Hubby and I wandered in while waiting to go to a concert. What a lucky choice! We started with clam chowder. It was full of everything you want in a clam chowder - lots of clams, potatoes, veggies. Super good! I had tortellini cordon bleu. Again really good with very thinly cut breaded chicken on top. Hubby had shrimp fetticine with lobster sauce. Very light and deicate sauce with the pasta and shrimp and the shrimp was not overcooked. Don't forget dessert! Try the bananas foster bread pudding. The bread pudding is made with banana bread and cover with a caramel sauce and sliced bananas. read more

The quality and quantity so exceed the price, it just must be done. I had the Philly pasta thingee twice, and it was stupendous. So many flavors. So much food. It's at least two meals. The Mac n cheese is also ridiculous. Loved being able to watch them cook at old gas station location. Don't know if the new one allows for this. read more

Amazing food and service. The atmosphere of the restaurant is calming and staff really makes you feel welcome. All the food we ordered came out quick and was cooked perfectly. Very impressed. read more

This restaurant is amazing! The atmosphere is cozy, the service is great (we had a great waitress, her name is Miranda) but the food is to die for! I especially recommend speckled casoulette. The food is upscale Italian. I would definitely come back here in the future, but make sure to come early because the restaurant fills up fast! read more

The Basil Leaf Cafe - Basil Leaf Cafe - Italian Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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My daughter loves this place so when we had company it town I thought it would be a good time to check it out. The space is really small but intimate. We had to wait for a table but wait wasn't bad. We had crab cake appetizer - $10 pretty pricing for three round cakes which were wayyyy over salted and I think were frozen at some point. We ordered the lasagna and shrimp alfredo. Another reviewer said it best - first bite was really good, second less good, third was okay.. All the dishes were overly salty and while the portions are generous you really don't want to finish them. For the price I think I will go somewhere else. Sorry I really wanted to love it! read more

Cute little Italian place in an off beat location. The food here is good and the wine selection is nice considering how small the restaurant and bar area are. I had the shrimp fettuccine in lobster sauce and it was very tasty. I would definitely come here again sometime when I'm in Lawrence to try another dish off the menu. read more

The food and service was great. I love the feel and the atmosphere and how it is small and cozy. I do remember different menu items last time I went (a year ago) including some bread pudding, which I was looking forward to, so I suppose they change the menu from time to time. The drink menu had a lot of variety and the drinks were tasty. read more

The food was fantastic-props to the chef! Ash our waitress on the other hand had an atrocious attitude. We left the rest of our cash (to tip her) in our car so we left, although had every intention to return after we got the rest of our cash out of the car. She glared us down as we left & after going back inside to finish our tip ($20) she continued with her attitude. Thanks to Ash we won't continue to return to Basil Leaf. If you readers go to Basil Leaf don't ask for Ash, if you have the misfortune of her being your waitress you must be sure to tip her very well or suffer the consequences of her deathly stare. read more

A very cute place with amazing Italian food! I'd try the tortellini cordon bleu, which is my favorite dish on the menu! It is quite small, so you might have a wait if you go during busy times. read more

I showed up at 11:25 am on a Friday, expecting them to be open, as everything I've seen indicates they open at 11. The door was locked; I saw two people inside, knocked twice, and no one even came to the door. I'd love to try this place but when they aren't keeping the hours they list, and they don't even answer the door when one knocks, it makes it hard to justify coming back. Very, very disappointed because I've heard and read very good things. read more

I had the blackened orange roughy with risotto and veggies. Also sampled the lasagna and another risotto with chicken and andouille. Everything was absolutely delicious. The caprese salad was a delight. Nice wine selection and attentive very good service. A bit pricy, but charming and satisfying. Definitely a great spot read more

The food here is to die for! Never had a bad meal here. Chicken Cordon Bleu Tortalinni is excellent and plenty big portion. My wife had the homemade hummus entree size and it was quite tasty as well. This restaurant has its drawbacks, limited seating, not much parking and usually dealing with crowds (the word is out!). All in all I can overlook these things when presented with such wonderful food. I saw some people ordering burgers yesterday and they looked YUM! Will have to try. Oh yeah, the wait staff rock as well. We were stuffed yesterday so we passed on dessert but that is usually a sin at this place. read more

Highly recommended by a local resident... One of the best tasting Lasagna dishes to date. The portion was more than plenty and the service was excellent. I'll be returning next time I'm in town! read more

Nice atmosphere. Went for lunch and had spaghetti and meatballs that came with a garlic breadstick. Meatballs were very moist and tender. Sauce was very flavorful. Wait staff was very pleasant and willing to answer our questions. Will be back. read more

The Basil Leaf Cafe - Meatball grinder with the chicken creole soup - Italian Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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Once I got a seat at table I realized what all the fuss is about. The food is amazing! The low lighting sets the mood just right for a celebratory meal. The tiramisu is the best in town. read more

We were so happy we finally tried this wonderful restaurant. It was everything we hoped it would be. They have very unique and delicious choices. I can't wait to go back and try more of the menu. There were 4 of us in our party and we all got something different and we all loved our meal. It's also off the beaten path of Mass street and so it's not so crowded during the peak times. We will be back! read more

We were informed about this restaurant via a chain of acquaintances. My wife and I first visited it on a Saturday afternoon, 6/1/19. We also ate there with a friend on Tuesday 6/11/19. It's an intimate space, located on 9th street where Joe's Bakery had been for decades. To begin with the house salads are wonderful! We both eat larger than normal salads due to our gardens and organic leanings. We appreciate any establishment that offers green leafy lettuces. The salad alone could be a light meal with bread. My wife ordered the Shrimp Fettuccine, a meal she thought was cooked perfectly. She doesn't enjoy hot spices, but does enjoy a wide array of spices in general. She's ordered it both times we've been there and still raves about it. I ordered the arrabbiata, a spaghetti with vegetables and an marinara- alfredo cream sauce. I often order white sauces but thought I'd give this a try. It too was wonderful, a blend I've never tasted before. They're bread sticks are nicely done, spicy compared to "plain" bread but still quite nice. We ordered the same meals both days. Our friend ordered the tortellini cordon bleu. I had noticed it but didn't order it mainly because we use organic chicken when cooking at home. I'm hesitant to eat "normal" chicken. I usually order tofu or just vegetables with my pastas. But, I tasted some a few bites of it and it was wonderful as well! It's the meal I'll order next time we return. The day of our second visit my wife and her friend split an order of sautéed cabbage salad. They both enjoyed it, neither finishing their half opting to take home the leftover portions. I should add that we all took home part of our entrees, the portions being quite generous. I perhaps should add that we've gone at lunch time, around 1pm each visit. We'll be returning again and we have told several friends about the establishment. read more

So mad we didn't discover sooner. Been coming to Lawrence for swim meets for years. Yummy. Owner is the Chief and does any amazing job! Support a local business!!! Spaghetti and lasagna are amazing. So was the side salad. Also it's not a stuff place- awesome read more

I really love the Basil Leaf Cafe, and that is the first thing I will say to anyone looking for Italian in Lawrence. Of course you have to mention the bad with the good. I absolutely despise the fact that you cannot dine-in and order the chicken parm sandwich at dinner time. I understand wanting to get a higher cost per plate during the peak dining hours, but it's just an annoyance especially when that was always my "go to" when they were in the gas station. It would really just be nice to dine-in and not have to spend upwards of $20 on a meal, especially when they already offer a burger as a dine-in option at dinner. They do have amazing lasagna, which is what I ordered when I found out I couldn't get the chicken parm sandwich. It was enough for two meals and came out steaming hot with a breadstick on the side. The breadsticks are also really good. In summary, just remember that you may not be able to order your "go to" meal when dining in, but the food will still be crazy good like you'd expect. read more

Italian food has grown into being one of the most popular types of food at todays restaurants. It can be simple and easy to make, or extravagant and unique. Restaurants tend to either nail the taste of Italian specialties, or overcook the dish to the point where it is uneatable. In a small town like Lawrence finding the perfect Italian restaurant was a challenge, until now. Sitting on 9th Street in Lawrence, Kansas, next to a flower shop and across from the Jayhawk Liquor store, the Basil Leaf Café is a hidden gem. From the outside you wouldn't know what type of restaurant it is, but once inside the restaurant is styled beautifully with Italian décor. I was expecting cheesy, fake Italian decorations but that was not the case. At the entrance there is a stunning wine bottle chandelier that I noticed the second I walked in. I thought that was a creative way to reuse bottles and they helped add to the Italian style of the restaurant. The rest of the lights had wine bottles instead of bulbs as well and it looked very attractive. Due to this, the lighting was dim but it did not affect my ability to order. The tables were all wood and looked dazzling with the hardwood floors. They gave the restaurant an old Italian rustic feel. The waiter at the front desk was very friendly and sat me at a table immediately. He was not wearing a uniform but due to his quickness it was not hard to figure out that he worked at the restaurant. There were not very many people at the Basil Leaf Café so there was ample seating. There was also a small bar with a TV for people who wanted to watch a game or catch up on the news. I did not think the bar fit with the rest of the restaurant at first but because it was small and styled the same as the rest of the restaurant, I suppose it was not too bad. The Italian music playing in the background also added to the feeling of being in Italy, but it wasn't so loud that you couldn't hear whomever you were dining with. The service at the Basil Leaf Café was unbelievable. The waiter brought water right after he seated me, and consistently filled it up throughout my time there. I do not think there was one time where my water was completely empty. While sitting, I didn't feel like the waiter was rushing me. He gave me a good amount of time to look over the menu, but he did not take too long so that I was wondering where he was. The kitchen was fast as well. I ordered an appetizer and main dish which were both brought to the table (separately) and cleared in the perfect amount of time. This was fabulous for me because I did not want the dishes to come at the same time. After experiencing such incredible service at the Basil Leaf Café, I had high hopes for the food. The first dish I ordered was called 'Arancini', a deep-fried meatball served with marinara sauce. The meatballs were enormous, at least as big as a babies' fist and they tasted splendid with the marinara sauce. It was the perfect appetizer and the $9.00 price tag was very reasonable. For my entrée, I ordered '5 Layered Lasagna'. The piece was larger than my face and tasted immaculate. The lasagna came out searing hot and the waiter warned me not to touch the plate which I appreciated. It was served with marinara sauce and a fettuccini drizzle. The fettuccini drizzle really added to the flavor of the lasagna, and the meat was cooked perfectly in it. There was also a breadstick on the side which was warm and the perfect compliment to the lasagna. The price for this dish was $18.00 and it was worth every penny. My experience at the Basil Leaf Café was spectacular. I was not expecting to walk in to such a beautiful restaurant with great service and even better food. I am awarding the Basil Leaf Café 3 1/2 stars due to the near perfect experience I had. They are the best Italian restaurant I have been to in Lawrence and they truly deserve these stars. The fabulous service at the Basil Leaf Café made my experience excellent off the bat. Add that with the delicious food, and unique décor and you have an amazing restaurant. The waiter and chef proved through their outstanding service and delicious cuisine that they are running a spectacular place for people to eat at. The menu had enough options for the pickiest of eaters, and the food will make you feel like you are really eating at a café in Italy. The beautiful décor also made the experience more real in a non-cheesy way, which plenty of Italian restaurants struggle with. The Basil Leaf Café is a small, quiet, Italian restaurant hidden in Lawrence that more people should know about. I look forward to dinning here again soon. read more

Lasagna came 20 minutes after all others at table were served. Still charged $19 for it Meatballs too much bread mix.

I've been here several time in the past 3 years and always have decent food. Although, it seems the last couple times I came here for dinner, the food and service seem to get poorer and poorer. Last night's dinner was less than sub par. After we were seated we waited almost 15 minutes for a server to come to our table. By the time our server finally came to our table, were 100% ready to order our dinner. Unfortunatly for us, our server was not ready to take our order. She took our drink order and immediately turned her back and walked away. We were a bit confused. We asked about the soup of the day, and we were told it was a potatoe soup. The soup we received was more of a lentil soup, not a potatoe soup. Being someone who worked in restaurants for many years, I was surprised when we were not asked if there was anything wrong with the untouched soup. Then, we were never asked about anything in reference to our dinner (good or bad) We took a spoonful each and put it to the side. It was defiantly not the soup that was described to us, and neither one of us liked the taste. $3.00 wasted. I had the tortellini Carbarnara and it was basically just bland. My friend had the orange fish and it was very salty, and over a bed of extermly undercooked risotto (I mean very undercooked risotto) (ever try to eat undercooked rice? ??). We had 2 glasses of wine with dinner (total) and dinner with tip was $90.00 I can think of so many other places to have spent that kind of line for dinner for 2 NEVER AGAIN BASIL LEAF CAFE read more

We love this place. Entrees are huge and amazing! So many great things on their menu- we have to keep going back to try everything! Worth any parking hassle you might have! read more

This response about my review sums up how this place operates. "Hi, Brad Walters owner of The Basil Leaf Cafe just wanted to drop you a line and thank you for the glorious review of my establishment as I always take time to respond to critics for whatever it is worth. First off you came at the end of lunch and sorry I didnt drop everything and give you my undivided attention but I was tending to buisness matters and important things at the time not playing on my phone. Secondly I find it odd that reviewers like you dont simply address the matter at hand like an adult and voice a complaint in person instead of bashing my business online. Instead of giving me a chance to make it right or make you something else to make your experience better you just type babble hoping to harm my business. I have been a chef for 19 years sir at some of the finest establishments around, I know food in and out but beyond that I am a great businessman and owner who always treats the customer right when we are wrong and go above and beyond to make a bad experience good hence me being where I am today. I would of gladly re-made your burger myself, knocked out a batch of pasta salad for you on the spot or even hand cut fries if requested but when people dont communicate nothing happens. Instead like a douche you just type from a computer and choose not to fix a situation which tells me alot about you. Trust me I have plenty of fans, support, and business coming my way. I know what I do is the best and we put forth our best everyday, do glitches happen??? does something fall thru the cracks every now and again??? YES...but the only way to fix things is to talk.. So I dont care if you ever come in again, dont care if you give me 1000 bad reviews or blast me from here to Tokyo because I am good. I sleep well at night I am proud of myself, my business and employees and chalk your review up to the very very very few bad ones I have had, chalk it up to just another critic with the no backbone or will to communicate in person. Burgers arent ever frozen....Dont use Lowery's in fact I make all my own spice rubs and blends in house along with 95% of all menu items. Sure you got me on Fries they are frozen I am shamed and a sinner for using frozen fries but guess what I like them and eat them all the time and my Mac and Cheese is house made sauce from scratch with 8 cheeses and alot of love find that in a $1 bottle of Kraft. So have a great life, dont come back in..In most cases I would offer to personally cook you a meal of your choice on the house to make it right at the very least I would of comped your entire meal and given you dessert but because of your childish review I say just stay away I need all the seats I have for customers not wanna be food critics..Thanks again for your review and have a great day" read more

I've had Basil Leaf Cafe a few times and it is wonderful every visit. I highly recommend the Cajun Pasta (I think they are calling it the "Lafayette Pasta" on the new menu). It is oh so good. The classic spaghetti and meatballs is amazing. We love to get the fried mushrooms appetizer. It's wonderful. :-) read more

Visited on a Monday night, early to get a table for 5. Had the cooked root vegetable salad. This very large portion was tasty, if not a tad salty. The pan-fried potatoes and lightly steamed green beans added texture to the softer root vegetables. I accompanied this with a cup of soup, with sausage that was creamy. My guest had the hamburger, which was good with a ham-like flavor. A great meal. read more

Easily 5 stars for the food. 4 stars because of service. It is a busy restaurant, but our server forgot to bring a drink three times. The other drinks were brought to the table, we inquired about the missing drink (a beer), told sorry and would be right back, had to inquire twice more before beer was served. Similar experience with dessert forks. We requested those from two different servers before receiving them. The food was incredible. We sampled the tortellini, meatloaf and beef Marsala. All amazing. The cheesecake was out of this world. We will defiantly be back read more

The bananas foster bread pudding is to DIE FOR! Wow. Awesome food. Great staff. Reasonably priced. The fact that it's in the old Joe's Donuts?? Priceless read more

The Basil Leaf Cafe - Italian Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

This place is a favorite in Lawrence. Last time I had the lasagna. It is a really large portion and full of meat. It was delicious. This time I had the macaroni and cheese and had them add chicken. I loved it too. All their portions are huge. This place is very small so the best time to go is immediately after work so you can be seated. I had heard of this place from a coworker but couldn't find it at first. It is hidden without any good signage. Parking is terrible. You can't park in front because the liquor store next door has claimed all the spots with signage. The side parking is labeled for the flower shop. I park on a side street and walk over. Even with these problems I still give it 5 stars because the food is so good and the staff is friendly. read more

Good italian food. A little expensive though. Not somewhere I can go in a regular basis. But it is a good place for date.

Shanks awesome. Lasagna awesome. Orange roughy awesome. Service awesome. I have eaten around the world. This is one of my favorite places. read more

This restaurant is amazing. Went with my mom for a spur of the moment dinner. Couldn't be more pleased with the service and food. Josh was an amazing server. Would highly recommend the rice balls as appetizer and steak as entree. Everything we ordered was amazing. read more

This place has good food BUT we have visited twice & they were closed both times. Hours on yelp & answering machine message indicated they would be open when we planned on going. Total lack of consideration for customers. How hard is it to change the message on the answering machine? We won't be bothered driving 25 miles again to eat at this place! read more

We have been here several times and have never been disappointed. The service is good, the food, excellent. Tonight I had the smoked hen and risotto as the side, it was delicious, very generous portion, left satisfied with enough for a second meal. My husband had the the lobster fettuccine, also loved it. This is one of our favorite places. read more

Dear Basil Leaf, I have two things for you: 1) When I came in at 10pm to place an order you told me you were closed, I informed you online it says you close at 11pm, you laughed saying yeah we know. Now, a month later you still list you're open until 11pm. 2) Why in the world would you not sell breadsticks to carry out customers? You have the most bizarre "rules" it makes me not want to come back. I've been to your restaurant 10+ times but no more. I refuse to make excuses for your poor service anymore. Your food is good but not worth all your bs that comes with it. read more

So delicious. One of my favorite places in Lawrence. The food is always on point. I haven't had anything that I didn't like. I always take my friend from out of town here. Seating is tight sometimes and it does seem busy all the time. Good sign! read more

Based on feedback of a few friends we decided to give The Basil Leaf Cafe a try. We didn't mind the smallish size of the restaurant, but it did seem to be laid out contrary to logical use of a small space.... The food was over priced for the quality of the dishes and recipes themselves were very, very average if we're talking about real Italian fare. These folks need to eat at a real Italian restaurant to understand what it's all about. My initial take away was someone who had only had minimal exposure to the intricacies of quality Italian decided to open an Italian restaurant. The two dishes my partner and I ordered were very pedestrian. On top of that, with all of the abundance of quality bakeries here in Lawrence, we were served generic bread sticks of the type that are available through most food suppliers (Sysco, etc) and only one each at that! Won't be going back and will continue to visit some of our favorite Kansas City Italian eateries where the prices are appropriate to the quality of the dishes served. read more

From Joe's to Basil Leaf, still a warm bite of heaven: seafood dip, warm root vege salad, chicken Cordon Bleu tortilini, Baileys & Kahlua pie. read more

The ambience is very nice. The prices seemed higher than I'm used to paying but it was well worth it!! I ordered the mini shanks meal and there was nothing mini about it. 3 large pork shanks on top of a mountain of delicious herb butter whipped potatoes. Everything was amazing and I even have leftovers to enjoy later. Perfect for a date night. read more

Great drinks, cute atmosphere. The portions are hefty, and so is the food. I forgot the pasta should come with a breadstick, now I'm disappointed with all other pasta places because I just want that basil leaf bread stick! read more