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

This hidden gem in Capitola is the best! It's tiny, they cook your food when it's ordered, so everything is hot and fresh. The service was great and the food.....sooooooo delicious. We went with the spicy level 4 and man did we need refills on our water. Lol. Spicy Greatness YUM! I did not get a chance to take pictures of all our food. There's a sign that states something like, if you're in a hurry to get your food this isn't the place for you. Lol. This is true, this isn't a fast food restaurant just in case you thought you walked into a McD's or Burger King. Anyways, I've read some of the reviews about this place not being kid friendly.....and I did see a sign in their establishment to please watch your children....I don't think they're against having children in there, I believe they prefer anyone, including kids to be on their best behavior while eating at their restaurant. We saw a handful of young kids stop by, they all walked in, placed their order and sat outside to wait. They were not treated any different than we were or the other customers in there at the time. There were also 6 teenagers who decided to have lunch outside and they were treated fairly as well. Before anyone decides to say, well you don't have children, actually I do, and I raised them to know the correct way to behave not only in a restaurant, but in general. read more

Thai Basil - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

3 strikes rule I agree with previous poster, these people are extremely rude here and their impulsive "rules" don't make sense. Their food is good but leaves a bad taste in your mouth when the staff seems intent on making your experience suck. Incident #1: We ordered several items to-go, and a couple beers to drink while we waited for the food. We asked and sat down at a table inside. After about 5 minutes, the guy decided he didn't want us there and told us we needed to go outside. When we asked why he replied "because we're closing soon". Note that it was 6:30 and they close at 7. Incident #2: I came up to the window at 6:40 PM and waited behind the person in front of me to order their food. When it was my turn, they told me I was too late because they were closing. Again, it was before 6:45 PM (dinner time) and they close at 7pm. Incident #3: After a beach walk I decided to get some Thai food. It was around 6:15 PM. I walked up to the window, and said I'd like to place an order to-go. The guy asked me what I would like. I said I'd like the chicken Thai basil and before I could ask for soup, he interrupted and said "actually you can't place a to-go order. you'll have to eat it here". I asked why, and he said "because we are too busy". Not only did that not make sense (too busy to take it to go order but not too busy to take a dine in order?), but there was only one table seated in the restaurant and the kitchen did not seem at all busy. Too bad, otherwise the food is tasty. read more

Horriable ! Very rude service and not kind to customers ! Will not come back and I'll be sure to spread the word.GO TO MY THAI RESTAURANT ITS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER SUPER GOOD FOOD AND EXCELLENT NICE CUSTOMER SERVICE & GREAT. THAI FOOD & PRICES ARE LOWER TOO. I was never treated so badly. I agree with the other review written. 3 strikes your out. !! These people the manger is so mean, un grateful for a first time customer . They said they don't care if I give a bad review and would not serve me cause I asked if can substitute a vegetable in a order of yellow curry. I work as a server in the business of restaurants. I was shocked. They must make a lot of money and don't value customers or care if they treat you bad and get your business. Don't come here !!! Shocking at there extreme mean treatment of people! Customer are always right and good customer service is important .Came by for first time to order yellow curry which had red bell pepper in it I can't eat that allergic to it so I asked nicely of If can substitute for another vegetable. You think I was asking for some big thing it was just to add a a carrot! My gosh what's happened to kindness and respect to people! read more

I just hopped into this gem of a Thai restaurant on a visit to Capitola and so glad I did! I had the green curry lunch special with tofu and it was absolutely delicious! The service was excellent as well! I sat out on the little patio on an absolutely beautiful day. I would highly recommend this if you love great Thai food! 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

My husband and I live in the neighborhood and have eaten at Thai Basil on a weekly basis for over 2 years. Usually we get take out, but recently started dining in with our 2 year old daughter. We had seen their off-putting sign on the front window about how your children must be well behaved if you want to dine there, but our kid is actually pretty good for a toddler and up until this evening, each of our visits had been fine. It turns out the chef doesn't like the sound of children AT ALL. The woman who I think is the co-owner seemed excited the first time we asked for a table after years of take out only. She was always very sweet with us, but we haven't seen her for a while. Tonight, after our daughter made a happy giggle that was apparently too loud for the chef's liking, our server told us we could change our order to go if the child was going to be a "problem". Ultimately, we were pressured to gather up our things and quickly leave. It was humiliating. We told them to cancel our order altogether on the way out. I regret giving them so much of our money. After reading other reviews, I've learned they cancel a lot of orders if they decide you're annoying. They don't need (or want) your business in order to survive, but other restaurants do. Support them instead. read more

So i ordered Pad Thai today for take out instead of dine in but i wanted to try the food that i just ordered, and this guy told me that they don't allow people eat in the table if it's for take out, this is the rudest restaurant i experienced, only if they would know why i did order for take out it's because i'm sure i can't finish the food and i don't want more work for them if i had it dine in and ask for to go box because i can't finish eating what i ordered, FYI i tipped them after i got my order, so i don't really understand why they would not let people sit there and eat take out food. VERY RUDE! NEVER AGAIN read more

Horrible zero stars! stay away from this place! They are very unfriendly, and rude! I will never go here again! guy taking our order told us to shut our toddler up! In a very rude way! Screw these ppl! read more

Hands down the best Thai food in Santa Cruz. Without a doubt. Chicken satay was the juiciest and thickest one I've tried, given I'm used to the thin and dry chicken satays. Thai dumplings were overstuffed with pork and shrimp filling, and were served an awesome dipping sauce. Scallop basil sautee was also great, and the scallops were cooked perfectly! We also got the chicken salad which was dressed beautifully and was generous with the protein, as was the tom kha. Beef pad Thai was a tad on the sweet side but nonetheless was full of flavor and spice. I commend the owner, her little gem is a spot my husband and I will definitely come back to when we need out Thai fix. read more

Thai Basil - Dog friendly patio! - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

See all

I use to come here often over summer. They only have outside seating but it's peaceful and always kept clean. The food is so tasty, whatever i get i ask for level 3 spicy out of 5 and trust me it still spicy even for me. My favorite is the cashew nut with tofu and a side of steamed rice. The mango sticky rice dessert is a perfect balance of sweet with the tart mango. And that thai ice tea oh god it is amazing. 10/10 recommend this place. Can't wait to come back next summer. read more

Thai Basil - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

See all

Yummy! I'm not super familiar with Thai food but have wanted to try this place for years. The waiter helped us order and we loved our dinner. Can't wait to return! read more

Loved the food and had excellent service. They were very busy with takeout orders so they advised us to order quickly. Then they kept us informed when your order was being started. Curry was great, noodles great and Thai teas were better than boba places in area. Definitely will return! read more

Working our way through the menu. Nice family-owned place. Red curry, green, curry, and pad Thai have been amazing.

Best Pad See Ew I've had in a long time. It was Seasoned to perfection. The service was great as well, made for a cozy meal on a rainy day.

Some of the BEST Thai food I've had. It is such a hidden gem. Only outdoor seating, dog friendly. Owners are incredibly sweet. Recommend the Pad Thai, level 2 spice is fragrant and so yummy! read more

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

See all

Fantastic food with mediocre service. Was rushed to order by staff, which they justified that there would be a lot of takeout orders at night. Just order takeout for the best experience. read more

I've been ordering to-go from here for years and the food never disappoints. It's a mom&pop restaurant owned and run by TWO PEOPLE. I've seen so many negative reviews about the service here and it seems clear they all come from people who have never worked in the restaurant industry. The only reason I don't eat here more is because traffic and finding parking in the village can be a nightmare. Other than that this is the best Thai food in town and doesn't have the ridiculously inflated prices most other restaurants have. I love it. I love the vibe. And I love they call people out for their ridiculous reviews and behavior. read more

I love the atmosphere and food. The woman who served us was lovely and very attentive. I had shrimp with pineapple curry and my daughter had yellow curry and beef. We also shared Phad Thai Noodles. We both wanted to eat more but we were full so we took our leftovers home. They have peaceful music playing and two fish tanks to enjoy as we ate our dinner. The food is full of exciting, spicy, savory and sweet flavors that leave lasting impression on your palette. We WILL be back. read more

See all

My favorite Thai restaurant in the area. Everything is excellent. Its a small place so depending on the day and time you may have the place to yourself or have to wait. Prices are for cash, the recoup the fee on credit cards which I like, keeps prices low. Come, enjoy the excellent food, just don't be a douche. Some of the restaurant reviews I read are funny, including dome of the ones for this place. There is one cook, one server. You expect McDonald's fast food when they are busy. Go to McD's or a Thai place with multiple cooks and servers with worse food for more $. If you want excellent food and service for a reasonable price, you found it. One of only 5 places locally i go often. read more

Sitting area was aweful, sickening and unhygienic. Coconut ice cream was some kind of concoction and did not feel or taste like ice cream. Service was fine. read more

I was in Capitola for the art & wine festival. Stopped by to check the place out and see if they had Penang curry. When I asked the person at the register what they put in it, he said vegetables and choice of chicken and other things. I asked what vegetables? He blew a gasket and said, "I'm not answering your questions" in a very nasty angry voice. He said he was too busy to answer questions. He walked away, went to a register and started playing with the money. It was really weird. I won't be trying that place out anytime soon, and I live in Capitola. read more

I lived here 20 years ago and used to come often. The good news is the food is still great. I was worried with the recent bad reviews that they had changed hands but it is still the same wonderful food and caring family that run this tiny establishment. I think people expect everything to be as fast as McDonald's. This restaurant is run by a two-person family and they do everything. Every time the phone rings someone must stop what they are doing and take the order. Don't get me wrong. It was worth the wait. I found the best solution is to call in my order and the owner called me back when they were about to start cooking it. That meant when I arrived to pick it up, not only was it ready but hot and fresh. read more

I was there when those peoples kid wouldnt SHUTUP! I dont blame them! The customers were very rude! Great service and they lied about the rat as well ! Definitely A great spot and definitely reccomend if your new to the area :) read more

Delicious food. Worth the wait. We did take-out and all dishes were fresh. You can't go wrong here.

Great Thai food and lovely staff. The house are different - I believe they open until 8pm so please call and check. I wasn't going to order because the hours on Yelp was incorrect but they picked up. Happy to support local businesses that somehow survived the early onset of the pandemic. read more

3.5 stars. A litttle off the beaten path, Thai Basil is conveniently located close to Capitola Beach. Their lunch prices are reasonable - under $10 - and the flavoring is fantastic! Came on a Saturday, which happened to coincide with Capitola's annual Begonia Festival. Now when I think of Capitola, I think "Begonias!". Not. But it is still a popular event with sandcastle competitions, float-building and the like. Annnnyway, it was busy here, but not super busy. There was just one other table that had ordered before us. The service was slooooooow. We sat outside on one of the two small tables and the only reason we secured a table was because the couple who were sitting there before us got tired of waiting for a menu and left. I waited for a menu. And waited. Finally I went inside and got my own menu. Spouse got the green curry and I got the spicy noodles. You can order what level of spiciness and medium is just right. Tired of waiting for the food (I think 30 - 35 minutes is pushing it), I went inside to ask how long it was going to take. I was told that there is a new chef, hence the delay. In any case, the food deserves four stars plus. But I had to knock off a star for the service. I just get impatient and grumpy when I'm hungry. read more

Thai Basil - Spicy noodles with tofu. 8.00 - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

A review for punctuality. Don't rely on being open during business hours, for punctuality i give 3 stars. open at 4pm but they weren't open. read more

Thai Basil - Exclusive hours 4-8pm on fridays during COVID-19 pandemic. - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

surprised this was only 4 stars, especially for being in Capitola. excellent food, kind staff and quick meal prep even on a Saturday night. Can't wait to come back! IMO their spice scale is very accurate and I personally can't handle over a 1 read more

I went here for the first time tonight. I had placed an order over the phone and it was ready when I got there. I ordered vegan yellow curry and it was delicious! Very flavorful. Also I ordered a Thai tea with coconut milk and I don't think they charge extra for coconut milk which is nice. Overall I would recommend this place if you're looking for some good Thai food in the area. read more

If I can rate this double 0 stars I would. We just left this place due to the fact that the " chef" didn't like loud noise so I had to tell my 2yr old to stay quiet. Than they tried to tell me to not let my toddler touch anything around the hole in the wall... how dare they discriminate over having kids! They also told us to hurry up and order because the chef had a lot of to go orders. What the?? F this place! read more

I've been getting the ginger chicken salad for years. So, so good. Customer service is always good too. read more

Thai Basil - Ginger chicken salad is - Thai Near Me - Capitola, California

Great little restaurant. Friendly service and great food. A short stroll from the beach.

The best Thai food we have had in a long time. We tried the Thai fried rice, Spicy noodles, Tom yum soup and curry wontons. Everything tasted perfect. Custom service was great as they called to inform the food was almost ready for pickup. I I'll definitely go again! read more

Changed what we had planned to do and detoured to Capitola to kill some time. Looked up restaurants and chose Thai Basil. Arrived as they were opening. Very friendly all the way around. Wife had Chicken Pad Thai and loved it. I had sweat and sour pork and was asked how spicy. Adding spice made the sweet and sour pork unique for me. read more

Wonderful restaurant! The flavors were amazing!! Would highly recommend. Owners so nice and accommodating. Will be back! Yum!

Everything we got was delicious. Employees were so nice, and the food was great! Will definitely be coming back next time we vacation here.

A small, simple place off the main street. Weekdays has lunch specials; all food are made to order. The server was friendly.

Thai food that is delicious, fresh and feels good! I've been enjoying their fresh veggie spring rolls and tom kah soup. You can feel the love read more

Wooow... There is no hesitation in eating it. You are scarfing your food down. You can't wait to take the next bite. I don't live in the area but I will absolutely make a point to come here any time I am in Northern California. This is maybe the best Thai food I've had in the U. S. since visiting Thailand several years ago. The service and decor match in their sense of warmth and simplicity; homeliness comes to mind. There are no frills... until the panang curry hits the table and the spice rack comes around. NOW we are talking bursting flavors, colors, and aromatics. If you are looking for authentic Thai spice, you will surely find it here (if you ask for it). Green curry. Usually I don't order it because I'm used to disappointment... but the panang was so outstanding that I realized this was a place that might just reinstill hope for green curry in the United States of America! Victory. If you're looking to get in and out, if you have a few rugrats, if you're looking for personal catering and one on one attention, if you are looking to be waited on hand and foot, if you are looking for the Thai pazzazz of ornate sculptures and tapestries, this is not that. Thai Basil is all about FOOD. Scallops. Perfectly cooked. Duck beautifully rendered and tender. Veggies beautifully sauteed while retaining texture and bite. Massaman, Tom yum--- everything: orgasmic. At the end of the day, do yourself a favor. Please, please.. go eat at Thai Basil. read more