellent food and service. Ignore negative review from person who allowed their two year old to run around the dining area touching everything, completely misbehaving. That is totally unacceptable! It's a great place for the best Thai food, staff always very friendly to us. read more

The food here got me not good and the costumer service is worse. The owner is rude and I wouldn't recommend supporting his business. Highly recommend going to Sawadee instead. read more

One of the best Thai places I've ever been to! The staff was very accommodating. A very large selection of items. You walk up and order and the seating is currently outside. It's a small hole in the wall. If you blink you'll miss it! read more

Thai Basil - Curry won tons - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

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We absolutely loved the food here. My wife and I ordered a Tom Yum and a Pad Thai. They were all delicious. The Tom Yum had a nice aroma with just the right amount of sourness and sweetness. The pad thai was great as well with a lot of chicken in which we enjoyed since we could hardly find any places in the Bay area that would offer that much meat. Finally, they market their food as something they would cook for family and friends; I think they are spot on! The food feels super authentic and they presentation makes it seem like it comes from your Thai best friend's kitchen. Highly recommended! read more

we ordered the pad thai , spicy noodles & thai fried rice this is the best thai food me and my partner have EVER HAD !!! its so flavorful and over all we both really like spicy food, so this was perfect. These are our new favorite dishes!everything tastes very fresh and made with love. We have tried a couple other places prior but no others really met our standards , HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! my last 2 pictures look kind of empty but i promise it was a very big portion of food but me and my boyfriend almost ate all of it before the pictures read more

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Best Thai food my families ever had! Definitely recommend to anyone who wants great food and attentive service. Will definitely return with family again. Love the fishes too. read more

Love the food and service. Food is SO tasty!!! Everything is super fresh and full of flavor. The service is outstanding. This is our new Monday night spot. read more

Thai Basil - Yummy - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

I'm hesitant to leave a review because I wanna keep this place all to myself! This is actually the best Thai place in Santa Cruz, stealing the title from the now defunct Sala Thai. Super friendly and genuine staff. Seems like a family operation. Great food, cute outdoor seating in the charming Capitola village. Their Tom kah kai (coconut chicken soup) is flavorful and their Tom Yum is also excellent. I've had their Pad Thai over 10 times and never disappointed. My girlfriend orders pad see ew, also excellent. It says on their window that they cook for you in the same way they cook for their friends and family and this is definitely true. I've been eating Thai food all my life, growing up in LA and visiting the Thai temple in North Hollywood on the weekends. I would venture so far as to say this is the only good Thai food in Santa Cruz, as I have actually tried every other Thai restaurant and left disappointed. keep it up thai basil! read more

The food here is amazing. I rarely give 5 stars. Everything we got was sooooo good and flavorful. The Tom Kha soup was cooked perfectly with the right amount of spices. The Pas sew and Panang curry was so yummy that we ate every single bite. Definitely will be coming back here. Our waitress was so sweet, she said it's a family owned business. read more

I ordered tom yum chicken for to go it was DELICIOUS! best tom yam i have ever tasted so far. The only thing there is not a lot of chicken or veggie in the soup which is reasonable for $12. I read the review and shoutout to the owner stood up for themselves lol. Customer cant be always right so great job for stood up what's right. As long as the food is good, anything else should not be matter. Anyway, i will come back to try different menus. read more