Amazing food. So flavorful. The curry is some of the best I have had. I wish they sold spring rolls or egg rolls though. But their take away plastic containers suck - they break at the bottom due to the heat of the dish and thus leak everywhere. For that I am docking them one star. Other than that last complaint they are an awesome restaurant. read more

Given that we were in Berkeley this was a perfectly convenient spot for lunch! It was located in a small plaza with other shops and you could order via Kiosk or live and there is outdoor seating available. I had the Pad See Ew and it was good, you can't really go wrong with it but the price was decent and the portion size was perfect! Definitely check it out if you're in the area!!! read more

Pad Prik King Chicken with green beans and prik king curry paste was really good! The chicken is thinly sliced chicken breast and a little on the over-done side but nothing I didn't mind, especially given how flavorful it was. The order was done in 10 minutes. If you order at the counter it's cash-only, but ordering at the kiosk allows for credit card payment. The jasmine rice was loose and firm, something I always appreciate. My expectations for Thai Basil were pretty simple given that its customers are primarily students so I was pleasantly surprised. It's really not bad that bad of an option for the "grab-n-go college food" category. A fair comparison would be Chipotle down the street -- their mission is not to impress, but to satiate with decent food. And Thai Basil does that well. read more

Had food delivered. It was the hit of the party. Everything was delicious. Would highly recommend.

AVOID THIS PLACE IF YOU CAN! I love Thai food like any other Alum or Student but this place has the worst customer service, filthy, and deceptive business practices. When you enter they have this huge menu board with photos. So you try to order and expect to get what is on the photo. But the cashier cant speak a lick of english who is constantly yelling at her fellow employees in Thai points at some kiosk and will not take the order. 3 minutes later she realizes her damn kiosk is inoperative and still she cannot take the order and rudely points to the phone for us to use our app. Ok, I get it, its a dingy, dirty place catering to college students so hygiene is the least of their concern but a little common courtesy would be appreciated. After ordering the food, which has to be to go due to Covid, we expected a simple meal without any hiccups. Well let me tell you this ... Be sure to check the food upon leaving. We ordered a Basil Chicken and a Pad See- Ew Chicken Noodle. We specifically asked for the basil chicken to be not spicy due to allergic reaction to spices. When we got back to eating the food we found that the Basil Chicken was too spicy, the egg that was on the menu board was not there, but what made matters worst is the cheap ass container they used had a hole in it which leaked all the oils and sauce all over the car. Also the chicken was extremely overcooked and dry. I asked for chicken not JERKY! So we decided to drive back and take it to the store and notify them of this. You would think any decent establishment would see the problem, perhaps even apologize and rectify the issue. But not Thai Basil The cashier with limited english clearly could speak now. She said EGG NOT INCLUDED! EXTRA MONEY MONEY MONEY! I said why does your photo have it on the menu board and she said menu WRONG! Really? Seriously?? And when I pointed to her hole in the bottom of the plastic container she didn't know how to respond! I threw the food on her counter and left wanting to throw the food in her face. I understand mistakes happen but to treat fellow students or community residents like this is not a good look nor a recipe for longevity. If I had the time I would hire people to stand outside this cheap ass establishment and boycott eating here. This is not the way to treat anyone, let alone a paying customer. If you go Im sure you can see the pleasant ghoul of a cashier and just call her by name ... EXTRA MONEY!! read more

This is a very simple place. The clientele is predominantly college students. Cash only and you pay at the counter. Seating is somewhat limited so snag a spot if you see one. This is not really the kind of place that you'd sit around in after you've finished your food anyways, since there are lots of people coming in and out and it can be kind of loud with order numbers being shouted. The food is alright. I like their mango sticky rice but some things are hit or miss. I ordered the pineapple fried rice last time I visited which was ok but I feel like it lacked some flavor. However, for the price, I can't complain. They also have several vegetarian options! read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - My lovely boyfriend and I sharing dinner! - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I've been to a couple of thai spots in Berkeley, and this place is hands down the best in terms of value and portions. While I am a little bummed out about why they haven't adopted card services yet (they do have an ATM!), there are several banks in proximity so it's not too bad if I forget to bring cash. While most of their food is delicious, I don't get their chicken dishes since their chicken tends to be dry, but their pork dishes (esp the sweet pork with egg and rice) are the best! Side note: Their wait times vary especially during peak lunch and dinner hours, but I never had to wait too long for food. But it's good to keep note of. read more

This restaurant does a great job at staying consistent with flavor and their quality. I've been here multiple times in the past and the dishes taste the same, every single time. Usually, I order the vegetable Thai fried rice or the chicken pad-see-ew. There is plenty of seating, though finding one might be even more difficult than finding a parking spot in the area, depending your group size and on the time you visit as this restaurant is right next to the UC Berkeley campus. Despite being a busy restaurant serving hundreds of college students a day, Thai basil still cooks their food to order, resulting in a semi-longer wait time, once again, depending on the time you visit. After you place your order, you can pick up your food on the left hand size at the counter area, where you can see watch your food or other customers food being cooked in an open kitchen. This time I ordered the pad-see-ew with chicken. Usually, one would assume food isn't good when the price is low and the portions are big. This is not the case for Thai Basil. Don't get me wrong, this isn't your top thai food restaurant, but for $10, this place will do you justice. The noodles in the pad-see-ew were decently thin, and had a good soy sauce flavor to them. The egg was nicely scrambled in with the chicken which might be a tad dry from time to time. All sum, this place provides good prices, for good, acceptable food. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is one of my favorite hole in the wall places! I would give them 5 stars but I have had better Thai food! Yet, you can't beat the price and the food is fresh! Oh and it's quite good! This is a place I have been coming to for a very long time! I will keep coming back! Try the Tom Kha soup... if you want something hot! Especially on a cold and rainy day! EnJoy! read more

Had the Garlic Pepper Chicken. Quality of Food - The Chicken was nice and tangy. Slightly oily though. Service speed- Could have been faster. Took them about 20 min to get my order ready. The order process was quite smooth because of kiosk. In and out with order number in under 4 minutes Portion size - Really good. I bought lunch and had some left for dinner. Covid preparedness - Not that great. No marked signs and social distancing wasn't being followed. Everyone was thankfully wearing masks. read more

I ordered a plate of eggplant tofu and got a plate with 75 percent rice, and 25 percent eggplant. This is ridiculous, and unacceptable. STAY AWAY, OR LEARN THE HARD WAY. SHADY business. Never again will they get my money. How sickening to treat people in such a way. read more

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Located in a small little plaza that students refer to as the "Asian ghetto" (because of all the variety of Asian cuisines located there), Thai Basil is a bastion of great food for a reasonable price. NOTE: this place is CASH-only. Food-wise, a solid 5/5 without a doubt. Thai cuisine is probably the most represented ethnic cuisine in Berkeley, and Thai Basil does not fail to uphold the standard. My order is typically the Pad Kee Mao, which is very fragrant and flavorful. Service-wise, probably a 3/5. Unfortunately, not the most inviting, but I'd suspect having to deal with students all day can be rather grating. Ambiance-wise, a 4/5. There's a fair amount of seating for parties of 4 or less, so eating in is potentially an option. However, I personally prefer to take home. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Pad Kee Mao with Chicken - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

Decent portion sizes but I would stick with the noddles mainly. The panang curry I got was a bit watered down. The pad kee Mao was dope and the pad Thai was okay. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

Solid lunch spot! Not at all bad for the price in this area, but also not going to blow you away. I got the red tofu curry and enjoyed it. I would love to see this place adopt more sustainable to-go packaging where possible. I know it's difficult to put curry in paper based containers, but the rice came in plastic as well. I'll be back, but will try to eat in to avoid this issue! read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Menu - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This joint used to be to my go place. I asked for basil egg plant chicken and this is what I get. What happened to the quality of the food? This is my last straw coming here. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - rice and vegetables in a plastic container - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

Thai Basil is one of my go-to Thai restaurants in South Berkeley. The food is always hot, flavorful, authentic, and the restaurant has such a home-y vibe. Prices are also affordable, especially on a college budget. My menu favorites are the BBQ chicken or the BBQ beef over steamed rice. Solid post workout meals. The yellow curry and pad Thai are also great. The food is cooked to order and comes out pretty fast. The only kicker is that the place is cash-only, but great spot for a quick lunch or dinner to-go otherwise. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - BBQ Beef over steamed rice served with sweet chili sauce - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

Thai Basil Cuisine is one of the older eateries in the Asian Ghetto for a reason. the food's cheap and tasty. fast/casual. no table service. offerings: daily specials, curries, noodles, soups, thai fried rice, vegetables, ...... eats: pad kee mow chicken, drunken noodle(8.22) -fresh noodles, fried tofu, egg, brocculli, bell peppers, chili, bean sprouts, onions,... -tasty with thai thick sauce take outs: -cash only -not a lot of seating inside, some available outside.. read more

Been coming here for years. Awesome food, great prices, fast and efficient service. And now they got with the times and have online ordering/delivery and accept card. Pla Rad Prik. A catfish fillet, deep fried, topped with a garlic sauce with fried crispy basil leaves, served with rice on the side (included with the price too). They could sell this one dish and have a viable business. If you order one thing here, order this. The fish is boneless and fried, crispy but not over done so that it dries out the fish. If you order take out, the sauce comes on the side to not spoil that fish. The sauce is a tamarind, chili oil, fried garlic elixir, with a ton of garlic and a ton of flavor. It's relatively mild, more sweet than anything, but has that great wok fire flavor, finished with a nice bright note of the basil. It's seriously a perfect dish, and you'll be hard pressed to find a better fish dish anywhere else. The fish is the main attraction, but pouring the sauce over rice is addiction. The rest of the offerings are solid and won't disappoint, although the Pad Thai here is not my favorite if I'm being critical, get the Pad See Ew instead. The stir fry dishes really stand out, particularly anything with eggplant in it. Value here can't be beat, everything comes with a good amount of rice, a great college student splurge meal type of place that fills you up with something good and doesn't break the bank, although I'm old enough that I remember when most of their menu rivaled McDonald's prices. read more

Probably going to be the best Pad Thai you have had. I haven't found a better place. You won't be disappointed at all Also recommend the Praram Chicken no.10 on menu read more

The food was solid and came with a generous portion of rice, but for $15+ per item I wish there was less rice and more of the actual dish. The food had a good kick to it, and you can customize how spicy you want it. On the plus side, there is indoor seating and the food came out pretty quickly. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Chicken 4. Basil Chili Chicken - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

I am such a sucker for this place. It's located all the way to the back of this particular fast food area on the left. There are pictures all over the wall and the menu is also straight forward. It's fast food cooked to order...but geez, the food has been tasty and delish every single time. The pad see ew is some of the best I've had. Hard to believe if you stepped foot into this place. Cash only...so make sure you stop at the ATM prior to coming. Order at the counter and wait for your number. Portions are quite large as I am mostly able to share a plate with a friend. They have quite a few tables inside but they're usually taken when I arrive. This is an awesome spot if you're looking for something, quick, delish, and filling. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Pad see ew - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Thai Basil is a popular restaurant for Berkeley kids, resting in the back of Asian ghetto. With its late closing, it's a perfect place for some decent late night Thai Food. Reminder: CASH ONLY Order: Drunken Noodles - Favorite dish from them by far! I really enjoy the flavor that they pack inside mixed with their variety of vegetables. Their portions definitely filled me up. Their tofu and chicken is nicely cooked mixed with fresh noodles, there's not much that can beat that. Service: I love that they made their prices suitable for college students, ending their prices in quarters after tax. It relieves a lot of messy coin management that nobody enjoys. Their service is a bit on the slower end and the person that usually number calls is quite impatient thus the lack of a star. However, they usually close late at night so it's a nice late dinner style food. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The cream cheese rolls were pretty average and I was looking forward to the pad Thai but it lacked so much in flavor / spice. Disappointed.

Like most of the restaurants in the "Asian Ghetto", the food is served with budget college students in mind. Cheap, fast, convenient, and good taste are the ideal attributes for any great college town restaurant. For me, Thai Basil only fulfills first two qualities. On my most recent visit, I ordered the Pad Thai with Beef. The food came out fast, and it was a little under $10, but when I got the order, I saw that they actually made Pad Thai with Shrimp and Chicken. I decided to keep it, as I wasn't too fussy about the protein, and shrimp costs more, but this isn't a mistake that they should be making. As for convenience, Thai Basil is cash only, which to me seems very antediluvian. It's super inconvenient as I don't usually carry a lot of cash. Consequently, I've grown to be quite fond of Thai Noodle II, which is literally a block away. I would suggest going here instead for higher quality food for comparable prices. In terms of taste, the Pad Thai was pretty bland and average. I didn't end up finishing the dish, which is rare for me. Overall, Thai Basil is an average place with a less than clean atmosphere. I probably won't come here again. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Pad Thai with Chicken and Shrimp - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

Thai Basil is decent. It's about $7-$8 for plate and they accept cash only (a negative since I prefer credit card). The food here is okay. I've had the vegetarian Thai fried rice (one of my staple Thai dishes) and the green curry. The green curry is runny, the consistency resembles water a little too much. They have big portions which is great for college students, but there are better places around here. The service wasn't great either, the cashier doesn't try to be friendly, she just wants your money. Honestly, the only reason Thai Basil is still open is due to students on a budget and their big portions. The service is okay, the food is okay, and quite frankly, at Berkeley you can find better. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Vegetarian Thai fried rice - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

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CASH ONLY! This isn't the best Thai restaurant in Berkeley, but the prices are super reasonable with filling portions. Quick rundown of what I've had here so far: Thai Noodle Soup (1 star) - This was my first time coming here. I expected flavorful Thai boat noodle, got warm beef water instead. Would not recommend. Curry Fried Rice (4 stars) - I was actually really turned off from this place after my first experience, but decided to give it another chance. This time, the fried rice was on point. Would recommend. Tom Yum w/ Noodles (3 stars) - Not bad, but wasn't as flavorful as expected. Not bad if it's a cold day and want noodle soup. However, I'd definitely opt for... Tom Kha w/ Noodles (5 stars) - Pleasantly surprised by how rich and flavorful the broth was. Would definitely recommend for anyone going here. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Tom Kha - pretty good for $8.75 - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came back to Thai Basil yesterday because I was having a spicy eggplant craving. My spicy eggplant chicken dish still tastes the same... The way I remember it since my college days-- sweet, salty, spicy, and doused with chili oil. Why is this dish so darn good? It's the chili oil, and just the right amount of spice, salt, and sugar. Prices haven't changed for a while-- it's still $6.75 after tax, which can fit most people's budgets! Thai Basil still is cash only, although there have been periods where they accepted credit card in the past seven to eight years I have come here for cheap Thai eats. I am a big fan of Thai food and I have had tried many Thai restaurants around the Bay Area. Thai Basil's taste and quality exceeds many local favorites (e.g. Marnee Thai in SF and Tuktuk Thai in Berkeley) and at a lower price. You definitely get a bigger bang for your buck coming here! Thai Basil is always busy, no matter what day of the week it is, which tells you that the food is good and cheap (and good for a college student's budget). Parking can be difficult but not impossible, but taking Bart or bus would save that headache. But no matter what mode of transportation you take, what lies at the end of the journey is a treasure trove of yummy in your tummy Thai food! read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Horrible customer service I asked for extra sauce n they tried to charge me $3.50. There was a nail in my food and they refused to take accountability. Very rude would never come again. read more

I was sick and this place cured me of my stuffy nose, sore throat, watery eyes, sneezing, stuffy head, and minor coughs. Sounds like a Nyquil advertisement right? Well you're close but it's actually Thai Basil in Berkeley. After literally minutes of being lost on what to order in this courtyard of restaurants, I had chosen Thai Basil because of the long lines and numerous awards slathered on their window front. Upon entering, the ordering process was togo style and I was enthusiastic about that because my food would arrive much quicker. Their menu is posted next to the line in huge lettering. My watery eyes grew large as they read each and every dish offered. Most dishes were below 7 bucks, a total winner for a college student. In addition, they had numerous vegan options for my 2 friends who happen to be vegan. I had settled upon the Penang curry and you cannot go wrong with curry. Last time I had curry was in Southern California and I experienced food poisoning for days. Well, first thing I noticed when I got my OJ and food, portions are huge! Dude, I can feed someone else with this. Instead of foam boxes, we have see-through plastic boxes which are a tad bit more environmentally friendly. Don't we love the word green? I like saving green, the kind in my wallet. Thai Basil in fact did that and the curry, a solid A. The curry was made fresh and it was piping hot. The steam coming from both the rice and curry literally fogged my camera lens like the Golden Gate's fog. The food cleared my sinuses with spiciness and permeated my taste buds with immense flavor as well. A total winner tucked away in this small courtyard. All its awards on the window, I agree. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I have been frequenting this spot since my university days, and I am glad to see that it is still a part of Asian Ghetto! It's been my go-to thai spot for years now, and although they've increased the prices since when I was a student, they are still reasonable (~$10-$12 for most dishes). My faves to this day are pad see ew with tofu and if I'm feeling soup-y, their tom kha soup with noodles. Their pad see ew has so much flavor and I am a huge fan of the flat rice noodles. The tom kha soup has a bit of tang to it, and I love the combination of the glass noodles in the creamy soup! Literally my mouth is watering as I reminisce the flavors... In my opinion, their tofu here is better than any of their other proteins, so I suggest choosing it! Pro tip: Be sure to bring cash! Otherwise, there are bank of america ATMs right down the street :) read more

Meat was really bad the dishes tasted off. Would not order from this place again. The dishes did not taste like Thai dishes but more like low quality all you can eat place dishes read more

Always a banger meal - ready for pickup in 20 min avg, top 2 Thai spots in Berkeley!!

Since COVID this has been our go to for take out Friday's. The Pineapple curry is my go to. Reliable, delicious and local. Thanks for being open and giving my kitchen a night off weekly read more

Cheap fast simple full of flavor and cash only. I come here to get the thai basil chicken extra spicy and I get my boys the chicken pad seew. Nice big portions full of flavors. Nice big place to sit and watch TV. Alot of Berkeley students come here to eat cause it's cheap for them. The owner here is very nice and sweet. read more

Been eating here since freshman year of college 2016. Still go at least once a month after graduation. Def my to go spot near campus. My favorite is the Basil Eggplant chicken and Basil combination fried rice. Never disappoints. Their curry, catfish, noodles are very solid as well. 10/10 highly recommend. read more

This is definitely one of my favorite Thai restaurants in Berkeley. While there is close to no customer service and you pay upfront, pick up your food, find your own seats, and put the empty dishes in a bucket, the food here is inexpensive, delicious, and prepared quickly. Whenever I come, I have to order the Tom Yum soup. The soup is filled with veggies and mushrooms, and makes you feel nice and warm. Add an extra $1-$2 and you can get noodles with the soup. For noodle dishes, the pad see ew and pad thai are also solid and flavorful. Tips: Be prepared for long lines during rush hour, or just order to-go. This place is cash-only! But there is an ATM inside. read more

The food is good! Let me say that first. I like their eggplant chicken, pineapple fried rice, egg rolls, and pad thai. I'm sure their other menu items are delicious as well. But the wait is absolutely terrible. Once I ordered a single entree and waited 1 hour 15 minutes when I got a text in 20 that it was ready. And the employees are not interested in keeping their customers happy, so don't expect anything if your food is late. I know it's because there's only 1 cook in the back during some hours, even when it's extremely busy. Just be wary of wait times. read more

This food was definitely below mediocre. First, the rice was kind of hard. Not awful, but it could have been cooked more and would have tasted at least average. The chicken was random scraps, from really tiny like wood shavings, to pieces that were a bit bigger. The meat was on the tough side, partly because it was chicken breast, and was also stir fried, so because there was no fat, the meat just tasted dry and tough. The beef was a little better, also was presented in really tiny pieces of meat scraps, and some that looked more uniform. There were a few pieces that were tender, but most were tough and sinewy. Overall, it was a big waste of money, since both dishes were no good. read more

EDIT: I found a damn roach in my meal, I was eating my food Im and I saw the roach right before I was gonna take a bite. This is so disappointing cuz I genuinely looked forward to the meal. I saw the roach right after I I ate a good portion of it so I think I might go to the emergency room to see if there's anything in my system. Overall this was a waste of $20 for a meal. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Roach with some bbq beef - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Tucked at the very end of the Asian Ghetto, this place has a place very dear to my heart. Though this may not be the best in quality or taste, and packed with mostly freshmen, something about this place keeps me coming back. I never had a poor experience, besides having to sit on a dirty table or waiting a tad longer during the peak times - both of which are quite expected with a name like "Asian Ghetto". But the portions are great for the price and the plates are never skimpy on meat. I usually get the pad see ew with chicken, which has never failed me thus far, but sometimes I deviate for some curry. My last time here, I saw several people ordering some sort of noodle soup dish that hopefully I will remember to order the next time I come here. It is cash only so try to stop by an ATM before coming here. read more

Thai Basil Cuisine - Thai Near Me - Berkeley, California