Nice mom and pop style restaurant a few minutes away from the beach. We sat outside and had our lunch. Food was flavorful and the portions a good size. I came away full from it and the service was great, server was attentive. It's street parking and paid by meters that accept coin or card. read more

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I hardly ever take the time to write yelp reviews- Thai Basil is so delicious I have to write something. We had a variety of dishes and loved everything! Be patient- they're popular so when you call ahead it may be an hour or so before it's ready. read more

Phenomenal, quality food. Made to order. Extremely fresh. Most people I bring here say it's the "best thai food [they've] ever eaten in their whole life!" A caveat: like most reputable thai places, hot means HOT! I usually like at least medium to hot dishes, and I scale it back to a 2 out of 5 (you choose 1-5 on hot scale). Spring rolls and Pineapple cashew dish are soooo good! read more

A small,tiny place in Capitola downtown with decent food. We had ordered Thai crispy spring rolls,spicy pad Thai noodles, Panang curry with a side of Jasmine rice.I would rate spicy Thai pad noodles following panang curry and then the rolls. Food for the level 3 from 1 to 5 was hot enough .Not sure if 5 would be edible.Ambience is not great and its a cash only place.Would recommend this place if you are around and want to eat Thai. read more

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Delicious, hot, fresh food and great service!! Pad Thai was our favorite part of lunch. This is definitely my new place to go for Thai food!

Food is pretty good Had a variety of Curries and noodle dishes Prices are reasonable The rice is really deliciously made. I'm particular about rice cause I am Asian Service great. Just FYI: Cash only. read more

Food is just average in both quality and quantity. Nothing special. But read others' reviews on their dishonesty & rudeness...

Found this place when walking around the Capitola neighborhood. The food is ok but very poor service. The waitress who is likely the owner (she acted like one) was very rude and unwilling to accommodate a simple, minor request. Condescending, rude, arrogant! With the behavior of a 3-star Zagat. Will not return. read more

The food is good, but the worst experience. We met several policeman come and ordered food, we ordered at least 10min before them, but they got their food first, our table and another table with Indian families waiting for at least half an hour to get the food. At first I thought the policeman are on duty and should eat earlier, while they finished meal and sit their chatting for another long time. Also, the menu said no split bills but they got the bill splitter into four, and we have to pay in one bill. Excuse me? What kind of privilege?? read more

One of my Fav Thai places to eat . I love the sweet and sour veg dish. It's a must have. I also like the outdoor seating . I traveled with my Dog and it was awesome to sit and eat read more

Absolutely terrible service. They told me an hour and I showed up 5 minutes early and they accused me of asking how much longer and cancelled my order. Super rude read more

This is the best tasting Thai food in Santa Cruz hands down. its cheap it's awesome and it's quirky I'm glad they don't allow you're screaming kids read more

If you want cheap, big portioned Thai food in a touristy setting... you will love this place. If you want flavorful Thai food that your Thai friends would be proud to share with their families... you will hate this place. I usually get dragged here by one of my guy friends... dudes seem to LOVE this place... and the best I can figure is that most Santa Cruz guys 1) wouldn't know the difference between a fried turd and a fried spring roll if their lives depended on it and 2) this place is dirt cheap and bound to fill even the most glutinous male for under $10. That said, unless your limbs had been hacked off in some freak surf fight down at the Jetty and all you had was a few million Zimbabwean dollars left, I would suggest you get in your vehicle and drive a mile or two in any direction to find an infinitely better Thai restaurant. *** Amendment : After reading all the reviews here, I have concluded that no one in Santa Cruz has been nice enough to inform the tourists of the Thai gems we do have here. Please see Bangkok West or Sawasadee. This is where you will find the locals *** read more

We were told by multiple people that Thai Basil was the best in the Capitola/Santa Cruz area. And it has proven that for us over and over. I love their note that "we are not a fast food restaurant, your food is made fresh every order, please be patient." Worth the 15-20 minutes every time. Always friendly and courteous. Thank you Thai Basil! read more

BEST pad thai I've ever had. And that's saying quite a bit. My friends and I sent the day at the beach and decided to find a place to eat before making the 1.5 hour drive home. We stopped by a local business to ask for suggestions and the lady immediately directed us here, mentioning that they have a fantastic pad thai (she wasn't kidding!). We were the only people in the restaurant and got seated quickly. As the waitress was handing out our menus, she mentioned to our group of 6 that the service will be slower than other places - I assume it's because they only have one cook and prepare each dish one at a time. Holy cow their chicken pad thai was so amazing I was dreading reaching the last bite, I wanted it to last forever! There have been times I almost considered the 1.5 hour drive just for this, that's how much I loved it. The other dishes we ordered were equally delicious but be aware that their spice levels are pretty dang spicy. Don't come here if you are in a rush or are expecting good service. I read somewhere that the best Asian restaurants are the ones with the worse service (lol bc so true) - I'm 100% willing to trade good service for good food. Cash only! read more

This is an amazing place. Arguably in top 3 best Pad Thai experiences of my 25 years eating Pad Thai. Not too sickeningly sweet, too saucy, too dry, or the various other "too" issues that often plague this dish. Except that it might have been too perfect and I ate the whole thing, meaning no leftovers for breakfast tomorrow. I can't wait to return to try the other dishes. read more

The food is flat out amazing. Its just a bummer its closed so often. You never really know when it's gonna be open or not. So hit or miss... But I do love the place, and no matter how frustrated I get when its closed, I just keep on coming back till it is open. lol. My favorite is the spicy noodle. I get it with shrimp at a spicy level 1. You get to choose your spicy level here. :) WARNING: THEY ARE NOT FUCKING AROUND. THEIR SPICY IS SERIOUSLY SPICY. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. Never had anything I didn't like here. Almost never eat at the actual restaurant though. The inside is stifling and the outdoor seating just faces the street. Thats ok though, Im here for the FOOD, not the scenery! read more

I respect the zero-tolerance policy when it comes to loud children. Parents that choose not to teach their children about the "inside voices" concept should not bring their kids into small restaurants, airplanes, museums, etc. Please take your kids to Applebees, TGI Fridays, or a mall food court. read more

This place is a very good value. The food is very tasty. I love their tom yum soup and the coconut soup. Everything my family tried was delicious.I just want to warn everybody that 3 on their scale of hottness is very spicy. Another thing: sometimes you have to wait for a long time even if there is only one other couple in the restaurant and you would think your food will be right out but it turns out they are working on take out orders. If you are in a hurry make sure you ask. I like the place though and I will be back. One star less for the bathroom and for my taste the place could be cleaner. read more

vegans: this is actually a vegetarian friendly menu even and it is shown in print. They have mock meat which is desirable because it's significantly more protein than tofu. It tastes better and has great texture too. Try the eggplant curries and spicy noodles‼ awesomeness. Note: My Thai Beach restaurant around the corner has faux meat products as well. That's a nice alternate if no seating available here read more

NOTE: My up dated review is not based on the food. I have since moved out of Santa Cruz, but the new owners had enough business sense to contact people who didn't enjoy the experience and offered to show them what they are all about now. The story seems about right: Family run business, mom burnt out on cooking and doesn't do it well anymore, sons take over. My reviews are always based on all factors. Since I haven't been back, I cannot do more than 3 stars, but I would try them again just based on the effort they put into caring about what people think. So I say, why not give them another chance? I am curious to see how the restaurant will do now. ____________________________________________ Do I like Thai Food? Well for the past 3 years I have had it at least once a week and sometimes even two. Did I eat Thai before that? Yes. Am I Thai? No. Have I ever been to Thailand? Not yet. Has my Fianc? Yes? Do I know good food? You bet! Does it have to be authentic? No, it has to taste good. Am I qualified to give an opinion? yelppers! So yelpers, I moved from San Diego and away from my all time favorite Thai restaurant, Siamese Basil. I am now in the beautiful city of Santa Cruz searching for that Thai fix replacement. So far in Santa Cruz/Capitola I have been to Sabieng Thai, Thai House, and now Thai Basil. Can you say, disappointed? The Thai story of take-out The first encounter-we wanted Thai and we wanted something new. Based on Yelp we called Thai Basil...no answer and a very generic machine. We called back and a woman said, "I am with customer" and hung up on us. Perhaps an accident...who knows. We waited 10 minutes and called back again, the machine. So we waited a few weeks and called back this last Wednesday. We ordered our favorite dishes that I order every time, ummm...because they are my favorite. Order to go Green curry with shrimp, extra spicy and Yellow curry with chicken (dark meat if they have it) extra spicy. We go to pick it up. Neat place. Looks like someone's home with patio furniture. Friendly, cheap and good portions. Two curry's with 2 rice's =$19 and some change Now for the bad-NO FLAVOR! Their green curry was borderline okay and their yellow curry tasted as if they used water instead of coconut milk! And I'm sorry, but did I, did I st-ut-ter when I said, "spicy, extra spicy, spicy spicy" -yes folks, I am persistent about my spice! However, I am a problem solver! I happen to have on hand yellow curry and green curry paste and coconut milk. So, I made my own sauce and mixed it with theirs. I have Never had to do this is and I always finish at least 3-4 plates (and I am 5'2 110 lbs..love that Thai!), but I had a hard time finishing one until I fixed it up. So far Thai preferences in order: 1) Thai House 2) Sabieng Thai 3) Somewhere other than Thai basil 4) Maybe Thai Basil on a different chef night...maybe I would probably eat in so I could tell them if it was bad read more

So I know that Thai Basil is only open on certain days and my heart breaks every single time I call to hear they're closed, but it's a small business and I understand that. My tip is to just call in your order and pick it up and eat it on the beach or somewhere in Capitola with a nice view. The last time I did pick up it took around 15 minutes, so by the time that I got there from downtown it was already ready. The workers are very polite and sweet. It's half the reason I keep coming back. The other reason is that their pad see ew reminds me of SGV quality food. After moving to SC for school, it's difficult for me to find quality Asian food without going over the hill. I literally had Thai Basil on a day I was ridiculously homesick and felt immediately better afterwards. The portions are good, too! I usually eat half and then save the rest for lunch the next day. tldr; If you're originally from SGV or anywhere where there is plenty of quality Asian food and you're craving it, come here. read more

This place is awful. Absolutely awful. I just had one of the worst food-related experiences here. I ordered 2 pad thai for pickup at 5pm, and was told twice that it would be ready in 25 minutes. I got hung up on my way so arrived about 40 minutes later, at 5:40. They told me they hadn't started cooking it yet. I asked why this happened and explained that I am on a schedule, and this is not good business, and they said was "there were customers before you who ordered first". I was furious but said we would wait. After 5 more minutes the incredibly rude woman there said they would not make my order. At this point I was with my son just looking in the fish tank just waiting. She just walked over and said they were not going to make my order. Of course I asked why... No explanation except for "there's too much pressure". I was furious. We live right up the street in Capitola and my wife used to go there a lot a few years ago. But we will never ever go back and I recommend you avoid this place. I can't review the food, but the service is the worst I have ever seen at a Thai restaurant. Generally they are very pleasant. But this place employs the most rude and careless people in Capitola. read more

We haven't been here since our new arrival (now 7 mth baby girl), but in my SE Asian wife's opinion, this is the best Thai place in town and most reasonably priced, too. Since we were there last, they finally expanded from four tables into the adjacent building (it's still tiny), so we're looking forward to squeeze the whole fam in there again soon. After that errant car slammed into the building, they were closed down for a while, and we are happy to see they are back in biz. As for the food, we love the Angel Wings and fresh spring roll appetizers, great Red Duck Curry, Yellow Chicken Curry, and Pineapple Fried Rice. We also enjoy the Pad Thai with duck (did I mention before my wife is a duck freak?). So why not a 5? Because of the seating issues (at least in the past), the sometimes very temperamental owner. She can be the sweetest lady at times, and the most unfriendly b#$%^ at other times. This can also lead to slow and inattentive service. But it's a small price to pay for great Thai food. read more

I haven't been back here in a little over two years, but if it's still anything like it was during my last visit, then I can't wait to go back. My friend told me that they are going through renovations right now, and I hope that they don't change their decor too much. I absolutely LOVE the fact that it feels like you are sitting in someone's dining room at home. Crossing my fingers that that remains the same. Thai Basil is probably the first restaurant to get me into Thai cuisine a long, long time ago. My friend and I would come here after spending time on the beach. Their Tom Yum soup and coconut lemongrass soup are seriously amazing. I don't care if it's a hot day on the beach... I'm getting myself some lemongrass soup. We would usually order the fresh spring rolls along with our soup, and leave satisfied. Hopefully they re-open soon, because I'm excited to return after these past few years. read more

One of very, VERY few places that allow dogs in the restaurant in Capitola. Yesterday, we were driving up the coast and wanted to stop by Capitola for dinner. We had been raving about a Pacific Grill, as our last experience was amazing. We sat out on the outside patio, enjoying the fresh air. This time around, we came back with our 11-week-old puppy, Winston and Pacific told us, no dogs allowed. Neither inside or outside. After being SO BUMMED, we walked into Thai Basil. They noticed Winston right away they said we could sit down inside! We went on to order the Pad Thai, Crab Fried rice and the Chicken Satay. The pad thai noodles were a little overcooked, but the sauce was splendid! Lots of savory flavors. I wish the crab fried rice was real crab instead of imitation, but it was still very good. We couldn't stop eating every last grain until we couldn't anymore. The Chicken Satay had a great bold flavor and the peanut sauce was legit. The wait wasn't long at all. I usually base my reviews on food and experience. My only critique would be to get the tables fixed. Our table had napkins underneath the legs to keep them from moving. I looked around and each and every table had the same thing going on. I can't complain much though because it is always the jankiest of places that have awesome food! read more

10 stars. Hidden gem on the beach. Had Tom kha and fresh spring rolls. Simple but tasty. And all so good for you. Awesome family runs the place. Super nice people. Gave me ginger tea to go. Made me feel better. Made me feel like family. They're awesome. Eat here now. read more

If you are looking for authentic Thai food you need not look any further. My parents live in Aptos so I go to this place every time I visit (@ 1x per month). My wife and I lived in China for several years and always took our winter vacations in Thailand so I know real Thai food...and this is it! Excellent food, FANTASTIC friendly staff, and good pricing. They increased their prices @ 10% about a year ago so the value is not as stellar as in the past but they still charge less than what "My Thai Beach" charges (located about 1/4 mile away). Highly recommend. BTW, the comments about the atmosphere are right on! You do get more of a feeling that you are sitting in someones home rather than a typical restaurant but personally I enjoy the personal touch that they bring to your table. read more

Went here with a friend when I tagged along with him on one of his band's shows in Capitola. Cute, small place. No more than ~8 tables. Ordered the pad thai with chicken. Not the best, but it ain't the worst either. Tastes like how a pad thai should taste. I've had better at the restaurant in my neighborhood. There was another dish, can't remember the name but it had eggplants in it for sure. It was really good. My favorite of the two. In a place that isn't known for their vast selection of Asian restaurants, this Thai place isn't bad. It is run by Thai people and the food is authentic. If I'm ever in the Santa Cruz/Capitola area, I'd stop by here again. For those who live locally, if you want to satisfy your pad thai/curry/tom yum soup, go here. I don't think you can find another place as good as this one. read more

If you're ever in Capitola go here!! Don't let the "hole in the wall" appearance scare you. I was wary the first time I came here but was not disappointed. This is the real thing baby! Delicious and reasonably priced authentic Thai food. First time here there were only a handful of tables (maybe 5 or 6), but came back this past weekend and they're down to 4. Both times we came for dinner and never had to wait for a table. The owners say most people carry-out. What we usually order here is the yellow chicken curry, red beef curry, pad thai and beef fried rice. All dishes are excellent, but my least favorite is red curry (but I'm more of a yellow curry person). The menu shows the option for jasmine rice, sticky rice or brown rice. Both times I came here I tried ordering brown rice but was told they were out of it. The last time here we came right when the opened for dinner, so not sure how they ran out... Nonetheless, this is a very laid back casual spot a block or two from the beach. Owners are very friendly. Food is awesome. read more

Thai Basil - (Clockwise, from top) Red beef curry, beef fried rice, yellow chicken curry, and pad thai. Heaven. - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

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Great Thai food in Capitola for 2/3 the cost of all the other places near there. We got the Sweet and Sour Chicken and Hawaiian fried rice with Pineapple. The spiciness on the Sweet and Sour was a 3 on a scale of 5, but it was super spicy for me. Recommend lower for people who can't deal with spicy foods. Really good service and the woman working there told us it was better to keep eating than to stop and drink water when dealing with Thai spiciness. read more

Thai Basil - Sweet and Sour - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

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Rude owner. We walked in, owner kept us standing for 2-3 minutes and asked us to quiet our 2 year old boy down. We asked for a high chair, she said she was not going to provide one and that we'd have to eat outside because of our boy. Jaw dropping, we did the only right thing to do at the moment, we left. Ugly human being! read more

Absolutely delicious! I needed some Thai soup tonight and this hit the spot. My boyfriend ordered the Pad See-Ew and I can honestly say that this is the best we've had in the area. I love, love, love Thai food and while I've had some decent experiences at other places, this is by far my favorite. The place smelled amazing when we walked in, too. We got our order to go and they separated my chicken and broth from my noodles and veggies for transport. Big ups for that since the noodles tend to suck up all the broth and usually it's all absorbed by the time I get my food home. I loved that. I also loved how friendly the staff was. I can't wait to go back and try their curry. read more

Excellent dinner. We had the Green Curry with mock meat and pineapple (medium spicy) and the Hawaiian Fried Rice. These folks know how to spice things medium when you ask for medium, and the curry had a nice kick to it without ripping my pants off. The fried rice (which we ordered sans chicken) was very tasty, esp. when I added a bit of chili sauce. I found the "tender" texture of the mock meat to be a bit odd, but gf liked it. Good service, excellent food, fair prices. read more

Thai Basil - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

The service here is too bad. No waiter and very rude. The tableware are dirty. Won't come again. read more

The best Thai food that I have had in America. I have had most of their dishes on the menu and they never disappoint. They also have some great vegetarian options which I very much appreciate as a vegetarian myself. My favorite dishes are seeuw noodles with scallops or mock. Thai fried rice and their peppers and garlic dish are also amazing. Be careful with the spice level! They are real tight and therefore can get really spicy! You can always order no spice! the first time I ate there I ordered between three and four spice level and almost died! Now I usually order two of five spicy level which is perfect for me, and I like it spicy. read more

Small family business restaurant, authentic thai taste. The only waitress is a very friendly lady. Had the thai dumpling and beef panang curry. Both fantastic. In a small chat she told me their son is in the army, serving the country. Just one more reason to come here more often. 5/5 recommabd read more

I found this place on Yelp and at first glance thought perhaps the great reviews were because it was a dive and frequented by non-discerning clientele. Oh my! That was not the case at all! The simple appearance and ambiance do not even hint at the amazing food. This place is the bomb! read more

Thai Basil - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

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Horrible service!!!! Will never go back!!!! Waited forever for a togo order and then ended up getting charged for the order to never end up getting it! read more

Solid Thai food. It's not glamorous ... but I'm not looking for glamour. I'm looking for yum. And it's HERE. It's authentic, good Thai food. How more authentic can you get than drinking coconut juice out of a coconut? Thai Basil, you had me at coconuts. read more