I've had great food each time I've dined here. I usually get the yellow curry, which is fantastic, but I tried the See Ew with chicken and it was equally as good. The vegetables were so fresh and the chicken cooked to perfection. Probably the best food on the Esplanade and the best Thai I've had so far in the area. I do wish they had roti! read more

We ordered 2 dishes. The curry dish was real delicious. The eggplant dish looked real nice with all the different colors of the vegetables. Nice service and reasonably priced. Update: I really want to go back soon and have some of their delicious Panang Curry. read more

Thai Basil has the most reasonably priced, great tasting Thai food in the area. Problem is - only two people really work there and sometimes service can be poor. If you have time and don't mind simply waiting while they work their butts off, this place is fantastic. read more

Probably the best thai place we've been to in recent times. Went there on date with the wife on a week night. It was nice, we had the restaurant to ourselves. Food was terrific. read more

Surprisingly, the best Thai food I've ever had was in Santa Cruz! I was visiting my best friend, and she mentioned that she always orders from here, so we decided to give it a try. The place itself is pretty small and it takes a little while, but damn, the food is so good. I got the green curry with tofu and medium spice and DAMN. It was. Just SO GOOD. The spice level was perfect, and the curry was creamy but not overly oily or sweet, which is a problem I've encountered at other places. If I were in santa cruz, I'd definitely be a regular. So, so yummy! read more

What a disappointment. On a spice scale of 1 to 5 I opted for a 4. I like Thai food VERY spicy and I had not been here before so I thought I'd play it safe. This was not spicy AT ALL. My nose didn't even run :-( The shrimp, although there were many of them, were overcooked in the pad woon sen. The spring rolls fell apart (burst out of their skins) and the peanut dipping sauce was not a sauce at all. It was thick like peanut butter. Impossible to 'dip' an already fragile spring roll into. I won't be returning. read more

Best Thai food I've EVER had! In fact I told the owner, "I never liked Thai food.... Until I ate at Thai Basil!" True story!!! None of the other Thai places in Santa Cruz COUNTY even come close. Yes sometimes there's a wait... You want to know why? Because it's great food, not crap in a box, mc terd, toxic hell.... You get the idea. It's a family shop. Mom (smiling) is up front (although I'm on a first name basis with them, I'll let you develop your own relationship), dad is cooking. They make one table (order) at a time. I've read a few comments about them closing on random occasions. They are parents. They have 3 kids. And, like me (7 businesses and counting), as customer service oriented as I am, my family comes first... Period (and my clients like me for it... I don't hide it... Neither does Thai basil). Great food. Reasonable prices. My standard order: pad se ew chicken 2 or 3. I've had curry noodle shrimp 5, basil chicken 5. Love it! Live, laugh, love great food! Eat Thai Basil, Capitola! read more

If I could give less than a one star on the customer service I would. The server took forever to sit my friend and I, then took about 20 min to come back and take our order. Finally we ordered and waited about an hour to get our food and the server said we couldnt get it to go because they make to go orders last and we wouldnt get are food for longer. There were a few people that came to the restaurant after my friend and I and they were served and given food well before us. Very rude to children. They have a. Sign in front that expresses their dislike towards children. SO DONT BRING KIDS!!!! honestly one of the worst experiences at a restaurant I have ever had. Wont be going back ever again. Food was good though read more

Their phone doesn't work, and they are cash only, but definitely the best Thai food in Capitola. Similar pricing to the other Thai places in the area. The fried rice with scallops is sublime. read more

Nothing special in terms of decor or service, but the food is amazing! I forget the name of the dish I always order, but it's a tomato-soup base with noodles, tofu, and vegetables. I tried it once five years ago when I first moved out here and every time I go back, I never want to try anything new! This dish is that good. It's cozy, and it's only run by two people, but the food gets out to you fast (unlike My Thai Beach, who took their sweet ass time) and, more importantly, it's GOOD FOOD. I've brought out of town friends here and they've enjoyed it as well. Will always recommend Thai Basil! read more

i really wanted to check this place out after all the good reviews here and after being underwhelmed with the thai restaurants i've been to in santa cruz (sabieng, pacific thai, thai noodle house), i really wanted something good. came in about 5pm, the place was nearly empty so seating wasn't a problem. the menu had a lot of familiar thai fare and i was really craving tom kha gai in hopes that this place will get it right and do it good. the soup was creamy, not too thick and definitely not watered down. it was on the orange side and i joked that it looked like melted cheese. it was tasty and it hit the spot especially with some rice on the side. the service was good and friendly and i'd definitely go back. PS: they close at 9pm (everyday?) read more

Thai Basil - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

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This is a small restaurant; we parked right in front and had to feed the meter a lot of quarters. There isn't a parking lot. Got here before the lunch rush and ordered off the dinner menu (lunch specials don't work for us since we have big appetites). Our food arrived after about fifteen minutes. I am glad we got here soon after they opened for lunch, so that we didn't have a long wait time. The pad thai with shrimp, eggplant with basil, and tom yum soup were full of flavor and so delicious. We ate every bite. Everything was fresh, and had just the right level of spiciness. Good portions and reasonable prices. The service was excellent. Our server checked on us frequently. Clean restrooms and nice decor. As we were leaving, a crowd came in. Wish I lived closer to this restaurant. FYI They are closed on Thursdays read more

Ok, first thought: do these people live somewhere in here? I literally saw a little mail holder on the wall... filled with mail... a box of brownie bites from Costco adjacent to me... little potted plants on the window sill to my left. When you first walk in there's this big cart thing loaded with dishes... and on this particular evening, a bag of rice cakes. ??? My boyfriend immediately considered what type of review the FDA would give this place. Anyway, fellow yelpers mentioned the crotchety woman that takes orders, cooks food, takes money, and then wanders around outside all with a mean mug on her face. Not the way I like to be served either, but I was counting on the food to blow me away... well. It didn't really. The Tom Kha Kai soup was rich as hell though, so that was good. She didn't skimp on the coconut milk there. The beef garlic & pepper and the chicken masaman curry were just ok to me. I'm a huge fan of San Jose's Krung Thai, and I find myself comparing everything to their food - and Thai Basil didn't fit the bill in my opinion. As I had never read any reviews on this place prior to eating here, when the owner's daughter (assumption) came in and looked at me with a shocked look on her face, as in "wow, people are actually eating here?", I was tempted to just walk away and have a burrito down the street. Positives: The Mexican guy in the back that helps cook, do dishes and serve the plates. I could have sworn dude was singing along to the Thai music that was playing from the radio in the back. I fell in love with him instantly. Also, all of their ingredients are on a wall on one side of the room. Skippy peanut butter, Costco cashews... I guess if you wanted to, you could check the expiration dates on everything. read more

Food is good. I've tried most things. My fave are tom kha soup and I appreciate the amount of mushrooms put in it and the thai iced tea with milk. read more

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Wow ... what a surprise! Best Thai in the area and the presentation is beautiful regardless of what you order! I love the eggplant with pork and the Penang curry. Service is good too... not sure why others complain. read more

So this is the best Thai place in Santa Cruz, and I know that is not saying much, but it is legitimately good. I've had better thai in the Bay Area, so I would not call this the best Thai food I've ever had, but it still is very very good. Alas, the hours are very strange. Don't go after 8 as it's likely they'll be closed regardless of what their hours say. read more

Excellent Thai cuisine. Started with fresh vegetable spring roll and peanut sauce. Vegetables very fresh and crisply prepared with firm tofu. Contrary to its namesake, the restaurant happened to be out of basil, but the host aptly pointed me in the direction of the mint curry which is not often found on the menu but was quite good. Got with heat rating of 4/5 which caused resulted in an enjoyable burn. Chicken was a bit dry. The traditional yellow curry with potatoes and beef was the best, however. Curry was wonderfully flavored. Good value for the money and close to the beach. Small place, attentive, friendly service. read more

During our recent vacation to California, we stopped through Capitola on the recommendation of friends who live in Hollister. We had a wonderful time visiting this beautiful little city. Before our trek around the city, we did a little research on where to eat and decided on Thai Basil. We couldn't be happier with the meal selections, our food and the staff. Our meals were fresh, hot and served quickly. Due to the size and location, I'd classify it as a "hole in the wall" restaurant. The staff was friendly, professional and attentive. If ever in the area again, I would definitely eat here again. Thank you! read more

not the best, not the worst, just ok. got takeout on the way back over the hill--figured it'd be different than our usual thai joints. large singha while waiting and perusing the menu. great service (though wasnt crowded when there)--waitress was definitel eager beaver. location is nice--off the busy part of the street. food--menu limited (thought mint chicken was a neat new dish for me). but each of the 3 dishes we ordered had vegetables that were listed nowhere on the menus: *lame* portions were HUGE read more

Thai Basil - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

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I love Thai Basil. Their lunch special cannot be beat--it is priced reasonably and is incredibly tasty. I typically get the Basil Chicken lunch special with medium heat. Sometimes I also get a Thai Iced Tea which is very good. It is currently my favorite place in Capitola Village for mid-week lunches with friends. I always love to sit out front in the off-sidewalk seating. The indoors seems to be a bit small so I wouldn't expect a large group of say 10 people would be comfortable--but there is a chance they would be so accommodating. They seem so willing to please. read more

A hidden gem in Capitola! (Not even listed in the Capitola business pamphlet. Take a short walk up Monterey ave and check them out. The curry is excellent and hey use the right amount of spice (extra hot). We come back every time we visit. read more

Thai Basil - Eggplant with chicken. - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

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For the amount of staff, the service and food there is amazing. Being relatively cheap compared to other Thai places while tasting great, I highly recommend coming here if you're ever in the Santa Cruz area. 100% would come again. read more

This restaurant doesn't like servicing groups with kids. Walked in the door and the lady said "The kids have to be well behaved!", "No party's greater than 5", "Is there another Thai restaurant you can go to?" It wasn't even crowded. This restaurant doesn't like kids. We were a group of 3 adults and 4 children (1 year old, 3 year old, and two 5 year olds). Literally disgusted. read more

First time here tonight. Quaint little place with only outdoor dining or take-out. I placed my order with the friendly woman working. There were two other customers there, yet I was quoted an hour wait, maybe less. I was a bit surprised at the wait time for a to-go order, but all of the food is made fresh to order. When I opened the order at home, I was so pleasantly surprised at the thoughtfulness of everything. Every detail was thought of! The Thai tea lid was taped shut so it wouldn't spill, there was a hole cut in the top lid of the fried spring rolls so that there wouldn't be condensation in the container & they wouldn't sog, there were TWO dipping sauces for the fresh spring rolls (most only come with one, but the sauce is the best part)!! On top of that, every dish we ordered (7 total) tasted fantastic!!! Tom kha soup, chicken satay, pork fried rice, chicken pad Thai, fresh spring rolls, fried spring rolls, and an iced thai tea.... All bursting with fresh flavors, thoughtfully executed, and without overwhelming grease. Hour wait was well worth it-- these people know what they're doing! read more

Not kid friendly. Walked up with our kids who were peacefully in their strollers and were told that the kids could not make noise if we were allowed in. read more

Always on point! Best in town by FAR! Price value, service and excellent lunch specials.

Oh my god! Thai Basil is the hands down best Thai in town! Perfect spice scale from 1-5 that really lives up to the warnings on the menu. If you go 5 it's gonna be spicy, but not so hot that it over whelms the delicious plates. It's a family owned establishment, and they don't like phone orders. Set aside an extra 20-45 minutes to eat here. Well worth the wait, grab a snack down the road at the ice cream shop! read more

Pad Thai, pad se ew is consistently good here! Curry is flavorful as well! My husband loves their vegetarian mock option. Ice tea is tasty not too sweet just perfect ! Ginger tea comes out hot and strong, love their ginger tea ! I guess the owners children are serving and operating the restaurant during spring break? The food is still delicious , and they gave us great service were very attentive!! they were busy yesterday a Saturday night but kept us informed of how long our food was going to take because they are backed up on orders. And they kept apologizing for the delay of food .. Which isn't something that's in their control! I'm glad they didn't sacrifice the quality of food just to get things out fast , you can tell they put a lot of time and quality into the food they prepare! The servers Continued to check up on us Before we got our meals and during. So I don't know why people are giving this place bad reviews on service . read more

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We went to this place a few years back and the food was amazing. This time around I found the food to be over spiced although the flavors were good. Our food was "2" for chicken green curry and "3" for a tofu w/green beans. I can handle a decent amount of spice and thought their medium was way more spicy than average. Even tempered down, it was unfortunately still spicy and inedible. I was certainly disappointed as we had experienced their food on more than one occasion in the past with the perfect amount of spice. Be sure to ask if you don't want to end up with spicy food! read more

Delicious and fresh. Note that they make their own spices and it's spicier than average. If that's an issue for you, start with #1. I love spicy food so I was happy. The mock vegetarian was really good here- we had the see-ew and spicy mint. Highly recommended. read more

This place is small so prepare for a long wait at times. But it is worth the wait. We have moved from Santa Cruz so we no longer come here but I miss this place so much. I just had some terrible thai food in mountain view that made me long for this cozy little spot that was our go-to spot for thai. Pad Kee Mao is delicious, their basil dishes are good, and basil fried rice is also great. I think it's a wife and husband team that own and run this place which is why it can take a while but their service and food is great. The only reason this isn't a 5 star review is because of the wait... Which is really not their fault (the place is tiny). But their food is definitely 5 star worthy. It's delicious, fresh and comes out hot. read more

We had take-out and every dish was fantastic. There was much "holy smokes, this is yummy, too!" Even the peanut sauce for the satay was exceptional. T The shop itself is unassuming-- it's hardly a "fine dining" place, but the staff were very friendly and we will be back again for sure. he Green Curry was spiced "3" out of "5" and it was pretty spicy, so restaurant doesn't pull its spice "punches" for the Americans. read more

We were taken to a table where food was stuck to it so the owner went to grab something to wipe it down. She came back with a small bucket full of brown water, dead fly carcasses, and food chunks floating in it with a wash cloth that smelled noticeably like rotten food. As soon as that hit the table, we left. If that is how they "clean" a table, I cannot imagine how food prep goes. read more

The customer service was horrible! We asked about a misc charge on the bill. We told the waitress that we were ok with surcharge, but we should've been informed when the order was taken. The waitress/owner said she would not serve us again and this must be the last time we could eat there. We were very disappointed. We will NEVER go back again!!! Actually, this is a definitely no-go place for a date, family gathering or any social occasion because if you read other people's posting on this place's customer service, you will realize that you never know when this crazy waitress/owner will insult you in public and ruin your day. read more

Usually the only one in there and awesome food. I would occasionally see the bad reviews about rude server or rude owner or the hour wait and kicking people out or being awful to children and I had never seen it so I didn't pay it any kind. Until today. These poor people were trying to get served over an hour. When the woman asked if their food was coming, the server just said it was a small space and did they still want their food or not. The woman had told us they saw other people around them get served first and they were just wondering how much longer it would be. They tried to ask again and the server said tell us if you want the food or not and indicated they haven't even started cooking it yet. She kept saying it was a small space and they could just not eat. She asked a couple more times if they had started cooking her food yet and the server didn't even answer.The customer said she wasn't going to put up with such rude behavior to her friend and the server wasn't even apologetic so she told her they were just going to leave. The server yelled something in the kitchen and canceled her order.And they left. All the server had to do was to say sorry for the wait. It was such poor service and the server was very rude. Great food but the most abominable behavior I have ever seen from a waitress in A restaurant...unfortunately don't think I'll be back or recommending it anymore. read more

I love the food here. I've never had a problem with the people who were there. It could just be cultural differences. I like outdoor seating. I wish parking were easier. read more

Only thing less welcoming than the atmosphere is the service. Cold, literally and figuratively. Seeing some of the other one star reviews it seems a hostile attitude towards and treatment of customers is fairly common-place at Thai Basil. There are so many great Thai Restaurants around Santa Cruz County. There is no reason to give these people your money or your time. read more

They're the best! My girlfriend and I love to bring our dogs and have a romantic dinner. Our new favorite sopt.

Superb. Plain and simple in many ways, it has an intimate setting of you dine in while take out is available. Indulged in a superb yellow-red curry with chicken (spice level 2- decent kick, next time I am going to a 3) with amazing dumplings to start. I would recommend both of these dishes without hesitation. Takeout even involved amazing packaging that didn't spill and they put it in a box top for the road! read more

Thai Basil - Dumplings that were to die for. Don't mind the one I already took a bite of! - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

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Amazing pad Thai! So glad I finally had a chance to try it! I came in with only 30 minutes to eat bc I had to go back to work and they were able to get my food ready in time for me to eat! The service is also good! The server was very attentive and friendly! Will definitely be back! read more