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    Holy Basil

    4.1 (398 reviews)
    ModerateThai, Noodles, Seafood
    Closed • 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Holy Basil Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    HOLY BASIL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Holy Basil

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    Maryjane L.

    I first tried Holy Basil by ordering their egg rolls for delivery on DoorDash and they were SO good that I had to place a pickup order just to see the restaurant in person. Turns out it's tucked inside a hidden little food hall in DTLA, with plenty of table seating. Such a cool, lowkey spot. I'm a big lover of egg rolls and lumpia, and when I tell you these egg rolls are next level... they're unique, insanely crispy, super flavorful, and LONG (like, laughably long lol). They're filled with pork and come with a delicious Mae Ploy sauce that complements them perfectly. Super tasty and officially my new favorite egg rolls right now. initially thought $10.50 for three was a bit pricey, but after seeing the size and tasting them, they're 100% worth it. I crave them anytime I'm in the area. I also love the packaging and overall aesthetic, and I'm definitely coming back to try more of the menu (Pad Thai is next). The employee who handed me my meal was polite and acknowledged me right away when I arrived to pick up. Highly recommend checking them out.

    Seating
    Eubene K.

    Heard so many things about this place from peers! So excited I ran into this Thai shop. I love the decor and the seating all the small details like their pink plates Love that you can see inside the kitchen especially when they making your food. Food came delivered to our table piping hot! I've never had drunken noodles before I like that they have two different types of noodles you can choose from. Definitely has a kick of spice I was sweating up! Really glad I got to try! gotta come back to eat the whole menu

    Nicole N.

    Just had my first meal at Holy Basil and everything was absolutely delicious. Every dish hit the mark and I honestly can't wait to go back for more. The manager, Aron, was great too... friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. If you're in the neighborhood, this place is a must. Ambience is really nice clean welcoming. I love the holy basil light. It's a really cool vibe on the inside like an outdoor market at night.!

    Pad See Ew Noodle
    elizabeth w.

    I'm glad I got to try Holy Basil! A little hard to find, as it was located in a food court-esk place in the fashion district (?) there were shops on shops selling suits for a great price on the same street. Had to order my go-to: pad see ew. Service was great, very friendly! They have a few tables designated for their restaurant but other seating around as well. The pad see ew was very good, just enough flavor of salty/sweet. They give you a good amount. I can say that out of all pad see ew I've tried, this one is most comparable to Hanuman Thai in OC (my favorite...). I chose pork loin in mine out of shrimp and tofu. It was flavorful and tender, I normally don't like pork that much but it blended nicely with the noodles. If it is in your interest to visit, please do! The quality of food and flavor definitely lives up to the hype :)

    Ezequiel V.

    I can't believe that I haven't post a review about one of my favorite tha places in all LA ITS SIMPLE, EXCEPTIONAL FOOD, SERVICE ITS AMAZING AND AMBIENCE THE MOST CHILL IN THE WORLD I been obsessed with this place Thanks to Megan my favorite server that makes us feel like family

    Keefe I.

    Good Thai food in LA with moderate menu pricing. Located in a small food hall competing with a Pizza Hut and Broken Mouth (renowned Hawaiian fusion), it holds its own. The Pad Kee Mao was nothing crazy with a $4 up charge for 3 pieces of shrimp. The Green Curry and Grandmas Fish and Rice are what you should get from here. Service was friendly and attentive with everything we needed. I'd say it's worth a try if you're in the area and Broken Mouth is too long of a wait.

    Crab fried rice 8/10
    Dan B.

    This place has a fun vibe, very small but surprisingly echoey when you first get in there. We did not have reservations one bri arrived but we are lucky that it was only a 10 minute wait. I think we got some of the best spots in the place though, at the bar, so we can see where all the magic happens. However like I mentioned earlier it is so noisy in there! The venue is pretty small and because the room shape is relatively boxy with hard walls and with the kitchen up in the action makes for a relatively loud ambient noise space. I think the place has enough charm and various sounds going on to justify probably not having music, but I'm pretty sure there is something playing that was echoing in the place, but couldn't tell you what it was. Anyways enough on that. The food really does have a very eclectic approach, I think drawing together Thai in Mexican influence, at least based on my taste. The rice dish was a little bit plain but very fresh and well executed based on the ingredients contained within. The chicken dish was enjoyable it was a fried chicken as it's protein which had a subtle crunch yet perfectly cooked and delicate on the chew. The sauce was an unmistakable mole type sauce flavor And while good as a combination I thought it lacked a little bit of depth in the flavor. The wagyu steak dish had great flavors textures and overall good combination but boy does it kick you in the butt on the spice level. I would not order that last one again unless there's a way to adjust the spice level. We weren't asked about spice level so I'm not sure if that's something that typically comes up or if it's a common concern for guests. The last dish we had was the key lime pie which to me was the star of the show. It is homemade and I probably could eat two more slices of that in one sitting. I would definitely come back, but I would certainly choose different entree options to get a better feel for the restaurant. And I'll probably order that key lime pie again, so good!

    Brandon S.

    My gf loves thai food and I recently found time to get an order in after work. We got the pad kee mao, gra pow eggplant, and chicken and rice. I waited about 30 minutes for my order to be ready even after ordering for a specific time pickup. The pad kee mao was my favorite of the 3. The noodles were chewy and springy and I loved the strong taste of the sauce they used. The generous amount of veggies and soft chicken meat was tasty too. I usually don't like eggplant, but the gra pow eggplant was delicious. I loved how soft and almost mushy the eggplant was along with a light eggplant taste. The addition of the mushier and crunchy skin pumpkin went well. I didn't expect there to be rice included since that was not mentioned on the menu. That was a big plus. The chicken and rice dish was also better than what I was expecting. I'm a big fan of hainan chicken rice and this was both similar but very different. The chicken was the same style and soft. The nice crunchiness of the bits of garlic and cucumber gave some refreshing taste of the stronger taste of ginger. The rice also had a garlic ginger taste to it too. Overall, I would put this spot as my favorite thai spot in DTLA area. The food was great and my gf also really liked it too. I will be ordering other things on the menu when I get a chance to try them out again.

    Pad See Ew Noodle allegedly
    Thessa V.

    I used to order once a month AND dream of the pad see ew at this place. And now I feel like the brand has got a little too big for its birches. I think the food has been holding up a bit but its service continues to be really over the top stuck up that I'm uncomfortable when I try to bring my friends to try it. There's been too many incidents and I don't think it's worth submitting my friends/fam to this. And I think the last draw was ordering delivery for the famous pad see ew only to get this stringy version that we absolutely disliked. Ps- note I forget the green curry here is super delicious but more watery than most.

    the "eggroll"
    Fat A.

    I love a good eggroll, someone here said that these where their favorite. What kind of crack are you smoking? Hands down the sorries eggroll ive ever eaten. All you taste is the wrapping, and they are 10 dollars!! Truly criminal eggrolls to the point i felt compelled to make this review. The main dishes are decent but over priced for the portions.

    Sergine C.

    Today, I decided to go in person and order. I ordered 2 veggie fried rice and 1 pad Thai. I was charged $54 for those 3 orders. I knew the price was off but since I was treating a friend that came with me I didn't want to question the price in front of them. I even tipped an extra $2. I've ordered every 2-3 weeks recently and sometimes the same type of order via delivery and it isn't this much. It's always like $44...plus tip. I went home and put in the same order on Uber eats and lo and behold it came up to $44. I don't know why I was charged an extra $10. I think he assumed I wasn't a regular. Seems very dishonest. I'm very disappointed. Updated: with taxes it's supposed to be $48. As per Uber eats pickup.

    Shrimp Kaeng Karee -Shrimp yellow curry

    Unacceptable $26.40 for not even 1/2 a teaspoon depth of curry sauce. Called the restaurant back and the woman's response was " it's not soup. You can contact owner or go to our web site. " What's the point of curry when there isn't enough sauce to put on rice. ‍ The issue isn't the portion of shrimp. The issue was the lack of sauce to put on the rice. Picture shows the depth of sauce with a plastic soon.

    Pad Kee Mao Noodle ( Spicy )
    Matt T.

    Fantastic Thai spot with excellent service. Had the pad khee mao, calamari, green curry risotto, and chimichurri steak. Everything was delicious. Small venue so recommend a reservation. Would definitely come back again.

    Pad See Ew Noodle with pork

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Best Thai food in The Greater Los Angeles Area. Would recommend to anyone looking for TRUE authentic Thai cuisine.

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    Wedchayan A.

    Anything for our great customers!!! thank you so much for your review.

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Loved the vibe. The food was so so so good. Best Thai food I've ever had. Service was quick and staff were friendly!

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    So delicious. The noodle dishes are all perfect, and the curried eggplant squash dish is my favorite. Best Thai food downtown.

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    Wedchayan A.

    Thank you so much

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    4 years ago

    Preorder or else you'll be waiting a long time for your order, but other than that the food is good. Btw It's over-priced.

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    Wedchayan A.

    you are so wonderful to write a review !!!! See you around soon

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    fireeeee

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    4 years ago

    tom yum was very sweet, not very tangy. Flavorful (like y'all raving about) sure, but balanced i dont think so.

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    3 years ago

    Great food and service. Will be back soon. Loved the raw shrimp. Small eating area. Get there early

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    Page 7 of 10

    Ask the Community - Holy Basil

    Gluten free options?

    Yes, we have Pad Thai, All Curries, Tom Yum that is gluten free

    Are there places to sit and eat here?

    Yes, little hidden gem in Downtown Los Angeles.

    View All 4 Questions

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    Hangari Kalguksu

    4.4(3.3k reviews)
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    It's very possible that this is the world's best chicken noodle soup. Rich and pure chicken flavor,…read moreperfectly chewy knife-cut noodles that likely cook in the stock so the starch releases to give it a beautiful texture. Also got the oyster porridge. Very solid dish, but that kalguksu reigns supreme. Valet parking in the lot will run you $5-6, and the best time to go is within an hour of opening. The place fills quickly. The team works efficiently to turn tables without making you feel rushed. Highly recommended.

    A K-Town staple! I've been here a couple times and it never gets old. Just wish the lines weren't…read moreso long every time. I tried coming 15 minutes before opening on a Sunday during lunch time and that helped a lot! Would recommend coming during the day if you want to avoid waits. Some of our favorites: -Chicken Kalguksu: I get this every time! The broth is amazing, have never had such a rich, flavorful chicken broth before. You can taste all the herbs, seasonings, and time they took to prepare. The broth is a little on the thicker end, but super filling. -Seafood Kalguksu: the broth is so flavorful and it comes filled to the brim with all types of seafood! The spice actually pairs really well with the seafood too. If you want a spicy stew, this is it! Noodles are thick and chewy too. -Bossam: so yummy! I wish I could get it more often but it's a huge portion, so come with a group so you can try it and the noodles! Everything is quality- the bossam slices, the lettuce, the toppings on the wide. Chefs kiss! My only small gripe is the portions are so big that when I come with one other person, we only have the stomach capacity to eat two dishes! Always excited to come back and try more.

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    Afuri - Noodle pull

    Afuri

    4.4(957 reviews)
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    I love yuzu shoyu ramen. It's hard to find a place that serves yuzu flavored ramen, so I was…read moreexcited to see that Afuri is known for it. I had it in Japan before and it was delicious! They offer Yuzu Shio (salt broth) and Yuzu Shoyu (soy sauce broth) Ramen. I went with Yuzu Shio ($19.50). The yuzu gives it a refreshing/bright taste that really cuts through the fatty broth and pork. Yuzu Limeade ($7) and although I liked the drink because it had a strong yuzu and lime taste, I wouldn't recommend getting it with a yuzu flavored ramen because it takes away the yuzu flavor in the ramen. Service was friendly and attentive. The space is open and bright. We paid for parking just to the side of the restaurant so that we didn't have to deal with street parking.

    We had a mixed experience during our visit. Although the restaurant offers easy, free parking and…read moreplenty of seating, the service fell short of expectations. We initially provided our order to an Asian server, but were later assisted by a different Hispanic/Latina waitress. A male staff member also checked in with a thumbs‑up/thumbs‑down gesture, which felt unclear and added to the overall inconsistency. I generally prefer when servers take orders with a notepad. While many can remember everything perfectly without one, in this case it would have helped -- we never received our water, and the waitress had to reconfirm our meat selection. Small details like that affected the flow of the meal. The food was decent. I would reorder the Yuzu Ratan ($19) and the Basque Cheesecake ($11), as those were the highlights. However, the Mango Margarita ($15) didn't taste like mango at all, and my boyfriend chose not to correct it. Overall, the dishes and drinks were just average. We've been trying to explore neighborhoods outside of our usual Koreatown and Silver Lake spots, so it was disappointing that this experience didn't stand out more. The restaurant does offer reservations, which is convenient, but the service and attention to detail could use improvement.

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    4.1(2k reviews)
    4.5 mi•Koreatown, Wilshire Center
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    Luckily, the wait was not too long for MDK noodles on a weekend afternoon. My friends and I were…read moreseated within 10 minutes. I tried their rice cake & dumpling soup, while we all shared their pork dumplings. The soup was warm and satisfying, with chewy rice cakes and dumplings in a light, savory broth. The soup had a simple, comforting flavor that was great for a rainy day. The pork dumplings were also delicious, with a tender wrapper and flavorful, juicy filling. Solid spot for some Korean comfort food!

    I was on a work trip and had to order dinner just for myself to eat. I delivered the Spicy Kalguksu…read moreand pork dumplings, both of which were still piping hot when it arrived 20 minutes later. While this may be a factor of it being delivered, the noodles were extremely mushy. Not even slightly softer than al dente, but very bloated. I could not even finish the bowl since the noodle texture made it not that great. The spiciness of the soup seemed to overwhelm the flavor of the broth itself, which was disappointing. However, the portion sizes of both the noodle soup and dumplings were great. I could tell the quality of the ingredients was high, especially with a mountain of vegetables and 3 dumplings already coming with the bowl. The dumplings were soft and honestly the star of the meal, I would've loved a specialty sauce to go with it. The kimchi was SPICY as well but tasty. I don't want to knock it down to 3 stars as I felt like it's unfair that I got takeout, but there's a chance if I'm in town again I would rather try the original kalguksu soup in person for a chance that the noodle soup is a better texture.

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    Menu AYCE Shabu & Kalguksu daily from 5pm-9pm.

    MDK Noodles - Outdoor seating for AYCE Shabu & Kalguksu open daily from 5pm-9pm.

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    Daikokuya Little Tokyo - Daikoku Ramen

    Daikokuya Little Tokyo

    4.1(10k reviews)
    1.2 mi•Little Tokyo, Downtown
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    Daikokuya is a long time staple of Little Tokyo, whenever I'm in town on business or vacation I…read moremake a point to visit. Their ramen noodles are always cooked perfectly (I like them a little firm) and their broths are super flavorful, their eggs cooked perfectly. I usually enjoy their spicy or black garlic broths which add extra kicks. Daikokuya can be busy throughout the day, but there servers and kitchen staff work hard to turn around orders and tables relatively quickly. Anytime is a good time for ramen from Daikokuya.

    Daikokuya is a solid ramen franchise from the Bishamon group. I miss how close the Hacienda…read morelocation one back in the day, and now the closest one to me is the MPK location, but if any of my out of town, out of state, out of country friends are visiting and they have a hankering for ramen with a strong, but not super heavy kotteri flavor. The location isn't super big and it does get super busy with people putting their names on the wait list and people queueing busily outside (overflow of people waiting for many of the other restaurants along this part of the block too). Overall the ramen isn't bad, chashu is nice and fatty and tender. Ramen is rich and filling. It's nice that it already comes with an egg too and you don't have to add another one. Lots of other side dishes and combos too if someone in your party doesn't want ramen. However, with the increases in prices, the fact that there's many other options in LT, and the fact that there are other Daikokuya locations, it's an alright LT option.

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