This is a pretty good Thai place with a cute atmosphere. The food is slightly pricier than most places, but I think you get what you pay for, and it's tasty here. My favorite item to get there: Mu Palo: braised caramelized pork shank served with steamed kale, egg, and garlic-chili dipping ~$14 It's so full of flavor that I've never had to use the dipping sauce. I would actually think this would make a great date place. It's not too expensive, and it's intimate enough to get to know someone. Plus it's right next to all the clubs and bars on 11th where you can continue your drinks. Even though it's slightly small on the inside, it's also usually not too busy at night, and I've never had to wait for a table. I would recommend making a reservation if you have a bigger party though because I think they only have one big table.
(4)
John W.
Bright Flavors, Friendly efficient service. Tried the goong pad mamuang and the pra ram rong song, both very good and cooked perfectly. Include the fried Wontons in your starters. Excellent for Lunch.
(4)
Denny L.
One of our favorite Thai places with fantastic coconut soup. Easy walk from Mid-Market. Cool building, and excellent service. Large portions support the prices. The Brussels sprouts were quite yummy. Sticky rice is very good too.
(5)
Brandon I.
I've always loved this place, I was here when they first opened up and I really hope that they are here to stay. The service is always good, the atmosphere is very chill, chic/urban and laid back. My first visit was dinner with a friend and we order just about everything on the menu. I enjoyed the food so much I decided to have my birthday here. It was great because they let me take the entire top level where they cleared out the tables and had a row of food and drinks to feed a small army. The bar area is small but cozy, the overall ambiance is dim but the well appointed interior makes it feel warm and well dressed. The music is good but sometimes hard to hear with all of the noise of other patrons drowning out a lot of the beat.
(5)
Aki N.
I was at Basil Canteen for a bachelorette dinner with twelve girls, so had the pleasure of trying a little of everything. I love the space, I loved the food and drinks, and only thing that holds this place from a true 5-star is its location... The restaurant smelled delicious even as we walked in the door. It's a cool loft kind of space, with exposed brick walls, dark steel girders, and blackboards for the bar and specials menu. We sat at the long communal tables with great heavy wood on the first floor. I think there's more dining room style upstairs Great cocktails and bar, with interesting sake and beer too. Had a kaffir vodka, lemongrass syrup & fresh lime. Saketinis were good too. I'm not an expert but it was a pretty comprehensive menu. Loved the larb gai so much we ordered it twice (I thought it was laap, but its the minced chicken with citrus and mint on lettuce wrap). Roti, yum. Papaya salad was solid. Pad si ew was good addition for carbs. Lamb chops, chicken curry, and a fish special I think. Pork shoulder, yummm...
(5)
Maria M.
I decided to try this place because of the Yelp high reviews... what a big disappointment. First, my shrimp entree had only 4 prawns. My chicken pumpkin curry tasted like coconut milk right from the can, pumpkin was only partially peeled, chicken lacked any flavor. The green curry also lacked the right balance of flavors and eggplant was practically raw and not edible. I will never go back!
(1)
Ty T.
Formerly a old brewery, this location is vastly lofty in feel, yet sensibly comforting through their dishes that deliver a sense of home-cooked nostalgia. The pumpkin prawns in red curry is so delectable, a bit tangy, and offers me all the comfort I need for a night spent alone. However, be advised that they really do not skimp on the heat when something is labeled as spicy.. it might make you a bit teary-eyed.
(4)
Tiffany V.
I did like this place and I may actually come back but my curse follows me! This poor review will probably mean nothing to many of you but there was a rogue piece of meat in my dish and my date and I both didn't order meat entrees! I don't eat meat so obviously I was all wtf when I saw it. Ughhhh. I seriously always find unwanted stuff in my food! God only knows where it came from and then my mind starts wandering thinking it was a dirty dish or pan my food was cooked in gahhh. Everything else was great though so I may actually come back. $70 for two drinks, appetizer, two entrees, two bowls of rice, and dessert. Ambiance was great. We sat upstairs and I've been told you never have to make reservations here because there is always room and there really was!
(2)
Jeff A.
We went early before a show at Slim's down the block, where we wanted to be at 7:00 sharp. Excellent service with our 45 minute time frame. The food was good and reasonably priced, and the location with big open spaces and brick walls is very inviting in a SOMA sort of way.
(4)
Rae R.
Came here on 2 separate occasions! One with my ladies for lunch time and it was so yummy! We ordered the pumpkin squash curry! My 2nd time here was on a date night with my boyfriend. And it was again, very satisfying. The food here is very flavorful and interesting and modern thai. The service is very good.
(5)
Anya R.
This Thai place was a perfect pre party spot for The Prince concert at DNA Lounge (which is on the same street) we attended on a Wednesday night. We made reservations for a large party (which is recommended as there is not a ton of big tables.) Service was somewhat slow because it was really busy but everything was tasty. The best part is that they had really authentic Thai food on the menu! They had dishes that are NEVER in restaurants (you mostly find in homes) and it was so yummy. Good for them for taking that type of risk (since a lot of people may not love it.)
(4)
Mike M.
Skip the Mu Hang Lei unless you like overcooked, lower quality meat in an slimy gravy. Try the curries. Service was okay for lunch, but two tourists left after being seated and not getting a server for over 10 minutes.
(2)
Michael H.
We ate here before a musical theater outing and I can't really say anything bad about Basil Thai. The food, service, and setting is good. The prices are decent and you get what you expect. The only thing that's a bit weird is the main table is slanted sideways. And it does feel like you're eating in a tech loft. Try Basil Thai if you want decent Thai food with decent portions at a decent price. Don't expect to be blown away but the food is satisfying.
(4)
Ed U.
I'm such a fan of its older sister operation a few blocks east on Folsom, Basil Thai ( yelp.com/biz/basil-thai-… ), that I didn't make a point of coming here when the location changed its identity from the Public House, which I would describe as a pre-NOPA NOPA-type of upscale eatery. The brick-wall warehouse loft vibe is still here, which makes the presence of Thai cuisine a bit of a head scratcher. So how does Canteen compare to its accomplished sister? Well... have you ever seen that "Brady Bunch" episode where Jan is so jealous of Marcia that she tries out for cheerleader despite showing the graceless moves of an elephant in heat. Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!... well, Basil Canteen is not that awkward, but it doesn't quite measure up either. The ingredients are similar, but the execution somehow lacks confidence, that level of polish that I was hoping I'd experience. Jamie W. and I enjoyed a free plate of roasted peanuts seasoned with green onions. We ended up sharing three dishes. First up was the $10 Crab Fried Rice, pretty good with the scallions but a bit stingy on the crabmeat (see photo). The second dish was also in the "pretty good" range. It was the $13 Praram Rong Song, which was grilled skirt steak in a pool of curried peanut sauce accompanied by an abundance of green - broccolini, asparagus, snap peas, green beans, cucumber slices (see photo). It was certainly flavorful enough but just a remarkably uncreative dish. But I have to reserve most of my marginal disappointment for the $10 Kana Moo Grob (see photo). The sight of "pork belly" on a menu always puts me in a happy place, but I didn't like how they crisped up pieces like pork rinds which made it quite difficult to enjoy the fork-tender meat on the inside. It came on a bed of sauteed broccoli. All the food was reasonable enough but being blown away was definitely not in the cards that evening. The place was remarkably empty since it was a dark Sunday night at Slim's, but the echoes of the staff in the kitchen were quite audible. FOOD - 3 stars...reasonably good Thai but overshadowed by its big sister down the street....Marcia! Marcia! Marcia! AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...like the cavernous loft though we did catch it on a quiet night SERVICE - 2.5 stars...a bit awkward, not sure why...well, he did take back his offer of a free refill on our Diet Cokes TOTAL - 3 stars...as Marcia said when she broke a date with Charlie for the football captain, "Something suddenly came up."
(3)
Jo D.
I usually come here for the $1oysters on Thursday nights. The servers used to be very friendly and that was another reason I patronized this place. The Thai dishes are OK but there are other Thai restaurants that are better and more affordable. Now the waiters/waitresses are not as friendly (e.g. No smile, forced smiles). Sometimes even brusque. Hmmm what to do? 2.5 stars for giving me a dilemma.
(2)
Joe F.
The Miang Kum and Kiow Pu were fabulous apps. Thai Brussels sprouts and Gai Tod Pad Pik Khing wer outstanding.
(5)
Vivian W.
I recently hosted a party and was looking for a catered dinner for 25 people. I researched several Thai restaurants and decided that Basil Canteen's catering menu looked the best from the standpoint of variety and interesting options. Some restaurants seemed to only offer entrees with curry. In any case, I discussed my party with a guy named Russell as well as the manager Arun directly, and found both to be super helpful in recommending dishes, offering to modify dishes on their menu, giving me the heads up on spiciness (e.g. for the drunken beef he suggested that we tone it down to mild - moderate), etc. My party was coming up soon and I appreciated that Arun was also very responsive. Fast forward to the event, and I was really pleased with everything I ordered. Everything was super delicious, and I have eaten at a lot of the SOMA Thai restaurants so I can compare! (I am also a huge fan of Basil Thai, which turns out is the sister restaurant to Basil Canteen). I was asked by a lot of guests where the food was from because it was so good, everyone kept complimenting the food - I'm pretty sure they will become customers themselves soon. What's even better is that the food was so good catered in large portions! Last time I had Thai food catered by another SOMA restaurant, the catered food was nowhere as good as the food eaten in the restaurant itself - e.g. the curry was far too watery and the meat was hardly to be found. Smaller point but I also liked how the containers Basil Canteen uses are a bit smaller and much easier to handle. I ordered; - the papaya salad - the minced chicken salad (larb gai) - spicy! - drunken beef - spicy! - lemongrass chicken (yum) - white prawn and pumpkin curry (yum) - mixed vegetables in green curry (yum - lots of veggies...which I believe is different from the veggies in yellow curry which has lots of potatoes). - pad thai (popular as always) - pad see ew (nice change of pace) - brown/jasmine rice Everything was an A. I can't wait to eat the leftovers! The only thing that could have been any better is the delivery options. I could have picked the meal up myself (difficult in the middle of a party) but otherwise the only delivery option that Basil Canteen offers is through Waiters on Wheels, which charges 10+% on your bill (and this can get expensive for such a large order!) Several of the other Thai restaurants in SOMA do not charge extra for delivery. Having said that, both the restaurant and W.O.W were extremely on time, and I got the food exactly when they said I would. What a great experience working with Basil Canteen. And what delicious food!
(5)
Cori W.
Their vegetarian Pad Thai really is the best I've ever had.
(4)
Allison S.
I really, really wanted to like this place, and it was, as my rating would suggest, A-OK. But it nothing to write home about. The food was flavorful, but it was so greasy that I was left feeling icky after the meal. They have some pretty decent vegetarian options, and they're very willing to accommodate a tofu or veggie substitution whenever they can. The space is very cool though. It's lofty, with a second seating floor above the bar. It gets a little noisy, but it's not annoying. I'll probably be back, but I won't count it among my favorite places in town.
(3)
Daniel A.
First time here. Everything we ordered was excellent! Had the tofu pad Thai, brussel sprouts and a steak dish. Terrific service, seasonable prices in a very nice space. Loved it!
(5)
AJ V.
I just wanna hang out with you all night long Basil Canteen. Food: The food at Basil Canteen exemplifies what a menu with many options should be and that's consistent. I must say though, I have not found that one dish that makes me crawling back for more. With that being said, I have not been disappointed with a single dish I have eaten here. The grilled skirt steak with roti and green curry dipping sauce is jam packed with flavor and crispness from the roti bread. The larb salad, although a bit wonky and hard to eat was still flavorful and bright. The crispy pork belly with Chinese broccoli was a nice balance of bitterness from the greens, saltiness and spice from the sauce, and crispness from the belly. Service: The service here is always accommodating and pleasant. No pretentiousness here folks. Just good ol' fashioned hospitality at its best. Ambience: I think the Basil Canteens space is one of the best things it's got going for itself. Lovely brick walls and communal tables near the bar provide the diners with a fun and urban atmosphere. The mezzanine area is just the perfect place to hide away with a few friends for an intimate get together. Verdict: One of the best spots for Thai inspired small plates and lounge type dining in the city. Seriously. So go!
(4)
Breanne D.
They have unique Thai dishes, not just the same thing you see at every Thai place. Great cocktails and wine selection too. The taro fries are awesome! Love the setting too -- laid back and modern.
(4)
Nina M.
I was excited to celebrate my birthday at Basil Canteen, relying on the assuring reviews from fellow yelpers. Last night, a group of 9 of us had dinner (Saturday night, 7:30) at this restaurant & the experience was less than pleasant. I was pleased with the food; I tried the mango prawns, papaya salad, & pad kee mao. All were tasty, but the portions were on the smaller side. While the food was good, it did not compensate for the unpleasant service we received from our waitress. She must have been having a terrible day, because her behavior was not appropriate in any other case. Not only did she not smile during the entire evening, but this young woman expressed disdain when any of my guests asked her any type of simple question about the menu. When my boyfriend asked if they could do something since it was my bday, she gave him attitude & said that they would ONLY do it if he ordered something from the menu (as to suggest that we were trying to skimp the restaurant). Needless to say, the dessert was brought out w/o a smile. Also, the second level, where we were seated, was very stuffy & hot. I was wearing a light dress & I was still breaking a sweat. The poor service really took away from my birthday experience.
(2)
Kristeen O.
We were satisfied with the cocktails, service, and food- good ambiance (cool, old brick building, comfy large space). Portions are small, and flavorful for my taste. BF wasn't as impressed with his pad thai, and friends thought their dishes were ok (we ate everything though), but didn't think anything was super spectacular. We'd come here again if we were in the area.
(3)
Moua L.
I heard many great things about this place before getting a large catering order from here. With trust to the reviewers and limited time, I decided to order for a party of 50. The manager was nice and even though he wasn't so good about getting back to me a few times about the order, he came through in the end. He gave me his recommendations on how much would be enough for 50 people and I made some edits to fit my budget. Even though I edited down the menu, I think what I ended up getting was still enough for 50. So here it is: 1. Pad si ew Q (1.5 trays) = $100 (wide rice noodle with 'gai lan' broccoli, egg, and pork stir-fried with yellow bean and sweet soy 2. Satay Gai Q (40) = $100 (grilled chicken skewers with 'satay' peanut sauce) 3. Giow Grob Q (30 Shrimp & Pork) (30 Veggie) = $50.40 (fried wontons) 4. Pau Pia Yuan Q (30-shrimp) (30-Tofu) = $50.40 (pau pia yuan fresh hand rolls of shrimp, bean sprouts, cucumber, mint, cilantro, & asparagus tip served with crushed peanuts and lime vinaigrette w/ crushed peanuts & lime vinaigrette Tax = $31.88 Total = $332.68 Feel free to use my order list if you plan on getting Thai food for a party. I chose these items on the list, because they are great as finger foods and not as messy.
(4)
David B.
so awesome with a gluten free menu!
(5)
Ashley Elena E.
Made a reservation through OpenTable for a Monday evening before a performance at Davies Hall, but when we walked in it was nearly empty, so it looks like we didnt even need one. The building itself is really well kept, very clean and modern/dark interior. The food was FANTASTIC! The menu was varied, so many choices to choose from. Everything was delicious. We started off with satay gai (chicken satay with some great sauce), and kiow pu (Thai shrimp wontons) which were the perfect sized plates. We also split plates of kang ped bpet yang (roasted duck breast & baby bok choy) and kiow wan neur (slow cooked beef short ribs)... thank goodness for the online menu because I never would have remembered the names. The portion sizes again were perfect and great for sharing. The prices are extremely reasonable and the atmosphere is very good for conversations. This place lends itself well to big groups as well as intimate dinner experiences. Service was quick and attentive. Would definitely come back to this spot, especially for happy hour to try out the drink specials!
(4)
Tammy C.
(See pics) Happy Hour is great! $5 for taro fries was a lot of food as a snack and was also very crispy and taro taste. Other "snacks" include chicken satay, fried shrimp and pork wonton, fresh rolls with hrimp and vegetables, smoked Chiang Mai pork sausage, etc. The other appetizer I had was jumbo prawns with Thai Chili-lime dressing which was very good and fairly spicy! It's $11 but and was worth every bite of it.
(4)
Sky L.
Yum
(4)
Josh B.
Yum.
(5)
Steven Y.
good
(4)
Mary H.
I love Basil Canteen. I went there with a party of what started out at the beginning of the week with 12 people and I kept upping my reservations through the week to eventually 16 people. They made it work for us. Because we had a party of 16, they created a pre-fix menu for us. The pre-fix menu was perfect. The $25 (before service & tax) was so worth it for the amount of food we got. It was family style which included appetizers, 6 different dishes and dessert. The chicken skewers with peanut sauce was the best I've ever tasted. Thai chicken skewers at thai restaurants tend to be on the dry side but not at this place. The pad thai noodles were perfectly cooked and we loved the mince chicken with eggplant. We also had a prawn curry dish and the prawns were super juicy and the curry was light. Thank you Basil Canteen for being so accommodating with last minute changes for such a large party.
(4)
Victor H.
Food is off the freagin chain here. A little pricey but so is all freagin excellent food. The fact that it's in an old brick building in downtown SF makes it even more appealing to me. It's a great place and you should eat there. I forget what they're called, but the little lettuce wraps with ground beef are tremendously good!
(5)
Candice T.
We were on our way to the DNA Lounge for Ãœmloud, a yearly charity event that gives generously to Child's Play. And we arrived early enough to have a decent sit-down dinner. Relatively close to the venue was Basil Canteen, a corner gem on Folsom. Thai service done right with a memorable and savory menu to boot. I had Praram Rong Song. Clever peanut sauce over premium cuts of steak and a side of steamed greens. I especially enjoyed the strong taste of their kale mixed in with the greens. Can I go back and emphasize how surprised and delighted I was at the quality of the skirt steak? It's easy to throw in a lot of fatty pieces to a skirt cut, but this place didn't skimp on the good stuff! Boyfriend had the drunken beef. It was delightful and peppery with a hint of chili spice. We were in and out in great time, with prompt and competent service. Never once did we have to flag down our server to take our order, remind her to refill our waters or give us our check. It was just like dining at a real restaurant that cares about their customers. I liked the ambiance and the decor. And I was especially a big fan of the environmental controls. We arrived on a cold day and my hands thawed fitfully without the rest of me (or my date) being suffocated.
(5)
Carolyn A.
Though I do like this place, it's pretty out of the way and if you come at the wrong (or rather, right/peak) time, then you are in for a wait. Downstairs is a communal table, but upstairs has more private seating. The food is pretty good, I had a really predictable dish- pad thai, and they have a happy hour menu, but it's quite limited. The service is friendly but not that attentive depending on the time. We got there and it wasn't so busy so it was pretty prompt but as soon as it started filling up, it was apparent they were understaffed. I would come here again if my friends wanted to, but otherwise, I don't think I would make the drive out (only street parking).
(3)
Lo Y.
The foods were too greasy and heavy and creamy to be authentic. It may appeals to others, but not me.
(2)
Lyn C.
3.5 stars. Finding this place was a bit difficult. It is the corner brick building with no big sign. Basil Canteen is modernized thai food with a nice ambiance. The food is not authentic but still not too bad. We had lots of food, family style, but I was only really fond of the basil chicken. I can't remember everything at the table, but from what I can recall: - pau pia: crispy rolls- ehh... - satay gai: chicken w/peanut sauce - gai pad bai kra prao: basil chicken - praramrong song: steak with peanut sauce- better w/o the sauce - kang kua goong: shrimp pumpkin curry - something eggplant - chicken yellow curry - fried banana w/ice cream The service was great and it was a good dinner. Nice place for large groups. I'd like to try out the other items on the menu (mostly the duck items).
(3)
Diana Y.
--------WEDDING REHEARSAL DINNER-------- I held my wedding rehearsal dinner here a few weeks ago and I'm SO pleased with how great it turned out! The food was delicious, the service was so attentive and friendly, and the price was pretty affordable for Sa
(4)
Brad B.
I FOUND IT... After literally 10 years of searching, I finally found a Thai restaurant that serves SAKU SAI MOO... the absolutely delicious, delightful, and extremely rare appetizer that I have only seen on the menu's in Bangkok until I visited Basil Canteen with some colleagues during a business trip to San Francisco in September of 2013. The Saku Sai Moo was terrific and so were the rest of the wonderful Thai dishes we had, including the Mu Hang Lei and the mangos and sticky rice for dessert. This place has sort of a fusion spin on traditional Thai food - I can only say it was beyond excellent. Oh do I love Asian food in San Fran!
(5)
Linh D.
Came here for a bday event, can't really judge much, large parties are forced with a set course family style menu. All the plates were decorated nicely enough and appealing while some were just meh-ah, to begin with the courses we had chicken satay, crispy vegetable rolls, drunken beef, grilled skirt steak, prawns and japanese pumpkin curry, mild yellow curry, and I think pad kee mao it was some sort of noodle, but i forgot exactly what. Everything was tasty, but if individually ordered would be slightly pricey. The drinks were okay, it's almost like all classic drinks had a twist of some sort of asian fusion to it, wasnt strong enough or either my alcohol content level is just too high, LOL. Overall good food with great company, and food were just right for everyone to share, I believe there were about 4 course meals sets that were shared for a total of close to 20 people? Not bad
(4)
Asher P.
They get 4 stars because they happened to be busy and it took a while to get our food. If it came earlier, they would have 5 stars. The food is fantastic! Try to come when they're not packed and you will eat good!
(4)
Pam S.
First of all I really liked how this place looks and feel. The combination of brick and hard wood totally turned the place with style. There's a big communal table downstairs. When I come back I'll make sure to sit on that table, I love communal dining. Upstairs, wether it be small or a not so small groups, there's a table for you. Our menu was served family-style so everyone got a chance to try everything. I did notice the food was coming in real slow. Good thing the people at my table were busy keeping me entertained, I didn't mind the wait. We got small plates of the paper wrapped cellophane noodles (not really a fan as it's fried) and the satay chicken (this I like, the peanut sauce with the pickled onion and cucumber, yum). We have 6 different entrees: - white prawn with curry - steak in peanut sauce with sauteed vegies - tofu with grilled vegies in curry - pork with eggplant and curry - minced chicken Everything was really really good...the minced chicken was my favorite. Spicy with the mix of the basil flavor. One cute addition was the menu paper wrapped around tea candles. Clever decor!
(4)
Danlu F.
I'm writing this review not because of the food - actually I didn't eat there. My cell died today and I was not sure if my friend and I will meet here or the other Basil Thai restaurant, so I poped in to check if she's there waiting for me - it turns out , no luck. So I was asking a staff here if I can borrow their computer to find out my friend's phone number. He seated me, offered me his personal iPhone to login my google account, with a land-line phone to call my friend, a paper to jot down her number, and even a glass of water! This is so sweet, really made my day! Thank you! Definitely will come back for food again!
(5)
Kash B.
Solid place... plenty of space for a large group. The food was pretty good too.
(4)
Marie G.
Great place for consistently good food. Fast, friendly service and nice atmosphere. I suggest their tapioca dumpling appetizer, but make sure to eat them with the jalapeno condiment which they don't serve with the dish, but you can ask for.
(5)
Rebecca C.
Great place, much quieter than the sister restaurant 4 blocks away where the waiter took 5 min to take my reservation after i repeated the request 8 times (which I abandoned, fearing the NYC restaurant noise level). I really liked the banana wrapped fish (but we had to send back for it to be recooked to its tender state). And the fresh mango with sweet rice is much better than expected, especially with a side order of coconut ice cream. Skip the crab fried rice (not enough crab). Duck curry was decent but not stellar.
(4)
Serge A.
Wowzers! The food here is Orgasmic, so watch out! I haven't had Thai like this before. Definitely returning here next year when I visit San Francisco again. Bonus: After dining here "DNA Lounge" (Best SF Nightclub) is down the street.
(5)
Jen H.
I had a midday break and decided to grab a late lunch solo here. A friend I deeply love and care about has expressed a desire to get Thai food the next time we're together (which unfortunately is rare), so I feel motivated to try places and pick out a winner in advance! The menu selection is a huge plus. There are lots of choices I haven't seen on other Thai menus, so I had a hard time deciding. However, based on a see-if-the-basics-are-good-first approach, I opted for pad thai and khanom guay chai and a side of peanut sauce. Conclusion: it's only ok. Both dishes were good on flavor but really flopped in texture (*mushy, like poi*). The peanut sauce was very good.
(3)
Rachel S.
This review is for Wednesday Happy Hour only! A girlfriend and I set out for a quick "happy hour catch up session" and found our usual spot closed. The Basil Canteen was the first place we found with a happy hour menu, so in we went. The architecture is beautiful exposed steel and brick with graceful arching windows. There is a long community table (almost a San Francisco cliche) and smaller tables and bar seating on the first floor. We had two rounds of drinks (6$ ea) and two rounds of appetizers (5$) each. Note: this is the "Shaken But Not Stirred" Wednesday pricing - the cocktails are otherwise 8 - 10$ ea. The Grey Hound Soma (Ketel One and fresh grapefruit juice) was excellent, the Silky Sky (lychee liquer, skyy vodka, fresh grapefruit) and Full Moon (House infused ginger vodka, pear, and cranberry) were pretty good, and the Mortar & Pestle (Bacardi, mint, lime & lemongrass) was also excellent. Overall the cocktails are exceedingly fresh and mild tasting, without being overwhelming or full of sugar. Alcohol content is about right. The crispy vegetable rolls were fried to perfection, the chicken satay and shrimp spring rolls were fresh and tasty - the peanut vinaigrette for the spring rolls gave a nice kick to what can be a slightly flavorless roll. The "tapioca dumplings with pork & nuts" are a must order! Do not be intimidated here, they are just golf ball sized tapioca balls with a little shredded pork and ground nuts inside. Where else would you ever get to order this? Overall - the service was great and the price was right.
(4)
Teri X.
Went for the first time for Happier Hour on 8/7/12. I had their soft veggie/shimp rolls and the chicken satay. The rolls were very large and quite flavorful. I specifically ordered the chicken for the peanut sauce and was not disappointed! Thick and gooey, with enough extra that I really wanted to lick the plate. Did not have cocktails, service was attentive and quick as they were not very busy. Maybe a bit early?? A solid 3.5 for me as I did not try many of their items, but will go back.
(3)
Kellie N.
I absolutely love this Thai restaurant. Beautiful decor and the food is always great! I love the cocktail menu and their brown rice is perfect with every dish they serve!! In a weird part of town, but a favorite that I keep going back to for really good Thai!
(4)
Christy Z.
I'm a sucker for exposed brick and turning industrial spaces into restaurants and living spaces. The interior of Basil Canteen is a great example of that transformation done well. I also really liked that there was the large community table downstairs and upstairs, smaller tables. My friend and I were giving a table upstairs and had we been on a date it would have been very secluded and romantic. On to the food, which was equally worth noting. I had the Goong Pad Mamuang (just don't ask me to pronounce that) with fresh tiger prawns and sweet mango wok-fried with basil, garlic, chili sauce. It was delicious, perfectly sized and very generous with the shrimp. I would definitely order it again. My friend had the chicken lettuce wraps and summer rolls, also very good.
(4)
Tiffany F.
The duck with lichee fruit blew my mind. You must try it! Just incredible. Everything else was good as well and fantastic service. Classy / modern decor. No they are not paying me for this review. LOL The only downside is it is a very sketchy neighborhood even during the day. I parked a block away and had to walk by by a dude holding a crowbar. I thought I might have to go shaolin kung fu on him at any moment... luckily he didn't flinch.
(5)
Julie G.
Roti appetizer - roti was extremely oily Green curry - too thick and not flavorful brussel sprouts w/ Pork belly - nice flavors and certainly an interesting combination Overall - there are better places for green curry in SF
(2)
Justin D.
Very friendly service and the food and atmosphere was great. I will be back!
(4)
Helen D.
Lick your lips good! We ordered: - Two saketinis (how can you go wrong with sake-filled lychees?) - Pau Pia Yuan (fresh spring rolls) - Peurk Tod (taro fries) - Miang kum (heavenly lettuce wraps) - Sakhoo saimu (tapioca pork dumplings) - Goong tod yum mamuang (prawns and mango) - Deep fried banana / coconut ice cream dessert Best item by far: Miang kum. A-MAZ-ING!! A must try! Filler food: Peurk Tod. (Although, the peanut sauce was exceptionally light and creative in flavors, unlike other thai places I've tried) Recommend: Ordering many appetizers (instead of entrees). The atmosphere was extremely cute (loved the brick and the modern interior) and the service was perfect. Hope to return sometime soon!
(4)
T C.
This place is okay. I don't know why this place is so expensive, and you don't get very much on a plate. The food is good, I just don't think it should cost so much. There's a good amount of parking.
(3)
James Z.
We loved this place! Recommended by front desk guy at hotel. Ambience and food were great--especially shrimp, drunken beef, green onion pancakes. Yum!!!
(5)
Tommy M.
The place has a very modern look and their set up is pretty cool in my opinion. My family and I came to SF for a family trip and though we'd take our mama out to a bday dinner at an asian place. Very good decision, the prices are reasonable, food is above average and their service is on point. If your looking for an above average thai restuarant with fair prices, this is yo place. Parking is just a little weird though, we had to park in this alley. Be careful about homeless people trying to charge you for parking though. This homeless guy with a construction worker vest told us it was 5 dollars for parking at the start of the alley which we ignored because I had suspicions. I asked a business owner there and he said it was free parking for anyone as long as its within the hours. That little punk right? lol
(5)
Christine W.
This place is ok as in its a little bit expensive for thai food in my opinion but it is a nice clean place, so I suppose you are paying more for the atmosphere and presentation of dishes. All the dishes here are tasty and flavorful its really the prices that keeps me from giving this place one or 3 more stars. Go for the kao soi neur...mmm spicy egg noodles with beef is super delicious but sometimes can get messy. I always go for the laarb gai or the papaya salad as these dishes are always super fresh and packed with spicy flavors.
(3)
Diana V.
We decided to check out this place on a Saturday night at 6:30 PM. The restaurant was pretty empty, with just a few tables full. The decor inside was cool and classy, and I enjoyed the ambiance upstairs. The location of the restaurant is great, as it is down the street from Slim's. However, the Thai food they served left something to be desired. Looking over the menu, we arrived at a consensus of what to order for our party of 5. We started with the goong tod yum mamuang which is the lightly fried tiger prawns with cashew nuts and green mango appetizer, perfect to split. It was lip-smacking good, though it did take a good half hour to get to our table. We waited another half hour for our entrees. A full hour since we have been in the restaurant. By that time, we were so hungry, we would have eaten cardboard. Our entrees consisted of: Kana moo grob, or fried pork belly with broccoli, which was so horribly overcooked that one of my friends couldn't even bite into his piece and thought that he had a bone on his plate! Pad thai, with sauce so sweet that it was difficult to enjoy the noodles, prawns, and tofu. By far the best dishes on the table were the gai pad gra prow, stir-fried chicken with eggplant, chili, and holy basil and also the kang kua mu, which is braised pork shoulder and pumpkin in red curry. The half-and-half in the Thai iced coffee was poured with a heavy hand. I do give the waiter credit for attentively clearing our empty plates and glasses throughout the meal, and filling our water glasses. There is better Thai food out there in the city.
(2)
liz c.
Delicious food. Warm and fast service. Great space for lunch meetings. No parking. Worth trying: Gai pad prow with prawns, pad kee mao, pad thai and Thai milk tea. Had I been with more adventurous people, this would have been a perfect place to try a few Thai dishes I've never had before. Definitely coming back soon!
(4)
Angela L.
Hey hey hey....what can I say. Thai food. YUMMY!!!!!!! Girls Nite Out here. Need I say more.......... It was very refreshing to know a place like this still exists and of all thing....a Thai place. We reserved the place for 10. 7 showed up. Not bad for a Friday nite outing with my highschool GFs. We were seated at this large, long table that could easily seated for about 20. In a way, we are the center of attention you might say. It is different from all the other thai restaurants i have been in the bay area. I must give them prop for such a place. Nice, scenic decor and very warm feeling as you enter into a non-traditional Thai setting. Instead you get a industrial, modern looking setting. We started out of course with drinks, half of us got red wine and the other half went traditional...with thai ice tea. It was delicious. We ordered the large appetizer which included spring rolls, egg rolls, fried crab dumplings to new a few. They were very tasty. Not the best I had but nonetheless, very good. We all decided to do a family style dinner in which each one of us orders a plate and we all shared. Yipeee! That means you don't have to just settle for one entrees. We got 7 instead. For the life of me, I can not remember one single plate that we ordered but that they were good. I highly recommend this restaurant. All in all, good decor, serviceis great and above all, the food is deliciou........s.
(4)
Blake B.
I went to Basil Canteen earlier this week and overall I would say it was ok. Nothing blew me out of the water but everything was tasty. I went early and the was hardly anyone there. The wait staff wasn't great as they didn't know when to approach us, took our menus before we had fully ordered and didn't get my main meal correct. All of the various appetizers had a good flavor. For my main meal I had ordered pineapple beef but was served something else and while it was tasty it want what I was looking for. Basil Canteen wasn't anything out of the ordinary but sometimes that's not a bad thing as long as you know what you're getting in to.
(3)
Koshika S.
good food, good cocktails and good service. They were really nice about one cocktail i didn't like and returned, kudos to the bartender for making me a new and better one. They accommodated a really big group of us, and were very helpful with high chairs etc for the kids. Great space if you have a large group and don't want to be crammed into the smaller sister resto.
(4)
Pooja S.
Good food and cocktails. The big table downstairs was super loud so we couldnt really talk but I am hoping the next time people are a little more considerate and not shouting over each others voice. Def a must go for foodies
(4)
R. Karl H.
Pretty good! I love the brick facade exterior and interior and the Thai lime green wall. It even has a cool loft for more seating. Food is decent (I had the chicken satay) and the Full Moon (house infused ginger vodka, pear, cranberry) was unique and delicious. Service was attentive.
(4)
Emma F.
Best Thai food I've had in as long as I can remember. Great ambiance, low key and good service. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Kenny J.
I came here for a friend's bday dinner with about a dozen people. We got to try a lot of the dishes, but it was hard to do family style even though we split the table into two groups. All the dishes were pretty good, but the portions seemed a bit small. Presentation was good though. I loved the grilled lamb with red curry, but again, very hard to share with 5 or 6 others. If you really want to do family style, probably best to pick fewer dishes, but get two of each. We basically each picked one and then shared. Ambiance is nice and modern and service was good. There were two other birthdays that night. lol! Also, the place erupted as the Giants clinched the pennant and punched their ticket to the World Series. :) We shared a few desserts and I liked the coconut ice cream the best. The others were just ok. Street parking is pretty easy in this area, I found a spot only a block away.
(4)
Rebecca S.
The food wasn't bad, it just wasn't anything to gush about. Not a huge drink menu, but good happy hour specials. Servers were nice, and I like the loft, exposed-brick look.
(3)
Priscilla T.
Two words: crispy. Rolls. I died and went to silver noodle heaven. Normally crispy rolls/egg rolls/imperial rolls aren't exactly like inventing the wheel but these things were like Christmas and 4th of July on my birthday. Why so good? Heavy on the silver noodles and carrots, light on the typical cheap fillers like cabbage (boo hiss). Anyway, everything was fantastic from the turnip cake to the banana leaf sea bass to the pad see ew. The menu has tons of variety and not just your garden variety Thai either. Have some fun and try some of the more exotic dishes! The bartender even whipped up some alcoholic Thai iced teas for my friends on request. He called it a Siamese Dream :) This is pretty much the first really good Thai place I've found in SF (ok, ok fine. Osha has some pretty good noodles). And icing on the cake: very reasonable prices ($26 per person incl drinks and apps).
(4)
Suzanne C.
Time: 8-9pm. Noms: Bpet Rad Kang (Duck with lychee and pineapple curry) and Drunken Beef with a side of jasmine rice. Quaffs: Mortar & Pestle (mojito with lemongrass) and saketini (sake with lychee). Tab: $52.57 Notes: waitress a bit curt, water never empty, long wait.
(4)
Betty N.
Thai food, come hither. We reserved half of the communal table for our party of 8 and experienced a great Thai dinner with wonderful drinks and an accomodating staff. Loved the creative fusion cocktails, from lychee to sour whiskey, all very good ($9-$12). Their specials and concoctions are scribbled on the black board. We ordered some poo ja ($8) and kang kiow roti ($8) as appetizers and since I love their green curry so much, I had the kang nuer with shrimp ($16). The appetizers came out within 10 minutes but the main entrees took more than 45 minutes. The staff noticed our impatience, so they gave us a free round of drinks. Now, that is good customer service! The food is like eating in Thailand. Best green curry around! Very reasonably priced, good food and good cocktails, you can't beat that triple combo. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
(4)
Cindy W.
Don't know why I haven't been here sooner, but Basil Canteen is a great Thai option. Why? Let me enumerate: 1. Decor / Atmosphere: It's a beautiful building, an old brewery with exposed aged brick, 2 story + ceilings, open layout, elegant colors, 2 floors of seating. 2. Friendly Service: Staff here are knowledgeable, attentive and friendly. They are polite and treat you as if they appreciate you being there. What a novel idea. 3. Tasty Drinks: The cocktails are yummy, or at the very least the Saketini ($8) made with negori sake + lychee puree was very yummy. The negori sake is so smooth that you can't really taste the alcohol. Just the way I like it. 4. Daily Specials: Basil Canteen offers various specials from Happy Hour $5 app plates M-F, to Days of the Week Specials like $1 Oysters on Thursdays. They certainly give you a reason to come back. 5. Food Options: BC has an interesting list of menu items not typical of most Thai restaurants which makes dining here really fun. We tried a few: - Peurk Tod ($6) = taro fries. Like these in general but was expecting them to be even more deeply fried. This was like a healthy version of fries (if that's possible). - Pik-khing Pbet ($11.50) = duck curry with lychee. Yum! I tried to control myself and not scoop out all the big whole lychee balls. I really like this interpretation of red curry. And there were actually bites of duck. - Kana Moo Grob ($10) = crispy pork belly with gai lan. This was the favorite by far. Probably because the pork belly was cooked to a super nice crisp, not the overly hard hurt your teeth kind, but the wow, sink your teeth into the skin crispy and savor the flavor kind. Mmm. The remaining 3 dishes were good but not particularly noteworthy: - Drunken Beef ($11.50) = This was straight up beef, but rather had eggplant, green beans, lemongrass and chili. It was spicy and made my lips slightly numb. Not bad, just different. - Pad Kee Mao ($9.50) =stir-fried wide noodles with Thai basil. Typical. - Pla Pao Bai Tong ($15) = seabass in banana leaf. Somehow this wasn't my favorite. Maybe the fish was a little dry or lacking in flavor compared with the rest. Dessert: - Mango sticky rice - always good. - Fried bananas with coconut ice cream. Loved the coconut ice cream. 6. Space. There was lots of space. BC is still little known so there were plenty of tables. Good for us at least in the short term. Cool venue. Worth trying for sure.
(4)
Jocelyn J.
Went here for a work related lunch. Everyone's food looked great and was raved about, except what I ordered (shrimp salad with iceberg lettuce). Shrimp was good and spicy, the iceberg lettuce made it very boring and empty. Other than that, very good.
(4)
Sylvia W.
Great prices and very large portions. I like that it's open very late and the service is prompt.
(4)
Carpe D.
I am rating the happy hour when I go to happy hour I look at: - a HH that goes later than 6 pm --check ! (they call it the "happiest hour" ) we think alike :) - strong drinks fairly priced -- check! - Great food to absorb the drinks and fairly priced -- check! - Nice decor -- check! - Easy parking - check! Service was super fast not really personable but not rude just a little shy . REALLY a place to check out!!!
(5)
Kelly H.
Came here for HH/dinner before a concert at slims on Thursday 8/19 HH hour menu: $6 dollar signature cocktails, $3 Thai Beer, $5 snacks... refer to Genevieve for complete snack list Thursday's is also DOLLAR OYSTERS! Their oysters this thursday was from Marin. They were pretty and fresh... and they come with a special thai coctail sauce... tasty. I liked the Taro Fries on the snack list, really good with beer. The beef noodle soup is kinda salty... msg? For dinner we ordered the garlic noodles with the clam and the skirt steak curry noodle.... the garlic noodles were good, but the clams were not good... not really fresh... sorta muddy... groooddy!! i skip the clams next time unless they pre soak them for like a couple of hours before it's cooked.... the curry noodles were ookay... nothing to brag about for cocktail i had their saketini (nigori sake and lychee puree) and the full moon (ginger infused vodka, lime, cranberry, and pear), both were just ok... nothing i would rave about or get another time... they're more one and done cocktails for me... service at the bar was good... but was downhill from there once we moved to the communal table... decor is slightly renovated... exposed brick and structural beams... large wooden communal table. i wouldn't go out of my way to eat here... i actually prefer their parent restaurant Basil over the Canteen... it's a good place to HH before a concert at slims!
(3)
Will H.
Consistently one of my preferred Thai joints in town. The kaoh soi neur is LEGIT with the addition of a fried egg.
Considering I'm one of the millions of unemployed college graduates...this place is best when you're out in a group and sharing food! I think anything duck goes. The duck dish with lychee was really good. Granted the curry softened the crunchy skin a bit, but the savory lychee was DA BOMB.COM , as were the Tiger Beer, Beer Lao, and the kazi drink at the end of the cocktail list. That one was so refreshing for a warm SF night. Next time I'll try out the larb and papaya salad. Also, the server we had was a bit rude :( apparently, pumpkins are ALWAYS in season according to her? And she added drinks we had already paid at the bar...maybe she had a rough day.
(4)
Kelli H.
Came here last night during happy hour with a party of 3. Drinks and appetizers for $5?! YES! My mojito was very tasty & strong! Appetizers of veggie/tofu roll was great, as well as the curried duck dumplings -- yum! My pad thai wasn't the best I've ever had but it was still delicious. Plus, $10 for pad thai? Can't go wrong there. Service was friendly and attentive. I would definitely go back if I were in the area.
(4)
Carlie C.
Basil Canteen is great for large groups and has a casual setting with easy to make reservations. We came here for my roommate's birthday and they were able to accommodate a party of 16 of us. We shared a few appetizers and other things among everyone but the favorites were: +Pad See Yew with Chicken +Chicken Larb -Veggie rolls (mediocre) +Pork Belly with Chinese Broccoli They charge a $1.50 cake cutting fee per a person which isn't too bad since their entrees are priced decently. I would come here for a birthday dinner if you're looking for something low key and casual.
(4)
Joshua K.
Everything was delicious, and the service was great, but I drank to much to say much more than that. I'd definitely go back.
(4)
Christian C.
Amazing, delicious and transcendent. I have eaten at a lot of thai restaurants, and this is one of the best. Everything was amazingly delicious and well prepared. I loved the interior. It was very industrial chic with the exposed brick and beams and the overall warehouse feel to it. Its right on the corner and there are a lot of windows so can people watch while you eat. the service was very attentive. they were there when you needed them, not there when you didnt. now on to the food: Hand rolls: nothing amazing but very good. Sakhoo Saimu - tapioca pork dumplings: was not what i expected. The were room temperature and were encased in this jelly like tapioca skin. The insides were pork and peanuts. very interesting and very delicious Kao Soi Nuer - skirt steak with wide yellow noodles and lime coconut curry: it was amazing! they put a pile of crispy noodles on top which contrasts nicely with the soft noodles. the beef is flavorful and tender. The curry is delectable. Pineapple Braised Short Ribs in Green Curry: This was my favorite. Green curry is my favorite thai dish so this was quite a treat. the short ribs were fall-apart fantastic. The curry broth was perfectly balanced. And the pineapple soaked in curry is amazing. it still tasted like pineapple but not sweet which is hard to imagine, but its totally not what i expected. for dessert, we had the fried bananas and coconut ice cream. Nothing i havent had before, but it was very, very good. The cocktails are also great. Dont remember what i had, but it was good. The sakitini with lychee and sake was great. i wish i had ordered that. i definitely plan on coming back. I cant wait to come back, actually! Recommended.
(5)
Veronica N.
3.5 stars - great place for a group dinner. We came here this past Saturday and there were a few group celebrations going on, bachelorette and birthdays. Then venue is nice, we were seated upstairs. We had a group of 13. Service was attentive. Food was decent. We ordered a bunch or appetizers to share, some were good and some were just ok. I had the Pad Kee Mao for an entree and I loved it. Overall, I wouldn't mind coming back here - again, great place for groups! There is a $1.50/ person cake cutting fee.
(3)
Alex L.
GREAT Thai food with just the right amount of spice. This is my go-to place for thai food in the city. Great food, open fairly late and generally friendly staff. Drinks aren't their specialty but they have a decent beer selection.
(4)
Brett B.
I have mixed feelings about this place. The food seems to be hit-or-miss. I had an excellent seafood dish while my friend's food was overcooked and lacking in flavor. Similarly, the service was friendly but not very attentive.
(3)
Star B.
So this review comes a year after I've been there. (I know, I've been laggin') Threw my Birthday dinner here last year for a party of 20. We reserved the long wood table that they had that seated my party perfectly. Staff was super accomodating, especially giving us the option of not using their pre fixe menu (which btw, you're supposed to use when you have a party of more than 10 I believe). Great food, strong drinks, great ambiance, great staff...Perfect service.
(5)
Anthony D.
Three strikes and you're out BC. First time i order from them they told me 15minute pick up. I show up and they hadn't event started cooking my order. I had to sit there for 20 extra mins. Second time I ordered from them I got to pick up my food and they forgot my chicken satay. And today I order from them an make my order very clear and even make the lady in the phone repeat my order to me and the still forget my fried egg. Food is good but I suggest you dine in and never make a to go order.
(2)
Mot Y.
Solid, near the all leather shop in SOMA. Cool building and the food is consistent. All your favorites. Spice it babe.
(5)
Robert E.
The food is good but the service is subpar. As the place got busier, the more we were ignored, Ms when trying to pay the bill it took another 20 mins to get anyone's attention to take our money. I'll keep going to krua Thai instead. So the next day my stomach didn't really agree with me and this place. Again the food is good, but maybe I just ate too much of the coconut milk curry, but I was in pain the next day!
(3)
Peppe R.
Nah - I wouldn't bother. There are so many better Thai restaurants in the city.
(2)
Emilynne A.
I came here for a friend's birthday earlier this month, and I do have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. We were 30+ strong, so we ended up doing a pre-fixed menu to make accommodating our party size a little easier. The spring rolls were a lot better than I expected, and the service quite excellent. Honestly, the stars are for service more than anything else. I found the food to be a little bland, and lacking the spice and depth of flavor that I typically expect from Thai restaurants. Though that may have been more due to the size of the party, and the less adventurous dishes that were selected for the meal. I hear the drinks were amazing, though, and I didn't get the opportunity to try their dessert, so I will most likely be back to give them a second try. :)
(3)
Ryan M.
On a recent trip to SF, we had a small family dinner at Basil Canteen. We arrived fairly early in the evening and it was nearly empty (less one other table). The food was good. Everyone else with me enjoyed their meals immensely, but I wasn't a huge fan of my entree (pork hock) or the quality of the desserts. The staple dishes, like curry and pad thai, were delicious. The location is bit out from the touristy areas and near zero cabs pass by. The host kindly offered to call us a cab when we left.
(3)
Kristin F.
I thought we were going to Basil Thai after work today since our office is so close, but it turned out we were headed to Basil Canteen! Fine by me. I actually have a friend who lives above Basil Thai, the original restaurant, and I still have yet to make it though I have been by many many times. Anyway, Basil Canteen seemed like a solid choice. 4 of us were seated right away around 6:30ish, ordered drinks immediately, and watched the bartender shake from down the restaurant. The space is an old brewery, but most recently a Mexican restaurant. The waiter told us all about it. I could definitely tell it was an old brewery pub type place, wood detailing, high ceilings... the loft seating area looks cool, too, but we sat downstairs. I opted for a minty/basil Bacardi drink and the others ordered fruity martinis. There was still a happy hour special, so the $10 drinks were $6. There was also a great list of $5 "snacks" during happy hour- we picked out the wontons off the list and also shared the calamari and spring rolls, which I can't remember if they were on the HH menu. Now it's bugging me, so I'm going to look up the menu. For our entrees we picked out two prawn dishes- one was the special and cooked with wine, garlic, and...? It was good, as both prawn dishes were. The other was the Japanese pumpkin and red curry (fantastic), followed by the beef short ribs in green curry and chicken pad thai. I could probably eat green curry every day of my life... I just love thai curry these days, I don't know what it is. This was probably my favorite dish, though I LOVE seafood, and I don't think you can ever go wrong with prawns. The menu is interesting and the food is flavorful, the aura of the space is urban but still friendly. I like it. Also, here's my gift to you: $5 dishes from 5-7, M-F taro fries crispy vegetable rolls fried shrimp & pork wonton fresh rolls with shrimp & vegetables tapioca dumplings with pork & nuts crispy rice crackers with pork & shrimp curry dip smoked Chiang Mai pork sausage beef noodle soup chicken satay $3 Thai beers $6 canteen's cocktails
(4)
Jessica S.
Yum we went here for a wedding rehearsal dinner and they had all sorts of appetizers, entrees, and a dessert picked out for us. They had a nice selection of beer, cocktails and wine as well. I loved the family style serving style. We got to try so many dishes. We started w fresh hand rolls, crispy vegetable rolls, ckn skewers then went on to a variety of dishes including tofu, ckn, shrimp. Everything we tasted was great. The inside was different. More of a warehouse style restaurant with an upstairs w 2 large group tables and like 4 small tables and a downstairs with the same setup.
(4)
Winnie L.
Yummy! I found this restaurant by accident/convenience - I was waiting for my car to be serviced across the street and my kids were hungry. We decided to try it out and OMG it was delish! We got the pad si ew and the pineapple braised short ribs in green curry, and a side of peanut sauce. We practically licked the plates and forks clean, especially the peanut sauce! Will return for sure next time. Had to wait a bit for the food but that's ok, it was worth it.
(4)
Pat S.
A small update to my original review: In addition to ordering pad see ew, I have been giving their pra ram rong song a try during my last few visits. Pra ram rong song is a rice plate that contains slices of steak in peanut sauce with vegetables on the side... absolutely delicious because the steak is always slightly rare (you can still see the pink in the meat!) and tender. I like to substitute brown rice for white rice to give this dish a different flavor as well. The one downside about this dish is the price of $12.50! Otherwise, give it a try!
(4)
Angela D.
Used to come here a lot before moving: such a great place. I really miss it whenever I have Thai food elsewhere. The food is never less than awesome, staff is courteous, and the restaurant has great ambiance. Wish there were more places like this in the south bay (or any...)
(5)
Inigo M.
Best Thai food in SF (roti, tapioca dumplings, wild fish in banana leaf, dessert roti).
(5)
Lisa C.
yum! we had dinner here last night and had a nice experience. we ordered the pad kee mao, the chicken satay, and an order of sticky rice. the pad kee mao was super tasty and you get a pretty nice big portion for how little it costs. the chicken satay was really flavorful and cooked perfectly- moist and tender. the sticky rice was fine, but it hardened up pretty quickly and was hard to eat after a few minutes. service is quick and friendly, too, which never hurts.
(4)
Paul G.
Tried Basil Canteen on a Sunday evening a couple of weeks ago. First off I love the building, I am a total fan of the brick, wood and iron loft conversions and the BC guys have done a really good job. We sat upstairs and it was comfy, not too loud and not too hot (which lofts can sometimes be). The food was delicious - we stuck to the tofu and fish dishes this time, and everything was prepared very well. With a shared starter (the fresh summer rolls) and then two mains and a small side of brown rice, there was plenty of food, and we took enough home for another meal - luckily for me the next day. With drinks, this all totalled about $65. I would definitely go back.
(4)
Mark F.
This restaurant needs to either open its windows or invest in a/c. No air circulation. I was there thinking about the right guard commercial commercial that I had seen on TV, and hoping that their product did not fail me. Neat environment. Food was filling.
(2)
Carol K.
I gave Basil Canteen a 3 star but would give it a 3.5 star. Came here for dinner last night for one of my girlfriend's birthday. We had a group of 13 and service was pretty good. Some food was pretty good and some food was okay. Roti and fried wontons was pretty good for appetizers. Regular wontons, egg omelet, and crab cakes were just okay. As for entrees, my pork belly didn't have much taste and my husband's Pad See Ew was a little too salty. Some of our other friend's food looked pretty good but we didn't try. We may come back to give it another try.
(3)
Mimi T.
I was really sad to find that Public is gone..replaced by this Thai place. I had a chance to check it out last night....and doubt that this place will be around for long. The cushy lounge area by the bar has been replaced by a long communal table...other than that, the decor is pretty much the dame. The folks there seem nice but service is really slow and spotty. We tried a couple of the appetizers and they weren't anything compelling. Doubt I will be returning anytime soon. By the time I do..the place will probably be something new.
(3)
Earle H.
Well now this place was a pleasant surprise! I was hanging out grabbing dinner with some friends. I wasn't even planning on going to SF but be that as it may, that's where we ended up. I found this place as an alternative option since our first restaurant choice was closed for a private function. I wasn't expecting anything great since it was a back-up plan but damn!!! The food was really good here!!! We had a good variety of dishes including dishes that included shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, and crab. I don't remember the names but what I remember most is that everything I stuck my chopsticks into was very flavorful without being overpowering. That includes the cocktails that we ordered as well. You know when something tastes really good and you find yourself eating even after your stomach says, "Oooookay. We're good! ...Please stop now. ...Please?" Yeah, well, be prepared for that when eating here. As for me and the Terminator, WE'LL BE BACK.
(4)
gwynnie p.
So sad to find that the Turnip Cakes have been discontinued! The waitress said that lots of patrons have been petitioning the chef to bring them back....so I am officially adding my name to the petition!
(3)
Rosers M.
We stumbled across this place when taking a Mini Cooper for a test drive - realizing we were too poor to buy the Mini, we thought coming to a trendy and hip place like this would be good for the ole' self esteem (mission accomplished). Basil Canteen is a dream come true - Happy Hour (they call it "Happier Hour" - funny) at a Thai place. The decor is cool - it feels very old-school industrial with the exposed brick, glass, and metal, a bit like New York club meets SF hipster. The crowd was pretty nice as well - the place packs in at happy hour and with a good mix of FiDi yuppie and Duboce Triangle yippie it hits just the right level of rowdy. Unfortunately, the food is pretty blah as far as Thai fare goes - we had a few of the $5 apps, pad thai, and crab fried rice (say it with me..."kao pad poooooo") and it was all a-OK. All in all, one star for the decor/location, a second for the crowd, and third for the inexpensive prices - minus one star for food quality and a second for a lame beer selection while having a creative bar...
(3)
joyce l.
My sister recommended this place and I was so excited to hear they opened a second location. The first thing i noticed was the HUGE communal table when we walked in. I'm not sure if that is their normal setup or if it was specially arranged for a party. it seemed most of, but not all, the patrons at the table knew eachother. We shared the pork shoulder with eggplant and shrimp with apple eggplant lunches. both were flavorful, not entirely authentic, but enjoyable. the pork shoulder was just spicy enough. it had peppers which looked a bunch of caper-sized grapes. very cute. i took a bite and WOW! that's where the fire was coming from. we didn't have much time for lunch so unfortunately we didn't get to try the appetizers. i thought the prices were a bit high. one was $10; the other $12. they also charge $2.50 for hot green tea. i suppose it is SOMA but i'm used to getting a salad and soup with my thai lunch entree for under $8. at least there is ample street parking. that's a plus my DH really enjoyed the original Basil so we will be back to try the cocktails and appetizers. i hope Basil Canteen does well!
(3)
Honest A.
This place is a hidden gem. The food is amazing, reasonably priced and the staff are great. We've had a board dinner there two years in a row and we could not be happier!
(5)
Terry K.
Love Basil Canteen! The decor in this mod Thai place is cute, they have these exposed light bulb arrangements dangling everywhere, its very artsy. My fave is the short rib green curry, the meat is very tender and delicious, and flavorful. My fave drink there is the Full Moon, which has fresh ginger on top. Other greatest hits: oysters, taro fries, Kee mao, skirt steak and curry with roti appetizer, and rack of lamb appetizer. I had my birthday here, and the service was amazing, and the prices were very reasonable for such a huge group.
(4)
Mark Y.
Just had a friend date for Valentine's Day at this place and it was very satisfying. They can pretty much make any dish veggie which was really helpful. We decided to order things we don't usually order at thai restaurants and I am really glad we did because the dishes were amazing! The service was great and the host sake was even better. The vibe in the place was very chill and relaxed and had a lil bit of a classy vibe which made it nice. Prices were reasonable as well. All in all a very exciting experience.
(4)
Frenchie P.
My amazing "other half" brought me here for Valentine's Day dinner and it was perfection! We ordered the chicken satay (comes with 2 big skewers of melt-in-your-mouth chicken and a lil'side of peanut sauce) and spring rolls for appetizers... Both dishes were absolutely dee-lish! For our entrees we shared the drunken beef and the peanut sauce skirt steak ( I can't rememeber what the dish was called but it was superb! From the moment we walked in the door to the moment we left, the service and food were awesome. It's cool to see the manager out on the floor mingling with the guests :} I will definitely be frequenting this place more often.... And the Thai iced tea was outstanding! Yum....
(4)
Brenda C.
Went there last night for a late night dinner. Waitstaff super friendly and the menu was not lacking. My husband decided to that it would be his duty to order for the both of us. Which only means I told him to decide since I was exhausted and he knows what I like. We had decided that we weren't going to overindulge and get three small apps and split a main dish. We wound up getting the chicken satay (app), rib-eye steak cubes served with chili & lime sauce, thai wontons of shrimp and pork topped with blue crab meat and fresh wok tossed vegetables (main dish). All the food came out fast, hot and delicious. And I will be brave enough to say that the peanut sauce on the satay was probably one of the BEST I've ever had. Not watery and chunky. Smooth and thick. YUM. All of that, plus my two glasses of wine and my husband's vodka tonic (we're like that) came out to a total of $55. Not. Bad. At. All.
(4)
Caroline K.
OMG what a horrible experience! I was completely appalled at how awful the good was. We went there last night as a back up because Basil restaurant was closed and I truly regret it. I had been there a few times before about 2 years ago and it was decent food but last night it was not only bad quality food it was served cold!!!!! I ordered a yellow curry veggie plate and my hubby ordered the angus beef. My veggies were undercooked and the entire dish was cold. My husband said the angus beef tasted like an old shoe - tough and full of fat. Don't know what happened to this place but stay away!
(1)
Richard F.
Space is on the "cool / SOMA" -looking end. Host was quite accommodating...didn't fret when we switched from 4 to 8 people with no notice. "Constructive feedback" is (1) there was a large window open at the high end of a wall (i.e., near the ceiling) on a cold night, making the restaurant chilly. Half of our crowd of 8 had a sweater or jacket on and were still cold. (2) I had to get up several times to get somebody's attention -- including to pay the bill -- because the staff were busy making up their napkin-with-utensils set-ups. I was a waiter, so I understand the desire to get that stuff done, but when there are customers on the floor we kinda' like attention when we need it... I wouldn't go out of my way to go here or avoid going here...it's fine.
(3)
Robert B.
Awesome. Went for lunch, and closed the afternoon kitchen down. Liesl had the special (Salmon), it was amazing. I had lemon chicken in Curry.. Good heat, great flavor. will return, without a doubt. Fresh spring rolls - so simple, we some of the best i have ever had.
(4)
TM D.
Stopped off during the Folsom street fair for a bite to eat...the service was very friendly and attentive. The restaurant is a great space; two levels; they have private dining tables as well as community tables on the first level. The drinks are unique but very good. The food, was probably the best Thai food I have had a very long time. Can't wait to go back when I am in the city.
(4)
Mike T.
Better than a 3 star, but not quite sure it's a 4 star. Why was this place so empty? Huge table if you have a big group but only one so call ahead. The food seems great. The curry of the day I had was pretty good. Seemed to have a great bar selection of both beer and liquor.
(4)
Melisa C.
The wonderful reviewers from Yelp guided me to this place, and I'm glad! The restaurant had really pretty decor and the food was excellent! I met my parents here for dinner on a Tuesday night, and I'm glad we made a reservation. It was packed! * Appetizer: We had the Roti dish (kang kiow wan roti) and it's hands down one of the best roti I've had. The curry dipping sauce was so good that we ordered a green curry main dish so we could have some more. * Main Dishes: We got the short ribs in green curry (kang neur), the lemongrass chicken (gai tod takai), and a noodle dish (pad si ew). All of it was good, but the short ribs were my favorite. They were pineapple braised, so the sweetness really complimented the curry well. The portions were just right, and we left very happy. On my way out I saw that they have Happy Hour specials...I definitely want to check that out soon!
(5)
G K.
A majestic brick castle that's anchored right on the corner of bar row (11th and Folsom), Basil Canteen encapsulates the words "Chic Loft" When "The Public" closed down yelp.com/biz/the-public-… I was very curious what would take over this uber desirable location. It's smack dab in the midst of where it's all going down, Caliente , Slims , Butter , Wish , Holy Cow , Fat City (and probably even some power exchange types of spots I'm not even aware of). The space is phenomenal, giant steel framed windows, surrounded by imperfect brick arches, abutted by exposed iron beam earthquake retrofits. Long communal tables encourage communication with your fellow diners (similar to Republic in NYC). Upstairs dining loft and Buddha Bar beats washing ashore in the background. We didn't want to leave. The prices are very reasonable, about 10 or less for an entree. The same people who run Basil Thai ( a few blocks down on Folsom and 7th which has been around for 15 years), opened this place so they know what the f*** they are doing. Food was tasty, and I'm a sucker for any wide rice noodle. Pad Kee Mow hit the spot. They have a full liquor license too. Having places like this within walking distance of home makes our sky high rent worth it. With that said it would make a great starting point for a night out in outer SOMA. Cabs are relatively easy to come by too. Bottom Line: Atmosphere is king and this one reigns supreme. TIP: Also check this link for the building ubayp.com/buildings/1489… The Jackson Brewery building was built in 1912 by architect James T. Ludlow. The Jackson Brewing Company, which was founded in the 1850s, began operating out of the building shortly after it was completed, but prohibition closed the brewery and it was never used again for its original purpose. It is now a San Francisco city landmark, and one of the city's great examples of Romanesque Revival architecture. Award-winning architects Siegel & Strain renovated the building and converted it into 7 stunning live/work lofts. Ranging from 600 to 3,100 sq. ft. (aprx), these units have hardwood floors, maple cabinetry and high quality finishes throughout - not to mention stunning views of San Francisco and beyond. The Jackson Brewery building is located within San Francisco's South of Market (SoMA) district along the vibrant collection of clubs along 11th Street. Basil Canteen restaurant and lounge is on the first floor.
(5)
Caitlin M.
Came here with a group of 7 for NYE dinner. Food was tasty, ambience nice, service good. Can't think of anything that especially stands out, but our overall experience was good enough to bring us back. Oh, and don't confuse this spot with their other restaurant down the street.
(4)
Alicia D.
The food was OK, but the menu is very limited, more of a lunch place than a serious dinner place was our impression. For instance, at 830PM on Sat night they were "out of" brown rice. Rice is as much of a staple good as it gets, they should have like 100 lb bag of that stuff and when the old rice cooker gets low, make another batch. They were also out of coconut juice which I suppose is a little more forgivable. About 1/2 the menu is "snacks" or appetizers and the other half I suppose you could quality as entrees. There is no curry section, and the specials seems less than traditional. I would not recommend anyone who is interested in Thai food waste their time.
(2)
Tuesday C.
This is a 3.5 really. There is nothing bad I can say about this place. With that being said it didnt wow me or make the MUST go back list. We went here for dinner the other night due to a need for Thai food. We arrived before 7 and were able to enjoy some 5$ apps and discounted drink prices. One of the apps we got was the Taro fries, which were kind of bland. I havent had them before so nothing to compare them to but, they tasted more like deep fried-ness than anything else in particular. The other app was the chicken satay which was reported as good :). We each got a glass of Thai beer (the only one that made the discount list) and it was very unremarkable. For my main course I got the kang kua goong with tofu instead It was yummy. I was just hoping for a little more spice or kick given the "tangy" desciption. The other dishes ordered were: Pad Si Ew- good praramrong song- tasty Overall, it wasn't bad and better than the "other" place down the road but probably wont be in a hurry to go back unless Im in the imediate area.
(3)
Robert W.
Was kind of expecting more from this place. Me and my wife and a friend arrived prior to 7:00 so Happier Hour, as they call it, was still in effect. Had some reduced rate ($5 apps) spring rolls and some taro fries. Problem was that both came served with basically the same peanut dipping sauce so, even with very diff apps, both kinda tasted the same. They were pretty good none-the-less. Highlight of the evening was an inventive bar menu with names I could not pronounce. We tried several drinks......one was a grapefruit / ginger-infused vodka drink and then also a passion fruit / pear juice / cranberry juice concoction. All at $6 each on sale for Happier Hour. But, they were back to the going San Fran mixed drink rate of $10 (or more!) after 7:00....man, it's expensive to drink in this town. For main course I had minced chicken with jasmine rice and my wife and friend both got a shrimp dish with brown rice. All tasted OK (6 or 7 on a 10 scale IMHO) but Basil Canteen doesn't make the "gotta go back" list right now. The overall upside was that the food prices were very fair. I don't think I saw any entree over $15.
(3)
Jeanette P.
I've been here a few times with the boyfriend's family. It's usually a birthday thing. The staff is great! Very warm and cheerful. We usually order...well, most of the things on the menu (or so it seems) and share. That way, we all get to try each and every dish. I'm sure by now, we've had everything on the menu. Everything is phantastic. Amazing. However, when I think of this place, one thing comes to mind and makes my mouth water: The tapioca dumplings. I don't know what it is about these, but they are so, so good. I could come here and eat just these and be perfectly happy.
(5)
Marc T.
Went here prior to the Travie McCoy concert with my buddies Eve and Theo... we were at Orson's prior to this, getting down on Happy Hour. We were deciding between this place and Butter, but decided to come here because it was closer and on the way (yeah we were lazy haha). Oysters - Good because they were a dollar. They came served with this citrus like sauce that you could spoon over. I wish they included something spicy. As much as I like the taste of oysters, having the standard spices or an equivalence is nice. Pla Dten - sashimi grade salmon, served thai poke style. Do not get this. The salmon was seared or cooked, and the fish they used did not taste good. Additionally, the veggies overwhelmed the dish. It almost felt like I was eating a salad with an extremely watered down vinagrette (due to the amount of veggies). I guess that was a good thing because the salmon really tasted bad. Crab Fried Rice - This was good. They use the body of the crab which I unfortunately found out after finding bone fragments in my rice. The flavors were good, but pretty standard compared to the crab fried rice I've had at other Thai restaurants. Kana Moo Grob - Chicharron with chinese brocolli pretty much. While I was upset it wasn't the pork belly I was expecting, this dish was actually pretty good. The chicharron really went well with the brocolli as far as contrasting flavors. The sauce mixed in was delicious as well. Pad Si Yew - always a good dish, but this one costs a little bit more than it does at other places, and the portion is about half the size. It tasted similar to the other Pad Si Yews I've had, but again, portion and size killed it for me. This place is ok. There are a lot of other Thai restaurants around that probably have better food priced cheaper, so I would go for the alternate options. If you're hungry and in the area, I'd consider Basil, but in reality, I'd probably get something else.
(2)
Wayne P.
My favorite Thai place in San Francisco. Nice industrial warehouse-type vibe with a main floor communal table and small tables on the side and an upstairs dining area overlooking the main floor. Appetizers are great! Try the chicken satay - the most tender and flavorful I've eaten - and on their special happy hour menu if you get there weekdays before 6 PM. Their skirt steak with green curry and fried Indian roti bread is also good, but the fried bread is a little greasy. For entrees, try the spicy fried catfish in red curry sauce - fresh, full of flavor and filling! The pineapple braised beef short ribs in green curry sauce is also outstanding. Also try the fresh limeade - refreshing and a good complement to the curries. Overall, IMHO, the best Thai place in SF. Don't miss out!
(5)
Alexa S.
My Boyfriend and I made last minute reservations last night @ 10PM. I loved the big brick building and the loft/lounge feel. We were sat upstairs in the corner, the ambiance was private and romantic. I was soon disappointed. We had brought a bottle of wine (a twist off), our server brought us two glasses but did not bother to open the bottle and pour it for us. Why should I pay you for corkage.. isn't the service supposed to be included? Not a huge deal ... moving along with dinner. The food was very flavorful and came out quickly.. No complaints at all as far as food is concerned. The pricing was also very reasonable. The service is my main issue. For starters the restaurant was loud and our server was oblivious to this and I couldn't hear a word he said. Not once did he come by and ask us how everything was. In fact he disappears for the rest of the night after we got our food. This women comes and takes our plates away then gives us the check? Again no one asks how our meal was. We ask "do you not have a dessert menu?" and get "O our kitchen is closed".. ooo ok. So NO ONE told us this or mentioned a last call.. I was annoyed at that point, it was like amateur hour.. So then we walk downstairs to leave and oo there is our waiter just hanging out?? Overall I so wish the experience was what I looked forward to after reading the Yelp reviews.. Don't allow late reservations if you cannot serve food.. It just doesn't make sense. Or if you do this let your guests know. I felt like we were sitting in the dark to fend for ourselves and the service was non existent. With the selection of amazing restaurants in San Francisco.. I just do not see myself going back to this place.
(2)
CJ G.
Nice space: exposed brick and steel beams. Very post-industrial and cool. Went for lunch on a Friday. Totally empty just after noon when we arrived and not much more full when we left. Either the economy is hurting this place or people have decided that it isn't very good. Ordered pad si ew, chicken satay, larb. Satay was fine, but how can you mess up a bit of chicken on a stick? Duck in the larb was kind of fatty and not as spicy as one would hope. Pad si ew was average. What really ticked me off was being charged $2.50 for a medium-sized glass of Diet Coke and then being charged for another one when I asked for a refill. Come on. It costs $0.05 to fill a glass with Diet Coke; it is unconscionable to charge $2.50 in the first palce and egregious to charge for a refill. All in all, I've had better Thai food (Koh Samui, anyone?) and the price gouging for a Diet Coke left a bad taste in my mouth. Save your money; take your business elsewhere.
(2)
Tatyana K.
I came here last night before Slim's and was just in time for their happy hour - 20% off your bill. I believe we were the only people at the restaurant other than the staff but I like quite dining, so it worked out in my favor! I got a Tong Daend cocktail which was eh, it was really sweet and not having a dedicated bartender might have added to the eh-ness of my drink. But the food more than made up for it - I had kee mao talay and it was oh so tasty! And I wasn't even hungry (that's when all food tastes amazing to me). The service was quick and we didn't have to wait long for our dinner. Overall, I enjoyed this place a lot!
(4)
Cicely T.
Possibly a 3 for the food but they definately lost 1 star because of the customer service that we recieved at the end of the dinner. My friends and I went for the happy hour specials: $1 oysters (i didnt have any, but my friends liked 'em!) $5 bar snacks such as beef noodle soup and taro fries (both very good!) $6 canteen drinks We ended up getting additional food from the menu: Roti + skirt steak: pretty good. Curry noodles: tasty but i was super thirsty after which makes me think it was full of MSG clams + garlic noodles: also good but possibly full of MSG (note: i was not a little thirsty after the meal, i was thirsty as h***, which is not really normal, so full of msg in the food, me thinks YES!) 6 of us with 4 dozen oysters, about 7 drinks, 2 beef noodle soups, 1 roti, 1 taro fries, 2 noodles = $200 with 1%8 grat. added Not too bad although i've definately paid less for MORE food Like i said earlier in the review, the customer service we recieved at the end of the evening left a "really bad taste in my mouth" and for that i dont think ill be going bad. After we paid the bill, we were sitting and chatting when one of the employees (a waiter? but i'm not sure because he wasn't out waiter) said "that group over there has been waiting a long time" which basically meant "get the h*** out of here!". it was like he said "you girls are rude and taking up our table space." We immediately left but really felt like there were other ways to tell us to leave. Maybe "would you like something else?" or "theres another party waiting, would you mind letting them sit?". something like that, something a little more nicer. Basil Canteen, you get 2 stars from me. Hopefully you will read this and change how you treat your customers, espcially the ones you want to come back!!
(2)
Mitchel H.
Nothing beats a pleasant surprise, and Basil Canteen was very, very pleasant. This isn't the nicest part of the city and the lunch choices nearby are scarce and generally uninspiring. A work friend suggested Basil Canteen and I had my hopes set on adequate. Instead, I was treated to one of the better Thai meals I've had in San Francisco! The food was all fresh and beautifully prepared. Creative presentations and fantastic flavors. A trendy interior with relatively attentive service. Basil Canteen was a great lunchtime discovery!
(5)
Mark R.
Fellow yelpers ... You really should try this place. It's in the space where Public used to be ... Exposed brick ... Etc ... Lovely space. They have one long table for people to sit at in the main area and separate tables upstairs. Being alone, I sat at the bar. The food is "nouvelle Thai" if there is such a thing. It's not your run of the mill Pad Thai, Tom Yum, etc ... But creative twists in Thai cooking. I had the mustard leaves with chopped shrimp, coconut (fun, crunchy, unusual) ... Then the duck breast with pineapple red curry and lychees (fabulous) ... And since I'm leaving tomorrow (back to Seattle) I decide to have yet another appetizer ... The rib eye with Crying Tiger sauce ... Delicious! Seriously, this is fun, interesting creative Thai food. Cool space. Oh and the cocktails are good too! Very recommended. I just wish they were in Seattle! You lucky devils, you SF-ians!
(5)
Sheila A.
I brought my mom here to have dinner with several of my friends while she was visiting from out of town. Their website said they had no reservations available at the time I wanted, but when I spoke to them on the phone, they had no problem accommodating us (and the restaurant was half empty while we were there, so I'm not sure what's up with their reservation system). The food was generally good. We shared several appetizers among the table, and enjoyed their house cocktails. Most people reported being very happy with their entrees. I was the lone exception. I ordered the mu palo, "caramelized 5-spice pork hock with kale and chili." I chose this over the kana moo grob, "crispy pork belly stir fried with gai lan broccoli," at the waiter's recommendation and because I felt more like kale than gai lan, which I even mentioned to him. However, when my plate came, the vegetable was... gai lan. No mention was made of the substitute. There was also some kind of pickled vegetable included, which was of no interest to me. The hock itself was the least meaty hock I've ever had, literally three bites of actual meat, with all the rest being fat, skin, and bone. While pork hock is a bony cut (it's a joint after all), there should be enough meat left on the cut to provide more than three bites. Even with plenty of rice to absorb some of the broth, I was left hungry and picking at my mom's leftover noodles. I was apparently the exception at the table, but I thought it was poor service not to mention the vegetable substitution when I had said "I'm more in the mood for kale than gai lan," and a poor choice of product on the kitchen's part to serve such a badly cut piece of pork. I will probably come back, since Basil Canteen is convenient to many of the things I do in the city, but I'll be cautious about venturing outside of "safer" Thai dishes until I'm sure I'm going to get what I ordered.
(4)
Jason B.
Not the best thai ever, but pretty good. Really liked the space, modern and minimalist, and the service was attentive and friendly. When I got there I had literally finished a workout 30min prior, and my much needed glass of water was never empty. My dehydrated self appreciated that. Menu is expansive, with more small plates to share than anything else. Highlights included crab rolls with plum sauce, chicken lettuce wraps and a grilled pork dish. All were delicious, and the portions were shareable among 7 people. Bill came to about $20/each before drinks. All in all a pretty good spot.
(4)
Wilson K.
Dear Yelp Journal, Somewhere in a not so inviting area on Folsom, a real gem is hidden away. A friend suggested this venue for my birthday dinner and it was a great suggestion. The atmosphere, the cocktails, and the service was very good. The food... delicious, in fact, I'm eating the leftovers as I'm writing this. First and foremost, the location is kinda out of the way. A different friend that had never been there was too scared to walk out of her car until someone was there to escort her. Having never been there myself, I too was a little worried, but found lots of parking as a result. HUGE plus for the city. I made a reservation the morning of the dinner and there were no problems. Traffic was a little unprecedented, but I had neglected that it was veterans day. I arrived a little late, but called ahead and let them know. When my party and I arrived we were taken upstairs and had the top floor all to ourselves. The atmosphere was great and modern, very clean and not "hole in the wall" at all. The cocktails were all really good. My party tried a variety, their lychee saketini, the kirimaya, the mortar and pestle, and a couple others. They were all really good and some crept up on me. Like, "Hello, Buzz!" The food was fantastic. The sauces were great and those taro fries are awesome. I don't like peanuts, but that peanut dipping sauce was such a good combination with those fries. Incredible. The different curries were awesome and I loved the skirt steak that was included with the roti. The papaya salad was tasty (it was served with odd meat seasoned with fish sauce). The crab fried rice and garlic noodles were also great, and once I combined the green curry sauce on the crab fried rice it became intensely good. A great birthday dinner experience overall and I'm all out of leftovers. I'll have to get some more.
(4)
Amy K.
OVERALL:4.4 FOOD:4.5 SERVICE:4 AMBIANCE:5 VALUE:4 Mmmm, sleek artsy industrial loft that serves up awesome Thai food--Amy K likes this. Minimal brick walls enlivened by vibrant cityscape canvases, organic-themed wooden tables & furniture, creative lighting, 2-story loft/mezzanine layout...this is one sexy warehouse!! Was comfortably social/quiet on a Saturday night: atmosphere was cool, understated, but fun...even ROMANTIC--definitely somewhere you could put the moves on and get some bases covered....or at least advance a few runners. Honestly didn't really look at the drink menu, but a bar that looks that good HAS to make good drinks....right? Anyway, unlike many Thai restaurants, BC offers quite a selection of lighter, small plates, focusing less on the heartier, saucy curries, which means lower food-baby quotient (yay!). Recs below: *LARB GAI: lettuce wraps w/ground chicken+shallots+chili+lime=tangy, spicy (someone turned up the heat on these) goodness....very refreshing--great appetizer! *PAD SEE EW: Tender gai-lan+very generous proportion of sauteed pork+perfect pan seared noodles=best pad see ew to date! SOOO stoked the #12 provides door-to-door service! Next time I'm coming back with more troops and a thirsty liver!
(4)
Heidi L.
I've only been here for lunch, but I completely just love it. My co-worker kept giving me her leftovers and it was so good!! So, we finally came together and we kept making "yum" noises after each bite! !I haven't had a dish here yet that I"ve been disappointed with yet and everything has tons of flavor. I love the kao soi neur (grilled skirt steak & egg noodles in lime-coconut curry) is amazing. It's listed as a soup noodle, but it's basically a dry noodle, with a heavy curry sauce on it. The kang kua goong (white prawns & Japanese pumpkin in tangy red curry) is really great too. Can't go wrong with whatever you order here. Can't believe I'm drooling as I write this review. Slurp.
(4)
Emily P.
It is very rare that everything goes right. But Monday night at Basil Canteen it definitely did. 5 star parking. 5 star service. 5 star ambience. 5 star location, but most importantly 5 STAR FOOD! Amazing food at decent prices. I would recommend the crab, pork and shrimp wonton appetizer. Good thai iced tea too. Also I didn't get it but the peanut chicken satay looked really good.
(5)
Ali G.
Went to Basil Canteen late last night on a thai craving whim. I am from out of town, and found all the other reviews and photos to be so helpful to find what I was looking for. I Love fresh aromatic spicy thai flavor! I have to say the OYSTERS were my absolute FAV!! I have never seen fresh oysters on a thai menu- and if you like oysters and spicy ligt t thai flavors you are in for quite a treat!! The sause comes on the side, so you can put as much or a little as you like :) I also ordered the shrimp salad. I love a great thai salad. From what I remember that was pretty much the only salad on the menu. It came w/ 4 prawns packed thight on a skewer. (shrimp were a tad chewy) but overall excellent quality and flavor. My boyfriend ordered the phad thai- it was fresh tangy and delish! W/ some fresh sprouts, tofu, shrimp (excellent) and peanuts. Service was excellent, attentive, above and beyond. 5 gold stars from me! I would take a plane to have those oysters again!!
(5)
Monti Josh W.
I think this is hands down the best Thai food I have personally had. They are a bit pricey and it can be a bit packed at times but worth it. If you are on a budget go here for lunch and get the same food for a lot less money. The thing I really like about this place is how fresh the food is. The close down between lunch and dinner for prep like a real restaurant should. Everything always tastes extremely fresh ingredients and I have never had anything that seems like it was cooked and left out from the morning like other places. I have tried most of the dinner menu and enjoyed everything I have had. I did take my little brother here once (a 14 year old from Washington state) and he thought the food was a little spicy. So for those who are sensitive to spicy food you may want to bring the antacid tabs. For appetizers I really recommend the kang kiow wan roti. It is a bread, steak, and curry dish that is amazing. The sauce has some really impressive flavors. I really enjoy the atmosphere, if you are bringing a date I recommend asking to sit upstairs so you can get a private table.
(5)
A'mi Marie M.
Yummy Yummy Thai food. Went for a birthday dinner for some great friends. There were 8 total in our party. I love the old red brick decor. Very warm and inviting. cocktails...mmm mmm GOOD ($9-$12) I had a sour cherry type concoction that was oh so good. The hubby had a sake-tini (okay, maybe more than one). We ordered a variety of appetizers, unfortunately they were breaded so I was not able to eat them, but the hubs gave them a thumbs up. I did taste the green curry that accompanied one of the appetizers and it was exceptional! For dinner, I ordered the Pad Tai (no soy sauce, it has wheat). It was so good. The shrimp were cooked and seasoned to perfection. I do wish the tofu pieces were bigger, but they complimented the meal well. Appetizers were served in a timely manner, however the entrees took around 45 minutes, and since I didn't have any appetizers (and 3 drinkie poos) I was HUNGRY. They did help us out with another round of drinks, on the house, for the inconvenience. I rarely get to try new places for fear of getting a bit of gluten, but I was happy that my dear Betty set up dinner here. Will definitely go back for another meal (and another drink) when I am in SF.
(4)
aj s.
Good option for lunch. cheap and quick. The somtum neur sawan ( papaya salad) and neur nam tok (salad with grilled skirt steak ) were quite tasty. Passable curries.
(3)
ClosetDork ..
The first stop of the night of dancing and debauchery that is the bachelorette party, I couldn't have asked for anything better. Thai Basil Canteen fit the bill: it doesn't cause too much damage to the wallet, the bachelorette's favorite dish is anything with red chilli padi (including steamed rice with soy sauce and chopped c.p), and the betrothed couple do plan to go to Thailand for their honeymoon. So we didn't opt for the set menu and instead pre-selected the dishes ahead of time so our waiter was presented with a neat little print out of ordered dishes: moo tod kratiem prik-thai - salt and pepper pork ribs served with Sriracha sauce (side note: Sriracha is American!) satay gai - grilled chicken satay served with peanut sauce larb bpet - duck salad goong pad gra prow - prawn stir-fried with chili basil kao moo daeng - pork belly and star anise sauce pik-khing bpet - duck stir-fried with lychee and red curry paste crab fried rice pad kee mao - rice noodles stir-fried with chili and basil The drink menu consists of creative cocktails, my choice of which is the delicious Silky Sky: lychee liqueur, skyy vodka, and grapefruit juice. For the ultra-creative type, the bartender is more than willing to create your own concoction. There's not much else that this place could've done better: the service was outstanding and the food and drinks are beyond compare. The cool, hip grungy industrial-style interior did not at all reflect the damage report: $35 per person is more than reasonable. Now off to enjoy the table service at Slide.
(5)
Kym T.
Good food & service. Smaller plates packed with flavor. We came during happy hour before seeing American Idiot up the street. Get the brown rice, ALWAYS. I think it's long grain & had lots of nutty flavor. Pumkin shrimp and mango shrimp were the best. Also try the fresh spring rolls.
(4)
Angelica D.
Pretty sweet place. I really enjoyed the ambiance, low-lit, modern, minimalist. Service was a little slow and inattentive at first (which was a bit lame because my friends were already pretty hungry, but it improved towards the end). The food was delish and all moderately priced. The roti appetizer ($8) was supposed to be Indian fried bread, but im pretty sure it was a croissant...they served it with steak slices and this green curry sauce with some diced cucumber and tomato. Super yum!!! For my entree I had the pineapple braised beef that was melt-in-your-mouth tender, though I'm pretty sure it was the same curry that was used in my appetizer. Still good, and only $13! Definitely want to try this place out for their "happier hour" from 5-7, and to sit at their "last supper"-looking table :)
(4)
Da J.
Basil Canteen is one place that has truly impressed me. My situation? Find a restaurant for my party of 10-12 for the following night (oh, FRIDAY), and it must be good enough for Yelpers, cheap enough for grad students, and easy parking. I thought it would be impossible. Thanks to a few suggestions, I called them about 24 hours before we were to arrive. Table for 10? No prob! When we got here, we were seated at the big table in the downstairs bar area. Nice! It felt like we had the whole room to ourselves, with no crampiness or having to tiptoe and shuffle around. Food was great, although I had such a good time catching up with everyone in my huge group that I scarfed down food pretty quickly. I can't really remember any highlights, other than the fact that I had a lamb special, and refused to let anyone mooch off my plate. Ha! Finally, when the check came, they were kind enough to split various amounts on different cards, and help break $20 bills and other nuisances of dining in a big group. All in all, it was a great success, and I can't think of a more perfect place for our event!
(4)
Paul L.
I had the "gai tod pad pik khing": crisped lemongrass chicken stir-friend with snake beans in a dry spiced red curry sauce. It was really good, and a good portion-size too.
(4)
Peter P.
Solid 4 star lunch.. I like that there's 1 hour parking outside for free on the street as driving into the city for lunches seem to get expensive when you add $10-$20 for a lot nearby in Soma. I had the banana leaf wrapped seabass which was simple, light, and what I was looking for. Thai Iced Tea was good, which is always a measurement of a thai place. Person I had lunch with said his curry was great as well. Was a reasonably priced lunch, good service, i'd come back for sure, especially for a lunch meeting.
(4)
Andrew C.
When Yelp told me there was a Thai restaurant at Folsom and 19th, I couldn't believe it! How could I have lived 2 blocks away for over 6 months without discovering this gem?!.. My first experience was take-out. It was weird. I didn't call-in, and I didn't really know what was on the menu or what was going on when I entered: a huge table & that's it?!.. Well, I nearly orgasmed when I got home and devoured my Pad See You, so I vowed to return! I've returned a handful of times, and continued to do take-out when I lived in SOMA and itched for Thai. I can't recommend their noodle dishes enough! And dining in is an enjoyable experience. Their price points make for a difficult routine-haunt, but I do recommend this as a weekend indulgence, or the occasional take-out.
(5)
Namthip P.
Basil Canteen is my favorite Thai restaurant in the city. The food is authentic and delicious. An open space high ceiling with exposed brick walls , make its a great place to hang out and enjoy food. If you have a chance to go there, try goong tod yum mamuang (fried prawns with mango salad). It's the one I always order whenever I go there.
(5)
Ata N.
It's a bit noisy there, but the food is amazing and I do love the hip urban decor. We've celebrated friend's BDays there a couple of times now, and it is good for big groups. The drinks are good and they are very quick to serve everything even for big groups.
(4)
Chad B.
We discovered this place by accident but after having that one "accidental" dinner, I became a huge fan of this restaurant. First off, great array of food items + interesting food combinations. Friendly staff and great ambiance. The price is not so outrageous that you feel like coming back only once or twice a year. Big fan of their roti and steak w/ green curry appetizer and their main courses are equally delicious and healthy (even if they serve it with pork). It's also a great place for bigger groups of people, so check them out.
(5)
Liz E.
I haven't been here in awhile, but I still wanted to give this place a review. We've been here twice in the last year, both times were awesome. It is fairly pricy... But it is probably the best Thai food I've ever had the pleasure of eating. I got the lamb rib chops in a red curry sauce... Excellent. The green curry and skirt steak appetizer is to DIE for. Our party of 4 gobbled it down both times ( with different guests each time). Hands down best green curry sauce to date. This is where I like my boyfriend to take me for a special dinner, especially since we live in the north bay... A real treat. One thing to add... I wish the Thai iced teas were in a normal sized glass and not a tiny water glass, if I remember correctly.
(5)
Charlie S.
Solid prices, Solid food, solid Ambiance. A-OK
(3)
shojua p.
Delicious, nutrtrious and adorable. I would certainly recommend making a reservation so that you're not stuck sitting at the long banquet table, though. My gold standard for Thai food is Osha, but Basil Canteen still proved to be quite scrumptious and, I might add, probably healthier. Friendly servers, and a strong cocktail menu, to boot. A solid 4 out of 5 stars.
(4)
Janis B.
I love Thai food, but it's become fairly standardized - if you've had one green curry, you've had them all. Not so, it turns out. We started out with the crispy veggie roles. They were great. Flakey, but not over fried or greasy. I then moved on to grilled veggies and crispy tofu. It's on the menu with mild yellow curry, but after reading another Yelpers comments about the green curry I asked them to upgrade me. It was worth it. The green curry was fabulous with a light spice. The veggies included eggplant, calliflower, broccoli, pea snaps, and onions. I don't do meat, but my friend had the skirt steak and said it was equally wonderful. It didn't take much arm twisting for our waiter to convince me that the fried bananas with coconut ice cream was in my best interest. If you come here GET THIS DESSERT. Fried bananas makes me think of plaintains or tostones, but this was neither. The dish is a quartered banana lighly breaded and quick fried - again, flaky not greasy. The coconut ice cream was a game changer. I left full and happy. It was slow when we went in, so service was quick. The atmosphere is great. I was with a colleague, but it could easily be a date spot.
(5)
Patricia P.
I had a really great experience at Basil Canteen! I made a very last-minute reservation for a large party, and they were able to accommodate us. Our table was ready for us when we got there and there was no need to wait. The restaurant itself had a great atmosphere. I loved the brick building and the smell as soon as I walked in the door let me know I was in for a treat. Because of the size of our party ( originally 17, but ended up being 12) we had the prefix menu. It was $25 per person excluding gratuity and tax. For the price, I was very pleased with what we got. Here's what the menu had: Small Plate (appetizers): *porpia (think spring rolls) very yummy! *gai satay: chicken on a stick w/ peanut sauce was great Entree (served with Jasmine rice): *kang kua goong (prawns and pumpkin in red curry sauce) tasty *pra ram rong song (skirt steak w/ curried peanut sauce) one of my favorites of the night *kang kari pak (yellow curry vegetables and crisped tofu) good, but I did not get any crisped tofu *mu pad phet (pork shoulder and eggplant) I liked this a lot, not enough spice/heat for me, but had a great flavor *gai pad gra prow (minced chicken with other goodies lol) another favorite on the menu for me Dessert: *Fried banana with coconut ice cream: I am not a fan of coconut, but I LOVED this dessert!!! The bananas were fried to perfection and the ice cream wasn't overwhelmed with coconut. It was the perfect ending to the meal. Most of the people in our party had never really eaten Thai food, and there were a few who are normally hesitant to try new foods, and even they were pleased and said the food was "bomb" lol. Not only was the food great, but the service was excellent. They were very attentive and constantly checking to see if everything was ok. I also had the opportunity to try 2 different cocktails and was pleased with both. My first was a saketini. It consisted of sake and pureed lychee and it was tasty...probably not for everyone as my friend also ordered one and did not like the taste of the lychee. My second cocktail was the Mortar and pestle. It is made with Bacardi rum, mint, lime and lemongrass...it reminded me of a mojito and I preferred this drink to the saketini. Overall, I was very pleased with Basil Canteen and plan on going back. One observation I made that is my only real complaint, was the restrooms. The women's restroom was clean and had 2 stalls, no complaint there, but I saw countless men accidentally go into the women's restroom. The doors had very small signs, and if you're not paying attention, it would be easy to get confused. Other then that, everything was great! Thank you Basil Canteen for a great experience!!!
(5)
Connie C.
After Happy Hour at WISH, we were all pretty hungry and headed across the street to Sushi Groove South. Unfortunately, without reservations, the wait was over an hour. The hostess was kind enough to offer us some alternatives, and pointed out that the owners of Thai Basil opened up a new restaurant across the street where The Public once was. We were down for trying out a new restaurant, and of course, you can Thai me up any time! I actually had no idea that The Public had closed. The last time I was there was about a year ago for my birthday dinner. The space looks completely the same inside. I don't think they even changed the furniture, although they did put in a large communal table downstairs where the lounge used to be. The hostess at Sushi Groove South referred to the place as a noodle house, so we all decided to get our own noodle dish. I had the pad kee mao -- wide rice noodles with yard long beans and sliced steak. Jessica had the gkuay dtiow tom yum goong (she was really good at pronouncing it), which she substituted for tofu instead of prawns in tom yum soup. Both were very tasty. The dishes are priced between $6-12, which is so reasonable, considering the space is pretty chic and you'd expect to pay The Public prices. The service was really on point throughout the night. Our server was so polite -- it made for a pleasant evening. A nice change too, since the service was super slow when it was The Public. The only things I would change about this place is 1) add mango & sticky rice or fried banana ice cream to their dessert menu and 2) open later than 10:30pm. This place would be a hit after bar hopping in SOMA.
(4)
Jessica N.
***WARNING: This place is extremely hidden! Keep your eyes open!*** I really liked Basil Canteen's architecture and interior design! It's unique in its own way. I came here after a long day of fun with my sissy. We had thai tea of course! It was very yummy thai tea! :) We ordered a dish of papaya salad, roti, penang chicken, and a flavorful dish of pork. Everything came out great! Us two girls finished everything we ordered! Which means... we were satisfied! :D
(4)
Alice E.
This is a great spot to unwind for lunch. I normally get the Pad Se Ew or the Crab Fried Rice. Its a little on the pricey side, especially since Manora Thai is right down the block and is cheaper. All in all, I go back about once every couple of weeks. This place is prob very nice for dinner.
(4)
Danielle A.
i am usually not a fan of thai but love this place. i dont know thai enough to know if it is authentic or anything but i just know everything tastes so good here, and the price is just right! i think it is a brewery converted into a restaurant but anyways it's got a cool vibe to it. i love their noodle dishes, especially the pan fried ones. strongly recommend!
(4)
Tara B.
I've came here twice already, first time was with a group of culinary explorers, second time with my mom, aunt, and bf, i loved it both times!! To be quite honest, I don't really go out for Thai food since my mom is a fantastic cook and we have a Thai restaurant of our own...and i guess i can say i am very picky and peculiar with my Thai food! (or food in general :p ) Basil Canteen, I can say hands down is very delicious... the food and plating even got a thumbs up from mommy dearest! The atmosphere was very modern, clean, sleek... warehouse, two floor, high beams, brick walls, very New York, i also loved the lightbulb chandeliers. Would be great for groups as well, long communal table on floor level right next to the bar. Pricing is very reasonable, and staff quite friendly. Basil Canteen can be easily missed, small signage, on the corner. We shared a bunch of appts and one entree and of course dessert! We had the crispy taro fries- really yummy,nicely fried (would go great with drinks!!) -somtum neur sawan- the neur sawan (beef jerky) was very tasty, as for the somtum, not that bad, i would have loved it to be a bit more spicier thou (all that was missing was sticky rice... but i settled for yellow rice instead) -Kang keow wan roti- the green curry was good, a little on the sweeter side thou, but nonetheless delish! -pork salad with lemongrass- very very flavorful -drunken beef- i liked this dish a lot, very tasty as for dessert we had fried banana balls with coconut ice cream, i really liked the ice cream, taste fresh Most definitely will be back for happy hour!!
(4)
Stacey L.
My coworkers (Ajay K & Kevin N) recommended lunch at Basil Canteen this past week. It was my first time back to this location since it was previously Public a few yrs back. It's a short walking distance from our office, but with all the rain we decided to drive and do take-out. The food was tasty & prices moderate. The portion size was perfect for me, so guys you may want to order a second dish if you're looking for a heftier lunch plate.
(3)
Rachael J.
Came here for my birthday dinner & drinks and had a great time. I made a reservation for 10 but some of our group was running late and the staff was very accommodating. The drinks were really cheap on their "happier days" menu and the food was delicious. I especially liked the pad thai. Great experience and would totally come here again just to eat or with a group.
(4)
Michelle W.
Great food right around the corner from Slims. If you are going to a concert, this is super close and very yummy!
(4)
Walter P.
Good thai food, not too expensive, cool interior space.
(4)
Vithiet L.
I heard about this place for a while but could never find it because there is no sign outside!!! If you're planning to go, do some recon on Google maps first :) My overall rating is 4 stars but I would give 4 stars and a half just for their Kow Soi. This is one of my favorite Thai dishes: typical from the north of Thailand basically noodle + curry. At Basil Canteen, it's the best I could find in San Francisco so far; very similar to what you would get in Chiang Mai. The decor is also very nice; we went there a little early so the place was quiet but I'm sure it has a nice vibe when a little bit more crowded. We sat at the big communal table, but I went to check out the mezzanine which has a very nice set up. I would also recomend the somtum neur sawan, which is a nice alternative to the regular papaya salad you find in all other Thai places. The seur rong hai beef skewers are also very good. Everybody seems to like their cocktail list, which I admit looks interesting; however, we had wine so I can't comment on those. But the full bar is a nice option. The service was also very good; I have to give a little disclaimer on that though. Our waiter was one of my girlfriend's friends!
(4)
Alan L.
Overall, I LOVE the atmosphere/ambiance as well as the super nice wait staff - they are quite attentive, I must say :)
(4)
katrina w.
When we first walked in, the hostess sat us at an uncomfortable corner table even thought there were many other tables available. We ordered beers and the glasses came only 3/4 filled up--this was strange and something that's never happened to me at a restaurant before. The food tasted very average, and the serves was attentive up until the end when they left us sitting with the check for 15min.
(2)
Christian S.
Cool - loft space but food definitely is not a strong point here. I like that the can accommodate large parties which is always tough in SF - but dont have high hopes for the food. I would come back though or a drink - since they do have creative cocktails on the menu. I think Basil is much better
(2)
maki i.
i've only posted two reviews on here cus unless i'm truly very satisfied or touched by a certain business, i don't normally post a review.. anywho, so i was thinking of making a reservation for a relatively big party for my bday very last minute to see which restaurants would accommodate.. i've been to basil thai a couple times and heard that they had another restaurant down the street called basil canteen.. the owner made amazing accommodations with such great customer service.. loved the ambiance, food, and drinks!! loved that the owner had no complaints or concerns and easily accommodated for a group of 20!! if you're looking for a really good thai place, basil thai and basil canteen do not disappoint!! thank you so much again basil canteen!!!
(5)
regina k.
I can't believe this place only has 3.5 stars!!! I walked by the building and did a 180, looked at the menu and everything sounded fresh and light. I went in, was greeted with a smile immediately. I sat down, was given a menu and water, normal stuff. I ended up ordering the pau pia yuan; fresh hand rolls of shrimp, bean sprouts, cucumber, mint, cilantro and asparagus tip served with crushed peanuts and lime vinagrette, to which I added thick red chili sauce and tamari. The two rolls arrived on a simple white rectangular platter with a sprig of mint. GORGEOUS and simple. The first bite was cool and fresh with a light flavor, contrasting textures of the soft wrap and the crunchy bean sprouts. The orange shrimp, green mint and white cucumber were a pastel palette of flavor. The other bites, I don't remember. I think my mouth lost its mind while devouring the perfect, clean little packages of heaven.
(5)
Dottie L.
I love this place! It is consistently delish. They often offer yummy drink specials and their food is always fresh. The space is an interesting loft design and I love the hanging lightbulbs! They did however just take the duck off their menu which made me sad; it was so delectable!
(5)
Piccolina P.
Went last night with some friends for a late supper. I am not sure if I like the food that much. It's not as authentic as I had hoped. Don't get me wrong - we devoured everything but it was just of sheer hunger. We order 2 appetizers and 3 entrees. The papaya salad was nice and crispy but I wasn't thrilled with the fried sun-dried beef (tasted a bit dry and jerky). The salt and pepper baby pork ribs was tasty. I thought the breading was a bit too thick. For entrees we got a wide rice noodle stir-fry and 3 different meat in rice vermicelli soup. The soup was very dense - it was more of a stew then a brothy soup. The best dish was the special of the day with sea bass with yellow curry and veggies and a side of rice. The fish was tender and the curry was light and appeasing. For dessert we shared a fried-banana with coconut ice cream plate. The 5 balls of fried bananas were beignet-like - soft and airy. I was expecting a crunchy exterior instead it was a bit too soft for my taste. I really like the architectural space: the communal table, the intimate setting on the upper level and the high ceiling.
(3)
SFlover D.
It might be the most delicious Thai in the city. Beautiful presentation, fresh ingredients, interesting menu. Definitely best Pad Kee Mao I've had - its my favourite noodle dish by far! Their shrimp rolls were a real delight as well, with bean sprouts cucumber and mint, an absolute freshness. The restaurant itself has a modern feel, exposed brick walls, loft style. Must try!
(5)
AceGirl ..
Wow. Thank god I thought the food was so gross that I barely ate anything. I say that because within 20 mins of arriving home about an hour after our meal was over my husband got violently ill. The type of violent which makes me thankful we have 2 bathrooms if you catch my drift. He was up all night and the poor guy is still off his game more than 12 hours later. As I mentioned, I was spared only because I found the food so unappealing that all I consumed was green tea. We ordered some pinapple short rib dish which so overcooked the short ribs were tough. I've never had tough short ribs. We also ordered a lime curry noodle dish which was drowning in a sauce the consistency of vomit. The similarities did not end with the consistency. That noodle dish also "featured" sliced skirt steak which had been so overcooked (again) it would have been better suited for use by a cobbler. Nothing was tasty. The flavors were all incredibly offputting and to top it off, they even managed to mess up our order but that was the least of our trouble. I've been to Thailand and I've eaten a lot of Thai food (both authentic and "gringo") and this was arguably the worst Thai meal I've ever been privvy to. I actually think this might be one of the worst meals I've ever had in SF - if not THE worst. And I thought that before my husband got sick. Stay away.
(1)
Matt Z.
Love this place. Awesome layout, great drinks and superb food.
(5)
Sasha V.
I work a couple of blocks away and am very glad to see Basil Canteen open up. It's a great place for lunch and I often send our clients there. Really delicious, modern food at a reasonable lunch price. And the young coconut juice is simply to die for!
(5)
Aurora S.
We went here on a Saturday night... apparently they were "completely booked" for the entire night so we sat at the bar. Second let down of the night: I had my heart set on the crispy catfish which they happened to be out of. Instead, I ordered the roasted sea bass wrapped in banana leaf. It was pretty dry, which was disappointing because I thought the banana leaf would preserve the moisture more than traditional grilling or roasting. My boyfriend ordered a basic chicken dish which was also just so-so. Overall, it had cool decor and atmosphere, but the food just didn't quite blow me away.
(2)
Mark V.
A friend of mine lives in the building, so we decided to give Basil Canteen a try. The decor is nice; it even looked slightly trendy. Our first warning sign should have been the really overpowering smell that encompasses the entire building. It was stinky food smell; not "yumm! That smells good. Let's get some dinner." But I thought that maybe it was just a lack of ventilation. The food is very disappointing (not to mention pricey). Our party of three ordered several appetizers and three entrees. Meats were not tender at all or particularly tasty. They also seem to use MSG (I'm very sensitive to it and know the symptoms when I encouter it). The only saving grace was interesting and good cocktails.
(2)
Loraine T.
I reserved a table here for a party of 16 on a Saturday night for Minh T., my gf and I and company. The manager just took care of us on that, so props to them for service! Upon our arrival our table had been set up and ready. We were seated at a long wooden table by the bar, on the first level facing Folsom Street. The manager offered our party a fantastic prix-fixe menu, which capped the dinner at just $25 per guest. Our food was great overall that night. Their cuisine remains quite authentic while appealing to diners who don't want anything too exotic or pungent and not predictable Pad Thai either. Our fish and duck dishes stood out most to me - in fact if I can only get one item here on my next visit, it'd be their duck hands down. Bitefuls of appetizers, second courses and dessert later, I was reasonably full. (Since I was in SOMA and the night was young, not feeling stuffed and weighed down was the way to go for me.) I also ordered a cocktail, Full Moon was quite nice and mellow, and I tasted my friend's lemongrass vodka cocktail but we both preferred our own more. I second Minh's comment on the convenient parking. Everybody was able to find a spot on the street 1 or even 2 blocks away from here. Likes - affordable prix fixe menu - Pla pao (monkfish skewers) - Pik kling bpet (duck stir fry with lychees) *my fav - Kang neur (beef with pineapple green curry) - exposed brick walls / animated shorts playing in the background over the bar. Hey why not?
(4)
Toby C.
Good thai food in a sleek environment. I've been twice and am a fan. The ambience is a bit weird for a Thai place with the exposed brick walls and steel beams, but they seem to pull it off well. The food is good. Lots of Bangkok dishes here that you won't find at other Thai places. Most other thai places in the city stick to the standard fare - pad thai and curries. Basil Canteen had tons of unique, authentic dishes you won't find at their competitors. Lastly, the service was very good (even if we had a white boy serving us Thai food!). The entertainment of watching a bunch of drunken girls celebrating a bachelorette party (and bugging other guests with their dumb "dares" and ass-slapping antics) was an added bonus :)
(4)
Scott H.
Wow--I've finally made the leap and am writing a yelp review. I live less than a block away from Basil Canteen, so I feel it is my civic duty to write. Basil proper is one of my favorite Thai restaurants in SF--Their expertise will someday make this a weekly destination. Now for the actual review. I expected more, even if I did visit on opening week. The food seemed a bit uninspired. The pork dumplings were very good, although my GF didnt like them as much as I. The chicken with garlic rice was OK. The chicken was on the greasy side although the rice was pretty good. I dont think anyone could screw up rice and garlic, two killer ingredients. The soup, wholly uninspired. Give it some kick. Reminded me of something one gets at a very inexpensive noodle house. It was pork-something as well. Basil Canteen: Please kick it up a couple notches and I'll be a customer for life! Your badly needed in this hood! I'll give it a couple months--get the kinks worked out--maybe a drink menu--and give the dishes some kick. Word.
(2)
Raphael R.
Wow: I ate at this restaurant last night (at a wedding reception), and I was blown away. From tender chicken skewers to perfect spring rolls to an appetizer featuring steak and roti, all of the food was fantastic. Wow.
(5)
Tai K.
This is more like 3.5 stars. I love Basil. Basil Canteen though is still finding it's niche. I love the space. We went after getting plastered at WISH on a Friday night and it was moderately full. The upstairs was completely empty. The four of us decided to share some small plates and order separate entrees before heading over to see Heklina and Cookie Dough perform an episode of Golden Girls. The menu really is a subset of Basil's. The small plates are pimped up skewers drenched in the same peanut with crack sauce that I can't get enough of. My only complain is that they are small and chintzy. Come on, two skewers for 7 bucks!??!!? I know rent is high but at least split it up so there are four bites. Bar is excellent. Service is very good and friendly. Hope they refine the menu and hours a bit. Open later and it will be a hot spot for post concert and bar crowd.
(3)
Steve K.
I am so lucky to live around the corner from this joint. Consistently solid food and I am so confident in the little lady's cooking skills I can order pretty much anything on the menu. Perfect for lunch with an old friend or a first, second, or ninetieth date, Basil Canteen is as effortlessly cool as they come. Do yourself a favor and sit upstairs and get absorbed into the beautiful architecture of the building.
(5)
Jon N.
First of all, let me just saw that I miss the Public that was in this space a while ago. I'm usually not a fan of thai places that try to be too hip. So this place, along with the fact it was pretty empty on a Wednesday night left me not too excited about ordering. When the food was served it didn't look that all authentic (and chopsticks to add insult to injury). Although not traditional and authentic (at all), it was still damn tasty. I genuinely enjoyed my meal, the flavors were great. Don't come here expecting great thai food, but come here expecting above average reasonably priced food. Friendly service. But I really have mixed feelings about this place. Not sure if I'd ever come back just because I don't know what kind of situation would yield it. If I crave Thai, this won't be the place. But it was really good still. Yea, I'm confused too.
(3)
Martin S.
Had a few Sunday beers in the hood and me and a friend ran into this place and so we gave it a whirl.... IT WAS VERY GOOD AND MODERATLY PRICED! I will be back....
(4)
Chris D.
Great space, industrial feel cool vibe and one of the best and friendliest waiters around. The food is seriously good here. The chicken satay was the best in the city so far... (and I do love thai food so I have tried plenty) and the fresh rolls were delicious. We also ordered the curry noodles with skirt steak,... also great and nice spice to it, and to finish it was the fried banana with coconut ice cream, which it didn't have enough coconut taste to the ice cream I thought. Hence the 4 and not 5 for me.
(4)
Mark G.
Some of the best thai in the city, if not the best. Just great flavors and fresh ingredients. Great for lunch and before an X concert.
(4)
Dom B.
We've long been patrons of the original, sister restaurant "Basil" which is a solid and impressively busy neighborhood eatery a few blocks further down Folsom St. The concept of Basil Canteen sees similar food (to the sister restaurant) served in a hipper environment - with a large communal table downstairs under two large light fittings, each consisting of maybe 100 light bulbs packed together like inverted bunches of flowers. Very cool! There's more seating on a mezzanine level upstairs, which makes the most of the high ceilings of the rather fabulous brick warehouse structure. It's a nice space to be in, and a sensible focus on cocktails makes the experience relaxing from the get-go. The menu is well-structured, offering plenty of variety - our favourites include the stir-fried tiger prawns with apple eggplant, the caramelised five spice pork hock with kale and chili vinegar, and the stir-fried duck, snap peas, and lychee in dry spiced red curry. All are competently executed with the familiar thai fragrances coming through with subtlety and balance. The green papaya salad (so often the acid test for Thai restaurants) is a stand-out, served with strips of incredibly tasty fried sun dried beef - it's a good, explosive combination of flavors, which is what good Thai food is all about. Although we like the food I do have a couple of slight criticisms: some of the main courses can be hit-and-miss, with a slight tendancy for stodginess - the pork belly could be crisper and some of the sauces thicker for example. There's also a tendancy to be heavy-handed with the garlic, which doesn't harm the dining experience, but it can get a bit annoying when you can still taste it the following afternoon. But in the scheme of things these are relatively trivial observations - Basil Canteen is another welcome addition to a neighborhood whose restaurants are growing in stature.
(4)
woojin k.
this place seriously sucks. i like the brick building, but food was mediocre and came with some hair on it too. the server didn't seem to give a shit that there was hair in our food, though she did take it off the bill. she had a "wtf" look on her face as if i did something wrong by pointing out that her hair was in my food. thanks.
(1)
Jenny R.
Last night, my husband booked a reservation at Basil Canteen for dinner. He meant to book it for Basil (where we've been a few times), but after we realized the error, we decided to give it a whirl anyway. We weren't disappointed! I ordered a cocktail with ginger-infused vodka, apple, and pear juice. It was unique and very tasty. The shrimp spring rolls were delicious! We shared two entrees, skirt steak with peanut sauce and some kind of crispy lemongrass chicken. The steak was especially good. Both entrees were loaded with veggies, and the brown rice was cooked perfectly. It was just the right amount of food for the two of us. The service was decent, but not especially warm. WE tried to decide if the food was better than Basil, and concluded that it is slightly better! I also liked the atmosphere better. We will be going back.
(4)
Sepaseh K.
The appetizers were great, pumpkin curry was fabulous! Great drinks, service was fast. Fabulous drinks and great atmosphere! Overall if you want Thai, this is a great place.
(4)
E M.
This place gets 2 stars only because the inside is really nice and has a great ambiance, whether you come with a group of friends or on a date. The food is not the greatest though; almost everything has curry and the plates are tiny! The service here also sucks, (servers are not friendly & it's obvious they hate their job).
(2)
April M.
Best Thai I ever ate. Staff is friendly and helpful, menu is easy to understand and navigate. After ten days in San Francisco, this is my favorite place to eat. Pad Thai was tasty and well priced. If you like Thai and don't eat at The Basil Canteen, you are robbing your stomach of a wonderful dining experience.
(5)
Cameron M.
I have been a long-time customer of Basil Thai (BT), and was excited to try their new spot (especially with the 20% discount they gave us back at BT). We went on a Friday night during peak dining time, and everything was quite relaxed. We sat upstairs, the light was a bit dim, but damn, those chandeliers are totally amazing. We had a couple of the fresh spring rolls, and just as with BT, they were quite happy to substitute, taking the meat out of one and making it vegetarian. As other reviewers have suggested, the menu is paired down from the selections available at BT, but to be honest, they removed a lot of options I never chose anyway. We had three noodle dishes and two rice dishes as main courses, and all of them were excellent. The preparation and flavors are much more street food than at BT, and given a choice between the two I think I would actually favor the Canteen from here on out. Oh, and the lemongrass mojoito was seriously delicious and not too sweet. I'm sure Basil Canteen will be successful; with proximity to clubs, good drinks, and a menu that has lots of small plates, I can't imagine that this won't be pre-club spot like the other food in the area.
(5)
Lauren L.
I'm pretty sure I would have had a better food experience if I didn't do takeout. I was going to a concert that night and since I couldn't bring food into the venue, I had to rush my dinner. I ordered my food during happy hour, 5-7 PM, when selected appetizers are five bucks. I ordered the taro fries and the noodles with coconut curry and skirt steak. I just have to say the fries were delicious, I definitely recommend those sticks of awesomeness. The noodles were great as well. Meat = good. Curry = good. Fried stringy things = good. I'm glad I tried this place out, but next time I'm going to actually eat there and not out in the cold standing on the sidewalk.
(5)
King E.
wow. i love Basil Canteen, been coming here for years. but tonight it was phenomenally bad. under-spiced, undercooked, soggy and tasteless. i hope, HOPE, this was just an off-night. unbelievable.
(2)
Chris D.
Located in the middle of what looks like No Where, and next to a Mercades detailing shop, I asked myself if it was going to be worth it. I was totally wrong. I don't know why, but I love brick buildings. It had a nice exterior, and when you walk in, it had a nice open feeling to it. The bottom floor had a couple of large tables for bigger groups, but since we arrived early, we decided to just sit on the bottom and watch the TV screen with pretty fishies on it. We had forgotten that it was around Happier Hour time until the server brought us the menu of $5 appetizers. The Satay chicken was deliciously grilled on the outside but nice and tender on the inside. The peanut sauce was fantastic. The calamari was tasty but a little tough. The main dishes( of which I cannot pronounce or remember the names to) were both equally delicious! Very nice portions and very cheap! The whole bill including a beer was $40. We will definitely be coming back here! The service was good and quick. They were nice and made good reccomendations. One of the servers was SUPER quiet and I could barely hear them in the restaurant(but that's just nit-picky). They brought out our food a little slow, but Thai food can take a while to prepare. Pros: Pretty good Happier Hour. Cheap drinks. Delicious food with a nice big non-standard menu. Nice atmosphere Cons: The food was a little slow to come out.
(4)
Peter B.
I'll write in bullets, because I don't like reading 5 paragraphs of prose to get a review: FOOD * Creative, tasty, with complex sauces and flavors * Daily specials are usually a great pick * Lacking some of the more traditional Thai dishes * Makes up for that with creative and delicious new combos DRINKS * Full bar - beer, wine, hard liquor * Good cocktails * Solid beer selection, on tap and in bottles AMBIANCE * Great architecture and interior design * Long downstairs table good for groups; smaller tables upstairs * Lofty, exposed brick and beam style building SUMMARY In short, a great place for lunch, and probably also dinner. Great take on Thai cuisine, if a tad untraditional.
(4)
TVAT T.
i really enjoy Basil Canteen for dinner...not so much for lunch. kana moo grob $10 crispy pork belly stir-fried with 'gai lan' broccoli is the best!
(3)
Shoddy L.
we live right upstairs. the indian bread appetizer with the steak and curry sauce is TO DIE FOR. I swear, dont even order anything else. This app is number 1 on the menu!!!!!!!!!! dont miss it!
(5)
Phillip M.
My all-time favorite Thai restaurant in SOMA. I give it a 5 stars for the food, service, and environment. The price are reasonable and the spicy is perfect. I recommend you try their pork dumpling. I brought many of my friends and they are all impressed with it so highly recommend it!
(5)
Derek V.
Excellent seafood and ambience at a great price. Although I agree with other reviewers it was awkwardly empty for such a large space. As for the meal, it was better than expected. I usually balk at waiters who describe an item as "spicy" but I was pleasantly surprised at the heat in my cod-skewer. I completed my meal with a very meaty crab fried rice and a Tanqueray and tonic and my bill came to under $30 tax and tip in. Amazing!
(4)
Megan B.
I wouldn't say I was underwhelmed or disappointed with Basil Canteen, but I did expect a little more I guess. I moved to the block the same weekend that The Public closed down, and have been waiting anxiously for BC to open. I love me some Thai food, and as a 12-year resident of southeast Asia, I consider myself somewhat of an expert. The decor in here is darling: all exposed brick with a combination of both vintage and modern details, and orchids aplenty (we'll see how long those last). The menu, however is lacking. What we did order from said limited menu ended up being superb! Between the seven of us we each ordered something different, and nobody was disappointed. My tofu pad see-ew was absolutely delicious, and one of the favorites on the table. The perfect noodle thickness with fried eggs, broccoli and pickled beans. MMM. *FYI veggies: there are two obvious veggie options on the menu, but they're more than willing to substitute tofu on any other dish!! The one extremely amazing thing this place has going for it is the service. Our servers (all five of them??) were attentive and helpful, albeit the place was fairly empty. It's opening week so it should be interesting to see how this place fares... I'll be back, and I'll drag people with me to do my friendly neighbor duty.
(3)
Waylon S.
This is the best Thai food around the neighborhood. My favorite is the Roti and curry noodles.
(4)
SisterMable S.
Mieng Kum still out of this world, thai iced tea is still delicious, but on my return trip I ordered a skyy lychee martini - thinking that for $10 this was gonna be some kinda wow drink, I was quite disappointed. Come on folks, a martini glass half filled with a mixture of vodka and lychee liqueur is fancy, but not ten bucks fancy! One star removed. Sadly.
(4)
Peter S.
Great food, service, location, menu and price! A must!
(4)
Ken L.
I came here recently with a friend before going to a show around the corner at Slim's. If I remember correctly, I got a dish with pork, kale, and some kind of 5 spice sauce. This was really good, and it's not too often that I see kale on a menu, and it's done really well. Great atmosphere inside this place. It's like a huge loft. It would be an awesome place to live. Good service, no complaints. I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Dave A.
A bit hidden, but worth the loop around the block to locate. This place has a dark, chill vibe and amazing food!! The menu offers Thai dishes with splashes of Indian and Chinese flair. The prices are reasonable for the medium sized portions. This place will tickle your taste-buds and leave you wanting more. Definitely recommended for an intimate date in the city.
(5)
Anthony Y.
South of Market has a lot of good restaurants. South of Market doesn't have a lot of really good Thai food. Basil Canteen is good Thai food. I think it is on par with Osha Thai, with a little bit of a smaller price tag. But I could be mistaken on this I think it's been a few months since I have been to Osha Some of the things that are definitely worth getting, kang gari pak, the snack sampler, praramrong song, and talay pad pong gari. Some things I will eat the next time I go, kana moo grob, pla pao bai tong, and mu palo. I usually order for pick up since I live around the corner and for around $30 you can have enough food for two and have leftovers. Although not that many leftovers, I would estimate 1 lunch worth. I like this place it is good and I am becoming somewhat of a regular. That being said the interior of this place is pretty cool too. If I wasn't so damn tired after work I would probably want to eat in but after working for 10-11 hours I m burnt and usually want to go home and change into shorts and a T-shirt. Maybe on a weekend I'll go and check it out.
(4)
Tasha L.
I've been dying to try this place. It was a sat night and seating was avail. Decor and ambiance was nice. Restroom was clean suprisingly for being asian restaurant. I ordered the pad see eww , curry short ribs, and steak salad. All was delicious but curry was kinda salty... Salad was good but for god damn sakes cut the freakin lettuce. I didn't know i was ordering a freaking bed of lettuce like its a wedge.
(4)
Ann T.
food is good, but service is ehhh... could be better. then again, I've only been here for lunch. lime curry noodles with steak is yummy! ask them to kick it up a notch with the spices... it'll be even more satisfying!
(3)
Arlene E.
I went there last night with coulple of friends. Pretty busy for a friday night. Keep in mind it is a very small resturant even though it is 2 floors. The food was pretty good I had the pad kee moo $9.50. Basically pad thai with meat. The service was horrible. The waiters don't speak very good english, so my asking for a drink menu got me a red wine???? Not sure how "drink menu" sounds like "Pinot noir". I had originally asked for an apple martini but they didn't have the pucker to make it?? It took an hour to get our drinks and then another 1/2 hr to get our food. Didn't even bother with dessert, we just wanted to go home after that.
(2)
Win R.
I'd give a restaurant a 4 if its worthy of a return visit. And during a lunch visit with a few co-workers Basil Canteen did just that. With a Thai-fusion-like menu, decent-looking signature cocktail list, friendly waitstaff and no-wait availability, Basil Canteen more than lived up to my non-existent expectations. Though our 8-person table accounted more than half of the capacity during lunch I could definitely see this place becoming more popular. The food was tasty and though I can't speak for everyone in the party the pik-khing bpet (stir-fried duck, snap peas, and lychee in dry spiced red curry) was delicious. The sweet lychee fruit made for a great marrying with the spicy/salty duck. Definitely a find.
(4)
Megann S.
This review is from a few months back, so details aren't entirely there for me, but I can certainly speak to the overall experience. We went to Basil Canteen around 8:00 on a Saturday night. I used to be a waitress and a pretty good one, so I know good service when I see it. At the same time, I'm also extremely forgiving of servers. I understand being in the weeds, having too many demanding tables who all seem to need things at the same time, or just having a bad night. I get it. Bad service is going to happen here and there, even with good servers, and so I am usually the first to understand a server's shortcomings. However. Basil Canteen was a horrific experience in terms of service. When the waiter first came over, he wanted to know if we were ready to order, even though we had just sat down. We ended up ordering a number of plates to share, most from the snacks section of the menu and then one plate from the a la carte section. A food runner brought out the first round of food and we began eating. After a while, no one had been back to check on us (and the food runner had not asked if we needed anything when he dropped our food) and we were wondering where the rest of our food was. Our waiter was nowhere in sight and hadn't been out to the floor in a long time. We finally flagged someone down and asked them to check on our food. She did and came back to tell us that our food had been ready for quite a while, but since we were still eating our first course, they had kept it under the warmer in the kitchen. FIrst of all, no one had ever checked in on us to see if we were ready for the rest of our food nor did we even see our waiter to communicate this. I understand that it's common practice to send out the entrees after the appetizers are done, but it's the server's job to mediate this and make sure that food is coming out at the appropriate time, but also that they're not serving food that's been under the warmer for thirty minutes! Additionally, if they are going to serve their menu items as appetizer and entrees, that should be noted. Nothing about a menu divided up into "snacks" and "a la carte" actually indicates that the meal will be served as appetizers and entrees. We told her that we didn't want the a la carte item anymore as we'd already been there for quite some time and needed to be somewhere. Instead of offering to take the last item off our bill or apologizing in any way, she boxed up our final item to go. On the street, I gave it to a homeless man.
I just came here for the drinks only. I had their Lychee-tini. Super yummy!
(4)
R A.
Tuesday night dinner service, about 7pm. Rainy December night. 1. Ice cold red wine. The server said that no one was in overnight and they had to store the Zinfandel in the fridge. On the plus side, the servers were extremely patient and accommodating and quickly brought me another room temp glass. 2. Salmon sashimi appetizer was still frozen slightly. So, the fish was frozen. Bit gross, sure. On the plus side, the sauce it was in was rather good: both sufficiently spicy and sweet. The rest of dinner was alright. I can see this Thai food being good if you've never had good Thai before. Otherwise, you're pretty much just paying for the atmosphere and the kind staff. Would I go there again? Probably not. Would I recommend you to go? Probably not on a weeknight. Maybe their food is better/fresher on Fri or Sat night. Meh. I've experienced better.
(2)
James S.
Just went to Basil Canteen for the first time a few nights ago and was really happy with everything. I had the "pla pao-charcoal grilled wild caught fish on bamboo skewer served withThai chili-lime sauce" (copied from their menu) and loved it! Also, I had the " pad si ew-wide rice noodle with 'gailan' brocoli, egg, and sliced pork stir-fried with yellow bean and sweet soy", which was good though I've had better. I deliberately chose a really slow time to go since I was eating alone (sniffle, sniffle, no friends....), so the service was great since there were more employees working then customers.
Stumbled across this place about a half-hour before it closed on a Sunday. I felt a bit bad for that but our server never rushed us and provided excellent service all night. The atmosphere is odd for a Thai restaurant, but it's no-nonsense and nice. The food? The food! We ordered only from the appetizer/small plates section and shared dishes, sampling catfish, eggplant, prawns, and spring rolls. Everything we had was great - spicy without showing off how many peppers they can add, and very fresh herbs and ingredients.
(4)
David K.
Two words: duck curry. I don't know if they have it all the time--it was the curry of the day when we were there, but it was pretty freakin' great. Curry sauce was awesome, and the duck slices were lean and tasty. A single curry does not a meal make, however, and the rest of the food was decent, though not earth-shattering. Maybe order two of the curries and then supplement??? I will also say that I was little perturbed by the service. At one point, the waitress asked if we were ready to order, and when we said yes, she promptly walked away. This was likely more of an anomaly than the norm though... I guess she was having a bad hearing night. And yes, the space is very cool.
(3)
Pierre L.
soooo ill give this place one star because the decor and environment is sooooo nice o and another star for the Thai Iced Tea...but other than that the food took really long to come out and then when we got the food the presentation was really nice...... my friend had some curry and my other friend had some spare rib steak or something and i had the drunken beef well mine was pretty okay but my friends werent satisfied and the food was pretty unnecessarily spicy...blahh but uhm maybe we just didnt know what to get maybe well try one more time and get the pad se lew
(2)
Lindsay N.
Was here with 4 people for dinner and we thought it was fantastic. We took recommendations from the waiter, which were all spot on. We ordered a large selection of appetizers and entrees. The food was excellent and especially at the price. It felt like a much more expensive dinner than it was. The mieng kum, tiger prawns with mango and cashew, and especially the pork and crab meatballs were all excellent. The drunken beef and stir fried duck were also great. I will definitely come back here. I prefer the food here to most of the other Thai places I've been in the city - not super traditional, but tasty.
(4)
Jason A.
Thai Basil has taken a great space and made the most of it with the communal table and the simple decor with the exposed bricks. Unfortunately, the food falls behind the great service and location. Thai food is usual on the extreme of salty, sour and sweet, but Thai Canteen is overly so with many of their dishes. The steamed tapioca pork dish is a unique experience, although not something that I would order again. If you happen to be in this part of SOMA and looking for Thai, then this isn't a bad choice. Otherwise there are too many better Thai options throughout SF.
(3)
Swarup B.
hmmm the food here was just OK. i was pretty excited given the proximity to our place but was underwhelmed. the decor is pretty cool w/ a huge communal table in the center. i had pik-khing bpet (stir fried duck rice plate) and she had the veggie pad thai. the flavors were OK but nothing incredibly exciting. my duck was cooked nicely but everything else was run of the mill. her pad thai was not the best we've had by any means but is run of the mill. what we did like was the dessert. we've found ourselves coming back for dessert rather than dinner! the fried banana w/ coconut ice cream is done really well as is the mango sticky rice. the cocktail menu looks pretty interesting so we'll probably try them out at some point but we're not gonna be running back from the dinner.
(3)
miss m.
My roommates and I made the trek all the out to SOMA because we wanted to gorge ourselves on German fried meat goodness at Schnitzel Haus. Too bad we were lame enough to not even consider "reservations" on a Saturday night. Utterly bummed that our fried meat dreams had been heinously crushed, we wandered down Folsom in search of SOMETHING to eat. Thai food was not even up for consideration. So I was surprised that we all found Basil Canteen utterly delicious. On our family style table: crab fried rice, pork pad se ew, lamb curry (the special), and duck salad. Ok, so the crab fried rice was completely uninspired and boring, but it was also amazingly light on the grease, it's only plus. I expected wonderful crab flavor, but all I tasted was fried rice with a hint of egg. I don't think I will ever order that dish again. As for the pad se ew, it was wonderful! Perhaps they read Will A.'s Yelp review because I found it well balanced in the soy sauce department. The pork and noodles were cooked perfectly, and like the crab fried rice, did not leave me feeling like a greased pig. Yummy, yummy, yummy. The special, lamb with massalan (?) curry, was also fabulous. And I don't even like lamb. But the dish was seasoned nicely, neither too heavy on the curry nor the coconut milk, and the meat and veggies were lovely. We, in great poor-table-manners fashion, used our fingers to keep getting little tastes of the sauce. It could have used a bit more spicy heat, though. Now my favorite: THE DUCK SALAD. I will go back to Basil Canteen as long as they do not change this recipe in the slightest! The salad was light and refreshing, with a wonderful combination of citrusy sweet and salty flavors and a faint hint of spicy goodness. I am not an expert on duck as I rarely order it, but I found it lean, tender and delicately savory. I liked that the salad was served on top of a few leaves of iceberg lettuce; the iceberg added a nice crunch without taking away from or adding to the duck's awesome flavor. The beer selection is minimal (well, considering we went out initially for a boot'O'brew, most places would not have come to par in the beer department), but I had an interesting Thai beer called Phuket. Sweet and only mildly yeasty. It went perfectly with my meal. They seemed to have an interesting cocktail list, but as a beer and single-pour drinker, the list is just for interesting reading in my world. I enjoyed my dining experience, the wait staff was friendly and quick to smile, which I loved. The environment was casual and I will definitely go back (under the aforementioned stipulation that the duck salad remains the same, of course)!
(3)
Mattew W.
love love love this place. i have taken clients and friends here. a bit pricey but worth it big time. the plates are inventive and i can only guess authentic. the food is great and the service always matches. all in a really cool spot. this place has been at least half a dozen different places in the years i have worked and lived around SOMA and i hope this is the last one. it is awesome.
(5)
Ben G.
Hmm. Two 5-star reviews (mostly reviewing the building and location) the week a place opens? A bit odd. Anyway, I live in the neighborhood and I couldn't be happier about a new, casual restaurant here -- Public was pretty good but nothing special, and way overpriced and the wrong fit for the area. Plus, the original Basil up Folsom St. is superb, with fresh California-style interpretations of Thai cooking. So I had high expectations. Unfortunately Basil Canteen is apparently working out a few kinks. At 8pm on a Wednesday there were only two other people in the place, but wait staff still took quite a while to get to us, and when they did, were totally unfamiliar with the menu. Generally I had the feeling we'd come to a restaurant that wasn't actually open. Food is pretty good, although an odd mix -- appetizers good for sharing, then noodles and soups which aren't that good for sharing. The appetizers are pretty good although at $7 or $8 they're a bit small. A spicy beefy noodle dish was quite good, as was a lemongrass mojito. $60 for two and left feeling like I hadn't quite eaten enough. Again, I applaud the Basil people moving into this space and the price points and snacks/drinks idea are closer to what the neighborhood needs. Give them a while to find a groove and it could become a great addition to the area, but right now, they're a bit scattered.
(3)
Jo D.
I wanted to love this place, I love Basil Thai just down the road (and the same owners I think) but I'm afraid I found the food a bit mediocre. The venue is great, very open, exposed brick ... very SOMA. The food was lack lustre - not great cuts of meat, overcooked veggies etc ....
(3)
Kalvin C.
I must say for a thai restaurant, Basil has got it down. Their food is really tasty, and if you aren't too sure on what you should get, I definitely recommend trying the snack sampler plate for an appetizer, Its got a little bit of everything which lets you explore the different items on the menu. Its also got two chicken satay kebobs so you won't be at a total loss if you don't like anything else. From what my friends were saying, the Pad Thai was delicious, in fact one of my friends said it was the absolute best Pad Thai she has ever tasted. I had a Pad kee Mao, which was absolutely delish! The waiter was very prompt on the refills of water and I didn't feel like I was being rushed out after we've paid. This is now officially my favorite Thai place.
(5)
Rob C.
3.5 attempts to merge an sf dining scene ambiance with tenderloin thai dining. thus has all the safe noodles dishes and some of the thai specials like pork belly gai lan. problem is that it falls a little short. the pork belly bits were a little gooey even though crisp outside and moist inside. must be not wet enough, and pieces too large. sauce a little salty. also shared the roti with curry and flank steak, very nice. crispy oily roti that soaked up the spicy sauce well. the catfish was spicy and worked overall, but not the best fish pieces
(3)
Marcelo C.
Alright first off I try not to write very many bad reviews BUT I think this place deserves a bad review... so a bunch of friends got together for a friends birthday and I had been wanted to try this place for a while now... first off nice industrial feeling place love that... the waiter took about 45minutes to take our order... about 30minutes to serve us (small portions) for the price.... alright food I would give it maybe a 3 or 4 stars... why they are getting a 1 out of me? well it took a little over an hour to get our bill after we asked for it mind you we were the only table our server was handling (its not rocket science) when he finally got back everything was over priced 10 dollars for jasmine rice (its only supposed to be 2 dollars) 12 dollars for the satay chicken (its only supposed to be 6 dollars) the list goes on and on.... when we pointed it out the waiter said "ohhh that's where that went" walked off and came back over an hour later....so our simple dinner turned into a almost a 5 hour ordeal... terrible I thought I was living a nightmare I have never had that happen to me in my life.... in the end it was NOT worth it I was so disappointed I really wanted to like this place.
(1)
Philip N.
Really good salads. Just right on spicy side. Perfect lunch portions. Some of my salmon was frozen though in the sashimi salad which was annoying but still tasted good.
(4)
Ernie P.
We went there last night right after GDGT Event. They sat us upstairs. It was a wkday so it wasnt crowd at all. Everything is very clean and tasty. It was 6 of us and bill was only $104 tax & tip included. I was surprised too. Anyways, this place is definitely worth returning. It's an alternative to Osha experience. Enjoy.!
(5)
Miguel V.
Wow! this place was amazing! I was blown away cuz we can't get Thai this good in SD. Came here with some family that was reuinioning in the area and a local said that it has the sister restaurant of some other place nearby. We ordered fam style, but each ordered our primary dishes. We also got kanom guay chai, the chive cakes, which were amazing as an app. We also got the shrimp skewers, which were equally amazing. For entrees, I got the pik-khing bpet, which was duck with vegetables in a red curry. My brother, who doesn't eat duck nearly as often as me, nailed it on the head in his amazement over how they "roasted the skin so crispy without burning off all of the delicious fat just underneath it and still managing to season the meat perfectly." My next favorite was my sister's salmon in red curry. yeah I like red curry, but seriously, this was amazing. It was a special though so i don't know if they usually have it. My other sister got the spicy noodles with clams, which was also very good, and surprisingly well-seasoned. Someone ordered the drunken beef, which I definitely enjoyed, but not as much as some of the other dishes. The beef was tender, but I'll take duck or fish over beef any day. My brother ordered some kind of shrimp dish with vegetables that was another of my faves and someone else got some pork that was pretty good, but nothing mind blowing. Overall, they have a few good beers on tap or in bottles, a decent drink menu and very good food. They are a bit more expensive than some of the other places I have been to in the area, but the quality is definitely comparable. I would most likely be back if I was around.
(5)
Eva M.
I found Basil Canteen while looking for a pre-theater place to have dinner close enough to Market that we wouldn't be late to the show. My boyfriend loves Thai food and I am slowly learning more about the cuisine and this place did not disappoint. There was a wide selections so we enjoyed peanut chicken skewer appetizers and a couple of the entrees with lychee martinis that were just heaven. Dinner was a great success as it was a surprise and my very serious Thai food eating boyfriend was happy with the food. So much that we could not order dessert after everything we ate, but know better for our next visit.
(4)
Janet P.
I don't know about all the so-so reviews. I had the beef with egglant and string beans and thought it was pretty tasty. So were the vegetarian spring rolls and the Thai Ice Tea. Since this was my first time, I feel pretty OK about this place. Prices seemed reasonable as well.
(4)
T. J.
I don't quite understand what the 2 star reviews are all about. The place is great! If you expect the place to be "Basil II", it's not. But if you expect good food that is pretty close to what you would find on the streets of Bangkok, that's exactly what you'll get. The food is simple, tasty, and not pretentious. I'm a big fan of Basil - been going there at least once a month for the last 3 years. Now I'm a new big fan of Basil Canteen too! My husband and I went there for the first time tonight. We had Sakoo (little sweet pork dumplings), Mieng Kum (mixture of roasted coconut, fresh lime, onion, sdried hrimp, on leaf topped with sweet sauce), Sua Rong Hai (beef and lamb skewers with special dipping sauce), Poh Pia Sod (fresh Thai crab meat rolls), and Pad Si Ew (sweet/salty stirfry wide rice noodles) tonight. They were pretty AWESOME! We finished with some dessert which was a little sweet for me but my husband loved them. Everything that we had, except the noodles, were not a typical dish that you would find at any Thai restaurant in SF. It reminded me of home (Bangkok). It tastes pretty close to what you would get at home too. So if you expect just another so called "authentic Thai" restaurant that is on every other street corner of SF, this place is not it. Go there with an open mind.... maybe pretend you're in a restaurant in Bangkok (cuz we don't over decorate our restaurants in Bangkok with things that scream Thai like they do here) and you'll enjoy it as much as we did tonight.
(5)
A S.
Went here for Valentine's Day. Pretty quiet, although it was a Sunday night. Very hip vibe, nice waiters, great food. Really extensive list of appetizers and small plates.
(4)
John G.
The feel of Basil Canteen is almost exactly like the prior restaurants at this location. No complaints about the space, as it is architecturally interesting. But, the food isn't traditional Thai (which if prepared well can be wonderful) and, unfortunately, seems based on the idea that if you add sugar to most of the dishes, the patrons will like it. Wrong!
(2)
h h.
BASIL CANTEEN GAVE ME A FRESH TAKE ON THAI FOOD I have to start out by saying the food is awesome! I have been there twice in the first few weeks they have been open and the food is amazing and unlike any other Thai restaurant in the bay area. Other places just don't even have the items on their menus. I had to steal one of their menus just so I could write a review on Yelp and do them justice! Finally a restaurant that is introducing me to some NEW thai food. They definitely have tried to offer some upscale gourmet level Thai food, not just some boring curries or noodles. I felt like I was testing food the IRON CHEF had prepared when I tried their Miang Kum. Its diced shrimp, roasted coconut, pomelo, peanuts and ginger served on a mustard leaf. You get 5 of them and they were so friggin' good!!! We didnt want to eat them they looked so good. Thank God I went with two women, I got to order more dishes and eat more of each dish. The one dish I ordered both times I've gone is the Kao Soi Neur. Its some wide noodles in a lime coconut curry with skirt steak....DAMN!! So good. Its spicy enough for me and not too spicy to kill my slightly sensitive wife. They got the curry perfected in this one, and its so rich and full of flavor. A perfect accent for the chunks of skirt stake floating in the dish. Gotta try this one. Their 'Hoi Tod Yum Ma Muang' (breaded blue point oysters with mango ceviche) is another example of something you won't find in any other Thai restaurant, and it was so good, I wanted to order another dish of them. They were hot off the fryer and so good I didnt want to share them with my wife and her friend, you must try those too. Their steamed tapioca pork dumpling, Sakhoo Sai Moo, were yet another new take on Thai food. They were little round Thai pork potsticker-like concoctions that once again made me feel like we were testing something off Iron Chef. We also had Rad Nar "Shiang Hai" which you wont find anywhere else. It was mung bean noodles served with asparagus, prawns, squid, and blue crab meat in rad nar gravy. Very delicious and it perfectly offset the spiciness of the Yellow Curry noodles and Skirt Steak we had ordered. Their Pad Si Ew was the best I have tried in the Bay Area too. Not a new Thai dish to me, just a new, fresh take on a common, often rushed dish. I haven't tried their Pad Thai yet, but that's next on my list when I go there, I just had to try all of the dishes I have never heard of first. Did I mention they have a full bar? All the upscale alcohol you would need and beer and wine too. Most Thai places only have a few beers and wine, definitely a plus, you don't have to hit a bar before you go. NOW CHECK OUT THE ARCHITECTURE The place looks like something out of Architectural Digest. High cielings, exposed beams, lights that look like their from the future, and a bar that looks like it should be in a movie. Not to mention the bathroom. It was so awesome I didnt want to mess it up. The sink was so modern and cool looking I couldnt figure out how to turn the faucet on at first. The upstairs looks like the V.I.P. lounge for some fancy club in Manhattan. Then the location. Its right next door to Slim's, on the corner of 11th and Folsom, so its close to a bunch of nightclubs you could check out. I was watching all the big booty girls with short skirts walking by and my wife had to snap to get my attention several times. I asked why they didn't have a sign outside yet and apparently the building itself is a historical landmark and they were getting hassled by the city about putting anything on the brick walls outside. So, its there, it just doesn't have a sign yet. They just opened and was giving extra good service since they weren't that busy yet, so go try them out before there's a wait to get in. I wish I lived nearby so I could get their food more often. I definitely recommend this place!
(5)
That's For N.
I had dinner her a few nights ago with a friend of a friend in SF. It took me a few guesses to figure out it wasn't Indonesian or Malay. The menu didn't give it away - which means this Thai restaurant is not like your everyday joe blow thai restaurant. The service was amazing. Our hostess had a beautiful smile on her face and explained the aim of the restaurant - to bring the tastes from all corners of Thailand to the patrons of the restaurant. We had Gai Tod Takai (crisped lemongrass chicken with snake beans and crackling young peppercorn and the Kana Moo Grob (crispy pork belly stir-fried with 'gai lan' broccoli). Both were scrumptious. The free appetizer was peanuts serviced with minced green onions. Interesting. The ambiance, service and taste left us satisfied customers. A gem. Probably one of the best Thai restaurants I've eaten at, if not the best.
(5)
Esther L.
One of our new favorite lunch date spots. The only thing I didn't like this last time was getting seated at the big long table. I had to sit too far away from my wife! Great flavors, excellent service.
(5)
D M.
Folsom Street Fair day, an oasis of calm far away from the madding crowds. Food nice, more 3 star but an extra star for the total coolness of the staff with Folsom style garb plus the extra large tequila shot my husband was given....
(4)
Melyssa W.
This place is fantastic for groups...they have fun interesting drinks, I really like the full moon and the specials are good. The wait staff is very helpful and friendly...get the Beef Thai yellow curry noodle bowl here and you won't be disappointed!
(4)
Michael W.
Solid Thai food in a cool brick building next to Slims's. They had a nice happy hour menu with $5 snacks/small plates and $3 Singha beer. Service was great as well.
(4)
Lil R.
Very satisfying if you love different flavors. Kind of wish they had coconut rice but there are other things that keep me coming back. Frankly, I would give it more stars.
(5)
Chanye N.
Get the Roti or Shrimp Toast appetizers. All entrees are great. Giant bowls of curry, very fresh, above medium spice. I am thankful to the places which have pickled jalapenos, hot sauce and dried pepper flakes on the table. Most tables have this here or you can ask. The servers are very friendly. They have very refreshing and fun cocktails - I love the Gin based SOMA Sling. It would be a great place to have an adult birthday (but I've seen the kiddies in here too with balloons and all) - very NY like loft room, general cool vibe, and of course the wonderful sharable food and drink. Highly recommend and prefer to its big brother Basil down the street.
(5)
Garrett B.
I've been going to the other Basil for sometime now, and I actually stumbled upon this one while at the Folsom street fair this year. (did I just admit to that?) My party stumbled in, we sat upstairs with a great view of the party. The waitress was quick with our drinks, which by the way were nice and stiff. There was good music playing to entertain us while we waited for our food, which didn't take long at all. The food was amazing, and we all agreed this Basil was just as good, if not better than the original.
(4)
Jill T.
It opened across the street from my work and I decided to try it. Had the salt and pepper spare ribs. They were very good! I did take out so I can't comment on the service or anything else. The place looks very nice.
(4)
Will A.
I'd like to give Basil Canteen 4 stars, I really would! It's located in a really gorgeous space, all nicely modern-converted-old-brick-building, and has a fairly comprehensive bar. Unfortunately the menu is just a subset of Basil Thai's and isn't nearly as good. The pad ke mao and pad se ew at Basil Thai are some of the best I've had, really excellent! However the pad se ew at Basil Canteen was pretty terrible in comparison... so much soy sauce it almost felt teriyaki! I'll go back to Basil Canteen at some point, because it has a lot of potential, but Basil Thai is much closer and better.
(2)
krys s.
duck dishes, wooooooowwww~
(5)
robert g.
a great balance of great food nicely presented, great atmosphere, just a bit the industrial side. attentive wait staff. and must mention the the sculpture scattered about. good stuff!
(5)
k l.
I thought this place was way to expensive. Entree's to share at $15 or more each are too much. Service was good and drinks ok. Wine selection not that great. The food was pretty good although I thought the monk fish dish lacked flavor. The sampler appetizer plate was a bit disappointing as well. They also overcharge for rice. The entree prices are very pricey and rice should be included. My husband was also disappointed that they only had one curry dish. For a thai place I guess they should have more. They would probably survive if the location was better and they had better prices. Otherwise, I don't think this place will be called Basil Canteen past 2010 and will go down like the Public did.
(2)
A K.
Have been three times in the past two months. Great service. Really like the small plates that you can do tapas style. Very good seafood dishes currently including the crab fried rice. Always appreciate a place that changes their menu up on a regular basis. Good beer (Phuket and Singha for Thai beers) and white wines by the glass. The special curry is normally very good. As the previous review mentions, I hope they stay around as they never seem very busy at night during the week like their sister restaurant down the street, although I think their food might be better.
(5)
a m.
Great place to take a group. Fresh, well-prepared Thai food with just enough experimentation and unique style. Open, loft-dot-com style atmosphere, which means you can usually hear each other talk. Recommended if you are looking for a contemporary dining experience.
(5)
steve m.
great little place near all of the clubs and bars on 11th st. the food is tasty not expensive a little loud. ( i was there on a friday) good service great for before you go our.
(4)
bonnie b.
I have to say, I really like this place and I hope that it stays in business. The building itself is a marvel: high ceilings, 2 story windows, ambient trip hop playing softly in the back ground; chic without being pretentious. This is the perfect spot for a dinner date without breaking your budget. My boyfriend and I met here for an early dinner before the ballet. We were able to enjoy a nice meal with wine for under $50.00 and still make it to the ballet on time (less than an hour dining time). The wait staff is attentive and friendly. The food was yummy and plentiful. The wine and spirit list is adequate. We left the meal happy and full. I will definitely come back for a return visit.
(4)
Bin M.
Love their soup and duck dumplings. Service is always friendly. Environment is clean.
(4)
Victory V.
Best thai restaurant in the city. Second week in a row I've taken a group there with everyone walking out stuffed and uber-happy. (Plus the staff is pretty prompt and don't keep you waiting, so a nice bonus.)
(5)
Moko S.
i liked it. the duck was good. quack quack!
(4)
Diana S.
Delicious and complex flavors. Loved the tarro fries, and the app with shrimp and coconut. Definitely enjoyed the fried banana and cocunut ice cream dessert. Get a greyhound too! Thanks to the staff for being so friendly and helpful.
(4)
Robert U.
Went here before a halloween party last night. It was perfect for what we wanted. The food was all excellent (we had the drunken beef and some sort of eggplant thing) the staff was friendly and attentive but not annoyingly so. What sets it a bit apart is I really loved the building and ambiance inside.
(4)
Dinesh R.
were actually looking to goto Basil Thai, but managed reservations here instead. very nice place, service was great as well. not too much Vegetarian option in the menu, but they mentioned they could make any preparation without the meat. Pau Pia is definitely recommended. we also had the pad kee mao and monk's delight, both great dishes. Portions are very decent. def some place we would go again.
(4)
Kevin G.
Man, I don't know what the negative reviews are about. Four of us went and had a fantastic meal at a reasonable price. And since the place is yet to be discovered, there was no wait for a table on a Friday night and we were able to have a long leisurely meal. Of seven dishes, only one wasn't great. If you're looking for traditional food, this isn't your place, but if you're open to a modern take, it's great. I'd compare it it to Osha. I don't remember the actual names, but for starters we had the veggie spring rolls, the cubed steak skewers, and the duck salad (the duck salad was our one dud). For the main course we shared the pad thai, a wide noodle dish, another steak dish, and the green curry special. It was all delicious (and way too much food for four people). As a pad thai snob who hasn't found a satisfactory pad thai in SF, I have to say that their take was fantastic. Will definitely go back.
(4)
Eric M.
Love it! The food is great and priced right, and it comes fast. I am looking forward to working through their entire menu. It has so many choices I had a hard time deciding what to get. If I remember, I'll get back here with my favorites.
ok I'm not sure what's up with all the high ratings and the $$ rating either. I guess I caught them on an off day maybe. $30 for two lunch entrees doesn't seem cheap to me for thai food. Ok sure, we ordered mango shrimp with rice and shrimp pad thai, but still...that seems really overpriced to me. On top of that, the mango shrimp rice came out first and then...25 min into lunch we had to ask if the pad thai was coming which the waiter just said yes and left. Another 10 min later it came out. We were already done at that point... On top of that the pad thai was incredibly salty and the mango shrimp was just ok.
(1)
Dan V.
A really good menu with a lot of options - pretty typical Thai. The chive cakes and taro fries are good appetizers. We had reservations at 10 through Open Table but the servers weren't happy about this because they close at 1030. We didn't realize this when we booked but one would think that the restaurant would have a say over this. If they do I hope they change it to avoid crankiness in the future.
(3)
Sean B.
Short review. Tasty, but hella Americanized, Thai food. Stylish. Cute servers. Slightly spendy.
(4)
Julie N.
Came here a quick bite before seeing a show thats nearby. When my brother and i went inside this restaurant, asked us if we had reservation. When we said no, gave us a little table at the corner near the bar area. They had happy hour foods and drinks. Although they gave the regular menu, we only look at happy hour menu. We ordered 6 out of 8 of the happy hour food which basically almost all of the food from the menu. Each plate cost $5. Its more like small plate so i thought its quite expensive for the amount of food they five you. Like appetizer dish in a way. You can get hungry again after a few hours The food that we got were: taro fries, fresh rolls with shrimp and vegetable(has the fish sauce dipping sauce), tapioca dumplings with pork and nuts, thai spiced corn fritters, chicken satay(has a peanut sauce), and pork skewers(has a spicy sauce). I thought the foods were average. The dishes with the sauce made it has that extra flavor. Fast service
(3)
Linda K.
Although this Basil is mighty comparable to the other Thai Basil restaurant a couple blocks down, there are significant differences in this Basil that makes it unique. First off, beautiful design in both interior and exterior. I love the brick and open windows that brings in so much light and warmth into the space. It instantly relaxes me and excites me for the upcoming food that comes along the experience. Secondly, the service is great! The waitress and waiters would make sure that we have enough water and smiles constantly. Lastly, their appetizers are all delicious! Their main dishes are fair. It's not TOO large but it's enough where I can say I close to bloat but not close enough. I had the Pad Thai and I felt like it was a little dry and consisted of too much noodles compared to the balance of the shrimp and vegetables that I wanted in it. But I mixed it around with all of the vegetables and shredded peanuts and was still able to finish the whole thing! Again, beautiful environment, friendly staff, and deliciously higher priced Thai food (for my usual lunch), but trust me, I was a happy camper
(4)
Bori B.
Went here for dinner before heading out for the night. The service was pretty solid and we ordered sake bombs, appetizers, and dinner. They were really nice and filled out water when necessary. I got the wontons which were delicious! they had a good filling of meet. I also had the pad see ew and split that with my friend. I thought it was pretty average but i would definitely come back here again! It is an extremely convenient location to butter, bergerac, and dna lounge in the area!
(4)
Winnie T.
I'm so surprised at the high ratings for this place. Came here 7pm on a Saturday night and the restaurant was fairly empty- not a good sign, but I was trusting Yelp and craving Thai food. First, 1 star for the amazing decor and industrial feel of the place. It's gorgeous. Second star for the service. They were incredibly attentive, possibly because not much else to do? Food gets zero stars. I ordered a pineapple fried rice and it was mushy, bland, and only slightly warm. The rice was sticking together because it was so wet and there was just no seasoning in it at all. Chicken was really dry and bland too. Just awful. I couldn't even finish it. I'm not sure if this place was having an off day or what, but I won't be coming back. Really sad because I love the atmosphere!
(2)
Sarah W.
This place is like the most reasonably priced, most bestest service of comfort food (in this case Thai) ever in SoMA/SF!!! Not only were they accommodating to our group's size (about 10) and dietary restrictions (vegetarian), they were good about service, communication, the bill, etc! They even seated us when our whole party wasn't present yet (d'aww). I highly recommend the thai iced tea and the grapefruit salad. They are both extremely satisfying and amazing and special. The coconut rice is also to die for! I loved everything else we tried too, but they were good and not great (good is good still!). Either way, I don't think you can go wrong. They know how to cook vegetables and fry tofu real well so they must do proteins well too. Expect to pay $10-15/person (what a deal!!!!). Or $20 if you want to try everything like us. :) Their sister restaurant is Basil Thai around the block, but that place isn't as good for groups/not as reasonably priced as this location. Also the ambiance and decor was tres nice!!
(4)
Henry P.
Modern interior design, good food, great service! First off, when walking by from the outside, you may not notice this place at all but when you step inside, it is somewhat of a pleasant surprise. The design is very modern with a dark woody tone. The service is great too. As I have peanut allergy, the waitress kindly informed me every dish that contained peanuts. The food is great too. I loved the lemongrass chicken, bit spicy for those who can't handle it though. However, prices are higher on average for Thai food, so be forewarned. Most dishes start at $10. Tip: if you're doing family style, order a la carte then order rice on the side (jasmine white, brown, or coconut rice)
(4)
Juliana X.
Really good food and cocktails and absolutely hit it at happy hour! I'll definitely be going back.
(4)
An Y.
I can't believe I hadn't known about this place when I was working somewhat close to it. Dimly lit with candles for cozy ambiance. Modern decor. Just a really neat space. Great place to take guests. Their menu has a lot of items I've never seen at other Thai restaurants. A friend ordered the Sakhoo Saimu (described as 'tapioca dumplings') -- definitely not something I've had before, but turned out to be quite good. It's got an interesting texture though -- so probably not something everyone will like. I recommend what I got: Gai Tod Pad Pik Khing (the lemongrass chicken dish)
(4)
Jessica C.
Everyone in our office is obsessed with this place, especially with one of their dishes that I will talk about in a minute... Here are a few of the menu highlights: The yellow curried vegetables are fresh, flavorful, and without the heaviness that comes with most curries. It's not cream based, the vegetables (eggplant, squash, broccoli, asparagus, jalepeno) are sauteed in curry seasoning, and a light Thai sauce - second favorite dish on the menu. The shrimp and pumpkin tamarind curry - yum. The chunks of pumpkin are sweet, the shrimp is tender and juicy, and the sauce is spiced, sweet, and creamy. The vegetables are the perfect compliment - green and red bell pepper, squash, and asparagus. And saving the best for last: CHOO CHEE SALMON. Since ordering this, it's really hard to get anything else; it's that good. The salmon is pan roasted - crispy outside, and tender and juicy on the inside. It comes covered in cauliflower and onions, sauteed in a lemongrass red curry sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. As a bonus, the inside is beautiful - exposed brick, high ceilings, natural light. But really, this could be a hole in the wall in the TL and I'd still be a frequent customer!
(5)
Elaine Y.
Decor here is really nice, red bricked walls with modern furniture. There's a little nice mezzanine for a little bit more quiet lunch. Server here is okay, not extremely friendly or rude, seems like they fulfill their basic duties and leaves you alone to your food. They quickly take your order and about 15 minutes later, food appears in front of you. I had the pumpkin curry and being it's the same dish I ordered at other thai restaurants, I would say there's nothing special about this one that makes me think they serve the best nor worse. I don't even know if this review means anything since it's a very average experience for me. Would I come back? Maybe, since I work nearby...
(3)
Winny F.
Another surprise find. We were craving thai food in Soma and this place popped up. This is definitely more fusion than Thai, but it's still great nonetheless. They happen to have two seats open up on a Friday Night at 8pm. However, I highly recommend making a reservation online. This looks like a family run place. Every member of the team seem very in sync and customer service was fantastic. The actual restaurant is lively with lots of mixed arrangements and seating choices. I liked how they made use of the high ceilings, by building an extra floor above their kitchen. I would definitely recommend large groups to come here. The food itself is more of a three star. Don't get me wrong it's good, fresh and tasty, but it's not a place I would rush back to eat at. I also found it quite healthy and not overly salty like other restaurants can be. It's a little pricey for most asian food, as it's aimed at a more trendy crowd. Like many others we tried: Steamed Taro Dumplings - The skin was refreshing. I wasn't crazy about the filling. Slow Cooked Beef Short-Ribs - They were fantastic. Even better as leftovers Mushrooms and Veggie Rice Noodles - Very tasty.
(4)
Mary C.
Came here last night for my friend's birthday and had made reservations for a party of 15. This restaurant is a little hard to spot even though it was right on the corner due to the exterior of the building. Our table was right next to the entrance which was a good thing since it was a hot day in the city for some weird bizarre reason! :P We were also just a few tables away from the bar area! Anyways so we went with the set menu and did family style. Once everyone got seated, the food came out fairly quickly and in order (appetizers, entree dishes, and then dessert). For appetizers we had the egg rolls and the chicken skewers. The skewers was soOo delicious and tender!!! Especially with the peanut sauce that it came with! I had to hold back so I don't get too full before the entrees came! Loll. After the appetizers they brought out a big bowl of white rice. And right when I was thinking if they had brown rice...bam! They set down a big bowl of brown rice next to me as if they read my mind. Awesomes!! :D The entree dishes were also really good and flavorful. I think we got 6 entree dishes total just for one side of our table, totalling to 12 dishes! Oh my...it was definitely more food than we had imagained. My favorite was probably the eggplant dish and the steak. One or two of the dishes were a little too spicy for me but they were very good still. And lastly, for the dessert we got the fried bananas with coconut ice-cream! We got 3 of these and they were sweet enough to bring out an extra one with a candle on it for my friend! =) The bananas were fried perfectly, light and crispy, which complimented the ice-cream really well! For about $25 per person for all this yummy food, I will definitely be coming back! Oh and the service was excellent! Great job!
(4)
Mark M.
The Thai food here is a bit disappointing, and not as good as what I expected for the generally good reviews that they received here. The food here in general is just too sweet for me, with the curries and noodles in particular. There is just too much sugar not properly balanced with salt. And the spicy dishes here are a bit watered down in terms of their pep - if as an Asian restaurant, if you promise spice, you should so deliver. You can do better, Basil Canteen. The service here is also just average. We had a very large party here with almost 40 people. I would have to say that it was disappointing in so far as it seems less than enthusiastic.
(3)
Sean S.
Good selection of food with medium service. They take your order (sometimes that takes a little while) and bring your food, but mostly leave you alone in-between times. Frustrating if you want your water glass refilled. The food is fairly good, but not outstanding. They do handle large groups well though. They don't have great space for more than two, but they get it done and keep food coming to the table. Again getting their attention or water in between courses isn't as easy as I would like. It's a nice looking place. Equidistant from both 16th St and Civic Center BART stations I meet folks here form time to time from my old work when I come out to visit.
(3)
Romain C.
What happened to this place? It used to be one of the best Thai places in the city. Yesterday, I couldn't eat my Pad See Ew, I had to drink plenty of water to swallow the pieces of pork that were way too hard and the ice tea had zero flavor, only the color of it. Same experience for my friend.
(1)
Sean H.
Too bad, so sad. So much potential, because it rests in between two of my favorite places ever, Slim's and Folsom Street Foundry. I wish I had liked this place more than I did, because it could have been one of my go to spots, but sadly it just didn't live up to expectations. I personally liked my meal, but all 3 of my friends were underwhelmed with theirs which is why I'm throwing so much shade at Basil Canteen. I genuinely do not know what the name of the dish I got was because it was some wild Thai name, but it had beef and eggplant and it was apparently the clear winner out of all our meals. My friends got the duck curry and the Pad Thai, and neither of them was very impressed with what they got. The restaurant itself is pretty legit looking though. Coolest lights I've ever seen here. They gathered a bunch of normal lightbulbs into a bundle and made a fixture out of that. They also got a bar which is never a bad thing right? Might give this place another try just cause the reviews on here are pretty high and Yelp don't lie, but we'll see. Usually one meh experience equals no further experiences for me.
(3)
Angela L.
The interior is really nice and clean. The service is fast, the food is delicious, and piping hot when it comes out. The only reason why I gave them one less star is because their food sucks as leftovers. I tried to microwave both my pad thai and pad see ew, and both were just gross. Too mushy and just blegh.
(4)
Krista L.
I came here for my birthday and was not disappointed! The main reason for choosing this restaurant was because the prices were very reasonable, which is hard to find at a nice restaurant in SF that's good for large groups. Made a reservation beforehand on open table and when we arrived the table was ready for us earlier than our reservation. The menu is extensive, which was a little overwhelming at first, but nice to have so many options. To help people choose, for appetizers, I recommend: kang kiow wan roti, sakhoo sai mu, and the sikrong mu tod. All were delicious, especially the sakhoo sai mu which looks like an eyeball at first because of the tapioca. For entrees I recommend: pad ped pla duk, drunken beef, gai tod pad pik khing, and the pad se ew! For dessert you must order the mango sticky rice, that was a great finish to a tasty meal.
(5)
Annie S.
I will probably be coming back quite often, as it is so close to our office. The ambience of the place is great...it's really spacious and bright inside. I got the tom kha gai soup. It was good, but pretty salty...i had to keep drinking in equal parts of water. Really wish I had a side of rice, would have made it perfect. This place gets pretty packed during lunch hours, so reservations would be helpful. Also, it can take a bit of time for them to prepare the food at times. Will have to try something more substantial next time. A friend of mine got the pad kee mao and the portion sizes are actually larger than I was expecting.
(3)
Kunal V.
Great food, service and ambiance. Surely was the best Thai food experience I've had in a long time.
(5)
Sophie P.
I was very pleasantly surprised after dinner here with a few of my friends from LA. The venue was aesthecially pleasant and clean! The food was equally as good and was delicious! I've been to a few thai places around the SF, but I may have to say this place is my favorite! We ordered a few dishes starting with the taro fries appetizer (wonderful), and every dish was delightful! They were also able to accommodate 8 people within 2 hours of calling in, so that was very great of them :) Head on over and try some thai in a trendy place.
(5)
e m.
Get their roti w steak and green curry dipping sauce: to die for. Restaurant design is lofty and industrial at the same time. Service is attentive. Reasonable prices.
(5)
Rune H.
The food was decent, but our server was terrible and shouldn't work in any type of service industry. My friend and I ordered three dishes to share, one of which was pad thai that we specifically requested be made with chicken. It came with shrimp. No big deal in and of itself - these types of mistakes happen - but when we made the server aware of the error, she refused to take it back and called us liars when we said we had requested chicken. Laughable behavior. I prefer not to be insulted by staff and eat what I actually ordered so I won't come again.
(1)
Stephanie Y.
What a great spot in the SOMA area. I need last minute Friday night reservations for a party of 8. I didn't realize SF was a city of reservations, so all those spots I spent hours bookmarking, booked. Cue Basil Canteen. The space is great, super industrial, wood & steel combo. Minus somewhat painful service, the food was great and the prices were super reasonable. I wasn't drinking since the night before was my company's annual party and I was still feeling the pain, but everyone else seemed to enjoy the cocktails. Food - So at the risk of being that Yelp review, I'm going to be super general since I forgot and I was tired and to be honest, my friend did most of the ordering. Not too many details in this one, but I can assure you, it was good! We split 3-4 dishes and it was more than enough food. Spice level was on point. Overall a great spot for a casual, inexpensive dinner. Great for a group or a cheaper date. Just don't let that one waitress push ya around, you know, that one!
(4)
J G.
food was ok, it's the salt that drive me away. don't know why so many restaurant put tons of salt in their food.
(2)
Ryan M.
Great place! Braised beef is awesome, so much flavor. Definitely recommend this experience.
(4)
Gabbi d.
Great ambiance and quick service. Huge family style tables so definitely a good choice if you're dining with a large group. Make sure you try the coconut rice and pumpkin curry. All the dishes were a moderate size- just enough to share among six people comfortably. Be careful not to get mixed up with the other Basil 4 blocks down.
(4)
Fran C.
I was in California for a wedding this weekend, and my cousin's daughter & husband had invited our family for a after wedding "rehearsal" dinner at the Basil Canteen. All I can say about this place was the food was EXCELLENT!!! My dad had never tried Thai food before, and he even told me he enjoyed the food a lot........that's a good sign, and my dad is usually spot on wid' da grindz! We had the following items tonight.......... 1. Somtum - Salad of green papaya, string beans, tomatoes, nuts, & dried shrimp with sweet chili-lime juice. 2. Gai Satay - Grilled marinated chicken on bamboo skewers served with peanut sauce & cucumber relish. 3. Sakhoo Saimu - Steamed Tapioca Dumplings of pork & peanuts served with lettuce cups. 4. Jasmine Rice. 5. Kang Kua Goong - White Prawns & Japanese pumpkin in tangy red curry. 6. Pra Ram Rong Song - Grilled skirt steak with curried peanut sauce and steam vegetables. 7. Choo Chee Salmon - Pan roasted Atlantic salmon & cauliflower in spiced lemongrass infused red curry. 8. Mu Pad Phet - Pork Shoulder and eggplant stir-fried with red curry paste, wild ginger 'gkrachai' and holy basil. 9. Gai Pad Gra Prow - Stir-fried minced chicken with apple eggplant, chili, and holy basil. 10. And for dessert we had - Fried banana with coconut ice cream! What a way to top off a spectacular dinner!!!! I was very full & satisfied! Look at the pics..........pics says it all! Service was fast & friendly...........there is No Parking, so you have to roll the dice & look for metered parking. The restaurant looked like it was in an industrial area............but once you step inside the restaurant/bar, the place looked very trendy. If you're in the San Francisco area, it's worthwhile to check this place out!
(5)
Cheryl W.
Was here for lunch. Came early since place gets packed. Had the Pad See Ew with Pork. Very good. Not too sweet. Friend had the Short Ribs with Basil Curry over rice. She loved it. Will come back here soon. Service was very polite and fast.
(5)
Sarah W.
So the food was delicious but service was not so good. We sat at our table waiting for our server to come for what seemed like 30 minutes. I'm pretty sure by the time our food came to the table we had been there for an hour. Maybe they were just having an off night and we were in a group of 6 and were busy talking and catching up but we were still kind of annoyed. They could have at least came by with our drink order or apologized for not being there. Hopefully this was just a one time thing and if not hopefully you're not in a hurry because the food was pretty good!
(3)
Jessica C.
My friends and I were in the SoMa area of the city to see Facts of Life LIVE at The Oasis and decided to do dinner first. We wanted something different from the usual fare and found Basil Canteen on Yelp. The reviews were good so we made reservations online at Open Table earlier in the week. We were there when the restaurant opened and were seated immediately. We were the only patrons for the first hour so service was excellent. The place was definitely filling up by the time we left so I knew we had made a good choice. The food was so yummy and portions were HUGE. We were sad that we couldn't take the leftovers home as they'd have gone bad in the car while we were at the show. Pricing was reasonable and parking was super easy to find near the restaurant.
(5)
May W.
This is a review overdue. Honestly, the 2 times I've been here with my friends, I've not been disappointed. Their servers/staff are super helpful and attentive. You know, one of those scenarios, where when they come to your table, they're paying attention to everyone's glasses to see if water's low or see that you drop a silverware, without you asking, they come over and offer it up. That's super service! Their food is really well done too. I especially like their fish dishes. The fish is fresh and delicate. Often more fragrant and aromatic when they served it wrapped in the bamboo or banana leave. The attention to detail makes it a fun, engaged dinning experience! Lastly, they've a great bar too! Fanciful Asian fused adult beverages that adds to a great experience for girls' night out!
(5)
Erin R.
I am obsessed! This might just be the best food I have ever had. I was with three other people and we ordered three servings of the Roti because we could not get enough. We pretty much let the waitress pick a bunch of small plates and all of them were amazing. Not one complaint. About anything. The sauces were unreal. The drinks were creative and delicious. Try the Silkey Sky mmmm. It's also a pretty cute place. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Natalie S.
The food here is really good, no joke. I love the ambiance and setting and that parking is relatively easy. The lamb chops are great, as is the roti, chives pancakes, pad see ew, tapioca dumplings and beef short ribs in green curry. They also have a good selection of cocktails.
(5)
David C.
I wanted to like this place alot but the food was just OK. The best was the crab fried rice and pad kee mao. even though it wasn't the best I've ever had. it will prob suffice for Sf'ers. had the pancake with grilled skirt steak. was ok had the taro fries. was ok nothing special. the tom yum soups were decent. mine only had 3 shrimps. the chicken one had alot of chicken. not spicy enough and a bit on the sweet side. Don't get the lemongrass chicken with green beans. not a good dish at all.
(3)
Dimple B.
Really enjoyed my first trip there, second wasn't as memorable. The decor / space is really cool, and there are few great cocktail sports nearby to grab drinks before / after.
(3)
C W.
I was compelled to write this after my hassle. Came in for lunch with my colleagues one fine Wednesday afternoon for a $15 meal (that's including tip). Had I known what was about to occur, tip would have been nickel for the food and a penny for the experience. In any case, on that following Sunday, I checked my card statement and saw "BASIL CANTEEN" - $62.xx. How swell. Ironically I was just talking to my colleague right before leaving about not taking my receipt as I normally would. I think my excuse was that I had too many papers in my pockets that day. And of course, the one time I don't take my receipt, I get this pleasant surprise on my credit statement. Well played, Basil Canteen. Not sure if it's an accident or it was done on purpose. Not sure if it was a coincidence either. Either way, I wont' be coming back, and I hope people think twice about coming here since it could happen to you. PSA: ATYR; always take your receipts.
(1)
Sangita A.
Surprisingly great Thai dinner with friends! I'd come back. Great dishes for $10 each and cocktails also for $10 each. Food: +Saketini- a very milky taste since there was lychee puree in here +Silky Sky- this was a less sweet version with grapefruit juice but still strong +Pau Pia- really tasty friend vegetarian egg rolls; 6 pieces- great to share! +praram rong song - tastes like peanut butter smeared on beef; not my favorite thing +gai tod pad pik khing -crisped lemongrass chicken; got it based in the yelp recs and it was pretty tasty but tasted almost exactly like chinese general tso's chicken; fried chicken in a sauce Service: We came in with a group of 14 for Nikhil N's birthday and they had the table ready for us with prompt and fast service checking in with us frequently. Ambience: It's a large warehouse/loft feel of a restaurant in SOMA with plenty of space between tables so you don't feel the usual SF cramped-ness. -Hungry Hungry Pongy
(4)
Lian C.
Nice enough to be comfortable, but casual enough to be...comfortable. Did I mention that this is great Thai comfort food? Tasty.
(5)
Craig P.
Sooo good! Best Thai in SF! You're in for a treat here. Great for social folks and families. You will leave super happy!
(5)
Pam S.
My favorite part of the meal were the unconventional triangle shaped guay chai (chive cakes). Looked totally weird to me, but tasted awesome. The rest of the food was ok, but the waitress came by like 3 times asking us if we were done when we still had a bunch of food on the plates and were clearly still eating. I felt like we were being rushed out.
(3)
Noa R.
This place was absolutely phenomenal! I came here with a few friends before a show around the corner at Slim's. Between the three of us we split a few different things. I strongly recommend the steamed tapioca dumplings to start! They definitely looked a little different but the flavor was absolutely amazing - perfectly done. We also split the goong pad ma muang, drunken beef, and the roasted duck breast. The duck was by far the most popular item on the table! It was perfectly cooked and melts in your mouth. I also recommend trying the coconut rice on the side if you're a coconut fan. Can't wait to come here again!
(4)
DeesQue N.
Its alllllright. As in don't get me wrong, food is good but nothing over the top special. They do give big portions of the noodle rice stuff. So if you really hungry get that with your choice or meat or chicken. One thing I really couldn't stand though is the smell as you get in. Not appetizing :/ makes me wonder how clean kitchen is. I suggest you install flip doors or something bc the odor is intense especially since the place is very tiny.
(3)
Chris E.
After a great lunch at Basil Thai, I just knew I needed to check out Canteen for dinner. The Happy Hour menu is great, $5 appetizers and $6 signature cocktails. Yes, you read this correct. With the exception of the taro fries, we ordered all the offerings and we were not disappointed. The cocktails were terrific and with the addition of larb gai, dtom ka ghai and fried banana with amazing coconut ice cream, well, our meal was complete! I'll definitely be back. With Basil Thai and Basil Canteen, what more do you need?
(5)
Toubi C.
My buddy held his rehearsal dinner here. For such a large group the restaurant did a great job. We took up the entire second floor. Bar down stairs had a lot of interesting house cocktails. Setting is industrial chic. Very cool and you would never guest that a Thai restaurant would be here. Food was very good. It was a 9 course tasting menu and almost everything was fantastic. Usually when there is a big group the food is never on point and never hot. That was not the case here. Everything was very tasty. I did wish that the catfish was wok fried whole with crispy skin rather than cut up into pieces. The sauce on top made the fish a bit soggy. Service for the most part was very nice. Food came out at a good pace as did drinks. Overall cool Thai restaurant!
(4)
Manjesh N.
The ambience is definitely more upscale than typical Thai places and the menu looks more gourmet as well (not the usual 100 dishes with English names). But the food was a bit of a hit and miss. Of the appetizers we ordered (taro fries, corn cakes and chive cakes), the chive cakes were excellent while the others were just so-so. For the mains, we got pak pad pong gari (eggplant), chap chye and kao pad pak (egg fried rice). There was barely enough eggplant in the first dish and the rest of the dish was a bit bland. The other two dishes were quite good. For dessert, we got the ice cream with roti pastry and mango with black bean pudding. I didn't think much of the desserts - the roti was too savory and it became too soggy/chewy with the ice cream and without the mango, the black bean pudding was too savory. So the food is so-so, but I'd go back for the chive cakes, fried rice and the ambience.
(3)
Allison S.
The food here was good but nothing spectacular. We got the lemongrass salmon curry and the eggplant with basil. The flavor of the curry was great but the salmon was severely overcooked, which was a bummer. Service was good and prices were reasonable. Street parking is available.
(3)
SoCal C.
10 Nov 2013, 07:45p Our party of five arrived for dinner after wandering around looking for another restaurant which ended up being closed. This is one of the few places open in SOMA near the bars on Sunday evening. The space is "loft"y and very modern and the service was decent. We ordered: kao pad pu - crab fried rice kana mu grob - 'gai lan' chinese broccoli & crisped pork belly wok-fried with garlic and fresh chili gai tod pad pik khing - crisped lemongrass chicken stir-fried with green beans, red curry & kaffir lime zest drunken beef - stir-fried skirt steak, green beans, apple eggplant, & peppers in chili-brandy sauce praram rong song - grilled marinated skirt steak served with curried peanut sauce and green beans White Rice (3 orders) Brown Rice Everyone one enjoyed their food and the kao pad pu (the dish I ordered) is made with real crab, albeit from a can, but defintely not Krab. The rice was a bit overcooked and mushy and it was difficult to discern the crab flavor, but it was a decent-sized portion and it wasn't bad. I also tried some of the pork belly and it had good flavor and was crispy. I didn't hear any negative comments from anyone else, so none of the food was bad. Portions are generous and as I said before, the service was decent. There was a charge for 4 orders of white rice, but the waiter readily corrected the error. Being one of the few restaurants open, Basil Canteen definitely has somewhat of a captive audience. If I am in the area again, I'd see if there was anything else open to try out, but I wouldn't mind coming back to try other items on the menu.
(3)
Priya S.
The pad see we with tofu and veggies for takeout was delicious!!! It's flavored well and I asked for it spicy and it was extremely tasty. It's a large serving good to keep for leftovers. Tastes even getter with their hot sauce!
(4)
Jessica W.
We were trekking across town on foot and saw this spot. We were feeling peckish and this place looked cute so we walked in. It was around 1pm on a Friday so it was winding down, which meant open tables for us. We ordered 4 plates to share among 4 of us including the Thai Wontons with Crab (Table Favorite!), Crispy Taro fries, gai gra prao (minced chicken), and red curry with pork. The chicken was very good while the pork was bland and our least favorite. There were so many dishes that looked great it was hard to choose. Very cute restaurant, modern and clean. I'd for sure go back.
(4)
Tim S.
Fun, open atmosphere and very friendly staff. Food took a while to get there but it was quite pleasant and filling when it arrived. I note that even when I ask for "Thai spicy" they still bring me "white guy spicy." This makes me saaaaad.
(3)
Ajay K.
Found this place through a co-worker one day for lunch. Overall pretty great. Food was tasty with great flavor and just the right amount of spice. Ordered through take-out and everything was on right on time. Service seems friendly enough too. Also, big fan of their interior space. Digging the whole modern loft vibe it's got going. Only giving it 3 stars because I've only been there once so I don't know how most of their food is.
(3)
Nick W.
First stop on our weekend getaway to SF. Staff was super friendly and accommodating as we waited for a table, keeping us updated with the wait. We chilled at the bar and ordered a round of long island ice teas to get the night started... always a great way to ensure morning headaches. Were seated after a short wait, waiters were very attentive and informative as our gluten-free friend always has questions (ugh). Got the gang gari gai per the waitresses suggestion and it was gone faster than I could finish my first Mortar and Pestle. We were all thorough satisfied with everything. Fried wontons are a must if you're planning on getting appetizers. Easy to stack up a solid bill, but everything was super quality and worth it.
(5)
B G.
The food is very flavorful, portions are large, and the plating is beautiful. The Kao Soi Neur is delish!
(5)
Daman K.
This is by far the best thai I have had in the city, scratch that, the entire Bay Area. The noodles in my pad kee Mao are so soft it's like eating little clouds of heaven. The roti appetizer? Oh my god, so so flavorful. The little pieces of beef were very well seasoned and had the perfect texture to them. Even my thai iced tea was spot on. Can't wait to come here again, and again, and again, until the end of time.
(5)
Amanda H.
We love this place. Really good gluten free menu. If you haven't been here yet go tonight. :D
(5)
Neuman V.
My favorite Thai spot in SOMA, close in competition with the other Basil down the road. This one has my favorite eggplant dish, though.
(5)
Kristin H.
I'm here at least once a week, either dining in the restaurant or for take out. To be fair, I love all Thai, and have only found a handful of Thai places in SF I haven't liked. However, Basil Canteen is clearly my favorite. The Tom Yum is so good I could have it every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The lemongrass chicken is what Panda Express Orange Chicken aspires to be! I'm pretty sure I've had every single menu item and have never been disappointed. ...Oh wait, that's a lie, the tapioca appetizer was just alright. I wouldn't get that again. Other than that, all the menu items are winners. Went here for a birthday party and all guests left happy (which I think is an impressive feat!) Try it, you will not be disappointed!
(5)
Jessica Z.
I love the settings and dishes here.
(5)
T T.
The food was really good. I liked the Tom kha soup, fried rice and the fried wontons.
(4)
Anna S.
Good food, prompt service, and a nice decor. What more do you want for a group outing? I have been here twice with co-workers and will certainly be back for more.
(4)
James T.
We've had better.
(3)
Michael R.
The building is beautiful and highlights the potential of the sliver linings of Folsom. Right around the corner from "Slims" and the "Infamous DNA LOUNGE" XD The House is a awesome Thai cuisine restaurant. The walls are all black and mood lighten and dimmed out windows to My friend not too long ago had his wedding reception her once, it was more like a reception dinner and is was awesome. it was amazing, It has that warm decor and non-ikea friendly scenery, modern enough to be the backlit spot for a movie...umm and independent one! I have tried many items on the menu to know what they are the. "Pad Thai" which is good but, don't just limit your to that or the "spring rolls" The place has a lunch menu, happy hour menu, and dinner respectively. Try the --- "gai tod pad pik khing" , it's what I usually get it's crisped lemongrass chicken stir-fried with green beans, red curry & lime zest, it's refreshing. You have to respect a place that offers white or brown rice and that has gluten free products and that is veggie friendly. I also have a friend who is on a very strict diet and cannot have scrimp or peanuts, so this place was a awesome choice especially when you want to eat in a big group and be romantic-ed by. Ohhh yesss and Chai Ice Tea!!!!
(4)
Robo P.
I had a couple very poor experiences with service here. Hopefully it'll get better
(1)
Joel S.
Went for the first time this week, excellent price to quality ratio. We spent about $70 for 2 drinks each and enough food to choke a horse. It was too good to stop!
(4)
Sonya M.
We came here for a bachelorette party dinner on a Saturday night and surprisingly it wasn't very busy at all. Basil Canteen had modern decor inside and a comfortable environment. The appetizers and entrees were very tasty. Servers were friendly and attentive. There is a large selection of items on the menu and a full bar as well.
(4)
Laurent L.
This is the sister restaurant of Basil Thai. The menus are virtually identical, except I think Basil Canteen has fewer options. The service also isn't as good and the restaurant doesn't have as much seating. Now don't get me wrong --- Basil Thai is probably my favorite thai place in SF --- so the food at Basil Canteen is also quite good. Put it this way; if you want a delicious sit-down thai dinner, go to Basil Thai. If you want a delicious take-out thai dinner, order from Basil Canteen and go pick it up!
(4)
Wes H.
Best Pad Kee Mao I've had in this city in a long time! Unlike most places that seem to gloss over the thai basil, they not only include it but also garnish with a generous amount of crispy basil leaves. They have Beer Lao (yum) and a full bar. Prices are slightly higher than most thai restaurants, but in this case you get what you pay for. Higher quality food and a nice setting.
(4)
Ziyan C.
Came here for a friend's birthday, which was an excellent choice considering its proximity to our default Saturday night spot, Bootie. I'd always walked by and loved the brick interior, high ceilings, and sexy feel of the place. The food certainly lived up too. They accommodated about 35 of us across two giant tables on the first floor. They required a prix-fixe menu with such a large group, which was actually nice because we didnt' have to worry about ordering, splitting the bill unevenly, etc. The food basically just started coming out. And the the menu was family style so we all got to try everything. MUST-HAVES: Pra Ram Rong Song (steak in curried peanut sauce), King Kari Pak (yellow curry & veggies) ~~DRINKS~~ A friend got the lychee martini, which while tasty, was super strong! ~~SMALL PLATE~~ * Pau Pia - 4 stars (crispy spring roll of cellophane noodles & vegetables served with sweet chili vinaigrette) Very well done, a nice thin yet crispy outer roll, and good balance to the filling. * Gai Satay - 3.5 stars (grilled marinated chicken on bamboo skewers served with peanut sauce & cucumber relish) Well done, fairly tender for Thai grilled chicken. Peanut sauce was flavorful & nice and thick. ~~ENTREE~~ * Kang Kua Goong - 3.5 stars (white prawns & Japanese pumpkin in tangy red curry) We only got one plate of this in a huge table of 12, so it was hard to share. The sauce tasted good but was very watery, and the one prawn I tasted had a good fresh crunch to it. * Pra Ram Rong Song - 5 stars (grilled skirt steak with curried peanut sauce and sauteed vegetables) I absolutely LOVED this and could not have enough! The steak was incredible, being perfectly tender and hearty. The curried peanut sauce added a surprisingly tasty kick to the beef's flavor. *King Kari Pak - 4 stars (mild yellow curry of grilled vegetables with crisped tofu) The tofu was in giant blocks, soft, with a thin crispy layer. It sat in this delicious mild curry and the vegetables were also crispy and fresh. I loved the potatoes! * Mu Pad Phet - 3 stars (pork shoulder, eggplant stir-fried with red curry paste, wild ginger "gkrachai" and holy basil) I was looking forward to a hearty, tender pork shoulder but it was a very minced ground pork, which was disappointing. This was not bad but not a super memorable dish. The one redeeming factor were the Chinese green beans, something I ate growing up and love, but normally can never find in restaurants! * Gai Pad Pra Prow - 2.5 stars (stir-fried minced chicken with apple eggplant, chili, and holy basil) Once again, with such minced ground meat, you lose so much without the lovely texture of the meat. Once again not bad but not memorable. * Jasmine Rice A good, sticky rice!
(4)
Marco S.
The drunken beef was amazing. They were also very courteous and helpful, they allowed me to change my order to eat at the restaurant rather then do takeaway.
(5)
Megan L.
We live nearby and thought we would try their food so we picked up take out. We were craving Thai food but did not enjoy it at all. There was no flavor to it at all. I like spices and heat- it had neither. My man had pad see ew dish that also left much to be desired. We won't go back simply because of the disappointing food.
(1)
Dire S.
Oh man oh man...this place is so delicious. I think I have pretty high standards for Thai food, like you can't just throw some coconut at me. For appetizers, the mustard leaves are 100000x better than any kind of salad (like if you want a salad get this instead), the tapioca dumplings in lettuce cups (you get 5 so there will be a fight if you are even-numbered), the pork ribs (I don't know if this is a traditional Thai dish but these ribs are fat and juicy anyway). For mains, everything is delicious - but I would say the slow-cooked northern thai pork is more on the sour side for my tastes. We haven't tried dessert there yet since we're usually too full. It seems as though there might be some fusion-style dishes of their own creation as opposed to fully traditional Thai, but everything is very good quality and prepared carefully. The service is quick, but on Fridays and Saturdays they can sometimes seem a bit overwhelmed since they are so busy. One funny thing is that their menu seems really big, and the way it's laid out it just seems like tons of food words so it can take a long time to decide on what to order!
(5)
Michele M.
Fabulous! The service & setting are excellent. The miang kum alone makes it worth the trip. Best dish I have had in a very long time. The kana mu grob is only slightly less stellar. You must eat here. NOW.
(5)
Nathalie K.
The food is very good, especially for such a reasonable price. The service could be better though, and it's sometimes too loud. They didn't register the reservation I had done on the phone the night before, and instead of apologizing and accommodating immediately, the lady accused me of having made a mistake myself by calling the other Thai restaurant near by. I had to show her the record on my phone with their phone number proving I hadn't made that mistake and that they had forgotten to register my reservation after my phone call. Pretty rude! But I must say, their food made it up more or less.
(4)
Jason M.
Meh. Decor is awesome but the food was very lackluster. Chicken was dry on the pad see ew and the pork dish we had was just ok. Service was good but nothing exceptional. Definitely prefer manore just down the block.
(3)
Karen N.
It was okay . But really long wait. Rather find somewhere else to eat .ive been to better thai places
(3)
S K.
Not at all like the other Basil, even though same owners. This place is more mellow and relaxing. And the food is much, much better. Not that the other Basil is bad, but this location uses different spices that add an extra yum to everything. I'd addicted to the sai ouah. They make the sausage there and it is AMAZING!!!!! The waitstaff are all so nice, they make the experience that much better.
(5)
Romeo And Lola K.
We have to add a few more menu items that we've enjoyed greatly: -pan fried chive cake appetizer -flame roasted sea bass in banana leaf -grilled skirt steak with peanut sauce yum yum yum
(4)
Elena B.
I recently had a birthday dinner with a large group of friends at Basil Canteen and cannot say enough great things about their food and service. I contacted them the night before desperately looking for a Saturday night dinner reservation for 15 people as my previous reservation at another restaurant was unexpectedly canceled with a day's notice. The man on the phone took a few minutes to discuss my request with the manager and called me back saying that they'll be able to fit us in. They requested that we order from a prefix family style menu to simplify things and emailed me a menu to approve. I was given an option to make whatever substitutions I wanted, but everything sounded great as is. The menu included 2 appetizers, 5 main courses and a dessert - all for just $25 excluding drinks and gratuity. I've eaten at BC before and remember the food being good, but I can say that this time it was great (perhaps we just needed to order the right thing)! We sampled their vegetable spring rolls and chicken satay, prawns in red pumpkin curry, skirt steak in peanut sauce (Amazing!), green curry with tofu, pork shoulder (mu pad phet) and stir fried chicken (gai pad gra prow). Every single dish was delicious and we had more than enough food for the table. I've also sampled a couple of cocktails and they were as delicious. Moreover, I ended up arriving with fewer people than I reserved a table for and they told me that I shouldn't worry about it at all. I would highly recommend this restaurant, especially if you're planning a dinner with a large group!
(5)
ben o.
Cocktails great, food even better
(4)
Angela M.
I must say Basil Canteen really surprised me. I hardly ever venture to the area, but my friend suggested meeting there and I'm a sucker for good thai food. Basil Canteen has a great atmosphere with a ton of people there for happy hour and has a really sleek interior. We were taken to a seat upstairs that overlooked the downstairs bar and crowd. Basil Canteen offers a variety of drinks and from the looks of it, people were definitely enjoying their drinks on that Tuesday evening after work. Not your typical atmosphere for a Thai restaurant, but a fun place to go catch up with friends and enjoy some good food while you're at it. There were a lot of dishes on that menu I'd go back to try, but that night, we stuck with the pumpkin curry that was delicious! Service is great too even though they have to go up and down the stairs while weaving through the crowd. All in all, a great experience and I can't wait to go back to try more of the unique dishes at Canteen!
(4)
H L.
After spending the weekend in San Francisco, I can safely say this is the best dinner I had while here. The drinks are great, the atmosphere is great for young professionals and groups, and the food was great. The prices are very reasonable for the portions and atmosphere. We ordered the sweet tamarind shrimp, monk fish, and yellow curry vegetables. The shrimp was our favorite dish, but the others weren't shabby at all. Please go here if you want to catch up with friends over a nice and reasonably priced meal
(4)
jessica b.
I've been here twice now and surprisingly we've pretty much had the place to ourselves. The food is great and original, everything tastes fresh. Both times we've ordered a ton of the apps and then 1 of the main meals. Try the Sakhoo. They're amazing! The Pau Pia yuan is pretty good too. Plus everything is pretty inexpensive, especially if you go with a group. On top of all of that, they have some pretty unique cocktails that have sent me home quite tipsy... The one thing I did note after having been here twice is, the staff is a bit snotty, but they're quick and get the job done. It would just be nice if they didn't seem annoyed that you're there. I'll definitely head back here whenever I'm in the area.
(4)
dAvid s.
The food was borderline inedible and not as described on the menu. The waiter ignored us nearly the whole meal and screwed up my order. On top of that, they brought out the appetizer with the entree. The waiter acknowledged he screwed up my order and did nothing about it. We had to get the manager involved to fix the problem. I won't be eating here again.
(1)
stephanie v.
Easily the best Thai food I've ever had. The traditional Thai plates are very good, but it's the specials that I keep coming back for- especially their catfish. It's sublime. The wait staff are attentive and friendly, though you should make sure you have a reservation if you're going on a high-traffic night. All of the portions are generous, making it a great place to go with a gaggle of friends... or on a date with your long-time squeeze. That way, you can nibble on leftover noodles in the morning while watching hulu! This is strongly recommended. Oh, and you can also get takeout. Yay!
(5)
Jessica Y.
First of all, might I say that the ambiance is so beautiful. I received a chance to meet the owner and he was so humble and inspiring. I went with my school friends to San Francisco for a trip and my friend was his family friend. We had dinner at the communal table and received seven dishes of yumminess! My all time favorite though was the fresh cut mustard leaf with diced shrimp, coconut, pomelo, and fresh herbs! I was able to try their other restaurant, Basil Thai, which received many more compliments than this restaurant.. but to be honest, I secretly like the food better here. Everyone has to come out here to get some quality and cheap Thai food. Lastly, their spicy is actually spicy!! Come here to satisfy your Thai cravings, I'm sure you will love it.
(5)
Zuzzi E.
I've been riding by this place on the 12 for months, and finally decided to stop in. The interior is beautiful- warm loft space with exposed brick and funky lighting. It's more SOMA than Mission- although it's smack in the middle of the two 'hoods. I wasn't excited by the menu, which was lacking vegetarian options. Most places, especially Thai restaurants-- ahem, OSHA-- make poor efforts to accommodate. But our waiter was fantastic and let me customize an order that wasn't even close to anything on the menu. There was no confusion or questions-- and my soup came out just as I wanted it.
(4)
Dee B.
We just ate there tonight for my birthday and had the MOST De LICIOUS meal! Thai is my favorite food, so we treated our selves to scrumptious pumpkin prawn curry, tapioca dumplings, short ribs, and sticky rice with fresh mango. Super-attentive, friendly service, fantastic yummy food, nice ambience. The waiters even put a candle in my dessert and sang happy birthday - we took our 9 year old and he loved it, too. This is our new favorite!
(5)
Kevin H.
Had a light dinner before a show at Slim's. It was great! Excellent food and tasty cocktails. Terrific and friendly service too.I'll be back
(5)
Jack S.
OMG tasty. I had the pra ram rong song, skirt steak with veggies and peanut sauce, and it was good like crazy. The place has a lovely atmosphere too.
(5)
Katya B.
We visited Basil Canteen for a friend's going away party - and it was a very good experience. We had a family style dinner which was very fitting since there was a huge long table in the center which gave it a very homey feel. The space is a mix between aged wood (the table) and a chill industrial loft space, overall great for a light dinner or a few drinks after work. Because we had a family style dinner we ordered a little bit of everything which left me with a very good understanding of Basil Canteen's menu. Every dish was good tasting but some of the highlights would be: Appetizers: kanom guay chai - which is are spicy pan-fried chive cakes with sweet soy and chili sauce which were very memorable. kang kiow wan roti - a pan-fried Indian dread and grilled skirt steak served with green curry dipping sauce which was a really good portion for the $8 and was very tasty. Main Course: I would highly recommend the ' drunken beef ' which was a sizzling stir-fried skirt steak with green beans, apple eggplant, fresh chili, lemongrass, and brandy ... although a bit on the spicy side it was absolutely among the best Thai meat dishes I have ever had. Also the main courses like the noodle or rice plates were very reasonably priced - on average $10-12 each. I gave this place a $$$ because the menu is very tempting and you really should do your taste buds a favor and order a lot of different items. For desert we had some fried banana which comes with the most amazing coconut ice cream. They also have a short but nice wine list. We ordered a couple bottles of a Pinot Noir to go with dinner and it really enhanced the experience (but at $40 a bottle it also added to the $$$ rating). I look forward to going back.
(4)
Manuel R.
Have been here on multiple occasions. I enjoy their food (great oysters) as well as their happy hour specials. The location is great to grab a drink and some food before hitting the bars/clubs on 11th st. There is a huge selection of small flavorful plates, great wine selection and it is also a perfect date spot!
(5)
Gourmet Princessa L.
Met my friend there for a quick lunch to catch up. The restaurant that occupies in a red brick building carries its name well because it does have a canteen feel to it. Long tables arranged in a roll with chairs on both sides. That is like school cafeteria style except that they serve much better food here. They also featured a bar with Asian inspired cocktails that was quite interesting and refreshing. I go there for the food. I love their noodle dishes, both the soup and stir fried. The tom yum noodles soup is so good here. The bowl of steamy spicy and sour broth filled with rice noodles and lots seafood. This dish can cure any cold and fight the frigid winter weather. My favorite stir fried is the Pat Kee Mao, it is spicy and the handful of basil incorporated with the noodles gives out a strong basil aroma (must love basil to order this dish), and the rice dishes were really different too. My favorite rice dish is the crispy chicken with peppercorns. The chicken pieces is crispy, tender and coated with the light garlic and peppercorn sauce, what a match made of a mouth watering dish. In addition to their "long" menu (literally both long in size of the paper and the list of items they offer), they also offer at least 2 specials of the day. Pretty crazy if you ask me. Overall, the food is always consistently good and the service is casual, but on top of things and the best thing is I always find 1-hour street parking within a block of the restaurant.
(3)
Kelly V.
WOW- I can't say enough about the Basil Canteen!! The food is delicious and artistic, and the ambiance is the perfect fusion of industrial and elegant. Such a creative (and tasty) drink menu as well. We actually had my sister's wedding reception here and the staff was amazing. They were all so kind, helpful and easy to work with- they truly made her special day that much better. If I lived closer this would be a weekly go-to spot without a doubt!! What a perfect date spot!!
(5)
Joshua C.
I had dinner here for my friends birthday with a group of about 9. The location is cool, very urban and industrial. The menu is limited to snacks (appetizers) and some entrees. The food wasn't the best Thai food I've had. I can see what type of vibe this place was going for, but I don't think they achieved it. The place was empty on a Saturday night. Maybe it's the location? I don't know. Food wise, I shared three of the appetizers. Some vegetarian fried spring roll, the taro fries and a grilled shrimp dish. Nothing was spectacular, in fact I've had better spring rolls at the hole in the wall Thai places. Vegetarian/Vegan options are limited. I also had some of my friends yellow curry and it was pretty bland. The food seemed overpriced for their portions. If there's one thing that annoys the sh*t out of me when it comes to Asian restaurants, it is when they think that "upscale" translates to "we can charge more for smaller portions". Luckily I wasn't there for the food, but for my friends birthday. If we weren't busy laughing, gossiping and catching up with each other, we would have really been disappointed with the food.
(2)
Janina V.
Honestly, I really don't remember much of my experience here. I guess that speaks for itself. Only thing I remember is that parking was really, really, really difficult. Nice ambiance though. I like the brick walls and the that it has two floors. We dined on the 2nd floor and it was pretty warm up there. Still don't remember how the food tasted and the service. Another average Thai restaurant, I guess...
(3)
Ken p.
You know this place is alright. I am a bit partial 'cause its in my hood. If you are looking for the typical Thai joint, don't go here, you will hate it. The portions are smaller and and it is a bit more expensive, BUTTTTT... The dishes, flavors, and ingredients are unusual, and high quality. Good drink menu and great interior. I think this is a great place for a beer or smart cocktail and some small plates with a group of friends.
(4)
Vivek N.
No the typical Thai restaurant. While its hard to find one that serves bad food, its not common to find one with interiors like Basil. Exposed brick, multi-level with large windows. Ok I realize its a restaurant so I need to review the food and service. Drunken beef, pad kee mao, sake and yellow curry rice was what we ordered. While the food was not exceptional, it was good enough for me to go back. Attentive service despite having a party of about 40 down stairs and a pleasurable experience overall.
(4)
Leo C.
Basil Canteen is a decent Thai restaurant with an interesting, warehouse/loft modern decor. I met up with a group of friends there, and found it to be an A-OK Thai establishment. The best Thai food I've had in SF is Yukol Place Thai Cuisine in the Marina/Cow Hollow. Sure Yukol isn't chic and trendy in its decor, but it delivers the goods in terms of the food. My friends and I did get a chance to try the sampler platter. Between the 4 of us, we were able to each try a bite of everything, except for the hard to share fried wontons. For the entree, I had the Pad Se Ew. The portions were generous, but the food itself was only decent to me. I would come back to Basil Canteen only if someone else wanted to go.
(3)
charlene a.
My experience at Basil Canteen was good but not good enough to get me running back. Architecture and ambiance - check. Exposed brick...industrial feel. Great design. Probably the best thing they have going for them. Sparkling sake - check Good service - check Appetizers were skimpy and pricey although the entrees were fair. The steamed tapioca pork dumplings were memorable simply because they were unique in texture and presentation. To be honest, my mouth was a little confused. They were slimy yet flavorful. I mayyy be back...thinking about it.
(3)
Nancy L.
Started off the night with green papaya salad and roti with green curry. The green curry sauce is fantastic; after the roti were polished off, I kept on spooning it over rice and it was delicious on its own. Next up - pad kee mao and the pineapple braised short ribs. Perused the drink list and the greyhound made with fresh grapefruit juice was the perfect compliment. Super friendly staff and an excellent value.
(4)
apple r.
What a great little big place. This is on the site of the old Public restaurant. I didn't eat too much food here during the Public days, but I did enjoy a drink or two in the funky atmosphere. I like the atmosphere here, very SOMA, exposed brick, open warehouse feel, metal chairs and a bar. Basil Canteen has maintained the atmosphere and replaced Public fare with Thai food. Even better, because everyone must admit that Thai food is truly better than salads and American food. This is the sister restaurant to the other Basil, a mere hop away, however it is more focused on street food, noodles, and small plates, with a nice cocktail and sake list. The sake with lychee slush sounded delicious, and I will try that next time when I am in a cocktail mood. The wine list is decent for a Thai restaurant, but I might recommend expanding the wine and cocktail angle and including more hard to find regional wines from around the world. I had the Loire Sancerre and a Pinot Gris. I would recommend the Sancerre, which was nicely grassy. Two friends and I came in today, a Sunday, and I was a bit disappointed to see a mere three customers. Very true to recession. There is a large communal table, a bar area, a cafe area, and an upstairs seating area. We sat upstairs, which is nice because they have booths. The food here is appetizer focused which is nice. It is a bit like a Thai version of an Isakaya. We had wine and drinks, mieng cum, which is a northern Thai lettuce wrap with lime and peanuts, shrimp and other stuff, kao thang na goong, toast points with a shrimp paste, grilled fish skewers, and kao soi, which literally means street food. My favorite was the very filling noodle dish, kao soi, which I have never seen on a menu. While nothing was outstanding, everything was solid and unique. A great place to go for some late night snacks and socializing with friends. They also have a nice selection of desserts and port wines. Next time I will come here with a group of friends and have everything on the menu! Or perhaps I will come here to socialize with my computer and a cocktail.
(4)
Sophia L.
Food was average but location is good given few selection other than the food trucks 2 blocks down. Would rather goto the food truck next time.
(3)
Denise M.
First of all, I love the building - renovated brewery. Love the red brick exterior. Food was very good. To start, we shared the steamed tapioca pork dumplings, chicken satay, and the salt and pepper ribs. I liked everything... wished that we got more than just two small skewers of the chicken though. Good thing it was just two of us. Dinner - we had the lemongrass chicken with rice, and the skirt steak noodles with lime/coconut curry . Spicy! Prices weren't bad, but portions weren't too big. Just right for two - but I can see how the bill would add up fast if we had more people with us.
(4)
Alex L.
Compare to the other Basil place on Folsom - A-OK. Meals are less in size and prices are higher.. Being a neighbor next few blocks, I don't think I will go back there.
(3)
a g.
Thai food is always just average to me. This place is consistently good. I think better than its' sister restaurant down the street. Get the roti app.
(4)
Maximillian M.
Great place... a Mortar and Pestle cocktail was like a Thai mojito, except better. We all had the larb, drunken beef, fresh spring rolls, cod steamed in banana leaf, and an unripe mango salad with strips of steak. Unripe mango, as opposed to the papaya, and it was pretty awesome. I like this place... can you tell?
(4)
Jessica W.
There are many places in SF that do fusion, but not all of them do it with such attentiveness to and focus on the vibrancy of ethnic flavors. Basil Canteen pulled off marvelous combinations like Lemongrass Mojitos, Kaffir Lime Kamikazes, Drunken Beef with Apple Eggplant and Chili, and Spicy Mango Shrimp. The menu is extensive and the portions small and inexpensive enough to justify ordering a number of things. With tall vaulted ceilings, the comfort and hominess of brick and wood paneling throughout, complimented by tasteful and simple modern decor, the ambience is perfect for an intimate small group or romantic date. The service was quick and pleasurable, even on a Friday evening. I would definitely dine here again!
(4)
Andrew M.
Rolls are fresh fragrant vegetable deliciousness. Feels like everything is made from scratch especially for you... Nothing is pre prepared!
(5)
Jennifer Y.
$1 oysters during Thursday happy hour (5pm - 7pm)! They don't know what 'type' of oyster it is, but they are yummy, big, and fresh! They also come with their house spicy sauce which is delicious as well.
(4)
Jennifer D.
I've come here a few times before heading out to DNA Lounge for some Bootie!! I love the thai wontons, the pork belly with chinese broccoli, crab fried rice, and many other dishes. I cannot stress enough HOW DELICIOUS the thai wontons are (subtly sweet, light tasting/steamed). They also make good cocktails here and provide delicious sake!! Perfect for pre-partying before Bootie!
(5)
Angeline C.
The Basil Canteen is so great! I went there with a friend for lunch and, from the moment I walked in, I was in love. The atmosphere of the place is so stunning, super chic and industrial. There is a nice bar, too, so it would probably be great to go at night. The food was so delicious that, even though I had gotten so much, I finished the whole thing. My friend is vegetarian, but she didn't have any trouble finding something delicious to order from the menu. Love it here and am definitely going to come back soon!
(4)
H T.
good thing this was still open after we went to "get mortified" last night at dna lounge. the place was quite empty, so they allowed us to just sit around and have drinks, but i got hungry, so i ordered some food. it was chilly out, so i wanted noodle soup, which i did not see on the menu. i asked the server if they had one, and he said they have them available for lunch and that he would make me one, which i thought was quite nice.
(4)
amy m.
What a unique place! My girlfriends and I were heading to a clothing swap at the Paradise lounge and decided to have a bite to eat before heading in.. Basil Canteen is right across the street, but even then, their sign was so unobtrusive, you barely noticed the sign. Once you walked in, we were completely surprised. It had dark floors , wood tables and had a loft like feel. Fortunately there was a 'showcase' going on. Local dress designers and jewelry makers were having their wares for sale. So it felt like a bit like a bazaar at the same time.. and I LOVE THAT! Now for the food. We just wanted appetizers and drinks so I can only comment on that. Our appetizers ranged in price: $5-$7 as were there during happy hour. -peurk tod:crispy taro fries with sweet crushed nut vinaigrette - satay gai: grilled marinated chicken served with house peanut sauce - seur rong hai: grilled Angus steak skewers served with 'crying tiger' sauce of sweet roasted chili and parched rice And most notably: -goong tod yum mamuang:lightly fried tiger prawns with salad of cashew nuts and green mango The last item was theee best. It was tart, sweet and crunchy at the same time.. Crowd was very eclectic and unique partly due to the "bazaar" going on downstairs and I definitely loved the vibe. This place would have 4 stars except for the fact that service was just so/so... we were seated ahead another group, yet they got helped first, and we had to "work" to get our waitress to bring us check etc.. Hopefully my next visit will be better.
(3)
Sylvain K.
Each time I go there I'm happy to enjoy the spicy food full of many flavors. One of the best Thailand restaurant that I know in SF.
(4)
Ryan H.
Great Thai food! I had the Roti to start, then pork pad see-ew, both were fantastic. My buddies had kao soi neur and it was some of the best noodles I've had. The curry sauce was very thick though--kinda intense but good. The jazz music really sets off the chill picnic seating vibe. Will definitely try dinner next time i'm in soma
(5)
Cathy L.
Great low key setting and ambience - upper floor can get really hot - the lights are quite close to you. Downstairs community table would be great for a very relaxed meal. Roti was delicious and greasy and pad thai was actually, surprisingly enough, some of the best I've had. And, well, quite greasy! Though still delish. I guess they just use oil well :)
(4)
Monica D.
The greyhoud was tasty, the spring rolls were super fresh, and the pad thai was yummy. I really enjoyed the Japanese pumpkin curry - it was creamy and the pumpkin was cooked perfectly (not too soft but not rock hard)
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Lucia C.
This is a pretty good Thai place with a cute atmosphere. The food is slightly pricier than most places, but I think you get what you pay for, and it's tasty here. My favorite item to get there: Mu Palo: braised caramelized pork shank served with steamed kale, egg, and garlic-chili dipping ~$14 It's so full of flavor that I've never had to use the dipping sauce. I would actually think this would make a great date place. It's not too expensive, and it's intimate enough to get to know someone. Plus it's right next to all the clubs and bars on 11th where you can continue your drinks. Even though it's slightly small on the inside, it's also usually not too busy at night, and I've never had to wait for a table. I would recommend making a reservation if you have a bigger party though because I think they only have one big table.
(4)John W.
Bright Flavors, Friendly efficient service. Tried the goong pad mamuang and the pra ram rong song, both very good and cooked perfectly. Include the fried Wontons in your starters. Excellent for Lunch.
(4)Denny L.
One of our favorite Thai places with fantastic coconut soup. Easy walk from Mid-Market. Cool building, and excellent service. Large portions support the prices. The Brussels sprouts were quite yummy. Sticky rice is very good too.
(5)Brandon I.
I've always loved this place, I was here when they first opened up and I really hope that they are here to stay. The service is always good, the atmosphere is very chill, chic/urban and laid back. My first visit was dinner with a friend and we order just about everything on the menu. I enjoyed the food so much I decided to have my birthday here. It was great because they let me take the entire top level where they cleared out the tables and had a row of food and drinks to feed a small army. The bar area is small but cozy, the overall ambiance is dim but the well appointed interior makes it feel warm and well dressed. The music is good but sometimes hard to hear with all of the noise of other patrons drowning out a lot of the beat.
(5)Aki N.
I was at Basil Canteen for a bachelorette dinner with twelve girls, so had the pleasure of trying a little of everything. I love the space, I loved the food and drinks, and only thing that holds this place from a true 5-star is its location... The restaurant smelled delicious even as we walked in the door. It's a cool loft kind of space, with exposed brick walls, dark steel girders, and blackboards for the bar and specials menu. We sat at the long communal tables with great heavy wood on the first floor. I think there's more dining room style upstairs Great cocktails and bar, with interesting sake and beer too. Had a kaffir vodka, lemongrass syrup & fresh lime. Saketinis were good too. I'm not an expert but it was a pretty comprehensive menu. Loved the larb gai so much we ordered it twice (I thought it was laap, but its the minced chicken with citrus and mint on lettuce wrap). Roti, yum. Papaya salad was solid. Pad si ew was good addition for carbs. Lamb chops, chicken curry, and a fish special I think. Pork shoulder, yummm...
(5)Maria M.
I decided to try this place because of the Yelp high reviews... what a big disappointment. First, my shrimp entree had only 4 prawns. My chicken pumpkin curry tasted like coconut milk right from the can, pumpkin was only partially peeled, chicken lacked any flavor. The green curry also lacked the right balance of flavors and eggplant was practically raw and not edible. I will never go back!
(1)Ty T.
Formerly a old brewery, this location is vastly lofty in feel, yet sensibly comforting through their dishes that deliver a sense of home-cooked nostalgia. The pumpkin prawns in red curry is so delectable, a bit tangy, and offers me all the comfort I need for a night spent alone. However, be advised that they really do not skimp on the heat when something is labeled as spicy.. it might make you a bit teary-eyed.
(4)Tiffany V.
I did like this place and I may actually come back but my curse follows me! This poor review will probably mean nothing to many of you but there was a rogue piece of meat in my dish and my date and I both didn't order meat entrees! I don't eat meat so obviously I was all wtf when I saw it. Ughhhh. I seriously always find unwanted stuff in my food! God only knows where it came from and then my mind starts wandering thinking it was a dirty dish or pan my food was cooked in gahhh. Everything else was great though so I may actually come back. $70 for two drinks, appetizer, two entrees, two bowls of rice, and dessert. Ambiance was great. We sat upstairs and I've been told you never have to make reservations here because there is always room and there really was!
(2)Jeff A.
We went early before a show at Slim's down the block, where we wanted to be at 7:00 sharp. Excellent service with our 45 minute time frame. The food was good and reasonably priced, and the location with big open spaces and brick walls is very inviting in a SOMA sort of way.
(4)Rae R.
Came here on 2 separate occasions! One with my ladies for lunch time and it was so yummy! We ordered the pumpkin squash curry! My 2nd time here was on a date night with my boyfriend. And it was again, very satisfying. The food here is very flavorful and interesting and modern thai. The service is very good.
(5)Anya R.
This Thai place was a perfect pre party spot for The Prince concert at DNA Lounge (which is on the same street) we attended on a Wednesday night. We made reservations for a large party (which is recommended as there is not a ton of big tables.) Service was somewhat slow because it was really busy but everything was tasty. The best part is that they had really authentic Thai food on the menu! They had dishes that are NEVER in restaurants (you mostly find in homes) and it was so yummy. Good for them for taking that type of risk (since a lot of people may not love it.)
(4)Mike M.
Skip the Mu Hang Lei unless you like overcooked, lower quality meat in an slimy gravy. Try the curries. Service was okay for lunch, but two tourists left after being seated and not getting a server for over 10 minutes.
(2)Michael H.
We ate here before a musical theater outing and I can't really say anything bad about Basil Thai. The food, service, and setting is good. The prices are decent and you get what you expect. The only thing that's a bit weird is the main table is slanted sideways. And it does feel like you're eating in a tech loft. Try Basil Thai if you want decent Thai food with decent portions at a decent price. Don't expect to be blown away but the food is satisfying.
(4)Ed U.
I'm such a fan of its older sister operation a few blocks east on Folsom, Basil Thai ( yelp.com/biz/basil-thai-… ), that I didn't make a point of coming here when the location changed its identity from the Public House, which I would describe as a pre-NOPA NOPA-type of upscale eatery. The brick-wall warehouse loft vibe is still here, which makes the presence of Thai cuisine a bit of a head scratcher. So how does Canteen compare to its accomplished sister? Well... have you ever seen that "Brady Bunch" episode where Jan is so jealous of Marcia that she tries out for cheerleader despite showing the graceless moves of an elephant in heat. Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!... well, Basil Canteen is not that awkward, but it doesn't quite measure up either. The ingredients are similar, but the execution somehow lacks confidence, that level of polish that I was hoping I'd experience. Jamie W. and I enjoyed a free plate of roasted peanuts seasoned with green onions. We ended up sharing three dishes. First up was the $10 Crab Fried Rice, pretty good with the scallions but a bit stingy on the crabmeat (see photo). The second dish was also in the "pretty good" range. It was the $13 Praram Rong Song, which was grilled skirt steak in a pool of curried peanut sauce accompanied by an abundance of green - broccolini, asparagus, snap peas, green beans, cucumber slices (see photo). It was certainly flavorful enough but just a remarkably uncreative dish. But I have to reserve most of my marginal disappointment for the $10 Kana Moo Grob (see photo). The sight of "pork belly" on a menu always puts me in a happy place, but I didn't like how they crisped up pieces like pork rinds which made it quite difficult to enjoy the fork-tender meat on the inside. It came on a bed of sauteed broccoli. All the food was reasonable enough but being blown away was definitely not in the cards that evening. The place was remarkably empty since it was a dark Sunday night at Slim's, but the echoes of the staff in the kitchen were quite audible. FOOD - 3 stars...reasonably good Thai but overshadowed by its big sister down the street....Marcia! Marcia! Marcia! AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...like the cavernous loft though we did catch it on a quiet night SERVICE - 2.5 stars...a bit awkward, not sure why...well, he did take back his offer of a free refill on our Diet Cokes TOTAL - 3 stars...as Marcia said when she broke a date with Charlie for the football captain, "Something suddenly came up."
(3)Jo D.
I usually come here for the $1oysters on Thursday nights. The servers used to be very friendly and that was another reason I patronized this place. The Thai dishes are OK but there are other Thai restaurants that are better and more affordable. Now the waiters/waitresses are not as friendly (e.g. No smile, forced smiles). Sometimes even brusque. Hmmm what to do? 2.5 stars for giving me a dilemma.
(2)Joe F.
The Miang Kum and Kiow Pu were fabulous apps. Thai Brussels sprouts and Gai Tod Pad Pik Khing wer outstanding.
(5)Vivian W.
I recently hosted a party and was looking for a catered dinner for 25 people. I researched several Thai restaurants and decided that Basil Canteen's catering menu looked the best from the standpoint of variety and interesting options. Some restaurants seemed to only offer entrees with curry. In any case, I discussed my party with a guy named Russell as well as the manager Arun directly, and found both to be super helpful in recommending dishes, offering to modify dishes on their menu, giving me the heads up on spiciness (e.g. for the drunken beef he suggested that we tone it down to mild - moderate), etc. My party was coming up soon and I appreciated that Arun was also very responsive. Fast forward to the event, and I was really pleased with everything I ordered. Everything was super delicious, and I have eaten at a lot of the SOMA Thai restaurants so I can compare! (I am also a huge fan of Basil Thai, which turns out is the sister restaurant to Basil Canteen). I was asked by a lot of guests where the food was from because it was so good, everyone kept complimenting the food - I'm pretty sure they will become customers themselves soon. What's even better is that the food was so good catered in large portions! Last time I had Thai food catered by another SOMA restaurant, the catered food was nowhere as good as the food eaten in the restaurant itself - e.g. the curry was far too watery and the meat was hardly to be found. Smaller point but I also liked how the containers Basil Canteen uses are a bit smaller and much easier to handle. I ordered; - the papaya salad - the minced chicken salad (larb gai) - spicy! - drunken beef - spicy! - lemongrass chicken (yum) - white prawn and pumpkin curry (yum) - mixed vegetables in green curry (yum - lots of veggies...which I believe is different from the veggies in yellow curry which has lots of potatoes). - pad thai (popular as always) - pad see ew (nice change of pace) - brown/jasmine rice Everything was an A. I can't wait to eat the leftovers! The only thing that could have been any better is the delivery options. I could have picked the meal up myself (difficult in the middle of a party) but otherwise the only delivery option that Basil Canteen offers is through Waiters on Wheels, which charges 10+% on your bill (and this can get expensive for such a large order!) Several of the other Thai restaurants in SOMA do not charge extra for delivery. Having said that, both the restaurant and W.O.W were extremely on time, and I got the food exactly when they said I would. What a great experience working with Basil Canteen. And what delicious food!
(5)Cori W.
Their vegetarian Pad Thai really is the best I've ever had.
(4)Allison S.
I really, really wanted to like this place, and it was, as my rating would suggest, A-OK. But it nothing to write home about. The food was flavorful, but it was so greasy that I was left feeling icky after the meal. They have some pretty decent vegetarian options, and they're very willing to accommodate a tofu or veggie substitution whenever they can. The space is very cool though. It's lofty, with a second seating floor above the bar. It gets a little noisy, but it's not annoying. I'll probably be back, but I won't count it among my favorite places in town.
(3)Daniel A.
First time here. Everything we ordered was excellent! Had the tofu pad Thai, brussel sprouts and a steak dish. Terrific service, seasonable prices in a very nice space. Loved it!
(5)AJ V.
I just wanna hang out with you all night long Basil Canteen. Food: The food at Basil Canteen exemplifies what a menu with many options should be and that's consistent. I must say though, I have not found that one dish that makes me crawling back for more. With that being said, I have not been disappointed with a single dish I have eaten here. The grilled skirt steak with roti and green curry dipping sauce is jam packed with flavor and crispness from the roti bread. The larb salad, although a bit wonky and hard to eat was still flavorful and bright. The crispy pork belly with Chinese broccoli was a nice balance of bitterness from the greens, saltiness and spice from the sauce, and crispness from the belly. Service: The service here is always accommodating and pleasant. No pretentiousness here folks. Just good ol' fashioned hospitality at its best. Ambience: I think the Basil Canteens space is one of the best things it's got going for itself. Lovely brick walls and communal tables near the bar provide the diners with a fun and urban atmosphere. The mezzanine area is just the perfect place to hide away with a few friends for an intimate get together. Verdict: One of the best spots for Thai inspired small plates and lounge type dining in the city. Seriously. So go!
(4)Breanne D.
They have unique Thai dishes, not just the same thing you see at every Thai place. Great cocktails and wine selection too. The taro fries are awesome! Love the setting too -- laid back and modern.
(4)Nina M.
I was excited to celebrate my birthday at Basil Canteen, relying on the assuring reviews from fellow yelpers. Last night, a group of 9 of us had dinner (Saturday night, 7:30) at this restaurant & the experience was less than pleasant. I was pleased with the food; I tried the mango prawns, papaya salad, & pad kee mao. All were tasty, but the portions were on the smaller side. While the food was good, it did not compensate for the unpleasant service we received from our waitress. She must have been having a terrible day, because her behavior was not appropriate in any other case. Not only did she not smile during the entire evening, but this young woman expressed disdain when any of my guests asked her any type of simple question about the menu. When my boyfriend asked if they could do something since it was my bday, she gave him attitude & said that they would ONLY do it if he ordered something from the menu (as to suggest that we were trying to skimp the restaurant). Needless to say, the dessert was brought out w/o a smile. Also, the second level, where we were seated, was very stuffy & hot. I was wearing a light dress & I was still breaking a sweat. The poor service really took away from my birthday experience.
(2)Kristeen O.
We were satisfied with the cocktails, service, and food- good ambiance (cool, old brick building, comfy large space). Portions are small, and flavorful for my taste. BF wasn't as impressed with his pad thai, and friends thought their dishes were ok (we ate everything though), but didn't think anything was super spectacular. We'd come here again if we were in the area.
(3)Moua L.
I heard many great things about this place before getting a large catering order from here. With trust to the reviewers and limited time, I decided to order for a party of 50. The manager was nice and even though he wasn't so good about getting back to me a few times about the order, he came through in the end. He gave me his recommendations on how much would be enough for 50 people and I made some edits to fit my budget. Even though I edited down the menu, I think what I ended up getting was still enough for 50. So here it is: 1. Pad si ew Q (1.5 trays) = $100 (wide rice noodle with 'gai lan' broccoli, egg, and pork stir-fried with yellow bean and sweet soy 2. Satay Gai Q (40) = $100 (grilled chicken skewers with 'satay' peanut sauce) 3. Giow Grob Q (30 Shrimp & Pork) (30 Veggie) = $50.40 (fried wontons) 4. Pau Pia Yuan Q (30-shrimp) (30-Tofu) = $50.40 (pau pia yuan fresh hand rolls of shrimp, bean sprouts, cucumber, mint, cilantro, & asparagus tip served with crushed peanuts and lime vinaigrette w/ crushed peanuts & lime vinaigrette Tax = $31.88 Total = $332.68 Feel free to use my order list if you plan on getting Thai food for a party. I chose these items on the list, because they are great as finger foods and not as messy.
(4)David B.
so awesome with a gluten free menu!
(5)Ashley Elena E.
Made a reservation through OpenTable for a Monday evening before a performance at Davies Hall, but when we walked in it was nearly empty, so it looks like we didnt even need one. The building itself is really well kept, very clean and modern/dark interior. The food was FANTASTIC! The menu was varied, so many choices to choose from. Everything was delicious. We started off with satay gai (chicken satay with some great sauce), and kiow pu (Thai shrimp wontons) which were the perfect sized plates. We also split plates of kang ped bpet yang (roasted duck breast & baby bok choy) and kiow wan neur (slow cooked beef short ribs)... thank goodness for the online menu because I never would have remembered the names. The portion sizes again were perfect and great for sharing. The prices are extremely reasonable and the atmosphere is very good for conversations. This place lends itself well to big groups as well as intimate dinner experiences. Service was quick and attentive. Would definitely come back to this spot, especially for happy hour to try out the drink specials!
(4)Tammy C.
(See pics) Happy Hour is great! $5 for taro fries was a lot of food as a snack and was also very crispy and taro taste. Other "snacks" include chicken satay, fried shrimp and pork wonton, fresh rolls with hrimp and vegetables, smoked Chiang Mai pork sausage, etc. The other appetizer I had was jumbo prawns with Thai Chili-lime dressing which was very good and fairly spicy! It's $11 but and was worth every bite of it.
(4)Sky L.
Yum
(4)Josh B.
Yum.
(5)Steven Y.
good
(4)Mary H.
I love Basil Canteen. I went there with a party of what started out at the beginning of the week with 12 people and I kept upping my reservations through the week to eventually 16 people. They made it work for us. Because we had a party of 16, they created a pre-fix menu for us. The pre-fix menu was perfect. The $25 (before service & tax) was so worth it for the amount of food we got. It was family style which included appetizers, 6 different dishes and dessert. The chicken skewers with peanut sauce was the best I've ever tasted. Thai chicken skewers at thai restaurants tend to be on the dry side but not at this place. The pad thai noodles were perfectly cooked and we loved the mince chicken with eggplant. We also had a prawn curry dish and the prawns were super juicy and the curry was light. Thank you Basil Canteen for being so accommodating with last minute changes for such a large party.
(4)Victor H.
Food is off the freagin chain here. A little pricey but so is all freagin excellent food. The fact that it's in an old brick building in downtown SF makes it even more appealing to me. It's a great place and you should eat there. I forget what they're called, but the little lettuce wraps with ground beef are tremendously good!
(5)Candice T.
We were on our way to the DNA Lounge for Ãœmloud, a yearly charity event that gives generously to Child's Play. And we arrived early enough to have a decent sit-down dinner. Relatively close to the venue was Basil Canteen, a corner gem on Folsom. Thai service done right with a memorable and savory menu to boot. I had Praram Rong Song. Clever peanut sauce over premium cuts of steak and a side of steamed greens. I especially enjoyed the strong taste of their kale mixed in with the greens. Can I go back and emphasize how surprised and delighted I was at the quality of the skirt steak? It's easy to throw in a lot of fatty pieces to a skirt cut, but this place didn't skimp on the good stuff! Boyfriend had the drunken beef. It was delightful and peppery with a hint of chili spice. We were in and out in great time, with prompt and competent service. Never once did we have to flag down our server to take our order, remind her to refill our waters or give us our check. It was just like dining at a real restaurant that cares about their customers. I liked the ambiance and the decor. And I was especially a big fan of the environmental controls. We arrived on a cold day and my hands thawed fitfully without the rest of me (or my date) being suffocated.
(5)Carolyn A.
Though I do like this place, it's pretty out of the way and if you come at the wrong (or rather, right/peak) time, then you are in for a wait. Downstairs is a communal table, but upstairs has more private seating. The food is pretty good, I had a really predictable dish- pad thai, and they have a happy hour menu, but it's quite limited. The service is friendly but not that attentive depending on the time. We got there and it wasn't so busy so it was pretty prompt but as soon as it started filling up, it was apparent they were understaffed. I would come here again if my friends wanted to, but otherwise, I don't think I would make the drive out (only street parking).
(3)Lo Y.
The foods were too greasy and heavy and creamy to be authentic. It may appeals to others, but not me.
(2)Lyn C.
3.5 stars. Finding this place was a bit difficult. It is the corner brick building with no big sign. Basil Canteen is modernized thai food with a nice ambiance. The food is not authentic but still not too bad. We had lots of food, family style, but I was only really fond of the basil chicken. I can't remember everything at the table, but from what I can recall: - pau pia: crispy rolls- ehh... - satay gai: chicken w/peanut sauce - gai pad bai kra prao: basil chicken - praramrong song: steak with peanut sauce- better w/o the sauce - kang kua goong: shrimp pumpkin curry - something eggplant - chicken yellow curry - fried banana w/ice cream The service was great and it was a good dinner. Nice place for large groups. I'd like to try out the other items on the menu (mostly the duck items).
(3)Diana Y.
--------WEDDING REHEARSAL DINNER-------- I held my wedding rehearsal dinner here a few weeks ago and I'm SO pleased with how great it turned out! The food was delicious, the service was so attentive and friendly, and the price was pretty affordable for Sa
(4)Brad B.
I FOUND IT... After literally 10 years of searching, I finally found a Thai restaurant that serves SAKU SAI MOO... the absolutely delicious, delightful, and extremely rare appetizer that I have only seen on the menu's in Bangkok until I visited Basil Canteen with some colleagues during a business trip to San Francisco in September of 2013. The Saku Sai Moo was terrific and so were the rest of the wonderful Thai dishes we had, including the Mu Hang Lei and the mangos and sticky rice for dessert. This place has sort of a fusion spin on traditional Thai food - I can only say it was beyond excellent. Oh do I love Asian food in San Fran!
(5)Linh D.
Came here for a bday event, can't really judge much, large parties are forced with a set course family style menu. All the plates were decorated nicely enough and appealing while some were just meh-ah, to begin with the courses we had chicken satay, crispy vegetable rolls, drunken beef, grilled skirt steak, prawns and japanese pumpkin curry, mild yellow curry, and I think pad kee mao it was some sort of noodle, but i forgot exactly what. Everything was tasty, but if individually ordered would be slightly pricey. The drinks were okay, it's almost like all classic drinks had a twist of some sort of asian fusion to it, wasnt strong enough or either my alcohol content level is just too high, LOL. Overall good food with great company, and food were just right for everyone to share, I believe there were about 4 course meals sets that were shared for a total of close to 20 people? Not bad
(4)Asher P.
They get 4 stars because they happened to be busy and it took a while to get our food. If it came earlier, they would have 5 stars. The food is fantastic! Try to come when they're not packed and you will eat good!
(4)Pam S.
First of all I really liked how this place looks and feel. The combination of brick and hard wood totally turned the place with style. There's a big communal table downstairs. When I come back I'll make sure to sit on that table, I love communal dining. Upstairs, wether it be small or a not so small groups, there's a table for you. Our menu was served family-style so everyone got a chance to try everything. I did notice the food was coming in real slow. Good thing the people at my table were busy keeping me entertained, I didn't mind the wait. We got small plates of the paper wrapped cellophane noodles (not really a fan as it's fried) and the satay chicken (this I like, the peanut sauce with the pickled onion and cucumber, yum). We have 6 different entrees: - white prawn with curry - steak in peanut sauce with sauteed vegies - tofu with grilled vegies in curry - pork with eggplant and curry - minced chicken Everything was really really good...the minced chicken was my favorite. Spicy with the mix of the basil flavor. One cute addition was the menu paper wrapped around tea candles. Clever decor!
(4)Danlu F.
I'm writing this review not because of the food - actually I didn't eat there. My cell died today and I was not sure if my friend and I will meet here or the other Basil Thai restaurant, so I poped in to check if she's there waiting for me - it turns out , no luck. So I was asking a staff here if I can borrow their computer to find out my friend's phone number. He seated me, offered me his personal iPhone to login my google account, with a land-line phone to call my friend, a paper to jot down her number, and even a glass of water! This is so sweet, really made my day! Thank you! Definitely will come back for food again!
(5)Kash B.
Solid place... plenty of space for a large group. The food was pretty good too.
(4)Marie G.
Great place for consistently good food. Fast, friendly service and nice atmosphere. I suggest their tapioca dumpling appetizer, but make sure to eat them with the jalapeno condiment which they don't serve with the dish, but you can ask for.
(5)Rebecca C.
Great place, much quieter than the sister restaurant 4 blocks away where the waiter took 5 min to take my reservation after i repeated the request 8 times (which I abandoned, fearing the NYC restaurant noise level). I really liked the banana wrapped fish (but we had to send back for it to be recooked to its tender state). And the fresh mango with sweet rice is much better than expected, especially with a side order of coconut ice cream. Skip the crab fried rice (not enough crab). Duck curry was decent but not stellar.
(4)Serge A.
Wowzers! The food here is Orgasmic, so watch out! I haven't had Thai like this before. Definitely returning here next year when I visit San Francisco again. Bonus: After dining here "DNA Lounge" (Best SF Nightclub) is down the street.
(5)Jen H.
I had a midday break and decided to grab a late lunch solo here. A friend I deeply love and care about has expressed a desire to get Thai food the next time we're together (which unfortunately is rare), so I feel motivated to try places and pick out a winner in advance! The menu selection is a huge plus. There are lots of choices I haven't seen on other Thai menus, so I had a hard time deciding. However, based on a see-if-the-basics-are-good-first approach, I opted for pad thai and khanom guay chai and a side of peanut sauce. Conclusion: it's only ok. Both dishes were good on flavor but really flopped in texture (*mushy, like poi*). The peanut sauce was very good.
(3)Rachel S.
This review is for Wednesday Happy Hour only! A girlfriend and I set out for a quick "happy hour catch up session" and found our usual spot closed. The Basil Canteen was the first place we found with a happy hour menu, so in we went. The architecture is beautiful exposed steel and brick with graceful arching windows. There is a long community table (almost a San Francisco cliche) and smaller tables and bar seating on the first floor. We had two rounds of drinks (6$ ea) and two rounds of appetizers (5$) each. Note: this is the "Shaken But Not Stirred" Wednesday pricing - the cocktails are otherwise 8 - 10$ ea. The Grey Hound Soma (Ketel One and fresh grapefruit juice) was excellent, the Silky Sky (lychee liquer, skyy vodka, fresh grapefruit) and Full Moon (House infused ginger vodka, pear, and cranberry) were pretty good, and the Mortar & Pestle (Bacardi, mint, lime & lemongrass) was also excellent. Overall the cocktails are exceedingly fresh and mild tasting, without being overwhelming or full of sugar. Alcohol content is about right. The crispy vegetable rolls were fried to perfection, the chicken satay and shrimp spring rolls were fresh and tasty - the peanut vinaigrette for the spring rolls gave a nice kick to what can be a slightly flavorless roll. The "tapioca dumplings with pork & nuts" are a must order! Do not be intimidated here, they are just golf ball sized tapioca balls with a little shredded pork and ground nuts inside. Where else would you ever get to order this? Overall - the service was great and the price was right.
(4)Teri X.
Went for the first time for Happier Hour on 8/7/12. I had their soft veggie/shimp rolls and the chicken satay. The rolls were very large and quite flavorful. I specifically ordered the chicken for the peanut sauce and was not disappointed! Thick and gooey, with enough extra that I really wanted to lick the plate. Did not have cocktails, service was attentive and quick as they were not very busy. Maybe a bit early?? A solid 3.5 for me as I did not try many of their items, but will go back.
(3)Kellie N.
I absolutely love this Thai restaurant. Beautiful decor and the food is always great! I love the cocktail menu and their brown rice is perfect with every dish they serve!! In a weird part of town, but a favorite that I keep going back to for really good Thai!
(4)Christy Z.
I'm a sucker for exposed brick and turning industrial spaces into restaurants and living spaces. The interior of Basil Canteen is a great example of that transformation done well. I also really liked that there was the large community table downstairs and upstairs, smaller tables. My friend and I were giving a table upstairs and had we been on a date it would have been very secluded and romantic. On to the food, which was equally worth noting. I had the Goong Pad Mamuang (just don't ask me to pronounce that) with fresh tiger prawns and sweet mango wok-fried with basil, garlic, chili sauce. It was delicious, perfectly sized and very generous with the shrimp. I would definitely order it again. My friend had the chicken lettuce wraps and summer rolls, also very good.
(4)Tiffany F.
The duck with lichee fruit blew my mind. You must try it! Just incredible. Everything else was good as well and fantastic service. Classy / modern decor. No they are not paying me for this review. LOL The only downside is it is a very sketchy neighborhood even during the day. I parked a block away and had to walk by by a dude holding a crowbar. I thought I might have to go shaolin kung fu on him at any moment... luckily he didn't flinch.
(5)Julie G.
Roti appetizer - roti was extremely oily Green curry - too thick and not flavorful brussel sprouts w/ Pork belly - nice flavors and certainly an interesting combination Overall - there are better places for green curry in SF
(2)Justin D.
Very friendly service and the food and atmosphere was great. I will be back!
(4)Helen D.
Lick your lips good! We ordered: - Two saketinis (how can you go wrong with sake-filled lychees?) - Pau Pia Yuan (fresh spring rolls) - Peurk Tod (taro fries) - Miang kum (heavenly lettuce wraps) - Sakhoo saimu (tapioca pork dumplings) - Goong tod yum mamuang (prawns and mango) - Deep fried banana / coconut ice cream dessert Best item by far: Miang kum. A-MAZ-ING!! A must try! Filler food: Peurk Tod. (Although, the peanut sauce was exceptionally light and creative in flavors, unlike other thai places I've tried) Recommend: Ordering many appetizers (instead of entrees). The atmosphere was extremely cute (loved the brick and the modern interior) and the service was perfect. Hope to return sometime soon!
(4)T C.
This place is okay. I don't know why this place is so expensive, and you don't get very much on a plate. The food is good, I just don't think it should cost so much. There's a good amount of parking.
(3)James Z.
We loved this place! Recommended by front desk guy at hotel. Ambience and food were great--especially shrimp, drunken beef, green onion pancakes. Yum!!!
(5)Tommy M.
The place has a very modern look and their set up is pretty cool in my opinion. My family and I came to SF for a family trip and though we'd take our mama out to a bday dinner at an asian place. Very good decision, the prices are reasonable, food is above average and their service is on point. If your looking for an above average thai restuarant with fair prices, this is yo place. Parking is just a little weird though, we had to park in this alley. Be careful about homeless people trying to charge you for parking though. This homeless guy with a construction worker vest told us it was 5 dollars for parking at the start of the alley which we ignored because I had suspicions. I asked a business owner there and he said it was free parking for anyone as long as its within the hours. That little punk right? lol
(5)Christine W.
This place is ok as in its a little bit expensive for thai food in my opinion but it is a nice clean place, so I suppose you are paying more for the atmosphere and presentation of dishes. All the dishes here are tasty and flavorful its really the prices that keeps me from giving this place one or 3 more stars. Go for the kao soi neur...mmm spicy egg noodles with beef is super delicious but sometimes can get messy. I always go for the laarb gai or the papaya salad as these dishes are always super fresh and packed with spicy flavors.
(3)Diana V.
We decided to check out this place on a Saturday night at 6:30 PM. The restaurant was pretty empty, with just a few tables full. The decor inside was cool and classy, and I enjoyed the ambiance upstairs. The location of the restaurant is great, as it is down the street from Slim's. However, the Thai food they served left something to be desired. Looking over the menu, we arrived at a consensus of what to order for our party of 5. We started with the goong tod yum mamuang which is the lightly fried tiger prawns with cashew nuts and green mango appetizer, perfect to split. It was lip-smacking good, though it did take a good half hour to get to our table. We waited another half hour for our entrees. A full hour since we have been in the restaurant. By that time, we were so hungry, we would have eaten cardboard. Our entrees consisted of: Kana moo grob, or fried pork belly with broccoli, which was so horribly overcooked that one of my friends couldn't even bite into his piece and thought that he had a bone on his plate! Pad thai, with sauce so sweet that it was difficult to enjoy the noodles, prawns, and tofu. By far the best dishes on the table were the gai pad gra prow, stir-fried chicken with eggplant, chili, and holy basil and also the kang kua mu, which is braised pork shoulder and pumpkin in red curry. The half-and-half in the Thai iced coffee was poured with a heavy hand. I do give the waiter credit for attentively clearing our empty plates and glasses throughout the meal, and filling our water glasses. There is better Thai food out there in the city.
(2)liz c.
Delicious food. Warm and fast service. Great space for lunch meetings. No parking. Worth trying: Gai pad prow with prawns, pad kee mao, pad thai and Thai milk tea. Had I been with more adventurous people, this would have been a perfect place to try a few Thai dishes I've never had before. Definitely coming back soon!
(4)Angela L.
Hey hey hey....what can I say. Thai food. YUMMY!!!!!!! Girls Nite Out here. Need I say more.......... It was very refreshing to know a place like this still exists and of all thing....a Thai place. We reserved the place for 10. 7 showed up. Not bad for a Friday nite outing with my highschool GFs. We were seated at this large, long table that could easily seated for about 20. In a way, we are the center of attention you might say. It is different from all the other thai restaurants i have been in the bay area. I must give them prop for such a place. Nice, scenic decor and very warm feeling as you enter into a non-traditional Thai setting. Instead you get a industrial, modern looking setting. We started out of course with drinks, half of us got red wine and the other half went traditional...with thai ice tea. It was delicious. We ordered the large appetizer which included spring rolls, egg rolls, fried crab dumplings to new a few. They were very tasty. Not the best I had but nonetheless, very good. We all decided to do a family style dinner in which each one of us orders a plate and we all shared. Yipeee! That means you don't have to just settle for one entrees. We got 7 instead. For the life of me, I can not remember one single plate that we ordered but that they were good. I highly recommend this restaurant. All in all, good decor, serviceis great and above all, the food is deliciou........s.
(4)Blake B.
I went to Basil Canteen earlier this week and overall I would say it was ok. Nothing blew me out of the water but everything was tasty. I went early and the was hardly anyone there. The wait staff wasn't great as they didn't know when to approach us, took our menus before we had fully ordered and didn't get my main meal correct. All of the various appetizers had a good flavor. For my main meal I had ordered pineapple beef but was served something else and while it was tasty it want what I was looking for. Basil Canteen wasn't anything out of the ordinary but sometimes that's not a bad thing as long as you know what you're getting in to.
(3)Koshika S.
good food, good cocktails and good service. They were really nice about one cocktail i didn't like and returned, kudos to the bartender for making me a new and better one. They accommodated a really big group of us, and were very helpful with high chairs etc for the kids. Great space if you have a large group and don't want to be crammed into the smaller sister resto.
(4)Pooja S.
Good food and cocktails. The big table downstairs was super loud so we couldnt really talk but I am hoping the next time people are a little more considerate and not shouting over each others voice. Def a must go for foodies
(4)R. Karl H.
Pretty good! I love the brick facade exterior and interior and the Thai lime green wall. It even has a cool loft for more seating. Food is decent (I had the chicken satay) and the Full Moon (house infused ginger vodka, pear, cranberry) was unique and delicious. Service was attentive.
(4)Emma F.
Best Thai food I've had in as long as I can remember. Great ambiance, low key and good service. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Kenny J.
I came here for a friend's bday dinner with about a dozen people. We got to try a lot of the dishes, but it was hard to do family style even though we split the table into two groups. All the dishes were pretty good, but the portions seemed a bit small. Presentation was good though. I loved the grilled lamb with red curry, but again, very hard to share with 5 or 6 others. If you really want to do family style, probably best to pick fewer dishes, but get two of each. We basically each picked one and then shared. Ambiance is nice and modern and service was good. There were two other birthdays that night. lol! Also, the place erupted as the Giants clinched the pennant and punched their ticket to the World Series. :) We shared a few desserts and I liked the coconut ice cream the best. The others were just ok. Street parking is pretty easy in this area, I found a spot only a block away.
(4)Rebecca S.
The food wasn't bad, it just wasn't anything to gush about. Not a huge drink menu, but good happy hour specials. Servers were nice, and I like the loft, exposed-brick look.
(3)Priscilla T.
Two words: crispy. Rolls. I died and went to silver noodle heaven. Normally crispy rolls/egg rolls/imperial rolls aren't exactly like inventing the wheel but these things were like Christmas and 4th of July on my birthday. Why so good? Heavy on the silver noodles and carrots, light on the typical cheap fillers like cabbage (boo hiss). Anyway, everything was fantastic from the turnip cake to the banana leaf sea bass to the pad see ew. The menu has tons of variety and not just your garden variety Thai either. Have some fun and try some of the more exotic dishes! The bartender even whipped up some alcoholic Thai iced teas for my friends on request. He called it a Siamese Dream :) This is pretty much the first really good Thai place I've found in SF (ok, ok fine. Osha has some pretty good noodles). And icing on the cake: very reasonable prices ($26 per person incl drinks and apps).
(4)Suzanne C.
Time: 8-9pm. Noms: Bpet Rad Kang (Duck with lychee and pineapple curry) and Drunken Beef with a side of jasmine rice. Quaffs: Mortar & Pestle (mojito with lemongrass) and saketini (sake with lychee). Tab: $52.57 Notes: waitress a bit curt, water never empty, long wait.
(4)Betty N.
Thai food, come hither. We reserved half of the communal table for our party of 8 and experienced a great Thai dinner with wonderful drinks and an accomodating staff. Loved the creative fusion cocktails, from lychee to sour whiskey, all very good ($9-$12). Their specials and concoctions are scribbled on the black board. We ordered some poo ja ($8) and kang kiow roti ($8) as appetizers and since I love their green curry so much, I had the kang nuer with shrimp ($16). The appetizers came out within 10 minutes but the main entrees took more than 45 minutes. The staff noticed our impatience, so they gave us a free round of drinks. Now, that is good customer service! The food is like eating in Thailand. Best green curry around! Very reasonably priced, good food and good cocktails, you can't beat that triple combo. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
(4)Cindy W.
Don't know why I haven't been here sooner, but Basil Canteen is a great Thai option. Why? Let me enumerate: 1. Decor / Atmosphere: It's a beautiful building, an old brewery with exposed aged brick, 2 story + ceilings, open layout, elegant colors, 2 floors of seating. 2. Friendly Service: Staff here are knowledgeable, attentive and friendly. They are polite and treat you as if they appreciate you being there. What a novel idea. 3. Tasty Drinks: The cocktails are yummy, or at the very least the Saketini ($8) made with negori sake + lychee puree was very yummy. The negori sake is so smooth that you can't really taste the alcohol. Just the way I like it. 4. Daily Specials: Basil Canteen offers various specials from Happy Hour $5 app plates M-F, to Days of the Week Specials like $1 Oysters on Thursdays. They certainly give you a reason to come back. 5. Food Options: BC has an interesting list of menu items not typical of most Thai restaurants which makes dining here really fun. We tried a few: - Peurk Tod ($6) = taro fries. Like these in general but was expecting them to be even more deeply fried. This was like a healthy version of fries (if that's possible). - Pik-khing Pbet ($11.50) = duck curry with lychee. Yum! I tried to control myself and not scoop out all the big whole lychee balls. I really like this interpretation of red curry. And there were actually bites of duck. - Kana Moo Grob ($10) = crispy pork belly with gai lan. This was the favorite by far. Probably because the pork belly was cooked to a super nice crisp, not the overly hard hurt your teeth kind, but the wow, sink your teeth into the skin crispy and savor the flavor kind. Mmm. The remaining 3 dishes were good but not particularly noteworthy: - Drunken Beef ($11.50) = This was straight up beef, but rather had eggplant, green beans, lemongrass and chili. It was spicy and made my lips slightly numb. Not bad, just different. - Pad Kee Mao ($9.50) =stir-fried wide noodles with Thai basil. Typical. - Pla Pao Bai Tong ($15) = seabass in banana leaf. Somehow this wasn't my favorite. Maybe the fish was a little dry or lacking in flavor compared with the rest. Dessert: - Mango sticky rice - always good. - Fried bananas with coconut ice cream. Loved the coconut ice cream. 6. Space. There was lots of space. BC is still little known so there were plenty of tables. Good for us at least in the short term. Cool venue. Worth trying for sure.
(4)Jocelyn J.
Went here for a work related lunch. Everyone's food looked great and was raved about, except what I ordered (shrimp salad with iceberg lettuce). Shrimp was good and spicy, the iceberg lettuce made it very boring and empty. Other than that, very good.
(4)Sylvia W.
Great prices and very large portions. I like that it's open very late and the service is prompt.
(4)Carpe D.
I am rating the happy hour when I go to happy hour I look at: - a HH that goes later than 6 pm --check ! (they call it the "happiest hour" ) we think alike :) - strong drinks fairly priced -- check! - Great food to absorb the drinks and fairly priced -- check! - Nice decor -- check! - Easy parking - check! Service was super fast not really personable but not rude just a little shy . REALLY a place to check out!!!
(5)Kelly H.
Came here for HH/dinner before a concert at slims on Thursday 8/19 HH hour menu: $6 dollar signature cocktails, $3 Thai Beer, $5 snacks... refer to Genevieve for complete snack list Thursday's is also DOLLAR OYSTERS! Their oysters this thursday was from Marin. They were pretty and fresh... and they come with a special thai coctail sauce... tasty. I liked the Taro Fries on the snack list, really good with beer. The beef noodle soup is kinda salty... msg? For dinner we ordered the garlic noodles with the clam and the skirt steak curry noodle.... the garlic noodles were good, but the clams were not good... not really fresh... sorta muddy... groooddy!! i skip the clams next time unless they pre soak them for like a couple of hours before it's cooked.... the curry noodles were ookay... nothing to brag about for cocktail i had their saketini (nigori sake and lychee puree) and the full moon (ginger infused vodka, lime, cranberry, and pear), both were just ok... nothing i would rave about or get another time... they're more one and done cocktails for me... service at the bar was good... but was downhill from there once we moved to the communal table... decor is slightly renovated... exposed brick and structural beams... large wooden communal table. i wouldn't go out of my way to eat here... i actually prefer their parent restaurant Basil over the Canteen... it's a good place to HH before a concert at slims!
(3)Will H.
Consistently one of my preferred Thai joints in town. The kaoh soi neur is LEGIT with the addition of a fried egg.
(4)Dylan T.
Cool, hip looking spot. The drinks were tasty and the food was good too. We had a party of 16 for my gf's and bff's joint birthday. Our prix fixe had quite a few items (appetizers, entrées, and desserts). Instead of everyone ordering individual plates, I guess someone made the executive decision to just bring out a bunch for everyone to share. The staff was attentive enough and the parking wasn't too tough. This definitely a good après work spot for some drinks and grub. The mini films they show are also "entertaining." You'll see what I mean.
(4)Katherine T.
Considering I'm one of the millions of unemployed college graduates...this place is best when you're out in a group and sharing food! I think anything duck goes. The duck dish with lychee was really good. Granted the curry softened the crunchy skin a bit, but the savory lychee was DA BOMB.COM , as were the Tiger Beer, Beer Lao, and the kazi drink at the end of the cocktail list. That one was so refreshing for a warm SF night. Next time I'll try out the larb and papaya salad. Also, the server we had was a bit rude :( apparently, pumpkins are ALWAYS in season according to her? And she added drinks we had already paid at the bar...maybe she had a rough day.
(4)Kelli H.
Came here last night during happy hour with a party of 3. Drinks and appetizers for $5?! YES! My mojito was very tasty & strong! Appetizers of veggie/tofu roll was great, as well as the curried duck dumplings -- yum! My pad thai wasn't the best I've ever had but it was still delicious. Plus, $10 for pad thai? Can't go wrong there. Service was friendly and attentive. I would definitely go back if I were in the area.
(4)Carlie C.
Basil Canteen is great for large groups and has a casual setting with easy to make reservations. We came here for my roommate's birthday and they were able to accommodate a party of 16 of us. We shared a few appetizers and other things among everyone but the favorites were: +Pad See Yew with Chicken +Chicken Larb -Veggie rolls (mediocre) +Pork Belly with Chinese Broccoli They charge a $1.50 cake cutting fee per a person which isn't too bad since their entrees are priced decently. I would come here for a birthday dinner if you're looking for something low key and casual.
(4)Joshua K.
Everything was delicious, and the service was great, but I drank to much to say much more than that. I'd definitely go back.
(4)Christian C.
Amazing, delicious and transcendent. I have eaten at a lot of thai restaurants, and this is one of the best. Everything was amazingly delicious and well prepared. I loved the interior. It was very industrial chic with the exposed brick and beams and the overall warehouse feel to it. Its right on the corner and there are a lot of windows so can people watch while you eat. the service was very attentive. they were there when you needed them, not there when you didnt. now on to the food: Hand rolls: nothing amazing but very good. Sakhoo Saimu - tapioca pork dumplings: was not what i expected. The were room temperature and were encased in this jelly like tapioca skin. The insides were pork and peanuts. very interesting and very delicious Kao Soi Nuer - skirt steak with wide yellow noodles and lime coconut curry: it was amazing! they put a pile of crispy noodles on top which contrasts nicely with the soft noodles. the beef is flavorful and tender. The curry is delectable. Pineapple Braised Short Ribs in Green Curry: This was my favorite. Green curry is my favorite thai dish so this was quite a treat. the short ribs were fall-apart fantastic. The curry broth was perfectly balanced. And the pineapple soaked in curry is amazing. it still tasted like pineapple but not sweet which is hard to imagine, but its totally not what i expected. for dessert, we had the fried bananas and coconut ice cream. Nothing i havent had before, but it was very, very good. The cocktails are also great. Dont remember what i had, but it was good. The sakitini with lychee and sake was great. i wish i had ordered that. i definitely plan on coming back. I cant wait to come back, actually! Recommended.
(5)Veronica N.
3.5 stars - great place for a group dinner. We came here this past Saturday and there were a few group celebrations going on, bachelorette and birthdays. Then venue is nice, we were seated upstairs. We had a group of 13. Service was attentive. Food was decent. We ordered a bunch or appetizers to share, some were good and some were just ok. I had the Pad Kee Mao for an entree and I loved it. Overall, I wouldn't mind coming back here - again, great place for groups! There is a $1.50/ person cake cutting fee.
(3)Alex L.
GREAT Thai food with just the right amount of spice. This is my go-to place for thai food in the city. Great food, open fairly late and generally friendly staff. Drinks aren't their specialty but they have a decent beer selection.
(4)Brett B.
I have mixed feelings about this place. The food seems to be hit-or-miss. I had an excellent seafood dish while my friend's food was overcooked and lacking in flavor. Similarly, the service was friendly but not very attentive.
(3)Star B.
So this review comes a year after I've been there. (I know, I've been laggin') Threw my Birthday dinner here last year for a party of 20. We reserved the long wood table that they had that seated my party perfectly. Staff was super accomodating, especially giving us the option of not using their pre fixe menu (which btw, you're supposed to use when you have a party of more than 10 I believe). Great food, strong drinks, great ambiance, great staff...Perfect service.
(5)Anthony D.
Three strikes and you're out BC. First time i order from them they told me 15minute pick up. I show up and they hadn't event started cooking my order. I had to sit there for 20 extra mins. Second time I ordered from them I got to pick up my food and they forgot my chicken satay. And today I order from them an make my order very clear and even make the lady in the phone repeat my order to me and the still forget my fried egg. Food is good but I suggest you dine in and never make a to go order.
(2)Mot Y.
Solid, near the all leather shop in SOMA. Cool building and the food is consistent. All your favorites. Spice it babe.
(5)Robert E.
The food is good but the service is subpar. As the place got busier, the more we were ignored, Ms when trying to pay the bill it took another 20 mins to get anyone's attention to take our money. I'll keep going to krua Thai instead. So the next day my stomach didn't really agree with me and this place. Again the food is good, but maybe I just ate too much of the coconut milk curry, but I was in pain the next day!
(3)Peppe R.
Nah - I wouldn't bother. There are so many better Thai restaurants in the city.
(2)Emilynne A.
I came here for a friend's birthday earlier this month, and I do have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. We were 30+ strong, so we ended up doing a pre-fixed menu to make accommodating our party size a little easier. The spring rolls were a lot better than I expected, and the service quite excellent. Honestly, the stars are for service more than anything else. I found the food to be a little bland, and lacking the spice and depth of flavor that I typically expect from Thai restaurants. Though that may have been more due to the size of the party, and the less adventurous dishes that were selected for the meal. I hear the drinks were amazing, though, and I didn't get the opportunity to try their dessert, so I will most likely be back to give them a second try. :)
(3)Ryan M.
On a recent trip to SF, we had a small family dinner at Basil Canteen. We arrived fairly early in the evening and it was nearly empty (less one other table). The food was good. Everyone else with me enjoyed their meals immensely, but I wasn't a huge fan of my entree (pork hock) or the quality of the desserts. The staple dishes, like curry and pad thai, were delicious. The location is bit out from the touristy areas and near zero cabs pass by. The host kindly offered to call us a cab when we left.
(3)Kristin F.
I thought we were going to Basil Thai after work today since our office is so close, but it turned out we were headed to Basil Canteen! Fine by me. I actually have a friend who lives above Basil Thai, the original restaurant, and I still have yet to make it though I have been by many many times. Anyway, Basil Canteen seemed like a solid choice. 4 of us were seated right away around 6:30ish, ordered drinks immediately, and watched the bartender shake from down the restaurant. The space is an old brewery, but most recently a Mexican restaurant. The waiter told us all about it. I could definitely tell it was an old brewery pub type place, wood detailing, high ceilings... the loft seating area looks cool, too, but we sat downstairs. I opted for a minty/basil Bacardi drink and the others ordered fruity martinis. There was still a happy hour special, so the $10 drinks were $6. There was also a great list of $5 "snacks" during happy hour- we picked out the wontons off the list and also shared the calamari and spring rolls, which I can't remember if they were on the HH menu. Now it's bugging me, so I'm going to look up the menu. For our entrees we picked out two prawn dishes- one was the special and cooked with wine, garlic, and...? It was good, as both prawn dishes were. The other was the Japanese pumpkin and red curry (fantastic), followed by the beef short ribs in green curry and chicken pad thai. I could probably eat green curry every day of my life... I just love thai curry these days, I don't know what it is. This was probably my favorite dish, though I LOVE seafood, and I don't think you can ever go wrong with prawns. The menu is interesting and the food is flavorful, the aura of the space is urban but still friendly. I like it. Also, here's my gift to you: $5 dishes from 5-7, M-F taro fries crispy vegetable rolls fried shrimp & pork wonton fresh rolls with shrimp & vegetables tapioca dumplings with pork & nuts crispy rice crackers with pork & shrimp curry dip smoked Chiang Mai pork sausage beef noodle soup chicken satay $3 Thai beers $6 canteen's cocktails
(4)Jessica S.
Yum we went here for a wedding rehearsal dinner and they had all sorts of appetizers, entrees, and a dessert picked out for us. They had a nice selection of beer, cocktails and wine as well. I loved the family style serving style. We got to try so many dishes. We started w fresh hand rolls, crispy vegetable rolls, ckn skewers then went on to a variety of dishes including tofu, ckn, shrimp. Everything we tasted was great. The inside was different. More of a warehouse style restaurant with an upstairs w 2 large group tables and like 4 small tables and a downstairs with the same setup.
(4)Winnie L.
Yummy! I found this restaurant by accident/convenience - I was waiting for my car to be serviced across the street and my kids were hungry. We decided to try it out and OMG it was delish! We got the pad si ew and the pineapple braised short ribs in green curry, and a side of peanut sauce. We practically licked the plates and forks clean, especially the peanut sauce! Will return for sure next time. Had to wait a bit for the food but that's ok, it was worth it.
(4)Pat S.
A small update to my original review: In addition to ordering pad see ew, I have been giving their pra ram rong song a try during my last few visits. Pra ram rong song is a rice plate that contains slices of steak in peanut sauce with vegetables on the side... absolutely delicious because the steak is always slightly rare (you can still see the pink in the meat!) and tender. I like to substitute brown rice for white rice to give this dish a different flavor as well. The one downside about this dish is the price of $12.50! Otherwise, give it a try!
(4)Angela D.
Used to come here a lot before moving: such a great place. I really miss it whenever I have Thai food elsewhere. The food is never less than awesome, staff is courteous, and the restaurant has great ambiance. Wish there were more places like this in the south bay (or any...)
(5)Inigo M.
Best Thai food in SF (roti, tapioca dumplings, wild fish in banana leaf, dessert roti).
(5)Lisa C.
yum! we had dinner here last night and had a nice experience. we ordered the pad kee mao, the chicken satay, and an order of sticky rice. the pad kee mao was super tasty and you get a pretty nice big portion for how little it costs. the chicken satay was really flavorful and cooked perfectly- moist and tender. the sticky rice was fine, but it hardened up pretty quickly and was hard to eat after a few minutes. service is quick and friendly, too, which never hurts.
(4)Paul G.
Tried Basil Canteen on a Sunday evening a couple of weeks ago. First off I love the building, I am a total fan of the brick, wood and iron loft conversions and the BC guys have done a really good job. We sat upstairs and it was comfy, not too loud and not too hot (which lofts can sometimes be). The food was delicious - we stuck to the tofu and fish dishes this time, and everything was prepared very well. With a shared starter (the fresh summer rolls) and then two mains and a small side of brown rice, there was plenty of food, and we took enough home for another meal - luckily for me the next day. With drinks, this all totalled about $65. I would definitely go back.
(4)Mark F.
This restaurant needs to either open its windows or invest in a/c. No air circulation. I was there thinking about the right guard commercial commercial that I had seen on TV, and hoping that their product did not fail me. Neat environment. Food was filling.
(2)Carol K.
I gave Basil Canteen a 3 star but would give it a 3.5 star. Came here for dinner last night for one of my girlfriend's birthday. We had a group of 13 and service was pretty good. Some food was pretty good and some food was okay. Roti and fried wontons was pretty good for appetizers. Regular wontons, egg omelet, and crab cakes were just okay. As for entrees, my pork belly didn't have much taste and my husband's Pad See Ew was a little too salty. Some of our other friend's food looked pretty good but we didn't try. We may come back to give it another try.
(3)Mimi T.
I was really sad to find that Public is gone..replaced by this Thai place. I had a chance to check it out last night....and doubt that this place will be around for long. The cushy lounge area by the bar has been replaced by a long communal table...other than that, the decor is pretty much the dame. The folks there seem nice but service is really slow and spotty. We tried a couple of the appetizers and they weren't anything compelling. Doubt I will be returning anytime soon. By the time I do..the place will probably be something new.
(3)Earle H.
Well now this place was a pleasant surprise! I was hanging out grabbing dinner with some friends. I wasn't even planning on going to SF but be that as it may, that's where we ended up. I found this place as an alternative option since our first restaurant choice was closed for a private function. I wasn't expecting anything great since it was a back-up plan but damn!!! The food was really good here!!! We had a good variety of dishes including dishes that included shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, and crab. I don't remember the names but what I remember most is that everything I stuck my chopsticks into was very flavorful without being overpowering. That includes the cocktails that we ordered as well. You know when something tastes really good and you find yourself eating even after your stomach says, "Oooookay. We're good! ...Please stop now. ...Please?" Yeah, well, be prepared for that when eating here. As for me and the Terminator, WE'LL BE BACK.
(4)gwynnie p.
So sad to find that the Turnip Cakes have been discontinued! The waitress said that lots of patrons have been petitioning the chef to bring them back....so I am officially adding my name to the petition!
(3)Rosers M.
We stumbled across this place when taking a Mini Cooper for a test drive - realizing we were too poor to buy the Mini, we thought coming to a trendy and hip place like this would be good for the ole' self esteem (mission accomplished). Basil Canteen is a dream come true - Happy Hour (they call it "Happier Hour" - funny) at a Thai place. The decor is cool - it feels very old-school industrial with the exposed brick, glass, and metal, a bit like New York club meets SF hipster. The crowd was pretty nice as well - the place packs in at happy hour and with a good mix of FiDi yuppie and Duboce Triangle yippie it hits just the right level of rowdy. Unfortunately, the food is pretty blah as far as Thai fare goes - we had a few of the $5 apps, pad thai, and crab fried rice (say it with me..."kao pad poooooo") and it was all a-OK. All in all, one star for the decor/location, a second for the crowd, and third for the inexpensive prices - minus one star for food quality and a second for a lame beer selection while having a creative bar...
(3)joyce l.
My sister recommended this place and I was so excited to hear they opened a second location. The first thing i noticed was the HUGE communal table when we walked in. I'm not sure if that is their normal setup or if it was specially arranged for a party. it seemed most of, but not all, the patrons at the table knew eachother. We shared the pork shoulder with eggplant and shrimp with apple eggplant lunches. both were flavorful, not entirely authentic, but enjoyable. the pork shoulder was just spicy enough. it had peppers which looked a bunch of caper-sized grapes. very cute. i took a bite and WOW! that's where the fire was coming from. we didn't have much time for lunch so unfortunately we didn't get to try the appetizers. i thought the prices were a bit high. one was $10; the other $12. they also charge $2.50 for hot green tea. i suppose it is SOMA but i'm used to getting a salad and soup with my thai lunch entree for under $8. at least there is ample street parking. that's a plus my DH really enjoyed the original Basil so we will be back to try the cocktails and appetizers. i hope Basil Canteen does well!
(3)Honest A.
This place is a hidden gem. The food is amazing, reasonably priced and the staff are great. We've had a board dinner there two years in a row and we could not be happier!
(5)Terry K.
Love Basil Canteen! The decor in this mod Thai place is cute, they have these exposed light bulb arrangements dangling everywhere, its very artsy. My fave is the short rib green curry, the meat is very tender and delicious, and flavorful. My fave drink there is the Full Moon, which has fresh ginger on top. Other greatest hits: oysters, taro fries, Kee mao, skirt steak and curry with roti appetizer, and rack of lamb appetizer. I had my birthday here, and the service was amazing, and the prices were very reasonable for such a huge group.
(4)Mark Y.
Just had a friend date for Valentine's Day at this place and it was very satisfying. They can pretty much make any dish veggie which was really helpful. We decided to order things we don't usually order at thai restaurants and I am really glad we did because the dishes were amazing! The service was great and the host sake was even better. The vibe in the place was very chill and relaxed and had a lil bit of a classy vibe which made it nice. Prices were reasonable as well. All in all a very exciting experience.
(4)Frenchie P.
My amazing "other half" brought me here for Valentine's Day dinner and it was perfection! We ordered the chicken satay (comes with 2 big skewers of melt-in-your-mouth chicken and a lil'side of peanut sauce) and spring rolls for appetizers... Both dishes were absolutely dee-lish! For our entrees we shared the drunken beef and the peanut sauce skirt steak ( I can't rememeber what the dish was called but it was superb! From the moment we walked in the door to the moment we left, the service and food were awesome. It's cool to see the manager out on the floor mingling with the guests :} I will definitely be frequenting this place more often.... And the Thai iced tea was outstanding! Yum....
(4)Brenda C.
Went there last night for a late night dinner. Waitstaff super friendly and the menu was not lacking. My husband decided to that it would be his duty to order for the both of us. Which only means I told him to decide since I was exhausted and he knows what I like. We had decided that we weren't going to overindulge and get three small apps and split a main dish. We wound up getting the chicken satay (app), rib-eye steak cubes served with chili & lime sauce, thai wontons of shrimp and pork topped with blue crab meat and fresh wok tossed vegetables (main dish). All the food came out fast, hot and delicious. And I will be brave enough to say that the peanut sauce on the satay was probably one of the BEST I've ever had. Not watery and chunky. Smooth and thick. YUM. All of that, plus my two glasses of wine and my husband's vodka tonic (we're like that) came out to a total of $55. Not. Bad. At. All.
(4)Caroline K.
OMG what a horrible experience! I was completely appalled at how awful the good was. We went there last night as a back up because Basil restaurant was closed and I truly regret it. I had been there a few times before about 2 years ago and it was decent food but last night it was not only bad quality food it was served cold!!!!! I ordered a yellow curry veggie plate and my hubby ordered the angus beef. My veggies were undercooked and the entire dish was cold. My husband said the angus beef tasted like an old shoe - tough and full of fat. Don't know what happened to this place but stay away!
(1)Richard F.
Space is on the "cool / SOMA" -looking end. Host was quite accommodating...didn't fret when we switched from 4 to 8 people with no notice. "Constructive feedback" is (1) there was a large window open at the high end of a wall (i.e., near the ceiling) on a cold night, making the restaurant chilly. Half of our crowd of 8 had a sweater or jacket on and were still cold. (2) I had to get up several times to get somebody's attention -- including to pay the bill -- because the staff were busy making up their napkin-with-utensils set-ups. I was a waiter, so I understand the desire to get that stuff done, but when there are customers on the floor we kinda' like attention when we need it... I wouldn't go out of my way to go here or avoid going here...it's fine.
(3)Robert B.
Awesome. Went for lunch, and closed the afternoon kitchen down. Liesl had the special (Salmon), it was amazing. I had lemon chicken in Curry.. Good heat, great flavor. will return, without a doubt. Fresh spring rolls - so simple, we some of the best i have ever had.
(4)TM D.
Stopped off during the Folsom street fair for a bite to eat...the service was very friendly and attentive. The restaurant is a great space; two levels; they have private dining tables as well as community tables on the first level. The drinks are unique but very good. The food, was probably the best Thai food I have had a very long time. Can't wait to go back when I am in the city.
(4)Mike T.
Better than a 3 star, but not quite sure it's a 4 star. Why was this place so empty? Huge table if you have a big group but only one so call ahead. The food seems great. The curry of the day I had was pretty good. Seemed to have a great bar selection of both beer and liquor.
(4)Melisa C.
The wonderful reviewers from Yelp guided me to this place, and I'm glad! The restaurant had really pretty decor and the food was excellent! I met my parents here for dinner on a Tuesday night, and I'm glad we made a reservation. It was packed! * Appetizer: We had the Roti dish (kang kiow wan roti) and it's hands down one of the best roti I've had. The curry dipping sauce was so good that we ordered a green curry main dish so we could have some more. * Main Dishes: We got the short ribs in green curry (kang neur), the lemongrass chicken (gai tod takai), and a noodle dish (pad si ew). All of it was good, but the short ribs were my favorite. They were pineapple braised, so the sweetness really complimented the curry well. The portions were just right, and we left very happy. On my way out I saw that they have Happy Hour specials...I definitely want to check that out soon!
(5)G K.
A majestic brick castle that's anchored right on the corner of bar row (11th and Folsom), Basil Canteen encapsulates the words "Chic Loft" When "The Public" closed down yelp.com/biz/the-public-… I was very curious what would take over this uber desirable location. It's smack dab in the midst of where it's all going down, Caliente , Slims , Butter , Wish , Holy Cow , Fat City (and probably even some power exchange types of spots I'm not even aware of). The space is phenomenal, giant steel framed windows, surrounded by imperfect brick arches, abutted by exposed iron beam earthquake retrofits. Long communal tables encourage communication with your fellow diners (similar to Republic in NYC). Upstairs dining loft and Buddha Bar beats washing ashore in the background. We didn't want to leave. The prices are very reasonable, about 10 or less for an entree. The same people who run Basil Thai ( a few blocks down on Folsom and 7th which has been around for 15 years), opened this place so they know what the f*** they are doing. Food was tasty, and I'm a sucker for any wide rice noodle. Pad Kee Mow hit the spot. They have a full liquor license too. Having places like this within walking distance of home makes our sky high rent worth it. With that said it would make a great starting point for a night out in outer SOMA. Cabs are relatively easy to come by too. Bottom Line: Atmosphere is king and this one reigns supreme. TIP: Also check this link for the building ubayp.com/buildings/1489… The Jackson Brewery building was built in 1912 by architect James T. Ludlow. The Jackson Brewing Company, which was founded in the 1850s, began operating out of the building shortly after it was completed, but prohibition closed the brewery and it was never used again for its original purpose. It is now a San Francisco city landmark, and one of the city's great examples of Romanesque Revival architecture. Award-winning architects Siegel & Strain renovated the building and converted it into 7 stunning live/work lofts. Ranging from 600 to 3,100 sq. ft. (aprx), these units have hardwood floors, maple cabinetry and high quality finishes throughout - not to mention stunning views of San Francisco and beyond. The Jackson Brewery building is located within San Francisco's South of Market (SoMA) district along the vibrant collection of clubs along 11th Street. Basil Canteen restaurant and lounge is on the first floor.
(5)Caitlin M.
Came here with a group of 7 for NYE dinner. Food was tasty, ambience nice, service good. Can't think of anything that especially stands out, but our overall experience was good enough to bring us back. Oh, and don't confuse this spot with their other restaurant down the street.
(4)Alicia D.
The food was OK, but the menu is very limited, more of a lunch place than a serious dinner place was our impression. For instance, at 830PM on Sat night they were "out of" brown rice. Rice is as much of a staple good as it gets, they should have like 100 lb bag of that stuff and when the old rice cooker gets low, make another batch. They were also out of coconut juice which I suppose is a little more forgivable. About 1/2 the menu is "snacks" or appetizers and the other half I suppose you could quality as entrees. There is no curry section, and the specials seems less than traditional. I would not recommend anyone who is interested in Thai food waste their time.
(2)Tuesday C.
This is a 3.5 really. There is nothing bad I can say about this place. With that being said it didnt wow me or make the MUST go back list. We went here for dinner the other night due to a need for Thai food. We arrived before 7 and were able to enjoy some 5$ apps and discounted drink prices. One of the apps we got was the Taro fries, which were kind of bland. I havent had them before so nothing to compare them to but, they tasted more like deep fried-ness than anything else in particular. The other app was the chicken satay which was reported as good :). We each got a glass of Thai beer (the only one that made the discount list) and it was very unremarkable. For my main course I got the kang kua goong with tofu instead It was yummy. I was just hoping for a little more spice or kick given the "tangy" desciption. The other dishes ordered were: Pad Si Ew- good praramrong song- tasty Overall, it wasn't bad and better than the "other" place down the road but probably wont be in a hurry to go back unless Im in the imediate area.
(3)Robert W.
Was kind of expecting more from this place. Me and my wife and a friend arrived prior to 7:00 so Happier Hour, as they call it, was still in effect. Had some reduced rate ($5 apps) spring rolls and some taro fries. Problem was that both came served with basically the same peanut dipping sauce so, even with very diff apps, both kinda tasted the same. They were pretty good none-the-less. Highlight of the evening was an inventive bar menu with names I could not pronounce. We tried several drinks......one was a grapefruit / ginger-infused vodka drink and then also a passion fruit / pear juice / cranberry juice concoction. All at $6 each on sale for Happier Hour. But, they were back to the going San Fran mixed drink rate of $10 (or more!) after 7:00....man, it's expensive to drink in this town. For main course I had minced chicken with jasmine rice and my wife and friend both got a shrimp dish with brown rice. All tasted OK (6 or 7 on a 10 scale IMHO) but Basil Canteen doesn't make the "gotta go back" list right now. The overall upside was that the food prices were very fair. I don't think I saw any entree over $15.
(3)Jeanette P.
I've been here a few times with the boyfriend's family. It's usually a birthday thing. The staff is great! Very warm and cheerful. We usually order...well, most of the things on the menu (or so it seems) and share. That way, we all get to try each and every dish. I'm sure by now, we've had everything on the menu. Everything is phantastic. Amazing. However, when I think of this place, one thing comes to mind and makes my mouth water: The tapioca dumplings. I don't know what it is about these, but they are so, so good. I could come here and eat just these and be perfectly happy.
(5)Marc T.
Went here prior to the Travie McCoy concert with my buddies Eve and Theo... we were at Orson's prior to this, getting down on Happy Hour. We were deciding between this place and Butter, but decided to come here because it was closer and on the way (yeah we were lazy haha). Oysters - Good because they were a dollar. They came served with this citrus like sauce that you could spoon over. I wish they included something spicy. As much as I like the taste of oysters, having the standard spices or an equivalence is nice. Pla Dten - sashimi grade salmon, served thai poke style. Do not get this. The salmon was seared or cooked, and the fish they used did not taste good. Additionally, the veggies overwhelmed the dish. It almost felt like I was eating a salad with an extremely watered down vinagrette (due to the amount of veggies). I guess that was a good thing because the salmon really tasted bad. Crab Fried Rice - This was good. They use the body of the crab which I unfortunately found out after finding bone fragments in my rice. The flavors were good, but pretty standard compared to the crab fried rice I've had at other Thai restaurants. Kana Moo Grob - Chicharron with chinese brocolli pretty much. While I was upset it wasn't the pork belly I was expecting, this dish was actually pretty good. The chicharron really went well with the brocolli as far as contrasting flavors. The sauce mixed in was delicious as well. Pad Si Yew - always a good dish, but this one costs a little bit more than it does at other places, and the portion is about half the size. It tasted similar to the other Pad Si Yews I've had, but again, portion and size killed it for me. This place is ok. There are a lot of other Thai restaurants around that probably have better food priced cheaper, so I would go for the alternate options. If you're hungry and in the area, I'd consider Basil, but in reality, I'd probably get something else.
(2)Wayne P.
My favorite Thai place in San Francisco. Nice industrial warehouse-type vibe with a main floor communal table and small tables on the side and an upstairs dining area overlooking the main floor. Appetizers are great! Try the chicken satay - the most tender and flavorful I've eaten - and on their special happy hour menu if you get there weekdays before 6 PM. Their skirt steak with green curry and fried Indian roti bread is also good, but the fried bread is a little greasy. For entrees, try the spicy fried catfish in red curry sauce - fresh, full of flavor and filling! The pineapple braised beef short ribs in green curry sauce is also outstanding. Also try the fresh limeade - refreshing and a good complement to the curries. Overall, IMHO, the best Thai place in SF. Don't miss out!
(5)Alexa S.
My Boyfriend and I made last minute reservations last night @ 10PM. I loved the big brick building and the loft/lounge feel. We were sat upstairs in the corner, the ambiance was private and romantic. I was soon disappointed. We had brought a bottle of wine (a twist off), our server brought us two glasses but did not bother to open the bottle and pour it for us. Why should I pay you for corkage.. isn't the service supposed to be included? Not a huge deal ... moving along with dinner. The food was very flavorful and came out quickly.. No complaints at all as far as food is concerned. The pricing was also very reasonable. The service is my main issue. For starters the restaurant was loud and our server was oblivious to this and I couldn't hear a word he said. Not once did he come by and ask us how everything was. In fact he disappears for the rest of the night after we got our food. This women comes and takes our plates away then gives us the check? Again no one asks how our meal was. We ask "do you not have a dessert menu?" and get "O our kitchen is closed".. ooo ok. So NO ONE told us this or mentioned a last call.. I was annoyed at that point, it was like amateur hour.. So then we walk downstairs to leave and oo there is our waiter just hanging out?? Overall I so wish the experience was what I looked forward to after reading the Yelp reviews.. Don't allow late reservations if you cannot serve food.. It just doesn't make sense. Or if you do this let your guests know. I felt like we were sitting in the dark to fend for ourselves and the service was non existent. With the selection of amazing restaurants in San Francisco.. I just do not see myself going back to this place.
(2)CJ G.
Nice space: exposed brick and steel beams. Very post-industrial and cool. Went for lunch on a Friday. Totally empty just after noon when we arrived and not much more full when we left. Either the economy is hurting this place or people have decided that it isn't very good. Ordered pad si ew, chicken satay, larb. Satay was fine, but how can you mess up a bit of chicken on a stick? Duck in the larb was kind of fatty and not as spicy as one would hope. Pad si ew was average. What really ticked me off was being charged $2.50 for a medium-sized glass of Diet Coke and then being charged for another one when I asked for a refill. Come on. It costs $0.05 to fill a glass with Diet Coke; it is unconscionable to charge $2.50 in the first palce and egregious to charge for a refill. All in all, I've had better Thai food (Koh Samui, anyone?) and the price gouging for a Diet Coke left a bad taste in my mouth. Save your money; take your business elsewhere.
(2)Tatyana K.
I came here last night before Slim's and was just in time for their happy hour - 20% off your bill. I believe we were the only people at the restaurant other than the staff but I like quite dining, so it worked out in my favor! I got a Tong Daend cocktail which was eh, it was really sweet and not having a dedicated bartender might have added to the eh-ness of my drink. But the food more than made up for it - I had kee mao talay and it was oh so tasty! And I wasn't even hungry (that's when all food tastes amazing to me). The service was quick and we didn't have to wait long for our dinner. Overall, I enjoyed this place a lot!
(4)Cicely T.
Possibly a 3 for the food but they definately lost 1 star because of the customer service that we recieved at the end of the dinner. My friends and I went for the happy hour specials: $1 oysters (i didnt have any, but my friends liked 'em!) $5 bar snacks such as beef noodle soup and taro fries (both very good!) $6 canteen drinks We ended up getting additional food from the menu: Roti + skirt steak: pretty good. Curry noodles: tasty but i was super thirsty after which makes me think it was full of MSG clams + garlic noodles: also good but possibly full of MSG (note: i was not a little thirsty after the meal, i was thirsty as h***, which is not really normal, so full of msg in the food, me thinks YES!) 6 of us with 4 dozen oysters, about 7 drinks, 2 beef noodle soups, 1 roti, 1 taro fries, 2 noodles = $200 with 1%8 grat. added Not too bad although i've definately paid less for MORE food Like i said earlier in the review, the customer service we recieved at the end of the evening left a "really bad taste in my mouth" and for that i dont think ill be going bad. After we paid the bill, we were sitting and chatting when one of the employees (a waiter? but i'm not sure because he wasn't out waiter) said "that group over there has been waiting a long time" which basically meant "get the h*** out of here!". it was like he said "you girls are rude and taking up our table space." We immediately left but really felt like there were other ways to tell us to leave. Maybe "would you like something else?" or "theres another party waiting, would you mind letting them sit?". something like that, something a little more nicer. Basil Canteen, you get 2 stars from me. Hopefully you will read this and change how you treat your customers, espcially the ones you want to come back!!
(2)Mitchel H.
Nothing beats a pleasant surprise, and Basil Canteen was very, very pleasant. This isn't the nicest part of the city and the lunch choices nearby are scarce and generally uninspiring. A work friend suggested Basil Canteen and I had my hopes set on adequate. Instead, I was treated to one of the better Thai meals I've had in San Francisco! The food was all fresh and beautifully prepared. Creative presentations and fantastic flavors. A trendy interior with relatively attentive service. Basil Canteen was a great lunchtime discovery!
(5)Mark R.
Fellow yelpers ... You really should try this place. It's in the space where Public used to be ... Exposed brick ... Etc ... Lovely space. They have one long table for people to sit at in the main area and separate tables upstairs. Being alone, I sat at the bar. The food is "nouvelle Thai" if there is such a thing. It's not your run of the mill Pad Thai, Tom Yum, etc ... But creative twists in Thai cooking. I had the mustard leaves with chopped shrimp, coconut (fun, crunchy, unusual) ... Then the duck breast with pineapple red curry and lychees (fabulous) ... And since I'm leaving tomorrow (back to Seattle) I decide to have yet another appetizer ... The rib eye with Crying Tiger sauce ... Delicious! Seriously, this is fun, interesting creative Thai food. Cool space. Oh and the cocktails are good too! Very recommended. I just wish they were in Seattle! You lucky devils, you SF-ians!
(5)Sheila A.
I brought my mom here to have dinner with several of my friends while she was visiting from out of town. Their website said they had no reservations available at the time I wanted, but when I spoke to them on the phone, they had no problem accommodating us (and the restaurant was half empty while we were there, so I'm not sure what's up with their reservation system). The food was generally good. We shared several appetizers among the table, and enjoyed their house cocktails. Most people reported being very happy with their entrees. I was the lone exception. I ordered the mu palo, "caramelized 5-spice pork hock with kale and chili." I chose this over the kana moo grob, "crispy pork belly stir fried with gai lan broccoli," at the waiter's recommendation and because I felt more like kale than gai lan, which I even mentioned to him. However, when my plate came, the vegetable was... gai lan. No mention was made of the substitute. There was also some kind of pickled vegetable included, which was of no interest to me. The hock itself was the least meaty hock I've ever had, literally three bites of actual meat, with all the rest being fat, skin, and bone. While pork hock is a bony cut (it's a joint after all), there should be enough meat left on the cut to provide more than three bites. Even with plenty of rice to absorb some of the broth, I was left hungry and picking at my mom's leftover noodles. I was apparently the exception at the table, but I thought it was poor service not to mention the vegetable substitution when I had said "I'm more in the mood for kale than gai lan," and a poor choice of product on the kitchen's part to serve such a badly cut piece of pork. I will probably come back, since Basil Canteen is convenient to many of the things I do in the city, but I'll be cautious about venturing outside of "safer" Thai dishes until I'm sure I'm going to get what I ordered.
(4)Jason B.
Not the best thai ever, but pretty good. Really liked the space, modern and minimalist, and the service was attentive and friendly. When I got there I had literally finished a workout 30min prior, and my much needed glass of water was never empty. My dehydrated self appreciated that. Menu is expansive, with more small plates to share than anything else. Highlights included crab rolls with plum sauce, chicken lettuce wraps and a grilled pork dish. All were delicious, and the portions were shareable among 7 people. Bill came to about $20/each before drinks. All in all a pretty good spot.
(4)Wilson K.
Dear Yelp Journal, Somewhere in a not so inviting area on Folsom, a real gem is hidden away. A friend suggested this venue for my birthday dinner and it was a great suggestion. The atmosphere, the cocktails, and the service was very good. The food... delicious, in fact, I'm eating the leftovers as I'm writing this. First and foremost, the location is kinda out of the way. A different friend that had never been there was too scared to walk out of her car until someone was there to escort her. Having never been there myself, I too was a little worried, but found lots of parking as a result. HUGE plus for the city. I made a reservation the morning of the dinner and there were no problems. Traffic was a little unprecedented, but I had neglected that it was veterans day. I arrived a little late, but called ahead and let them know. When my party and I arrived we were taken upstairs and had the top floor all to ourselves. The atmosphere was great and modern, very clean and not "hole in the wall" at all. The cocktails were all really good. My party tried a variety, their lychee saketini, the kirimaya, the mortar and pestle, and a couple others. They were all really good and some crept up on me. Like, "Hello, Buzz!" The food was fantastic. The sauces were great and those taro fries are awesome. I don't like peanuts, but that peanut dipping sauce was such a good combination with those fries. Incredible. The different curries were awesome and I loved the skirt steak that was included with the roti. The papaya salad was tasty (it was served with odd meat seasoned with fish sauce). The crab fried rice and garlic noodles were also great, and once I combined the green curry sauce on the crab fried rice it became intensely good. A great birthday dinner experience overall and I'm all out of leftovers. I'll have to get some more.
(4)Amy K.
OVERALL:4.4 FOOD:4.5 SERVICE:4 AMBIANCE:5 VALUE:4 Mmmm, sleek artsy industrial loft that serves up awesome Thai food--Amy K likes this. Minimal brick walls enlivened by vibrant cityscape canvases, organic-themed wooden tables & furniture, creative lighting, 2-story loft/mezzanine layout...this is one sexy warehouse!! Was comfortably social/quiet on a Saturday night: atmosphere was cool, understated, but fun...even ROMANTIC--definitely somewhere you could put the moves on and get some bases covered....or at least advance a few runners. Honestly didn't really look at the drink menu, but a bar that looks that good HAS to make good drinks....right? Anyway, unlike many Thai restaurants, BC offers quite a selection of lighter, small plates, focusing less on the heartier, saucy curries, which means lower food-baby quotient (yay!). Recs below: *LARB GAI: lettuce wraps w/ground chicken+shallots+chili+lime=tangy, spicy (someone turned up the heat on these) goodness....very refreshing--great appetizer! *PAD SEE EW: Tender gai-lan+very generous proportion of sauteed pork+perfect pan seared noodles=best pad see ew to date! SOOO stoked the #12 provides door-to-door service! Next time I'm coming back with more troops and a thirsty liver!
(4)Heidi L.
I've only been here for lunch, but I completely just love it. My co-worker kept giving me her leftovers and it was so good!! So, we finally came together and we kept making "yum" noises after each bite! !I haven't had a dish here yet that I"ve been disappointed with yet and everything has tons of flavor. I love the kao soi neur (grilled skirt steak & egg noodles in lime-coconut curry) is amazing. It's listed as a soup noodle, but it's basically a dry noodle, with a heavy curry sauce on it. The kang kua goong (white prawns & Japanese pumpkin in tangy red curry) is really great too. Can't go wrong with whatever you order here. Can't believe I'm drooling as I write this review. Slurp.
(4)Emily P.
It is very rare that everything goes right. But Monday night at Basil Canteen it definitely did. 5 star parking. 5 star service. 5 star ambience. 5 star location, but most importantly 5 STAR FOOD! Amazing food at decent prices. I would recommend the crab, pork and shrimp wonton appetizer. Good thai iced tea too. Also I didn't get it but the peanut chicken satay looked really good.
(5)Ali G.
Went to Basil Canteen late last night on a thai craving whim. I am from out of town, and found all the other reviews and photos to be so helpful to find what I was looking for. I Love fresh aromatic spicy thai flavor! I have to say the OYSTERS were my absolute FAV!! I have never seen fresh oysters on a thai menu- and if you like oysters and spicy ligt t thai flavors you are in for quite a treat!! The sause comes on the side, so you can put as much or a little as you like :) I also ordered the shrimp salad. I love a great thai salad. From what I remember that was pretty much the only salad on the menu. It came w/ 4 prawns packed thight on a skewer. (shrimp were a tad chewy) but overall excellent quality and flavor. My boyfriend ordered the phad thai- it was fresh tangy and delish! W/ some fresh sprouts, tofu, shrimp (excellent) and peanuts. Service was excellent, attentive, above and beyond. 5 gold stars from me! I would take a plane to have those oysters again!!
(5)Monti Josh W.
I think this is hands down the best Thai food I have personally had. They are a bit pricey and it can be a bit packed at times but worth it. If you are on a budget go here for lunch and get the same food for a lot less money. The thing I really like about this place is how fresh the food is. The close down between lunch and dinner for prep like a real restaurant should. Everything always tastes extremely fresh ingredients and I have never had anything that seems like it was cooked and left out from the morning like other places. I have tried most of the dinner menu and enjoyed everything I have had. I did take my little brother here once (a 14 year old from Washington state) and he thought the food was a little spicy. So for those who are sensitive to spicy food you may want to bring the antacid tabs. For appetizers I really recommend the kang kiow wan roti. It is a bread, steak, and curry dish that is amazing. The sauce has some really impressive flavors. I really enjoy the atmosphere, if you are bringing a date I recommend asking to sit upstairs so you can get a private table.
(5)A'mi Marie M.
Yummy Yummy Thai food. Went for a birthday dinner for some great friends. There were 8 total in our party. I love the old red brick decor. Very warm and inviting. cocktails...mmm mmm GOOD ($9-$12) I had a sour cherry type concoction that was oh so good. The hubby had a sake-tini (okay, maybe more than one). We ordered a variety of appetizers, unfortunately they were breaded so I was not able to eat them, but the hubs gave them a thumbs up. I did taste the green curry that accompanied one of the appetizers and it was exceptional! For dinner, I ordered the Pad Tai (no soy sauce, it has wheat). It was so good. The shrimp were cooked and seasoned to perfection. I do wish the tofu pieces were bigger, but they complimented the meal well. Appetizers were served in a timely manner, however the entrees took around 45 minutes, and since I didn't have any appetizers (and 3 drinkie poos) I was HUNGRY. They did help us out with another round of drinks, on the house, for the inconvenience. I rarely get to try new places for fear of getting a bit of gluten, but I was happy that my dear Betty set up dinner here. Will definitely go back for another meal (and another drink) when I am in SF.
(4)aj s.
Good option for lunch. cheap and quick. The somtum neur sawan ( papaya salad) and neur nam tok (salad with grilled skirt steak ) were quite tasty. Passable curries.
(3)ClosetDork ..
The first stop of the night of dancing and debauchery that is the bachelorette party, I couldn't have asked for anything better. Thai Basil Canteen fit the bill: it doesn't cause too much damage to the wallet, the bachelorette's favorite dish is anything with red chilli padi (including steamed rice with soy sauce and chopped c.p), and the betrothed couple do plan to go to Thailand for their honeymoon. So we didn't opt for the set menu and instead pre-selected the dishes ahead of time so our waiter was presented with a neat little print out of ordered dishes: moo tod kratiem prik-thai - salt and pepper pork ribs served with Sriracha sauce (side note: Sriracha is American!) satay gai - grilled chicken satay served with peanut sauce larb bpet - duck salad goong pad gra prow - prawn stir-fried with chili basil kao moo daeng - pork belly and star anise sauce pik-khing bpet - duck stir-fried with lychee and red curry paste crab fried rice pad kee mao - rice noodles stir-fried with chili and basil The drink menu consists of creative cocktails, my choice of which is the delicious Silky Sky: lychee liqueur, skyy vodka, and grapefruit juice. For the ultra-creative type, the bartender is more than willing to create your own concoction. There's not much else that this place could've done better: the service was outstanding and the food and drinks are beyond compare. The cool, hip grungy industrial-style interior did not at all reflect the damage report: $35 per person is more than reasonable. Now off to enjoy the table service at Slide.
(5)Kym T.
Good food & service. Smaller plates packed with flavor. We came during happy hour before seeing American Idiot up the street. Get the brown rice, ALWAYS. I think it's long grain & had lots of nutty flavor. Pumkin shrimp and mango shrimp were the best. Also try the fresh spring rolls.
(4)Angelica D.
Pretty sweet place. I really enjoyed the ambiance, low-lit, modern, minimalist. Service was a little slow and inattentive at first (which was a bit lame because my friends were already pretty hungry, but it improved towards the end). The food was delish and all moderately priced. The roti appetizer ($8) was supposed to be Indian fried bread, but im pretty sure it was a croissant...they served it with steak slices and this green curry sauce with some diced cucumber and tomato. Super yum!!! For my entree I had the pineapple braised beef that was melt-in-your-mouth tender, though I'm pretty sure it was the same curry that was used in my appetizer. Still good, and only $13! Definitely want to try this place out for their "happier hour" from 5-7, and to sit at their "last supper"-looking table :)
(4)Da J.
Basil Canteen is one place that has truly impressed me. My situation? Find a restaurant for my party of 10-12 for the following night (oh, FRIDAY), and it must be good enough for Yelpers, cheap enough for grad students, and easy parking. I thought it would be impossible. Thanks to a few suggestions, I called them about 24 hours before we were to arrive. Table for 10? No prob! When we got here, we were seated at the big table in the downstairs bar area. Nice! It felt like we had the whole room to ourselves, with no crampiness or having to tiptoe and shuffle around. Food was great, although I had such a good time catching up with everyone in my huge group that I scarfed down food pretty quickly. I can't really remember any highlights, other than the fact that I had a lamb special, and refused to let anyone mooch off my plate. Ha! Finally, when the check came, they were kind enough to split various amounts on different cards, and help break $20 bills and other nuisances of dining in a big group. All in all, it was a great success, and I can't think of a more perfect place for our event!
(4)Paul L.
I had the "gai tod pad pik khing": crisped lemongrass chicken stir-friend with snake beans in a dry spiced red curry sauce. It was really good, and a good portion-size too.
(4)Peter P.
Solid 4 star lunch.. I like that there's 1 hour parking outside for free on the street as driving into the city for lunches seem to get expensive when you add $10-$20 for a lot nearby in Soma. I had the banana leaf wrapped seabass which was simple, light, and what I was looking for. Thai Iced Tea was good, which is always a measurement of a thai place. Person I had lunch with said his curry was great as well. Was a reasonably priced lunch, good service, i'd come back for sure, especially for a lunch meeting.
(4)Andrew C.
When Yelp told me there was a Thai restaurant at Folsom and 19th, I couldn't believe it! How could I have lived 2 blocks away for over 6 months without discovering this gem?!.. My first experience was take-out. It was weird. I didn't call-in, and I didn't really know what was on the menu or what was going on when I entered: a huge table & that's it?!.. Well, I nearly orgasmed when I got home and devoured my Pad See You, so I vowed to return! I've returned a handful of times, and continued to do take-out when I lived in SOMA and itched for Thai. I can't recommend their noodle dishes enough! And dining in is an enjoyable experience. Their price points make for a difficult routine-haunt, but I do recommend this as a weekend indulgence, or the occasional take-out.
(5)Namthip P.
Basil Canteen is my favorite Thai restaurant in the city. The food is authentic and delicious. An open space high ceiling with exposed brick walls , make its a great place to hang out and enjoy food. If you have a chance to go there, try goong tod yum mamuang (fried prawns with mango salad). It's the one I always order whenever I go there.
(5)Ata N.
It's a bit noisy there, but the food is amazing and I do love the hip urban decor. We've celebrated friend's BDays there a couple of times now, and it is good for big groups. The drinks are good and they are very quick to serve everything even for big groups.
(4)Chad B.
We discovered this place by accident but after having that one "accidental" dinner, I became a huge fan of this restaurant. First off, great array of food items + interesting food combinations. Friendly staff and great ambiance. The price is not so outrageous that you feel like coming back only once or twice a year. Big fan of their roti and steak w/ green curry appetizer and their main courses are equally delicious and healthy (even if they serve it with pork). It's also a great place for bigger groups of people, so check them out.
(5)Liz E.
I haven't been here in awhile, but I still wanted to give this place a review. We've been here twice in the last year, both times were awesome. It is fairly pricy... But it is probably the best Thai food I've ever had the pleasure of eating. I got the lamb rib chops in a red curry sauce... Excellent. The green curry and skirt steak appetizer is to DIE for. Our party of 4 gobbled it down both times ( with different guests each time). Hands down best green curry sauce to date. This is where I like my boyfriend to take me for a special dinner, especially since we live in the north bay... A real treat. One thing to add... I wish the Thai iced teas were in a normal sized glass and not a tiny water glass, if I remember correctly.
(5)Charlie S.
Solid prices, Solid food, solid Ambiance. A-OK
(3)shojua p.
Delicious, nutrtrious and adorable. I would certainly recommend making a reservation so that you're not stuck sitting at the long banquet table, though. My gold standard for Thai food is Osha, but Basil Canteen still proved to be quite scrumptious and, I might add, probably healthier. Friendly servers, and a strong cocktail menu, to boot. A solid 4 out of 5 stars.
(4)Janis B.
I love Thai food, but it's become fairly standardized - if you've had one green curry, you've had them all. Not so, it turns out. We started out with the crispy veggie roles. They were great. Flakey, but not over fried or greasy. I then moved on to grilled veggies and crispy tofu. It's on the menu with mild yellow curry, but after reading another Yelpers comments about the green curry I asked them to upgrade me. It was worth it. The green curry was fabulous with a light spice. The veggies included eggplant, calliflower, broccoli, pea snaps, and onions. I don't do meat, but my friend had the skirt steak and said it was equally wonderful. It didn't take much arm twisting for our waiter to convince me that the fried bananas with coconut ice cream was in my best interest. If you come here GET THIS DESSERT. Fried bananas makes me think of plaintains or tostones, but this was neither. The dish is a quartered banana lighly breaded and quick fried - again, flaky not greasy. The coconut ice cream was a game changer. I left full and happy. It was slow when we went in, so service was quick. The atmosphere is great. I was with a colleague, but it could easily be a date spot.
(5)Patricia P.
I had a really great experience at Basil Canteen! I made a very last-minute reservation for a large party, and they were able to accommodate us. Our table was ready for us when we got there and there was no need to wait. The restaurant itself had a great atmosphere. I loved the brick building and the smell as soon as I walked in the door let me know I was in for a treat. Because of the size of our party ( originally 17, but ended up being 12) we had the prefix menu. It was $25 per person excluding gratuity and tax. For the price, I was very pleased with what we got. Here's what the menu had: Small Plate (appetizers): *porpia (think spring rolls) very yummy! *gai satay: chicken on a stick w/ peanut sauce was great Entree (served with Jasmine rice): *kang kua goong (prawns and pumpkin in red curry sauce) tasty *pra ram rong song (skirt steak w/ curried peanut sauce) one of my favorites of the night *kang kari pak (yellow curry vegetables and crisped tofu) good, but I did not get any crisped tofu *mu pad phet (pork shoulder and eggplant) I liked this a lot, not enough spice/heat for me, but had a great flavor *gai pad gra prow (minced chicken with other goodies lol) another favorite on the menu for me Dessert: *Fried banana with coconut ice cream: I am not a fan of coconut, but I LOVED this dessert!!! The bananas were fried to perfection and the ice cream wasn't overwhelmed with coconut. It was the perfect ending to the meal. Most of the people in our party had never really eaten Thai food, and there were a few who are normally hesitant to try new foods, and even they were pleased and said the food was "bomb" lol. Not only was the food great, but the service was excellent. They were very attentive and constantly checking to see if everything was ok. I also had the opportunity to try 2 different cocktails and was pleased with both. My first was a saketini. It consisted of sake and pureed lychee and it was tasty...probably not for everyone as my friend also ordered one and did not like the taste of the lychee. My second cocktail was the Mortar and pestle. It is made with Bacardi rum, mint, lime and lemongrass...it reminded me of a mojito and I preferred this drink to the saketini. Overall, I was very pleased with Basil Canteen and plan on going back. One observation I made that is my only real complaint, was the restrooms. The women's restroom was clean and had 2 stalls, no complaint there, but I saw countless men accidentally go into the women's restroom. The doors had very small signs, and if you're not paying attention, it would be easy to get confused. Other then that, everything was great! Thank you Basil Canteen for a great experience!!!
(5)Connie C.
After Happy Hour at WISH, we were all pretty hungry and headed across the street to Sushi Groove South. Unfortunately, without reservations, the wait was over an hour. The hostess was kind enough to offer us some alternatives, and pointed out that the owners of Thai Basil opened up a new restaurant across the street where The Public once was. We were down for trying out a new restaurant, and of course, you can Thai me up any time! I actually had no idea that The Public had closed. The last time I was there was about a year ago for my birthday dinner. The space looks completely the same inside. I don't think they even changed the furniture, although they did put in a large communal table downstairs where the lounge used to be. The hostess at Sushi Groove South referred to the place as a noodle house, so we all decided to get our own noodle dish. I had the pad kee mao -- wide rice noodles with yard long beans and sliced steak. Jessica had the gkuay dtiow tom yum goong (she was really good at pronouncing it), which she substituted for tofu instead of prawns in tom yum soup. Both were very tasty. The dishes are priced between $6-12, which is so reasonable, considering the space is pretty chic and you'd expect to pay The Public prices. The service was really on point throughout the night. Our server was so polite -- it made for a pleasant evening. A nice change too, since the service was super slow when it was The Public. The only things I would change about this place is 1) add mango & sticky rice or fried banana ice cream to their dessert menu and 2) open later than 10:30pm. This place would be a hit after bar hopping in SOMA.
(4)Jessica N.
***WARNING: This place is extremely hidden! Keep your eyes open!*** I really liked Basil Canteen's architecture and interior design! It's unique in its own way. I came here after a long day of fun with my sissy. We had thai tea of course! It was very yummy thai tea! :) We ordered a dish of papaya salad, roti, penang chicken, and a flavorful dish of pork. Everything came out great! Us two girls finished everything we ordered! Which means... we were satisfied! :D
(4)Alice E.
This is a great spot to unwind for lunch. I normally get the Pad Se Ew or the Crab Fried Rice. Its a little on the pricey side, especially since Manora Thai is right down the block and is cheaper. All in all, I go back about once every couple of weeks. This place is prob very nice for dinner.
(4)Danielle A.
i am usually not a fan of thai but love this place. i dont know thai enough to know if it is authentic or anything but i just know everything tastes so good here, and the price is just right! i think it is a brewery converted into a restaurant but anyways it's got a cool vibe to it. i love their noodle dishes, especially the pan fried ones. strongly recommend!
(4)Tara B.
I've came here twice already, first time was with a group of culinary explorers, second time with my mom, aunt, and bf, i loved it both times!! To be quite honest, I don't really go out for Thai food since my mom is a fantastic cook and we have a Thai restaurant of our own...and i guess i can say i am very picky and peculiar with my Thai food! (or food in general :p ) Basil Canteen, I can say hands down is very delicious... the food and plating even got a thumbs up from mommy dearest! The atmosphere was very modern, clean, sleek... warehouse, two floor, high beams, brick walls, very New York, i also loved the lightbulb chandeliers. Would be great for groups as well, long communal table on floor level right next to the bar. Pricing is very reasonable, and staff quite friendly. Basil Canteen can be easily missed, small signage, on the corner. We shared a bunch of appts and one entree and of course dessert! We had the crispy taro fries- really yummy,nicely fried (would go great with drinks!!) -somtum neur sawan- the neur sawan (beef jerky) was very tasty, as for the somtum, not that bad, i would have loved it to be a bit more spicier thou (all that was missing was sticky rice... but i settled for yellow rice instead) -Kang keow wan roti- the green curry was good, a little on the sweeter side thou, but nonetheless delish! -pork salad with lemongrass- very very flavorful -drunken beef- i liked this dish a lot, very tasty as for dessert we had fried banana balls with coconut ice cream, i really liked the ice cream, taste fresh Most definitely will be back for happy hour!!
(4)Stacey L.
My coworkers (Ajay K & Kevin N) recommended lunch at Basil Canteen this past week. It was my first time back to this location since it was previously Public a few yrs back. It's a short walking distance from our office, but with all the rain we decided to drive and do take-out. The food was tasty & prices moderate. The portion size was perfect for me, so guys you may want to order a second dish if you're looking for a heftier lunch plate.
(3)Rachael J.
Came here for my birthday dinner & drinks and had a great time. I made a reservation for 10 but some of our group was running late and the staff was very accommodating. The drinks were really cheap on their "happier days" menu and the food was delicious. I especially liked the pad thai. Great experience and would totally come here again just to eat or with a group.
(4)Michelle W.
Great food right around the corner from Slims. If you are going to a concert, this is super close and very yummy!
(4)Walter P.
Good thai food, not too expensive, cool interior space.
(4)Vithiet L.
I heard about this place for a while but could never find it because there is no sign outside!!! If you're planning to go, do some recon on Google maps first :) My overall rating is 4 stars but I would give 4 stars and a half just for their Kow Soi. This is one of my favorite Thai dishes: typical from the north of Thailand basically noodle + curry. At Basil Canteen, it's the best I could find in San Francisco so far; very similar to what you would get in Chiang Mai. The decor is also very nice; we went there a little early so the place was quiet but I'm sure it has a nice vibe when a little bit more crowded. We sat at the big communal table, but I went to check out the mezzanine which has a very nice set up. I would also recomend the somtum neur sawan, which is a nice alternative to the regular papaya salad you find in all other Thai places. The seur rong hai beef skewers are also very good. Everybody seems to like their cocktail list, which I admit looks interesting; however, we had wine so I can't comment on those. But the full bar is a nice option. The service was also very good; I have to give a little disclaimer on that though. Our waiter was one of my girlfriend's friends!
(4)Alan L.
Overall, I LOVE the atmosphere/ambiance as well as the super nice wait staff - they are quite attentive, I must say :)
(4)katrina w.
When we first walked in, the hostess sat us at an uncomfortable corner table even thought there were many other tables available. We ordered beers and the glasses came only 3/4 filled up--this was strange and something that's never happened to me at a restaurant before. The food tasted very average, and the serves was attentive up until the end when they left us sitting with the check for 15min.
(2)Christian S.
Cool - loft space but food definitely is not a strong point here. I like that the can accommodate large parties which is always tough in SF - but dont have high hopes for the food. I would come back though or a drink - since they do have creative cocktails on the menu. I think Basil is much better
(2)maki i.
i've only posted two reviews on here cus unless i'm truly very satisfied or touched by a certain business, i don't normally post a review.. anywho, so i was thinking of making a reservation for a relatively big party for my bday very last minute to see which restaurants would accommodate.. i've been to basil thai a couple times and heard that they had another restaurant down the street called basil canteen.. the owner made amazing accommodations with such great customer service.. loved the ambiance, food, and drinks!! loved that the owner had no complaints or concerns and easily accommodated for a group of 20!! if you're looking for a really good thai place, basil thai and basil canteen do not disappoint!! thank you so much again basil canteen!!!
(5)regina k.
I can't believe this place only has 3.5 stars!!! I walked by the building and did a 180, looked at the menu and everything sounded fresh and light. I went in, was greeted with a smile immediately. I sat down, was given a menu and water, normal stuff. I ended up ordering the pau pia yuan; fresh hand rolls of shrimp, bean sprouts, cucumber, mint, cilantro and asparagus tip served with crushed peanuts and lime vinagrette, to which I added thick red chili sauce and tamari. The two rolls arrived on a simple white rectangular platter with a sprig of mint. GORGEOUS and simple. The first bite was cool and fresh with a light flavor, contrasting textures of the soft wrap and the crunchy bean sprouts. The orange shrimp, green mint and white cucumber were a pastel palette of flavor. The other bites, I don't remember. I think my mouth lost its mind while devouring the perfect, clean little packages of heaven.
(5)Dottie L.
I love this place! It is consistently delish. They often offer yummy drink specials and their food is always fresh. The space is an interesting loft design and I love the hanging lightbulbs! They did however just take the duck off their menu which made me sad; it was so delectable!
(5)Piccolina P.
Went last night with some friends for a late supper. I am not sure if I like the food that much. It's not as authentic as I had hoped. Don't get me wrong - we devoured everything but it was just of sheer hunger. We order 2 appetizers and 3 entrees. The papaya salad was nice and crispy but I wasn't thrilled with the fried sun-dried beef (tasted a bit dry and jerky). The salt and pepper baby pork ribs was tasty. I thought the breading was a bit too thick. For entrees we got a wide rice noodle stir-fry and 3 different meat in rice vermicelli soup. The soup was very dense - it was more of a stew then a brothy soup. The best dish was the special of the day with sea bass with yellow curry and veggies and a side of rice. The fish was tender and the curry was light and appeasing. For dessert we shared a fried-banana with coconut ice cream plate. The 5 balls of fried bananas were beignet-like - soft and airy. I was expecting a crunchy exterior instead it was a bit too soft for my taste. I really like the architectural space: the communal table, the intimate setting on the upper level and the high ceiling.
(3)SFlover D.
It might be the most delicious Thai in the city. Beautiful presentation, fresh ingredients, interesting menu. Definitely best Pad Kee Mao I've had - its my favourite noodle dish by far! Their shrimp rolls were a real delight as well, with bean sprouts cucumber and mint, an absolute freshness. The restaurant itself has a modern feel, exposed brick walls, loft style. Must try!
(5)AceGirl ..
Wow. Thank god I thought the food was so gross that I barely ate anything. I say that because within 20 mins of arriving home about an hour after our meal was over my husband got violently ill. The type of violent which makes me thankful we have 2 bathrooms if you catch my drift. He was up all night and the poor guy is still off his game more than 12 hours later. As I mentioned, I was spared only because I found the food so unappealing that all I consumed was green tea. We ordered some pinapple short rib dish which so overcooked the short ribs were tough. I've never had tough short ribs. We also ordered a lime curry noodle dish which was drowning in a sauce the consistency of vomit. The similarities did not end with the consistency. That noodle dish also "featured" sliced skirt steak which had been so overcooked (again) it would have been better suited for use by a cobbler. Nothing was tasty. The flavors were all incredibly offputting and to top it off, they even managed to mess up our order but that was the least of our trouble. I've been to Thailand and I've eaten a lot of Thai food (both authentic and "gringo") and this was arguably the worst Thai meal I've ever been privvy to. I actually think this might be one of the worst meals I've ever had in SF - if not THE worst. And I thought that before my husband got sick. Stay away.
(1)Matt Z.
Love this place. Awesome layout, great drinks and superb food.
(5)Sasha V.
I work a couple of blocks away and am very glad to see Basil Canteen open up. It's a great place for lunch and I often send our clients there. Really delicious, modern food at a reasonable lunch price. And the young coconut juice is simply to die for!
(5)Aurora S.
We went here on a Saturday night... apparently they were "completely booked" for the entire night so we sat at the bar. Second let down of the night: I had my heart set on the crispy catfish which they happened to be out of. Instead, I ordered the roasted sea bass wrapped in banana leaf. It was pretty dry, which was disappointing because I thought the banana leaf would preserve the moisture more than traditional grilling or roasting. My boyfriend ordered a basic chicken dish which was also just so-so. Overall, it had cool decor and atmosphere, but the food just didn't quite blow me away.
(2)Mark V.
A friend of mine lives in the building, so we decided to give Basil Canteen a try. The decor is nice; it even looked slightly trendy. Our first warning sign should have been the really overpowering smell that encompasses the entire building. It was stinky food smell; not "yumm! That smells good. Let's get some dinner." But I thought that maybe it was just a lack of ventilation. The food is very disappointing (not to mention pricey). Our party of three ordered several appetizers and three entrees. Meats were not tender at all or particularly tasty. They also seem to use MSG (I'm very sensitive to it and know the symptoms when I encouter it). The only saving grace was interesting and good cocktails.
(2)Loraine T.
I reserved a table here for a party of 16 on a Saturday night for Minh T., my gf and I and company. The manager just took care of us on that, so props to them for service! Upon our arrival our table had been set up and ready. We were seated at a long wooden table by the bar, on the first level facing Folsom Street. The manager offered our party a fantastic prix-fixe menu, which capped the dinner at just $25 per guest. Our food was great overall that night. Their cuisine remains quite authentic while appealing to diners who don't want anything too exotic or pungent and not predictable Pad Thai either. Our fish and duck dishes stood out most to me - in fact if I can only get one item here on my next visit, it'd be their duck hands down. Bitefuls of appetizers, second courses and dessert later, I was reasonably full. (Since I was in SOMA and the night was young, not feeling stuffed and weighed down was the way to go for me.) I also ordered a cocktail, Full Moon was quite nice and mellow, and I tasted my friend's lemongrass vodka cocktail but we both preferred our own more. I second Minh's comment on the convenient parking. Everybody was able to find a spot on the street 1 or even 2 blocks away from here. Likes - affordable prix fixe menu - Pla pao (monkfish skewers) - Pik kling bpet (duck stir fry with lychees) *my fav - Kang neur (beef with pineapple green curry) - exposed brick walls / animated shorts playing in the background over the bar. Hey why not?
(4)Toby C.
Good thai food in a sleek environment. I've been twice and am a fan. The ambience is a bit weird for a Thai place with the exposed brick walls and steel beams, but they seem to pull it off well. The food is good. Lots of Bangkok dishes here that you won't find at other Thai places. Most other thai places in the city stick to the standard fare - pad thai and curries. Basil Canteen had tons of unique, authentic dishes you won't find at their competitors. Lastly, the service was very good (even if we had a white boy serving us Thai food!). The entertainment of watching a bunch of drunken girls celebrating a bachelorette party (and bugging other guests with their dumb "dares" and ass-slapping antics) was an added bonus :)
(4)Scott H.
Wow--I've finally made the leap and am writing a yelp review. I live less than a block away from Basil Canteen, so I feel it is my civic duty to write. Basil proper is one of my favorite Thai restaurants in SF--Their expertise will someday make this a weekly destination. Now for the actual review. I expected more, even if I did visit on opening week. The food seemed a bit uninspired. The pork dumplings were very good, although my GF didnt like them as much as I. The chicken with garlic rice was OK. The chicken was on the greasy side although the rice was pretty good. I dont think anyone could screw up rice and garlic, two killer ingredients. The soup, wholly uninspired. Give it some kick. Reminded me of something one gets at a very inexpensive noodle house. It was pork-something as well. Basil Canteen: Please kick it up a couple notches and I'll be a customer for life! Your badly needed in this hood! I'll give it a couple months--get the kinks worked out--maybe a drink menu--and give the dishes some kick. Word.
(2)Raphael R.
Wow: I ate at this restaurant last night (at a wedding reception), and I was blown away. From tender chicken skewers to perfect spring rolls to an appetizer featuring steak and roti, all of the food was fantastic. Wow.
(5)Tai K.
This is more like 3.5 stars. I love Basil. Basil Canteen though is still finding it's niche. I love the space. We went after getting plastered at WISH on a Friday night and it was moderately full. The upstairs was completely empty. The four of us decided to share some small plates and order separate entrees before heading over to see Heklina and Cookie Dough perform an episode of Golden Girls. The menu really is a subset of Basil's. The small plates are pimped up skewers drenched in the same peanut with crack sauce that I can't get enough of. My only complain is that they are small and chintzy. Come on, two skewers for 7 bucks!??!!? I know rent is high but at least split it up so there are four bites. Bar is excellent. Service is very good and friendly. Hope they refine the menu and hours a bit. Open later and it will be a hot spot for post concert and bar crowd.
(3)Steve K.
I am so lucky to live around the corner from this joint. Consistently solid food and I am so confident in the little lady's cooking skills I can order pretty much anything on the menu. Perfect for lunch with an old friend or a first, second, or ninetieth date, Basil Canteen is as effortlessly cool as they come. Do yourself a favor and sit upstairs and get absorbed into the beautiful architecture of the building.
(5)Jon N.
First of all, let me just saw that I miss the Public that was in this space a while ago. I'm usually not a fan of thai places that try to be too hip. So this place, along with the fact it was pretty empty on a Wednesday night left me not too excited about ordering. When the food was served it didn't look that all authentic (and chopsticks to add insult to injury). Although not traditional and authentic (at all), it was still damn tasty. I genuinely enjoyed my meal, the flavors were great. Don't come here expecting great thai food, but come here expecting above average reasonably priced food. Friendly service. But I really have mixed feelings about this place. Not sure if I'd ever come back just because I don't know what kind of situation would yield it. If I crave Thai, this won't be the place. But it was really good still. Yea, I'm confused too.
(3)Martin S.
Had a few Sunday beers in the hood and me and a friend ran into this place and so we gave it a whirl.... IT WAS VERY GOOD AND MODERATLY PRICED! I will be back....
(4)Chris D.
Great space, industrial feel cool vibe and one of the best and friendliest waiters around. The food is seriously good here. The chicken satay was the best in the city so far... (and I do love thai food so I have tried plenty) and the fresh rolls were delicious. We also ordered the curry noodles with skirt steak,... also great and nice spice to it, and to finish it was the fried banana with coconut ice cream, which it didn't have enough coconut taste to the ice cream I thought. Hence the 4 and not 5 for me.
(4)Mark G.
Some of the best thai in the city, if not the best. Just great flavors and fresh ingredients. Great for lunch and before an X concert.
(4)Dom B.
We've long been patrons of the original, sister restaurant "Basil" which is a solid and impressively busy neighborhood eatery a few blocks further down Folsom St. The concept of Basil Canteen sees similar food (to the sister restaurant) served in a hipper environment - with a large communal table downstairs under two large light fittings, each consisting of maybe 100 light bulbs packed together like inverted bunches of flowers. Very cool! There's more seating on a mezzanine level upstairs, which makes the most of the high ceilings of the rather fabulous brick warehouse structure. It's a nice space to be in, and a sensible focus on cocktails makes the experience relaxing from the get-go. The menu is well-structured, offering plenty of variety - our favourites include the stir-fried tiger prawns with apple eggplant, the caramelised five spice pork hock with kale and chili vinegar, and the stir-fried duck, snap peas, and lychee in dry spiced red curry. All are competently executed with the familiar thai fragrances coming through with subtlety and balance. The green papaya salad (so often the acid test for Thai restaurants) is a stand-out, served with strips of incredibly tasty fried sun dried beef - it's a good, explosive combination of flavors, which is what good Thai food is all about. Although we like the food I do have a couple of slight criticisms: some of the main courses can be hit-and-miss, with a slight tendancy for stodginess - the pork belly could be crisper and some of the sauces thicker for example. There's also a tendancy to be heavy-handed with the garlic, which doesn't harm the dining experience, but it can get a bit annoying when you can still taste it the following afternoon. But in the scheme of things these are relatively trivial observations - Basil Canteen is another welcome addition to a neighborhood whose restaurants are growing in stature.
(4)woojin k.
this place seriously sucks. i like the brick building, but food was mediocre and came with some hair on it too. the server didn't seem to give a shit that there was hair in our food, though she did take it off the bill. she had a "wtf" look on her face as if i did something wrong by pointing out that her hair was in my food. thanks.
(1)Jenny R.
Last night, my husband booked a reservation at Basil Canteen for dinner. He meant to book it for Basil (where we've been a few times), but after we realized the error, we decided to give it a whirl anyway. We weren't disappointed! I ordered a cocktail with ginger-infused vodka, apple, and pear juice. It was unique and very tasty. The shrimp spring rolls were delicious! We shared two entrees, skirt steak with peanut sauce and some kind of crispy lemongrass chicken. The steak was especially good. Both entrees were loaded with veggies, and the brown rice was cooked perfectly. It was just the right amount of food for the two of us. The service was decent, but not especially warm. WE tried to decide if the food was better than Basil, and concluded that it is slightly better! I also liked the atmosphere better. We will be going back.
(4)Sepaseh K.
The appetizers were great, pumpkin curry was fabulous! Great drinks, service was fast. Fabulous drinks and great atmosphere! Overall if you want Thai, this is a great place.
(4)E M.
This place gets 2 stars only because the inside is really nice and has a great ambiance, whether you come with a group of friends or on a date. The food is not the greatest though; almost everything has curry and the plates are tiny! The service here also sucks, (servers are not friendly & it's obvious they hate their job).
(2)April M.
Best Thai I ever ate. Staff is friendly and helpful, menu is easy to understand and navigate. After ten days in San Francisco, this is my favorite place to eat. Pad Thai was tasty and well priced. If you like Thai and don't eat at The Basil Canteen, you are robbing your stomach of a wonderful dining experience.
(5)Cameron M.
I have been a long-time customer of Basil Thai (BT), and was excited to try their new spot (especially with the 20% discount they gave us back at BT). We went on a Friday night during peak dining time, and everything was quite relaxed. We sat upstairs, the light was a bit dim, but damn, those chandeliers are totally amazing. We had a couple of the fresh spring rolls, and just as with BT, they were quite happy to substitute, taking the meat out of one and making it vegetarian. As other reviewers have suggested, the menu is paired down from the selections available at BT, but to be honest, they removed a lot of options I never chose anyway. We had three noodle dishes and two rice dishes as main courses, and all of them were excellent. The preparation and flavors are much more street food than at BT, and given a choice between the two I think I would actually favor the Canteen from here on out. Oh, and the lemongrass mojoito was seriously delicious and not too sweet. I'm sure Basil Canteen will be successful; with proximity to clubs, good drinks, and a menu that has lots of small plates, I can't imagine that this won't be pre-club spot like the other food in the area.
(5)Lauren L.
I'm pretty sure I would have had a better food experience if I didn't do takeout. I was going to a concert that night and since I couldn't bring food into the venue, I had to rush my dinner. I ordered my food during happy hour, 5-7 PM, when selected appetizers are five bucks. I ordered the taro fries and the noodles with coconut curry and skirt steak. I just have to say the fries were delicious, I definitely recommend those sticks of awesomeness. The noodles were great as well. Meat = good. Curry = good. Fried stringy things = good. I'm glad I tried this place out, but next time I'm going to actually eat there and not out in the cold standing on the sidewalk.
(5)King E.
wow. i love Basil Canteen, been coming here for years. but tonight it was phenomenally bad. under-spiced, undercooked, soggy and tasteless. i hope, HOPE, this was just an off-night. unbelievable.
(2)Chris D.
Located in the middle of what looks like No Where, and next to a Mercades detailing shop, I asked myself if it was going to be worth it. I was totally wrong. I don't know why, but I love brick buildings. It had a nice exterior, and when you walk in, it had a nice open feeling to it. The bottom floor had a couple of large tables for bigger groups, but since we arrived early, we decided to just sit on the bottom and watch the TV screen with pretty fishies on it. We had forgotten that it was around Happier Hour time until the server brought us the menu of $5 appetizers. The Satay chicken was deliciously grilled on the outside but nice and tender on the inside. The peanut sauce was fantastic. The calamari was tasty but a little tough. The main dishes( of which I cannot pronounce or remember the names to) were both equally delicious! Very nice portions and very cheap! The whole bill including a beer was $40. We will definitely be coming back here! The service was good and quick. They were nice and made good reccomendations. One of the servers was SUPER quiet and I could barely hear them in the restaurant(but that's just nit-picky). They brought out our food a little slow, but Thai food can take a while to prepare. Pros: Pretty good Happier Hour. Cheap drinks. Delicious food with a nice big non-standard menu. Nice atmosphere Cons: The food was a little slow to come out.
(4)Peter B.
I'll write in bullets, because I don't like reading 5 paragraphs of prose to get a review: FOOD * Creative, tasty, with complex sauces and flavors * Daily specials are usually a great pick * Lacking some of the more traditional Thai dishes * Makes up for that with creative and delicious new combos DRINKS * Full bar - beer, wine, hard liquor * Good cocktails * Solid beer selection, on tap and in bottles AMBIANCE * Great architecture and interior design * Long downstairs table good for groups; smaller tables upstairs * Lofty, exposed brick and beam style building SUMMARY In short, a great place for lunch, and probably also dinner. Great take on Thai cuisine, if a tad untraditional.
(4)TVAT T.
i really enjoy Basil Canteen for dinner...not so much for lunch. kana moo grob $10 crispy pork belly stir-fried with 'gai lan' broccoli is the best!
(3)Shoddy L.
we live right upstairs. the indian bread appetizer with the steak and curry sauce is TO DIE FOR. I swear, dont even order anything else. This app is number 1 on the menu!!!!!!!!!! dont miss it!
(5)Phillip M.
My all-time favorite Thai restaurant in SOMA. I give it a 5 stars for the food, service, and environment. The price are reasonable and the spicy is perfect. I recommend you try their pork dumpling. I brought many of my friends and they are all impressed with it so highly recommend it!
(5)Derek V.
Excellent seafood and ambience at a great price. Although I agree with other reviewers it was awkwardly empty for such a large space. As for the meal, it was better than expected. I usually balk at waiters who describe an item as "spicy" but I was pleasantly surprised at the heat in my cod-skewer. I completed my meal with a very meaty crab fried rice and a Tanqueray and tonic and my bill came to under $30 tax and tip in. Amazing!
(4)Megan B.
I wouldn't say I was underwhelmed or disappointed with Basil Canteen, but I did expect a little more I guess. I moved to the block the same weekend that The Public closed down, and have been waiting anxiously for BC to open. I love me some Thai food, and as a 12-year resident of southeast Asia, I consider myself somewhat of an expert. The decor in here is darling: all exposed brick with a combination of both vintage and modern details, and orchids aplenty (we'll see how long those last). The menu, however is lacking. What we did order from said limited menu ended up being superb! Between the seven of us we each ordered something different, and nobody was disappointed. My tofu pad see-ew was absolutely delicious, and one of the favorites on the table. The perfect noodle thickness with fried eggs, broccoli and pickled beans. MMM. *FYI veggies: there are two obvious veggie options on the menu, but they're more than willing to substitute tofu on any other dish!! The one extremely amazing thing this place has going for it is the service. Our servers (all five of them??) were attentive and helpful, albeit the place was fairly empty. It's opening week so it should be interesting to see how this place fares... I'll be back, and I'll drag people with me to do my friendly neighbor duty.
(3)Waylon S.
This is the best Thai food around the neighborhood. My favorite is the Roti and curry noodles.
(4)SisterMable S.
Mieng Kum still out of this world, thai iced tea is still delicious, but on my return trip I ordered a skyy lychee martini - thinking that for $10 this was gonna be some kinda wow drink, I was quite disappointed. Come on folks, a martini glass half filled with a mixture of vodka and lychee liqueur is fancy, but not ten bucks fancy! One star removed. Sadly.
(4)Peter S.
Great food, service, location, menu and price! A must!
(4)Ken L.
I came here recently with a friend before going to a show around the corner at Slim's. If I remember correctly, I got a dish with pork, kale, and some kind of 5 spice sauce. This was really good, and it's not too often that I see kale on a menu, and it's done really well. Great atmosphere inside this place. It's like a huge loft. It would be an awesome place to live. Good service, no complaints. I'll definitely be back.
(4)Dave A.
A bit hidden, but worth the loop around the block to locate. This place has a dark, chill vibe and amazing food!! The menu offers Thai dishes with splashes of Indian and Chinese flair. The prices are reasonable for the medium sized portions. This place will tickle your taste-buds and leave you wanting more. Definitely recommended for an intimate date in the city.
(5)Anthony Y.
South of Market has a lot of good restaurants. South of Market doesn't have a lot of really good Thai food. Basil Canteen is good Thai food. I think it is on par with Osha Thai, with a little bit of a smaller price tag. But I could be mistaken on this I think it's been a few months since I have been to Osha Some of the things that are definitely worth getting, kang gari pak, the snack sampler, praramrong song, and talay pad pong gari. Some things I will eat the next time I go, kana moo grob, pla pao bai tong, and mu palo. I usually order for pick up since I live around the corner and for around $30 you can have enough food for two and have leftovers. Although not that many leftovers, I would estimate 1 lunch worth. I like this place it is good and I am becoming somewhat of a regular. That being said the interior of this place is pretty cool too. If I wasn't so damn tired after work I would probably want to eat in but after working for 10-11 hours I m burnt and usually want to go home and change into shorts and a T-shirt. Maybe on a weekend I'll go and check it out.
(4)Tasha L.
I've been dying to try this place. It was a sat night and seating was avail. Decor and ambiance was nice. Restroom was clean suprisingly for being asian restaurant. I ordered the pad see eww , curry short ribs, and steak salad. All was delicious but curry was kinda salty... Salad was good but for god damn sakes cut the freakin lettuce. I didn't know i was ordering a freaking bed of lettuce like its a wedge.
(4)Ann T.
food is good, but service is ehhh... could be better. then again, I've only been here for lunch. lime curry noodles with steak is yummy! ask them to kick it up a notch with the spices... it'll be even more satisfying!
(3)Arlene E.
I went there last night with coulple of friends. Pretty busy for a friday night. Keep in mind it is a very small resturant even though it is 2 floors. The food was pretty good I had the pad kee moo $9.50. Basically pad thai with meat. The service was horrible. The waiters don't speak very good english, so my asking for a drink menu got me a red wine???? Not sure how "drink menu" sounds like "Pinot noir". I had originally asked for an apple martini but they didn't have the pucker to make it?? It took an hour to get our drinks and then another 1/2 hr to get our food. Didn't even bother with dessert, we just wanted to go home after that.
(2)Win R.
I'd give a restaurant a 4 if its worthy of a return visit. And during a lunch visit with a few co-workers Basil Canteen did just that. With a Thai-fusion-like menu, decent-looking signature cocktail list, friendly waitstaff and no-wait availability, Basil Canteen more than lived up to my non-existent expectations. Though our 8-person table accounted more than half of the capacity during lunch I could definitely see this place becoming more popular. The food was tasty and though I can't speak for everyone in the party the pik-khing bpet (stir-fried duck, snap peas, and lychee in dry spiced red curry) was delicious. The sweet lychee fruit made for a great marrying with the spicy/salty duck. Definitely a find.
(4)Megann S.
This review is from a few months back, so details aren't entirely there for me, but I can certainly speak to the overall experience. We went to Basil Canteen around 8:00 on a Saturday night. I used to be a waitress and a pretty good one, so I know good service when I see it. At the same time, I'm also extremely forgiving of servers. I understand being in the weeds, having too many demanding tables who all seem to need things at the same time, or just having a bad night. I get it. Bad service is going to happen here and there, even with good servers, and so I am usually the first to understand a server's shortcomings. However. Basil Canteen was a horrific experience in terms of service. When the waiter first came over, he wanted to know if we were ready to order, even though we had just sat down. We ended up ordering a number of plates to share, most from the snacks section of the menu and then one plate from the a la carte section. A food runner brought out the first round of food and we began eating. After a while, no one had been back to check on us (and the food runner had not asked if we needed anything when he dropped our food) and we were wondering where the rest of our food was. Our waiter was nowhere in sight and hadn't been out to the floor in a long time. We finally flagged someone down and asked them to check on our food. She did and came back to tell us that our food had been ready for quite a while, but since we were still eating our first course, they had kept it under the warmer in the kitchen. FIrst of all, no one had ever checked in on us to see if we were ready for the rest of our food nor did we even see our waiter to communicate this. I understand that it's common practice to send out the entrees after the appetizers are done, but it's the server's job to mediate this and make sure that food is coming out at the appropriate time, but also that they're not serving food that's been under the warmer for thirty minutes! Additionally, if they are going to serve their menu items as appetizer and entrees, that should be noted. Nothing about a menu divided up into "snacks" and "a la carte" actually indicates that the meal will be served as appetizers and entrees. We told her that we didn't want the a la carte item anymore as we'd already been there for quite some time and needed to be somewhere. Instead of offering to take the last item off our bill or apologizing in any way, she boxed up our final item to go. On the street, I gave it to a homeless man.
(1)Scott C.
Not bad--three stars, but not great. Go to this place for drinks and appetizers. The décor is hip and more stylish than most Thai places here in the Bay Area, so it is a cool place to hang out. We ordered a collection of appetizers and entrees to share with a group of four of us. The appetizers were very authentic and interesting than the entrees. The issue we had for the entrees: they were not spicy enough and the meat was overcooked. We ordered a duck entrée and the meat was too close to duck jerky for my taste. This is not uncommon for Thai restaurants, but still not acceptable. I have been to places that do it right. Same problem with the beef, just a bit too dry. That said, if you are in the area and want to grab a drink and an snack, this place is good.
(3)Helen V.
I just came here for the drinks only. I had their Lychee-tini. Super yummy!
(4)R A.
Tuesday night dinner service, about 7pm. Rainy December night. 1. Ice cold red wine. The server said that no one was in overnight and they had to store the Zinfandel in the fridge. On the plus side, the servers were extremely patient and accommodating and quickly brought me another room temp glass. 2. Salmon sashimi appetizer was still frozen slightly. So, the fish was frozen. Bit gross, sure. On the plus side, the sauce it was in was rather good: both sufficiently spicy and sweet. The rest of dinner was alright. I can see this Thai food being good if you've never had good Thai before. Otherwise, you're pretty much just paying for the atmosphere and the kind staff. Would I go there again? Probably not. Would I recommend you to go? Probably not on a weeknight. Maybe their food is better/fresher on Fri or Sat night. Meh. I've experienced better.
(2)James S.
Just went to Basil Canteen for the first time a few nights ago and was really happy with everything. I had the "pla pao-charcoal grilled wild caught fish on bamboo skewer served withThai chili-lime sauce" (copied from their menu) and loved it! Also, I had the " pad si ew-wide rice noodle with 'gailan' brocoli, egg, and sliced pork stir-fried with yellow bean and sweet soy", which was good though I've had better. I deliberately chose a really slow time to go since I was eating alone (sniffle, sniffle, no friends....), so the service was great since there were more employees working then customers.
(4)Bon T.
My husband and I went to try out this restaurant yesterday and it turned out to be a disappointment. My coworker had tried it a few weeks ago and came to me with high recommendations. So I thought since I hardly go to restaurants in this neighborhood, I'm going to give this a try... We started off with 2 drink, one Thai ice tea and 1 Logan juice. The ice tea was ok but the juice was nothing but sweet water with a dab of logan flavor. The 3 appetizers we had: angus beef skewer - a little tough and too spicy; fried tiger prawn with cashew nut and papaya salad - the fried shrimp was soggy; veggie eggroll - not too much taste to it. At this point, we have little expectations for our entrées - crab fried rice and stir fried garlic noodles with basil manila clams. The crab fried rice was ok, but the noodles were a little hard...meaning it was undercooked. The worst thing was we kept biting into sand or the broken shell from the clams. The dish was horrible. I would've given them 1 star if it wasn't for the service and the ambiance. Parking is definitely easy - maybe because we went there on a Sunday night. Anyhow, I won't recommend this place to anyone nor will I give it a second chance.
(2)Joe B.
Stumbled across this place about a half-hour before it closed on a Sunday. I felt a bit bad for that but our server never rushed us and provided excellent service all night. The atmosphere is odd for a Thai restaurant, but it's no-nonsense and nice. The food? The food! We ordered only from the appetizer/small plates section and shared dishes, sampling catfish, eggplant, prawns, and spring rolls. Everything we had was great - spicy without showing off how many peppers they can add, and very fresh herbs and ingredients.
(4)David K.
Two words: duck curry. I don't know if they have it all the time--it was the curry of the day when we were there, but it was pretty freakin' great. Curry sauce was awesome, and the duck slices were lean and tasty. A single curry does not a meal make, however, and the rest of the food was decent, though not earth-shattering. Maybe order two of the curries and then supplement??? I will also say that I was little perturbed by the service. At one point, the waitress asked if we were ready to order, and when we said yes, she promptly walked away. This was likely more of an anomaly than the norm though... I guess she was having a bad hearing night. And yes, the space is very cool.
(3)Pierre L.
soooo ill give this place one star because the decor and environment is sooooo nice o and another star for the Thai Iced Tea...but other than that the food took really long to come out and then when we got the food the presentation was really nice...... my friend had some curry and my other friend had some spare rib steak or something and i had the drunken beef well mine was pretty okay but my friends werent satisfied and the food was pretty unnecessarily spicy...blahh but uhm maybe we just didnt know what to get maybe well try one more time and get the pad se lew
(2)Lindsay N.
Was here with 4 people for dinner and we thought it was fantastic. We took recommendations from the waiter, which were all spot on. We ordered a large selection of appetizers and entrees. The food was excellent and especially at the price. It felt like a much more expensive dinner than it was. The mieng kum, tiger prawns with mango and cashew, and especially the pork and crab meatballs were all excellent. The drunken beef and stir fried duck were also great. I will definitely come back here. I prefer the food here to most of the other Thai places I've been in the city - not super traditional, but tasty.
(4)Jason A.
Thai Basil has taken a great space and made the most of it with the communal table and the simple decor with the exposed bricks. Unfortunately, the food falls behind the great service and location. Thai food is usual on the extreme of salty, sour and sweet, but Thai Canteen is overly so with many of their dishes. The steamed tapioca pork dish is a unique experience, although not something that I would order again. If you happen to be in this part of SOMA and looking for Thai, then this isn't a bad choice. Otherwise there are too many better Thai options throughout SF.
(3)Swarup B.
hmmm the food here was just OK. i was pretty excited given the proximity to our place but was underwhelmed. the decor is pretty cool w/ a huge communal table in the center. i had pik-khing bpet (stir fried duck rice plate) and she had the veggie pad thai. the flavors were OK but nothing incredibly exciting. my duck was cooked nicely but everything else was run of the mill. her pad thai was not the best we've had by any means but is run of the mill. what we did like was the dessert. we've found ourselves coming back for dessert rather than dinner! the fried banana w/ coconut ice cream is done really well as is the mango sticky rice. the cocktail menu looks pretty interesting so we'll probably try them out at some point but we're not gonna be running back from the dinner.
(3)miss m.
My roommates and I made the trek all the out to SOMA because we wanted to gorge ourselves on German fried meat goodness at Schnitzel Haus. Too bad we were lame enough to not even consider "reservations" on a Saturday night. Utterly bummed that our fried meat dreams had been heinously crushed, we wandered down Folsom in search of SOMETHING to eat. Thai food was not even up for consideration. So I was surprised that we all found Basil Canteen utterly delicious. On our family style table: crab fried rice, pork pad se ew, lamb curry (the special), and duck salad. Ok, so the crab fried rice was completely uninspired and boring, but it was also amazingly light on the grease, it's only plus. I expected wonderful crab flavor, but all I tasted was fried rice with a hint of egg. I don't think I will ever order that dish again. As for the pad se ew, it was wonderful! Perhaps they read Will A.'s Yelp review because I found it well balanced in the soy sauce department. The pork and noodles were cooked perfectly, and like the crab fried rice, did not leave me feeling like a greased pig. Yummy, yummy, yummy. The special, lamb with massalan (?) curry, was also fabulous. And I don't even like lamb. But the dish was seasoned nicely, neither too heavy on the curry nor the coconut milk, and the meat and veggies were lovely. We, in great poor-table-manners fashion, used our fingers to keep getting little tastes of the sauce. It could have used a bit more spicy heat, though. Now my favorite: THE DUCK SALAD. I will go back to Basil Canteen as long as they do not change this recipe in the slightest! The salad was light and refreshing, with a wonderful combination of citrusy sweet and salty flavors and a faint hint of spicy goodness. I am not an expert on duck as I rarely order it, but I found it lean, tender and delicately savory. I liked that the salad was served on top of a few leaves of iceberg lettuce; the iceberg added a nice crunch without taking away from or adding to the duck's awesome flavor. The beer selection is minimal (well, considering we went out initially for a boot'O'brew, most places would not have come to par in the beer department), but I had an interesting Thai beer called Phuket. Sweet and only mildly yeasty. It went perfectly with my meal. They seemed to have an interesting cocktail list, but as a beer and single-pour drinker, the list is just for interesting reading in my world. I enjoyed my dining experience, the wait staff was friendly and quick to smile, which I loved. The environment was casual and I will definitely go back (under the aforementioned stipulation that the duck salad remains the same, of course)!
(3)Mattew W.
love love love this place. i have taken clients and friends here. a bit pricey but worth it big time. the plates are inventive and i can only guess authentic. the food is great and the service always matches. all in a really cool spot. this place has been at least half a dozen different places in the years i have worked and lived around SOMA and i hope this is the last one. it is awesome.
(5)Ben G.
Hmm. Two 5-star reviews (mostly reviewing the building and location) the week a place opens? A bit odd. Anyway, I live in the neighborhood and I couldn't be happier about a new, casual restaurant here -- Public was pretty good but nothing special, and way overpriced and the wrong fit for the area. Plus, the original Basil up Folsom St. is superb, with fresh California-style interpretations of Thai cooking. So I had high expectations. Unfortunately Basil Canteen is apparently working out a few kinks. At 8pm on a Wednesday there were only two other people in the place, but wait staff still took quite a while to get to us, and when they did, were totally unfamiliar with the menu. Generally I had the feeling we'd come to a restaurant that wasn't actually open. Food is pretty good, although an odd mix -- appetizers good for sharing, then noodles and soups which aren't that good for sharing. The appetizers are pretty good although at $7 or $8 they're a bit small. A spicy beefy noodle dish was quite good, as was a lemongrass mojito. $60 for two and left feeling like I hadn't quite eaten enough. Again, I applaud the Basil people moving into this space and the price points and snacks/drinks idea are closer to what the neighborhood needs. Give them a while to find a groove and it could become a great addition to the area, but right now, they're a bit scattered.
(3)Jo D.
I wanted to love this place, I love Basil Thai just down the road (and the same owners I think) but I'm afraid I found the food a bit mediocre. The venue is great, very open, exposed brick ... very SOMA. The food was lack lustre - not great cuts of meat, overcooked veggies etc ....
(3)Kalvin C.
I must say for a thai restaurant, Basil has got it down. Their food is really tasty, and if you aren't too sure on what you should get, I definitely recommend trying the snack sampler plate for an appetizer, Its got a little bit of everything which lets you explore the different items on the menu. Its also got two chicken satay kebobs so you won't be at a total loss if you don't like anything else. From what my friends were saying, the Pad Thai was delicious, in fact one of my friends said it was the absolute best Pad Thai she has ever tasted. I had a Pad kee Mao, which was absolutely delish! The waiter was very prompt on the refills of water and I didn't feel like I was being rushed out after we've paid. This is now officially my favorite Thai place.
(5)Rob C.
3.5 attempts to merge an sf dining scene ambiance with tenderloin thai dining. thus has all the safe noodles dishes and some of the thai specials like pork belly gai lan. problem is that it falls a little short. the pork belly bits were a little gooey even though crisp outside and moist inside. must be not wet enough, and pieces too large. sauce a little salty. also shared the roti with curry and flank steak, very nice. crispy oily roti that soaked up the spicy sauce well. the catfish was spicy and worked overall, but not the best fish pieces
(3)Marcelo C.
Alright first off I try not to write very many bad reviews BUT I think this place deserves a bad review... so a bunch of friends got together for a friends birthday and I had been wanted to try this place for a while now... first off nice industrial feeling place love that... the waiter took about 45minutes to take our order... about 30minutes to serve us (small portions) for the price.... alright food I would give it maybe a 3 or 4 stars... why they are getting a 1 out of me? well it took a little over an hour to get our bill after we asked for it mind you we were the only table our server was handling (its not rocket science) when he finally got back everything was over priced 10 dollars for jasmine rice (its only supposed to be 2 dollars) 12 dollars for the satay chicken (its only supposed to be 6 dollars) the list goes on and on.... when we pointed it out the waiter said "ohhh that's where that went" walked off and came back over an hour later....so our simple dinner turned into a almost a 5 hour ordeal... terrible I thought I was living a nightmare I have never had that happen to me in my life.... in the end it was NOT worth it I was so disappointed I really wanted to like this place.
(1)Philip N.
Really good salads. Just right on spicy side. Perfect lunch portions. Some of my salmon was frozen though in the sashimi salad which was annoying but still tasted good.
(4)Ernie P.
We went there last night right after GDGT Event. They sat us upstairs. It was a wkday so it wasnt crowd at all. Everything is very clean and tasty. It was 6 of us and bill was only $104 tax & tip included. I was surprised too. Anyways, this place is definitely worth returning. It's an alternative to Osha experience. Enjoy.!
(5)Miguel V.
Wow! this place was amazing! I was blown away cuz we can't get Thai this good in SD. Came here with some family that was reuinioning in the area and a local said that it has the sister restaurant of some other place nearby. We ordered fam style, but each ordered our primary dishes. We also got kanom guay chai, the chive cakes, which were amazing as an app. We also got the shrimp skewers, which were equally amazing. For entrees, I got the pik-khing bpet, which was duck with vegetables in a red curry. My brother, who doesn't eat duck nearly as often as me, nailed it on the head in his amazement over how they "roasted the skin so crispy without burning off all of the delicious fat just underneath it and still managing to season the meat perfectly." My next favorite was my sister's salmon in red curry. yeah I like red curry, but seriously, this was amazing. It was a special though so i don't know if they usually have it. My other sister got the spicy noodles with clams, which was also very good, and surprisingly well-seasoned. Someone ordered the drunken beef, which I definitely enjoyed, but not as much as some of the other dishes. The beef was tender, but I'll take duck or fish over beef any day. My brother ordered some kind of shrimp dish with vegetables that was another of my faves and someone else got some pork that was pretty good, but nothing mind blowing. Overall, they have a few good beers on tap or in bottles, a decent drink menu and very good food. They are a bit more expensive than some of the other places I have been to in the area, but the quality is definitely comparable. I would most likely be back if I was around.
(5)Eva M.
I found Basil Canteen while looking for a pre-theater place to have dinner close enough to Market that we wouldn't be late to the show. My boyfriend loves Thai food and I am slowly learning more about the cuisine and this place did not disappoint. There was a wide selections so we enjoyed peanut chicken skewer appetizers and a couple of the entrees with lychee martinis that were just heaven. Dinner was a great success as it was a surprise and my very serious Thai food eating boyfriend was happy with the food. So much that we could not order dessert after everything we ate, but know better for our next visit.
(4)Janet P.
I don't know about all the so-so reviews. I had the beef with egglant and string beans and thought it was pretty tasty. So were the vegetarian spring rolls and the Thai Ice Tea. Since this was my first time, I feel pretty OK about this place. Prices seemed reasonable as well.
(4)T. J.
I don't quite understand what the 2 star reviews are all about. The place is great! If you expect the place to be "Basil II", it's not. But if you expect good food that is pretty close to what you would find on the streets of Bangkok, that's exactly what you'll get. The food is simple, tasty, and not pretentious. I'm a big fan of Basil - been going there at least once a month for the last 3 years. Now I'm a new big fan of Basil Canteen too! My husband and I went there for the first time tonight. We had Sakoo (little sweet pork dumplings), Mieng Kum (mixture of roasted coconut, fresh lime, onion, sdried hrimp, on leaf topped with sweet sauce), Sua Rong Hai (beef and lamb skewers with special dipping sauce), Poh Pia Sod (fresh Thai crab meat rolls), and Pad Si Ew (sweet/salty stirfry wide rice noodles) tonight. They were pretty AWESOME! We finished with some dessert which was a little sweet for me but my husband loved them. Everything that we had, except the noodles, were not a typical dish that you would find at any Thai restaurant in SF. It reminded me of home (Bangkok). It tastes pretty close to what you would get at home too. So if you expect just another so called "authentic Thai" restaurant that is on every other street corner of SF, this place is not it. Go there with an open mind.... maybe pretend you're in a restaurant in Bangkok (cuz we don't over decorate our restaurants in Bangkok with things that scream Thai like they do here) and you'll enjoy it as much as we did tonight.
(5)A S.
Went here for Valentine's Day. Pretty quiet, although it was a Sunday night. Very hip vibe, nice waiters, great food. Really extensive list of appetizers and small plates.
(4)John G.
The feel of Basil Canteen is almost exactly like the prior restaurants at this location. No complaints about the space, as it is architecturally interesting. But, the food isn't traditional Thai (which if prepared well can be wonderful) and, unfortunately, seems based on the idea that if you add sugar to most of the dishes, the patrons will like it. Wrong!
(2)h h.
BASIL CANTEEN GAVE ME A FRESH TAKE ON THAI FOOD I have to start out by saying the food is awesome! I have been there twice in the first few weeks they have been open and the food is amazing and unlike any other Thai restaurant in the bay area. Other places just don't even have the items on their menus. I had to steal one of their menus just so I could write a review on Yelp and do them justice! Finally a restaurant that is introducing me to some NEW thai food. They definitely have tried to offer some upscale gourmet level Thai food, not just some boring curries or noodles. I felt like I was testing food the IRON CHEF had prepared when I tried their Miang Kum. Its diced shrimp, roasted coconut, pomelo, peanuts and ginger served on a mustard leaf. You get 5 of them and they were so friggin' good!!! We didnt want to eat them they looked so good. Thank God I went with two women, I got to order more dishes and eat more of each dish. The one dish I ordered both times I've gone is the Kao Soi Neur. Its some wide noodles in a lime coconut curry with skirt steak....DAMN!! So good. Its spicy enough for me and not too spicy to kill my slightly sensitive wife. They got the curry perfected in this one, and its so rich and full of flavor. A perfect accent for the chunks of skirt stake floating in the dish. Gotta try this one. Their 'Hoi Tod Yum Ma Muang' (breaded blue point oysters with mango ceviche) is another example of something you won't find in any other Thai restaurant, and it was so good, I wanted to order another dish of them. They were hot off the fryer and so good I didnt want to share them with my wife and her friend, you must try those too. Their steamed tapioca pork dumpling, Sakhoo Sai Moo, were yet another new take on Thai food. They were little round Thai pork potsticker-like concoctions that once again made me feel like we were testing something off Iron Chef. We also had Rad Nar "Shiang Hai" which you wont find anywhere else. It was mung bean noodles served with asparagus, prawns, squid, and blue crab meat in rad nar gravy. Very delicious and it perfectly offset the spiciness of the Yellow Curry noodles and Skirt Steak we had ordered. Their Pad Si Ew was the best I have tried in the Bay Area too. Not a new Thai dish to me, just a new, fresh take on a common, often rushed dish. I haven't tried their Pad Thai yet, but that's next on my list when I go there, I just had to try all of the dishes I have never heard of first. Did I mention they have a full bar? All the upscale alcohol you would need and beer and wine too. Most Thai places only have a few beers and wine, definitely a plus, you don't have to hit a bar before you go. NOW CHECK OUT THE ARCHITECTURE The place looks like something out of Architectural Digest. High cielings, exposed beams, lights that look like their from the future, and a bar that looks like it should be in a movie. Not to mention the bathroom. It was so awesome I didnt want to mess it up. The sink was so modern and cool looking I couldnt figure out how to turn the faucet on at first. The upstairs looks like the V.I.P. lounge for some fancy club in Manhattan. Then the location. Its right next door to Slim's, on the corner of 11th and Folsom, so its close to a bunch of nightclubs you could check out. I was watching all the big booty girls with short skirts walking by and my wife had to snap to get my attention several times. I asked why they didn't have a sign outside yet and apparently the building itself is a historical landmark and they were getting hassled by the city about putting anything on the brick walls outside. So, its there, it just doesn't have a sign yet. They just opened and was giving extra good service since they weren't that busy yet, so go try them out before there's a wait to get in. I wish I lived nearby so I could get their food more often. I definitely recommend this place!
(5)That's For N.
I had dinner her a few nights ago with a friend of a friend in SF. It took me a few guesses to figure out it wasn't Indonesian or Malay. The menu didn't give it away - which means this Thai restaurant is not like your everyday joe blow thai restaurant. The service was amazing. Our hostess had a beautiful smile on her face and explained the aim of the restaurant - to bring the tastes from all corners of Thailand to the patrons of the restaurant. We had Gai Tod Takai (crisped lemongrass chicken with snake beans and crackling young peppercorn and the Kana Moo Grob (crispy pork belly stir-fried with 'gai lan' broccoli). Both were scrumptious. The free appetizer was peanuts serviced with minced green onions. Interesting. The ambiance, service and taste left us satisfied customers. A gem. Probably one of the best Thai restaurants I've eaten at, if not the best.
(5)Esther L.
One of our new favorite lunch date spots. The only thing I didn't like this last time was getting seated at the big long table. I had to sit too far away from my wife! Great flavors, excellent service.
(5)D M.
Folsom Street Fair day, an oasis of calm far away from the madding crowds. Food nice, more 3 star but an extra star for the total coolness of the staff with Folsom style garb plus the extra large tequila shot my husband was given....
(4)Melyssa W.
This place is fantastic for groups...they have fun interesting drinks, I really like the full moon and the specials are good. The wait staff is very helpful and friendly...get the Beef Thai yellow curry noodle bowl here and you won't be disappointed!
(4)Michael W.
Solid Thai food in a cool brick building next to Slims's. They had a nice happy hour menu with $5 snacks/small plates and $3 Singha beer. Service was great as well.
(4)Lil R.
Very satisfying if you love different flavors. Kind of wish they had coconut rice but there are other things that keep me coming back. Frankly, I would give it more stars.
(5)Chanye N.
Get the Roti or Shrimp Toast appetizers. All entrees are great. Giant bowls of curry, very fresh, above medium spice. I am thankful to the places which have pickled jalapenos, hot sauce and dried pepper flakes on the table. Most tables have this here or you can ask. The servers are very friendly. They have very refreshing and fun cocktails - I love the Gin based SOMA Sling. It would be a great place to have an adult birthday (but I've seen the kiddies in here too with balloons and all) - very NY like loft room, general cool vibe, and of course the wonderful sharable food and drink. Highly recommend and prefer to its big brother Basil down the street.
(5)Garrett B.
I've been going to the other Basil for sometime now, and I actually stumbled upon this one while at the Folsom street fair this year. (did I just admit to that?) My party stumbled in, we sat upstairs with a great view of the party. The waitress was quick with our drinks, which by the way were nice and stiff. There was good music playing to entertain us while we waited for our food, which didn't take long at all. The food was amazing, and we all agreed this Basil was just as good, if not better than the original.
(4)Jill T.
It opened across the street from my work and I decided to try it. Had the salt and pepper spare ribs. They were very good! I did take out so I can't comment on the service or anything else. The place looks very nice.
(4)Will A.
I'd like to give Basil Canteen 4 stars, I really would! It's located in a really gorgeous space, all nicely modern-converted-old-brick-building, and has a fairly comprehensive bar. Unfortunately the menu is just a subset of Basil Thai's and isn't nearly as good. The pad ke mao and pad se ew at Basil Thai are some of the best I've had, really excellent! However the pad se ew at Basil Canteen was pretty terrible in comparison... so much soy sauce it almost felt teriyaki! I'll go back to Basil Canteen at some point, because it has a lot of potential, but Basil Thai is much closer and better.
(2)krys s.
duck dishes, wooooooowwww~
(5)robert g.
a great balance of great food nicely presented, great atmosphere, just a bit the industrial side. attentive wait staff. and must mention the the sculpture scattered about. good stuff!
(5)k l.
I thought this place was way to expensive. Entree's to share at $15 or more each are too much. Service was good and drinks ok. Wine selection not that great. The food was pretty good although I thought the monk fish dish lacked flavor. The sampler appetizer plate was a bit disappointing as well. They also overcharge for rice. The entree prices are very pricey and rice should be included. My husband was also disappointed that they only had one curry dish. For a thai place I guess they should have more. They would probably survive if the location was better and they had better prices. Otherwise, I don't think this place will be called Basil Canteen past 2010 and will go down like the Public did.
(2)A K.
Have been three times in the past two months. Great service. Really like the small plates that you can do tapas style. Very good seafood dishes currently including the crab fried rice. Always appreciate a place that changes their menu up on a regular basis. Good beer (Phuket and Singha for Thai beers) and white wines by the glass. The special curry is normally very good. As the previous review mentions, I hope they stay around as they never seem very busy at night during the week like their sister restaurant down the street, although I think their food might be better.
(5)a m.
Great place to take a group. Fresh, well-prepared Thai food with just enough experimentation and unique style. Open, loft-dot-com style atmosphere, which means you can usually hear each other talk. Recommended if you are looking for a contemporary dining experience.
(5)steve m.
great little place near all of the clubs and bars on 11th st. the food is tasty not expensive a little loud. ( i was there on a friday) good service great for before you go our.
(4)bonnie b.
I have to say, I really like this place and I hope that it stays in business. The building itself is a marvel: high ceilings, 2 story windows, ambient trip hop playing softly in the back ground; chic without being pretentious. This is the perfect spot for a dinner date without breaking your budget. My boyfriend and I met here for an early dinner before the ballet. We were able to enjoy a nice meal with wine for under $50.00 and still make it to the ballet on time (less than an hour dining time). The wait staff is attentive and friendly. The food was yummy and plentiful. The wine and spirit list is adequate. We left the meal happy and full. I will definitely come back for a return visit.
(4)Bin M.
Love their soup and duck dumplings. Service is always friendly. Environment is clean.
(4)Victory V.
Best thai restaurant in the city. Second week in a row I've taken a group there with everyone walking out stuffed and uber-happy. (Plus the staff is pretty prompt and don't keep you waiting, so a nice bonus.)
(5)Moko S.
i liked it. the duck was good. quack quack!
(4)Diana S.
Delicious and complex flavors. Loved the tarro fries, and the app with shrimp and coconut. Definitely enjoyed the fried banana and cocunut ice cream dessert. Get a greyhound too! Thanks to the staff for being so friendly and helpful.
(4)Robert U.
Went here before a halloween party last night. It was perfect for what we wanted. The food was all excellent (we had the drunken beef and some sort of eggplant thing) the staff was friendly and attentive but not annoyingly so. What sets it a bit apart is I really loved the building and ambiance inside.
(4)Dinesh R.
were actually looking to goto Basil Thai, but managed reservations here instead. very nice place, service was great as well. not too much Vegetarian option in the menu, but they mentioned they could make any preparation without the meat. Pau Pia is definitely recommended. we also had the pad kee mao and monk's delight, both great dishes. Portions are very decent. def some place we would go again.
(4)Kevin G.
Man, I don't know what the negative reviews are about. Four of us went and had a fantastic meal at a reasonable price. And since the place is yet to be discovered, there was no wait for a table on a Friday night and we were able to have a long leisurely meal. Of seven dishes, only one wasn't great. If you're looking for traditional food, this isn't your place, but if you're open to a modern take, it's great. I'd compare it it to Osha. I don't remember the actual names, but for starters we had the veggie spring rolls, the cubed steak skewers, and the duck salad (the duck salad was our one dud). For the main course we shared the pad thai, a wide noodle dish, another steak dish, and the green curry special. It was all delicious (and way too much food for four people). As a pad thai snob who hasn't found a satisfactory pad thai in SF, I have to say that their take was fantastic. Will definitely go back.
(4)Eric M.
Love it! The food is great and priced right, and it comes fast. I am looking forward to working through their entire menu. It has so many choices I had a hard time deciding what to get. If I remember, I'll get back here with my favorites.
(5)Catherine C.
This is Basil's sister restaurant. I would consider this more of a Southeast Asian fusion restaurant rather than a strictly Thai one. Loved the open loft space and exposed brick walls. Great place for a large group dinner. Service was attentive and food was delicious. I highly recommend the kang kiow wan roti (pan-fried Indian bread served with grilled skirt steak and green curry dipping) as a starter. My entrée, the kao soi neur (grilled skirt steak and egg noodles in lime-coconut curry), a Burmese classic, was also excellent. It came topped with pickled mustard greens (they were very generous when I asked for some extra) and crunchy egg noodles. The grilled steak could have been a bit more tender, but the flavors were so good that I didn't mind a little bit of toughness. Also, the coconut juice here is also amazing. Comes with a few peels of actual coconut!
(5)A C.
ok I'm not sure what's up with all the high ratings and the $$ rating either. I guess I caught them on an off day maybe. $30 for two lunch entrees doesn't seem cheap to me for thai food. Ok sure, we ordered mango shrimp with rice and shrimp pad thai, but still...that seems really overpriced to me. On top of that, the mango shrimp rice came out first and then...25 min into lunch we had to ask if the pad thai was coming which the waiter just said yes and left. Another 10 min later it came out. We were already done at that point... On top of that the pad thai was incredibly salty and the mango shrimp was just ok.
(1)Dan V.
A really good menu with a lot of options - pretty typical Thai. The chive cakes and taro fries are good appetizers. We had reservations at 10 through Open Table but the servers weren't happy about this because they close at 1030. We didn't realize this when we booked but one would think that the restaurant would have a say over this. If they do I hope they change it to avoid crankiness in the future.
(3)Sean B.
Short review. Tasty, but hella Americanized, Thai food. Stylish. Cute servers. Slightly spendy.
(4)Julie N.
Came here a quick bite before seeing a show thats nearby. When my brother and i went inside this restaurant, asked us if we had reservation. When we said no, gave us a little table at the corner near the bar area. They had happy hour foods and drinks. Although they gave the regular menu, we only look at happy hour menu. We ordered 6 out of 8 of the happy hour food which basically almost all of the food from the menu. Each plate cost $5. Its more like small plate so i thought its quite expensive for the amount of food they five you. Like appetizer dish in a way. You can get hungry again after a few hours The food that we got were: taro fries, fresh rolls with shrimp and vegetable(has the fish sauce dipping sauce), tapioca dumplings with pork and nuts, thai spiced corn fritters, chicken satay(has a peanut sauce), and pork skewers(has a spicy sauce). I thought the foods were average. The dishes with the sauce made it has that extra flavor. Fast service
(3)Linda K.
Although this Basil is mighty comparable to the other Thai Basil restaurant a couple blocks down, there are significant differences in this Basil that makes it unique. First off, beautiful design in both interior and exterior. I love the brick and open windows that brings in so much light and warmth into the space. It instantly relaxes me and excites me for the upcoming food that comes along the experience. Secondly, the service is great! The waitress and waiters would make sure that we have enough water and smiles constantly. Lastly, their appetizers are all delicious! Their main dishes are fair. It's not TOO large but it's enough where I can say I close to bloat but not close enough. I had the Pad Thai and I felt like it was a little dry and consisted of too much noodles compared to the balance of the shrimp and vegetables that I wanted in it. But I mixed it around with all of the vegetables and shredded peanuts and was still able to finish the whole thing! Again, beautiful environment, friendly staff, and deliciously higher priced Thai food (for my usual lunch), but trust me, I was a happy camper
(4)Bori B.
Went here for dinner before heading out for the night. The service was pretty solid and we ordered sake bombs, appetizers, and dinner. They were really nice and filled out water when necessary. I got the wontons which were delicious! they had a good filling of meet. I also had the pad see ew and split that with my friend. I thought it was pretty average but i would definitely come back here again! It is an extremely convenient location to butter, bergerac, and dna lounge in the area!
(4)Winnie T.
I'm so surprised at the high ratings for this place. Came here 7pm on a Saturday night and the restaurant was fairly empty- not a good sign, but I was trusting Yelp and craving Thai food. First, 1 star for the amazing decor and industrial feel of the place. It's gorgeous. Second star for the service. They were incredibly attentive, possibly because not much else to do? Food gets zero stars. I ordered a pineapple fried rice and it was mushy, bland, and only slightly warm. The rice was sticking together because it was so wet and there was just no seasoning in it at all. Chicken was really dry and bland too. Just awful. I couldn't even finish it. I'm not sure if this place was having an off day or what, but I won't be coming back. Really sad because I love the atmosphere!
(2)Sarah W.
This place is like the most reasonably priced, most bestest service of comfort food (in this case Thai) ever in SoMA/SF!!! Not only were they accommodating to our group's size (about 10) and dietary restrictions (vegetarian), they were good about service, communication, the bill, etc! They even seated us when our whole party wasn't present yet (d'aww). I highly recommend the thai iced tea and the grapefruit salad. They are both extremely satisfying and amazing and special. The coconut rice is also to die for! I loved everything else we tried too, but they were good and not great (good is good still!). Either way, I don't think you can go wrong. They know how to cook vegetables and fry tofu real well so they must do proteins well too. Expect to pay $10-15/person (what a deal!!!!). Or $20 if you want to try everything like us. :) Their sister restaurant is Basil Thai around the block, but that place isn't as good for groups/not as reasonably priced as this location. Also the ambiance and decor was tres nice!!
(4)Henry P.
Modern interior design, good food, great service! First off, when walking by from the outside, you may not notice this place at all but when you step inside, it is somewhat of a pleasant surprise. The design is very modern with a dark woody tone. The service is great too. As I have peanut allergy, the waitress kindly informed me every dish that contained peanuts. The food is great too. I loved the lemongrass chicken, bit spicy for those who can't handle it though. However, prices are higher on average for Thai food, so be forewarned. Most dishes start at $10. Tip: if you're doing family style, order a la carte then order rice on the side (jasmine white, brown, or coconut rice)
(4)Juliana X.
Really good food and cocktails and absolutely hit it at happy hour! I'll definitely be going back.
(4)An Y.
I can't believe I hadn't known about this place when I was working somewhat close to it. Dimly lit with candles for cozy ambiance. Modern decor. Just a really neat space. Great place to take guests. Their menu has a lot of items I've never seen at other Thai restaurants. A friend ordered the Sakhoo Saimu (described as 'tapioca dumplings') -- definitely not something I've had before, but turned out to be quite good. It's got an interesting texture though -- so probably not something everyone will like. I recommend what I got: Gai Tod Pad Pik Khing (the lemongrass chicken dish)
(4)Jessica C.
Everyone in our office is obsessed with this place, especially with one of their dishes that I will talk about in a minute... Here are a few of the menu highlights: The yellow curried vegetables are fresh, flavorful, and without the heaviness that comes with most curries. It's not cream based, the vegetables (eggplant, squash, broccoli, asparagus, jalepeno) are sauteed in curry seasoning, and a light Thai sauce - second favorite dish on the menu. The shrimp and pumpkin tamarind curry - yum. The chunks of pumpkin are sweet, the shrimp is tender and juicy, and the sauce is spiced, sweet, and creamy. The vegetables are the perfect compliment - green and red bell pepper, squash, and asparagus. And saving the best for last: CHOO CHEE SALMON. Since ordering this, it's really hard to get anything else; it's that good. The salmon is pan roasted - crispy outside, and tender and juicy on the inside. It comes covered in cauliflower and onions, sauteed in a lemongrass red curry sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. As a bonus, the inside is beautiful - exposed brick, high ceilings, natural light. But really, this could be a hole in the wall in the TL and I'd still be a frequent customer!
(5)Elaine Y.
Decor here is really nice, red bricked walls with modern furniture. There's a little nice mezzanine for a little bit more quiet lunch. Server here is okay, not extremely friendly or rude, seems like they fulfill their basic duties and leaves you alone to your food. They quickly take your order and about 15 minutes later, food appears in front of you. I had the pumpkin curry and being it's the same dish I ordered at other thai restaurants, I would say there's nothing special about this one that makes me think they serve the best nor worse. I don't even know if this review means anything since it's a very average experience for me. Would I come back? Maybe, since I work nearby...
(3)Winny F.
Another surprise find. We were craving thai food in Soma and this place popped up. This is definitely more fusion than Thai, but it's still great nonetheless. They happen to have two seats open up on a Friday Night at 8pm. However, I highly recommend making a reservation online. This looks like a family run place. Every member of the team seem very in sync and customer service was fantastic. The actual restaurant is lively with lots of mixed arrangements and seating choices. I liked how they made use of the high ceilings, by building an extra floor above their kitchen. I would definitely recommend large groups to come here. The food itself is more of a three star. Don't get me wrong it's good, fresh and tasty, but it's not a place I would rush back to eat at. I also found it quite healthy and not overly salty like other restaurants can be. It's a little pricey for most asian food, as it's aimed at a more trendy crowd. Like many others we tried: Steamed Taro Dumplings - The skin was refreshing. I wasn't crazy about the filling. Slow Cooked Beef Short-Ribs - They were fantastic. Even better as leftovers Mushrooms and Veggie Rice Noodles - Very tasty.
(4)Mary C.
Came here last night for my friend's birthday and had made reservations for a party of 15. This restaurant is a little hard to spot even though it was right on the corner due to the exterior of the building. Our table was right next to the entrance which was a good thing since it was a hot day in the city for some weird bizarre reason! :P We were also just a few tables away from the bar area! Anyways so we went with the set menu and did family style. Once everyone got seated, the food came out fairly quickly and in order (appetizers, entree dishes, and then dessert). For appetizers we had the egg rolls and the chicken skewers. The skewers was soOo delicious and tender!!! Especially with the peanut sauce that it came with! I had to hold back so I don't get too full before the entrees came! Loll. After the appetizers they brought out a big bowl of white rice. And right when I was thinking if they had brown rice...bam! They set down a big bowl of brown rice next to me as if they read my mind. Awesomes!! :D The entree dishes were also really good and flavorful. I think we got 6 entree dishes total just for one side of our table, totalling to 12 dishes! Oh my...it was definitely more food than we had imagained. My favorite was probably the eggplant dish and the steak. One or two of the dishes were a little too spicy for me but they were very good still. And lastly, for the dessert we got the fried bananas with coconut ice-cream! We got 3 of these and they were sweet enough to bring out an extra one with a candle on it for my friend! =) The bananas were fried perfectly, light and crispy, which complimented the ice-cream really well! For about $25 per person for all this yummy food, I will definitely be coming back! Oh and the service was excellent! Great job!
(4)Mark M.
The Thai food here is a bit disappointing, and not as good as what I expected for the generally good reviews that they received here. The food here in general is just too sweet for me, with the curries and noodles in particular. There is just too much sugar not properly balanced with salt. And the spicy dishes here are a bit watered down in terms of their pep - if as an Asian restaurant, if you promise spice, you should so deliver. You can do better, Basil Canteen. The service here is also just average. We had a very large party here with almost 40 people. I would have to say that it was disappointing in so far as it seems less than enthusiastic.
(3)Sean S.
Good selection of food with medium service. They take your order (sometimes that takes a little while) and bring your food, but mostly leave you alone in-between times. Frustrating if you want your water glass refilled. The food is fairly good, but not outstanding. They do handle large groups well though. They don't have great space for more than two, but they get it done and keep food coming to the table. Again getting their attention or water in between courses isn't as easy as I would like. It's a nice looking place. Equidistant from both 16th St and Civic Center BART stations I meet folks here form time to time from my old work when I come out to visit.
(3)Romain C.
What happened to this place? It used to be one of the best Thai places in the city. Yesterday, I couldn't eat my Pad See Ew, I had to drink plenty of water to swallow the pieces of pork that were way too hard and the ice tea had zero flavor, only the color of it. Same experience for my friend.
(1)Sean H.
Too bad, so sad. So much potential, because it rests in between two of my favorite places ever, Slim's and Folsom Street Foundry. I wish I had liked this place more than I did, because it could have been one of my go to spots, but sadly it just didn't live up to expectations. I personally liked my meal, but all 3 of my friends were underwhelmed with theirs which is why I'm throwing so much shade at Basil Canteen. I genuinely do not know what the name of the dish I got was because it was some wild Thai name, but it had beef and eggplant and it was apparently the clear winner out of all our meals. My friends got the duck curry and the Pad Thai, and neither of them was very impressed with what they got. The restaurant itself is pretty legit looking though. Coolest lights I've ever seen here. They gathered a bunch of normal lightbulbs into a bundle and made a fixture out of that. They also got a bar which is never a bad thing right? Might give this place another try just cause the reviews on here are pretty high and Yelp don't lie, but we'll see. Usually one meh experience equals no further experiences for me.
(3)Angela L.
The interior is really nice and clean. The service is fast, the food is delicious, and piping hot when it comes out. The only reason why I gave them one less star is because their food sucks as leftovers. I tried to microwave both my pad thai and pad see ew, and both were just gross. Too mushy and just blegh.
(4)Krista L.
I came here for my birthday and was not disappointed! The main reason for choosing this restaurant was because the prices were very reasonable, which is hard to find at a nice restaurant in SF that's good for large groups. Made a reservation beforehand on open table and when we arrived the table was ready for us earlier than our reservation. The menu is extensive, which was a little overwhelming at first, but nice to have so many options. To help people choose, for appetizers, I recommend: kang kiow wan roti, sakhoo sai mu, and the sikrong mu tod. All were delicious, especially the sakhoo sai mu which looks like an eyeball at first because of the tapioca. For entrees I recommend: pad ped pla duk, drunken beef, gai tod pad pik khing, and the pad se ew! For dessert you must order the mango sticky rice, that was a great finish to a tasty meal.
(5)Annie S.
I will probably be coming back quite often, as it is so close to our office. The ambience of the place is great...it's really spacious and bright inside. I got the tom kha gai soup. It was good, but pretty salty...i had to keep drinking in equal parts of water. Really wish I had a side of rice, would have made it perfect. This place gets pretty packed during lunch hours, so reservations would be helpful. Also, it can take a bit of time for them to prepare the food at times. Will have to try something more substantial next time. A friend of mine got the pad kee mao and the portion sizes are actually larger than I was expecting.
(3)Kunal V.
Great food, service and ambiance. Surely was the best Thai food experience I've had in a long time.
(5)Sophie P.
I was very pleasantly surprised after dinner here with a few of my friends from LA. The venue was aesthecially pleasant and clean! The food was equally as good and was delicious! I've been to a few thai places around the SF, but I may have to say this place is my favorite! We ordered a few dishes starting with the taro fries appetizer (wonderful), and every dish was delightful! They were also able to accommodate 8 people within 2 hours of calling in, so that was very great of them :) Head on over and try some thai in a trendy place.
(5)e m.
Get their roti w steak and green curry dipping sauce: to die for. Restaurant design is lofty and industrial at the same time. Service is attentive. Reasonable prices.
(5)Rune H.
The food was decent, but our server was terrible and shouldn't work in any type of service industry. My friend and I ordered three dishes to share, one of which was pad thai that we specifically requested be made with chicken. It came with shrimp. No big deal in and of itself - these types of mistakes happen - but when we made the server aware of the error, she refused to take it back and called us liars when we said we had requested chicken. Laughable behavior. I prefer not to be insulted by staff and eat what I actually ordered so I won't come again.
(1)Stephanie Y.
What a great spot in the SOMA area. I need last minute Friday night reservations for a party of 8. I didn't realize SF was a city of reservations, so all those spots I spent hours bookmarking, booked. Cue Basil Canteen. The space is great, super industrial, wood & steel combo. Minus somewhat painful service, the food was great and the prices were super reasonable. I wasn't drinking since the night before was my company's annual party and I was still feeling the pain, but everyone else seemed to enjoy the cocktails. Food - So at the risk of being that Yelp review, I'm going to be super general since I forgot and I was tired and to be honest, my friend did most of the ordering. Not too many details in this one, but I can assure you, it was good! We split 3-4 dishes and it was more than enough food. Spice level was on point. Overall a great spot for a casual, inexpensive dinner. Great for a group or a cheaper date. Just don't let that one waitress push ya around, you know, that one!
(4)J G.
food was ok, it's the salt that drive me away. don't know why so many restaurant put tons of salt in their food.
(2)Ryan M.
Great place! Braised beef is awesome, so much flavor. Definitely recommend this experience.
(4)Gabbi d.
Great ambiance and quick service. Huge family style tables so definitely a good choice if you're dining with a large group. Make sure you try the coconut rice and pumpkin curry. All the dishes were a moderate size- just enough to share among six people comfortably. Be careful not to get mixed up with the other Basil 4 blocks down.
(4)Fran C.
I was in California for a wedding this weekend, and my cousin's daughter & husband had invited our family for a after wedding "rehearsal" dinner at the Basil Canteen. All I can say about this place was the food was EXCELLENT!!! My dad had never tried Thai food before, and he even told me he enjoyed the food a lot........that's a good sign, and my dad is usually spot on wid' da grindz! We had the following items tonight.......... 1. Somtum - Salad of green papaya, string beans, tomatoes, nuts, & dried shrimp with sweet chili-lime juice. 2. Gai Satay - Grilled marinated chicken on bamboo skewers served with peanut sauce & cucumber relish. 3. Sakhoo Saimu - Steamed Tapioca Dumplings of pork & peanuts served with lettuce cups. 4. Jasmine Rice. 5. Kang Kua Goong - White Prawns & Japanese pumpkin in tangy red curry. 6. Pra Ram Rong Song - Grilled skirt steak with curried peanut sauce and steam vegetables. 7. Choo Chee Salmon - Pan roasted Atlantic salmon & cauliflower in spiced lemongrass infused red curry. 8. Mu Pad Phet - Pork Shoulder and eggplant stir-fried with red curry paste, wild ginger 'gkrachai' and holy basil. 9. Gai Pad Gra Prow - Stir-fried minced chicken with apple eggplant, chili, and holy basil. 10. And for dessert we had - Fried banana with coconut ice cream! What a way to top off a spectacular dinner!!!! I was very full & satisfied! Look at the pics..........pics says it all! Service was fast & friendly...........there is No Parking, so you have to roll the dice & look for metered parking. The restaurant looked like it was in an industrial area............but once you step inside the restaurant/bar, the place looked very trendy. If you're in the San Francisco area, it's worthwhile to check this place out!
(5)Cheryl W.
Was here for lunch. Came early since place gets packed. Had the Pad See Ew with Pork. Very good. Not too sweet. Friend had the Short Ribs with Basil Curry over rice. She loved it. Will come back here soon. Service was very polite and fast.
(5)Sarah W.
So the food was delicious but service was not so good. We sat at our table waiting for our server to come for what seemed like 30 minutes. I'm pretty sure by the time our food came to the table we had been there for an hour. Maybe they were just having an off night and we were in a group of 6 and were busy talking and catching up but we were still kind of annoyed. They could have at least came by with our drink order or apologized for not being there. Hopefully this was just a one time thing and if not hopefully you're not in a hurry because the food was pretty good!
(3)Jessica C.
My friends and I were in the SoMa area of the city to see Facts of Life LIVE at The Oasis and decided to do dinner first. We wanted something different from the usual fare and found Basil Canteen on Yelp. The reviews were good so we made reservations online at Open Table earlier in the week. We were there when the restaurant opened and were seated immediately. We were the only patrons for the first hour so service was excellent. The place was definitely filling up by the time we left so I knew we had made a good choice. The food was so yummy and portions were HUGE. We were sad that we couldn't take the leftovers home as they'd have gone bad in the car while we were at the show. Pricing was reasonable and parking was super easy to find near the restaurant.
(5)May W.
This is a review overdue. Honestly, the 2 times I've been here with my friends, I've not been disappointed. Their servers/staff are super helpful and attentive. You know, one of those scenarios, where when they come to your table, they're paying attention to everyone's glasses to see if water's low or see that you drop a silverware, without you asking, they come over and offer it up. That's super service! Their food is really well done too. I especially like their fish dishes. The fish is fresh and delicate. Often more fragrant and aromatic when they served it wrapped in the bamboo or banana leave. The attention to detail makes it a fun, engaged dinning experience! Lastly, they've a great bar too! Fanciful Asian fused adult beverages that adds to a great experience for girls' night out!
(5)Erin R.
I am obsessed! This might just be the best food I have ever had. I was with three other people and we ordered three servings of the Roti because we could not get enough. We pretty much let the waitress pick a bunch of small plates and all of them were amazing. Not one complaint. About anything. The sauces were unreal. The drinks were creative and delicious. Try the Silkey Sky mmmm. It's also a pretty cute place. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Natalie S.
The food here is really good, no joke. I love the ambiance and setting and that parking is relatively easy. The lamb chops are great, as is the roti, chives pancakes, pad see ew, tapioca dumplings and beef short ribs in green curry. They also have a good selection of cocktails.
(5)David C.
I wanted to like this place alot but the food was just OK. The best was the crab fried rice and pad kee mao. even though it wasn't the best I've ever had. it will prob suffice for Sf'ers. had the pancake with grilled skirt steak. was ok had the taro fries. was ok nothing special. the tom yum soups were decent. mine only had 3 shrimps. the chicken one had alot of chicken. not spicy enough and a bit on the sweet side. Don't get the lemongrass chicken with green beans. not a good dish at all.
(3)Dimple B.
Really enjoyed my first trip there, second wasn't as memorable. The decor / space is really cool, and there are few great cocktail sports nearby to grab drinks before / after.
(3)C W.
I was compelled to write this after my hassle. Came in for lunch with my colleagues one fine Wednesday afternoon for a $15 meal (that's including tip). Had I known what was about to occur, tip would have been nickel for the food and a penny for the experience. In any case, on that following Sunday, I checked my card statement and saw "BASIL CANTEEN" - $62.xx. How swell. Ironically I was just talking to my colleague right before leaving about not taking my receipt as I normally would. I think my excuse was that I had too many papers in my pockets that day. And of course, the one time I don't take my receipt, I get this pleasant surprise on my credit statement. Well played, Basil Canteen. Not sure if it's an accident or it was done on purpose. Not sure if it was a coincidence either. Either way, I wont' be coming back, and I hope people think twice about coming here since it could happen to you. PSA: ATYR; always take your receipts.
(1)Sangita A.
Surprisingly great Thai dinner with friends! I'd come back. Great dishes for $10 each and cocktails also for $10 each. Food: +Saketini- a very milky taste since there was lychee puree in here +Silky Sky- this was a less sweet version with grapefruit juice but still strong +Pau Pia- really tasty friend vegetarian egg rolls; 6 pieces- great to share! +praram rong song - tastes like peanut butter smeared on beef; not my favorite thing +gai tod pad pik khing -crisped lemongrass chicken; got it based in the yelp recs and it was pretty tasty but tasted almost exactly like chinese general tso's chicken; fried chicken in a sauce Service: We came in with a group of 14 for Nikhil N's birthday and they had the table ready for us with prompt and fast service checking in with us frequently. Ambience: It's a large warehouse/loft feel of a restaurant in SOMA with plenty of space between tables so you don't feel the usual SF cramped-ness. -Hungry Hungry Pongy
(4)Lian C.
Nice enough to be comfortable, but casual enough to be...comfortable. Did I mention that this is great Thai comfort food? Tasty.
(5)Craig P.
Sooo good! Best Thai in SF! You're in for a treat here. Great for social folks and families. You will leave super happy!
(5)Pam S.
My favorite part of the meal were the unconventional triangle shaped guay chai (chive cakes). Looked totally weird to me, but tasted awesome. The rest of the food was ok, but the waitress came by like 3 times asking us if we were done when we still had a bunch of food on the plates and were clearly still eating. I felt like we were being rushed out.
(3)Noa R.
This place was absolutely phenomenal! I came here with a few friends before a show around the corner at Slim's. Between the three of us we split a few different things. I strongly recommend the steamed tapioca dumplings to start! They definitely looked a little different but the flavor was absolutely amazing - perfectly done. We also split the goong pad ma muang, drunken beef, and the roasted duck breast. The duck was by far the most popular item on the table! It was perfectly cooked and melts in your mouth. I also recommend trying the coconut rice on the side if you're a coconut fan. Can't wait to come here again!
(4)DeesQue N.
Its alllllright. As in don't get me wrong, food is good but nothing over the top special. They do give big portions of the noodle rice stuff. So if you really hungry get that with your choice or meat or chicken. One thing I really couldn't stand though is the smell as you get in. Not appetizing :/ makes me wonder how clean kitchen is. I suggest you install flip doors or something bc the odor is intense especially since the place is very tiny.
(3)Chris E.
After a great lunch at Basil Thai, I just knew I needed to check out Canteen for dinner. The Happy Hour menu is great, $5 appetizers and $6 signature cocktails. Yes, you read this correct. With the exception of the taro fries, we ordered all the offerings and we were not disappointed. The cocktails were terrific and with the addition of larb gai, dtom ka ghai and fried banana with amazing coconut ice cream, well, our meal was complete! I'll definitely be back. With Basil Thai and Basil Canteen, what more do you need?
(5)Toubi C.
My buddy held his rehearsal dinner here. For such a large group the restaurant did a great job. We took up the entire second floor. Bar down stairs had a lot of interesting house cocktails. Setting is industrial chic. Very cool and you would never guest that a Thai restaurant would be here. Food was very good. It was a 9 course tasting menu and almost everything was fantastic. Usually when there is a big group the food is never on point and never hot. That was not the case here. Everything was very tasty. I did wish that the catfish was wok fried whole with crispy skin rather than cut up into pieces. The sauce on top made the fish a bit soggy. Service for the most part was very nice. Food came out at a good pace as did drinks. Overall cool Thai restaurant!
(4)Manjesh N.
The ambience is definitely more upscale than typical Thai places and the menu looks more gourmet as well (not the usual 100 dishes with English names). But the food was a bit of a hit and miss. Of the appetizers we ordered (taro fries, corn cakes and chive cakes), the chive cakes were excellent while the others were just so-so. For the mains, we got pak pad pong gari (eggplant), chap chye and kao pad pak (egg fried rice). There was barely enough eggplant in the first dish and the rest of the dish was a bit bland. The other two dishes were quite good. For dessert, we got the ice cream with roti pastry and mango with black bean pudding. I didn't think much of the desserts - the roti was too savory and it became too soggy/chewy with the ice cream and without the mango, the black bean pudding was too savory. So the food is so-so, but I'd go back for the chive cakes, fried rice and the ambience.
(3)Allison S.
The food here was good but nothing spectacular. We got the lemongrass salmon curry and the eggplant with basil. The flavor of the curry was great but the salmon was severely overcooked, which was a bummer. Service was good and prices were reasonable. Street parking is available.
(3)SoCal C.
10 Nov 2013, 07:45p Our party of five arrived for dinner after wandering around looking for another restaurant which ended up being closed. This is one of the few places open in SOMA near the bars on Sunday evening. The space is "loft"y and very modern and the service was decent. We ordered: kao pad pu - crab fried rice kana mu grob - 'gai lan' chinese broccoli & crisped pork belly wok-fried with garlic and fresh chili gai tod pad pik khing - crisped lemongrass chicken stir-fried with green beans, red curry & kaffir lime zest drunken beef - stir-fried skirt steak, green beans, apple eggplant, & peppers in chili-brandy sauce praram rong song - grilled marinated skirt steak served with curried peanut sauce and green beans White Rice (3 orders) Brown Rice Everyone one enjoyed their food and the kao pad pu (the dish I ordered) is made with real crab, albeit from a can, but defintely not Krab. The rice was a bit overcooked and mushy and it was difficult to discern the crab flavor, but it was a decent-sized portion and it wasn't bad. I also tried some of the pork belly and it had good flavor and was crispy. I didn't hear any negative comments from anyone else, so none of the food was bad. Portions are generous and as I said before, the service was decent. There was a charge for 4 orders of white rice, but the waiter readily corrected the error. Being one of the few restaurants open, Basil Canteen definitely has somewhat of a captive audience. If I am in the area again, I'd see if there was anything else open to try out, but I wouldn't mind coming back to try other items on the menu.
(3)Priya S.
The pad see we with tofu and veggies for takeout was delicious!!! It's flavored well and I asked for it spicy and it was extremely tasty. It's a large serving good to keep for leftovers. Tastes even getter with their hot sauce!
(4)Jessica W.
We were trekking across town on foot and saw this spot. We were feeling peckish and this place looked cute so we walked in. It was around 1pm on a Friday so it was winding down, which meant open tables for us. We ordered 4 plates to share among 4 of us including the Thai Wontons with Crab (Table Favorite!), Crispy Taro fries, gai gra prao (minced chicken), and red curry with pork. The chicken was very good while the pork was bland and our least favorite. There were so many dishes that looked great it was hard to choose. Very cute restaurant, modern and clean. I'd for sure go back.
(4)Tim S.
Fun, open atmosphere and very friendly staff. Food took a while to get there but it was quite pleasant and filling when it arrived. I note that even when I ask for "Thai spicy" they still bring me "white guy spicy." This makes me saaaaad.
(3)Ajay K.
Found this place through a co-worker one day for lunch. Overall pretty great. Food was tasty with great flavor and just the right amount of spice. Ordered through take-out and everything was on right on time. Service seems friendly enough too. Also, big fan of their interior space. Digging the whole modern loft vibe it's got going. Only giving it 3 stars because I've only been there once so I don't know how most of their food is.
(3)Nick W.
First stop on our weekend getaway to SF. Staff was super friendly and accommodating as we waited for a table, keeping us updated with the wait. We chilled at the bar and ordered a round of long island ice teas to get the night started... always a great way to ensure morning headaches. Were seated after a short wait, waiters were very attentive and informative as our gluten-free friend always has questions (ugh). Got the gang gari gai per the waitresses suggestion and it was gone faster than I could finish my first Mortar and Pestle. We were all thorough satisfied with everything. Fried wontons are a must if you're planning on getting appetizers. Easy to stack up a solid bill, but everything was super quality and worth it.
(5)B G.
The food is very flavorful, portions are large, and the plating is beautiful. The Kao Soi Neur is delish!
(5)Daman K.
This is by far the best thai I have had in the city, scratch that, the entire Bay Area. The noodles in my pad kee Mao are so soft it's like eating little clouds of heaven. The roti appetizer? Oh my god, so so flavorful. The little pieces of beef were very well seasoned and had the perfect texture to them. Even my thai iced tea was spot on. Can't wait to come here again, and again, and again, until the end of time.
(5)Amanda H.
We love this place. Really good gluten free menu. If you haven't been here yet go tonight. :D
(5)Neuman V.
My favorite Thai spot in SOMA, close in competition with the other Basil down the road. This one has my favorite eggplant dish, though.
(5)Kristin H.
I'm here at least once a week, either dining in the restaurant or for take out. To be fair, I love all Thai, and have only found a handful of Thai places in SF I haven't liked. However, Basil Canteen is clearly my favorite. The Tom Yum is so good I could have it every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The lemongrass chicken is what Panda Express Orange Chicken aspires to be! I'm pretty sure I've had every single menu item and have never been disappointed. ...Oh wait, that's a lie, the tapioca appetizer was just alright. I wouldn't get that again. Other than that, all the menu items are winners. Went here for a birthday party and all guests left happy (which I think is an impressive feat!) Try it, you will not be disappointed!
(5)Jessica Z.
I love the settings and dishes here.
(5)T T.
The food was really good. I liked the Tom kha soup, fried rice and the fried wontons.
(4)Anna S.
Good food, prompt service, and a nice decor. What more do you want for a group outing? I have been here twice with co-workers and will certainly be back for more.
(4)James T.
We've had better.
(3)Michael R.
The building is beautiful and highlights the potential of the sliver linings of Folsom. Right around the corner from "Slims" and the "Infamous DNA LOUNGE" XD The House is a awesome Thai cuisine restaurant. The walls are all black and mood lighten and dimmed out windows to My friend not too long ago had his wedding reception her once, it was more like a reception dinner and is was awesome. it was amazing, It has that warm decor and non-ikea friendly scenery, modern enough to be the backlit spot for a movie...umm and independent one! I have tried many items on the menu to know what they are the. "Pad Thai" which is good but, don't just limit your to that or the "spring rolls" The place has a lunch menu, happy hour menu, and dinner respectively. Try the --- "gai tod pad pik khing" , it's what I usually get it's crisped lemongrass chicken stir-fried with green beans, red curry & lime zest, it's refreshing. You have to respect a place that offers white or brown rice and that has gluten free products and that is veggie friendly. I also have a friend who is on a very strict diet and cannot have scrimp or peanuts, so this place was a awesome choice especially when you want to eat in a big group and be romantic-ed by. Ohhh yesss and Chai Ice Tea!!!!
(4)Robo P.
I had a couple very poor experiences with service here. Hopefully it'll get better
(1)Joel S.
Went for the first time this week, excellent price to quality ratio. We spent about $70 for 2 drinks each and enough food to choke a horse. It was too good to stop!
(4)Sonya M.
We came here for a bachelorette party dinner on a Saturday night and surprisingly it wasn't very busy at all. Basil Canteen had modern decor inside and a comfortable environment. The appetizers and entrees were very tasty. Servers were friendly and attentive. There is a large selection of items on the menu and a full bar as well.
(4)Laurent L.
This is the sister restaurant of Basil Thai. The menus are virtually identical, except I think Basil Canteen has fewer options. The service also isn't as good and the restaurant doesn't have as much seating. Now don't get me wrong --- Basil Thai is probably my favorite thai place in SF --- so the food at Basil Canteen is also quite good. Put it this way; if you want a delicious sit-down thai dinner, go to Basil Thai. If you want a delicious take-out thai dinner, order from Basil Canteen and go pick it up!
(4)Wes H.
Best Pad Kee Mao I've had in this city in a long time! Unlike most places that seem to gloss over the thai basil, they not only include it but also garnish with a generous amount of crispy basil leaves. They have Beer Lao (yum) and a full bar. Prices are slightly higher than most thai restaurants, but in this case you get what you pay for. Higher quality food and a nice setting.
(4)Ziyan C.
Came here for a friend's birthday, which was an excellent choice considering its proximity to our default Saturday night spot, Bootie. I'd always walked by and loved the brick interior, high ceilings, and sexy feel of the place. The food certainly lived up too. They accommodated about 35 of us across two giant tables on the first floor. They required a prix-fixe menu with such a large group, which was actually nice because we didnt' have to worry about ordering, splitting the bill unevenly, etc. The food basically just started coming out. And the the menu was family style so we all got to try everything. MUST-HAVES: Pra Ram Rong Song (steak in curried peanut sauce), King Kari Pak (yellow curry & veggies) ~~DRINKS~~ A friend got the lychee martini, which while tasty, was super strong! ~~SMALL PLATE~~ * Pau Pia - 4 stars (crispy spring roll of cellophane noodles & vegetables served with sweet chili vinaigrette) Very well done, a nice thin yet crispy outer roll, and good balance to the filling. * Gai Satay - 3.5 stars (grilled marinated chicken on bamboo skewers served with peanut sauce & cucumber relish) Well done, fairly tender for Thai grilled chicken. Peanut sauce was flavorful & nice and thick. ~~ENTREE~~ * Kang Kua Goong - 3.5 stars (white prawns & Japanese pumpkin in tangy red curry) We only got one plate of this in a huge table of 12, so it was hard to share. The sauce tasted good but was very watery, and the one prawn I tasted had a good fresh crunch to it. * Pra Ram Rong Song - 5 stars (grilled skirt steak with curried peanut sauce and sauteed vegetables) I absolutely LOVED this and could not have enough! The steak was incredible, being perfectly tender and hearty. The curried peanut sauce added a surprisingly tasty kick to the beef's flavor. *King Kari Pak - 4 stars (mild yellow curry of grilled vegetables with crisped tofu) The tofu was in giant blocks, soft, with a thin crispy layer. It sat in this delicious mild curry and the vegetables were also crispy and fresh. I loved the potatoes! * Mu Pad Phet - 3 stars (pork shoulder, eggplant stir-fried with red curry paste, wild ginger "gkrachai" and holy basil) I was looking forward to a hearty, tender pork shoulder but it was a very minced ground pork, which was disappointing. This was not bad but not a super memorable dish. The one redeeming factor were the Chinese green beans, something I ate growing up and love, but normally can never find in restaurants! * Gai Pad Pra Prow - 2.5 stars (stir-fried minced chicken with apple eggplant, chili, and holy basil) Once again, with such minced ground meat, you lose so much without the lovely texture of the meat. Once again not bad but not memorable. * Jasmine Rice A good, sticky rice!
(4)Marco S.
The drunken beef was amazing. They were also very courteous and helpful, they allowed me to change my order to eat at the restaurant rather then do takeaway.
(5)Megan L.
We live nearby and thought we would try their food so we picked up take out. We were craving Thai food but did not enjoy it at all. There was no flavor to it at all. I like spices and heat- it had neither. My man had pad see ew dish that also left much to be desired. We won't go back simply because of the disappointing food.
(1)Dire S.
Oh man oh man...this place is so delicious. I think I have pretty high standards for Thai food, like you can't just throw some coconut at me. For appetizers, the mustard leaves are 100000x better than any kind of salad (like if you want a salad get this instead), the tapioca dumplings in lettuce cups (you get 5 so there will be a fight if you are even-numbered), the pork ribs (I don't know if this is a traditional Thai dish but these ribs are fat and juicy anyway). For mains, everything is delicious - but I would say the slow-cooked northern thai pork is more on the sour side for my tastes. We haven't tried dessert there yet since we're usually too full. It seems as though there might be some fusion-style dishes of their own creation as opposed to fully traditional Thai, but everything is very good quality and prepared carefully. The service is quick, but on Fridays and Saturdays they can sometimes seem a bit overwhelmed since they are so busy. One funny thing is that their menu seems really big, and the way it's laid out it just seems like tons of food words so it can take a long time to decide on what to order!
(5)Michele M.
Fabulous! The service & setting are excellent. The miang kum alone makes it worth the trip. Best dish I have had in a very long time. The kana mu grob is only slightly less stellar. You must eat here. NOW.
(5)Nathalie K.
The food is very good, especially for such a reasonable price. The service could be better though, and it's sometimes too loud. They didn't register the reservation I had done on the phone the night before, and instead of apologizing and accommodating immediately, the lady accused me of having made a mistake myself by calling the other Thai restaurant near by. I had to show her the record on my phone with their phone number proving I hadn't made that mistake and that they had forgotten to register my reservation after my phone call. Pretty rude! But I must say, their food made it up more or less.
(4)Jason M.
Meh. Decor is awesome but the food was very lackluster. Chicken was dry on the pad see ew and the pork dish we had was just ok. Service was good but nothing exceptional. Definitely prefer manore just down the block.
(3)Karen N.
It was okay . But really long wait. Rather find somewhere else to eat .ive been to better thai places
(3)S K.
Not at all like the other Basil, even though same owners. This place is more mellow and relaxing. And the food is much, much better. Not that the other Basil is bad, but this location uses different spices that add an extra yum to everything. I'd addicted to the sai ouah. They make the sausage there and it is AMAZING!!!!! The waitstaff are all so nice, they make the experience that much better.
(5)Romeo And Lola K.
We have to add a few more menu items that we've enjoyed greatly: -pan fried chive cake appetizer -flame roasted sea bass in banana leaf -grilled skirt steak with peanut sauce yum yum yum
(4)Elena B.
I recently had a birthday dinner with a large group of friends at Basil Canteen and cannot say enough great things about their food and service. I contacted them the night before desperately looking for a Saturday night dinner reservation for 15 people as my previous reservation at another restaurant was unexpectedly canceled with a day's notice. The man on the phone took a few minutes to discuss my request with the manager and called me back saying that they'll be able to fit us in. They requested that we order from a prefix family style menu to simplify things and emailed me a menu to approve. I was given an option to make whatever substitutions I wanted, but everything sounded great as is. The menu included 2 appetizers, 5 main courses and a dessert - all for just $25 excluding drinks and gratuity. I've eaten at BC before and remember the food being good, but I can say that this time it was great (perhaps we just needed to order the right thing)! We sampled their vegetable spring rolls and chicken satay, prawns in red pumpkin curry, skirt steak in peanut sauce (Amazing!), green curry with tofu, pork shoulder (mu pad phet) and stir fried chicken (gai pad gra prow). Every single dish was delicious and we had more than enough food for the table. I've also sampled a couple of cocktails and they were as delicious. Moreover, I ended up arriving with fewer people than I reserved a table for and they told me that I shouldn't worry about it at all. I would highly recommend this restaurant, especially if you're planning a dinner with a large group!
(5)ben o.
Cocktails great, food even better
(4)Angela M.
I must say Basil Canteen really surprised me. I hardly ever venture to the area, but my friend suggested meeting there and I'm a sucker for good thai food. Basil Canteen has a great atmosphere with a ton of people there for happy hour and has a really sleek interior. We were taken to a seat upstairs that overlooked the downstairs bar and crowd. Basil Canteen offers a variety of drinks and from the looks of it, people were definitely enjoying their drinks on that Tuesday evening after work. Not your typical atmosphere for a Thai restaurant, but a fun place to go catch up with friends and enjoy some good food while you're at it. There were a lot of dishes on that menu I'd go back to try, but that night, we stuck with the pumpkin curry that was delicious! Service is great too even though they have to go up and down the stairs while weaving through the crowd. All in all, a great experience and I can't wait to go back to try more of the unique dishes at Canteen!
(4)H L.
After spending the weekend in San Francisco, I can safely say this is the best dinner I had while here. The drinks are great, the atmosphere is great for young professionals and groups, and the food was great. The prices are very reasonable for the portions and atmosphere. We ordered the sweet tamarind shrimp, monk fish, and yellow curry vegetables. The shrimp was our favorite dish, but the others weren't shabby at all. Please go here if you want to catch up with friends over a nice and reasonably priced meal
(4)jessica b.
I've been here twice now and surprisingly we've pretty much had the place to ourselves. The food is great and original, everything tastes fresh. Both times we've ordered a ton of the apps and then 1 of the main meals. Try the Sakhoo. They're amazing! The Pau Pia yuan is pretty good too. Plus everything is pretty inexpensive, especially if you go with a group. On top of all of that, they have some pretty unique cocktails that have sent me home quite tipsy... The one thing I did note after having been here twice is, the staff is a bit snotty, but they're quick and get the job done. It would just be nice if they didn't seem annoyed that you're there. I'll definitely head back here whenever I'm in the area.
(4)dAvid s.
The food was borderline inedible and not as described on the menu. The waiter ignored us nearly the whole meal and screwed up my order. On top of that, they brought out the appetizer with the entree. The waiter acknowledged he screwed up my order and did nothing about it. We had to get the manager involved to fix the problem. I won't be eating here again.
(1)stephanie v.
Easily the best Thai food I've ever had. The traditional Thai plates are very good, but it's the specials that I keep coming back for- especially their catfish. It's sublime. The wait staff are attentive and friendly, though you should make sure you have a reservation if you're going on a high-traffic night. All of the portions are generous, making it a great place to go with a gaggle of friends... or on a date with your long-time squeeze. That way, you can nibble on leftover noodles in the morning while watching hulu! This is strongly recommended. Oh, and you can also get takeout. Yay!
(5)Jessica Y.
First of all, might I say that the ambiance is so beautiful. I received a chance to meet the owner and he was so humble and inspiring. I went with my school friends to San Francisco for a trip and my friend was his family friend. We had dinner at the communal table and received seven dishes of yumminess! My all time favorite though was the fresh cut mustard leaf with diced shrimp, coconut, pomelo, and fresh herbs! I was able to try their other restaurant, Basil Thai, which received many more compliments than this restaurant.. but to be honest, I secretly like the food better here. Everyone has to come out here to get some quality and cheap Thai food. Lastly, their spicy is actually spicy!! Come here to satisfy your Thai cravings, I'm sure you will love it.
(5)Zuzzi E.
I've been riding by this place on the 12 for months, and finally decided to stop in. The interior is beautiful- warm loft space with exposed brick and funky lighting. It's more SOMA than Mission- although it's smack in the middle of the two 'hoods. I wasn't excited by the menu, which was lacking vegetarian options. Most places, especially Thai restaurants-- ahem, OSHA-- make poor efforts to accommodate. But our waiter was fantastic and let me customize an order that wasn't even close to anything on the menu. There was no confusion or questions-- and my soup came out just as I wanted it.
(4)Dee B.
We just ate there tonight for my birthday and had the MOST De LICIOUS meal! Thai is my favorite food, so we treated our selves to scrumptious pumpkin prawn curry, tapioca dumplings, short ribs, and sticky rice with fresh mango. Super-attentive, friendly service, fantastic yummy food, nice ambience. The waiters even put a candle in my dessert and sang happy birthday - we took our 9 year old and he loved it, too. This is our new favorite!
(5)Kevin H.
Had a light dinner before a show at Slim's. It was great! Excellent food and tasty cocktails. Terrific and friendly service too.I'll be back
(5)Jack S.
OMG tasty. I had the pra ram rong song, skirt steak with veggies and peanut sauce, and it was good like crazy. The place has a lovely atmosphere too.
(5)Katya B.
We visited Basil Canteen for a friend's going away party - and it was a very good experience. We had a family style dinner which was very fitting since there was a huge long table in the center which gave it a very homey feel. The space is a mix between aged wood (the table) and a chill industrial loft space, overall great for a light dinner or a few drinks after work. Because we had a family style dinner we ordered a little bit of everything which left me with a very good understanding of Basil Canteen's menu. Every dish was good tasting but some of the highlights would be: Appetizers: kanom guay chai - which is are spicy pan-fried chive cakes with sweet soy and chili sauce which were very memorable. kang kiow wan roti - a pan-fried Indian dread and grilled skirt steak served with green curry dipping sauce which was a really good portion for the $8 and was very tasty. Main Course: I would highly recommend the ' drunken beef ' which was a sizzling stir-fried skirt steak with green beans, apple eggplant, fresh chili, lemongrass, and brandy ... although a bit on the spicy side it was absolutely among the best Thai meat dishes I have ever had. Also the main courses like the noodle or rice plates were very reasonably priced - on average $10-12 each. I gave this place a $$$ because the menu is very tempting and you really should do your taste buds a favor and order a lot of different items. For desert we had some fried banana which comes with the most amazing coconut ice cream. They also have a short but nice wine list. We ordered a couple bottles of a Pinot Noir to go with dinner and it really enhanced the experience (but at $40 a bottle it also added to the $$$ rating). I look forward to going back.
(4)Manuel R.
Have been here on multiple occasions. I enjoy their food (great oysters) as well as their happy hour specials. The location is great to grab a drink and some food before hitting the bars/clubs on 11th st. There is a huge selection of small flavorful plates, great wine selection and it is also a perfect date spot!
(5)Gourmet Princessa L.
Met my friend there for a quick lunch to catch up. The restaurant that occupies in a red brick building carries its name well because it does have a canteen feel to it. Long tables arranged in a roll with chairs on both sides. That is like school cafeteria style except that they serve much better food here. They also featured a bar with Asian inspired cocktails that was quite interesting and refreshing. I go there for the food. I love their noodle dishes, both the soup and stir fried. The tom yum noodles soup is so good here. The bowl of steamy spicy and sour broth filled with rice noodles and lots seafood. This dish can cure any cold and fight the frigid winter weather. My favorite stir fried is the Pat Kee Mao, it is spicy and the handful of basil incorporated with the noodles gives out a strong basil aroma (must love basil to order this dish), and the rice dishes were really different too. My favorite rice dish is the crispy chicken with peppercorns. The chicken pieces is crispy, tender and coated with the light garlic and peppercorn sauce, what a match made of a mouth watering dish. In addition to their "long" menu (literally both long in size of the paper and the list of items they offer), they also offer at least 2 specials of the day. Pretty crazy if you ask me. Overall, the food is always consistently good and the service is casual, but on top of things and the best thing is I always find 1-hour street parking within a block of the restaurant.
(3)Kelly V.
WOW- I can't say enough about the Basil Canteen!! The food is delicious and artistic, and the ambiance is the perfect fusion of industrial and elegant. Such a creative (and tasty) drink menu as well. We actually had my sister's wedding reception here and the staff was amazing. They were all so kind, helpful and easy to work with- they truly made her special day that much better. If I lived closer this would be a weekly go-to spot without a doubt!! What a perfect date spot!!
(5)Joshua C.
I had dinner here for my friends birthday with a group of about 9. The location is cool, very urban and industrial. The menu is limited to snacks (appetizers) and some entrees. The food wasn't the best Thai food I've had. I can see what type of vibe this place was going for, but I don't think they achieved it. The place was empty on a Saturday night. Maybe it's the location? I don't know. Food wise, I shared three of the appetizers. Some vegetarian fried spring roll, the taro fries and a grilled shrimp dish. Nothing was spectacular, in fact I've had better spring rolls at the hole in the wall Thai places. Vegetarian/Vegan options are limited. I also had some of my friends yellow curry and it was pretty bland. The food seemed overpriced for their portions. If there's one thing that annoys the sh*t out of me when it comes to Asian restaurants, it is when they think that "upscale" translates to "we can charge more for smaller portions". Luckily I wasn't there for the food, but for my friends birthday. If we weren't busy laughing, gossiping and catching up with each other, we would have really been disappointed with the food.
(2)Janina V.
Honestly, I really don't remember much of my experience here. I guess that speaks for itself. Only thing I remember is that parking was really, really, really difficult. Nice ambiance though. I like the brick walls and the that it has two floors. We dined on the 2nd floor and it was pretty warm up there. Still don't remember how the food tasted and the service. Another average Thai restaurant, I guess...
(3)Ken p.
You know this place is alright. I am a bit partial 'cause its in my hood. If you are looking for the typical Thai joint, don't go here, you will hate it. The portions are smaller and and it is a bit more expensive, BUTTTTT... The dishes, flavors, and ingredients are unusual, and high quality. Good drink menu and great interior. I think this is a great place for a beer or smart cocktail and some small plates with a group of friends.
(4)Vivek N.
No the typical Thai restaurant. While its hard to find one that serves bad food, its not common to find one with interiors like Basil. Exposed brick, multi-level with large windows. Ok I realize its a restaurant so I need to review the food and service. Drunken beef, pad kee mao, sake and yellow curry rice was what we ordered. While the food was not exceptional, it was good enough for me to go back. Attentive service despite having a party of about 40 down stairs and a pleasurable experience overall.
(4)Leo C.
Basil Canteen is a decent Thai restaurant with an interesting, warehouse/loft modern decor. I met up with a group of friends there, and found it to be an A-OK Thai establishment. The best Thai food I've had in SF is Yukol Place Thai Cuisine in the Marina/Cow Hollow. Sure Yukol isn't chic and trendy in its decor, but it delivers the goods in terms of the food. My friends and I did get a chance to try the sampler platter. Between the 4 of us, we were able to each try a bite of everything, except for the hard to share fried wontons. For the entree, I had the Pad Se Ew. The portions were generous, but the food itself was only decent to me. I would come back to Basil Canteen only if someone else wanted to go.
(3)charlene a.
My experience at Basil Canteen was good but not good enough to get me running back. Architecture and ambiance - check. Exposed brick...industrial feel. Great design. Probably the best thing they have going for them. Sparkling sake - check Good service - check Appetizers were skimpy and pricey although the entrees were fair. The steamed tapioca pork dumplings were memorable simply because they were unique in texture and presentation. To be honest, my mouth was a little confused. They were slimy yet flavorful. I mayyy be back...thinking about it.
(3)Nancy L.
Started off the night with green papaya salad and roti with green curry. The green curry sauce is fantastic; after the roti were polished off, I kept on spooning it over rice and it was delicious on its own. Next up - pad kee mao and the pineapple braised short ribs. Perused the drink list and the greyhound made with fresh grapefruit juice was the perfect compliment. Super friendly staff and an excellent value.
(4)apple r.
What a great little big place. This is on the site of the old Public restaurant. I didn't eat too much food here during the Public days, but I did enjoy a drink or two in the funky atmosphere. I like the atmosphere here, very SOMA, exposed brick, open warehouse feel, metal chairs and a bar. Basil Canteen has maintained the atmosphere and replaced Public fare with Thai food. Even better, because everyone must admit that Thai food is truly better than salads and American food. This is the sister restaurant to the other Basil, a mere hop away, however it is more focused on street food, noodles, and small plates, with a nice cocktail and sake list. The sake with lychee slush sounded delicious, and I will try that next time when I am in a cocktail mood. The wine list is decent for a Thai restaurant, but I might recommend expanding the wine and cocktail angle and including more hard to find regional wines from around the world. I had the Loire Sancerre and a Pinot Gris. I would recommend the Sancerre, which was nicely grassy. Two friends and I came in today, a Sunday, and I was a bit disappointed to see a mere three customers. Very true to recession. There is a large communal table, a bar area, a cafe area, and an upstairs seating area. We sat upstairs, which is nice because they have booths. The food here is appetizer focused which is nice. It is a bit like a Thai version of an Isakaya. We had wine and drinks, mieng cum, which is a northern Thai lettuce wrap with lime and peanuts, shrimp and other stuff, kao thang na goong, toast points with a shrimp paste, grilled fish skewers, and kao soi, which literally means street food. My favorite was the very filling noodle dish, kao soi, which I have never seen on a menu. While nothing was outstanding, everything was solid and unique. A great place to go for some late night snacks and socializing with friends. They also have a nice selection of desserts and port wines. Next time I will come here with a group of friends and have everything on the menu! Or perhaps I will come here to socialize with my computer and a cocktail.
(4)Sophia L.
Food was average but location is good given few selection other than the food trucks 2 blocks down. Would rather goto the food truck next time.
(3)Denise M.
First of all, I love the building - renovated brewery. Love the red brick exterior. Food was very good. To start, we shared the steamed tapioca pork dumplings, chicken satay, and the salt and pepper ribs. I liked everything... wished that we got more than just two small skewers of the chicken though. Good thing it was just two of us. Dinner - we had the lemongrass chicken with rice, and the skirt steak noodles with lime/coconut curry . Spicy! Prices weren't bad, but portions weren't too big. Just right for two - but I can see how the bill would add up fast if we had more people with us.
(4)Alex L.
Compare to the other Basil place on Folsom - A-OK. Meals are less in size and prices are higher.. Being a neighbor next few blocks, I don't think I will go back there.
(3)a g.
Thai food is always just average to me. This place is consistently good. I think better than its' sister restaurant down the street. Get the roti app.
(4)Maximillian M.
Great place... a Mortar and Pestle cocktail was like a Thai mojito, except better. We all had the larb, drunken beef, fresh spring rolls, cod steamed in banana leaf, and an unripe mango salad with strips of steak. Unripe mango, as opposed to the papaya, and it was pretty awesome. I like this place... can you tell?
(4)Jessica W.
There are many places in SF that do fusion, but not all of them do it with such attentiveness to and focus on the vibrancy of ethnic flavors. Basil Canteen pulled off marvelous combinations like Lemongrass Mojitos, Kaffir Lime Kamikazes, Drunken Beef with Apple Eggplant and Chili, and Spicy Mango Shrimp. The menu is extensive and the portions small and inexpensive enough to justify ordering a number of things. With tall vaulted ceilings, the comfort and hominess of brick and wood paneling throughout, complimented by tasteful and simple modern decor, the ambience is perfect for an intimate small group or romantic date. The service was quick and pleasurable, even on a Friday evening. I would definitely dine here again!
(4)Andrew M.
Rolls are fresh fragrant vegetable deliciousness. Feels like everything is made from scratch especially for you... Nothing is pre prepared!
(5)Jennifer Y.
$1 oysters during Thursday happy hour (5pm - 7pm)! They don't know what 'type' of oyster it is, but they are yummy, big, and fresh! They also come with their house spicy sauce which is delicious as well.
(4)Jennifer D.
I've come here a few times before heading out to DNA Lounge for some Bootie!! I love the thai wontons, the pork belly with chinese broccoli, crab fried rice, and many other dishes. I cannot stress enough HOW DELICIOUS the thai wontons are (subtly sweet, light tasting/steamed). They also make good cocktails here and provide delicious sake!! Perfect for pre-partying before Bootie!
(5)Angeline C.
The Basil Canteen is so great! I went there with a friend for lunch and, from the moment I walked in, I was in love. The atmosphere of the place is so stunning, super chic and industrial. There is a nice bar, too, so it would probably be great to go at night. The food was so delicious that, even though I had gotten so much, I finished the whole thing. My friend is vegetarian, but she didn't have any trouble finding something delicious to order from the menu. Love it here and am definitely going to come back soon!
(4)H T.
good thing this was still open after we went to "get mortified" last night at dna lounge. the place was quite empty, so they allowed us to just sit around and have drinks, but i got hungry, so i ordered some food. it was chilly out, so i wanted noodle soup, which i did not see on the menu. i asked the server if they had one, and he said they have them available for lunch and that he would make me one, which i thought was quite nice.
(4)amy m.
What a unique place! My girlfriends and I were heading to a clothing swap at the Paradise lounge and decided to have a bite to eat before heading in.. Basil Canteen is right across the street, but even then, their sign was so unobtrusive, you barely noticed the sign. Once you walked in, we were completely surprised. It had dark floors , wood tables and had a loft like feel. Fortunately there was a 'showcase' going on. Local dress designers and jewelry makers were having their wares for sale. So it felt like a bit like a bazaar at the same time.. and I LOVE THAT! Now for the food. We just wanted appetizers and drinks so I can only comment on that. Our appetizers ranged in price: $5-$7 as were there during happy hour. -peurk tod:crispy taro fries with sweet crushed nut vinaigrette - satay gai: grilled marinated chicken served with house peanut sauce - seur rong hai: grilled Angus steak skewers served with 'crying tiger' sauce of sweet roasted chili and parched rice And most notably: -goong tod yum mamuang:lightly fried tiger prawns with salad of cashew nuts and green mango The last item was theee best. It was tart, sweet and crunchy at the same time.. Crowd was very eclectic and unique partly due to the "bazaar" going on downstairs and I definitely loved the vibe. This place would have 4 stars except for the fact that service was just so/so... we were seated ahead another group, yet they got helped first, and we had to "work" to get our waitress to bring us check etc.. Hopefully my next visit will be better.
(3)Sylvain K.
Each time I go there I'm happy to enjoy the spicy food full of many flavors. One of the best Thailand restaurant that I know in SF.
(4)Ryan H.
Great Thai food! I had the Roti to start, then pork pad see-ew, both were fantastic. My buddies had kao soi neur and it was some of the best noodles I've had. The curry sauce was very thick though--kinda intense but good. The jazz music really sets off the chill picnic seating vibe. Will definitely try dinner next time i'm in soma
(5)Cathy L.
Great low key setting and ambience - upper floor can get really hot - the lights are quite close to you. Downstairs community table would be great for a very relaxed meal. Roti was delicious and greasy and pad thai was actually, surprisingly enough, some of the best I've had. And, well, quite greasy! Though still delish. I guess they just use oil well :)
(4)Monica D.
The greyhoud was tasty, the spring rolls were super fresh, and the pad thai was yummy. I really enjoyed the Japanese pumpkin curry - it was creamy and the pumpkin was cooked perfectly (not too soft but not rock hard)
(4)