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    Thai Basil

    3.5 (240 reviews)
    ModerateThai, Noodles, Salad
    Closed 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Thai Basil Takeout or Delivery

    Thai Basil Photos

    Business Info

    THAI BASIL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Casual
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Thai Basil

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    Reviews With Photos

    Larb Chicken
    James B.

    I went here the other day, the chicken laab was soooo boring. It was just ground chicken, no flavor like mint, thai basil or anything. The papaya salad wasn't much better. Overall: won't go back to,

    Well decorated interior.
    Steve S.

    I was in the Ithaca Commons one day and stopped here for lunch. It was around 3:00 so there wasn't much of a crowd. The interior was pleasantly decorated and the service was prompt. I had one of their lunch specials which was the drunken noodles with beef. It was delicious.

    Quiet lunch hour (the day before Thanksgiving, so no shocker)
    Mark M.

    I'll keep it short: the best "suburban" (as in: outside a major metro) Thai food I've had in the States. Menu focuses on the usual suspects; but the presentation and subtlety transcends the norm.

    Fresh Mango with Sticky Rice
    Laur L.

    First of all, the interior design and atmosphere is lovely. Took a mini break from dating but then I got pulled into the dating scene again so... date night! Didn't snap a pick of the apps/main courses but he got a dumpling app, Tom Kha, pad see ew. I got the ginger duck and mango stick rice to-go (pictured). I really wanted to like this spot more, I really did. But certain items are hit-and-miss. The dumplings were good, but the sauce for the Ginger Duck was very salty, like licking a salt cube. The duck itself was cooked well and was tender, and the rice that came with it was good too. It was a similar sitch with my mango sticky rice, where the mango and condensed milk sauce was immaculate but the rice itself was quite hard, like instant rice. I'm hoping maybe I just ordered the wrong things this time around.

    Erica R.

    In the grand scheme of Ithaca's food scene, Thai Basil has always been fine... but it doesn't really offer anything exciting. I recently ordered from Thai Basil again (I've had it plenty of times over the years, but it's never been a favorite) because I needed somewhere different (besides Taste of Thai Express in Ithaca or Thai Elephant in Watkins Glen) for Thai food while I worked from home during this pandemic... and I'm really trying to support local restaurants as best I can. I'm boosting this rating from a 2/5 to a 3/5 because the delivery of my order through Ithaca To Go was actually quite speedy. If it wasn't for the promptness of the restaurant though in coordinating delivery via ITG, this would definitely be a 2/5 rating. Upon receiving my order today, I was reminded why I stopped really ordering from or going to Thai Basil... it's because I always feel like I have to doctor everything up, because everything really lacks in flavor. It's Thai food! How does it lack in flavor?! On top of that, there was very little beef in my pad thai. Just a couple of fairly small pieces. I had actually asked for both a bit of extra egg and a bit of extra ground peanuts in my pad thai, so I paid for extra meat while ordering online to help cover that cost (since there are no other "extra..." options to choose from). I added a note on my order to specify what I was doing, but that I still wanted beef in my pad thai. That said, I don't feel like I even got a normal helping of beef added to my order. *sigh* TL;DR I'm trying to support local restaurants during this pandemic, so opted to switch up where I ordered my Thai food from when going through Ithaca To Go. Unfortunately, Thai Basil really lacks flavor in their dishes, and I was reminded why I haven't visited or ordered from them for delivery recently. Not in a rush to re-order from Thai Basil, sadly.

    Ozlem K.

    I had green curry beef and it was super yummy !! It comes with rice and a bowl of super delicious beef curry with vegetables. Staff was very friendly and efficient. Clean establishment and cozy atmosphere. Overall it was great experience.

    $8 worth of Thai ice tea after I took out the ice.
    Carmen T.

    Typically I have a pretty satisfying experience here but today was not impressed. I ordered 2 thai iced teas online and requested no ice in the order. The guy working there today not only didn't honor the request but assumed it was because I wanted extra Thai iced tea. I just didn't want watered down cold extra cold Thai iced tea in 23 degree weather. After I took out the ice myself, there was only half a cup left. I can understand that he's super busy and the business is still a business but this left me pretty disappointed. They also skimped on white rice of all things. Overall disappointing takeout experience.

    Basil Fried Rice
    Kimberley W.

    Great Thai spot in Ithaca, just off of the Commons. The indoor ambience was comfortable and the lighting just right. The food might be the best Thai I've eaten since living in Bangkok. We ordered Pad Kee Mao with chicken and w Basil Fried Rice. So. GOOD. The portion size was decent but not large, and the price was a bit high for Thai food but it was worth every penny. We will be back! Note on Cv-19: masks still required for all in July 2021 - until your food and drink is served.

    Pad See Aew
    Lisa V.

    Came here on a Monday afternoon as a group of 4. We were seated right away and had our food within 10 minutes of ordering. The Thai iced coffee was tasty and I highly recommend. I got the Pad See Aew with beef and it was wonderful. Came with plenty of beef and noodles!! One of my friends got the Paddon Curry with tofu and said it was good with a hint of spice. The only critique was that there wasn't a lot of tofu in the dish. One of my friends got the pad Thai with chicken. The noodles looked similar to normal spaghetti noodles but was very happy with the dish. (Plenty of chicken in the dish!!) Our other friend got the drunken noodles with tofu and the only critique was not enough tofu. Overall, the service was very good and food was tasty! If I'm ever in the Ithaca area again I would come here!!

    Duck over rice

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    8 years ago

    It's a pretty underrated restaurant. Hands down the best Thai food in Ithaca. I recommend getting the drunken noodles. Really delicious

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    7 years ago

    Thai Basil is good. Not great. I would not recommend it to a friend. The food was average. The wait staff were very nice though.

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    10 years ago

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    7 years ago

    The food was fresh and delicious. The price was right. I highly recommend this restaurant if ever in Ithaca

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    9 years ago

    Very tasty authentic Thai and lunch was excellent value. The red curry was exactly what I was looking for

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    10 years ago

    Delicious meal of larb and chicken green curry, both flavorful and a nice level of heat. Service was friendly and efficient.

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    10 years ago

    Totally worth a visit! Dishes are so full of flavor! Drunken noodles and panang curry were great!

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    Page 5 of 6

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    The Rook

    The Rook

    4.2
    (186 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Solid Great friendly ambiance…read moreWe had: Bacon wrapped cheese filled dates Fried chicken - skin layer under batter isn't the best but chicken was tender Pork Schnitzel - on a buttermilk sauce with two fingerling potatoes. Duck fat fries - nice crunch. Overall a no frills restaurant- good solid choice for a weeknight out.

    The Rook is located a couple blocks north of the Commons. The staff were very pleasant and…read moreexplained everything on the menu. The menu itself is short and focused, while the interior of the restaurant features wallpaper with anthropomorphic animals, and large windows. I opted for the Burger, and my wife the Salmon. We also ordered the grilled dates and collard greens. I also decided on a Ginger Beer. They serve Goslings (since 1806), with all 47 grams of sugar, over ice and a lime. Highly recommended on the ginger beer flavor scale. The Burger came with a massive amount of their duck-fat fried fries, certainly more potato than burger. I also liked the burger with the added bacon. But my wife's Salmon was even tastier. It featured a nice hunk of fish, skin-on, crispy, and not some half-or-quarter fillet that other places might serve. Plus, it comes over a bed of green peas and canneli beans and green asparagus sauce on the bottom, and a small bed of frisée on top. The combination with the lemon cream leads to very satisfying bites. The grilled dates wrapped in bacon, with goat cheese, Marcona almonds, and honey were presented as a drumstick. The collard greens were nice, though on the saltier side. Seating here can be had inside or out. The bathrooms are located in the hallway next to the restaurant.

    Photos
    Making cavatelli
    Making cavatelli
    Schnitzel, a tad dry with rubbery re-heated tasting spaetzle.
    Schnitzel, a tad dry with rubbery re-heated tasting spaetzle.
    Aperitif/digestif anyone???

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    Aperitif/digestif anyone???
    GreenStar Natural Foods Market

    GreenStar Natural Foods Market

    4.3
    (75 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    I frequent this location 3X per week, as it offers Vegetarian items on my list of important lunches…read moreand dinners. The Natural food section of Wegmans may offer similar items, but prices are generally the same, and the variety of Vegan/Vegetarian items at Greenstar is more to my taste and palate. The breakfast hot bar includes Beyond sausage links and scrambled tofu (also buttermilk biscuits for the southern inner child in all of us). I especially like the Indian food options at Greenstar and the small lunch prepared foods like spanakopita, vegan club sandwiches, and burritos. Frozen foods offer Cascadian Farms frozen cherries, which augment my daily bowl of Oatmeal. The NA beer section is comprehensive including the latest offerings from Athletic.

    GreenStar is my favorite market in Ithaca!! I think the prices, especially when it comes to vegan…read moreitems, are either similar or CHEAPER than Wegman's. They have such an extensive merchandise, and a wonderful prepared foods/baked goods section!! I recently tried the "Made to Order" sandwiches, and it was DELICIOUS. I made mine with BBQ seitan, hummus, vegan cheddar, vegan mayo, spring greens, tomato, + condiments on a baguette. So flavorful and such a wonderful size. I've also placed special orders for their cakes and it was sooo good. My family couldn't been believe it was vegan! Outside of their food, the staff is always super friendly and helpful with any inquiries. Additionally, the store is always super clean and never too busy. They also have CO-OP member savings which are amazing! I love GreenStar!! :)

    Photos
    GreenStar Natural Foods Market
    GreenStar Natural Foods Market
    Community playthings

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    Community playthings
    The Terrace Restaurant

    The Terrace Restaurant

    4.8
    (9 reviews)
    1.0 mi

    The Terrace is the Beyoncé of campus eateries -- iconic, loved by all, and completely deserving of…read morethat 4.8-star status lol Their burrito bowls are great. You're not truly living until you've drowned one in their magical boom boom sauce. And the salad bowls? They've somehow made me a believer that greens can be exciting. Seriously, it's the best salad on campus. Other stuff like their pho noodles are mehhhh. The vibe is solid -- decent indoor ambiance, plus outdoor seating for when you're feeling fancy. This place does get packed faster than a lecture hall on syllabus day. If you don't time it right, you might be left holding your burrito bowl like it's a newborn, desperately hunting for a seat. TL;DR: Come for the boom boom sauce, stay for the best eats on campus, and pray for non-awkward seats.

    This was my absolute favorite food venue in college, so I tried it out for lunch when I was in…read moretown. I ordered a burrito bowl with pulled pork, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, & tortilla chips. I topped it off with boom boom sauce and tangy bbq (the best combo). It was nice to see the same workers as last semester because they are all nice and always have a friendly smile on their face. The ambiance was a bit slow because of Thanksgiving break coming up, but it seemed like most people were enjoying their food. The pulled pork was a bit on the drier end and it overpowered the taste of the other ingredients, but overall I'm glad that I ordered it. Food: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4/5

    Photos
    The Terrace Restaurant
    Entrance from hotel side
    Entrance from hotel side
    The Terrace Restaurant

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    Ithaca Ale House

    Ithaca Ale House

    3.8
    (654 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Came for dinner because we were walking around the Commons on a Friday night. They were busy so…read morethere was a bit of a wait as the single hostess was guiding groups to their tables. We sat in an inside booth but it was very sunny and there were no shades on the window so our friend had to wear his sunglasses at the table. They have a mix of limited local beers, and other craft and domestic beers on tap but they don't make their own beer here. Food was good, I shared the shroomin pizza with a friend.

    We stopped for a couple of refreshing sours on a summer evening…read more Meier's Creek Berry Man has prominent dark fruit flavors of goldenberry, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, led by huckleberry. Huckleberry is a more-tart relative of the blueberry, and is notoriously difficult to farm. There was so much fruit here that we couldn't really say it was the dominant flavor. Quite nice. Nice red hue, too. Wait ... "Berry Man"-ilow? Not sure of the intended implications. It seems to get sweeter as it warms up. I still don't get the name. Wachusett Blueberry Ale was a less-tart and more malty brew. This to us was more beer that fruit-punch. So one of liked the first, and the other liked this. There were maybe a dozen more drafts to choose from. The bar was pleasant, bright, and relaxing.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    The Garbage Skillet Wings.  Ithaca Ale House, Ithaca, NY.
    The Garbage Skillet Wings. Ithaca Ale House, Ithaca, NY.
    Bright bar, many icy beers to choose from

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    Bright bar, many icy beers to choose from
    Eta Pie

    Eta Pie

    4.7
    (102 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    "Creative and whimsical" pizzas…read more Eta Pie in Ithaca NY was recommended by friends for some of their fun recipes, so we got several to-go for our contribution to a little gathering. We started off easy, with a Napoli red-sauce cheese pizza. It's made with the best San Marzano tomatoes and fresh basil, generous fresh-tasting sliced mozzarella, and a tasty tangy an Italian cheese blend. The red sauce was a traditional flavorful slightly sweet, slightly garlicky tomato sauce. All on a tasty thick-edged bready crispy-crusted soft-inside crust. It was a delightfully better-than-it-has-to-be cheese pizza. We thought the Palo Alto BBQ chicken pizza would suit us: richly flavored sweet lightly smokey BBQ sauce, mozzarella & smoked gouda, grilled chicken, and red onions. It was basically a flatbread. It tasted good, but to quote a guest, "it wasn't pizza" :-). Maybe it was the gouda that pushed it to the fancier edge. We struck out on our own with an olive and sausage red-sauce pizza. This was our favorite, due to the sweet bright fennel, garlic, black-pepper sausage, which surely tasted freshly home-made. Eta Pie has creative recipes and ingredients. Cheeses can incluse Gorgonzola, provalone, feta, paneer, Swiss, and ricotta. Sauces and drizzles include blue cheese, ranch, garlic butter, honey, pineapple-habanero, crema, mornay, pesto, herbed crème fraiche, masala, Korean BBQ, and a spicy red-sauce. Toppings include steak, carnitas, Black Forest ham, fried chicken, shrimp, clams, scallops, smoked salmon, bacon, bulgogi, caramelized onions, vidalia onions, jalapeños, broccoli, fried eggplant, spinach, artichoke hearts, kimchee, and even peaches! Meet the Eta Pie philosophy: creative culinary seriousness. Choose thoughtfully, and you will find excellence on a crust :-)

    The service was very poor and almost nonexistent, idk if the guy had a horrible breakup or what but…read moreI felt bad for him, no hi when we walked in, no 'can I help you' or 'can I take you order' nothing like that at all, he just stood there, we were the only ones in there too. Another guy walked in and he did the same thing to him and the guy said thank you and the worker said nothing. It was very strange. The pizza somehow only tastes like a tomato, the cheese on both the regular and vegan pizza had no taste, the crust too, it all definitely needed seasoning. The bathroom was sooooo nasty and the toilet had something on it that I won't even discuss on here, just use your imagination, maybe the guy was mad about that?

    Photos
    Order here
    Order here
    Eta Pie
    Pizza box

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    Pizza box

    Thai Basil - thai - Updated August 2026

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