4. Restaurants

Pho Basil

177 Massachusetts Ave,Ste A, Boston, MA, 02115
  • (617) 262-5377
  • Store is closed

Pho Basil Menu

  • Popular Items

Healthy Meal suggestions for Pho Basil

  • Popular Items

Visit below restaurant in Boston for healthy meals suggestion.

Boston Common Coffee Co. ( 97 Salem St )
Einstein Bros Bagels ( 725 Commonwealth Ave )

Visit below restaurant in Boston for healthy meals suggestion.

Einstein Bros Bagels ( 725 Commonwealth Ave )

  • David B.

    Delicious and cheap thai food! Great lunch place near Berklee.

    (4)

  • Matt H.

    I've passed PHO B for years but decided to finally try. Besides the very reasonable prices the food and portions were great... I got the jungle curry. It was very spicy but incredible flavorful. The Pho itself was very good, nice rich broth. The expansive menu made the decision difficult at first to choose but was overall satisfied. The service was prompt and friendly. A definite go back to for me.

    (4)

  • Emily C.

    Holy pad thai, people. Get ready to eat. Massive platter for a mere $8.50 with leftovers in abundance. The food was magnifique, service was friendly (though a tad aloof in terms of remembering to take our order at the beginning) and the meals are shockingly inexpensive for such an exceptional place. The menu is extensive with plenty of Vietnamese & Thai specialties, although I boringly opted for the tofu pad thai (one of my ultimate comfort foods). The cooler it gets outside, the closer I get to ordering a steaming bowl of pho. All that's missing is on the menu is banh mi.

    (4)

  • Das E.

    Excellent, with extremely friendly and attentive service despite the fact that it's bustling with students. Although it's primarily a Vietnamese pho restaurant I was happy to see sake on the menu (and that's so nice on a cold winter's evening). My only complaint is that it's not quite as authentic as I prefer. However, the sheer deliciousness will very likely induce a return.

    (4)

  • Jenn N.

    As a regular at Pho Basil, I can attest to the variety of tasty Vietnamese/Thai dishes available at this establishment as well as the excellent customer service practiced by the staff here. Considering the lack of quality Asian cuisine in Boston, I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys Asian food - particularly pho enthusiasts! Since it is a popular spot for students and families alike, you can expect long wait times here around dinner time so come early (as it is also a small restaurant). Some dishes I've particularly enjoyed include: pho dac biet, mi hai san, yellow curry, com ga, calamari

    (5)

  • Lily J.

    Curry puff special is amazing!! I hope it becomes part of the regular menu. Kua gai noodles are delicious, with an unexpected but great combo of lettuce and noodles.

    (5)

  • Kraig K.

    I think it would safe to say you could order anything off the menu and have a great experience. Make sure to get the Pho Soup.

    (5)

  • Hannah G.

    I am a three time repeat customer, and somewhat of a repeat eater here at Pho Basil. In my at least three times here, I've never had a disappointing meal! I've had both the plain and sesame chicken wings. Get them dine in if you're craving wings, they always warn me it will take an extra ten minutes to prepare them...IT'S WORTH IT!! These are the crispest most flavorful wings I have ever had, always hot and tasty, they must be keeping the chickens out back or something. My other go to here has been the Pho. I have tried both the Tai (rare beef) and chicken versions. Both are delicious, but I prefer the Tai beef bowl. There is always just the right proportion of beef to noodles. I am usually full from the small size bowl, even at my hungriest. Overall Pho Basil is affordable and satisfying, definitely recommend checking out if you are in the mood for some great Vietnamese!

    (5)

  • Manaal I.

    I've eaten here a few times now. Each time it's been bustling with people but not overly packed, a great sign. It's kind of a hidden no frills setting with amazing food. I've had the green curry, pho and drunken noodle lunch special. I'd recommend any of them, but the drunken noodle is by far the best I've ever tasted! Service is friendly and quick. Just be prepared to be in close proximity to other patrons... In my opinion it just adds to the energy. Definitely check this place out:)

    (4)

  • Vinicius C.

    Delicious, non-pretentious thai food! The place is small, so there os often a small wait. Food is priced just right. Their chicken satay, curry puffs and summer rolls are awesome!

    (4)

  • Steve Y.

    The pho broth was a bit salty, but I still liked it. The service was good and prompt. The large is really large! ($8.50) I think I'll just get the regular next time, even though I was able to finish it off.

    (4)

  • Amy D.

    Yelp reviews are mostly good for this place so we thought we would check it out since we were craving some Thai! My husband & I enjoy Thai food & this place was definitely a great spot for just that. Staff was friendly & supper attentive to our needs. They checked up on us frequently to see if we needed more drinks & how our food was! I ordered the 'Gra Pow Fried Rice' which was incredibly tasty! The vegetables in it were great & everything was perfectly cooked & seasoned. My husband ordered the 'Pad Thai.' He really enjoyed his dish as well. The food was SO good we almost couldn't stop eating. We also ended up with leftovers that we would have loved to take home & eat more of it later, but as we are just visiting the city our hotel doesn't have a place for us to store any leftovers. :( There were so many excellent things to choose from on the menu that it took us a little while to decide on something. I think this restaurant could possibly meet anyone's needs. We would love to try this place again to discover many more things on the menu to enjoy!

    (5)

  • Fatima B.

    It's a good restaurant! The food is amazing! The waiters are friendly. I recommend it for everybody!

    (5)

  • Devon A.

    Been here a couple of times and I've enjoyed the food both times. I am very weird when it comes to trying new foods so I got the same thing twice but with different meat. I bought the Crazy Udon plate with shrimp the first time. Second time I got the crispy chicken. I preferred the crispy chicken over the shrimp honestly. My only gripe with the plate is that while I love there are lots of vegetables, there's not that much noodles. And the decorative carrot was pretty tough to eat as well as the broccoli. I guess that's how they make Thai food. Not that it was bad though I love the dish. I guess I can ask for the vegetables to be boiled just a tad more. Prices are pretty good and the food is healthy. I can't wait to come back and bring a friend or just go on my own.

    (4)

  • Andrea L.

    My day so far when I arrived at Pho Basil: pack all my belongings in NY, drive 5 hours to Boston, unpack in Boston, spend an infuriating hour and a half attempting to find somewhere reasonably priced to park for the next several days, come back near my apartment incredibly grumpy. Pho Basil turned my day around. Not discounting the possibility that I was just really hungry, but this meal was awesome. I'm so excited to have it near my new place. I ordered the kua gai noodle with chicken and asked them to make it somewhat spicy; it was DELICIOUS and exactly what I'd hoped for in terms of spiciness. My boyfriend got the sweet and sour chicken--he said he wished it had more chicken, but I think he should just learn to appreciate his veggies and the delicious sauce they were in :) We also got a reasonably-priced bottle of wine (very necessary after the above day) from a longer-than-expected wine list. Service was kind and didn't rush us, even though we were the last table there. Atmosphere was nothing special, but I couldn't care less given how tasty the food was!

    (5)

  • M B.

    Shocked and dismayed by what we just experienced. Putting aside the slow service (over 15 min until they actually took our order) here's what arrived at my table: a nice looking bowl of Tom Yum, but something was odd. Didn't look overly, uh... clean. I rotate it to get the spoon that was tucked to its side, lift the spoon and... it was a USED spoon!!! Was half full with chunk of wet bitten white rise. OMG. That never happened to me even in the slimiest restaurants. Their excuse: "it was near a plate of rice in the kitchen". Aha... And it accidentally scooped a bite by a hungry ghost?? That incident will be reported to Department of Public Health. Wow. Can't believe all the good Yelp reviews are genuine.

    (1)

  • Ana V.

    Pho Basil is the only decent place in Boston that serves Thai cuisine. It may be my Boston's Apsara ( yelp.com/biz/apsara-rest… ).

    (4)

  • Dina R.

    Had to update this: my friend and I ordered food from here again - the exact same meal as last time, in fact - only this time it was via grubhub (i.e. it was delivery), and the quality was terrible. So basically what we learned is this: if you order the food IN the restaurant, it is flawless perfection, every bite of it. But if you order it via grubhub, as delivery, it arrives dried out, lacking sauce, and the flavor is mostly gone. So. Eat in and enjoy every morsel, but do NOT order this as delivery.

    (4)

  • Hana K.

    BEST THAI FOOD IN BOSTON! I have tried numerous places like Pho & I, Brown Sugar, Chili Duck, Thai Basil, PadThai Cafe, Pan Thai but Pho Basil is by far the best in flavor and presentation. I'm sure you've walked past their small entrance (on Mass Ave across from Mc. Donald's) millions of times but it's worth the visit. Recommended Food: Tom Yum Fried Rice -- (order this and you will be hooked for eternity!) Basil Fried Rice Green Curry Pad See You *Though they do so many things wonderfully here, I am not a fan of their Pad Thai. Recommended Drinks: Lychee Shake Thai Iced Tea Tips: Definitely get the lunch combo. For just $2, it comes with nice small sides of soup, salad, dumpling and veggies in a fried dough like samosas. They are delicious, fresh and worth the extra $. When they say their food is spicy, they mean it! I like how their menu indicates the spice level of each dish. Do not expect a full-on dining experience when you come here. It's more of a causal lunch sit-down restaurant. For dinner, I recommend getting a delivery or calling in to place an order to-go.

    (5)

  • Debra S.

    I had the chicken basil - was yummy! Portion sizes are large. Was there on a Saturday around 2pm... Place was packed. We were lucky to get the only open table. Would go again when I'm in Boston.

    (5)

  • Quynh C.

    This place has the best Thai food ever!! I got the flat rice noodle with chicken and veggies (pad see you sp?). We were visiting Boston for 4 days and we are here twice. It was that good! The service was great as well...quite different for an Asian restaurant. I would highly recommend this place if you are looking for Asian food in Boston.

    (5)

  • Brendan K.

    I eat a lot of pho, all around the country. This was the best overall pho experience Ive ever had. From the moment I walked in I could smell freshness and the cleanliness was immediately evident. No need to got into great detail describing the pho other saying it was totally awesomely proportioned flavor wise and not too salty. One gripe I had was too many noodles but I got over that by about the third spoon full. Fantastic

    (5)

  • James M.

    Great pre-theater or pre-concert dinner place! Had delicious dinner...noodles and spicy eggplant.

    (5)

  • Dorise G.

    Just had the small steak pho and a thai iced tea - both executed quickly and tastily (especially after a bit of a sriracha dousing)! My friend got the drunken noodles with tofu and it looked outstanding - I think that'll be my next adventure on their menu. Reasonable pricing, quick service, tasty food - I'll be back, fo sho.

    (4)

  • Maria V.

    Two years later! And I'm back to update you, dear Yelper, that indeed Pho Basil is a gem in this neighborhood, and you should definitely, definitely eat here. I've been here now 20+? 30+? times? Plus delivery and takeout? Not only is the food consistently good, not only is the service consistently courteous and fast, but Yelpers, I feel like I'm practically robbing the place when I get the bill. I still can't believe how inexpensive this place is - generally places don't stay this good AND this cheap over several years, but Pho Basil is a local pick for a very good reason. Generally I shy away from restaurants that mix different cultural cuisines as that means they do lots of things poorly, but Pho Basil is really one of the few - if not the only! - place I can think of that really does it all really well. If you're a repeat customer, it behooves you to try some of the seasonal specials here. You'll make some great discoveries.

    (5)

  • David G.

    OMG. This place is great and the prices are good. If you like thai or vietnamese....this place will rock your world. The pho was darn good, the pad thai great, the tod mun fish cakes great as well. We stuffed ourselves for 40 bucks including tip.

    (4)

  • Cung T.

    This is probably the best place to get Vietnamese food in Back Bay! It's near my school so I go here a lot. It's the default restaurant where my friends and I go when we can't decide where to eat. I've gotten everything from curry to drunken noodles to the traditional pho. The portions are pretty good and I always feel satisfied after a meal. The extra large pho is probably the best deal if you're really hungry, coming in at $8.50. My favorite dish is the lychee duck curry which comes with crispy roasted duck, curry, lychee, veggies, and rice! I also like getting a Thai ice tea too. Everything taste freshly made and very authentic. It gets pretty busy here for lunch and dinner, but you'll usually be seated within 15 minutes. The servers are nice and check in to see if your party is doing well. The place looks nicely decorated and the lighting is very dim. Whenever I'm feeling homesick for food, this place always does the job!

    (5)

  • Jackie K.

    Great pad thai. The curry was also good. They take reservations and were right on time.

    (4)

  • Jeff W.

    We were craving Vietnamese food after moving into our apartment all week and this hit the spot. My wife and I each got different pho dishes - Chan Chua for my wife and Mi Hai San for me. The tamarind-based Chan Chua was fantastic and the Mi Hai San was very delicious. The prices were very reasonable, the service was prompt without being over-kill, and the place was packed (we waited about 10-15 minutes for a table. I'm not exactly a pho connoisseur, but I'll definitely go back for this.

    (5)

  • Carolyn L.

    BF and I come here regularly, AKA borderline obsessively. Most of the servers recognize us by now and I'm sure one of them is convinced that I'm addicted to Thai iced tea like crack cocaine. "Aww no Thai iced tea for you today? Let me guess... chicken satay to start!" And he's right! Thai iced tea, chicken satay are both amazing - and that's just at the beginning of their menu. Recommended favorites are pad see eew, pineapple fried rice, and bun thit nuong but you can never go wrong with pork chop & rice, pad thai or a large bowl of pho dac biet. While many people may face a dilemma deciding on Vietnamese or Thai for dinner, you will have luckily evaded that crisis at Pho Basil. Let me go back to the service, however, because that's the reason why Pho Basil is best of the best. Being Asian, I've been to my fair share of Asian establishments and have had way too many pho/pad thai dishes for my own good. At no other Asian restaurant have I received such impeccable (yes, impeccable) service from the most attentive and friendliest servers every. single. time. I'm sure you can head to to to Pho Pasteur in Chinatown for good pho but when it comes to really enjoying your food in a nice, intimate and comfortable atmosphere, Pho Basil brings it over the top. Bravo, Pho Basil! Why can't all restaurants be like you?

    (5)

  • David W.

    The service was great and extremely fast! The food was good and there was plenty of it. We got a glass of their Zinfandel and two of their curry dishes with duck. The prices are very fair for what you get. Would definitely go there again :-).

    (5)

  • Roger S.

    Stopped in based on the Yelp reviews. It was OK. Ordered steamed dumplings and drunken noodles. My local Americanized Chinese place (as opposed to an authentic Mainland kind of place) stopped using MSG, so I'm not used to asking for food without. Eating Pho Basil's food left me with a whopping MSG thirst when I got home. Should have asked. Chicken in the Drunken Noodles was dry, and there were a slew of tiny pieces around the big chunks, as if they decided to use up some ground meat that they had leftover. Dumplings were small but tasty. Noodles were OK. Portion size OK too. Wait person asked me if I wanted it hot. I agreed, but it was mildly spicy. If you want hot, you might have to insult the chef to get him angry at you. I'd also get there with plenty of time to spare before closing. I arrived at 9:30, and I get the impression that the place rolls down the shutters immediately after 10. There was definitely a bums rush feel once 10:00 PM approached.

    (2)

  • Alisa K.

    Pho Basil is pretty awesome fo sho. I mean fa sho. (Apparenly pho is pronounced fa?) The food was fresh, the ambience nice, the menu large, and the service excellent. They have both Vietnamese (Pho) and Thai (Basil) food. I'm usually not into restaurants that claim to have two different cuisines, but they were so good about being explicit about which is which (down to their name), that I didn't mind. I went Vietnamese since I always go Thai, and I really liked it. I liked the vegetarian pho (though apparently you're supposed to add more hot sauce and fix-ins than I realized) and the hot pot --which contained these really yummy glass noodles. But my favorite dish of all was the Saigon noodles, which were like drunken noodles with a hint of ketchup (except in an awesome way that my description totally doesn't convey). My favorite non-culinary part of the meal was the presentation of the birthday cake. We went with a group of 7 for a friend's birthday and they were really accommodating about bringing out the birthday cake we brought with us. They even added their own candles and turned off the lights in the restaurant to sing. The moment when they turned off the lights, I was like, awwww and got all warm and fuzzy. It's the small things... and Pho Basil got all the small things and the big things right.

    (4)

  • Suzanne L.

    So good. At the recommendation of some other review, I ordered the Kao Soi the first time and have not managed to try anything else on my subsequent visits because it is so delicious. One time, I ordered appetizers with a friend, and they were pretty underwhelming. Service is fine. Reasonably priced, especially considering the portion size and how happy and full you leave...

    (4)

  • Barron R.

    I came here after seeing the fantastic reviews and realizing the proximity of this place to the place I'm staying. I absolutely LOVE Vietnamese Pho, so I was hoping to get the delicious, warming soup before I depart back to Pho-less South Florida. I walk into this place in the early afternoon and they seat me at the table next to the window. I was ridin solo, so the passerbys on the sidewalk kept me company. The waitress hands me the traditional menu and the lunch menu, which seemed to have incredible deals. After a quick glance I decide on the Chicken peanut--combo. The first portion came with a delicious soup along with some pot sticker type things and a great salad. Finally, the main course arrived and I was enthralled at the flavor for such a fantastic price. I left satisfied, happy, and with money in my wallet.

    (5)

  • Kate L.

    The best pad thai I've found in Boston! The portion sizes are very large, so you can easily split a dish with a friend and get drinks for both of you for $10 each (including tip!) The atmosphere is pleasant-- one small, relatively quiet room. Great decor and nice cozy lighting. Try their thai tea with bubbles...DELICIOUS! They are usually very busy and there's not much room to wait inside, so be prepared with warm clothes in the winter!

    (5)

  • Allie M.

    Great food, good service, vibrant atmosphere. Very popular on a Friday night, wait was very long, but we had a reservation and were seated right away. The curry puffs blew me away. Fantastic!

    (5)

  • John W.

    My colleagues and I order delivery ($2 service charge) once a week for dinner. From time to time, I do drop in for dine-in lunch as well. It does get busy while colleges are in session, so do plan accordingly. Great prices for students (or if you're on a budget). Try their daily lunch specials. My usual is the chicken satay, and pad Thai woon sen with chicken, and sometimes I add tofu (extra charge) to the dish. Traditional pad Thai is cooked with rice noodles, however "woon sen" is a clear bean thread noodle (derived from mung bean). It's lighter and not as heavy. I've been to many Thai places in the Boston area who claim their is the best, but this place prepares it the best in my opinion, lots of flavor without the greasy heavy taste. If you like traditional pad Thai, give this variation a taste. The chicken satay is grilled, only chicken breasts (a big plus) are used, and you get four skewers of generous portion per skewer. Dip it in thai peanut sauce and you'll make this your regular app as well. I also like their drunken noodles (with beef or chicken), which are stir-fried flat rice noodles. The fried chicken wings are excellent, although not traditionally Thai, chicken wings are one of my favorite foods. It's a caloric splurge. :) Tip, eat-in, it's fresher, without becoming soggy while sitting in a delivery box (like with any fried foods).

    (4)

  • Ambrose C.

    I went to this decent Thai/Vietnamese place with a couple of really interesting and cool people for lunch. They were offering this $6.95 lunch special where you could order various Thai/Vietnamese rice/noodle dishes. For an additional $2, you can add an appetizer which consists of soup, salad, a wonton dumpling and two tiny pieces of what appears to be crispy dumplings. I decided to get the Pad Thai with Pork. The lady got the Vietnamese Fried Rice, which is known as the Com Chien, while I believe the dude got the Pad Kra Pow, which consists of some chicken, mixed peppers and a spiced up sauce. It comes with rice. The soup was pretty good, liked the wakame inside. The vegetables of the salad were fairly fresh. The dumplings were fairly decent and the sauces were pretty good. As for the Pad Thai, the noodles were tasty, but the pork was a little dry and needed to be more tender. I did like the flavor of the Pad Thai, but I think they could do a little better. The lady and the dude seemed to have really liked their dishes and we had a great time catching up while enjoying our food. I did get my stomach fairly full, mainly because of spending the extra $2 on the appetizer. Interior was pretty good, a decent choice to set up an inexpensive lunch appointment. Overall, this place is at a great location, within walking distance of Fenway, Newbury Street, Back Bay, Symphony Hall, and the Christian Science Plaza. Although I believe can find better Thai and Vietnamese places, I think this is a pretty solid choice to get some decent Thai and Vietnamese food for lunch for under $10 without leaving Back Bay or Fenway.

    (4)

  • Barbara D.

    Me and 4 friends came during lunch on a weekday. You know how you go to a sit-down restaurant during your lunch break and you need them to take the order fast and the food to come out fast, well, that's why you opt for a Pho place. They always take your order as soon as you sit down and the food comes out in .5 seconds. Well...... that didn't happen at this Pho establishment. It took forever to flag someone down to take our order, and it didn't come out quick. When all the food did eventually come out, there was even more disappointment. The pho was bland, the pad thai was bland, and the tom yum noodle soup was not prepared right. I guess that is Mass Ave. Pho.

    (2)

  • Jackie K.

    Man did this place hit the spot. My friends and I were craving something warm, but couldn't decide what to eat. We stumbled upon this place on yelp and we were a bit hesitant to try this place. Being LA natives, we know good pho and bad pho, but we decided to give it a try. We all ordered the pho tai (rare steak). I had mine cooked well done and made sure the soup was less salty. Man did it hit the spot. The girls ordered a small and our guy friend ordered the large. The small was a bit small compared to what is given in la, but it was filling enough to keep us from being hungry. Everything was pretty good. Make sure to ask for sliced onions if you want them. We had to ask since they only gave us the sprouts. Make sure to come here if you want some good pho that is comparable to la's.

    (4)

  • Liliana C.

    Saigon Noodles. Order them. You'll want to eat lunch here every day. Friendly waitstaff and very very quick service. Make sure to order your meal as a "Lunch Combo"--all the sides are really delicious and worth every penny.

    (5)

  • Chris H.

    Good solid Thai / Vietnamese restaurant in Boston. Got the Saigon noodles and the eggplant with tofu--both were delicious. Clean and simple interior and friendly staff. Reasonable prices.

    (4)

  • Laura A.

    Best drunken noodles in all of Boston. My husband and I love eating at Pho Basil. It's our favorite Thai place in all of Boston. It's not fancy, but unbeatably great service, great food, and incredible value. Where else can two people order appetizers, beverages and entrees for less than $30 total? We adore the drunken noodles, the fresh spring rolls and the steamed shumai. Have yet to try any of the bubble teas, but they look amazing.

    (5)

  • C B.

    Never get headaches and frequently eat (and love) Thai and Vietnamese food but got a throbbing headache here after meal. Asked server if there was MSG in food and answer was yes - comes in chicken I ate. Just a warning - want to prevent anyone else from having the same reaction I had. Didn't think to ask before ordering - just didn't think this kind of place would serve food with MSG in it.

    (1)

  • Lauren G.

    The food is great but the service is absolutely awful! And don't bother with takeout it takes twice as long as they say it will

    (1)

  • Lam T.

    PHO REVIEW: Good pho dac biet. If you're from a big town of Vietnamese population, it's up to par. The pho criteria is incomplete but missing certain veggie and meat.

    (3)

  • Liana K.

    I've always felt that Boston had a severe lack of two things: 1. Cheap Sushi 2. Cheap thai food. Pho basil comes into my rescue for the later. Although I can't say its the best Thai food I ever had, its definitely one of the best in Boston and probably my favorite in the back bay area. I came here with my little bro for some sibling bonding. The staff were extremely attention and friendly towards us. The Drunken noodles were my fave. The red curry is good too. The only comment about the dishes is that I wish they were all spicier. Mochi was a grand way to end even as my belly was telling me to stop eating.

    (4)

  • Thien N.

    I'm Vietnamese and no one can make pho like my mama, hands down. With that preface, my expectation for pho is extremely high as I've criticized (and complimented) many different pho places in the Boston and surrounding areas. The pho at Pho Basil was mediocre. However, when I need a quick fix for my pho cravings (which is quite often), I usually go to Pho Basil since it's a 2-minute walk from my apartment. I've also tried other dishes on the menu. Their bun bo hue, although not quite authentic, it's pretty tasty. The portion is HUGE for the price. Their service is great! The wait staff is courteous and very helpful. They were even willing to split our bill 8-ways, which is rare in Boston. Their menu is huge and there are so many things to try. The Thai food is pretty good but their Vietnamese food is just sub-par. I would recommend you give them a try though. With their price tag ($), it's worth a trip to Pho Basil. What to try: Bun Bo Hue Drunken noodle Pho tai with meatballs Vietnamese iced coffee (noms)

    (4)

  • Lily G.

    Absolutely love this place. I have been going here for a decade by now and I have never had a bad experience. I must admit the seating is quite limited, so if you eat there you probably want to go earlier. The veggie triangles are amazing.

    (5)

  • Austin T.

    It's snowing, and my feet are wet, but I couldn't be happier with my Drunken Noodle dish and hot green tea. Great service to boot--they even put me by a window, for the view, because I was dining alone. Everything has been fantastic! This restaurant is also very convenient to the Hynes Convention Center. If you're looking for something on your conference lunch break, this is a great choice.

    (5)

  • Vikas J.

    Tried Pineapple fried rice, it was yummy.

    (4)

  • Liz A.

    This quaint restaurant is centrally located on mass ave (one a the few restaurants in the strip worth checking out). I really enjoyed the cozy atmosphere (close seating, dim lighting, semi-open 'back of the house' area and reasonably quiet considering how busy it was even at 5pm on a saturday). The menu is pretty extensive -including pad thai, curry, seafood, veggie, and pho. I got a pho dish with pork dumplings in a chicken broth, as I've gotten here the past three times. It was delicious and a pretty good serving size considering the price. The only reason for a one star deduction is for the way my boyfriend and I felt as if we were somewhat rushed to leave upon finishing our dinner and paying the bill -which in it of itself is not a big deal, it just bumps it out of a 5 star rating. Overall, I had a great time and would definitely recommend the place.

    (4)

  • Hersh S.

    One of the best Thai/Vietnamese restaurants I've been to. Don't be dissuaded by the fact that it offers both Thai and Vietnamese-it does both very well! Your order is taken quickly, you get your food quickly, the service is great, the portion size is large, and the food is delicious! And you get all this for cheap prices. As good as it gets for southeast asian food.

    (5)

  • Adam S.

    Very solid all around. Do not get the extra large soup unless you can eat a portion for two people. Good pricing and nice atmosphere. Great Pho and the service was pretty quick and friendly.

    (4)

  • M. N.

    Today I had a very bad experience with them, which is sad because I always had good comments and feedback about this restaurant. I specifically ordered fresh summer rolls, but the waiter came back with fried spring rolls. I instantly told him I did not order that. Few minutes later, the waitress who took my order came to my table and said "You ordered fried spring rolls". I kept telling her that I didn't and that I even specified that I wanted the "Pork and shrimp fresh rolls", she insisted I didn't. Few minutes later, she ended up bringing the fresh rolls but unfortunately she had charged us for the fried spring rolls AS WELL on our check. Ay ay ay. We pointed out the mistake (very kindly) and she did not seem happy at all. I also asked for dressing on the side for one of my salads (it's a thing I ask for at all restaurants, I just find the dressing too overwhelming anywhere I go), and they didn't give me the dressing, they had to go get it. Thankfully I was in a good mood today, but my boyfriend was not happy at all with the waitress's attitude throughout the experience.

    (2)

  • Sanam J.

    This was my third visit. 1st was pho: fresh, yummy, affordable. 2nd was drunken noodles and wine. Also good. Today was great and I felt compelled to write. The chicken in the pad Thai was overcooked but the taste was still great and you can't beat the portion size! The chicken mango curry was also super. Great flavor, ample veggies and mango pieces. The service has been consistently fantastic. I highly recommend Pho Basil. I know I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Robert S.

    My wife loves Bun and I love Pho, and Pho Basil delivered both dishes perfectly, quickly, and with excellent service when we went for a late weekday lunch. We started with Mango Bubble tea, which was delicious. My wife had the Bun Tom (vermicelli and salad bowl with grilled shrimp). The dish was delicious, but the skewer of shrimp came with the shells on which was a surprise and a bit of a mess to have to shell them herself. (We were used to this from living in SE Asia, but not the usual method in the USA.). My Pho Tai (beef noodle soup with rare slices of beef) was tremendous and good to the last drop. This was a great value and an excellent meal. Worth the walk across the river from MIT, and an easy walk to Fenway Park.

    (5)

  • Yash B.

    Wow! I have been to LOTS of Thai restaurants in Boston, and this one was the best. First of all, the service was very good. It is a bit small of a place, so I'm sure it can get crowded. Second, the appetizer I ordered (Spring rolls) was amazing! The menu was so long it took a bit of time to go through it ;) I ordered a basil fried rice and it was amazing. Also, the servings here are ENORMOUS. I know people say for some restaurants the servings are big, but I have a fairly large appetite, and I'm usually still hungry. But the servings here ARE actually huge. Good food, very good prices (dishes were $8-10, appetizers ~$4-5, wine was ~$5/glass), good service.

    (5)

  • Neal E.

    While staying at the Sheraton Boston, I looked on Yelp for Pho and found Pho Basil. I was initially leery of the place as Asian places that purport to do more than one Asian cuisine often can't do both well. It was a pretty darn cold evening in Boston - perfect for a steaming bowl of Pho! I was praying that their Pho Ga was made with a chicken broth - NOT a beef broth like the lazy Pho places offer. Lo and behold, when I arrived and read the posted menu outside the door - it specifically mentions that the Pho Ga is made with a rich chicken broth! Score! So I ordered the Garden Rolls and Pho Ga. The Garden rolls were very tasty, filled with a very fine shred of iceberg lettuce, like a very fine Chiffonade, and herbs and shrimp, rolled in rice paper, and served with a peanut dipping sauce. Of course I added Sriracha sauce directly to the peanut dipping sauce, as well as applying additional squirts of Sriracha directly to the rolls. Very yummy! I can't speak for what the Thai food is like, but the Pho Ga was excellent! Rich, savory, tasty broth, tender chicken (white meat), noodles not clumped or overdone, fresh sprouts, lime, and Basil. One thing was off though - no hot peppers offered on the plate of veggies/aromatics. Most places tend to offer jalapenos. I asked my server - she said they had no jalapenos. I asked if they had something comparable. She told me they had these really hot small green Thai chiles. I asked if she could bring me some. She asked if I wanted it whole or chopped up. I asked her to please slice or chop it up. So she brings me this small souffle cup half filled with the sliced green Thai chiles. She is looking at me with this dubious look - like she thinks there is no way I can handle these peppers. I tasted one and then proceed to dump most of them in the broth. I though her eyes were going to pop out of her head! But she didn't say anything. The peppers made the broth delightfully spicy and hot! As regular readers of this Yelpers reviews probably know - I love hot, spicy food and have never encountered something that exceeded my spice capacity. These peppers made the broth significantly hotter than jalapenos. But I loved it and after eating all the chicken, noodles, and veggies (with many squirts of Sriracha sauce added directly to most bites), I added some Sriracha sauce to the broth, stirred it in, and began slurping down spoonfuls, the drained the bowl. It seemed like my server came to check on me a couple of times as I was guzzling the broth. She asked me how it was and I told her excellent! If the top of my head is not perspiring, it's not a quality Pho experience! Will definitely come back here next time I am in Boston!

    (5)

  • Lisa B.

    This little place is Pho-ken solid! After one visit, I only have one gripe...choosing something to eat. Everything on the menu looks good. As it felt a little like South East Asia last night in Boston, Pho seemed like a good choice for my first night's visit dinner. Considering how hot it was, Pho was kind of out of the question, so I tried the Pad Gra Pow thai style stir-fried basil with ground chicken or beef, pepper and onion in garlic chili sauce. There's nothing like eating exceptional food when you're starving. I love Back Bay....now I have one more reason to head over there when I'm in town.

    (4)

  • E G.

    I've been picking up food from here for over a year (probably been here over 40 times in total). For the price, you'll have a hard time finding something better. The food is fresh, creative and with many interesting and distinctive flavors. Things to get: Beef Macadamia, Black Bean Catfish, Crispy Soft Shell Crab, Cashew Nut Chicken.

    (5)

  • Jason S.

    After visiting the MFA one day, I had a sudden craving for pho (well, I always have a craving for pho) and Yelp directed me to Pho Basil and Pho Basil did not disappoint! Although the restaurant is small, it works in that sense. The decor is adorable and the menu is full of variety. The waiter I had was AWESOME. I was butchering the items on the menu and he kindly taught me how to say them. He definitely made the experience a lot better. I ordered the Xe Lua and it was amazing. The broth was delectable, on par with the pho back home. The serving of Xe Lua was HUGE. I couldn't finish it and I'm usually pretty good on finishing pho. Great price, great staff, great food. What more could you ask for? Well, perhaps bring a great friend too.

    (5)

  • Jeff C.

    Great place and super reasonable price. We had enough food for a family of four and we were looking for the other half of the bill.

    (5)

  • Jenna K.

    I'm not sure what other people are talking about but the price of this food is expensive. It looks cheap but $7 for 3 small egg rolls is a joke. Ordered three different appetizers and each one was smaller than the next. The crab rangoon literally had 4 miniature rangoon. Food was very good and delivery only took about an hour (which was better than I thought), but the portions are seriously small. For the price, I can find cheaper for the same quality.

    (3)

  • Ays M.

    The best Thai food.. Everything is so tasty. i prefer the spicy ones. The place is always crowded but you can still find a place.

    (5)

  • Julie B.

    A very solid Vietnamese-Thai place in the Berklee/Northeastern area. I used to order take out from Pho Basil when I lived in the area and usually stuck with the basics -- pho tai or drunken noodles. I dined in for the first time last night and was pleasantly surprised with the service. They were friendly and most importantly, kept the water glasses full. My biggest pet peeve with places that serve spicy food is not keeping up with the water pouring -- at Pho Basil I felt like I had my own private water pourer! I ordered Saigon noodles with chicken and it was delicious. Nice amount of spice, big portion, and filled with vegetables.

    (4)

  • Chris H.

    Excellent Thai Food. I love the drunken noodles. The crispy thai chicken wings are a great app. This is a good restaurant and the service is always fast and consistent.

    (4)

  • Olivia D.

    I've probably been here about 15 times and it doesn't help that my apartment is right around the block. I've gotten everything from their pad thai to their pho to their curry- and every dish has been spectacular. I really wish they knock down the restaurants next to them (Nan Ling? What??) and expand this place. Friday and Saturday nights can have a wait up to 30 minutes, so either reserve or come in at a weird time. Also, fantastic service! My friend thought her fried rice didn't have enough sauce and too dry, and they happily brought it back in and added more. Also my water glass was always full. That says something. On the weekdays try to talk to the owner Kay! He's so sweet and such a nice guy :)

    (5)

  • Chelsea L.

    A cute little affordable restaurant on a high foot traffic area of Mass Ave. Typically I love eating here and end up ordering either the pad thai or the pho dac biet, both of which are absolutely delicious and cheaper than other thai and vietnamese restaurants in the area (such as Pan Thai or Pho and I). However, today I ordered the bun thit nuong, which is a mix of vermicelli noodles, vegetables, and your charbroiled meat of your choice. I decided on the pork, which I guess wasn't a good decision. The dish was okay overall, but the actual pork had more fat on it than actual meat. And I don't have a particular aversion to fatty foods, but I am no Paula Deen. Hence, I could not eat half of the pork that was given to me. So overall, the portions are decent, and the pad thai and the pho are definitely worth ordering. However, I would not order anything with "charbroiled pork" there anymore. Blech.

    (3)

  • Maria V.

    You can find me here several times a month... I'm addicted to Pho Basil! Amazing food at a great price point, especially the lunch special. Favorites: their pad thai (and the crispy version) are fantastic takes on a classic dish; the jungle curry will make your nose run due to spiciness but it's worth the tissues; beef thit lui is a delicious teriyaki appetizer; wild boar basil is spicy tastiness; and the tamarind duck is wonderfully crispy with an amazing sauce. Why yes, I do come here a lot! The wait staff is always very kind, although the restaurant gets pretty slammed during peak lunch and dinner hours, and will take any special requests for your meal. The thai iced tea is quite good, and the ambiance of the restaurant is very nice considering how cheap the food is. Great seasonal specials, too! One of my regular haunts in the Boston area.

    (5)

  • Olivia Y.

    This place never gets old. Literally the best viet and thai place that I have been to in all of Boston.

    (5)

  • Simon J.

    Very good value for the price. The staff is friendly, and the food is freshly prepared. Roti Curry dip is pretty good as an appetizer, and most of their dishes but I've tasted have been quite excellent.

    (5)

  • nicholas l.

    Awesome! Delivery took about 90 minutes but it was worth it. Delivery driver was great to! Well done! Thanks

    (5)

  • Andrea T.

    Excellent food and the staff is always very friendly. I love Pho Basil!! I go there at least once a month. So far everything I've tried is excellent, the portion sizes are very generous and its affordable. I like everything but the drunken noodles, pad thai, and the tamarind duck are my favorite dishes.

    (5)

  • Bob L.

    I give Pho Basil a solid four stars. I'm not sure what is keeping me from giving them five, because each of my meals at Pho Basil have been fantastic. To start, the atmosphere is modern, seems clean, and the wait staff are attentive. The tables are a little crammed, but we're dining at a little Thai place downtown, I'm not expecting much more than what they offer. The food is fantastic. My favorite is the vegetarian Pad Thai which is served with lots of bean sprouts, and ground peanuts on the side. The portions are large and price is reasonable. I'll keep going back!

    (4)

  • Pough K.

    salty broth, otherwise spot on.

    (4)

  • Bailey M.

    After checking out the reviews on Yelp my boyfriend and I decided to give this place a shot for my birthday. We went a little on the early side for dinner because it does get busy, even busy pre-dinner time but was seated immediately (maybe 5:45-6pm on a Saturday night). So here's the breakdown: Location: Easy to get to. Took the 39, walked a couple minutes and you're there. Atmosphere/Service: Busy, thin restaurant. Waitresses and waiters flying by, pretty friendly. They leave you alone for the most part when you get your food. I'm usually not picky about service as long as you're not rude. And it's busy so I don't mind. Food came out with good wait time, though I took one bite of my appetizer and the meal was put down a second later. Food: We ordered the Thit Lui, 2 marinated beef (or chicken) skewers, came with pickled veggies and peanuts (I don't remember seeing many peanuts on it..) but good flavor, burnt at the top though. I honestly tried cutting them with a fork and knife, I wasn't sure if I should use my hands, but the utensils couldn't get through the meat, so a little tough to rip off the skewers. I ordered the chicken peanut sauce dish, very good! came with broccoli, pea pods, and pineapple all smothered in the peanut sauce, thick consistency with a peanut butter taste. Maybe it doesn't look appealing with a pile of brown chunky sauce but don't let it distract you to how good it tastes! Not spicy though I believe it says it's supposed to be but I'm not complaining I cleaned the plate. Boyfriend ordered the Bangkok ribs, the sauce is to die for. I was dipping my peanut chicken in it the whole time to make it nice and spicy! It was a curry sauce with coconut and lime with a lot of flavor. He was a fan, it was everything he said his heart desired. The ribs themselves were a little tougher but were pork ribs, the sauce is what made them. Definitely a hands on dish, so get ready to ask for more napkins! The thai iced tea and thai bubble tea paired perfectly (cools your mouth down very well if eating something spicy). And it was my first time trying bubble tea! They add a lot of tapioca to the bubble tea! Very good drinks. We were both very happy with our meals and each other meals! Great prices and amount of food, will be returning to try all of the other things on the menu (I couldn't make up my mind!)

    (4)

  • Chewie L.

    One of my fave vietnamese places ever. They serve a few dishes that nowhere else has or does well: Bun bo hue, Khao Soi, Bo Kho. Oh and the 5-spice duck leg. I usually order the Khao Soi (without the picked radish) and it's just so delicious. Love the crispy chicken they serve it with. Definitely one of my favorite dishes on a cold day.

    (5)

  • Steve S.

    My ex girlfiend always wanted to venture to Dorchester for Pho. She lived right next to Pho Basil, so I could not understand the inclination. Lets commute 20 minutes, find parking and navigate traffic with Pho Basil downstairs Pho Basil is as good as any Dorchester based soup place. I should know I work in Dorchester. I only tried the Pho. I am partial to the spicy chicken and pineapple soup, which had a good kick with plenty of chicken and yes pineapple. So it met expectations My Ex always had different combinations and iterations of various Vietnamese food. All seemed decent to me For Pho, Pho Basil certainly is worth the trip(Then again it does have Pho in its name)

    (4)

  • Kiki W.

    The service was good and the food was really cheap. But the food was just OK. I was so excited to try this place since I saw Chef Mcdang, the most famous Thai chef, visited here once. It seems like whoever took the chef there did not have a good palet. The restaurant claim itself to be a Vietnamese restaurant since 80% of the menu is Vietnamese and the rest is Thai. Surprisingly, all of the waitpeople are Thai. I am Thai too. Once they knew that I was Thai, some of them became even more friendly. I went there with my boyfriend. We ordered the Curry Puff, Banh Xeo, Tai Pho and Tom Yum Noodle Soup. The curry puff was quite good but contained thick layers of pastry. The Banh Xeo was bland which disappointed me because it was the dish that I was looking forward to. The Tai Pho was too sweet and little bland. The Tom Yum Noodle soup was also too sweet and lacked salt (or fish sauce). Overall, the experience is quite good because of the service and the price. But if you asked me if I would go back again I would say no because the food was below par.

    (3)

  • Diana L.

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. Me and my buddy are the Pho enthusiasts of my class. We used to go to Le's in cambridge which is good but a little bit of a trek for me. This place was closer and since I began, I go almost every week! I can't vouch for the other foods since I think Pho will always top anything on the menu but my friends have tried some of the other foods and they enjoy them as well. This is a pretty casual, come as you go place but they are also accommodating. I had a 15 person dinner there once and they were very nice about setting it up for us (made reservation). We prob took up 1/3 of the seating with that-to give u an idea of the space. Ok the staff there is SUPER NICE. Happy to split checks, very vigilant about your drinks, etc. Highly recommend it. Every one I've taken here loves it. ========================================= Update: February 01, 2013 Since my first review: I have seriously gone back every other week. Still better than Le's (although Le's is still very good). And they are always so nice to give me extra cilantro, sprouts, and limes YUUUUUMMMMM!!!!

    (5)

  • Linda B.

    I used to frequent here and when I'm in town, I still will cross the river just to go to this place, despite many similar restaurants in Cambridge. They specialize in Thai and Vietnamese food, and I think they manage to do both cuisines justice. I think I've had just about every dish there is to try here, but I'm quite addicted to the roti 'n curry dip (basically scallion pancakes with a green curry dipping sauce--a nice switch-up from soy sauce) and could have that for dinner alone! I also recommend the vermicelli bowls. It's a fairly small restaurant and dimly lit, so it retains a pretty nice ambiance even when every single table is occupied. The staff are all very sweet and attentive as well.

    (4)

  • Veronica E.

    My friends and i were on Newbury Street in Boston and wasnt sure where to eat. We came across this via a recommendation- it was like a asian fusion of Lao, Thai, and Vietnamese. It was pretty good, better than i expected- i had doubts as i'm from the west coast and not a fan of Asian Fusion restaurants. We had the Pad Thai and some rice dish. My friend had the Pho which also looked great on a snowy day -- we went back in Jan. we had Mango with Sticky rice and it was delish! I'd say try it and see for yourself!

    (3)

  • mvc j.

    Pho Basil gets 1 star from me. The food here was actually not bad - I would rate food alone 3 stars. However, honesty, ethics, regard for health regulations and service get a solid 1 star. I ordered my entrée, and it was incorrectly served to a guest near me, where it sat for 4-5 minutes. After a waiter came by and realized they had served my entrée to the wrong guest, they took it back to the kitchen and served the same entree to me - not a replacement new serving. As I had seen it had been served to the wrong guest and was sitting there for some time, I asked the waiter if this was the case, and he said yes, and I refused it, and required a new entrée be made and served. The waiter was apologetic and appeared to be embarrassed at being caught red handed in this ruse. Thankfully, I observed the guest who was wrongly served my entrée had not touched it. But the waiter and staff did not know that, and serving food that had been sitting in front of another guest for some time is clearly unethical and a breach of health codes, and if they were willing to do that in this instance, I can imagine they are willing to break ethical protocols and health codes in other instances. Completely unacceptable - I will never return, and will not recommend others to come to Pho Basil based on this serious and what may be a routine and thoughtless breach.

    (1)

  • Bjorn G.

    Their curry dishes are really great, especially the red curry. Definitely one of my go to places in Boston! The service is quick and they are consistently friendly.

    (4)

  • John C.

    Affordable, consistant service, good food. On par with best thai/vietnamese I've had in Boston. The Pho Ga is great everytime I get it.

    (5)

  • Danny L.

    I wish I lived in Boston, because I would definitely be a regular frequenter at this place. I was in town for a convention and while wandering around, decided to try out this place based off of the yelp reviews. As other reviewers have mentioned, this place specializes in both Vietnamese and Thai cuisine, though I'm going to go out on a limb and say that their Thai dishes may be slightly better, as their staff is from my last visit primarily Thai. However that is only an assumption and not fact to how well a person can prepare food. I may be wrong, and I probably am, because I did in my visit decide to sample dishes from both sides of the menu. When I say both sides, I mean something from each country. Their menu is huge. If I remember correctly, I believe their menu encompasses almost all of the main staples as well as a few lesser known items from both countries. Also, the prices are very reasonable, and by reasonable I mean cheap. With the majority of the menu items under $10, it feels like you are stealing from or cheating them with the amount of food they give you. The portions are huge. I had about half of my Tom Yum fried rice, and had to take the rest home. Yes, I said Tom Yum fried rice. Tastes exactly as you can imagine it's name, if you've had either dish. I feel like this restaurant does justice to the cuisine of both countries and everything is very flavorful, as well as plentiful. However, like I've said before, they are a tad better at making Thai food, but their Vietnamese food is good as well. If I'm ever back in the area, I'll definitely stop by again. Summary: Extensive menu, great tasting/flavorful food, HUGE portions, great/cheap prices

    (5)

  • Michelle N.

    My sister took the family out to Pho Basil for dinner today and I was actually pretty impressed! I am from Seattle and Vietnamese food there is very big; very traditional and savory. I was a bit skeptical at first because the restaurant offers two cuisines; I thought one or the other might be lacking. Apparently the restaurant has been newly renovated. It is very quaint, cute, and clean. Seating is inconvenient - the tables are squished, cramped, and tiny but nothing you can't work around if you compromise a bit! (1) "mi hai san" (seafood egg noodle soup) - although on the more plain side, pleasant. (2) "pho bo vien" (meatball rice noodle soup) - yummy, no "wow" factor but good. (3) "drunken noodles" (wide rice noodles with veggies, spicy basil sauce) - a bit on the dry side but I did appreciate the bamboo shoots they put in the dish :) nom nom nom! noodles were very wide and not cut... hmm.. (4) "thai fried rice" - was enjoyed, good to take home if you have leftovers. (5) "goi cuon" (spring rolls, 2 pieces cut in half) - boring; fresh rice paper but was composed of mostly shredded lettuce, few vermicelli noodles, and maybe one or two little pieces of shrimp. Not the whole *shebang* you would find elsewhere. Peanut sauce was fairly bland in comparison to most goi cuon dipping sauces. (6) "fried calamari" (appetizer with dipping sauce that tasted like a nuoc mam [spicy, sweet fish sauce] mixed with thick sweet chili sauce) - really good. Large portion of nicely fried calamari. However, the stale pieces of crunched up cha gio wrapper were kind of unnecessary. Because they were stale. Servers, for the most part, were kind and attentive. Heavily staffed, probably for the influx of customers come evening time. One female server almost dumped the hot bowl of "mi hai san" on one of the guests at our table because it was too heavy for her. She then struggled to set down our second "thai fried rice." Was a bit haphazard and should have been handled a bit more carefully.

    (4)

  • O. D.

    I got there from a second "try" during my business trip to Boston. First night place was so busy - i just walked by to a next restaraunt. last day i tried it for lunch when it was rather empty. not completely satisfied on this visit. it has potential but.... thai ice bubble tea was so sweet i didn't really enjoy it. way too much sugar in there. lunch combo had a very nice soup and couples of appetizers, but salad dressing again had too much sugar in there and main dish (drunken noodles) was so overdone with fish sauce - i gave up after few forks. service was excellent. overall 3 stars for this one visit.

    (3)

  • Lizzie S.

    My boyfriend and I ordered Tom Yum soup, Crispy Noodle Pad Thai, and Pad See You with tofu from Pho Basil last night and it was all SOOO GOOD!!!! I highly recommend this place for take out!!!

    (5)

  • Lisa R.

    I realized that every time I ate here I either had stomach problems after, or got a migraine. So I hadn't been here for lunch in a while. I ended up there last week, so I asked about what I could get without MSG. If you get one of the "lo cal" dishes, and pick amongst a couple of their curry sauces, there's no MSG. So I had the chicken & mixed vegetables with yellow curry. It was great, and I had no side effects! I wish I had asked them about that much sooner.

    (4)

  • Tanika M.

    Friend calls me and asks me to find a Thai food place. Did my research and according to other yelp members this was a must try! And they would be ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! Everything about here is spot on! An extensive menu with variety for any dietary, taste bud, seasoned or the first timer. The wine list was great as well! The waiters were SO friendly and helpful! They made sure we had the best experience! And I noticed that for every table! Oh and this place was packed! I recommend making a reservation. We got a window seat and we just laughed and ate everything. Nothing left on the plate! SO GOOD! They definitely earned every award that was hung up in their entrance! Getting there will take time and then it will take more time to park. You may have to go in circles for awhile. But it is certainly worth it. Don't want to bother? Take the T. It is very convenient. Right across from Berkeley school of music. Will definitely go again!

    (5)

  • John C.

    This place have some pretty good pho, I'm from the bay area, so I would know good pho. lol Went here the day after Sandy hit the East coast, for something that would remind me of home. The pho was broth was flavorful, right size, and they actually have the right veggies. The only thing I didn't like was the mussel i got to go; that kinda fell flat. Over all it was a decent place for some good pho.

    (4)

  • Eric F.

    Talk about an unlucky streak this weekend with one disappointment after another. The reviews for Pho Basil are consistently very good, but I unfortunately have to differ: Bo Vien (pho with meatballs) - light and flavorful broth that's well above average, but the noodles were overcooked (ie. slightly mushy) and the Large was on the skimpier side for the price. For ~$7.50, you can get an XL at any other legit Vietnamese place. Tom Yum Noodle Soup - such fail...the broth literally tasted like Chef Boyardee tomato sauce spiked with red chili flakes for some spice. My bro had the same dish at another Thai place in Brookline just yesterday and even he said there was a night and day difference. I did appreciate the fairly attentive service and cleaner interior as opposed to the dingy spots in Chinatown, but man that was one crappy bowl of noodle soup.

    (1)

  • Stacy H.

    i've been here quite a few times before giving them my final three-star review. even as a vegetarian, i've had much more flavorful broth for the pho. their spring rolls are pretty good, but without the sauce, they're bland. as for their drinks, their vietnamese coffee is definitely authentic and strong, but you have to ask for condensed milk or else they won't give it to you. their thai iced tea was also incredibly sweet. come here if you're looking for a cheap meal near berklee.

    (3)

  • Flo J.

    Best place ever! I have been here pretty much thirty times the past year and I live far Pho Basil. As a Vietnamese & Chinese American, I can say that I am really picky with my pho. This place has the best broth and food ever. My favorites: Pho Ga, Pho Tai, Drunkin Noodles, DUCK NOODLE SOUP, and pretty much everything. My only negative tip is to not order the viet spring rolls. They are filled with a lot of lettuce and no noodles. Love love this place. Closed to Newbury st and inexpensive

    (5)

  • Andrew C.

    On a chilly day, I really desired a bowl of hot soup. Pho Basil did not satisfy that desire. Maybe the lunch crowd was different today because it was chilly out, the restaurant seemed that it couldn't handle the rush. It seemed unorganized. I appreciate restaurants that bring out food as it is hot and ready, but some members or our group were getting dishes 5 and 10 minutes apart. My soup took longer than other "cook to order" meals. After 5 minutes of waiting, my friend offered me some of his food. When my soup came out, it was not hot, but warm enough to make the rare beef well done. No spoons,chopsticks, or Pho fixings (bean sprouts, basil, lime). I had to get up to ask the waitress for these essential Pho items. My soup was getting even colder because the heat didn't seem to be on, and people were waiting by the door, keeping it ajar. To make it worse, the beef was extremely fatty! The name of the restaurant is Pho Basil, that should be your specialty! Not today. I can't say that I'll never eat here again. The place was clean, the food looked appetizing and tasted fresh. This is an established restaurant in a busy part of town. Don't let your guard down!

    (2)

  • Chris C.

    Super-friendly staff Frequent refills of your drinks Delicious and varied food and $2 makes your lunch special a combo (with delish soup, two tiny cute veggie somosas, a potsticker and small salad.) I love this place!!!

    (5)

  • Sidney L.

    They have a pretty eclectic menu for a pho restaurant - pad thai (Thai), gyoza (Japanese), shumai (Chinese). Interesting. This place always seemed so busy when I would walk by, so I finally decided to give this place a shot. - Chicken pho - Delicious! I loved the broth, which was a very flavorful and healthy-tasting chicken broth. - Banh xeo (Vietnamese crepe) - This was unfortunately quite mediocre. The crepe was thin and soggy, and did not have that crispy texture. I also had to chew through a lot of cartilage in the pork. Not good at all. - Crispy pad thai - Ordered this because it sounded intriguing. It was unfortunately very, very salty. I had to mix in lots of bean sprouts to combat the saltiness! - Strawberry smoothie (sinh to dau) and coconut juice were both good. The service here was excellent. My waitress was very friendly, filled our waters often, and checked in on our table with a smile. Unfortunately, the food was not quite as good.

    (3)

  • Alexandra L.

    Pho Basil is my go-to restaurant in Boston. The food is always good, and the service is exceptional. Even when I order take-out, everyone is friendly and talkative. I've been here so often (my boyfriend has been the Duke a few times) that the staff knows my name. It's *that* restaurant; I will love it forever. Things to order: - Pho dac biet - Chili shrimp - Pineapple fried rice - Spicy basil anything - Tom yum

    (5)

  • Amélie K.

    Tasty and reasonably priced. It was a lot of food, but having not had a good full meal in a while (I was recovering from surgery) it hit the spot. It's not the best Thai I've had, but I definitely would recommend it if you're in the area and have a hunkering for Thai or Vietnamese and can't pick a cuisine.

    (4)

  • Kelly O.

    Excellent spot for lunchtime. You've got about 20+ choices of entrees for a $6.95 lunch (comes with rice) plus the rest of the huge menu at usual price (still cheap), and for $2 more you can get an additional miso soup, salad, 1 steamed gyoza, and 2 fried veggie triangles. It's a great deal and a large amount of food. I was impressed with the food's quality especially at the price, everything was really fresh and flavorful, and presented beautifully on these rectangle plates. My chicken pineapple with peanut sauce was delicious, and I enjoyed my extras as well (soup was tasty, salad was standard, gyoza was standard, triangles were tasty). I also tried the spicy crab rangoons with apple dipping sauce which was unique and yummy. Everyone in my party was also pleased with their choices. This is a small, casual place but it's cheery inside with excellent service. Definitely check it out for lunch.

    (4)

  • Vera T.

    5 stars for way above and beyond service. I ordered meals for myself and 2 others via foodler... not realizing that I'd set the filter for take-out instead of delivery - and - I was not in their delivery area. After I figured this out, I called and asked for their assistance. They agreed to make the delivery, asked me to pay the delivery fee in cash - and then apologized for how late it would be. The delivery person was very nice and polite - after having to drive way out of his way to a strange neighborhood - that not just good customer service - that is being *nice*. I certainly would not have had the least complaint if they'd refused to help me out. I appreciate the consideration, a lot. Now, I will review the food - and, dear reader, take into account that - due to this customer's negligence, the food was two hours cold by the time we got it Chicken Satay - tender skewers of grilled chicken, with spicy peanut sauce and a nice, herbed, thinned duck sauce. Plus a nice assortment of tomato, cucumber, lettuces ..Affordable app, that was it's own meal Seafood Rad Nar - in an unusual twist on the norm - the seafood in this mix was excellent, the noodles, sauce and veg - bland. I rarely order seafood anything at a non-seafood place, but - in this dish, the scallops tasted like scallops, squid like squid - etc... but, the insipid sauce, and overdone veg and noodles were a big draw back. I'm pretty sure this is a result of the old&cold problem - I'll try again. Grilled Chicken banh with spring roll - vegetables generous and good quality, chicken, grilled tender deliciousness - and notably different flavor from the satay - spring roll = perfect. Outstanding....

    (4)

  • Hitomi A.

    Great food for a reasonable price. The servers are also really friendly. The taste can be a bit on the strong side, though, so beware if you're sensitive to stronger flavors. I usually just share with my parents to get more variety, but the pho (the x-large one), the summer rolls, the kua gai noodles, and the pad thai are pretty good. Overall, a great deal.

    (4)

  • Caro M.

    To preface this review, I want to note that I am of Vietnamese descent. Additionally, I hail from the Bay Area where Vietnamese food is like, totally the bomb. (Westsoiiiiide!) That being said, holy shit! For two years, I've complained about the lack of good Vietnamese restaurants in the Boston area. This hidden gem flew under the radar, only to blow me away on my first visit. The portion sizes are perfect, as are the prices! A Thai and Vietnamese fusion; it's a genius culinary dichotomy that no other two Southeast Asian cultures could conjure up! I got some peanut chicken lunch special (priced under $7) and a bowl of sweet, sour, delectable Canh Chua with skrimps (under $4). The ingredients they use are fresh and cooked just right. The flavors are abundant but not overwhelming. The portions are priced perfectly and the location is smack dab in Berklee hipster land off Mass Ave and easy to get to. Xinh Xinh in Chinatown was my go-to once upon a time, but Pho Basil definitely reigns supreme. Service is aces, too. You won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Jack K.

    Pho Basil was recommended to me by a friend and I am glad she told me about this place. As soon as I walked in, I was welcomed by friendly hosts and servers and was seated immediately. The place is a bit cozy, as in really small and has limited seating, but the food and service are worth it. We sat down and immediately ordered Pad Thai with Crispy Chicken. I just have to say that it has the Thai guy's seal of approval. It tasted much like how my mom would make it at home and had the right amount of sweetness and savory-ness. Yum.

    (5)

  • Jeff M.

    Good, basic and solid option. Nothing too crazy here.

    (3)

  • Jin A.

    I was in Boston for a conference and let me tell you fellow Yelpers, the food was divine! Expect a bit of a wait during peak hours but the food - both in terms of food and quality - is completely worth it. I came here 3 times during the course of my stay in the city and I can highly recommend both the pho and the insanely good Pad Thai. I am just sad that I live very far away and won't be able to visit again any time soon!

    (5)

  • Priya A.

    I love Thai food and sometimes crave for it!!! My friends and I had come to Pho Basil and loved the food. They have an extensive vegetarian menu and almost everything I ordered was good. I don't remember the names of all the dishes, but Crazy udon was pretty good and so was Xao Gung (stir fried ginger). We had lunch special once and it comes with a small plate with tofu soup, veggie triangle and dumpling and salad. The veggie triangle was good. I was a little disappointed with the curry dishes though. I did not like their panang curry and massaman curry for some reason. So next time I would stick to their noodle dishes and vietnamese specials. I had their avocado shake and lychee shake. I loved the lychee one better than avocado. They get very busy on weekends. I was here on a sunday afternoon and there was almost 30-40min wait. Their tables are very small and you are constantly trying to move dishes around to eat. Their staff is very friendly and the dishes came out very quickly which was a plus.

    (4)

  • Rae R.

    I've been going to Pho Basil consistently since moving to the neighborhood a couple of years ago. It is my go-to place for delicious Vietnamese or Thai food. And it's about time to finally review this place and refute some of the negative or incorrect criticism: First off: This is not, I repeat, NOT, a fusion place. Pho Basil serves both authentic Vietnamese food and authentic Thai food. They they do not make any hybrid type dishes that would merit calling this a fusion place. Second: Viet-Thai restaurants really aren't that rare. When I used to live in Vancouver and Toronto where there is a large Asian population, Viet-Thai restaurants are abundant. And if you think about it, it's not that weird. After all, the two countries are side by side, so it's not so far fetched to think a chef/cook would know how to cook the cuisine of neighboring countries. Third: While I haven't had everything on the menu, there are several stand-outs. And these recommendations come from someone who has grown up on the West Coast where good Asian food is abundant. RECOMMENDED DISHES: *Pad Thai with crispy chicken This is solid, and arguably one of the best pad thai's I've ever had. It's not soaked in too much sauce, not too sweet, not too dry, but just right. This dish tastes fresh, with the customary fixins. And yes, it contains peanuts (contrary to another reviewer's complaint that this dish lacked peanuts). *Bun Thit (Vermicelli bowl) with grilled pork I adore all the tastes and senses this dish evokes. Imagine a bowl of soft vermicelli noodles counter-balanced with the fresh crispness of shredded lettuce, bean sprouts, carrots, cucumbers and cilantro. Throw on top of that the smokiness of grilled pork which has been marinated in all kinds of goodness, a sprinkle of peanuts for crunch, and you got yourself an amazing, authentic, and well executed Vietnamese dish. *Crispy Spring Rolls Small bite-sized goodness that honestly rivals the ones my mom makes. *Massamun Curry When this is on the menu, you MUST MUST MUST order it. Massamun is my favorite type of Thai curry dish, and Pho Basil does it well when it's on the menu. Apparently whatever spices they use in the curry are only in season a certain time of the year. Whatever. I say everyone ask for this regardless and maybe they'll make it *Honorable mention goes to the roti with curry dip. I could be wrong, but I think this is more of a Malaysian dish. Finally, the bowls of pho are good. Admittedly, I've had better. I wish they'd put more meat in them. However, I'm will to forgive them because of the great service and clean, new-ish restaurant. Bottom line: Pho Basil has some misses on their menu (like any restaurant) but has far more hits. And their hits beat all the other similar places in Boston in terms of taste, value, authenticity.

    (4)

  • Yvonne Y.

    Very impressed by the high quality beef used in the Bun Bo Hue and Pho.

    (4)

  • Lindsay M.

    My favorite place to order take-out Thai food. They're reasonably priced for the amount of food you get!

    (5)

  • Ella B.

    Whenever I'm a little stressed or feeling overwhelmed, I really crave some comfort food -- what's my comfort food you ask? It's pho! So walking back from the dr's office and facing a mounting problem set for statistics, I am feeling a little downtrodden. I head into Pho Basil and am not super impressed that they serve both Vietnamese and Thai food -- I'm not a fan of the "dual" cuisine restaurants... you know, jack of all trades... anyway, I order my usual Pho Ga (chicken pho in chicken broth). Small for $6.50 - very reasonable. Not too much meat in the soup, it was a little too salty - but it was fast, clean, reasonable and polite. I'd go back and even look past the whole mixed cuisine thing -- but I guess this is New England and apparently the mixed asian restaurant thing happens a lot. Accepts credit cards, no minimum charge for eating in, sort of small and tables are close together, but it is Mass Ave real estate, gotta it pack it in there!

    (4)

  • J E.

    I ordered from Pho Basil for the first time tonight. I ordered online and had it delivered to my apartment. It took them about 30-40 minutes to deliver which was fine and the food arrived nice and hot! I decided to try the Drunken Noodles with chicken and the Spicy Rangoon. First off, the drunken noodles were an awesome portion size! The noodles were great, the veggies were fresh and not overcooked, and the chicken was yummy! The only thing I wasn't crazy about was how spicy hot it was. I don't mind spice, but after a while I couldn't really taste the flavors over the heat, which was a little disappointing. There were definitely some hot pepper seeds in there! The rangoon was crispy and the filling was a good mix of crab and cream cheese... and you could taste the crab! I will definitely be ordering from Pho Basil again, but I'll just be a little more wary of how spicy everything is!

    (4)

  • Meatdowntown C.

    The drunken noodles are great. The PHO are great with fresh basil on the side. I just got the vegetarian version but I saw some of the ones that came with meat looking very tasty.

    (4)

  • Ladyjane S.

    This is not real Vietnamese food. The broths are overly salted and seasoned. The duck noodle soup would have been tasty, but was way to salty to enjoy. Same goes for the curry noodle soup. The food in general is just too salty. I think the igredients they use for the most part are fresh but I just feel gross after eating here. I haven't found one thing I actually enjoyed. The service, however is great.

    (2)

  • Ryan S.

    Pad Thai is the best thing here! As much as I love this place nothing beats the Pad Thai. Although you really can not go wrong with most other dishes on this menu, I always stick to the pad Thai. One of theses days I will try other items, but for now I always leave happy with this entree. The soups are super good too!

    (5)

  • laura k.

    The food was great but the attitude that came with it sucked. We were seated relatively quickly and were ignored for some time for people who came in after us, who also got their food (similar dishes to what we ordered also) long before us. People all around us got chopsticks, yet we got default forks - major pet peeve- and had to ask for chopsticks. We were basically avoided by staff as much as possible. They are lucky it was as tasty as it was or I would have left furious. I doubt I will come back to Boston any time soon, but I would skip this place for sure if I did return.

    (2)

  • Ali C V.

    Pho Basil got the Improper Bostonian award for Best Thai Restaurant last year and, In another review, I read that is this the best Thai Food in the city. They might be right. If I find this not to be true, I'll change the review; promise. The restaurant is located on Mass Ave across from and between Berklee and the Christian Science Center. You would think it would be a little on the seedy side but nothing is further from the truth. It's very clean (including the bathroom) and tastefully decorated. From the moment you walk in, you are welcomed and served genuinely (I'm extreeeeemely sensitive to fake smiles and pseudo-politeness). These folks are lovely. For me, the litmus test for any Thai restaurant is the quality of their pad-thai and Pho Basil did a superb job with mine - which I asked for with chicken and tofu. My son asked for yellow chicken curry with sticky rice and chicken satay. All very good and all of it (including a glass of Beaujolais) for just over $35 before tip. Servings were generous enough (each order feeds 2 hungry people) to take care of lunch today... and it was just as good. Lucky us. I can't wait to go back again and again and try something new from the menu each time.

    (5)

  • Ama N.

    Ok sad to say, I am here on any given day of the week, "CHOWING".....the spicy basil rice i swear has some sort of addictive drug in it....a bit extreme but try it and you ll understand! the prices are pretty damn easy on the eyes....the pho is amazing the only down part is...my fave app which is the sesame chicken...always takes like 30 min to make!!! like why? i don't understand... they could use a better ambiance and oh yea scratch the patty labell playing in the background! Makes no sense..but still yummy food:)

    (5)

  • Ian N.

    I did not know that you could find excellent food at reasonable prices in this neighborhood. That, my friends, is four stars alone, but let's quickly discuss the food. If you do not experience their Tamarind Duck in your lifetime then you are simply wasting your time living. Get busy living or get busy dying - eat the duck. Only con - seriously cramped and the waiters bump into you a lot/stick their bum in your face while taking orders because the tables are so close together. - Juggs

    (4)

  • Phung N.

    Have the most authentic tasting food you can get that taste like home cooking in Vietnam. Their food are fresh and customer service is on top of everything. The store is a bit small but it did not stop customers from waiting to dine in there. I have had my birthday dinner here for 3 years and the work staff has never disappointed me. This is what I love most in their restaurant appetizers: (curry dip pancake(personal fav), fried chicken, spicy rangoon, calamari main course meals: Pho (original taste of home), fried rice, Kao Soi (if you are a curry fan you need to try this), com suong (pork chops), won ton noodle and pad thai dessert: never tried their dessert and I probably wouldn't because they don't look appealing enough =p Cappuccino Bubble Tea or Green Bubble Tea a must have I recommend anyone coming here. Prices of food are reasonable for a great meal. there are some expensive dishes but why get those when you can get cheaper meals on the menu for the same great taste?

    (5)

  • Daniel S.

    This was a nice inexpensive restaurant yet. I ordered a chicken with dumplings Pho Soup and my partner ordered a spicy chicken with flat rice noodles. Our appetizers were the fresh rolls. My soup was a nice light broth very fresh; the dumplings were pleasant but nothing special. Her dish was very good with just a nice bit of spice. What brought this down from a four star to a 3 star review, though, were the fresh rolls. The peanut dipping sauce for the fresh rolls was very watery with a weak peanut flavor, and the fresh rolls themselves were a bit dry and not very flavorful nor very refreshing. I couldn't recommend them. I would recommend this restaurant. It's in a nice location and reasonably priced and the service is very friendly. If the fresh rolls and the dipping sauce were better, I probably would've given them four stars.

    (3)

  • Gina C.

    From my past experiences of Pho restaurants from Southern California, I have a ridiculous notion embedded in my brain that pho... though delicious comes with the price of foolproof odor, on your clothes on your hair, everywhere. Imagine my surprise when I walked into pho basil.. a green toned cafe, odorless. Without knowing it's store name, I never would have realized they have a full selection of pho (as well as Thai food). Our server was a tall young gentleman who was extremely courteous and repeated our 8 order after asking for each of our selections. impressive. I ordered Tai, which is the regular beef noodle soup with rare steak. The pricing was extremely well priced at 6.50 for a small.... definitely enough to satisfy a normal appetite. Soup was very flavorful. I would recommend adding a beef ball or two into your pho order, as they are not overly generous on the original amount of steak. Be ready to share your platter of bean sprouts/lime/basil with your friend if there are multiple orders. Good for dates and small groups.

    (4)

  • Thea N.

    This is a great spot! I had a lemongrass beef soup (Bo Hue) with rice noodles. The beef was of a very good quality and the portions were huge. I could only eat half of the soup. The soup said it was spicy, but I did not think it was that spicy (so, don't be afraid to order the spicy stuff). Extra hot sauce and a delicious sweet sauce (were on hand to adjust the flavors if necessary. The waitstaff were very friendly and did not try pressure us to leave (we were there fora a few hours). It is also not a very loud place, so it is good for talking.

    (5)

  • Natalie D.

    This place is the absolute best!!! I came here while visiting Northeastern during lunch time. I had the staple chicken pad thai and it was phenomenal!! The portion size was huge and not the pad thai was not too sweet. The service was great and the atmosphere was really nice. Would definitely come back when I am ever in the area.

    (5)

  • Yesai F.

    So much flavor in their food! The drunken noodle with need was too good! I've been craving it ever since I came back to LA. It had just the right amount of spice. Put sriracha on it an you have yourself a delicious gourmet meal. The chicken pad thai was really good. Had a strong and rich peanut sauce flavor. The sweet and sour soup is worth a try. Was a little too sweet for me. I prefer spicy, but still good. Everything was really good!

    (5)

  • Hannah D.

    Can you say date night? If you have good luck like me you'll snag the last open table in there on a Friday night with no problem, but if not you'll find yourself waiting 20 minutes in the cold. I love this place though! Not only do they have some of the best Vietnamese food in Boston, but the cozy, relaxing atmosphere makes it the perfect place to take that special someone. Or your friends. Or your parents. It just works! No matter what you get it's going to be fantastic, though I recommend at least getting the mango sweet rice for dessert. Beware though: the portions are massive, and you will have leftovers (which is perfect for the college student's budget because you'll end up getting like three great meals for maybe $12 total) In short, if you like Asian food at all Pho Basil's definitely one you should try ASAP.

    (4)

  • Dex H.

    I have been coming here over the years and the quality is declining. There are better places for Thai in town. I has the jungle curry and the rice was mushy and the dish left lots to be desired.

    (2)

  • Soyoung P.

    Boston is not a foodie's town but Pho Basil is solid. This is our go to pho/thai place in Boston. Friendly servers and waitstaff, cozy restaurant, yummy food and drinks. What more can you ask for?

    (4)

  • Wes T.

    The first sign of a good Pho place: they use real chicken instead of processed slices. As you can tell from my 5 star rating, Pho Basil uses real chicken. The service is always friendly. The food is always delicious. It's a bit small, so it does get crowded, with long waits, during lunch and dinner. I mostly go for lunch, and end up spending $11, plus tip, for a meal that leaves me full and satisfied. It's also not really suited for groups larger than four, as the table space is limited. Two is probably the ideal number, as they have many two-seater tables, so you'll be seated more quickly. I really like this spot. It's near work, so I slip out a few times a month for what I consider above average food at a really good price. When you consider that you pay double for nearby Wagamama, where the food and service is many times worse, it's a steal.

    (5)

  • Dan K.

    Pho Basil brings a solid menu and quality Pho to the table. Nice atmosphere, chill background music, friendly service and great tea. Good location at the center of Mass Ave and the Berklee campus. Admittedly, PB is sort of an average Pho place- but luckily for them, most Pho places are great... so they're great? Pretty sure that makes sense... PB gets 4 stars for getting the job done in style

    (4)

  • Q L.

    Ordered delivery to the hotel. Grubhub..Had the Bun bo hue, Goi with Shrimp, Pho and Summer Rolls. Bun bo hue was very good. Had plenty for lunch the next day. Deilvery came 30 minutes earlier than estimated. WooHoo

    (4)

  • Gloria L.

    This review is not about the food - I would like everyone to know how I was treated at this restaurant. Prior to the incident about which I'm writing, I would go into this place for lunch at least once during the week. On this particular day, I went during the early evening, also on a weekday. When I stepped inside, I requested a table for one and was told that I would have to wait, despite the fact that I could see several empty tables. I asked if those tables were reserved; nope. I was told that, simply because I was dining alone, I would not be seated at one of those open tables, which had the capacity to seat 3-4. Instead, I was told I would have to stand by the door, staring at said empty tables, waiting for one of the "single" tables to open up, which they claimed would be 15 or more minutes. Clearly, this is a naked attempt to avoid smaller checks, and it's something I've encountered once in a while as a single person who loves good food. I don't care if you're alone or with 15 people - you should be afforded the respect of being seated as soon as space is available. This is ridiculously bad customer service. I asked to speak with the manager, and then the owner, all of whom said the same thing. I explained that I understood, but I was a regular customer, I didn't eat there for dinner very often, and would they please accommodate me. They refused, sending an angry, hungry, regular customer out the door, past all those still-empty tables. Ridiculous. I won't go back, and I suggest that you try another Thai place instead. The food here is nowhere good enough to offset how poorly this place is managed.

    (1)

  • Anya S.

    I have walked by this place at least 500 times. From the outside it looks kinda of sad. But once inside....you will fall in love with Pho. The best Pho ever. The noodles are amazing. The peanut sauce was delish. The service was excellent. The prices were affordable. The servings are enormous. Order a small soup, extra large one is about 1/2 gallon of pho. I love it.

    (5)

  • Asabry A.

    One of my absolute faves! Delicious, varied, reasonable, lovely staff, nice ambiance--what more does one need?

    (5)

  • Jv M.

    Excellent. Be sure to order something new. Something you haven't had before. We tried 4 new dishes and all were very good.

    (4)

  • Anik M.

    Simply said - the best Thai Food in the city. My wife and I come here every few weeks and have never had a bad meal and we've ordered several different things off the menu. If I were to pick a favorite I would say their Pho with dumplings is amazing. They also have a very decent and inexpensive warm sake that we just discovered. As for seating - they seem to be busy every night so I'd recommend getting there before 7 to avoid a wait.

    (5)

  • Jason B.

    I have never ordered anything from Pho Basil which I have not devoured in a single sitting. Last night was no exception. I was feeling chickeny, so I ordered the chicken satay skewers with peanut sauce, and the Basil Chicken with vegetables. The Basil Chicken is phenomenal. Huge pile o steamed vegetables, a delicious savory sauce, and almost-but-not-quite overwhelming basil flavor from the fresh basil leaves. Yes, so I ate it all. Big deal. Your mom.

    (4)

  • Monique M.

    Perhaps I ordered wrong? Following a fellow Yelper below, I ordered the Drunken Noodles for take-out. Drunken Noodles is my favorite Thai dish. This was not a good Drunken Noodle!!! The ambiance of the restaurant is sweet. I was staying at the nearby Hilton Back Bay and enjoyed my walk to Mass Ave. The take-out process was simple: order at the back, come back in 15 minutes (the restaurant interior is small, so there isn't room to wait inside). The place was full, so people must love it! But, my food was just not good. The rice noodles are ridiculously huge/wide, which I've never seen. I can handle that, but the flavor was really quite disappointing. I love spicy, this was not (despite having a little 'spicy' notation on the menu). The chicken pieces were okay. The vegetable assortment was random (squash and green beans?). The bamboo shoots (which I despise) were plentiful and pretty much ruin the dish with their fake sweet flavor. There wasn't enough basil to balance the dish either. Also, the grease levels were higher than I've ever seen in a Thai dish, leaving me feeling ill, and abandoning the majority of my food before I was finished. Overall, this was a super huge disappointment.

    (1)

  • Pugazh S.

    Appetizers and soups where awesome. We order multiple plates of appetizers as they really delicious and with our hunger it was just awesome! Entrees were a little disappointmenting. Red curry and veg delight had overwhelming smell of seaweed or something that made the dish not likable.

    (4)

  • Beth C.

    I had the Bun Thit Nuong Beef (beef vermicelli). It was delicious, with a LOT of fresh vegetables, bean sprouts, rich flavor. Very nice. I would definitely go back to try something else. A plus is that they offer online ordering.

    (5)

  • Rich W.

    Very fresh. Tasty.

    (4)

  • Restaurant J.

    Arguably one of the best Viet places in town. Its super crowded even on weeknights. The food is flavorful and fresh. Loved the vege triangles and yellow curry and the tom yum rice. Great value for money .

    (4)

  • Casey H.

    After what were several positive visits, I have noticed a dramatic decline in this place. It might be because the restaurant has gotten more popular and often busy, but the service has declined dramatically as has the quality of food. On my last visit I ordered a vegetarian dish. There was chicken it in. I pointed this out to them and they really didn't care. Overall, I have been here more than a dozen times - it was my go to cheap thai place in the area, and often they recognize me. I still get bad service (I've always tipped 20% on my check). Looking for a new thai place.

    (2)

  • Harri S.

    We went on a Tuesday for lunch. Nice clean and cute. Pricewise it was reasonable. Cheap even. Perfect sized bowl of pho tai that should have been 10 times hotter. Sadness. The pad thai was tangy. Weird. It wasn't half bad, but it wasn't pad thai.

    (3)

  • Azalea K.

    I'm a vegetarian and usually am not a fan of the veggie versions at pho places. The pho chay is good here. The prices are reasonable and the quality and service has been consistently good.

    (4)

  • Cecilia C.

    I just ordered takeout from here per the reviews below, having been convinced to try it out myself. I am a fan of the idea of noodle soup, but must say: I have NEVER HAD Pho this TASTY until today. I ordered a large Pho Tai, the rare beef and lemongrass noodle soup. I brought it back to my office and opened the bag. There was a quart of broth, a takeout box with raw beef and noodles with cilantro and chives, and a separate plastic bag with the hot sauce, bean sprouts, basil, and a lime slice. I was wondering how they were going to do this, since it was takeout, but thought it was a nice detail that they kept it fresh so I could cook it in the broth when I was ready to do so, instead of adding it themselves beforehand. Very clean, well-lit environment, good prices, kind service. The thai iced tea I had was also good. Will be back again soon!

    (5)

  • lauren f.

    Thai iced tea and the pad thai with shrimp is my go-to meal here. I probably come here once a week since it's right down the street from my work. Consistently good, and friendly staff.

    (4)

  • Farha K.

    If you want cold thai food, this is the place to go...seriously disgusting...they need to learn how to deliver food, never go back

    (1)

  • Emily P.

    I have eating here twice and both times were very good. The staff is friendly and I like their random music selection, which is mostly old-timey jazz and blues. I personally don't eat that much so I thought the portion sizes were good. Even better is that they offer small and large bowls of pho! It is true that most tables don't accommodate more than four people and since the space is narrow it would be pretty hard to cram in larger parties.

    (4)

  • Mike S.

    I have been here two times and both times I have found the following: 1. Reasonably priced meals. 2. Healthier options available (could use some more). 3. Extremely attentive service. They know what you want before you do. 4. Good tasting food. I give five stars because this is a lower-end restaurant and they exceed the expectations for their target market. What more could you ask for? If this were billed as an upscale fusion restaurant the stars reflect what is served. Service could not be better. Great job!

    (5)

  • Audrey C.

    Pho Basil is delicious and cheap (huge pho for about $8~9) and ALSO still has a nice restaurant atmosphere & service as well, which a lot of delicious and cheap places unfortunately don't have. This place is my new place to go, just wish it were closer to me. Let me just sum up how good it is. Basically if I want to make my sister hang out with me more happily, I will suggest to her, hey, wanna go to the pho place?? Both of us get pretty excited about coming back here again and again, because besides pho there's a lot of different things on the menu (like curries). Desserts here (I've tried the mango mouse and chocolate cake) are delicious and huge as well. Every time I am there I just can't stop looking at everyone else's dishes as well, because seriously they just look so good, they make me want to eat them as well. So the solution is to come back a lot to try other things on the menu.

    (5)

  • Raoul C.

    I have officially made Pho Basil my default restaurant for just about anything: visiting friends, dinner-for-one, romantic nights out with a lab mate. Basically anything that requires attentive staff, awesome staff and EFFing amazing food. Ahem. Sorry, got a little carried away there. This place is one of the few restaurants in Boston I tell my guests to order anything they want off the menu - there is no bad choice, seriously. Personal favourites are their pho soups (i.e. Mi Hai San for $6.50) and the infamous drunken noodle. And with everything priced less than $10, you really can't complain. Minus one star only because their handling of a big group (10 people) was a little off-beat, it took a while for the food to come out (and I'm a pretty reasonable person) and they messed up two of the orders. But hey, those meals were still enjoyed. Other than that, magnifique!

    (4)

  • Julie C.

    MMmmmmMMMMMMmmmm. when you have a craving for Pho you come here but after glancing over the menu you completely change your mind. ORDER the Golden Bag-- so cute and SO GOOD- ground chicken, shrimp, and scallion warpped in wonton ppr to resemble a little bag of gold; comes out piping hot! ORDER the Bun Bo Hue- soo much better than any place in Chinatown where i've had this. the beef is soo tender it melts in your mouth, but does get stuck in your teeth- bring floss! ORDER the duck noodle soup cuz its bomb and the broth is delic! and whatever you do decide to order, make sure to get the bubble tea. i had the thai tea and it was soooooo gooood...!!!!!! just enough boba- not too overwhelming and its blended fresh. liteerally a dessert thru a straw. service was peculiarly friendly this evening and were all smiles. maybe its this holiday season, lets spread the cheer, grab a table and order some good authenic asian cuisine.

    (5)

  • Anna A.

    Despite a screaming identity crisis (green menu items are Vietnamese, purple items are Japanese, and yellow items are Chinese), the pho dish I've ordered was without reproach delicious and satisfying. Best part: Pho Basil is a rare restaurant that makes it possible to finish a bowl of pho because they have a "small" $7 portion (as opposed to customary enormous servings).

    (4)

  • mark f.

    Kua Gai Noodle with chicken! Delicious. ~$9. I see myself going here quite a bit so i'll expand this review later after more visits. For now, 4 stars!

    (4)

  • Mark M.

    drunken noodles ftw!

    (4)

  • A H.

    I was craving something hot and soupy the other day, and found this place on Yelp. I ended up getting the Pho Tai (noodle soup with beef). The soup is nice and hearty full of flavor, the noodles are fresh and chewy, and the beef is nice and tender. I definitely would go back again when I get my next soup craving.

    (4)

  • Brian S.

    My girlfriend and I both love Vietnamese and Thai food, so it's a no-brainer that we had to try Pho Basil, which offers food from both ethnic cuisines. The atmosphere is cozy and casual and not too hectic like how Pho Pasteur or similar restaurants in Chinatown can be. The menu was very extensive and I couldn't get over how cheap the dishes were. We went with our standard dishes that we order whenever we try a new place; we split a chicken satay appetizer, then she had the pad thai and I had the pho ga soup. The satay was cooked perfectly. Her pad thai was flavorful and chock full of shrimp and chicken. My soup had a rich broth with generous amounts of chicken, but the noodles weren't quite the same as traditional pho soup noodles. Still, it was very tasty, and if I had to find food around the Symphony Hall area again I'd totally come back and try the other dishes that Pho Basil has to offer.

    (4)

  • Collin C.

    I used to frequent Tom Yum and I completely boycotted coming to Pho Basil because I didn't like the idea of a family run institution (it was the oldest Thai restaurant in New England) being reincarnated as a chic/trendy restaurant. I finally gave in about 6 months ago. Despite the name, I have always felt this was a Thai restaurant first. The food is pretty good. I have sampled everything from their curry dishes, Pho, Wild Boar, Pad Thai and I have been pleased with everything. The thing that I was most concerned about in the transition was that the service would slump. But at Pho Basil I get the general impression that they actually want me eating there and they are not annoyed by my presence like so many other places in Boston. For more info on places near Fenway Park check out my website @ thecrosshairguide.com

    (4)

  • Mariano D.

    Let me begin by saying that I gave Pho Basil five stars after having eaten there at least ten times since they've opened. I started going there since they are only a short walk from my home and I keep returning because they have consistently provided good food, friendly and efficient service, and affordable prices. The menu is composed of a wide variety of primarily Vietnamese and Thai food. Whenever I go there with my girlfriend, we begin with an assortment of appetizers: crispy egg rolls ($3.95), fried dumplings ($4.95), and two orders of spicy rangoon ($4.95 each). The spicy rangoon are her favorite and are probably the best "crab rangoon" / "cheese boats" / "Peking ravioli" (whatever you know them as) that I've had. We then usually split either a medium or large bowl of pho for the entree. Tonight we had the Dac Biet (rare steak, well done flank, and tendon and tripe) ($6.95). We found it to be quite good, but the broth is sweeter than that of other pho restaurants. In my opinion, the sweetness does not detract from the flavor. The best thing about Pho Basil is how affordable it is when you take into account the quality and quantity of food you get for your money. I eat out frequently and enjoy having a good meal that doesn't make me flinch when they drop the check. The entire meal for two cost less than $30.00 (not including gratuity). I think that an important part of eating out is leaving with the feeling that you received a bargain. I feel that way about Pho Basil and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys good Vietnamese food.

    (5)

  • M P.

    This place is amazing. The service is great and they are very very friendly and accommodating!

    (5)

  • M W.

    When I'm around Back Bay, this has become my go-to place for thai. First, ambiance: cozy interior, clean, lighting's not too bright but not too dim. They lost one star because a few times I've been there they've put a friend and me by the front window under the cold air vent in the middle of winter. Second, portion: with other places, I can pull a Liz Lemon and finish a portion meant for two all by myself. However, with Pho Basil, I never fail to leave with a doggy bag. Third, price: when you consider the portions, and can wind up with two meals for under $10, this place is all win. Service is also pretty great, though I'm not sure how laid-back they'd be if you wanted to savor the food coma after the meal. Understandable, as the place is small and if they can move a table it's better for their business. Do yourself a favor: check them out.

    (4)

  • Purvi R.

    Comfort Thai...mmm. This place was pretty good and we settled on it in the midst of the 134 Asian restaurants on Mass Ave. They have Singha which is a huge plus....yummy (although they aren't as big as in Thailand, boo). Started with some Tom Yum soup which was goooood...could have been a bit spicier actually, but otherwise delicious. The bf got vietnamese spring rolls for an app and he enjoyed them (esp the peanut sauce you dip them in). Got a Thai favorite for my meal - a cashew dish with tofu and veggies in a brown sauce. Pretty decent, nothing to write home about, but it was good then. For dessert we split a mango-sticky-rice.... if you haven't had this dish you MUST try it sometime in your life. The bf's exact words were: "Dude, sticky rice is f'ing awesome". The only thing is the mangos were a bit unripe, so this might be better in season.

    (3)

  • Linda H.

    Great food. Large portions. Friendly service. Need I say more?

    (5)

  • Stefanie M.

    Ordered delivery during prime dinner time on a Saturday night. It arrived in just under 30 minutes, and was so hot steam came out when opened. Besides that, it's the best Wonton Soup I've ever had!

    (5)

  • Maria M.

    Not bad! I had a late lunch here last week, and the pho was just as I expected it. I liked having different options for size of the pho. Never been a fan of the Vietnamese meat ball, but you can never go wrong with rare stake and brisket.

    (4)

  • Kat T.

    Food in Boston sucks in general when compared to that of LA or SD, but this place is deliciously awesome. Great noodles, pho, smoothies, etc. I wish they had Chang beer!

    (4)

  • Adiya W.

    I'm used to getting my pho on Dorchester Ave. and have often been disappointed when I go to ritzier areas where I feel that the pho is "Americanized". I went here with my 5 year old daughter for our Friday night date night...food and service was absolutely wonderful. Our server was very friendly and sociable without being "all up in the business". Food was fantastic. I would definitely go back.

    (5)

  • Mabel L.

    This place is a favorite for me. The well-sized portions and great prices are important, but the taste of the food is great. Great service too from a friendly group of staff. This place does get crowded quick in the evening, so try reserving a table or coming in the afternoon.

    (4)

  • Pete C.

    I read all the good reviews so I had to check it out. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by the pho. Despite the name, Pho Basil is not a Vietnamese restaurant. The signs? They serve Thai red tea. Chopsticks aren't available by default. You have to ask for them and even then, they're the Thai design disposables. The menu is at least two-thirds Thai. It's really a Thai restaurant trying to capitalize on a recent Asian food trend. That's not a problem, if they're at least good at what they're trying to capitalize on. It's too bad they missed the mark here. I was only interested in trying one thing, the Pho Xe Lua with meatballs. Before the pho arrived, a plate of pho accompaniments (to call it garnish would trivialize its importance to properly enjoy pho) was dropped off at the table The plate consisted of bean sprouts, basil and one wedge of lime. The only problem was that this plate was meant for one, even though my dining companion also ordered pho. Any self respecting pho restaurant would know that these accompaniments are almost as important as the pho itself. The pho arrived as ordered. However, the broth was way too sweet. It also had a strong taste of a sweet root vegetable. The broth wasn't very beefy. It was just another MSG-laden broth. I generously offered the one wedge of lime that was on the plate to my companion while I waited for more lime. By the time the lime arrived, the eye round was well-done and tough. The tendons were overcooked to the point where it was just jelly. The meatballs were a bit mealy though they did at least contain bits of tendon. I am a pho-holic and as far as pho goes, I really wouldn't recommend this place unless you're desperately craving it and are in the area. I may come back, but I wouldn't order the pho or anything else Vietnamese. I'd probably try the Thai items instead. From what I could see, those looked pretty good. Here's an idea, Pho Basil. Change your name to Pho Thai. Get it? It's a play on Pho Tai, the classic version of pho and your obvious Thai roots. You can thank me later. Oh, and please learn to serve pho properly. Because, honestly, the pho was about an average 3 stars with potential for more. But the poor execution knocked it down a bit.

    (2)

  • Theresa J.

    I have been to lots of Vietnamese places all over Boston. This is one of the best I have been to. I dined here once and I really liked it. I ordered the pho ga and the fresh rolls. I was more than satisfied with my meal. The price was decent too. Of course my first pho love is Xinh Xinh but Pho Basil can be my mistress.

    (4)

  • Chad F.

    Vegetable pho is excellent here. Highly recommended.

    (4)

  • Toodles K.

    THE best chicken Pad Thai I have ever had. I don't know how they do it so well every single time. And the wait staff is superb and attentive. The prices are perfect and well within anyone's budget! That other Thai place a couple doors down with the snooty wait staff, snooty interior and even snootier prices, I've eaten there when Pho Basil was unavailable due to renovations. What a jip. Nothing was as good. Pho Basil is the best for price, quality, and class.

    (5)

  • Ethan A.

    Came here a few times when I still lived in the immediate area. The menu offers everything you'd expect from a Vietnamese or Thai place, and a bit more creative options too. The waiter I always seemed to get was attentive and polite, and for being in such a well-traversed area, it doesn't seem to ever get too busy.

    (4)

  • Katy G.

    Pho Basil is wicked good! I work in the neighborhood, and the lunch options (especially Asian options) are plentiful. Pho Basil is by far the best spot! There is a element of freshness in the food at Pho Basil that I don't find anywhere else in the neighborhood. When they first opened, and it wasn't too busy in there, I would frequently see the waitstaff sitting at another table, preparing basil leaves. I've tried many dishes off the lunch menu, and I've haven't met a dish I haven't loved. The spicy crab rangoon are also one of my faves there. In a neighborhood filled with college kid-oriented crapholes, Pho Basil is a gem. Did I mention it's cheap? Totally worth checking out.

    (5)

  • Alex O.

    Simply the best Southeast Asian meal I've had in Boston. The prices are very reasonable and the staff is considerate and eager to please. Everyone else already wrote the details and they're right on, Pho Basil is the place to be.

    (5)

  • Lisa C.

    Can't attest to the service since I stopped for takeout on my way home from work yesterday. I have to say, though, I was definitely quite pleased. I started by ordering the canh chua with chicken which was a really tasty (but quite tart) soup. It had lots of chicken and bean sprouts in it which happens to be two of my favorite things...especially in soup which i could totally eat everyday. i also ordered the Chim Cut Ro Ti which is a really good fried roasted quail. The quail was very tender and meaty and was so tasty. As an entree, I ordered jungle curry which was good...from the description i thought it would have a typical, creamy red curry sauce, but the sauce tasted more like red curry without the coconut milk. still really tasty and actually really spicy. I ordered a ton because I wanted to try everything and, in the end, was only able to finish the soup and a little bit of each of the quail and curry. prices were decent...not super high but not super cheap either. definitely going to come back to this place to try more stuff.

    (4)

  • Eddie G.

    I was STARVING this afternoon after 4 hours of medical appointments and felt that I needed some warm Thai or Vietnamese food on a fall day. The service was pretty quick, I ordered the fried calamari and then a spicy beef soup which name fails me. The calamari tasted good BUT it was so damn overcooked it was rubbery and way too crunchy but as I mentioned, I was so hungry I ate them up in minutes. As far as the soup, it was DELICIOUS. Hot, I could taste the anise, the beef was tender, not as spicy as I would have though so I added lots of Siracha. I had an unrushed lunch and the staff were friendly enough. I will give them another try as I usually head to Pad Thai up the street on Boylston. Another thing is that they had some horrible ballads (all covers) playing really loudly and it was rather annoying.

    (3)

  • Yuko I.

    The first time I came, I had Northern Thai style soup noodle, which was fantastic - I still remember the taste. But unfortunately, that was daily special never saw it in this place since. Then, I came back for other soup noodle, friend chicken with curry base stuff, excellent! My most recent trial was Tom Yam noodle, which is mediocre. But since my last two experience was great, I will definitely come back!

    (4)

  • Ben W.

    First a disclaimer; I grew up near Eden Center(a Vietnamese shopping center and restaurant hub) in Northern Virginia and my God-parents are Vietnamese immigrants. So I am rather picky about the quality of Vietnamese eats. That being said I will probably be here again due to the price and it is a short walk from my temporary domicile. If you're well familiar with Vietnamese food: buyer beware this is more of a Thai/Vietnamese place and not a pure noodle house. Although, there was a good number of various Asian faces, which is a good sign, but I'm not sure if that is due to close proximity to Berklee. I went for the Dac Viet or combo beef, which should have come with flank, tripe, soft tendon, and what seemed to be brisket. When the order came it smelled good and there was a nice beef slick from the fatty pieces of meat. Unfortunately, my tripe was missing, a thing that I only noticed when I cleaned out enough noodles. I really appreciated the freshness of the sprouts and basil. Over all a decent bowl of Pho. It was nothing like home or when I go out to the west coast, but what can you do. The service is great! They were attentive and refiled my coke when I was half way through it. The is place isn't that huge, and I had to wait for a bit. The staff was nice, and let me know how long it would be until they could seat me. They did some table rearrangements to accommodate me, but groups that are larger than four might have a longer wait for table to clear out. I will go there again to try the Pho Ga so I can discern if that is a better choice. Also, I would like to try some of the other menu items and then I will ratify my review accordingly.

    (3)

  • Tina D.

    Thank you, Yelp for leading me here! I was in the mood for some thai food and wanted to try some place new. Pho Basil is the place to go! I arrived around 7:30 and even though the restaurant was busy, I had great service. My drinks came out right away - if you've never had a Sake2me, it's really interesting. Very lightly alcoholic, more like a soda. They have a good selection of beer and wine here too. No liquor. I had the papaya salad to start - it was delicious! Fresh and a just a little spicey. Shortly after, my entree came out. I had the chicken mango curry, another winner! Pretty much everything I ordered from here was fantastic. It's a little small inside, but tastefully decorated. They do deliver, so if you are in the area, check it out!

    (4)

  • David Y.

    Mixing Thai and Vietnamese creates some kind of incredible, cheap eats supermonster and I'm happy to be overwhelmed by it. The place is exactly what is needed for the area and for me. A simple decor belies the well established execution of a lengthy menu. For my part, I had the Kao Soi ($10), which is a curry based soup dish that also had fried breaded chicken strips, picked onions and carrots, and an assortment of boiled and fried noodles. When mixed together, they form a powerful combination of delights in your mouth. The chicken was very flavorful and surprisingly resisted sogginess in a hot soup. The fried noodles soften slightly but create a nice mix of crunchiness for each bite. The broth is a type of red curry that is a bit sweet but not terribly spicy. The level of spiciness was a bit disappointing but that was pretty much the only disappointment of the meal. I was a bit surprised by the pickled veggies. Although done well, wasn't expecting it in a thai dish. The service was fast and friendly albeit a bit difficult to understand. I was a bit hesitant to write a review until I tried at least one of their Vietnamese dishes but I'll be back soon enough. There were far too many dishes I wanted to try here anyways.

    (5)

  • Prateesh V.

    We came in town for a few day and tried Pho Basil based on yelp reviews. We had the BEST TOM YUM ever!! And the service was awesome. I would highly recommend this little hole in the wall for anyone who wants good food without a pretentious environment of an expensive restaurant...

    (5)

  • R.G. W.

    Pho Basil has helluva lot better pho than Pho & I and other places within walking distance. I've eaten there twice in three days. The meat cuts remind me of Pho Thien Thien, where the rare beef is cut thin and the well done beef is cut thick. The soup is not as tasty as Pho Thien Thien, but at least it is not greasy like Pho Hoa. The first time I went, they were using a wider-than-"normal" noodle (but not as wide as foon). The second time, they used a variety of noodles, and the portion for the XL was hearty. Plus, the noodles were a little al dente, making for pleasing slurping and chewing. I wouldn't recommend the boba tea here; the bubbles I had (last time only) were chewy like mochi--too chewy for me. Glad this place opened up right before it starts to get chilly in Boston!

    (4)

  • Cal C.

    Yep this place is the real deal. Went there for dinner, craving pho. Ended up ordering half the menu. This place has both Vietnamese and Thai style food, and everything was good, yes everything. So good that we came back the next day for lunch. Cheap lunch specials and lots to pick from! I wish there was a place like this in New Jersey.

    (5)

  • Lily H.

    Stopped by Pho Basil today for a quick lunch in this bright, clean and delicious smelling venue; we left very satisfied! My party of 2 was seated immediately. We scanned the menu and specials (lunch specials are $6.95, served until 3pm), and our selections were made. Our food arrived within 10 minutes of ordering-- maybe within 8 minutes. I had the vegetarian pho chay. The broth was flavorful and with all of the fresh veggies floating in the big bowl, it was wonderfully healthy and hot on a cold Boston day. My partner-in-lunch had the tom yum fried rice and it looked awesome! We left happy, ready to take on the Mapparium across the street!

    (4)

  • Joe C.

    This is a popular place. Service is friendly and fast despite a packed restaurant. I had the large combination Pho and fried dumplings. Both were very delicious! The prices were reasonable.

    (4)

  • Erin C.

    Great for take out! We live in Beacon Hill and order from here every few weeks. Drunken noodles, duck soup noodles, and yellow curry are especially delicious. Take out soup noodles from here are great because they put the noodles in a separate container. This is the best Asian takeout with delivery (we've tried Pepper Sky, Thai Bistro, Ma Soba, and Billy Tse's, which comes in second).

    (4)

  • Kim P.

    Pretty good Thai/Chinese food. Really great service-- friendly as anything. Lunch specials are great. Not as cheap as Bankok City a few doors down (which is an even better Thai restaurant with a better atmosphere). Decent food at a decent price and it's really good for a quick lunch. It's small though, so avoid the 1-2pm Berklee lunch hour.

    (4)

  • Carlos R.

    A very good place, the spicy rangoon was delicious despite the size of it, i tried the pad kra pow very good and the drunken noddles so good, good service

    (4)

  • Jeanne L.

    Not the most authentic Thai/Vietnamese food, but the service is very good and the food is fast and cheap. The lunch combo is a good deal and definitely fills me up. The staff is very friendly and I'm amazed at the number of tables they've been able to fit in there. It used to be Tom Yum Cafe and there was probably half the number of seats then. So if you're in the area and you don't have a lot of time, Pho Basil is definitely a place to try.

    (4)

  • Marc M.

    Great inexpensive meal. Had the Drunken Noddle with chicken lunch combo, great dish.

    (4)

  • Evelyn L.

    This place is really good only if you get what people recommend. The first time I went, I got the drunken noodles (which were amazing) and my bf got the pho ga (which he said was pretty good too). The second time I went, I wanted to try something new and got the Tom yum noodle soup. Not so great. Noodles were somewhat chunky and awkward to eat. My friend got the Tom yum fried rice and the rice was kinda hard. She compared it to eating sand. Personally, I didn't think it was that bad, but don't take a chance and order it. Stick to ordering what they're good at making.

    (4)

  • Kai L.

    A relatively new addition in my neighborhood, which is great since there is no Vietnamese restaurant is around. The place is modern and clean-looking, not really trendy, somewhat minimal decoration, obviously is tailored towards a younger and casual clientele. the food is pretty decent. actually probably A-/B+ by boston standard, but probably a B/B- by California standards. you can find all of your typical vietnamese dishes here. the price is right and service is quick.

    (4)

  • Loren C.

    We went here starving and the portions here are pretty huge. I personally didnt like the pad thai with pan-fried noodle... I found it too dry but then again that is what pan-fried noodle is so I give it a pass. Ordered something else because things were so cheap and loved it. I would go again when in boston... It was nice to go here after a lunch-day at quincy market.

    (4)

  • ER D.

    This is a great place for lunch. I can only imagine that if I worked at downtown Boston, I'd come here very frequent for Lunch. It's affordable, it's fast, most importantly, it's good. Is this the best Thai food I've ever had, probably not. But it is very good. During lunch time, if you spend $2 more, you get the whole appetizer which they have a very good soup. I recommend their thai tea as well... Very original. I didn't try the pho.. so I cannot comment on that.

    (4)

  • Chris C.

    This is my standby for Thai/Vietnamese delivery in Back Bay. Haven't tried too many dishes since I stick with the basics (Pad Thai, Pho), but those are consistently pretty good. Delivery is generally on time and my Thai iced tea always arrives icy and tidy.

    (4)

  • Jeanne N.

    I grew up eating a lot of Asian food, so I was pretty impressed when I had Pho Basil. The mix between Thai and Vietnamese confuse me, but they do both very well. I've had the Papaya Salad, which tastes authentic. I've also had the Wild Boar dish and the Chicken with Peanut Sauce. They were both delicious with good portion sized for lunch. The service is decent, but it can get very busy during rush hours. The ambiance is very casual, and it can almost feel too crowded as times, but for the food and price, it's worth trying.

    (4)

  • Emily T.

    Pho Basil delivers amazing food time and time again. The service is fantastic (refilling water, checking for enjoyment, etc) and the food is really really great. The first time my fiancé and I stumbled upon Pho Basil we were suffering from colds and stuck to the noodle soup which was incredible. This time, we decided to go for noodles. I got the red curry chow fun, which was amazing. The sauce was spicy and flavorful, the veggies delicious and the noodles perfection. My fiancé got the drunken noodles, which were also delicious. Portion sizes are HUGE and prices are very reasonable. Perfect spot.

    (5)

  • Angelo Xiang Y.

    I think Pho Basil is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Boston I've ever been. Xe Lua, pad see ew, and pineapple fried rice are my favorite here :-)

    (4)

  • Brandon L.

    We had dinner here today and it was really good. We ordered crab lagoon, pennang curry soft shell crab, one of their thai fried rice (forgot what it was called), and a plain pho noodle soup. Everything taste great except the soft shell crab is a little bit saltier side. They give generous portion here. The place look nice and clean and service was good too. We would come back for Vietnamese dishes here.

    (4)

  • Haley M.

    The day I discovered this place is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because they have a huge selection of delicious, healthy meals for cheap cheap. A curse because I no longer wish to cook anything for myself, ever again. If I had to live off their wonton soup, I think I could, my friends. I think I could.

    (5)

  • Minah L.

    my first meal at boston! haha. i guess this is the "default place" for NEU students.(or at least my NEU friends), and i can see why it would be. i really enjoy thai food. unfortunately.. i always get the same thing. PAD SEE EW. so i dunno if i can say i enjoy thai food or if i enjoy pad see ew specifically. BUT EITHER WAY THE IMPORTANT THING IS! the service here is awesome! super friendly and accommodating! the price is good for broke college students! and the food is very satisfying. portions are more than enough too! the dishes that my friends ordered tasted really good too. i forgot the names of it but basically.. i feel like anything you order will be good. :))

    (4)

  • James A.

    i have had the good fortune of spending quite a bit of time in asia - living in thailand, visiting vietnam regularly. so, when i see a restaurant peddling "vietnamese and thai" cuisine, i become quite suspicious - they are distinct cultures, with distinct foods. that all being said; i tried this place when i saw the rating. and it's worth it. the decor is is pretty dingy; dark and the basic furniture that often adorns asian restaurants. the service is efficient, without being overly friendly (though with quick and decisive recommendations). but i got to tell you - i was very happily surprised with the tamarind duck that they turned out. it was really, really good - cooked well, a good piece of meat and the sauce was tangy and delicious. i could have been lucky, but i don't think so. it's worth going back to. if you live nearby, takeout would also be a good option!

    (4)

  • Liz N.

    This is one of my favorite hole-in-the-wall places in Boston. I go here often with my boyfriend, and we have never had a bad experience. The food is fresh and delicious. I have had pho dishes, stir-fry dishes, and bbq dishes, and they have all been wonderful and exciting to try. The service is GREAT. The food comes out so fast, and the girls are so friendly. The prices are fine, I think the most reasonable things on the menu are the pho dishes. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you're looking for good Vietnamese cuisine. I've had a much better experience here than at pho&i down the street. Bottom line: delicious, fresh food, and friendly, quick service.

    (5)

  • Andy B.

    This might be an unfair review, as I am not a Pho connoisseur and have very little to compare it to. However, that said I tried it at this place and ordered one of the beef dishes, labeled as a "Beef Stew" of sorts. I'm normally very open minded about foods, so keep that in mind when I describe what they served me. It was basically a soup-bowl, filled with pieces of Beef Fat. There was almost *no* meat attached to said fat - just lots and lots of chewy fat floating around in the bowl. I didn't want it to go to waste, so I removed all of the meat and proceeded to slice anything that resembled edible meat away from the fat. I eventually had a plate that was about 1/4 meat and 3/4 fat. I dumped the 1/4 into the bowl and attempted to make a meal out of it. The broth was fine. The rest of the soup was okay - nothing great, but somewhat tasty. I'm normally the kind of person who eats what he's served. I'm not picky about my food. I tend to eat pieces of steak that other people wouldn't touch. But seriously, this was almost *entirely* fat! I mean, how could they actually serve that in a restaurant?

    (1)

  • Ricky B.

    As a big pho phan, I can whole-heartedly endorse Pho Basil as a quality pho spot. They just have some good old fashioned pho. No frills, but definitely quality ingredients and good portions. They also offered small, medium, and large portions of their pho, which I haven't seen very often. The service was fast and friendly, as well. I plan on going back.

    (4)

  • Alicia N.

    Good pho, and the fact you can add veggies is great by me! The broth is typical as are the noodles. I don't remember much besides how fresh everything was which may indicate the quality :)

    (4)

  • david b.

    Precisely what you'd expect for a small, neighborhood thai place. Food is consistent and well-priced. Delivers on-time. Lunch specials are large-portioned AND inexpensive. I can't speak for the Vietnamese food as I've only had the Thai stuff, but it's as good as any of the other neighborhood places. Our go-to place for thai delivery.

    (4)

  • Liza G.

    We were in town last week for the St Patty's celebrations...after hitting all the seafood places, we were ready for something different, inexpensive, and on our way to the House of Blues, this small restaurant was right around the corner from our hotel (Sheraton), and met all our requirements. We were extremely impressed by the food, you definitely get so much for you buck here. We started with the shrimp shumai and crab rangoon, yummy! For main dishes, I had the Chicken Curry with Mango, which was good, but my boyfriend had the Duck w Lycee, which i wish i had ordered, it was delicious!

    (4)

  • Ben J.

    Great Pad Thai. The Thai iced coffee was pretty good too. Try to dine-in if possible- we've taken out and usually find that something is wrong, missing, or otherwise subpar (yup- definitely worth two stars to me). The servers are always very friendly and I always see the same faces when I go in, which is refreshing.

    (3)

  • Nicole R.

    I eat here all the time. Literally. Their pho chay is basically my lifeblood. I mean it's not a 5 star amazing place, because it's just vietnamese/thai. But literally if I could just open a tab and they bill me monthly I'd do it. I'm considering asking if they'd give me a direct line so i could just pick up the phone and get them on the other end. I also like their crispy veggie rolls and bubble tea. But the pho. Yum. Also I'm white, so if this isn't authentic, I really have no idea about that. I just think it tastes really good and it's super cheap, allowing me to feel totally OK about ordering this multiple times per week.

    (3)

  • V. T.

    As a Vietnamese who cooks and loves to try new stuff, I gotta give Pho Basil so much credit for making pretty good Vietnamese food although they're Thai. I had Bun Bo Hue there and it's not authentic but was well made. However, my friend ordered the crispy Padthai with seafood and it was really good. The waiter was very attentive and helpful. The Thai Iced Tea there was not as great as I expected. The price is decent with pretty cute, decorated atmosphere!

    (3)

  • Ha T.

    I miss the bun bo hue! I daydream about it sometimes at work. Toooo bad I don't live around the corner anymore. My babe and I ate here the first day it opened...it was love at first sight, because we never cheated on her! We never went back to Pho Pasteur in Chinatown...demographics and the good food brought us back every time.

    (5)

  • Alyssa N.

    Reliable and tasty Vietnamese food. I really like their summer rolls. The place seems clean and the staff is personable and helpful.

    (4)

  • Mcslimj B.

    A rare cheap Back Bay restaurant that doesn't suck. When I lived in the Back Bay, my suburban friends would coo, "Oooh, you must love the great restaurants!" I'd flush and mumble about how I'd found a few worthy places, omitting how difficult that was. In truth, there's lots of cheap fuel for drunken students, plenty of posh expense-account restaurants, and scads of overpriced Newbury Street places that would swiftly fail without tourists filling their great patios. But for tasty, healthy, affordable meals, Back Bay residents have to pick their spots carefully. So I was tickled to discover that Pho Basil, a new Vietnamese/Thai place near the Berklee School of Music, delivers extraordinary value and fresh flavors for the neighborhood. Unlike nearby fluorescent-lit dumps, it's a pretty 50-seat place, with vanilla, caramel, and turquoise walls, plus mahogany-laminate furniture. Classic starters like goi cuon ($4), filled with chicken, tofu, or shrimp and pork, could use more fresh basil or mint inside, but are otherwise fine. Roti 'n curry dip ($6), a scallion pancake with a dipping sauce of Thai green curry loaded with basil leaves, seems like an odd bit of Chinese/Thai fusion, but the pancake is deliciously crisp and not too greasy, and I believe even styrofoam peanuts could be made palatable with that wonderful gravy. A Thai entreé of drunken noodle with a choice of chicken, crispy chicken, pork, beef, seafood (shrimp, scallop, and squid), or tofu ($8-10) is a skillful stir-fry of flat, long rice noodles, barely crisp vegetables, generously laid-on protein, and just the right amount of dried-chili fire. But any place with "pho" in the name must be judged on its namesake, and Pho Basil doesn't disappoint. There's real depth of roasted-bone-stock flavor in the broth of the pho dac biet ($7): al dente rice noodles, big slices of honeycombed tripe, lean rib eye, and gamey brisket, a few tendrils of richly chewy tendon, and perfect accompaniments (no blackly wilting basil here). By itself, that medium-size bowl makes a hearty meal to instill warmth and contentment, but if you're a real trencherman, you can order the pho xe lua ($9), which aptly translates as "train-sized." The weekday four-course prix fixe lunch special ($9) offers a few choices each of an appetizer, soup, salad, and entrûe -- a deal. Bottled beers ($4.25), cheap sake ($5), and modest wines (glasses $5-$7, no bottle more than $28) are another pleasant surprise, though just-made sparkling limeade ($2.50) also refreshes beautifully. Service is attentive and sweet, delivering a rare two-fer of quality Vietnamese and Thai from one kitchen. Frugal locals accustomed to settling for mediocre burritos, awful American-Chinese, and execrable pizza ought to be shouting for joy.

    (4)

  • Meghan M.

    This place deserves 6 stars. The nicest staff I've ever had the pleasure of getting to know, and food that is filling but doesn't sit like a lump in your stomach like most Asian-American food does. I love their spring and summer rolls, the sauces, the curry, the vegetables, the chicken vermicelli, the chicken satay, and my boyfriend loves the Pho and all the spicy stuff. It's an amazing little restaurant and the food isn't even very expensive at all for what you get. Simply fantastic.

    (5)

  • Yan L.

    Ordered the bun (rice noodle) with sweet grilled lemongrass pork and a crispy roll. Pretty tasty, nice slight burnt taste, with the tangy fish sauce. Lots of fresh veggies in the bowl too. Staff was patient and attentive. And very affordable. Something tells me the vietnamese food is better than the thai food here.

    (3)

  • Allyson C.

    Eat here. Your looking for Thai..you don't want to spend a ton, you want quality food, and decent service.... I mean is that really to much to ask??? NOT FOR PHO BASIL!!!! The Service is perfect - I was waiting for a friend who was a bit lost and they had no problem seating me and serving me a glass of wine (which BTW was 5 bucks)!!! The service is really incredible.. they are nice, the giggle and they smile the whole time... really top notch :) NOW the food... man is it good!!! We had chicken Satay - very good.. the type of Satay you put in your mouth and say "ummm thats good" We also had the shumai which was pretty typical, nothing spectacular.. but its Shumai, cant really screw you up. NOW THE MEALS...holy hell.. Drunken Noodle - it is SO good... pretty spicy, but just spicy enough that your not running for water every 5 seconds. It is a good amount of food, and Im telling you, its delish. The secret meal that you MUST try - you can NOT pronounce... its 4 words and has lots of X's in it... its has ground chicken and watercrest in it. It is the best meal I have ever tased in my life. It comes with white rice. Just ask them what it is, they are so nice they will tell you. Long story short - 8 glasses of wine, 2 apps, and 2 entres for 80 Bucks... Ill be back.

    (5)

  • Thomas B.

    Outstanding pho! yum yum yum. very reasonable. great service, delivers and has perhaps the best pho ever. Never a bad meal. Very reasonable price, even for a cheap fella like me.

    (5)

  • Tracy B.

    So we were at work one day looking for Pho and off to Foodler I went & found this place... Turns out they dont have Delivery to Cambridge, so we had to venture out... No worries... We order online & customize & then off we gooooo... The pho is SOOO good and when Im not in the mood for Pho alone they also have Thai plates on the menu... The Bun (Vermicelli Noodles) also happen to be some of the best I have had.. Their Pork & Shrimp is soo tasty... The Chicken Ginger wasnt soo good and I would never have that again, most rice things I have had rice is a somewhat mush consistency... I have more often opted for noodle plates... Or Pho... Which did I mention is DELISH... Fresh sprouts & LOVE all the veggies... Some places skimp on veggies, not this place... Now I want Pho just writing this review...

    (4)

  • Sanya B.

    I've been here a couple of times and always ended up having the Drunken Noodles, they're really good! Spicy but in a good way. Looking forward to try other dishes now!

    (4)

  • Mary F.

    Great neighborhood spot. Food is good, atmosphere is cramped but typical of a small, busy restaurant, prices are low, serving sizes large. Great little spot for what it is. Not fancy, not luxe, comfortable and delicious. Awesome drunken noodles.

    (4)

  • Andrew L.

    Pho Basil has one of the best bowls of Vietnamese Pho Ga available in Boston - this has been my experience in each of the 5+ times I've frequented. There are always a nice selection of interesting specials for the day. The establishment has a great preparation of the Thai staple, Pad Thai. This place gets very busy around dinner time with Berklee students and others who know of this affordable gem. I give it 4 stars because the table configuration is a little cramped. Overall a great place and recommended.

    (4)

  • Lily C.

    The large bowl of pho tai is super filling and delicious. I've tried 3 pho places during my week in Boston, and this one hands down wins. The only better pho I have ever had is in china town in San Francisco. The service is quick and friendly.

    (5)

  • Wendy G.

    I have had a lot of bad experiences at Vietnamese places but this one was actually pretty good. TThe place is small and clean and it gets crowded as it is right by a few of the colleges in Boston. The food seemed authentic the pho was great and fresh! The grilled vietnamese style pork chop was also fresh and delicious thought the portions weren't very big. Overall I think everything looked and smelled really good. I am a really big fan of flat stir fried noodles and there is an abundance to choose from but DON'T get the saigon noodle. It is like a house special but it is basically stir fried flat noodles drenched in chili sauce and not very flavorful. I would get something else instead like pad thai or the drunken noodles. Overall this doesn't match up to the really authentic viet places you get in Texas which has a HUGE viet population but I think this is pretty decent. It is also decently priced and the next time in Boston I will def come back.

    (4)

  • Nicole H.

    Super delicious food in a nice little atmosphere. I had been once before but it didn't really make a lasting impression on me. This time I ordered the mango curry with chicken and it was so delicious. It was perfectly spicy, savory, and worked so well with the steamed rice with coconut milk. Incredibly delicious and filling. I had a Sapporo as well, which was great. This is a really nice spot. I look forward to returning!

    (4)

  • Eric W.

    In town on business and came here for the pho. Have to say I left unimpressed unfortunately. I had the pho tai, which is what I get whenever I have pho. The broth was lacking in flavor, and I thought it was a little skimpy on the meat. Other than that is was pretty standard pho. Nothing to rave home about. I also had the Thit Lui appetizer (chicken teriyaki skewer), and that was pretty good. Note to rookies of the area. Cab here, or pay a lot for parking, or spend a lot of time trying to find any meter close to park at (free after 8pm). I came on a night the Red Sox were playing and spent 30 minutes looking for a spot, and the food was definitely not worth that!

    (2)

  • Young P.

    This place is one of my favorite restaurants that I like to go whenever I crave Thai food. I really like the location and the service is really nice. I really like their pad thai. Its very flavorful and they give you a good amount of food. I also really like their pho as well. I like their soup. Its not as intense, but it tastes really clean and smooth. I need to explore their menu more but if you ever do visit this place, definitely try either the chicken pad thai or their pho! I also tried their duck noodle soup but I was pretty disappointed with the amount of portion they gave. Soup was really salty, duck was whatever, and they barely gave me any noodle.

    (4)

  • Savannah H.

    Pretty small place, so if you come in with more than 4, be prepared to wait a bit while they move around tables since it is mostly for groups of 2 or 4. Pho is fantastic, really flavorful broth and it comes out as soon as they add the broth, so the meat is still pink/cooking (which i like because i prefer my raw steak to be a little more raw than the average person, even in my pho). Gyoza are delicious as well!! The service is simple and minimalistic but the portions are large and the food is inexpensive. Definitely a great choice for some quick pickmeup pho :)

    (5)

  • Timmy L.

    A no-frills location for a hearty bowl of Pho. Nothing at Pho Basil will pretend to be what it is not. If you had a long night out, live in the Symphony area, and need an MSG-laden pick me up for a couple of bucks, this is your place. Although it gets pretty busy for dinner, seating and service during the day is usually pretty quick. My level of satisfaction varies with the dish, so try out a couple of options on their menu and stick with what works. I have discovered a hair in a dish before, but I can attest that it has only happened once out of the many hangovers I've nursed here. Pho Basil is good at what they do, and I have never left unsatisfied.

    (4)

  • Dominic W.

    The pho was delicious! What made this four instead of 5 stars was just the pushy service. But the food... Yum!! We got the fried spring rolls for appetizers - crispy, delicious sauce. Not a lot of filling, but we were in the mood for fried stuff anyway. The dac biet was delicious - the soup has a cleaner tasting base, and the meat was presented beautifully. The sparkling limeade was so refreshing! The waitress was incredibly pushy - she gave us 1 min from sitting to asking for our order, then gave us only 2 minutes and came back, while we were still busy flipping through our menu!

    (4)

  • Angela Y.

    This place is super convenient as it's right on Mass Ave. and close to many schools. The inside is nicely decorated with a snazzy feel of a semi- upscale thai resturant. I went with a group of about 10 people without a reservation and the place was nice to give us seating pretty quick. We went during the early afternoon so they didn't have a full house yet either, but it's still nice to be able to walk in a group and be accommodated for. I do think it is confused about what it's trying to sell though as it's Thai food is far better than its pho. I went in on a cold winter day for some soothing soup and found it to be only okay. All your classic meats are in there so that's a plus, but the soup base was salty with not a lot of dimension as classic of a good bowl of pho. It did hit the spot though so I can't say the food was terrible, it just wasn't fantastic! I had some friends who ordered Thai dishes like the Pad Thai and found that to be much better in comparison to the pho. If you're craving pho, there's other options in the area that can give you equally similar pho taste and perhaps at a better price point. My bowl of pho ran around $10 after everything said and done. However, if you're looking for some easy Thai food, this is a pretty good choice I think. The menu has a variety of things to choose from so if it's just convenience you're looking for, this is still a viable option. Just know that it's a bit fancier than your regular pho place so dress a little more than sweatpants or you might feel out of place!

    (4)

  • Arthur C.

    Aaaaaah. This is one of my current favourites around the Back Bay/Fenway area. Vietnamese and Thai (although I now stay away from the Thai curries after a bad incident). Pho Basil does great pho (great for a cold winter night), and other vietnamese and thai noodles, rice dishes and stirfries. I'm also a fan of their mango+sticky rice as a dessert option Friendly table service and cozy interior (although a little too compact.) This place seems to be getting busy and busier so I would recommend calling in for reservation!

    (4)

  • Sylvia C.

    Great menu options...from pho to pad thai...you're bound to find something that'll satisfy your craving for tasty food. I'm glad the server forgot to put in our appetizer order - fried veggie spring rolls because the entrée portions were huge. We'd ordered: Tofu and vegetable pad thai Crazy udon with seafood Both dishes were loaded with tons of fresh vegetables and well seasoned in their own sauces.

    (4)

  • Dan W.

    I've only been here the one time but I am already looking forward to returning again and again and again! Fantastic pho with really bold flavors. No additional sauces needed. Dig in and enjoy!

    (5)

  • Roxana F.

    Awesome. Delicious and cheap food, friendly servers, cheap (yet decent) wine and drinks. Did I mention cheap?

    (5)

  • Shannon M.

    Pho Basil is a hidden gem in a neighborhood full of Asian options. They specialize in thai and Vietnamese food. My boyfriend loves pho and I like pretty much everything. We've ordered pho, spring rolls, curry puffs, soft shell crab, bun mit tho, crispy catfish, pad grow pow, and more. It's all good. There are things on the menu I've never heard of. It's clearly very well thought out. The food comes out hot and good each time. They've only asked about spice level on a couple dishes. Nothing has ever been too hot. The restaurant is small. It's always crowded. They have table service as well as to go. I usually get it to go since we live so close but it's very quick service when you're there. Pho Basil delicious, reasonably priced and what I can gather, authentic. Totally worth your time.

    (4)

  • Arsh N.

    One of the best Thai restaurants in Boston! Brilliant pad Thai and Thai curry. The drunken noodles were perfectly cooked. Definitely worth a visit.

    (5)

  • Melody K.

    We ordered delivery and it must have been a busy night because they quoted us 1 hour for prep time. It came about half an hour late on top of that. The pho was very good. The broth was flavorful, the sliced beef was delicious and it came with the toppings of fresh bean sprout, wedges of lime and thai basil. They even threw in those wonderful Chinese soup spoons so you can slurp up the broth with noodles. If I'm back in the area looking for delicious pho, I'll come here, but I would recommend eating in.

    (3)

  • Janhvi C.

    Maybe it's not authentically Vietnamese but it is nonetheless very delicious! The staff is amazing and food is great and affordable!

    (4)

  • Joanna Y.

    Love their pad thai. Only place in boston where it is worth ordering pad thai. It is savory and fresh. Noodles are perfect. Portions are generous. Their pho is solid. Broth is clean yet flavorful. The noodles are just the right thickness and chewy in all the right ways. My fiance swears by Le's restaurant in allston for pho, but this is the only other restaurant he will order pho. Interior is cute. Staff is friendly and so good at keeping your water full. We usually come here for post-work dinner when its not too busy. This place is great!

    (5)

  • Kevin M.

    MUST GO-TO FOR VIET FOOD IN BOSTON. Honestly, nobody can top Pho Basil for Viet food. I get it at least twice a week because once you start imagining their food, nothing else seems acceptable to eat. Great food. Great service. Great location. Great price. Just a warning though, locals know how amazing this place is and it's often very hard to get seats during regular eating hours. Waiting time can be long, but let that tell you how good the food must be.

    (5)

  • Wilson L.

    I was visiting the parents in Boston and we went here for lunch. usually I am skeptical of pan-asian places that do multiple cuisines, often with mediocre results, but Pho Basil was fantastic, fresh, and very affordable. I skipped the lunch specials and went for the noodles, which looked more interesting. I ordered the Kao Soi noodles, since I rarely see this in the US and I enjoyed it in Chiang Ma and northern Thailand. I was totally blown away - first of all, the noodles were beautiful - unexpectedly colorful and artistically presented. There were tons of noodles, the curry sauce was flavorful and spicy, and there were generous chunks of fried chicken. Maybe it wasn't the most traditional version but I daresay it may be better than the best kao soi i had in Thailand. I would return just for this dish alone!

    (5)

  • Skyler L.

    I have not yet found a better restaraunt with a similar style of food. The prices are reasonable and service is always top notch.

    (5)

  • L F.

    Pho Basil is a great, budget friendly Thai restaurant, conveniently located in Back Bay. I am particularly impressed by their friendly, prompt service. The waiters and waitresses always have smiles on their faces. Even though the restaurant is busy, I have never had to wait for a table. I really enjoy their curries with either the fried chicken or tofu. So tasty! The portions are definitely generous for their price point.

    (4)

  • Bertram L.

    Best Thai place certainly in the area, if not in town. Drunken Noodle my favorite ... But all their stuff is excellent. Fills up at lunchtime during the semesters, so arrive before 1pm if possible on weekdays. If you think Brown Sugar is good you'll like them, too.

    (5)

  • Lesley N.

    I've been back to Pho Basil many times now since my last review. This restaurant is now in my regular rotation of casual places to eat. I really enjoy bun bo hue and pho sate from here, especially on cold days. Bumping up my original score from 3 stars to 4!

    (4)

  • Laura B.

    After wandering around the Berklee School of Music area of Boston looking for food last night, my husband and I ended up at Pho Basil for a quick dinner before a show. We waited about five minutes for a seat and browsed through the menus kept by the door so we could order as soon as our waitress got to us. Pho Basil accommodated our busy schedule and managed to fit in drinks, appetizers and a full entree into our forty minutes of dining time. I got spicy crab ragoons (not really that spicy, but still good), a tai pho and a glass of Riesling to wash it down with. My pho was very tasty but I wish I had ordered what my husband did, the pho with meatballs. The beef in mine was good, but the meatballs (don't know what this specific pho is called) were out of this world. He also got steamed gyoza which were tasty but nothing special. I'm glad we made it into Pho Basil and got to try them out, would definitly reccomend it if you're in the area and want a quick sit-down dinner.

    (4)

  • Avishek S.

    I am always impressed when a restaurant offers a diverse selection of items, so diverse it's a struggle to decide what to eat. I decided that I'll have to come back here soon to try the other delicious-sounding items. I ordered shumai (a favorite of mine), along with tangerine chicken, and a hot thai tea. The chicken dish was a curry with a lot of sauce. To was hot and slightly spicy as described. I couldn't even finish all of it; they gave a lot of rice. It wasn't as tangy as I expected, compared to orange chicken for example, but that is not necessary. I was very satisfied with my meal. Next time I will try the wild boar basil and update this review.

    (4)

  • Michael W.

    Food was pretty respectable. I got the Pad Kra Pow and it was definitely spicy but very flavorful if not a bit over salted. My wife got the drunken noodles and I didn't think they were as good as advertised. It could have been because they tasted so bland next to my meal. Overall this place deserves a 4 star rating based on food but I was influenced by my initial experiences of finding a cockroach smashed between the pages of the menu and then again crawling on the wall on the table next to me.

    (3)

  • Matt F.

    Stopped in for lunch earlier this week. Was impressed with lunch combo. Great flavor on Pad Thai and generous portion.

    (5)

  • Carrie Y.

    Oh the lines..... Came here on a Saturday night. OMG there was about 20 people in line.... It was also cold and snowing outside. So plan ahead. The wait was about 20mins. Spicy Lobster Ragoons- Yummy! Really good. I did not like the sauce that came with it so I asked for a sweet chili sauce instead. Pho- Yummy broth! Pad Thai with crispy chicken- Good, reminds me of Pad Thai in SF (Sf pad thai has more orange color and tom yum flavor) its also a HUGE portion Lychee Pearl drink- Would order over and over again! Fresh fruit and no powder is always a winner in my books.

    (4)

  • Yingna L.

    Great restaurant! Deliciousness in large portions. However, at peak hours can be quite crowded and the wait is long. Delivery can also take quite a while, but usually it's worth the wait!!

    (4)

  • Ira L.

    Reliably good and authentic Vietnamese and Thai food in an informal setting. Nothing wowed me, but the food was very solid and something I would come back to regularly. Service was excellent. A bit of a wait (small restaurant, lots of big groups) but the line at the door versus empty other informal restaurants neighboring it were a helpful sign that I was choosing the right place.

    (5)

  • Traci T.

    Was craving Pho and my friend highly recommended this place. I usually get the beef pho but have been cutting back on my red meat intake so settled on the Pho Ga. I was A-okay, but definitely think some of my go to places in Chinatown has far superior pho.

    (3)

  • Daniel S.

    Pho Basil advertises itself as both a Thai restaurant and a Vietnamese restaurant. I went in looking for Vietnamese food. When I entered, the place was full - always a good sign. I was seated promptly and the wait staff was attentive and helpful, despite the crowd. I ordered the fresh rolls and a house special pho. Overall, the food wasn't bad. There is definitely better pho to be had around town. As far as I can tell, Pho Basil is it for the neighborhood, so I guess it's the best around. Overall, decent quality, good portions, but not spectacular.

    (3)

  • Sagar J.

    We stopped here for an exceptionally early dinner. The place is not as cozy as many Bostonian restaurants. But the food makes up for it. The stir fried and the tofu pot was delicious. The Thai triangles were great appetizers.

    (3)

  • LJ R.

    It seems as though the Drunken Noodles are a reviewer favorite here. I can't add much to what has already been written except, WOW. Split with someone else, the serving is copious and it doesn't reheat well. Eat it all there. I rarely eat pastas/noodles so it was a real treat. We ordered the Jungle Curry dish and it was not impressive - i wouldn't recommend. The red curry was really just a spicy oil. The chicken was not tender but the beef was. I think that there are better options so I wouldn't recommend. The Pad Gra Pow (chicken) was delicious but overshadowed by a giant brown rice portion, so I filled up too quickly and wound up taking tons home. It just doesn't taste great reheated so next time we will order less and eat it all there. Love the atmosphere and the wait staff was attentive and pleasant. We will be back to try their Pho!

    (4)

  • Annette M.

    Pros: The food was great. The waitresses were attentive and helpful. Prices were on point. Cons: Depending on when you get there, there could be a long wait time for a table.

    (5)

  • Minh C.

    It's small and packed, but it's worth it. The portions are large, the prices are low, the flavors are bold, and the service is great. Plus, there's nothing like a large bowl of pho on a cold winter day in Boston to warm you up!

    (5)

  • Helen L.

    I had 30 minutes to eat lunch and they were speedy with my order. I ordered their Pad See Ew and it came out literally within 5 minutes. It was delicious! Can't complain. Nice portion and only $8.

    (4)

  • Karis O.

    Shout out to all my friends who let me walk around pronouncing "Pho" as "FO" (like in, I'm gettin' that FO sho). It's prounounced "pha". So there's that. Moving on. I had the crunchiest calamari of all-time and I'm never looking back. I'm not sure what black magic they are working with over at Pho Basil but it had the consisted of crunchy corn flakes which was inevitably, a game changer. Snaps for Pho Basil on this move. I will only say this once, but I'm #totesblessed I live in the land where a small is really a large and a large is really a portion actually created for a giant. I got a small order of the tai pho noodle soup which comes with the rare steak that cooks in the broth when it's served to you. Amazeballs. Shall I say that again? AMAZEBALLS. Pho is PHOnomenal. And for less than $10, I'd say that's a steal.

    (5)

  • Jewels A.

    The taste of pho was delicious. Just the way I was hoping and expecting. The ambiance of this place is very peaceful and clean. Staff are kind and subtle.

    (5)

  • Umberto G.

    Lovely noodles, tasty soup..sometimes not great waiters but in the complex the rating is good.

    (4)

  • Jess C.

    Walking into Pho Basil, the first thing you will notice is their wall of awards and framed newspaper clippings. And it's no small collection. Most notably, they were awarded Best Thai food in Boston. Hence, when we sat down to order, I was torn as to order the Thai or Viet food. But due to the gloomy, stormy weather, I decided to go with the Pho Tai. The size of the bowl was huge -- I felt like the noodles were never-ending! The broth was incredibly fragrant, but it was a bit salty for my taste. My friend seemed to thoroughly enjoy her Pad Thai, though it was sweeter than we expected. All the servers here are very friendly and enthusiastic. The host estimated a 20 minute wait for our table and apologized profusely (seriously, why are Bostonians so nice?), but we ended up getting seated in 5 minutes. And our server was extremely talkative and open when we asked him questions about the restaurant. Apparently, the chef is Vietnamese, but all the other staff/servers are Thai! Moreover, as they're located just down the street from the Berklee College of Music, it's no surprise that the place was swarming with students -- I imagine they must put up with a lot. But it's clear they try hard to please ALL their customers, regardless if you're a visiting tourist or a frugal student. Will definitely be back if I'm in town!

    (4)

  • Madison M.

    Picked this place for a Saturday night out since the menu had bun thit, which I haven't seem or tasted in a few years. I ordered the Bun Tom thit nuong cha gio (vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, basil, pork, crispy roll and shrimp), but I substituted chicken for pork. The lemongrass grilled chicken and crispy roll were delicious, but as you can see in the pictures, there is only ONE shrimp. Overall, it was light and flavorful. We also got the sesame chicken wings and crispy pad Thai, both of which were delicious. But I do wish we'd gone for the roti n curry and the pho, since everyone seems to be raving about those. All that combined with a bottle of Sam Adams and jasmine limeaid (I recommend, it's very sour/sweet and refreshing) only came out to about $35, which is a pretty good deal. HOWEVER, I would beware during really cold nights on the weekend. We were told there would be a ten to fifteen minute wait, but that ended up being closer to 40 minutes. Some people were stranded in the cold since no one else could fit in the entryway. If it looks crowded, don't listen to the host and expect to wait a while. I will definitely come again, but at a less busy hour.

    (4)

  • L L.

    I took a long walk to here from Cambridge and it was worth it. I had the pork chop over rice and it hit the spot for me. The restaurant was clean and the staff was attentive. I enjoyed the meal and the long walk back to Cambridge helped with the digestion!

    (4)

  • Sally M.

    Based solely on the Pad Thai - it is the best!!! Its not as heavy as Thai Basil or Chilli Duck - ask for it with a side of nuoc cham because it rules...

    (5)

  • Mags L.

    i'm not a huge fan of pho. i haven't gone anywhere where i've enjoyed it as much as my mom's. and i rarely ask for it when i'm at my ma's. i'm a bun bo hue girl. if you've not tried it, i would describe it as being pho's smarter, sassier, and better looking cousin. it's also a noodle soup (bo is vietnamese for beef, so there should be beef in there), and it's spicy. and the noodles are roundish not flat. pho basil's was pretty damn tasty. and pretty damn spicy, but spicy is good, no? one gripe: wayyyyy toooo much meat. these noodle soups should be less about the meat and more about the flavor of the broth. the broth was quite nice. so i'll forgive the over-indulgence in the meat. my dining companion got the pho and was very happy, but he's a white boy so take that for what it's worth. the goi cuon (summer roll) was also pretty good, but wrapped too thick w/a bit too much bun (vermicelli noodles).

    (3)

  • Shawn S.

    i'm a pho nut, and this was my first pho experience here in boston. everything is fresh, high quality, and delicious! if you like vietnamese/thai food, GO HERE!

    (4)

  • Ed C.

    Had the lemongrass beef soup noodle as well as the spicy shrimp rice plate. The place is inexpensive, and the food was solid. The place is clean, pleasant, and the service is awesome. What else can you asked for in a lunch place?

    (4)

  • Nathan W.

    Food here is very good. The pad thai portion is huge and taste great

    (4)

  • Will s.

    Best Pho I've had in Boston; the waitstaff are very friendly as well. Their Tom Yum is quite good too, as well as their Pad Thai. I highly recommend this place.

    (4)

  • Laura A.

    i am completely comfortable bumping this place up to FIVE STARS. i order from here about once a week - i think i'm addicted. i've gone in here for lunch as well and you get a GINORMOUS plate of yummy food. i put all these annoying notes in foodler about my food, pleading for no fish sauce, and not once have i been slipped any, as far as i can tell! their delivery is super fast and the one time i had an issue, the delivery guy brought me the correct dish super quickly and apologized. recently, i ordered from pho & i instead, and the delivery took twice as long, my tofu was fried to shit and the vegetables weren't nearly as fresh. pho basil 4 life!

    (5)

  • Mindy M.

    Only a 2-minute walk from the Sheraton Back Bay, this snazzy little Vietnamese cafe has lovely Pho Tai (great broth) and excellent Bun Cha Gio. I also had the limeade with soda (yummy and fresh, but very small) and the ca phe sua da (served without the drip apparatus, but very good anyway). The prices were very low, service was very friendly -- I went for dinner one weeknight and then, a couple days later, for lunch. I have eaten Vietnamese food in Vietnam and all over northern Virginia, and the two dishes I had here were the real deal. Very good, and also offers the rare combo of a nice-looking dining room but low prices.

    (4)

  • Amanda L.

    Finally tried the Bubble Tea WITH bubbles this time, and it's FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC. I love this place, I want to come here all the time now. Definitely one of the best Pho places outside of Chinatown!

    (5)

  • Jared M.

    Heard about this place through yelp and just wanted to echo what everyone else has said. I used to live around the block from this place and didn't even know it existed, but I'm glad I know where it is now. My girlfriend got a delicious bowl of Pho and I tried Vietnamese fried rice (Com Chien) which was incredible. Considering the generally sad asian cuisine options in this city, this is definitely a place we'll be visiting whenever we get a craving.

    (4)

  • Tom H.

    Let me start this with I eat here probably once every two weeks. I love the food and the manager is a really nice, helpful guy. It's cheaper than most Thai/Vietnamese restaurants in Boston, yet personally, I find as one of the best in terms of quality. Interesting selection along with the usual, if you don't have something you like, I encourage just giving it a shot one more time at least with something different. I have a lot of vegetarian friends and when I need a safe bet for them to find something on a menu, this place always comes through as well. Great place for Pho. The roasted quail on the appetizers menu is unbelievable. I tend to usually go for the fried rice dishes as the portions are huge, cheap, and delicious. Their pad thai is top notch too. Lastly, if you like really spicy food like I do, ask them for five stars. It'll treat you nicely.

    (5)

  • Alex M.

    This might be my favorite place in the world. I was totally skeptical when it opened, as I tend to shy away from restuarants that do more than one type of cuisine. But now I've been there about 20 times, and I have loved everything, Thai and Vietnamese. I also have to say that I am a Thai aficionado. I have eaten Thai all over Boston, NYC, and LA, and this is tied with Brown Sugar for best I've had. And I think the service is great. Please disregard the guy who compalined because they yelled at him for his 10% tip. He gets 0 stars.

    (5)

  • Mabel C.

    I ate here because I was tired of eating at the same places and wanted to try something new. There was a lunch special here, which came out to $7.30 (this includes taxes) - for what I got I think this is a good price. I had a satay beef dish (tasted Thai) that was spicy enough for me and flavorful. I would be willing to come back to try their Vietnamese food next.

    (4)

  • Phoebe S.

    This place has the best pho broth in the city - by far! Prices are standard (reasonable) pho, though I wish they had more varied pho combinations (ie Pho Pasteur - but Pho Basil blows Pho Pasteur out of the water!). The servers are always attentive, and indulge my obnoxious requests (no cilantro on anything, substituting flank steak for rare beef in the tai pho, etc). Their hot tea is lovely, and their Thai food is great as well. And try the spicy crab rangoons!!

    (5)

  • Em E.

    Slow service, BAD pho, over priced for what you get, and no alcohol?? Yeah, I don't know about this place. Maybe I need to try the Thai food though cuz everyone else seems to like this restaurant... hmm... It could also be that we were in a large group though. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

    (2)

  • M M.

    I have been to Pho Basil about 5 times now, and I have to say I like it more and more each time. The food is very good, and the spices just right. The portions are big, you could easily pay $7 for dinner and have left over for lunch the next day. Which leads me to the price - it cant be beat for good, quality food. The service is good, not perfect, but I don't mind if I have to ask twice for something since its rare I have to in the first place. The wait staff is so nice, which adds to the greatness of this place. Ambiance isn't ideal, but for $8 dinner dishes, you would normally expect less. All in all, this place is great and I cant wait until its cold outside so I can sit and have some pho on the cheap.

    (4)

  • Molly C.

    Thinking that most of the restaurants on Mass Ave near Berklee are dumps, we were glad to find Pho Basil got such great reviews on Yelp and we decided to try it. Everything was clean, the people working there were very happy and friendly, and the food tasted fresh and was great! Prices are totally reasonable and we'll definitely be going back soon!

    (4)

  • S O.

    Whether you eat there or get delivery, this restaurant is always a good choice!

    (5)

  • Alison K.

    I've only eaten here twice but I absolutely love it! In an area filled with "sketchy" Asian restaurants, Pho Basil is fresh, delicious, and cheap! The spicy crab rangoons were actually spicy and the drunken noodle was the perfect combination of spicy sauce, noodles, chicken, and fresh vegetables. My vermicelli bun was topped with a generous portion of perfectly seasoned grilled lemongrass chicken. I've heard good things about the pho, and since it's getting colder I think that's what I'll try next. The only issue I've had here is when I asked if we could sit by the window. Our waiter hesitated for a while and wouldn't explain why he didn't want us to sit there (there were only two other parties there and the table was set for two) but he ended up letting us sit there. I just don't find things like that very professional, but aside from that the service has always been excellent.

    (4)

  • Holly C.

    This place is awesome. I come here at least once a week for cheap but fresh good delicious food! My boyfriend is a fan of quality food and he loves this place too. The service is always polite and fun. Its always a fall back must go place for me.

    (4)

  • Catherine H.

    This place in consistently great. We have been there 7-10 times, and the food is always good. The prices can't be beat either - less than $30 for dinner for 2. The only thing we ever had that wasn't good was the crispy pad thai, but we see other people order all the time, so it must just be us! Great for take out too.

    (5)

  • Erdan L.

    Pho is very tasty and fresh. All other dishes are fine made. And the price is cheap. +++

    (5)

  • Jay S.

    consistent decent food for decent price!

    (4)

  • Ona K.

    What a surprisingly joyful experience. I didn't expect decent Vietnamese outside Chinatown. The wait staff was super--attentive, but relaxed about it; extremely knowledgeable; funny; and genuinely warm and kind. The scallion pancake appetizer with curry sauce was excellent, and the pho with rare beef was excellent as well. I'm going out on a limb here to grant five star after one visit. However, I will be back because I know cravings for more Pho Basil are inevitable.

    (5)

  • David L.

    wow! This place is great. I work in the Prudential Tower in Boston and often wander around the area in search of exciting, new places to eat lunch. I can honestly say Pho Basil offers the best Thai experience in the area. The service is exceptional (our waiter came over to make sure our food was good at least twice, and the manager even came over to check) and the food is just delicious. I ended up going 3 times in 2 weeks just because of the experience. They have a ton of stuff on the menu. This is the perfect place to bring someone out to dinner for a casual first date because it's very close to the Boylston Street bars where you can go after.

    (5)

  • Enrique D.

    if it wasnt for the friendly staff id give this place one star. there is nothing about this food worth mentioning, or eating again. portions are big. prices ok. still, id rather eat less and pay more in exchange for something more memorable. just plain forgettable.

    (2)

  • Erik G.

    Love it! A friend brought me here for lunch and I've been back twice since. My first time, I got a lunch special (that was a while back I cant remember) and most recently, I got a Tom Yum Noodle soup. I get this dish at almost any Thai place and theres was good. The broth, veggies and noodles were solid but the chicken was rubbery. I didn't care enough to worry. The prices are fair and the environment is pleasant. The service is great and the name suits what is best!

    (4)

  • Paul L.

    Finally, after months, we have found the pho that le's/pho pasteur used to be famous for. In fact, it tasted and looked identical.....The dac biet was super solid, refined soup base, excellent meats, not quite rare though, tasty tripe and lots of finely chopped tendon. Appetizers were solid, summer rolls where tasty with fresh mint. Chao tom was awesome, not the normal rubbery stuff, you can taste shrimp and chicken and the sugar cane comes with it like it is supposed to! Beverages (fully licensed) were reasonable, service was efficient, as is the decor: clean, efficient. Great choice, we may have found the pho we crave since le's went downhill.

    (4)

  • emily e.

    great prices, great food, great staff, nice atmosphere...one of my favorite places around. i'm addicted to the veggie jungle curry.

    (5)

  • Heather O.

    I had a great time at Pho Basil last Friday night. It was WIKKED cold out and Chelsea and I had walked all the way from Park Plaza (brrrr) so we had to warm up with two beers at Bukowski's and hook up with the rest of the crew. Got everyone together and ventured over through the wind tunnel streets around Mass Ave that define a Boston winter (fall?). Pho Basil was warm - both light and temperature wise. They easily and comfortably accommodated our party of 5 immediately and all subsequent requests through out the night (water, extra napkins, menu substitutions, chopsticks, etc.) The bottle of Pinot Grigio ($26) that I split with the three girls was light and refreshing. My Chicken Pad Thai without egg was the hit of my evening though. SO good (I'm craving it right now) and I think it was even better when I had it for breakfast and lunch the next day. Will definitely be back. Thanks to Pho Basil for the contribution to a great night!

    (4)

  • andrew g.

    it's good. i'd eat there again. however...i dunno. it's not anything i'd write home about. then again, i grew up eating bad@$$ vietnamese food. it's much better than most of the stuff you see in boston.

    (3)

  • N A.

    Fantastic pho restaurant. Come here about 2-3 times a month and typically get the pho tai, edamame and spring rolls with my girlfriend. By far my favorite in Boston. Very tastey and super reasonable.

    (4)

  • Dina C.

    First food is excellent. Second..they are very very nice..Sometimes I eat at an Asian place in the city and the staff appear quite angry..while I know some people arrive in the states as slaves...I just signed up for lunch. Staff appears happy..they smile..they get tipped well and they are interested in your dining experience....O & THE BIG THING##CHEAP!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Maggie Z.

    I hope I would rate this restaurant 5 stars after I have tried every single dish of theirs. I have ordered quite many dishes so far. And every dish has been a delight. I think this place is really good for students. If you go for lunch specials, like I did today, you will be very happy for the prize they charge compared to the quality of the food, which is very good! For the times I went, the consistency of the quality seemed good as well. Be aware of the wait if you go around 12:20pm or dinner time. The place would be packed and you have to wait around 20mins to 1 hour depending on your party size. I really like this Thai place. After being in Boston a little over half a year, I think generally the food in SF beats the food here. But I would suggest this place to my SF friends because they will still like it. Don't be offended Bostonians, I do know that there are many good restaurants around, or in Allston and places like that. But it is just so much easier to get great food for decent price in SF ;)

    (4)

  • Lauren L.

    I treated myself to a take-out meal here the other day. It was under their vegetarian section, and it was similar to Drunken Noodle (The official name was written in Vietnamese) and it was so bad. It didn't taste like anything except plain tofu. Not enough sauce. Chintzy vegetables. This place is always jam-packed... and everyone else's meals who were dining-in looked positively lovely... but mine was awful and I threw 90% of it away and heated up a can of soup. :(

    (2)

  • Jerry T.

    This was a wonderful find during my recent business trip to Boston! I actually picked up a little stomach bug while there and needed to find a really good soup - so, I sought out a Vietnamese pho place - and this place, not too far from the hotel - was highly rated. And, it is excellent. A clean and pleasant small, classy restaurant with a very attentive staff and incredibly good, authentic pho. It was exactly what the doctor ordered and helped me get through a day of meetings. I decided to go back that night to grab some more pho, but the place was overflowing with customers and I went elsewhere, sadly. I highly recommend this little place!

    (5)

  • Amber X.

    I ordered Pad Thai with Chicken and vegetable. $2 for the extra vegetable. Big portion, but the taste is just OK. Place is small and crowd. It was a good experience in general.

    (4)

  • Jess S.

    A high 3.5. I wanted to give it a 3, but: - one of the better eat-out options in the area - prices are good for quantity --------------------- Appetizers are the strongest. While the calamari was uneventful, the beef skewers were PHENOMENAL, and I really enjoyed the fried quail. Tom Kha soup was also very flavorful and loaded with 'shrooms. The pad thai was not BAD -- it was clean, very very fresh, and filling. It just wasn't mind-blowing. They give you a ton so it's enough to take home, but I'm sure if I lived in the area and (obviously) ate here frequently, the pad thai would not be my "usual." Don't sleep on their appetizers! They sure know how to work dat meat

    (4)

  • Steph S.

    Pho Basil's my go-to place when I'm craving either pho or thai food. The servings are large for the price you're paying and the flavor is always perfect (not salty but also not bland). The only reason why I'm docking off a star is because I had to wait 25 minutes for my food to come out after ordering, which is much longer than usual. It probably took a while because they were exceptionally busy that night. Whether you're delivering, picking up, or eating in the restaurant, the food is served piping hot. I'd recommend the Pho Tai, Pad Thai, or Drunken Noodles. The Pad Thai lasts me three days because they give such a generous portion. Stay away from the mango and coconut sticky rice though; the coconut flavor tasted artificial and perfume-y. Definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Boston.

    (4)

  • Grace C.

    Their pad thai is enormous. Ginormous. Humongous. I liked the taste of the noodles and I think that it wasn't too sweet or too nutty. I definitely recommend their pad thai but hear good things about their pho as well.

    (4)

  • Sri Ramani D.

    Amazing place! If it's your first time at this restaurant, start with some tom yum soup and crab rangoon and finish it with some drunken noodles. This is as good as it gets. I have been here a lot of times and not once have I left this place disappointed. Something so good for the amount they charge is, unbelievably satisfying.

    (5)

  • Nicole W.

    This place is so solid. Fantastic service, fantastic food. They serve the freshest Vietnamese/Thai food in the area. In fact, this is by far the best Asian food in a half a mile radius. There's a reason it's always packed! Recommendations: yellow curry, goi salad, rice plates

    (5)

  • Owais R.

    This is the by far the best Thai food I have ever had. It's easy to find (its right across from the Berklee School of Music) and the place is also very clean.

    (4)

  • Sophia S.

    Super fast and attentive service! The servers were all so nice and the hostess (also maybe a waiter) was so friendly and appreciative of the business. The food was DELICIOUS. Some of the best fried rice and Pho that I've ever had. I ordered 4 appetizers-- the fresh spring rolls, fried spring rolls, spicy crab Rangoon's, and gyoza. All were seriously so good and I recommend them to everyone. Definitely will come back and I recommend this restaurant to everyone.

    (5)

  • Desi M.

    Randomly passed by, saw Pho in the name and knew I had to try it out. This was really some of the best pho ga I've ever had, very flavorful. The veggie gyoza was equally amazing, it actually exceeded my expectations. Staff was very friendly and attentive. Obviously this spot is a neighborhood fave, I went on a Sunday afternoon not long after they opened and they were quickly at capacity. Variety of options on the menu and one of my best food experiences in Boston!

    (5)

  • Alison T.

    Drunken noodles are the best I've ever had. Pho is wonderful, appetizers amazing, and prices are unbeatable. Highly recommend Pho Basil!

    (5)

  • Jamie F.

    Pho Basil is perfect when you want a delicious, affordable, and casual Thai/Viet meal. It's consistently very good. Waiter service is quick and usually friendly. Never had a problem with take-out either. When I don't feel like going to Chinatown or the Dot for Viet cuisine, this is my go-to place for pho (noodle soup) and crispy egg rolls on this side of town. Flavorful beef broth + silky noodles + fresh ingredients = the perfect cure for cold winter days and hangovers ;) Plus, they have sate (chili) version too, my faveeee! Order this if you like the mouth-burning, face-sweating, nose-dripping kind of heat. On the Thai menu, I love everything from the tom yum soup to pad thai and fried rice dishes. The curry dishes are just OK, compared to the other choices. Don't forget to order a Thai iced tea with your meal! Love this cute little restaurant (see my frequent check-ins??). And it's only a short walk from Newbury St shopping area.

    (4)

  • Devika G.

    My absolute fave!! I gained live for Thai food from here. I am a safe player so haven't tried anything new just the usual pad Thai n drunken noodles and it was amazing. Its a small restaurant and there's always waiting if u go for dinner roughly for 20 mins n up. But worth the wait. Communication is quite a problem. The server messed our orders twice. *sucks* The mochi ice cream n bubble tea are recommended!!

    (5)

  • Sera L.

    I have only good things to say about this place. I love their crispy chicken drunken noodles, beef/pork/chicken vermicellis, their Pho selections are also all very delicious. I've never ate at the location, but only delivery- which always comes in time as well. my roommates and I love this place!!!

    (5)

  • Jay Q.

    This place is FANTASTIC. The quality of the food is amazing - - namely the drunken noodle dish as well as the curries - AND to top it off the prices are MORE than reasonable!! There isn't a ton of seating, but I've never waited more than 15 minutes.

    (5)

  • Marissa G.

    Very quick service & large portions! Food is really good. The Pho is HUGE & very filling :)

    (4)

  • Paige V.

    I will be craving the shumai and pho ga for weeks to come. I love soups of all kinds but the large was waaay too big, even for me.

    (5)

  • Sharanya S.

    One of the best Thai restaurants I have been to. I usually get the Spicy Basil Chicken or Chicken Boodle Soup during winter. They are always busy and in the weekends, it is harder to find a seat and there is usually a wait time and not much space to wait inside the restaurant if its cold outside. Their service is quick and they don't waste a lot of time once you get a table. I have taken my family here and they all love the food and it is economical.

    (4)

  • Alexander P.

    Aside from the numerous establishments in Chinatown, Pho Basil seems to offer one of the best combinations of tasty assorted asian dishes and low prices in Boston. It is the only asian restaurant in the Back Bay that I've gone to more than once. In fact I've probably eaten in or ordered take-out at least once a month since I discovered the place about a year ago. The menu offers a wide range of Thai and Vietnamese dishes, with some items seemingly more Americanized than others. As far as I can tell the Vietnamese dishes are pretty authentic, but regardless, every dish I've ever had from here has been delicious. The dishes are always well spiced, the veggies are cooked but not obliterated to mush, the fried flat rice noodles are smokey and chewy in the best way, and nothing has ever been particularly oily or goopy (see bad pork lo mein or sesame chicken respectively, although you can't actually order either here). I particularly like that when they say a dish is spicy, or when you ask to make it extra spicy, they really follow through, which I guess is a warning to some diners and a bit of encouragement to others. Some personal favorites my GF and I get all the time: Kua Gai Noodle - Stir-fried flat rice noodle with chicken, bean sprouts, scallions, egg, ground peanuts, lettuce, crispy fried diced onions, and cilantro. The lettuce sounds weird but honestly is amazing. It lightens the whole dish up and adds some great texture. This a good choice if spicy is not your thing. If spicy is your thing, be sure to at least steal a bite from your scoville-shy date who orders this while you go for one of the dishes below. Drunken Noodle - Stir-fried flat rice noodles with mixed vegetables and egg in spicy basil sauce with your choice of meat/tofu. I get it with the tofu and it works great since the tofu really soaks up the delicious and rather spicy basil sauce. Wild Board Basil - Pork sauteed with pepper, mushroom, eggplant, string bean, green peppercorn, pepper and basil leaves in white wine chili sauce. This is a dish that I've only ever seen at Pho Basil and is a must try if you like spice and pork. It's incredible. Ask them to make it extra spicy and you will be in nose-running, eye-watering, juicy pork heaven. Anything with basil sauce... really, anything. Crispy chicken basil, spicy tofu eggplant in basil sauce, spicy basil w/meat or tofu, etc. You get the idea. Anything with lemongrass grilled chicken, especially the Bun Thit Nuong. The vietnamese dishes that offer a pile of veggies, rice or noodles, vinegary fish sauce, and lemongrass chicken are very light and refreshing and the chicken is grilled perfectly. Dump that questionably odiferous but oh-so-delicious fish sauce over your entire plate and enjoy. Back to prices. For $8-10 bucks you can easily walk away with tonight's dinner and tomorrow's lunch in tow as the portion sizes are generous. If you sit in to eat you seem to get a bit more food, but if you take it to go you can get away with a smaller tip and more efficient dinner run. You decide what you value more. Lastly, the Thai iced tea is divine. Not for diabetics or lactase deficient individuals, but I swear that thing is the tastiest caffeine and calorie delivery method known to man.

    (4)

  • Raven Z.

    Noodle soup is so so ....but the Roit curry is super good!!!!!!! The price is ok~~I will come again ,,,try another things ..

    (3)

  • Mary Beth P.

    Every time I have come here there is a small wait due to this place having the best pho in town! I love their noodle dishes and lunch combos. My bf and I have made this our usual pho/thai place.

    (5)

  • Di L.

    If you love southeast Asian food, Pho Basil may well be the ideal restaurant. They make great Thai AND Vietnamese food, and pretty much floor me on every other aspect of restauranteering as well. Everything I've ordered here has been delicious, served in huge portions, and ~5-30% less expensive than surrounding Thai restaurants (yes I have done my market research). The restaurant is roomier than it looks front the outside, and has a soft-lit, cozy ambiance. Service is sometimes shockingly fast, and everyone who works there always seem to have big grins on their faces. Also, I've noticed that they do a lot of unexpected, cutesy things, such as making a little swirly-Q with the straw wrapper on your soda or cutting the cucumber garnish on your entree into a heart shape. These perky flourishes make me just a bit happier, so when the smiling server comes back, I just want to jump up and give him a big hug, or at least a 25% tip. The only drawback is that it gets packed at lunch AND dinner times, so there is a long wait unless you prefer to eat between 2 and 6 p. That's hardly a flaw, though. Basically, I'm saying PB is too perfect. Suspiciously so, you ask? I'll take my chances.

    (5)

  • Cindy L.

    As a west-coaster, I have to say the food here was pretty nice. The ambiance of this restaurant is quite nice, very cozy. And I thought it was very nice of them to accommodate all 11 of us in a not so big room. And even though the place wasn't that big, I liked how it was still possible to still converse over the other patrons and ourselves. Definitely a nice place for a group. Maybe I should have ordered the pho, but I was pretty happy with my dish - Spicy Basil with beef - basically stir-fried beef with veggies served with rice, which I thought was delicious, although not spicy, guess that would be the only down-side. And all my pho friends who joined me for dinner that night really enjoyed their meals as well, especially coming in from the cold! All in all, I enjoyed my time at Pho Basil, next time I will definitely get the pho!

    (4)

  • Jake E.

    Bumping this to a 5-star rating, as I had outstanding service when I returned with my girlfriend for a second meal. A minor problem with the service was why I had previously docked a star, but absolutely no issues this time! This go around, I decided to expand my horizons and ordered the Bun Thit Nuong with chicken which was absolutely delicious! The portion was sizable for the price ($8.95) and quite flavorful. I would definitely return for a third visit, as they serve some of the best Thai and Vietnamese food in the Boston area.

    (5)

  • Clara H.

    Ordered Saigon Noodles. Were pretty not bad.

    (3)

  • Jen J.

    CRAP CRAP CRAP! The food here is NOT authentic. The noodles in the pho was saddening because it was soggy, the noodle base was obviously mixed from powder, and their papaya salad was the blandest I've ever tasted. I'm pretty sure that anyone with no taste buds would like this place because they obviously don't know what GOOD Vietnamese food is.

    (1)

  • Yasa E.

    Got delivery from here a few weeks ago. Chicken satay is tender and delicious. Egg rolls are hot and crispy. Loved the pad Thai and the drunken noodles. Definitely will get takeout again

    (4)

  • James D.

    My favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Boston. I always get the pho ga with extra vegetables. Always good.everything else I see looks good too. Good service.

    (4)

  • H P.

    I usually stick to pho ga and roti n dip (scallion pancakes, I think that's what it's called here), which i love (!) but I decided to try something different today. I got the pad thai which I haven't gotten in ages, and papaya salad, which I first tried in NY and loved. I'm very disappointed and regret my decision. Papaya salad was loaded with garlic, quite unpleasant. Pad thai did not taste very good, and I don't know if they chop up the noodles or something, but they're like 2 inch long broken strands. I told the waiter about the papaya salad and he got it for me without garlic. It's better but still not delicious. Disappointing, but ill keep it 3 stars because the pho ga and scallion pancakes are good. Side note: I've noticed that while the pho is yummy, the noodles come in a clump at the bottom like they just put the chunk of noodles in the soup without mixing up the noodles. Not a monumental deal, but it takes away a bit All in all, change is never good, people..Never try anything new or you'll regret it forever. A bit too dramatic? Oh well.

    (3)

  • Jennifer L.

    If I could give this place more stars I would! It deserves a ten! Great service, cheap and good quality dishes, and you always leave happy! I have been coming here for years- they have recently upgraded their tables and chairs to accommodate more people, which is great! I recommend going early or very late to avoid the wait especially during the weekend- although it is definitely worth the wait! They also do fast take out as well- perfect for those who are in school and studying for finals. This is hands down the BEST PAD THAI in Boston. If I do not know what to eat i always find myself here and it is always good. Every. Single. Time. The pho dishes are ok- not as good as the ones in Chinatown, but if you want a bowl of soup on a cold day its fast and hits the spot. They also have amazing Thai Ice tea and Vietnamese coffee (which you can also get to go!). And when it is in season- the Mango sticky rice dessert is a must! Lunch specials are also a good deal, all the noodle and rice dishes are amazing. And you cannot go wrong with the vermicelli bowl- tastes good and the presentation speaks for itself! Service is great everyone there is very friendly and accommodating. If you come here enough they remember your face and welcome you back each time you come in. Definitely my favorite Thai restaurant in Boston and I will be coming back again and again!

    (5)

  • Taylor B.

    This place has such good dishes, but it almost has too many options. While I was there I was reading the menu for about 15 minutes straight. If you go, go with someone you know who can recommend something or go for something you're already craving. Staff here is nice, but tended to be hard to track down. Overall, a great place!

    (4)

  • Nina C.

    We just ate here tonight and it was so GOOD! We ordered: Tom yum soup and chicken satay for appetizers Chicken pho soup but with egg (yellow) noodles Basil fried rice with tofu Yellow curry with chicken And Spicy basil house special with tofu All the dishes were flavorful and delicious and full of spices. We would go here again and be regulars if we lived in Boston. The service was very good too. It is all around an amazing place to go.

    (5)

  • Jennifer C.

    I had a sensitive stomach, so I was nervous about eating spicy food. However, I was pleasantly surprised as the spicy Jungle Curry settled my stomach. We also had Xe Lua, Bo Vien, Po Ga, which are all noodle soup dishes. The sesame aroma of Po Ga was delightful and all three items were flavorful and delicious. I would highly recommend this restaurant to any noodle soup lover. Next time we are in Boston we will definitely return. Can't wait to try the other dishes on the menu.

    (5)

  • Kate J.

    I love love love Pho Basil. The best Vietnamese place in town for me. Great portions, perfect soup base, awesome rolls, super fresh vegetables, etc. As a Thai, I can't say the same thing for their Thai dishes - perhaps it's altered to meet more western likings (hence I rated this place 4 stars). Nonetheless - I love this place. Very friendly staff - even when it's super packed.

    (4)

  • Ellen W.

    Entree: Bun Thit Nuong with Grilled Pork and a Crispy Roll Drink: Mango Fruit Shake This is usually my go to place for pho and Thai duck noodle soup in Boston, but I was craving Bun this last time so I went with that. I really enjoyed my Bun and the grilled pork was very flavorful. Everything was the right temperature (the pork was warm, the veggies were cold, and the vermicelli was room temperature) and delicious overall. Also, if you're a fan of mango smoothies, milk shakes, etc. get the one here. The mango fruit shake is one of my favorite items because they use real mangoes unlike most other places. You can also add boba if you want to for an additional charge.

    (4)

  • Rebekah H.

    First, let me say this place is my saving grace! I moved to Boston 6 months ago and I have seen highly disappointed with their Asian cuisine. I am an avid Thai food lover and tried many places and this is by far the best in the greater Boston area. Went here in the evening with my boyfriend. We ordered the steamed muscles and chicken Satay as appetizers. I am not a muscle fan so I didn't try them but my boyfriend are the whole thing in about 5 minutes so I'm assuming they were good. The chicken satay was DELICIOUS! Perfect amount of spice, the peanut sauce it's served with is on point. I ordered the Bangkok Ribs as my entree and I was not disappointed. I love spicy food and this was spicy both in hotness and in flavor. Rice was cooked to perfection. And come hungry because the portions are HUGE. For 2 appetizers, 2 drinks & 2 entrees, it ended up being only about $40. Pretty decent for the amount of food you get in my opinion. I recommend this place to anyone who love Thai food.

    (5)

  • T T.

    I decided to try Pho Basil when I saw it ranked #1 on Zagat's top Pho spots in Boston but left unimpressed with the mediocre food. I tried an appetizer consisting of bean sprouts, shrimp, and pork wrapped in an egg omelette; the egg was overcooked and stale in texture, while the pork was very dry. The dish tasted like a few disparate ingredients with nothing to tie them together. The Dac Biet pho was a pretty ordinary bowl of pho, certainly nothing to write home about. The noodles were overcooked, and the broth was unmemorable. The only plus to the meal was that it didn't break the bank. The pho at Xinh XInh is unquestionably better.

    (2)

  • Idy T.

    This restaurant serves both Vietnamese and Thai food. This is a weird mix but I guess it works because both cuisines contain a lot of similar spices. I came here for lunch with my friends. This place has really great lunch specials starting at $6.95 and you can add $2 to make it a combo which comes with salad, soup, and some some curry samosas and a gyoza. I was craving some Tom yum soup so I ordered the Tom Yum Noodle Soup ($8.95) instead of something from the lunch specials. It comes with shrimp, chicken, mushroom, tomato, with udon. I had to request to change it to rice vermicelli instead of udon because I don't think that it will go well with that type of noodle. I think it is really weird that it comes with udon in the first place. I was really disappointed about my Tom Yum soup because it tasted more like tomato soup and it lacked the Thai spices and flavors that I was looking for. I wished I had ordered something else because I had some of my friends food and they were fantastic! One of them ordered the Pad Kra Pow and another ordered Lemon Duck. Both of these were from the lunch specials. These dishes were so good that it made my dish less appealing. There are definitely some hits and misses with Pho Basil, some dishes taste really delicious and authentic, while some dishes lack flavor and authenticity. The inconsistency is very disappointing.

    (3)

  • Lauren P.

    Delicious food, huge portions, very cheap. Highly recommend for a casual dinner with friends or takeout for yourself. We tried the dumplings, pho, and noodle dishes.

    (5)

  • Mary T.

    I came here with some friends and I was a little hesitant at first.. I mean their restaurant name gives it away what they serve. It's a place that serves Vietnamese and Thai food. Hmm.. I don't know about that. I am glad I decided to try to place. I came here for lunch and got a combo with Pad krapow. I wanted something spicy because I haven't had enough spicy food lately and there was 2 hit red heads next to the item on the menu so it must be hot. The combo came with soup, 1 gyoza, salad and 2 small curry samosas. It was a good deal. The portion is very generous as well. I also tried the tom yum noodle soup and a dish that had duck and rice. The tom yum soup was a little different than what I normally have. There was no seafood, they used a lot of t The dish had a lot of the entree and rice. I couldn't even finish it all!! I want to come back and bring some friends to try this place. It's close to Newbury St. too so it's good to go before or after you go shopping!

    (4)

  • Erica K.

    The food was amazing! We ordered chicken pad Thai, pad see ew, and pho chicken. Each dish was delicious and the service was fast!

    (5)

  • Chenkai L.

    The food here is tasty and generous portions. They have the typical Thai menu but the food quality is definitely above average. I came here with 3 other people and they all enjoyed their orders. Recommended.

    (4)

  • Mark G.

    My go-to for takeout. They've got my order ready to be picked up in 20 minutes or less even when they're slammed with college students and there's a line out the door for tables. When I done in I always make sure to order the Pho, as it's not something you can do for takeout (it's just not as good). Their lunch specials are always great as well.

    (4)

  • Evan L.

    I am not the type of person who orders Thai or Vietnamese food with any regularity. Nor am I the type to write reviews, so already we're off to a good start. Tonight, while my wife and son were away, I had an unusual hankering for Pho Basil (having eaten there several times before). Notice I didn't have a hankering for Thai or Vietnamese food in general. In fact I think I passed two other Thai restaurants on my way there. Table for one. Start- hot green tea. Lovely. I ordered the Spicy Crab Rangoons ($6) for an appetizer- I am a huge fan of crab rangoons, even the imitation crab ones you get from most Chinese restaurants I think are pretty good, with cream cheese etc. These, however, were the genuine article. I'm no crab connoisseur, but I'd seriously doubt if these were filled with anything but real crab, and their cream sauce blend, whatever it was, was amazing. The crunchy wrapper was lite and delicate, perfectly crispy fried, without being super oily. The spice gave a pleasant flavor-enhancing kick without making you start to cry. Entree: Saigon chicken. $14. Pineapple ginger orange onion pepper sex with brown rice. Heaven. Yes, it was that amazing of an experience. Nothing short of the best meal I have had, from any genre of food, from any restaurant in the country, in many many years. It was probably enough to share if you're on a date like the poor couple next to me was, but I unapologetically ate the whole thing. She just wasn't that into him. Again, not being a Thai enthusiast, I couldn't speak to this meal's authenticity, (actually I'm pretty sure it was Vietnamese, given the name) but from purely the vantage point of taste, it was stellar. After all, I'm pretty sure that's what people are looking for in restaurants nowadays, eh? Oh, and the service was also excellent. Timed perfectly, efficient without being rushed, but attentive. I'd give it 6 stars if that were an option.

    (5)

  • Liam O.

    Quick take out service. Large portions. Reasonable prices.

    (4)

  • Elle V.

    We returned to Boston and to Pho Basil even though our 5 minute walk in 5 degrees and high winds rendered us all practically frozen solid by the time we got there from our hotel. We were a little later this time, around 7 p.m. and had to wait about 20 minutes. Place was filled with lots of youngish, college-types and several commented within earshot of us (with our kids) "oh, this place is getting too popular" as if they had rights to the place and us out-of-towners should be eating at Cheesecake Factory. Anyhow, I wouldn't recommend trying to eat here with more than 4 people, since the big tables are only 4 tops. It's tight in here, but the staff moves around just fine. I suppose they'd cram you in, but I wouldn't. Kids gobbled up the gyoza and vegetarian rice paper wraps with peanut dip. We also got Drunken noodles which were addictive and very basil-y. We like spice, so this dish isn't too much for us...kids ate it up too. I ordered Chicken mango curry and it was divine...big portions are meant to be shared, but I probably could've eaten all of it myself. DH got the Lemongrass Duck soup...also a very large portion, and the broth is killer...I sort of wanted to just drink it from a glass. My only regret is that the menu is large and we don't get there much so I didn't get to enjoy more choices, but my bet is all is worth eating here. Very good.

    (4)

  • Brittani K.

    Let me just start off by saying that I was soo satisfied after eating the drunken noodles that I came back a day later to order more. That explains itself. Pho Basil is always very busy, so you might need to wait 5 minutes to be seated, however it is very worth it. I have also had the watercress soup with shrimp and it was so refreshing and delicious. It's like a bowl of rejuvenation and health! I wouldn't be opposed of an endless supply of that itself as my lunch! The pho also met my expectations. Great place to dine at on a cold, wintery day or just any average day that you are looking for authentic, flavorful food. I give this place two thumbs up.. If I have more thumbs, then it would get those too. :P

    (5)

  • Joe K.

    One of my favorite lunch destinations. Make sure to get in here early because this place gets packed really fast.

    (5)

  • Mary Beth F.

    Love their pad Thai and crispy rolls. Also if you order the pho takeout, they package each element individually. Awesome.

    (5)

  • Jose L.

    My fave pad thai in the area. Excellent service, fair prices, nice interior.

    (4)

  • Vanessa F.

    I tried Pho Basil for the first time recently and really enjoyed it! It was very busy on a Saturday night, and they don't take reservations. We needed a table for 6, which they were able to accommodate, but this isn't the kind of place you could go with much larger of a group, as there isn't a lot of space for large parties. Also, you should arrive with your whole party, as they could only hold a table for us for a few minutes because of the rush. We had a very nice waiter, and the food was really great. Despite how busy it was (every table full and a line out the door), the service was quick and accurate. Everyone enjoyed their meals overall, and I got a veggie and tofu pad thai that was one of the best I've had in Boston. One touch I really liked was that the waiter checked if I was vegetarian and asked if eggs were OK with me before putting in the order. I also got a bubble "tea" ("tea" in quotes because I tried the mocha cappuccino one) that was absolutely fantastic. I'd never had bubble tea before and wanted to give it a shot. It was just like a Starbucks Frappuccino with tapioca pearls in it. I'd definitely visit this place again just to snag another one. The portion sizes were pretty big for a very low price, though I know a couple people at our table complained their dishes were a bit skimpy on the protein.

    (4)

  • Erica Z.

    Amazing! First of all they have a separate gluten free menu! For our dinner, we ordered Tai, which is the beef noodle soup with rare steak. It was cooked and prepared perfectly. It even had the perfect amount of salt. Typically after eating these types of soups, we feel bloated and not well from all the salt chefs typically cook with, but at this restaurant chef used the perfect amount. We will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Nancy C.

    I've never been a huge fan of pho, but this place's pho is pretty decent. It's also not too expensive, considering how much food you get and how much food everywhere else in Boston is. My friend gets the pho on a regular basis, and she's picky about food, so I guess that's a testament to how good it is. I've also tried their Thai fried rice (with brown rice, which you have to pay extra to sub in), which actually came with a decent amount of veggies and wasn't too oily/salty, and was a big enough portion to last me for lunch and to bring home the rest for dinner. I've also tried the curry rib noodles, which isn't actually what it sounds like/is described as. I expected noodles in curry with a decent amount of spare ribs. It was an actual soup, however, not really spicy at all, and only had 2 spare ribs. It tasted decent, and I enjoyed the quail eggs, but it wasn't anything spectacular. I wouldn't order it again. Some servers are really nice, while others are quite brusque. But overall, it's a cute little place with an atmosphere which could be good for a date if that's what you're looking for. It's cozy though, which is good for a rainy day when you're craving some comfort food. If you are, go help yourself to a bowl of pho. Trust me, you'll feel better.

    (3)

  • Camille F.

    Absolutely delicious! The pricing is more than fair and the portions are HUGE. Everyone leaves with left overs, except us. The spicy crab rangoon was light, crispy, had just enough spice, and scrumptious. My boyfriend had the Xalau Pho which he loved, he is a big fan of pho and says this one was definitely a good one. I had the Chicken Peanut Sauce, which was amazing. The vegetables were fresh and well cooked, chicken was great, and the sauces were peanut and garlic, and the mixture was a perfect explosion of flavors. The Thai iced coffee was also awesome, the best I've tried. I try to seek out the best Thai food in every city and this is one of the Best I've had in Boston so far. I didn't get to have the Pad Thai, but it looked delicious. The service was great, the wait staff was happy and attentive. We walked in at 9PM, place was packed, got seated in 10 minutes, and were in and out in 50 minutes. The food comes out SO FAST and is presented beautifully! I will come back!

    (5)

  • Frankie M.

    I ordered the extra large Pho Tai and it was delicious, from the broth to the round eye and to the noodles. I'm a pho guy and eat it once a week. Definitely enjoyable.

    (4)

  • William H.

    The food was great as usual, but after ordering delivery off of grub hub I received a call saying they are not doing delivery tonight and if I wanted it I needed to pick it up! We love the food and order every week but it does nothing to help my experience when I order delivery and am forced to go pick it up. I ordered delivery for a reason, I should not be inconvenienced when a company offers delivery. Both Grub Hub and Pho Basil failed in this regard.

    (3)

  • Aaron L.

    I almost don't want to review this place because it is so good and it's already become more crowded. But seriously: it is so good! The spicy rangoon is one of the best apps in boston. The pho is consistently delicious. Service is efficient and friendly. I love pho basil!

    (5)

  • Paige C.

    quack goes the menu warmed heart by lonely neighbor high risk reward I walked in here to eat on a whim. I was looking for pho, and ended up in a thai restaurant. Duck noodle soup is a thing? Yeah it's a thing. And it's a thing that makes everything awesome. I walked right in, was greeted very friendly, and took a seat next to another solo diner eating soup. We didn't speak, or even make eye contact, but we were in solidarity with one another amidst the first dates and musicians. The lunch menu looked pretty awesome, but my heart was set on some soup. My quiet neighbor looked like she got the pho, but for whatever reason, I was in the mood for something a bit more adventurous. Duck. Duck noodle soup. Ok. I'll do it. A bit salty, but I don't care, it was still soooooo good. If you're a little sensitive to saltiness, you may need to steer clear of this sodium bomb, but personally, I love salt... and so it gloriously hit the spot for me. There was tons of meat in it, the noodles were big and flat and tasty (and were not salty at all, making up for the saltiness IMHO), the duck was perfection fatty greasiness. I'm going to have to try this stuff at more Thai places.

    (4)

  • Snehal W.

    Delicious food and excellent service! The portions are generous as well. Highly recommend!!

    (5)

  • Sally E.

    Despite the name, I was feeling more Thai that night so I opted for Pad See Ew - my usual Thai order. Service was friendly and efficient and the food was good. Nothing particularly special, just some good Thai food. A little more expensive than what I'm used to paying in LA, but maybe Thai is just a little less prevalent on the east coast. Still - some good stuff and packed at 8pm on a Fri!

    (4)

  • Shaun P.

    Excellent service. The food came out really quickly. I had the lychee duck and my friend had the spicy basil. The food was excellent and the ambiance and really good for a small group. I would recommend.

    (5)

  • Niki S.

    I loved their Pho Ga!!! Simple but delicious. Add a lil siracha (or a lot) and boom! Perfect meal! This place gets packed pretty quick any day of the night but the wait wasn't too long. You can tell people keep coming back for more.

    (5)

  • Matthew G.

    Good Bun...reasonable service. My lunch was enjoyable, and reasonably priced. Good Thai Iced tea.

    (4)

  • Jeff F.

    Average at best. Unsure what the hype is. I would pass on Pho Basil

    (3)

  • Lillian C.

    I've been craving pho ever since I moved from LA since I love noodle soup. I turned to yelp to direct me to the nearest pho place. Since this place had pretty good reviews I decided to try it out. This place is located on Mass Ave and close to Berkelee. It has kind of a small store front so make sure to watch the numbers so you don't pass by it. The restaurant is a good size and the service was very good. The pho soup was lighter than what I actually like, but the amount you get is pretty good. The only thing was that they don't have jalapeno peppers! I like my pho soup spicy but oh well, I'll get over it... A lot of people ordered Thai dishes and I would want to try those another time!

    (4)

  • Rachel R.

    I just have to hand it to Pho Basil for their incredibly accommodating service, despite being (rightfully) perplexed when my companion ordered Pad Thai without scallions, then received her dish and realized she meant bean sprouts, sent it back, and had them remake it. They didn't charge her, berate her for the lack of vegetable terminology in her vocabulary, or give her a hard time. They were noticeably all very confused, but so was I. I had the pho with yellow noodles and mixed seafood, which was $7.95 (ooh, ahh, bargain, wow!) Chewy noodles galore and hot, savory, comforting soup... aww yeeah. Granted, the seafood tasted kind of like dirt and kind of like nothing, but it was still warm and comforting and $7.95. Overall, I award them an extra half-star for their excellence in not charging people for messing up their own order, bringing them up to a well-earned four stars. *claps*

    (4)

  • Yuka Y.

    Pho Basil will be remembered as the host of my 22nd birthday dinner:) Convenient location, one of many restaurants located across the First Church of Christ Scientist on Mass Ave. For a Monday evening, it was p-a-c-k-e-d with a steady stream of incoming customers. Their 'Spicy Rangoon' was excellent- crispy with a smooth, creamy filling. I couldn't even taste the cream cheese...booya! Don't count on the crab meat stuffing though, as expected they're scant. Not spicy at all. I'd recommend the drunken noodles, you definitely get every bang for your buck with the amount of chow fun (wide rice noodles), vegetables, and slab of tonkatsu-like-pork on top. Tom Yum Noodle Soup is on the sour/tangy end as opposed to spicy. As with all the Thai restaurants I've tried in MA, true tom yum broth can never be replicated given the absence/difficulty in obtaining the right spices. Their use of udon noodles was frowned upon, PB should really have went for thin soba-like noodles. Xe Lua, their XL beef noodle soup with various strips of cow innards was standard and on par with Chinatown's phos. Definitely come hungry for this, this bad boy is another big bang for your buck.

    (4)

  • Nyah K.

    We were visiting for the weekend and ordered delivery. The food was good. The portions were a good size. They forgot one of our dishes and when we called to let them know they had closed. They got someone in the kitchen to whip one up and delivered it very quickly!

    (4)

  • Thy N.

    Food here is delicious with great price. Service is good. It can get crowded on the weekends so if you don't want to wait, be sure to call and ask for table reservation.

    (5)

  • Skyler G.

    Nice, busy little place. The menu has tons of options, definitely something for everyone. The Pho was great, and they brought it out very fast even though it was so busy. Service was great as well, though since it was busy, I felt a little rushed. Overall, definitely a place worth checking out if you're in the area

    (4)

  • Blaire O.

    Normally Thai and Chinese restaurants are empty but this place was crowded so that was a crowd sign. But we were seated promptly. Only negative was that the server took awhile to take our order. My friend and I went for dinner. We both ordered the drunken chicken noodles with extra veggies. The portions are really big. The Dish was a bit spicy but good. I will be going back again.

    (4)

  • Bee B.

    I am on vacation staying in the area of the restaurant. Ordered 4 different Thai dishes for take out (three noodle and one rice dish). The food was ready quickly and was piping hot when we dug in. The food was pretty good and the portions were big. All in my group agreed that we have had better Thai from where we are from. Should've maybe ordered some pho to test out their Vietnamese. Anyways, the place was packed and overall pretty decent. One last note - I ordered my dish "very spicy" and "Thai hot," it was neither (I have a pretty high spice threshold though, but still not enough).

    (3)

  • Svetik M.

    I loved the food there:)) It tastes authentic . Great menu, fast service, nice and clean. Recommend to stop and try by yourself , you won't regret, especially if you love spaciness :)

    (5)

  • Adeline J.

    My friend and I saw Yelp reviews, walked a long ways from the apartment we were staying at and came to this place for our first dinner in Boston. First thoughts: the restaurant itself was cute but pretty crowded- so many people here even on a Tuesday night. It was nice to see how popular it was though, because there were a lot of people just eating by themselves. I didn't see any families, so I'm assuming this is a trendier restaurant for young couples or friend groups. Service was pkay and we got our food in a good amount of time. We ordered the chicken drunken noodles and the light selection of chicken and raw vegetables that we topped with extra peanut sauce. The vegetables were super fresh and the sauces were perfectly cooked and spiced. I will say the chicken was a little dry and the drunken noodles were much spicier than I had expected, but the food was still pretty good! I do prefer Thai food on the West Coast, but this was better than I expected. I would come again and probably order something more standard like an original pho or pad thai instead.

    (3)

  • Colleen H.

    Have a cold? Want some soup? Pho Basil is here for you. And their prices are so cheap, you just can't say no. You really don't have to wander around Chinatown for good Pho. Most of those places are scary, and could very well be putting hamster's in your soup AH!!! This place is cute and simple, and good at serving what their sign suggests -- Pho!

    (5)

  • Evan Michael H.

    Fantastic Pad Thai. The place is set up in a fairly weird way, if its busy there isn't a hostess and the wait staff seems over worked and a bit disorganized if trying to handle too many people trying to get it. The servers are very nice and the food is fantastic.

    (4)

  • Neal M.

    Unlike Betty's noodle flop, this place is the real deal! Credit where credit is due, there are several choices for similar food in about a 2 minute walk, this one packs them in on weeknights , while others are bare. The service acts like a team, works efficiently, that and the quality of the food, hit the 5 star mark. I had Pho with big beef chunks - cilantro nice flavor, my friend a great meat dish. grilled not burnt. Appetizers we went for vegan triangles and spring rolls. My Asian friend gave the food a "10" , he's never done that. The food I saw going by will make me go back, the pricing and service VERY hard to find in this kind of place. Happy Staff, happy customers.

    (5)

  • Jennifer H.

    I admit that it has been a while since I've lived anyplace where you can get good Vietnamese food -- so perhaps this is why on a recent trip to Boston, when I discovered the Yelp reviews for Pho Basil and ventured there for lunch, I decided that I NEEDED my Vietnamese food fix, because I took a group of people from the conference I was at to dinner. That's right--on my first day in Boston I ate at Pho Basil twice--and I was not disappointed. My mark of a good Vietnamese restaurant that I will return to begins and ends with pho. Do they have good Pho? The answer is a resounding YES! The broth is fragrant and savory--and the delight of squeezing limes into the soup to further enhance the flavors brought me back to the times I would frequent my favorite Vietnamese noodle shop in the winter. The fresh squeezed limeade also didn't disappoint. Tart and sweet and absolutely refreshing. The night I went back I had the bun with grilled pork and tofu (a substitution that the restaurant did for me instead of shrimp because I wasn't feeling in a shrimp mood--another mark of a restaurant that really cares about its customers) and it was also yummy and flavorful. And the spring rolls were perfect--crunchy on the outside and steaming hot on the inside--but its the fillings--a combo of pork, shrimp, and veggies mixed with some other flavorings that made me want to just gobble them up. Finally, the service was wonderful. We had 2 young children in our large dinner group and the wait staff were patient and kind and understanding, esp. with some spilled water and some cranky tempers. Overall I think you can't go wrong with the traditional Vietnamese dishes--and the folks I was with at dinner were also raving about their choices. Pho Basil, how I wish you were in North Carolina!

    (5)

  • Josie G.

    YUM in my TUM. In a horrific wind storm with negative chills (or however you say it) I was convinced to walk here from the Prudential. Okay, we took a shortcut through the hotels, but STILL. So thankful we did. I love this place! I ordered the dumpling soup (changed for Udon noodles), and my friend ordered the Tom Yum soup, I believe. Both were delicious, especially when you throw in some more of the hot sauce. Our calamari appetizer was good- different because they have a type of batter on there I've never had before. The waitress was a doll, and kept filling up my soda.. I believe I had 7? (I made the soup so hot!) She must have thought I was crazy.. Cheap and delicious, can't wait to come back.

    (5)

  • Dolores H.

    My favorite place for vietnamese and thai delivery. I've loved everything I've had from here. My personal favorite, that I haven't seen anywhere else, is the cinnamon beef curry.

    (5)

  • B T.

    Love this place. Try something different, you won't be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Emily L.

    Once you step into the door, whether it's busy or quiet, you'll be greeted by the friendly staff. The menu offers a great variety and has something for everyone. I usually get the pho but those that aren't into the soup noodles, they also offer curry, fried rice, fried noodles, etc. Their bubble tea is probably the best in the block but honestly there's not much competition in this area. I really can't say enough about their super friendly staff. For a casual restaurant, they offer some of the most consistent, genuine, kind-hearted, and quick service that I've every experienced. Every time I go there, I know the wait staff will be smiling and that makes coming here sometimes a therapeutic experience.

    (4)

  • Bess M.

    I went here on a double date a couple of weekends ago. When my boyfriend and I arrived there was a line out the door...it was a Saturday night so it was expected to be a bit busy. I got a vegetable dish with tofu it was okay. It's a small place but its cute for a date or double date if you wish.

    (3)

  • Rachie G.

    "The mango chicken curry and Pho were excellent. Prices are low and the amount of food you get is a huge portion."

    (4)

  • Risa X.

    My boyfriend and I had recently just relocated to Boston. Back home in Vegas, we had our Pho places that we deemed affordable and delicious. And we had our Thai places that we deemed those adjectives as well. We ran around like chickens with our head cut off our first day in Boston and were really looking for some good food but, being that we JUST got here, we didn't want to spend so much. We wandered into this place and little did we know, we wandered upon our new spot! The pho and everything else was extremely fresh. Our choice of description for this place after the initial bites were "too high quality." Those of you that are familiar with Vegas pho, you sometimes wonder if it just sits in the back in a vat all day, (i.e. At Pho Kim Long, you place your order and it's out like a minute later.. what?) I suggest the Shumai, the Gyoza, and the Pho Tai for starters :) All in all, I'm going to give it four stars for now since I've only had a couple things off the menu!

    (4)

  • Alice V.

    You wouldn't guess that this place was so good and if it weren't for Yelp reviews I would have just walked on by. Went with 4 co-workers while traveling to Boston and it we all raved at the food we ordered (including dessert).

    (4)

  • Rachel B.

    Awesome food! Awesome Service! Awesome prices.....Make a reservation! Best Pad Thai ever!!!

    (4)

  • Meep M.

    Oh yeah place is great! Prices are great and portions are large! Meeperlicious!

    (4)

  • L K.

    Consistency is key... after multiple visits, I've only ever had 5/5 wonderful customer service to report. Thank you, Pho Basil, for offering such a reliable, delicious,r and warm respite from Boston weather.

    (5)

  • Ernie F.

    RATING: 1.5 stars, rounded down (truly disappointing food given the 4-star rating) FOOD: Bo Vien (Beefball Pho), Large Tom Yum Noodle Soup Milk Tea Boba QUICK SUMMARY: Pho = Chewy, noticeably overcooked Beefball = Standard beefballs found in Pho, good quality, only about 6 halves in my LARGE bowl. Pho Additions = Old beansprouts, mint leaves, two skinny slices of lime, unfortunately no jalapenos. Soup = Clean tasting, good flavor, no noticeable oil Size = Terribly small for a large size. Too much noodle, too few beefballs, Tom Yum Soup = Bland, too much artificial tomato flavor, awful. Udon Noodles = In Tom Yum soup, its an interesting choice. Too few noodles, tasted store-bought (ie not that great). Milk Tea Boba = Slight artificial flavor, interesting "smoothy" texture, shaved ice is a plus, tapioca was tough on the inside, slightly too large for the boba straw. Service = Friendly SENTENCE SUMMARY: "If I had to base my impression of Boston Thai & Vietnamese food solely on this visit, I would definitely have some low standards."

    (1)

  • Jill G.

    One of my favorite pho spots in Boston. Nice, calm atmosphere and awesome dishes- I am addicted to the pho soup! Reasonable priced, too!

    (5)

  • Jason R.

    This place is worth driving all the way to Boston from NY for. The Pho was outstanding, Hot and fresh. Definitely order the rangoon appetizer it was so good we ate all of our friends and had to order two more servings. The only soup that didn't taste up to par was the meat ball soup one of our friends had. For entrees I have to say the grilled pork over rice was great and had to take a big serving for my self because it didn't make it down the table. Make sure you bring your appetite for this can't miss stop

    (5)

  • Luis G.

    Ok, so, I've never been a fan of giving away 5 starts to anything, not even movies, there's only about 4 movies in my life that I have rated as a 10 our of 10. I don't think I've tried a restaurant in Boston that has everything that I look for, except for Pho Basil. Starting with the food, It is GREAT, the menu is very very long, but this is one of the few cases where I don't really mind and I look forward to trying all items on the menu. Pho Basil is a combination of Vietnamese food, and great Thai dishes. I can say that I've tried most of the items on this menu, especially because it is not an expensive place at all, you can get a big bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup for about $6. The house specials is where it gets a little bit more expensive, but no dish is more expensive than $16 bucks, unless you check out the seafood section. Desserts are pretty good, but the best part is the drinks they offer; Thai iced tea, Vietnamese coffee both iced and hot, bubble teas (mango, avocado, pinneaple, etc) and why not, a couple of Vietnamese of Thai beers. The people there are incredibly nice. I always feel like I'm eating at home when I go there. They treat you just right, it's not like they try to hard for you to like them, a nice chilled experience with great staff, to whom I've become to know over this time and they always remember me. Overall: Great food, Great prices (yay for students!), great drinks, excellent staff, this is my #1 spot in the backbay area.

    (5)

  • L T.

    Cheap Vietnamese food and good customer service. Also very public transportation accessible as it is located on Massachusetts Avenue.

    (4)

  • Clara L.

    I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet. It's my go to place for affordable, tasty eats when I'm too lazy to cook or just craving some great food. The staff is also incredibly helpful and friendly. I've had their duck noodle soup, com chien, and I'm sure other items I can't remember now. At lunch, they have a great $2 addition of salad, soup, a gyoza, and some fried triangles with veggies. The portions are pretty large and definitely satisfying. When I get take out, they let you sit at a table to wait and even offer you water while you're waiting. Never fail, every time. That's service. Low key atmosphere, solid service, excellent food, and great prices make this a Back Bay gem!

    (5)

  • Michael S.

    Went for Pho. Found Pho. Ate Pho. WOW! Tai is beef Pho. Added veggies. Fresh and delicious. Will be back.

    (4)

  • Rob C.

    Looking in the window of Pho Basil while waiting outside, i was a little bit skeptical that it was closer to the take-out end of the spectrum than to the nice dinner side, but as it turns out, it was quite the opposite. Inside it's nice and peaceful, away from the bustle of Mass. Ave., and very comfortable, if a little plain. They have a pretty extensive menu, with a variety of Asian food (goodness knows i'm not smart enough to suss out what's Thai and what's Vietnamese, exactly), but everything we had was pretty good. I liked the pho with chicken and the summer rolls. The wait staff was a little bit too attentive at times, but in a very friendly way. It's good, warm, cheap food, perfect for a chilly late-winter day.

    (3)

  • David H.

    Lunch on Columbus Day w/ two children - large bowl of pho with rare beef - great broth, nice crispy bean sprouts and basil and nice slices of rare beef. Excellent and a large order was sufficient to share w/ the family. Sweet-n-Sour Chicken - fresh veggies - beans, peppers, yellow squash, mushrooms, nice sweet tangy orange color sauce, with slices of chicken and a bowl of white rice. Very nice dish, kids enjoyed. Pad Thai with chicken - another nice dish - fresh sprouts, peanut sauce and peanuts overwhelming and the noodles were ample and not overcooked. Also, a dish of samosas - hot and crispy. Restaurant was full, but servers came by with water and asked to refill the kids cokes.

    (4)

  • Abhi M.

    The pad Thai is really really worth it. We also had the ginger chicken. It was good but not as good as the pad Thai

    (4)

  • Michael P.

    CRISPY CHICKEN (over fried rice)!!! Imagine succulent sliced strips of hot n crispy chicken laid on top of a heaping mound of fried rice. As for the fried rice, it's no generic fried rice from Panda Express; you have several varieties to choose from. The takeaway message here is: Don't let the simple name "Crispy chicken" bore you. This place knows how to do their chicken right. Lunch specials are also a great deal!

    (5)

  • Stuart L.

    Excellent South Asian food. Some Vietnamese, some Thai, some fusion of the two. Papaya salad was appropriately sour and spicy. For an entree, I had the coconut pasta, seafood in a lemongrass, garlic and chili-infused coconut milk sauce. Great balance of flavors, nIce and pungent. Place is crowded due to small size and popularity. They do a good job of promptly serving tables and turning them over, without rushing people. I'll be back next time I'm in the Berklee-Fenway area.

    (4)

  • Kevin C.

    Amazing restaurant. Super-friendly wait staff, and they move fast. I almost always get either the basil crispy chicken or the basil fish entree. The wild boar basil is also amazing. Big portions and I'm always full after I leave. It's probably my favorite restaurant in the Back Bay, which admittedly isn't saying much, but man this place is good.

    (4)

  • Karthick D.

    I love this. I have been here several times and the food here is awesome

    (5)

  • Scott B.

    Once upon a time I was a virgin to the art of Pho. Yes, I call it an 'art' because there is an element of creating one's own perfect masterpiece in this fine, fine, oh so fine asian noodle soup. My Pho cherry was officially popped today -- and for that I can thank Marc, Amanda, and Kristin. Thanks. On to the review -- Pho Basil has a simple atmosphere, a friendly staff, and very reasonable prices. $6.95 for a bowl of seafood pho with yellow noodles -- a facade of deceiving portions. At first glance, it's just a bowl of incredibly tasty noodle soup. About half way through, your stomache is already almost full, and you've still got that mass of noodles waiting at the bottom of your bowl. Fantastic. Now -- onto the bubble tea. Frozen concotions laced with giant tapioca balls, served with a monica lewinsky-worthy straw -- nearly the circumfrance of a cigar. Highly recommended... and definately a classic Yelp 5 star review.

    (5)

  • Ann C.

    Of all the restaurants I'll miss in the event I do move out of this area, Pho Basil will easily be one of the top 3. Unlike other southeast asian restaurants in symphony/back bay area, everything tastes fresh - also the portions are perfect, the staff is very kind and attentive. I HIGHLY recommend the Pad Kra Pow dish

    (5)

  • Lauren D.

    Food is great, very nice and quick service. Good value and I clean environment. I love the Pad Gra Pow with Beef. Their rice is better than anywhere else, I don't know why. Very happy I live right around the corner from them.

    (5)

  • Lisa B.

    Really love this place! Great food, reasonable prices, and friendly staff. The food is less "generic" than a lot of other Thai places in the city. I'll definitely be back again (and again).

    (5)

  • Cristina D.

    Excellent Asian fusion place. The tamarind duck was A M A Z I N G!

    (4)

  • Mon R.

    For being on Mass Ave, this place has pretty decent Vietnamese food. I do wonder why this place has both Thai & Vietnamese dishes. I do tend to get suspicious of restaurants that try and cater to TWO different cultures. Anyway, I generally get the vermicelli dish with pork & shrimp. With the fish sauce it is amazing. This place has great standard bubble tea as well (who knew?), and their spring rolls are nice also. The pho is wonderful too!! If you haven't tried Vietnamese before, this is a good place to start!

    (4)

  • Mike L.

    Meh... Pad Thai was good. Gyoza was ok Pho ga was not great Delivery was about 45 minutes late, so everything was Luke warm. Probably wouldn't go back.

    (2)

  • Jon H.

    If you're like me, you know how tough it is to find good asian food in boston. not only is pho basil reasonable in prices, great in portions, but it is also legit authentic good food that is not only viet, but also chinese and thai. The beef pho came in a nice large bowl, piping hot, with lot of tripe, fresh veggies, and a good amount of noodles. Kudos to you Pho Basil! I hope it stays for a long time.

    (4)

  • Angela F.

    Even though their name suggests that they only serve Pho or Vietnamese food, you'll be surprised at their varied menu offering Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, and Japanese food. The food is GREAT and it's inexpensive! I've been here a few times and have not been disappointed yet. The service is great and the decor is simple but comfortable. The following are my recommendations: Appetizers- -Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Crepe with shrimp, pork, onion, scallion and bean sprouts, served with tomato, cucumber, lettuce, served with homemade sauce) Entrees- -Dac Biet (Medium size of Vietnamese beef noodle soup with rare steak, well done frank, tendon and tripe) -Bun Thit Nuong (Grilled Lemongrass Chicken, Beef or Pork Vermicelli) Drinks- Bubble Milk Tea (*it's the slushy kind because they blend the ice with it)

    (4)

  • Amanda B.

    YUM! I came here for lunch with one of my friends. We both work in Back Bay, and were sick of eating at the Pru on the days we would meet up, since is equidistant from each of our offices. I was a little skeptical of the Thai/Viet dual menu, but it was an unfounded fear. The menu is huge enough, but they also have a lunch menu, which was chock full of good choices. I had gone in with the idea that I wanted pho, but I saw a chow fun curry on the lunch menu. Let that one sink in...chow...fun...curry. Two of my most favorite things mixed together! If I could eat chow fun noodles every day, I would be...well, fat for one thing, but also happy. I would gladly swim in a pool of chow fun noodles I love them so much. Top that off with a spicy curry that made my nose run a little with tofu and veggies, and I'm a happy camper. The service was also fast, which was important for our lunch time constraints, even though every table was taken. Prices are very reasonable. My favorite thing was that as I was rushing down Comm Ave. back to my office, I didn't feel like I had just eaten what my boss's husband calls a "gut grenade" - a heavy lump of nastiness that sits in your stomach like, well, a grenade. Fresh and delicious, and I will be back!

    (5)

  • Andrew C.

    I was staying at the Hilton Back Bay and stopped in for a quick lunch. I ordered the Curry Puffs as an app and the Jungle Curry for my main. I had to wait 20 mins for my Curry Puffs and they were mostly Pastry dough with little filling. Disappointing for sure... The Jungle Curry was really good, but not great. I suppose in a pinch I would go back but would more than likely seek something else.

    (2)

  • Katrina V.

    I feel bad for not liking this restaurant, because the staff here is SO nice, but sadly the food, while probably made with love, just isn't up to par. This place is just another reminder that pan asian places are never good. I was staying around this place while I was in Boston and their lunch special sign drew me in. The special combo set was actually an extra $2, which wasn't too clear based on their sign..but, whatever. Had milk tea, wasn't good :( My boyfriend's Vietnamese coffee was, though....can't go wrong with one of those. For the lunch special we had pad thai and man...as soon as I saw it, I knew it was bad news. Noodles and fish sauce does not pad thai make. They didn't even serve it with peanuts! Maybe the Vietnamese fare is better here.

    (2)

  • Danielle H.

    I've had pretty good luck with Vietnamese restaurants lately! Came here with a group of 7. I made reservations for less, and the staff was pretty accommodating, quickly resetting the table when we showed up with a few more people than expected. Our waitress was also super friendly. Among our group was a vegetarian as well as someone who had never had Vietnamese food before, and I'm pleased to say that everyone thought the food was delicious! We all shared the Shumai, Banh Xeo, and Roti (which is basically like scallion pancake with curry sauce). The roti was especially good, but the other two were nice choices to start the meal too. I had the Banh Hoi Thit Nuong which was yummy - I especially liked the variety of herbs/vegetables they gave you to make your rolls. The banh hoi/noodle itself I found to be a bit too dense and had to be ripped apart to roll, but the flavoring of the meat was very good. Others at the table had the vermicelli bowls and the curries, all of which was agreed to be yummy. My meal was accompanied by an avocado smoothie (you have to try one if you haven't!!) and an order of the pear sake. Now, I usually hate the taste of sake, but the pear flavor made it so good!! It tasted like juice, which you know is a bad thing when drinking alcohol :) Anyways, a great choice for Vietnamese food outside of Chinatown, and with most entrees less than $10 - it can't be beat!

    (4)

  • Noreen B.

    My husband and I happened upon this place while looking for a quick place to have dinner before going to Symphony Hall and I'm glad we did. The food was fabulous, service was attentive and the prices very reasonable. It's always a good sign that a restaurant is good when there's a line out the door waiting to get in when we left. So obviously, this restaurant has been discovered. I will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Vina A.

    The pho, three stars - just OK. The bubble tea, one star - too sweet, no froth and the tapioca balls rock hard. What really impressed me is that they are the only place outside of Thailand that I've come across that has KowSoi. Kow Soi is a Northern Thai street food dish of fried egg noodles over a thin yet deeply flavorful yellow curry with limes and pickled vegetables. Ever since my last trip to Chiang Mai I've been craving it. Here the dish was certainly Americanized, especially with the milder flavors and deep fried ramen (mamma?) noodles, but it was good and savory on it's own. I would def. recommend giving it a try if you like curries.

    (3)

  • Cecilia T.

    My husband and I were in town for the Boston Marathon - we got off at the Hynes Convention stop and were looking for a place to carbo load. We stumbled upon this Pho place and liked it! I ordered the Pho with rare beef and added meatballs. I would give it 5 stars for the broth - very tasty and with the right type of flavor, and comparable to my favorite Chicago Pho place, Tank. However, just 3 stars for the meatballs and beef- they could make this more tender. Apparently this place is known for its Drunken Noodles, but we found this dish to be really really spicy and meat is tough - maybe if it wasn't so spicy, we could actually taste the flavor of this dish. The spicy was too distracting to enjoy the dish, at least for our taste.

    (3)

  • Phuong P.

    This is one of my usual haunts. I can say it's one of the best pho places in my area and beats china town stops by a long shot MINUS Pho Pasteur. If you're around mass ave and you're itchin' for a bowl of hot delicious broth + noodles, this is the place. I believe they're mainly Thai operated but the Vietnamese dishes are true to what they are. All of their fried rice dishes are spectacular and one of my favorite gems is the pineapple fried rice. They make it with LARGE, PLUMP raisins, pineapples and I'm not sure how the rice is seasoned but it has a slightly sweet and is very enjoyable :) Don't stop with these raisns!! It's weird to say but it feels like I'm eating the equivalent of a pineapple upside-down cake... but if it were fried rice, and not as sweet as a cake of course.

    (4)

  • Catherine T.

    Wonderful restaurant. Go for the friendly staff, nice ambiance, and good food. If you come to order out, at certain times of day, it gets extremely busy, so there may be a little wait... I've never had that problem ordering in, though it does get crowded at times. All the better, right? It's a popular place Came here with my boyfriend and it's our "place" whenever he's in town. The prices aren't bad, and it really is worth it for such a nice place where we can talk and have good food. The menu is quite extensive, and I wasn't sure how the Thai-Vietnamese fusion would work out. Turns out, it works pretty well. I have found the Vietnamese food to be authentic. We've had the Banh Hoi Thit Nuong and the Bun Bo Hue. Would recommend both! Especially the Banh Hoi Thit Nuong if you like to wrap your own rolls. :) The Thai food (pad thai and curry) is good too, but I usually order the Vietnamese options.

    (5)

  • Rob C.

    Me likey. The Pad Gra Pow was spot on. My wife had the pad thai and it was very good. Bummed I didn't try the pho, but I can't pass on the hot basil when it's on the menu. This place gets a single dollar sign, but it should be a duce. It's not expensive, but its definitely not dirt cheap.

    (4)

  • Michael C.

    Only had the pho here. Filling, but the broth is too cloyingly sweet, there's none of the subtle flavors that a good pho should have. Don't know if there's better pho in Boston, but I wouldn't come here for it.

    (3)

  • Emily B.

    I've been to Pho Basil probably about 25 times and I have never been disappointed. From the kindness of the staff (treating me like they remember me, even if they don't!) to the speed and quality of the food (no lie, I am addicted to their Pad Thai, and it comes out so fast and hot and wonderful every single time) everything is worth the cost of dinner and then some. Especially considering the price of dinner usually in the Back Bay area, this place stands out as one of the hidden gems of Boston. I'm going there for dinner again tonight.

    (5)

  • Jus-tin R.

    I absolutely love this restaurant. Not only do they have my favorite food in the surrounding area, they have the very best service in the city. It is so nice to be able to go into a restaurant in Boston and feel like the waitstaff actually appreciates you being there!

    (5)

  • Alessandra V.

    Visited this restaurant last night off of yelp's recommendation. I was very impressed! I just got back from Vietnam and had been craving some good vietnamese food. We ordered the fresh spring rolls, which i actually liked the least out of everything we ordered. It really was very different from traditional fresh vietnamese spring rolls. Everything else we ordered was excellent. The duck noodle soup was my favorite. The pork bun cha was also really good. The drunken noodles was pretty good. Prices are great here! This is my go to place when i'm in boston now!

    (4)

  • Jim L.

    1st time -- it was awesome! Sparkling limeaide, summer rolls, crispy pad thai, and curry all delicious! a find in boston

    (4)

  • Stacey D.

    Now just for the record, you don't often see Thai-Vietnamese restaurants. Chinese-Vietnamese yes, Thai-Vietnamese um, no, but surprisingly, this place manages to pull it off. The pho here was decent, the tom yum, pretty good. The Bun Bo Hue was a bit too intense (and that's saying a lot for me). I am not sure what's up with the mango/duck combo, why do people do that? put fruit with meat and call it "tropical people" food?

    (3)

  • Michael S.

    Closed early again tonight unexpectedly. Anyone have information? Someone outside mentioned someone getting sick. This is one of our favorite Thai restaurants - I hope everything is fine.

    (2)

  • Vivian H.

    Was a little hesitant about this place and its huge diverse menu but it was REALLY good. The FISH BASIL entree was so perfectly crispy and the sauce was amazing... the WILD BOAR BASIL entree was super flavorful. I'm glad we tried something beside the usual drunken noodle/pad thai/curry route. Service was great too :)

    (4)

  • Tiffany Z.

    Thanks Yelp for leading me here! The roti 'n curry dip and pho tai were great, the servers were friendly, the prices were very reasonable ($7 pho), and the place was casual but cute and clean! It seems like a very popular place and it's pretty small so it's probably best for tables of 1-4 people, and you might have to wait for a table. I'm often in the area for BSO and NEC shows so will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Alexis B.

    They now deliever to Mission Hill! YAY We went www, foodler.com and ordered away! The pho comes in separated in containers, which is super awesome. The broth is always hot. The veggies and chicken are so fresh. Ok ok the pho ga is freaking amazing. I couldn't stop eating it. The broth literally could cure anything! The chicken was so yummy, and the noodles. The beef satay is so delicious.Drunken noodle always rocks with tons of fresh veggies and spicy sauce. The curry is top notch. The fried rice is light and fluffy. Right-- light fried rice? It's so yummy. I'm a Pho Basil believer now.

    (5)

  • Jarrod C.

    Seriously delicious Thai at a seriously delicious price. The tom kha gai soup was a warm savior on a chilly November evening, and the yellow curry chicken was ENORMOUS and smack yo mama good. At $8.95, it might be the bargain of the century. We had to wait about 15 minutes for a table on a busy Saturday evening, but once we were seated service was prompt and friendly. We will be back!

    (4)

  • Leighann F.

    I am about to say some things that might shock you. Things you never thought possible. But stay with me, it's all true and, most importantly, it's for your benefit. If it's good pho you want, don't go to Chinatown. You can find healthy food for cheap on Mass Ave. You don't have to pay a lot to eat in Back Bay. And this can all happen in one place. Pho Basil. I have to admit I'd been sleeping on this one for a while, and must thank Sara S for the nudge to step in here and see what all the hullabaloo was all about. From the portion size, to the clean, warm environment and very prompt, friendly service, everything about Pho Basil was delightful. Yeah, it's not your typical hole-in-the-wall Pho joint you'd stumble upon in Chinatown--it's a little more welcoming, a little less dingy--but the food speaks for itself. The extra-large Pho Ga was indeed enormous, and for $8, it was filled with tender chicken and perfectly cooked noodles (no mushy stuff here). Because I was starving, I added veggies and eggs (each $2), so the total came to $12. Normally a hefty price tag for Vietnamese noodle soup, this was worth every cent. The add-on vegetable portion was teeming with peppers, squash, pea pods, carrots, onions and mushrooms, and the additional egg actually came with 2 eggs, which were soft boiled, allowing the yolk to flow into the soup and mingle with chicken and noodles. Mingling is good.

    (5)

  • Diana B.

    This is my new love!! i have been here 3 weekends in a row just this month! food is delicious portions are great (1 order of pad thai is enough to feed 2 people) presentation is cute very friendly servers AND less expensive than all other places in the area! LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE! i would go here everyday for lunch if i worked in the area! LOVEEEE my fave = crispy pad thai

    (5)

  • David C.

    I hit this place twice on my last trip to Boston. The service was friendly and fast and the food was delicious. The menu is pretty extensive so I only scratched the surface of the Thai side. I'm sure they deliver on the Vietnamese side of things as well--the Pho offerings are thorough! Check it!

    (4)

  • Nikki I.

    Drunken Noodle and Yellow Curry Chicken was great!

    (4)

  • Sara S.

    I was initially drawn to Pho Basil because I wanted pho outside of Chinatown, but as soon as I saw the menu, I wanted... everything! I've been a few times and cannot say enough good things about it. The prices are fabulous and their menu, which includes Thai and Vietnamese food, is sure to satisfy everyone's needs. There are many seafood and vegetarian options I've never seen before, as well as standard eats like summer rolls, pad thai, pad see ew, etc. The quality of their vegetables and great; one of my favorite things to order is their simple steamed vegetables with tofu or chicken breast with brown rice and sauce on the side (huge selection of choices). Their GRILLED tofu is really unique, and pad thai is delicious and very generous. For the $10 dinner price, you have at least three meals. The service is attentive and the waitresses are so sweet. I enjoy giving them my business; they deserve it! Lunch is really, really cheap. For $6.25, you can choose from about 20 entree items, and for an additional $2 (about), you can add an appetizer plate and soup!

    (5)

  • Molly B.

    omg this is place is the most amazing thai food i have ever had. they give insanely large portions and i literally have never been disapointed when i go there. i dont wait long at all, when i call orders in they always have it in the amount of time they say they will. the place is clean and the dispite the language barrier the staff is really polite and friendly.

    (5)

  • Katelan Y.

    I love coming here for lunch with my co-workers! It's always super busy during peak lunch hours so you know you won't be disappointed. First couple of times I went and got the Pho which was so satisfying and heartwarming. The last time I went I got Saigon Noodles with Tofu (you can get chicken or shrimp as well).... AMAZING!!! "Stir-fried flat rice noodle with snow pea, scallion, broccoli, red pepper, carrot, egg, baby corn, bean sprout, sesame in mild spicy sauce." I have never had anything like it and can't find it anywhere else. Prices are great and the staff is very friendly.

    (5)

  • Gretchen W.

    Love this place! Low key, great food, great service. Take a step away from the busy tourist streets and check this place out.

    (5)

  • Christina K.

    I love this place! On a rainy day like this, I really crave pho so I stopped by for a late lunch at my favorite pho place today! I always get the Tai (pho with just rare beef) and the small is a perfect portion for me. So many other pho places just have one size and it's too much for me to finish. Maybe if I'm extra hungry, I'll order the Roti which is also awesome. This place is so awesome that when my friend visited once during the winter, we went here 4 times in 3 days. yup. Oh, and the customer service here is just amazing. The staff are always friendly and they don't smother you with questions every two seconds but give you enough service and room. The atmosphere is pretty nice as well, especially for a pho restaurant!

    (5)

  • Joel Y.

    Delicious food, but terrible service! When my wife and I came in around 3:30pm on Memorial Day, we were seated quickly, but then they didn't give us menus (I got some for us after a few minutes), and when I accidentally spilled a glass of water, they didn't even notice. The food is good, though, and the price is right! We got crispy pad thai and pad gra pow, with summer rolls to start. The summer rolls were mostly stuffed with iceberg lettuce, but they managed to be tasty all the same. My wife loved my pad thai as well as her own dish. We were just visiting, but I'd be back again if I lived in town!

    (3)

  • Howe L.

    Ah, the selection among Thai and Viet dishes is mouthwatering. What a great concept to mingle such distinct yet complementary styles of food. Plus, the service is so genuine and inviting.

    (4)

  • Hieu N.

    Its not bad, very acceptable if I were in the neighborhood, but nothing amazing enough for me to trek from home from. My brother and I sauntered here after a night of misfortune and pretty much waltzed in the door expecting it to be another pissy viet place with run of the mill food. we were wrong. the duck something or other was ecstacy. everything else did not live up to par. the prices are also moderate. i suppose a dollar or two pricier than normal but thai flavors were also infused, trust me, the place was full of viet and thai folk alike.

    (3)

  • Liz B.

    I'm a Le's kind of girl, but on a recent night we decided to break from the beaten path and try Pho Basil. This was our second attempt. The first was good, mainly because we were freezing (dead of winter) and would have loved stone soup if it was hot. Our most recent try, however, fell short. I had the vegetable pho -- good mix of veggies -- but the broth was so incredibly sweet that I couldn't eat it. I literally picked the veggies out, and tried to get them to drip dry before eating. I did call the waitress over and ask whether it was supposed to be so sweet... I'm not a pho novice and I'd never had anything quite this sweet, but I figured I'd ask. I mainly got an eye roll back and a half hearted offer to get me something else. Well at that point my dining companion was nearly half done with his (which was also sweet but not as sweet as mine), so I declined. If you tend to like dessert for dinner, this might be your place, but if you're interested in a more traditional pho, I'd look elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Taylor B.

    Best Thai food I've had in Boston. This is where I bring any friend who's visiting the city. Really good prices, especially for lunch.

    (5)

  • Danielle B.

    My friends and I went for the lunch special on the weekend and it was fantastic. The price can't be beat--for $6.95 you get a heap of food and everything was absolutely scrumptious. I love spicy food and Thai though. The drink selection is brilliant (three types of fresh limeade? heck yes!) and the servers are extremely nice, not even wincing when we botched the pronunciation of all the food names. Location: fabulous, right on Mass Ave by the Hynes (Green Line) subway stop. Price: frugal Staff: extremely pleasant Taste: can't be beat I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Tyson F.

    Great Thai food! Their curry is very good, the Pad Thai is delicious and the peanut chicken is memorable. You can't beat the prices either. A couple can eat there comfortably at under $20 for dinner. And the lunch specials are an even better steal. It gets quite crowded every single night, so call ahead for reservations.

    (4)

  • Jillian T.

    Come here probably once every other week... BEST Thai food I have ever had, no question. The Pad Thai is delicious!!!! Not to mention, super friendly service and CHEAP! You can tell it's made with fresh, high quality ingredients and my boyfriend and I can go and get two apps, two entrees, and a bottle of sake for under $50 ... unheard of for this area for the deliciousness you are getting!!! If you've never been... go!!!!

    (5)

  • Ben L.

    How I wish that it was better! The service really was solid and though I had to wait a little bit for my bubble tea I never once had to ask about it's whereabouts and was constantly reminded that it was on it's way. The soup was a little light on flavor and was nowhere as rich as I what I normally expect from a pho place. It's a good option if you need to a place that's more restaurant and less china town but not as far up as to hit the mood lighting and all out ambiance.

    (3)

  • Dan N.

    Great food (try the Chicken Peanut Sauce special), friendly and attentive staff.

    (4)

  • Daniel S.

    Got take out beef pho from here yesterday. This bowl of soup was just about right for dinner considering I eat a lot but wasn't too hungry that day. It was the real deal too, with tripe and tendon, but they defs have options for the less adventurous. And it was tasty and cheap. I'll definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Todd W.

    The best choice in the neighborhood for viet/thai food. Great prices, great staff. Favorites, in no particular order, include Bun Thit Nuong, Mi Hoanh Thanh, Duck Noodle Soup, Tangerine Pork, Spicy Rangoon, Fresh Rolls, their thai spiced chicken wings, and Chim Cut Ro Ti - a roasted quail appetizer. What else should I try?

    (4)

  • VJ K.

    Review of Take-out experience: Delivery was made through grubhub, after perusing reviews for Thai food I wanted to give Pho Basil a try and I do not regret it. Prices are reasonable, maybe even a dollar off from the Newbury Thai restaurants, but thats covered by the $2 delivery fee. Still worth it, and only $10 minimum, so perhaps more feasible if ordering take out for one! Had drunken noodle (spicy, so if thats your hope - that Thai food actually have some zing - you will like this place), and pad thai, which I still have half of in my fridge. Its going to be lunch and everyone is going to be jealous of the unpaid intern, for once. Sum-up: Large portions, great flavor, reasonable price. Win.

    (4)

  • beth r.

    I really like this place - solid Thai food, very fast and nice service. I frequently go for lunch and I love the drunken noodles and the lunch special that includes soup, a salad and a little appetizer with the entree is very reasonable. Haven't had a bad thing here and was introduced to the avocado shake here. sounds odd, but it was delicious and very refreshing.

    (4)

  • Stephanie Elena G.

    Pho-mazing! On Superbowl Sunday some friends and I ditched the chips and chicken wings and went for steaming hot bowls of yummy Pho. We went on-line to foodler.com and oh my... this was just too easy! The Pho came separated in big containers, which in retrospect could parlay into an easy leftover situation had I had any forethought... but I didn't and I ate the whole damn bowl anyways! The veggies and chicken are so fresh. If you want steamed chicken, stay away from Chinatown and opt for Pho Basil instead! The portions are huge which compensates for the moderate price-point. I've yet to step in the actual place itself, but am certainly looking forward to going soon!

    (5)

  • Canna S.

    Greatly disappointed by this place especially since it has such a great reputation for its "asian" food. We got the menu and I think the best part of the meal was my dessert which was the coconut cake. Otherwise, everything else was a complete miss. While the appetizers were ok, you can get these at any vietnamese restaurant for a LOT LOT LESS. Then the entrees... my "filet mignon" was a complete joke and while I didn't taste the fish, I was told that it was just like any regular miso fish. I was truly let down by the taste, quality, and even service of this place. For a restaurant with such a reputation I was sorely let down by everything this place is about. Maybe I didn't try the signature garlic noodles, but really you can't rely on one dish for your restaurant's name and reputation. If this (the food I got) is what people usually get from this place WHY IS IT STILL SO POPULAR, OVERPRICED, AND SO HIGHLY REGARDED???!?!?

    (2)

  • Adrian W.

    Pho Basil is a great place for some Vietnamese and Thai food. I have had the pleasure to try most of the items on their menu. In the Boston area, I have to say the Pad Thai here is one of the best that I have tried, and believe me, I have tried most of the Thai places around town. The different flavors of curry here are not bad. I will say that it isn't the best, but most of the curry dishes are full of flavor. The Pho at this place is not too bad. It is pretty good but not the best around town. There are places in Chinatown that are better for Pho and other noodle soups. The Bun and Banh Hoi dishes are pretty average. Their Fried Rice, Fried Noodles and House Special dishes are all above average. I would recommend the obvious Pad Thai, the Drunken Noodle, and the Pad Gra Pow Fried Rice. Overall, this place has some wonderful dishes with vibrant flavors, and and amazing staff. Food: 8/10 Service: 10/10 Atmosphere: 7/10

    (4)

  • Art L.

    This is an excellent Thai restaurant located in the Hynes area near the Berklee School. The menu is mainly Thai, with some Vietnamese (mainly pho soups) and Chinese thrown in. I've tried several of the dishes on multiple visits. Their tilapia filet was excellent, along with their lad nar. Pho soups were excellent as is the presentation of all the dishes. Portion sizes are excellent. I think the owners created a menu with students in mind because most of the pho's do not exceed $8 a bowl. All the other dishes are under $13. The service is also attentive and excellent. I brought a Thai friend to this place one day and she said, it's pretty good! I like this place for the value and the quality! A keeper!

    (4)

  • William R.

    I'm kinda new to the Pho scene, although I enjoy it thoroughly. Well I'd have to say this place had some great sea food pho, although it could have been better had they used real crab instead of the imitation. All in all good flavors I tried each of my friends beef dishes and I'll be back again, next time trying the beef pho!

    (4)

  • Stefanie L.

    Ok I've only had the Pho Ga (Chicken noodle) soup and Thai iced tea, but they are both great. Come here before the Symphony for a good meal! Always friendly staff as well.

    (4)

  • Amy L.

    My fellow yelpers, I am sooo incredibly fortunate to live just across the street from this incredible little gem. We stumbled across it just weeks after moving here from California. I must say, it is still one of the best places I've eaten at since my move. Everyone is so nice and attentive, but that's only a perk. The food is amazing. I'm not usually good at ordering "new" things. When I find something I like, I usually order the same thing time & time again. Here, you just can't go wrong! Anything you order is always good. I've made it a point to myself that I will try something new everytime I go, except on occasion when I just have that crave for their Pho Ga.

    (5)

  • Grace O.

    I don't really know what authentic Viet or Thai food should taste like, despite being 1/8 Viet and 1/8 Thai, but I do know that of the 10 or so times I've been to Pho Basil in the past 3 weeks, I have been disappointed with nothing except my inability to finish the huge portions I keep getting served. Sometimes I wish they could add a bit more flavor to the broth instead of just throwing bowls of MSG in, but it's not awful. The pineapple fried rice is by far my favorite dish, followed closely by the duck noodles (which aren't quite as herb-infused as one might hope, but pretty yummy all the same). Beware the bubble tea, though. It comes in an ice-blended form, which is kind of... odd. I like my bubble tea all liquidy and warm, not freezing cold and frappuccino-like.

    (4)

  • Emily W.

    The food is good but the last two times we ordered for delivery it took 1.5 hrs each time. it's THAI food for goodness sake! Next time I need to place my order when I'm done eating lunch so it'll get here by dinner :(

    (3)

  • Kathy C.

    Went for my birthday dinner with a few friends, food was delicious, reasonably priced and the portions are huge, so you can take away to enjoy tomorrow. Not the most amazing Thai food I've ever had, but still pretty damn good. Definitely a great little spot for lunch or dinner with a large menu to choose from. Wait staff is also very friendly, courteous and helpful.

    (4)

  • Trish F.

    I actually haven't had pho.. or basil.. here.. but I've had a whole lot of everything else. I'm not too impressed with their appetizers, although I've ordered their steamed gyoza more than once. Sometimes it comes out lukewarm.. but kinda lukewarm in the way that it might have been microwaved (AKA cold in the middle). The golden bags are more bags than golden goodness inside. Too much fried stuff, not enough ingredients. As for their summer rolls, they're pretty standard and satisfying. The entrees are what really get the stars (besides the stellar service). I'm a fan of their chicken pad see ew. Not the best I've ever had, but definitely reliable. Also, the chicken always seems to be cooked just right (not too dry like some other places). But 9 times out of 10, I'm ordering the duck noodle soup. SOOO good. The duck is tender and plentiful and the broth is really delicious. Oh and if you get it to go, they give you a lotta soup. Definitely enough for two meals. The staff is extremelyyyy friendly. Like redonculously friendly. They check in on you enough so you don't have to flag them down, but they're not too in your face so that you can't carry on a decent conversation. Once, a friend and I didn't have enough money for a tip, so I gave our waiter pretty much all the laundry money I had (standard 20%.. except it was all in quarters). The meal was definitely worth breaking into some "laundry day clothes" for work and he didn't even give us the evil eye after we left.

    (4)

  • Audrey O.

    I absolutely love this place!! I originally came for the Thai Pho but I have progressed to their Mushroom Beef plate. Wow!! Fresh Veggies steamed, with a side of white rice. I have loved everything this place has served. Just started ordering the Tom Yum and haven't been let down, lime/ cilantro chicken soup with mushrooms. Hits the spot for an appetizer. I only gave 4 stars because I have stood around waiting to be seated while other groups of Asians that arrived after me were seated and served first. But I guess that's the nature of the business. All in all I will continue to eat here and be pleased. Meals are a good size/ price, you could share one.

    (4)

  • Meghan M.

    Pho Basil has a new fan! I ordered delivery from these guys and it came in less than a half hour (which is great during the dinner rush). I tried... Papaya Salad: Tasty with a good kick to it but there was a little bit too much dressing on it and the shrimp tasted a tiny, tiny bit fishy. Summer Rolls (tofu): YUM. Some of the best I've had. The peanut sauce that comes with it isn't that normal pasty peanut butter-y dipping sauce you usually get....It's thinner in texture and has real chopped up peanuts in it. It also has an awesome spicy kick to it. Tom Yum Noodle Soup (Pho): Really, really good. Fresh mushrooms, tasty shrimp, just the right amount of spice and lemongrass flavor to it...There's no complaints from me at all! And the portion was HUGE for only $7.95. All in all, I'd definitely order delivery from Pho Basil again. Maybe one day I'll even take a stroll up there to meet this little gem in person.

    (4)

  • Kevin L.

    PAD THAI FTW!!! I love their Pad Thai here! I've actually never had their Pho, but their Pad Thai game is strong compared to other places in Boston. I usually get the duck Pad Thai and they give you so much you'll probably have to pack it up to finish for another meal! The noodles for the Pad Thai are perfectly cooked and the duck is prepared so nicely and is incorporated well into the rest of the dish with the other ingredients. I tried their curry before when I was in the mood, but I didn't expect it to be so spicy. If you like your curry super spicy then I'm sure you'll like theirs, but I personally like my curry sweet with some kick to it..just not all kick to my taste buds.

    (5)

  • Angela C.

    This is my absolute go-to place for Thai and there's always a line out the door for a reason. Eat in or order out. Anything with the crispy chicken is gold, particular favorites: Basil Fried Rice, Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, Mango Sticky Rice. Not to mention the portions are huge. There are many thai places in the area and this is definitely my favorite of all of them. I only take away one star because they never seem to have enough wait staff. If you sit down to eat, anticipate you'll be waiting awhile for the food. And the waiters always seem overwhelmed. For how busy they constantly are, they should definitely hire more staff!

    (4)

  • Jane H.

    I know I'm being harsh because nobody expects to eat good Asian food in Boston. But really? pho is like a typical Vietnamese dish. I get it you're feeding it to a bunch of foreigners what do they know about good pho. But what about you're own standards huh Pho Basil? Don't you take pride in making pho? My pho was mediocre to say the least. Didn't even have enough decency to pack chili sauces so that I can drown out the mediocre taste. Whatevers, I'm over it. Stupid me for wanting to compare to the Pho back home. But there is NO comparison..like comparing heaven and earth. Yes! It's that big a difference!

    (2)

  • Stephanie C.

    Had dinner dates with my girls and this place turns out to be pretty damn good (at least for me)! Here's what we got: - Tom Yum Soup: ordered it with tofu. I don't really like fried tofu so it wasn't what I wanted. But the soup tastes AMAZING with the a whole bunch of mushroom!! Spicy and sour but not too spicy. The taste is just right. Small portion but enough to fill u up as an appetizer (I can't even eat much after that tbh) - mango salad: comes with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, fried wonton skin, and MANGO. Served with a satay dressing. This is a 5 out of 5 !!! The mango dices are huge and sweeeeeeeet. Also I love love love the dressing. Definitely gonna recommend this to others. - pad Thai: my friend ordered this and it comes in a huge portion. I would give u a thumbs up if u can finish it because it's legit huge. Serves with bean sprouts and scallions on the side. Just a typical tasty pad Thai nothing special. - seaweed salad: don't think u should order this unless ur seriously craving for it. Small portion, and U can get this anywhere else in an Asian restaurant.

    (4)

  • Virginia C.

    The best Thai restaurant in the area. Pros: Curries Huge Portions MANGO STICKY RICE Cons: Always a wait and hard to get a large table Service can be spotty But did I mention they had Mango Sticky Rice? This is my absolute fav. fav dessert. Just come here and you won't be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Jose S.

    The place is very small and cozy. I only had Druken Noodle, as I was starving. They had no flat noodle, so they offer me to use other noodles instead. I ordered the small size dish, but for my opinion it's big enough for me. The noodles were good, and the vegetables were crunchy and fresh. Also it was quite spicy for me, but it was a thing I was looking for. The service was very fast and they refill your glass of water very quickly.

    (4)

  • Stephanie N.

    We've been here about a dozen times collectively. Besides making the most fantastic Pad Thai I've had, which I often order and prefer to the drunken noodles, all the other dishes we've ordered here are so wonderful and all of their meats are perfectly cooked (they even do fish very well). We are a huge fan of their duck which is always perfectly juicy and comes in large chunks. Their crispy chicken is also tender and delightfully crispy. We recently had the yellow crab, which is tempura softshell crab in a yellow coconut curry--so good. Their buns are fresh and light, their curries are veggie-filled and flavorful, their noodles are lovely. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Erica L.

    Best thai food ive ever had! Small but cozy space. We went around 830pm and had no wait. Parking in area was tough but you can find a few spots on wkends where you wont get a ticket.. The food was so fresh and tasty i was amazed. Service was fast and waitress was attentive and other staff was helpful also. We ordered a small bowl of chicken pho which was huge and the best soup ive ever had. Light fresh and simlply delish! Thai basil chicken fried rice was a great first try for me. A bit spicy, crispy chicken and the lightest and freshest rice ive ever had. The taste was so flavorful, if i hadnt been so full id easily eat the whole plate lol Crispy spring rolls were good too, however the order only came with 3 pieces. But thats just enough of your sharing other food. Thai calamari was another first but a pleasant treat. Crispy, fresh and yummy paired with the spicy chilly sauce and sweet duck sauce. All this food was only $30..great deal IMO! My second favorite yelp suggestion =)

    (4)

  • Audrey C.

    I love this place, one of my go to thai restaurants with so many options of vietnamese and thai with good prices and taste to go along with it! It gets kind of packed during peak lunch/dinner times but the wait is normally quite quick. Very friendly servers with often water refills. Drunken noodles: This is my go to dish here, super tasty with good portions. This could be one of the options that they have for lunch specials also! Saves you about $1 from the regular menu but I'm not sure about the portion difference. Banh Hoi Thit Nuong: This comes with rice paper so you can make your own spring rolls! It came with about 10 of them along w/ veggies, vermicelli, meat and dipping sauce. Standard delicious taste! Kho To: Catfish cooked in a clay pot-- this was my first time trying this and it was sooo delicious, the portion was a bit small but the sauce they used had the perfect amount of sweetness and onionsd and was perfect to put over rice. Pho Ga: I wasn't tooo crazy about the pho here but not a bad option if you're really craving that pho broth. All in all, great place to come to if you're craving some standard thai food but also if you want to try some different vietnamese/thai dishes!

    (4)

  • Lawson B.

    I left the Museum of Fine Arts looking for a great Thai food restaurant and wandered into this gem! Their selection of spicy sauces are delicious, all of the food (the pork chop, pad thai, and anything with shrimp particularly) is amazing. The jasmine limeade is a personal favorite of mine. I see people complaining about the wait time...it's a good restaurant and a 5-10 min wait isn't terrible. You will not be disappointing!

    (5)

  • Mark S.

    Tried this place out (got takeout) while I was in Boston for a conference. The soup that I got (tom yum) was pretty good. I ordered two types of wings.. both were a little salty.

    (3)

  • Vic G.

    As someone once told me, and I totally agree - it is really tough to serve bad Thai food. And with not a big list of Thai restaurants around the city, Pho Basil does a great job in not only dishing out very consistent Thai food but they also have an extensive menu to cover up a lot of Vietnamese food. Clearly it works. Here are my takeaways: Location: 5 Stars They couldn't have found a better place for this not so big a restaurant. Close to the Symphony hall, Copley square mere steps away, Charles river walk, and Fenway not far either. Despite surrounded by competition along both sides of Mass Ave, the location is prime and a tourist central. Not to forget all the college students who make sure they don't miss a good joint. Food: 4.5 stars They have a very decent sized menu and cover all the basics when it comes to Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. We did not try any of the Viet delicacies but saw quite a few patrons enjoying Pho. So that was a great sign. We ordered the special Appetizer of the day - Thai Curry puffs. They came as a trio, tiny little pastry puffs with a finely minsed slaw. The mashed potatoes filling had a very distinct yellow curry flavor. For our main course, we went for the Seafood Madness and the Fish Basil. The seafood madness looked good and I got a confirmation that the 4 star heat index (that's the max) which was requested really hit the mark. In contrast, my Fish Basil was really a huge dish. The fillet of fish was quite substantial and it came with a base of lettuce which I think managed to dilute the heat for me. But no complains. The fish was very good. I usually end up finishing all the rice that I get when it comes to my curry dishes. But this entree had all the lettuce. Next time if I order the same dish, I would ask to cut down on the lettuce so that the heat is more effective. Overall a great dish in any case. Ambiance: 2.5 stars I am not too hung up on the fact that the place is not very big and that there are too many tables in the very small space. But I think it is good to know that not everyone would chose the place for an intimate romantic evening. But then again, some college kids might be totally cool with that too. A Romantic dinner and a lot of people watching. As they say, to each his own :) On a Saturday evening, pretty much every table was taken and by the time we were done eating around 6:30pm, there was a decent crowd waiting outside. I would imagine that would be the case during typical hours of lunch and dinner. And when tables are so close to each other, it can become a real scene of sorts. Overall: 4 stars Finally, the service was really quick and efficient. The staff was very attentive and managed to bring out dishes really fast and were always on their toes to keep checking on everyone. The prices were right. And the food was good. I am glad there is another option for Thai food in the area.

    (4)

  • Steve L.

    Had slightly higher hopes for the food here. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. It's on par with the Asian food I can find in my home town of little-old Madison, WI. - Super cramped space; got seated along the wall and had to have people stand/reposition themselves at neighboring tables in order for us to leave + Huge menu, all of which is reasonably priced + Quality meats; had the jungle fever platter, which featured both beef and chicken - both meats were excellent - Most of the dishes lacked spice, even when ordered as "hot"; had to add a ton of chili paste and garlic to get any semblance of kick + Portions were perfect for lunch + Fast service, friendly staff

    (3)

  • Navi C.

    Pho Basil is a top contender in Boston's Thai restaurant scene. Before I get into the details, let me first admit that I didn't order any of the pho or pad Thai dishes. Now I'm aware that that majority of the readers are raising their eyebrows, and questioning whether to read any further. But when it comes down to it I cannot say no to a coconut curry dish. In my opinion, the glory of Thai food is attributed to the inverse combination of fiery curry paste and cooling coconut milk. I settled for yellow curry, the mildest when it comes to the Thai curries. The curry itself was very creamy and had the right balance of turmeric. The vegetables were also well presented and added color and texture to the dish. They were cooked perfectly, slightly tender with a crunch. The best part of the dish was the shrimp which was cooked well but more importantly, there were enough pieces to last the entire dish! I acknowledge that yellow curry is a somewhat "basic" Thai dish. The great thing about Pho Basil is its large and extensive menu with more unique and assorted curries (& noodles). For instance, my boyfriend got the beef cinnamon curry; although an unusual combination of flavors, it was delicious! The sparking limeaid was also very refreshing and an obvious choice in the 80 degrees weather. It tasted fresh with an initial sour taste, but went down smooth. Surprisingly inexpensive and for a place that seems constantly busy, service seemed managed and I wasn't waiting for long either.

    (5)

  • Jessica L.

    I'm impressed! I had my doubts about a pho restaurant on a super busy Mass Ave, but my doubts were not necessary at all. Saturday, around 12:30pm, two girls. No wait, the place was PACKED by 1pm. So what do you do when your head is screaming and body is sore from all that alcohol last night? Go. Eat. Pho. We ordered two small rare steak pho (tai) and one pad thai. Tai: beef noodle soup with rare steak. The broth was rich and the portion was very large! The noodles were a little clumped together in the beginning, but that was fine, and the amount of rare steak they put was so abundant, I was so full from just this one dish. My one disappointment was that the rare steak was so thick - it's usually sliced very thin, so that it would be easy to eat them with the noodles together. These were thick and kind of tough unfortunately. Pad Thai: delicious! I hate it when some places make their pad thai too sweet, but these were great. I also really appreciated the fact that they had the peanuts on the side instead of sprinkling it all over the dish. It was a good way for us to eat the way we enjoy it. Service: everyone was very friendly and quick - I noticed that they had a lot of people ordering online or on the phone for takeout, something I'll definitely make use of in the future. Boston, I'm impressed by your pho game!

    (4)

  • Lauren C.

    This place is great! I came here just passing by and it was packed on a Sunday night around 7 pm. My party of 2 waited about 30-40 minutes before being seated. The waiters are all very friendly and very efficient. As for food, we ordered Shrimp Tom Yum soup, the Pad Gra Pow and the Pad See You. Shrimp Tom Yum soup: It was delicious and perfect for a cold night. Spiced well enough, my only problem was that there was maybe one shrimp in the soup. Pad Gra Pow: The portion was very large however, it was a bit too salty and the amount of rice given was not quite enough. Pad See You: This was absoutely delicious! I will be back here at a less busy time and hope to try more of their yummy dishes!

    (4)

  • Jessica N.

    I am Vietnamese, I can eat pho each and every single day of the week for 5 months and I have done so. Do not go here if you want authentic pho, the broth is completely douse in this weird spice that doesn't truly have a southern/northern vietnamese taste at all. I think that it was below mediocre for the Pho Dac Biet that we ordered. It had too much of an msg taste and clearly coated my tongue making everything else taste horrible. If I could, I would give this place 0 stars. There were so many things that went wrong when I visited this place reccently. This place had no AC on the day I went when it was almost 92 degrees outside. There was one fan at the door that was supposed to attempt to circulate the restaurant, which it didn't do it's job well at all. My guests as well as I were dying from the heat. The interior looks clean but if you look up close it looks shabby and very cheap. Goi is a specific type of vietnamese salad that comprises of certain chilled boiled meats or seafood with pickled cabbages and carrots as well as other veggies of choice. It is a pickled salad. We ordered the tofu goi and it was an embarrassment to call it goi. It was raw cabbage with carrots and some basil on top douse in nouc mam. It was deceiving to say the least. The salad wasn't flavorful and the food was just not mixing in my mouth. We also got the grill beef salad. This is usually served as a raw beef salad from the beef 7 course meals. This salad was so horrible it makes me want to use bad words. There was a strong overpowering taste of sourness and tomatoes. This isn't vietnamese, it shouldn't taste like this . My friend got her pad thai and I got the drunken noodles, both of which we thought was just mediocre. One of the other reasons that I don't like this place is that they gave us wooden chopsticks. Normally whenever yougo to a pho place they generally give you plastic or real actual chopsticsk (i dont actually know what theyre made out of) the wooden chopstick that was given to me had a fly crushed in the middle of it when i broke it apart. I know this isnt the fault of the restaurant however, it was distasteful and is repulsified my appetite to which i ended up not even eating that side of the plate at all. I am never ever going to come back here again. The food wasn't good. The vietnamese foods that they offered were lacking in flavor and were an embarassment to me. They need to fix the simplest things if they want to be a good restaurant with authentic customers of all kinds willing to try new food and flavor profiles, you can't fake food being well made with a pretty sign.

    (1)

  • Nancy H.

    On a cold wintry rainy day I met up with a friend for dinner and pho wasn't in mind but CURRY. The panang curry was super tasty. It was recommended by the waitress and boy was it tasty. Full body, spicy, nutty, and the mix of veggies and chicken with a nice side of rice. I couldn't finish it but it was good reheated too. Service was superb just as my first time and they sat my friend even before I arrived so it wasn't a "complete party needs to be here wait while there is a lot of table space available".

    (4)

  • Pearl T.

    Okay Pho Basil, you win. I begrudgingly am giving 4 stars based on your amazing drunken noodles and tom yum fried rice. Both are marvelous. The drunken noodles are spicy and will take your taste buds on a wild ride. You'll be that annoying person who says, "Ahh it's soo spicy..." every 5 minutes, but continues to eat it because it's THAT good. Guilty. My vegetarian roommate gets it about every other week, so you could say it's kind of a staple in her diet. Tom yum rice is HUGE, so there's definitely a bang for your buck there. And it is super flavorful and delicious, full of your protein of choice, and lots of veggies for variety. Pad thai is very good and very average. It's pretty hard to mess up pad thai, right? I like putting my bean sprouts in my noodles right away so they cook before I dig in. My cousin fell in love with my tom yum noodles, which I enjoyed, but thought was a little too sour for my liking. I'm happy he loved it though, because that means he'll want to go with me next time he's in my hood. And I am always going to be down for Pho Basil! The only thing I don't like about Pho Basil are their Vietnamese options. Not a huge fan of the pho and definitely not of the bun bo hue. Just stick to the Thai and I don't think you can go wrong. Their menu is extensive, so you're bound to find something you'll like. Be prepared to wait a little bit in their cramped front area if you come during normal lunch or dinner hours though!

    (4)

  • Tessa D.

    My enjoyment of this place has been very dependent on what I've ordered. I come here often, at least twice any time I visit Boston. The service is fine, they're always busy, but I've never been unable to get a seat. My usual and preferred order is the Duck Noodle Soup which is so delicious. The duck is perfectly cooked, and not overly fatty. The broth definitely has spent some time cooking and it's delicious. I also love the wide noodles, as opposed to the thin rice noodles, it gives the dish so much more body. My boyfriend usually gets the Chicken Pho, so they definitely know what they're doing when it comes to their namesake. I've experimented a couple of times here, and I've never been that impressed. Since my usual order of duck is so good I thought other duck dishes would be good, but sadly no. I've had both the Lychee Duck Curry and the Tamarind Duck. The Lychee Duck was better than the Tamarind Duck. The curry at least had some flavor, but the duck was buried by the sweetness of the lychee. The Tamarind Duck was dry despite being drenched in sauce, and the vegetables had absolutely no flavor, not even salt. Both portions of duck were lacking, in my noodle soup I had about twice as much duck than I did in the other orders. I'm going to continue to come to Pho Basil, but for the pho. I don't even want to bother trying the Thai food, because as a Thai person I'd probably cry of disappointment.

    (4)

  • Peter C.

    In the Northeastern/Berklee college area, there are lots of places to get pad thai-my go to study dish. I think these folks do the best. The flavor is good, the chicken is better quality than most, and the bean sprouts aren't too large to overpower the other flavors. Good spring rolls too, and good prices. Nice seating space, just small. Worth a stop.

    (4)

  • Ian R.

    The chicken mango curry was excellent and service was good. The vegetarian pho was also surprisingly good considering its lack of meat.

    (5)

  • Jon L.

    Pho Basil has always been a going out for dinner home for me during my seven years in Boston. It has a great location, solid menu items, and a welcoming venue. What can I say after 500+ reviewers? I think Pho Basil is great, but its not without its weaknesses. What are my favorite menu items? Dac Biet, Com Suon (a pork rice plate), and Bun tom thit cha gio (vermicelli noodle bowl, SO GOOD!). I could go into more depth of the greatness of these items, but I'll just quickly summarize: fresh vegetables and ingredients, well executed standard items, and great flavors. To be honest, the pho and noodle soups are all really great: Dac Biet, Xe Lua, Duck noodle soup, tom yum noodle soup, bun bo hue, pho sate are all great on a cold night. I think the weaknesses are really in the other dishes. The curries are lackluster compared to the other richer and more savory Thai restaurants in Boston. Whenever I venture into the specials menu, I tend to get burned. I think the menu at Pho Basil is just too large and most people order standards like the noodle soups and pad thai. The specials just don't seem as well practiced nor well executed. Many of the appetizers are overpriced and not that great. My biggest pet peeve of Pho Basil is in the middle of winter. People LOVE to keep both the front and second doors open in the entrance creating a polar vortex of cold air rushing into the restaurant. There isn't a good system for people waiting for tables. Long story short, how can I really criticize Pho Basil, when I have come here so often for so many years. In the Symphony area, it's one of the strongest restaurants and certainly the best Vietnamese restaurant West of Chinatown.

    (4)

  • Rob S.

    I love this place. Whenever I get to Boston I come here. The food is awesome and super affordable with huge portions. The wait is always 30 minutes but it's worth it.

    (5)

  • Dave K.

    Ok, ok - you're right. This place is gold. Even second dinner worthy gold. We waited through a relatively fast moving line and were promptly asked what we wanted for dinner. Enough push to acknowledge the line out the door, but enough time to breeze through the menu. The chicken pad thai portions flowing from the kitchen seemed incredibly generous, and mine was too! Significant mass and flavor left me satisfied. My wife went with the Pho Beef Noodle and also enjoyed a vast bowl. Meals portions easily stretch to the next day. Interested in Viet beer? I was too and ordered the 33. Drink it down cold, please. Nothing good happens to the flavor when your brew warms up.

    (5)

  • Kevin M.

    I was hoping for a delicious meal that would be memorable and that's exactly what i got. Pho Basil has a very authentic feel as soon as you walk in and the smell of all that deliciousness immediately gets you pumped. The service is very quick, therefore the table turnover is pretty fast. I came in alone and even though it was pretty crowded, I was seated in 10 minutes. I started with the pork gyoza which was amazing. Perfect from start to finish and the best version of this dish I've ever had. I then had an order of the Saigon noodles which was also nailed perfectly. Nice amount of spice, seasoned and cooked perfectly. The pictures should speak for themselves. You will undoubtedly leave this place a happy camper. Get here immediately if in the Back Bay Area.

    (5)

  • Sharon Z.

    There are quite a few Thai places within one block of Hynes but only one place with Vietnamese dishes. Having our heart set on a bowl of hearty pho soup, we stopped in this place before braving the cold for first night festivities The atmosphere is casual and nice, also definitely quite packed for lunch time, but we didn't have to wait to be seated. My heart was fixated on pho sate when I spotted it on the menu as not many places have this spicy savory variation of pho on their menu. Boyfriend opted for Vietnamese fried rice lunch special. Goi cuon as our appetizer came in a bit cold and the meat lacking, and the peanut sauce contained pickled veggies, which tasted quite different from what I would have preferred - soft rice skin with warm slices of pork and slightly sweet peanut sauce. My pho sate is adequately good, spicy hot, savory with a good amount of beef meatballs, cooked beef and rare steak on the side to be cooked in the soup. Though the soup was not as steaming as I would've preferred and the cooked meats are slightly overdone. Boyfriend's fried rice was quite good, light and tasty as expected. Overall, it was a good-but-not-great experience with our dishes. Next time I'll be sure to try some of the Thai dishes that they offer.

    (3)

  • Cat L.

    This place has decent food. I came here with my boyfriend and we had the pad Thai. It wasn't busy, so we were seated fairly quickly. I would recommend this place if you are craving some pad Thai in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way for this place. Overall, decent food and good service.

    (3)

  • Joseph G.

    TLDR: Food- 4. 5 Service- 3 Atmosphere- 5 Overall- 4.5 Atmosphere - A small intimate restaurant, with little seating. Only great for small groups of 2-4. They always play coffee shop music in the background. Service- Very slow to place orders and to receive the check but the food normally comes out in a reasonable amount of time. Food- I come here alot and their speciality is pho being a Vietnamese restaurant. I am Vietnamese myself and have eaten plenty of pho at home and from restaurants. Their pho is great with the broth being magical, an essential to any bowl pho. I've also had their Vietnamese coffee which is very bitter, not well made. Their fried gyozo and fresh spring rolls are great as well being juicy and made with quality. Pho Basil is a real gem among Vietnamese restaurants.

    (5)

  • Hansel B.

    Was in the mood for some Thai and wanted to try a new spot in Boston. I came by after work around 8pm, but the line out the door was insane (at least I know it's good!). Came back the next day closer to 7pm and it was only a 10 min wait. Food: Lots of classic thai dishes and also some Vietnamese ones. They have various Pho dishes, fried rice and even a whole vegetarian section on the menu. I enjoyed some gyoza fried dumplings and spicy crab rangoon for apps. For the main meal, I couldn't decide! I went with one of the fried rice dishes with crispy chicken. Get the crispy chicken on whatever you order! Service: The place is constantly busy, but the service managed to keep up. Orders came out quick and they were good about refills. Prices: Good prices, much better than in Newbury street near by. Two people can easily eat here for under $30 including apps. Overall, I recommend this place if you want Thai food that is consistent and always good. It gets very busy during dinner service, so plan accordingly. You can call to make reservations which might cut your wait time in half!

    (4)

  • Gi G.

    I decided to give this place a try after reading the yelp reviews and it's a stone's throw away from the office. It was rather empty during lunch time when my friend and I walked in. We were seated right away but it took a while to get our waters. After reviewing the menu we tried to flag down our waiter but it took her 5 minutes to take our order. I went with the Bun Bo Hue and Viet iced coffee, my friend went with the Pad kra pow. The food arrived rather quickly. The bun bo hue was NOTHING like the authentic ones you can get in Dorchester. I have had homemade Bun Bo hue as well as versions in LA and in Boston. This one was just loaded with lemongrass pieces but was not spicy at all. The meat was thick chunks of beef that seem to have been seared and then dumped in the soup. From what I know of traditional viet noodle soups, the meat is usually cooked in the soup for hours to get the flavor and get it tender but this place is cleary Thai and not viet so I would stay away from the viet food. Even the viet coffee was just meh. As for my friend's pad gra pow, the portion was tiny and there was not a hint of spice. On the menu this item had 2 chili peppers but it was clearly swimming in a pool of soy sauce without any spiciness to it. I think once is enough for this place. Plenty of other options in the area.

    (1)

  • GJ B.

    Some things here are good and some are not. Mango fried rice with chicken is decent. The seafood dish with noodles and coconut sauce is not good. It is more like slop. I wish our waiter had been more helpful, directing us to what he would recommend. G

    (3)

  • Katie L.

    In a group of eight people, everyone liked their food, which is a win! (AND they were able to seat a group of eight people within five minutes! Impressive!) Most of it was not very inspired -- though 6/8 dishes ordered were curry dishes (none duplicates, though). They were very solid curry dishes, and came in huge portions, and were noticeably different from one another in the vegetables and sauces, which was definitely a good sign (even though they were all plated the same way). I got the Kao Soi -- which was a total standout. If you come here, get the Kao Soi. It's a spicy type of curry broth pho with pickled carrots and onions mixed in, and fried chicken and two types of noodles (one of them crunchy!). The flavors were pretty new to me, and the textures were excellent. And who can't love the idea of a curry chicken noodle soup with FRIED chicken in it?! While I'm giving the place a 3 star overall review for delivering exactly what it promises in a fine way, the Kao Soi was great, 4.5 stars, and I would come back here for it or look for it again to see how other people make it. Our waitress was very sassy -- we came in at four pm, and she was pretty distraught when none of us ordered beer, even commenting on it. There were other things as well. It sort of added to the charm, but if that kind of thing bothers you I might skip this one. For some reason, there was a constant stream of people coming in and it was very busy starting at around 4:30 pm on a Saturday, so be aware: if you pick this place, be ready to wait or get here early.

    (3)

  • Jorel C.

    Even if i am already living in LA, i still dream about Pho Basil. Word of advice. skip the usual Pad See Yew, Pad Thai, Drunken Noodle. They are good and all but do not give you a good picture of what the food is like. The Pho (Dac Biet) is classic. Try different things like the GOI CUON: so fresh. drizzle some chili with your peanut sauce. Shrimp pork and vegetables with a rice wrapper. CHICKEN SATAY: SESAME WINGS (!!!) ROTI AND CURRY DIP SPICY RANGOON: cream cheese filled fried wonton wrappers with sweet and sour sauce. DUCK NOODLE SOUP (so good!) TOM YUM FRIED RICE BANH HOI THIT NUONG: TRUST ME! PANANG and MASSAMAN CURRY: i swear there was a summer when i practically ate massaman curry everyday. It was so good. And was only a periodical special. Needless to say, i cried when it came back for a weekend or something. and lastly KHAO SOI!!! Their version is so good! I just set aside the pickled vegetables since i don't like the taste so much. The staff is so friendly and they know what you want if you are a regular. I must have spent so much money eating here the last 5 years. I still miss it! The ingredients are so fresh and you really feel like you are eating quality food.

    (5)

  • Qinghong Y.

    Delicious food. I am taking 1 star out because the food is too sweet. Having the food's taste driven by sugar/sweetener is very low profile. A 3.5 star is a fairer evaluation.

    (4)

  • Milen T.

    A Pho place owned by Thai-- the Thai food was good but not sure about their Pho. We had shaky beef also, it was on the sweeter side. Service was not too good, the servers gave us the opposite of what we asked for everytime, probably won't come back.

    (3)

  • Jane N.

    Came in on a Friday peak dinner time when the line is out the door. Surprisingly, our party was seated within moments. More surprisingly, we were never for once rushed for the check and waiter did not approach to clear our plates(like what too many restaurants do) until we made a sign. This place I think is also perfect for health conscious ppl or vegetarian as they serve one of the least greasy Thai food in town. Upon finishing, I'm not gagging but instead would love a dessert. What a backbay gem.

    (5)

  • Lillie Yizhou L.

    Compared to other Vietnamese restaurant, it is cheaper and delicious also. Always need to wait in a line, but worthy waiting! Food: 4.2 Service: 3 Environment: 3.7 Recommend: Drunken noodles Spicy Beef noodle soup Red curry rice Mango rice (dessert) Other: Tom yam soup here is a little bit sour to me, but still good in general

    (4)

  • Quanzhi G.

    such a good thai place for both dining alone and eating with friends! went for the special lunch set, value-to-money, good location and decent food. anyway, what can you expect more for 10 bucks: gyoza, salad, soup, fried triangle, and a main?! The portion of the main is generous. My friend ordered seafood pad thai and it is very savory! I ordered the jumbo curry and it is bold, spicy and delicious! I would still say it is americanized thai and vietnamese food, (after all, most people can't take the authentic kind...) but good enough compared to other asian restaurants in the city!

    (5)

  • Sophie P.

    If you want cheap Asian food - feelin' like noodles, fried rice, or combination dishes, COME HERE! The food is ridiculously cheap for Boston standards with the amount of food it comes with. I was a Nud Pob regular, but after finding this place, I don't know if I'll ever go back. The food at Pho Basil isn't as oily and you feel better after you down your gigantic plate. What we ordered: Papaya salad - Interesting. It was definitely a little sour, from the lime sauce, but it was really refreshing and great to have in the summer. The shrimp added a nice touch to the sour taste. Com Ga, Heo, Bo with grilled lemongrass chicken (+) - My boyfriend's chicken was cooked perfectly, and the seasoning was so good. It came with rice, vegetables (sliced cucmber, tomato, and large leaves that were hard to eat) and egg. It was a great dish that was healthier than others. (He's a health nut). Kua Gai Noodle (+) - I was going to get the drunken noodle (obv) but this dish has way more in it than the drunken noodle. I asked for it 2 out of 4 in spicyness level and it still wasn't that spicy. I thought this was so good and I had so much leftover to take for lunch at work the next day. Everyone was really friendly, always refilling water and making sure our dishes came out right away. This can't be said of many Asian restaurants. Although this place is casual, it's still clean and has a nice atmosphere compared to other Asian restaurants around this area.

    (5)

  • Allan S.

    The wait is nearly always 15 minutes for what appears to be this little hole in the wall. And it seems to be always full. But wow! What delicious Pho. We've been looking for a Vietnamese restaurant in the Boston area that comes close to the place we tried in SoCal (THE place in the US for Vietnamese cuisine) and now we've found it. They serve both Vietnamese and Thai cuisine, clearly marked on the menu. Go for the Pho though.

    (5)

  • Kiet L.

    Been here a couple of times now, I have to say their pad Thai are the best. I always go here for their pad Thai, Tom yum soup, curry puffs, and mango salad. I would also recommend the curry dishes, some of them can be spicy so be prepare. I would not recommend any of the Viet dishes, they are not the best dishes to have. The service is nice, and it's not that expensive, but it can be crowded at night. The restaurant is kind of small. Best serve for 2-4 people.

    (4)

  • Lauren E.

    I frequently walk by this Pho Basil, and it is always packed. So naturally, I had to give this place a try. The servers were friendly, and they didn't rush us in trying to select a dish from their rather large menu. I settled on the Gra Pow Fried Rice which was spicy and came with onions, peppers, ground chicken and basil leaves. The portion was large. The food itself was also hot (as in fresh off the stove hot) - not complaining. I enjoyed my meal, but I probably wouldn't order this dish again anytime soon; it was just okay. But I would like to return and try some of their other dishes.

    (4)

  • Massimo F.

    Food was good. Good but nothing so special. The place is small for the large crowd of people visiting the place, so the line can build up very quickly. I asked for a solo table and so asked to stand hidle even if some tables were available in the idea that a solo customer can't occupy a 4 people table. I tell you what, those 10 minutes after a 14 hour trip didn't look any fun! Nice place, hopefully they'll get better with their priorities

    (3)

  • Tiffany B.

    Pho Basil is exactly what you'd expect from its title alone: half Vietnamese, half Thai. Service: Not extraordinary nor remarkable. They weren't rude, they weren't over the top saccharine. They left you alone unless you waved them over. They did their job & were cordial. Whether it's vacant or crowded, they're not too attentive with water refills or making sure everything is okay. They appear when needed: drinks, orders, plating, removing plates, bill, collection, done. Prices: Fair! Lunch specials are great. Get the combo for $2 extra & you'll still be under $13 including tax & tip! (Given that you don't order seafood or an additional appetizer.) I'm used to seeing pho priced around $5.50 to $7.50 in Little Saigon (California), so the pho here is a few bucks more. Overall, I don't think anything is too outrageous. Food: Been here twice & I may make another trip to really finalize my decision of 3 stars, but man, disappointment. The first time I came here, I got the Pho Chay. It's not terrible, it's just not good. Flavorless, lacks the aroma of pho, just.. isn't very creative. You guys need to step up your Pho Chay game. Give me more fennel, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, onion, etc in my soup! All I taste is vegetable broth with pho noodles & some random vegetable toppings. The best way for them to improve this pho is to add some properly seasoned seitan, white wood ear (emulates the fat from pho bo), & maybe some bean curd sheets. Don't just toss any vegetable in there, pretend you're a vegetarian & you want to experience the wonders of pho. Do pho justice. Get the flavor profile down. I also had the drunken noodles & asked them to make it the spiciest (they have 4 levels). It was more mild than Sriracha & they ran out of the wide flat rice noodles, which was disappointing. The flavor was okay. I want to say I'm making bad menu decisions, except if it's on the menu, it should be good. The combo lunch with 2 vegetable triangles, gyoza, soup, & salad were delightful though. I enjoyed that more than the main dish. Sigh, I'll be back to try another Vietnamese dish because that's comfort food I miss from home, but I probably won't be happy. The vegetarian egg rolls are a let down too. Not very good, but not terrible. Edible, enjoyable, but not, "damn those egg rolls are delicious. I can't believe it's not meat!" good. Environment: Restaurant is on the smaller side & can get really crowded at night. There's sort of a bar in the back. It's nicely decorated, nothing too cheesy or outlandish. I don't recommend Pho Basil, but it has potential to improve. I'm disappointed that Yelp's ranking for this place tricked me into thinking it would be really good. I want to like it because it's so close to me, but I can't. tl;dr Vietnamese American, grew up near the 2nd & 3rd most populated Vietnamese cities in the US outside of Vietnam; standards pretty high. Pho Chay not accurate. Much disappoint.

    (3)

  • James B.

    I walked in yesterday and was seated promptly. We ordered our drinks and started to look at the menus. When picked up the lunch specials a roach ran across the table. We immediately got up and walked out. They really need to get an exterminator in there soon!

    (1)

  • Ashley N.

    I have actually eaten here a couple of times (finally writing a review), but I like this place because it is probably mixed with my two favorite types of Asian cuisines - Vietnamese and Thai. I think they are in a great location which adds to their success and business. It is a small restaurant and gets crowded, fast. I suggest to get there early and avoid large groups. A party of 2 gets seated much quicker. It's a small space so be prepared to walk between all the tables. Food: Xe Lua: The boyfriend always get this, he can eat! The broth is good and it's a typical pho dish. It's good with all of the meats. Get this if you're hungry. Bun Bo Hue: I sometimes crave this and tried it once. I think it was an off day because it was not that great. The meat was not tender as it should be, the soup was alright, not that flavorful as it should be too. I would not order this again because there are other better dishes they serve. Bun Thit Nuong with beef. Beef was thin, marinated right, and just tasty. I like the vegetables mixed all in it. Add the fish sauce to eat. I also add some chili to the fish sauce because I like spice. Mix it well and add the fish sauce slowly. People usually dump the whole small bowl in it and ask for more. You actually do not really need all of it, unless you like salt. But it'll soak and the taste will be there, just be patient! Tom Yum Noodle Soup: I was craving tom yum soup. I love all the flavors mixed together. I drink most of the soup and eat everything. It's actually a lot of food and very good. Drunken Noodle: Pretty darn good! I think this may be my to go place for drunken noodles. It's close and you can call in the order! It's a good price for the amount you get. It's a large plate. Nice and spicy, just the way I like it! Panang Curry: I absolutely love curry, and therefore have high expectations for it. They did a pretty good job with the Panang curry. It's a sweeter light one. I like the mix of vegetables. Chicken was good and moist. I sometimes don't like the chicken because it is overcooked and dried, but it was pretty good. It is also a very large serving. The rice is also a large serving. I would recommend maybe ordering this to go because they give more curry sauce, if you like it. (The boyfriend ordered this and had lots of extra curry sauce). Jungle Curry: This was absolutely delicious!!! I ordered it way too spicy, but it was still so good. It's red curry, but this curry does not use coconut milk. I like the mix of meats and the sauce is just so good. Don't order it too spicy, unless you like it. Basil leaves and ground lemongrass play such an important flavor. It's a good mix! Service is alright. Just wave your hand and they come quick. They are really nice and quick about things. It gets busy so do not expect them to come right away. Obviously, I come to this place a lot. I think they are great for take out! Just call in and they usually have the order ready for your quick! They are convenient and all at a reasonable price. I think the portions are large so it definitely worth it. I will eventually branch out and try new dishes, but I do like my go-to dishes.

    (5)

  • Megan L.

    While the name sets off the senses that this place is Vietnamese, this place fuses Vietnamese and Thai with dishes skewing more to the Thai. A little pricey for pho, but I'm not from Boston. Dropped in while I was visiting. This was a good little place. In addition to the pho I ordered, my friend and I split the chicken spring rolls. These were decent. Used to ordering charbroiled beef, careful cause the staff gets offended if you ask if they can do this. A decent place, even when it's packed on a Friday night!

    (4)

  • Chris F.

    We stopped in for a late lunch after visiting the Mapparium and Berklee School of music both just across the street. This place was awesome. We had the Thai Fried Rice and the waitress recommendation of House Special Drunken Noodle with Chicken. For $2.00 more you could add soup, salad and spring rolls to which we both did. The food was simply amazing and cost $24 total with a beer too. We highly recommend this place and will definitely go again on our next visit.

    (5)

  • Danisha J.

    I ordered the grilled beef rice plate, scallion pancake appetizer, spicy crab Rangoon appetizer, and the curry puffs appetizer. The beef is very tasty. The scallion pancakes here are forgettable; I won't order those again. The Rangoon were tasty, but they weren't warm enough when the delivery man brought it to me and the outside wasn't really crispy. I've ordered them before, though, and they are consistently tasty. The curry puffs are tasty, as well.

    (3)

  • Cameron D.

    This is my favorite place for Thai and Vietnamese food in Boston. Everything ive had here is delicious.

    (5)

  • Lauren M.

    My friend and I travel into Boston from Metrowest once a month to try new restaurants, and this month, we decided on Pho Basil. She doesn't love Thai food, but I do, and we figured with the Vietnamese food, she'd find something to eat. Were we ever right - the menu is more than "extensive," it's overwhelming. That, I think, is the biggest reason that I can't give a full 5 stars. I ended up picking something without fully studying the menu because there was just SO much! I ended up with the Bun Tom, the shrimp with vermicelli noodles with nuoc chom sauce, and a fresh roll. The shrimp was just amazing - so incredibly flavorful. But I had to peel it myself, which I don't love. I added some of the homemade chili paste, which was AMAZING. It smelled and tasted like maybe they roasted the dried chili first - better than I've had in many other restaurants. My friend ordered the Bun Tom Thit Cha Gio, the shrimp, pork, and crispy roll with vermicelli noodles with nuoc chom. She said the pork was a great flavor but there was too much fat; she compared it to unrendered bacon. She was a little disappointed in the dish as a whole, but neither of us were 100% sure what this dish consisted of when we ordered it, so we can't blame that on the restaurant. She said she didn't expect it to be so "salad-like," in that it was a cold, mostly un-cooked dish. All the dishes (both that came to our table and the ones we saw other patrons getting) were presented beautifully. Our water was refilled regularly and timely, and food arrived quickly. Other than the large menu, my biggest issue was that we were given the bill while my friend was still eating. That in and of itself is a little rude, in my opinion, but the fact that they came back to get the bill less than two minutes later, while she was STILL eating, really irked me. I understand that this is a small restaurant with maybe 30 seats, and there were people waiting. I don't mind not sitting and chatting after we're done eating so that someone else can have the table. But let us FINISH eating! For the two of us, it was only $22. VERY reasonable for the portions! It seems they also do a large takeout business. They got more than a few orders out in the hour we were there. They have online ordering, so I'm sure that helps. I will keep this restaurant in mind next time I'm in the area looking for a place to eat. Their pad thai looked amazing and I'd like to try that next!

    (4)

  • Aditya R.

    Pretty neat place! We were seated in relatively short time given the Friday night rush and the staff was pretty courteous. Being a vegetarian, I was surprised by the varieties they have to offer. I had the drunken noodles and my friend the Basil Fried Rice. Both were fantastic to say the least! Definitely a must visit place in Boston if you are in for some delicious Thai food!

    (5)

  • Rob M.

    The portions are huge! And I am saying that as a male college student looking for the most food for the least amount of money. The extra large pho is probably big enough for two people not quite as hungry as me.

    (5)

  • Rohit S.

    I loved the spices, resonable prices and portion sizes of Pho soups here. It was definitely one of their busiest days but they ensured that we know as soon as a table is available. A person at the front taking care of people waiting outside might be a good idea.

    (5)

  • Vincent B.

    A pretty standard asian place in downtown boston. Despite its name, a lot of the options are Thai rather than Vietnamese (though they of course of pho). I had the panang curry which was really solid; the vegetables and meat were boring but I was happy just to soak up all the curry sauce in white rice. I ordered pork but couldn't tell if it was either just really bland or switched with chicken instead. I came in the early afternoon and it got packed really fast, presumably from Berkelee students which is across the street.

    (3)

  • happygirl H.

    It's interesting how consistently I find that a restaurant that would get three stars in California gets 5 in Boston. What's up with that? Like but don't love this food. The restaurant is comfortable and convenient to my job for lunch or dinner. Service has been great for me, it's reasonably priced. I eat here alot. That said, the Thai food is only so-so. The sauces tend to be over-salty or too sweet, and one-dimensional. Not enough of the good vegetables in veggie dishes. Curry dishes just don't cut it, gooey and not defined. The goi salad is good, and the pad thai is edible. Basil chicken pretty good. I had the salt and pepper soft-shell crab, and also the calamari, yearning for my salt/pepper sauces from restaurants in San Francisco, but neither of these offerings really cut it for me---they were both soggy and the flavor wasn't as bright. It's best with cilantro, which didn't come with their dish. The pho fares slightly better, though I still miss the complexity of great pho. The duck soup is pretty good, and I like the one with the rare steak. Good place though, and I definitely keep going back. I'll update the review if my mind changes!! It's probably actually a 3.5 star review.....

    (3)

  • Ian S.

    Cozy little Vietnamese place on Mass Ave off Boylston. I've come here a number of times, usually on cold winter nights, and the pho really warms you up. It's a pretty small restaurant and always crowded, but somehow there's also never any wait for a table. The food is good and the guys who work here are really friendly and attentive. Recommended!

    (4)

  • Cath M.

    So... being Asian, more like an islander (Filipino)... after eating never ending Italian... chowders... and seafood, this gal was craving some good old rice after two days! I dragged a friend here for lunch since it was just walking distance from the Sheraton (where we were staying...) Walking in after 1 pm... it was packed and I told my friend ... "yep this is a legit place since it was filled with Asians!" and she agreed =) I ended up ordering: Com Ga, Heo, Bo (grilled beef) with fried egg and Thai Iced Tea. The food came pretty quickly... and the portion was huge! First bite... YEP... the good stuff! The grilled beef wasn't filled with fatty meat... it was actually lean and grilled perfectly. The seasoning wasn't over powering (from previous experience) and I grubbed! My friend got the Thai Fried Rice combo lunch plate and she was in awe of the portion size as well. I didn't manage to taste her food since I was busy grubbing but she said she liked it... though she didn't finish it since she got that full. If you're in the area... staying at nearby hotels... need some cheap but good grubbing... this is the place for you! Delicious. Oh and friendly and quick staff as well!

    (4)

  • Mel K.

    My favorite pho place in Boston so far. Cute place across berklee. Amazing Vietnamese iced coffee and pho is perfectly cooked

    (5)

  • Kavya S.

    Great reasonably-priced Asian restaurant near Copley Square! I was a bit skeptical when I first head about Pho Basil--a restaurant that does Thai AND Vietnamese? That just sounds like an Asian fusion disaster. However, I was proven wrong. I ordered the drunken noodles with tofu. The tofu was deep fried with a great texture. I personally wish there had been more pieces of tofu, but it wasn't the end of the world. The dish was spicy, flavorful, and full of noodles (just how I like it!). Be warned: despite the fact that I ordered the dish as medium spicy, the drunken noodles dish is SPICY. So if you have a lower tolerance for spice, I recommend staying away from this dish. If I'm in downtown Boston, I will "Pho" sure be back again! Note: The restaurant gets a bit crowded in the evening, so be prepared to wait ~10-15 minutes to get a table.

    (4)

  • Jen C.

    Let me get one thing straight. The food is good. The pho and vermicalli are exactly what I want them to be. BUT these people are scam artists. Check your bill. I have been here countless times (I'm talking 20 times plus) only to soon realize whatever you tip at the end, they add a $1 to. So say your bills is $36 they charge you $37. Completely unacceptable. Calling my credit card company to dispute these additionally charges because they are unauthorized and if I've been there say 20 times and they kept doing this, well they are making a usual thing of it. Very very mad and I will be reporting them to Better Business Bureau and wherever I can. This is such a sketchy practice and even worse they have continued to do it.

    (1)

  • Dave H.

    Great Pad Thai but WARNING: their heat index is 1-4. I ordered #2 and my mouth is still burning. My buddy's shrimp dish was great as well. We love spicy food but their heat chart is off the charts!!

    (4)

  • Troy M.

    This place is phenomenal, friendly, great food, super clean, and cheap! We were in town for only a week and ate here twice, I highly recommend the dumplings, the vegetable triangles and the pad thai! Although I have never been to Vietnam or Thailand, this was the best versions of this food I have had almost anywhere in America. Also, delivery is a great option to one of the local hotels, very efficient and a great option if you don't want to leave.

    (5)

  • Cat L.

    Came in here around 4:30pm Saturday afternoon, it was packed! We were lucky to be a part of 2 and got seated pretty quickly. Service as fast, and food came fast as well. I ordered Meatball Pho, Spicy Crab Rangoon and my bf had the Pad Pa Kraw. Very good, local, cheap spot. The Pho soup was surprisingly very tasty and cured my cold. ;)

    (5)

  • K M.

    Not authentic vietnamese but food is good. more thai than anything. food doesn't feel greasy or heavy, nice lighter rendition of classics

    (4)

  • Elleen P.

    I came to Pho Basil with a few of my friends on a rainy evening, since it was the perfect weather for pho. Because I'm not a huge fan of pho (too much MSG & salt for me), I was pleasantly surprised that I actually enjoyed my meal. I ordered the Tai (just beef, I don't usually like the other stuff) and for $7, it was really good. There was a plentiful amount of meat and the soup wasn't too salty or MSG-y like the other pho places I've been to. With a good amount of sriracha, it was the perfect combination for me. Normally, I tell myself that I'll only get pho when my friends want it, but I would definitely come back to this place alone. Pretty good! Definitely recommend. :) Service was acceptable, too.

    (4)

  • An L.

    Ca Ry Sao (Vietnamese curry) was delicious. Saigon noodle nice as it could be. Vietnamese fried rice (com chien) good.

    (5)

  • Kasun N.

    What a solid place for Pho/Thai food. There's a ton off stuff on the menu which can be a bit overwhelming, but everything me and my party ordered was super tasty. The only thing kind of disappointing was the wait for our food, but the food made up for it. Skip the stereotypical Thai dishes and branch out for a good time.

    (4)

  • J B.

    Great spot for pho, which is the only thing I've had from here. It comes w/ all the fix-ins that you would expect/want, has great flavor, and is a bang for your buck. Perfect hangover food. I usually like to order out from here; it gets slammed on the weekends.

    (4)

  • Amie W.

    Packed on a Friday night but the wait for two goes by fast. The waitstaff here is fast and efficient. Casual but nice place for a date night, or dinner with a few friends.

    (4)

  • Mana F.

    I love this restaurant. I've been so many times and I have yet to have a negative experience. However, when picking up your order, always double check to make sure they have included your drinks. My friends and I have been given our orders without the drinks and we had to go back to the restaurant afterwards. As for the food, everything I've had is DELICIOUS. I definitely recommend the Kua gai noodles. They are way better than the drunken noodles! The pho is also delicious and super affordable. Perfect for a cold winter day in Boston. The service is great too! I definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves Vietnamese/Thai food.

    (5)

  • Natalie J.

    I stopped by for lunch the place was quite crowded. It's located right across from Berklee, and looks to be a student hot spot as well. I ordered the crazy udon, and it was perfection! It was just the right level of spiciness and packed with veggies. The service was very courteous and prompt. One server took my order, another brought water, another took my order, and still another dropped off my check. Some people might be annoyed by this, but given the setting and the fact that it was a busy lunch hour, I think it worked perfectly. The waitstaff worked very well as a team. I can't wait to come back!

    (5)

  • Ji Won K.

    .....after taking a tour of mapporium at the Mary baker eddy library, I was super hungry- so I yelped for a place nearby and pho basil came up. It was around 1:45 and when I got there it was pretty packed but seats were still available. They had a great selection of lunch specials... Most being just under $9....add a combo(salad, soup, dumpling) for only $2 more. I ended up getting the beef pad craw paw combo. I usually end up ordering this dish at every Thai place I go to and have to say that this was really REALLy good here.....they minced up the beef like hamburger beef and seasoned it very well....spicy in just the right way. I ordered another one along with an order of spicy seafood Thai fried rice to go....which was also really good!

    (4)

  • Mengru L.

    always the best Thai restaurant in Back Bay. No competitor till now

    (5)

  • Dave C.

    Not impressed. Pho was good, broth had good favor and plenty of meat. Not happy with curry, chicken was over cooked and veggies not cooked.

    (2)

  • Gary C.

    Tangerine pork and wild boar basil, would order again. Very busy place but they manage it. Long line Sunday evening around 6. Everyone wants stir fry dishes so there is a limit to how many meals they can process, but we let waitress know that we had tickets for 7:30 event at BSO and she rushed our meal out. Excellent service. No reservations but go in and leave your name. They follow the list.

    (4)

  • pia k.

    Hello delicious! Ca Ry Xao with beef was a favorite. Love the crunchy peanuts on top. Gyoza was fresh and they nailed the staple and the pork and shrimp vermicelli.

    (5)

  • Jenna L.

    We didn't have very high expectations for pho when we moved from Sunnyvale, CA to Boston, MA. But what we did have was cravings. Pho cravings. This place did satisfy our cravings, but didn't do much more than that. I'd say it was about average - a little pricey, and a little too upscale for a pho place in my opinion. I did also find it kind of strange that they offered other types of food as well (like thai food?) - a telltale sign that the specialties aren't really specialties. I'm a big believer in a small menu that is great rather than a large menu that is mediocre. Anyway, we might come back to satisfy our pho cravings, but not sure I'd come back for much more than that.

    (3)

  • Swapnil H.

    Chicken satay appetizer is good, chicken pieces on skewer with peanut dip. The noodle soup is ok, not so flavorful as Pho88. If you are ordering thai iced tea, make sure to tell less sweet, as it is really very very sweet.

    (3)

  • Monica L.

    This is my favorite place to get Vietnamese or Thai, especially for delivery. -Appetizers are a bit overpriced IMO. Instead, split a papaya salad. Spicy, bright acidity, sweet, salty, savory. It is a great dish. -Love the pho broth, especially with a few sprigs of thai basil, a squeeze of lime and a big squirt of sriracha sauce. Dac biet, no well-done flank, is my go-to for pho. Duck noodle soup is also tasty. The vegetarian pho is a let-down though. Tell your veggie-loving friends to get any of the curries or noodle dishes with tofu. Way better than the vegetarian pho. (Doesn't have the same depth of flavor as the meaty pho broth.) - any of the bun dishes are standard and tasty. - the Tom Yum fried rice is really good, albeit a bit salty. - I never liked pad Thai until getting it here. It is THAT good. For a variation, you can also get the pad Thai woon sen (with bean thread noodles = glass noodles, lower glycemic index), but don't get the crispy noodle pad Thai (way too salty). - drunken noodles is crazy good. (I get it four star spicy. Only do this if you can handle a lot of heat!) - from the house specials, chicken peanut sauce is wonderful. If you are eating in, either make reservations or come at odd times. (This place has gotten so popular over the last few years.) The service is impeccable and everyone is very friendly. If you are ordering delivery, it is a $2 charge and only after 5pm. Make sure to ask for the exact number of utensils (forks, spoons, chopsticks) and extra sriracha containers, as they will not automatically include them.

    (5)

  • Tai F.

    The best pho tai and com ga in boston! You'll also have to try their Thai iced tea boba! YUM!

    (5)

  • Nick S.

    The authentic Vietnamese and Thai food is delicious, plentiful and the wait staff is attentive and friendly. You can always tell when an ethnic restaurant is good. That's when it is frequented by its own kind. You can hardly find a seat. It is simply that good. A great place to go before attending a performance at Berklee.

    (5)

  • Evan B.

    Thailand or Vietnam is the question and this place answers with both. This trip we went for Thailand,, A "fun" noodle curry tofy dish $7.99 that was full of rich flavors and my favorite drunken noodles. The drunken noodles were good flat wide noodles full of flavor but a bit dry. The fun noodles were fun but a bit messy. Service is decent and the place is hopping around lunch. It was a decent value.

    (4)

  • Cliff H.

    Tasty. Affordable. Phast. This place surprised me. It's small and quaint, but offers up fast pho and Thai food in an unpretentious and affordable way that few places on this strip of fast-food driven college-town providers do. Tried the sesame chicken: tasty, not greasy. Filling, not stuffing. You can also have a conversation here, the ambiance is relaxing, and the servers attentive. Basically the polar opposite of Pad Thai Cafe around the corner which is more like walking into a cross between That 70s Show and a bad martial arts studio.

    (4)

  • Nikhil P.

    There's an inverse relationship between temperature and my adoration for Pho. That relationship could also likely hold if "temperature" was replaced by, "outdoor shittiness," "number of times sick road slush splattered on my face by passing cars," and "thickness of white salt stains all over my boots." Thanks in part to those wonderful feats of nature, I've become a bit addicted to Pho Basil. I stick to the Tom Yum soup and Shredded Chicken soup, and Pad Thai. All are awesome. They have good portions, the soup doesn't leave you feeling like that salt on your boots are caked all over your tongue, and it's fresh. Oh, it's also crazy fast -- in a surreal way ... Order your food and set a timer, and you'll likely have your food in about 45 seconds. Good place. May not be sensational, but the price is good, food is fast, food is good, and it's perfect for a really bitterly cold day.

    (4)

  • Emily R.

    Came in here last night with my friend and eating my leftovers right this minute. It's small and cozy inside, and the staff was so nice! My water was refilled numerous times without request! I also dropped my fork, and a server came out of nowhere and replaced it! Thanks :) I ordered the Saigon Noodle, and it was SO good. I was very impressed. They have a huge menu as well. It took me so long to decide. I will be back soon :)

    (5)

  • Kimmy U.

    3.5 stars! My roommates and I have been planning to eat here for a long time because we pass by it every single day and always see the curry puff sign outside that always seems to be "today's special" lol All the tables were full when we arrived, but one of the waitresses gave us a 20 minute wait and said we could walk around and she'd reserve our spot I thought that was pretty nice of them to do! but might have been better to just take down a # if they always do that so the empty table isn't waiting too long when there are more people outside waiting for a table -Of course we got the curry puff. 3 little puffs per order $4.95 Yumm!! Unfortunately, there wasn't too much curry flavor in it, but the flaky layered pastry was so gooood. Don't get it if you're not into the flakyness though cause there's a lot of it. It also comes with this refreshing cucumber/onion/carrot salad thing that tastes great with the puff! -Pho tai- 3 sizes to choose from. I got the small which was a good sized bowl. I don't think I've ever had really bad pho before.. so I'm not really sure how to judge it.. based on the broth and meat I guess? I feel like the noodles are pretty standard, so you can't go wrong with that. The broth was nicely flavored and meat was average. Overall, it was a good bowl of soup on a cold winter night! I'll definitely be coming back here :D A friend said delivery is an extra $2 if you're ever interested!

    (4)

  • Nihan K.

    Pho Basil interestingly enough boasts mastery of two cuisines, which sometimes can mean mediocrity. Fortunately, this place whips up equally delicious Thai and Vietnamese dishes! I love their vegetable pho, though I'm usually fond of the chicken variety. The taste is a bit mild and probably not as flavorful as what you'll get with the richer meat soups, but it really hits the spot when you're feeling under the weather and your stomach doesn't really want to deal with complex tastes (and it's a whole lot more fun than adhering to a B.R.A.T. diet). As for when you are ready for spice and flavor-- their drunken noodles are probably my favorite that I've eaten at any Thai place-- and trust me, I've been to many. My fiance nearly melted of happiness while eating the pad thai, which is definitely an important recipe to judge the quality of a Thai restaurant. For more of a spicy kick, I don't think you can go wrong with the spicy basil chicken. The coconut shoots add a delicious crunch, and the heat did a lot to clear my sinuses. I'm indebted, during this cold season. What helps this delicious restaurant shine even further is the friendly service, even in the face of constant hustle and bustle. This place deserves its popularity, but even at really busy hours, I've never waited long (if at all) to be seated.

    (5)

  • Liz L.

    I just ate here recently for the first time, and I wish I ate here sooner! What can I say but: Clean, fantastic food, great service and will not break your wallet.

    (5)

  • RJ T.

    Beenn There...Done That....Goin BACK!!!!!! Good Pho. Good pricing. Adequate service. Make sure you try it if you want Pho.

    (4)

  • Saundra M.

    the very best in boston‼. The food is soooo good, stop by and taste the great experience tell them Sandy sent you

    (5)

  • Dr Rahim F.

    Oh my gosh.. the food here is so gooddddd its traditional vietnamese with some modern charm.. my wife AND I LOVE their boba drinks theyre soooooo tasty. . Highly recommend the Thai tea. The pho is best weve had yet in boston and weve been tryin places since we moved here. Highly recommend.. just expect to wait for 20 to 30 min to get a spot. Yumm

    (5)

  • Helen K.

    Who'da thunk that I'd stumble upon some of the best pho I've had in one of the whitest cities (except for around Harvard and MIT) I've been to? After days of not eating either kimchi, Tapatio, or sriracha, I craved some pho and was determined to have a bowl of it in Boston. The broth is delicately flavored, hits the spot just right, and the quality of the tai (rare steak) was great. I loved that the pho was legit AND clean. It was so good I went back the next day to get more pho. If you've had one too many a lobster roll and need your spicy food fix, make sure to check out Pho Basil. They also have great Thai food. I was sad though that they ran out of mango (so no mango sticky rice). =(

    (5)

  • Jahcobie C.

    This place is packed for lunch time special. All that delicious food for pennies on the dollar! Add a combo and there is such a variety that will entice your taste buds. I had just arrived back in Boston and wanted to find a place to eat cheap, good, and out the cold. I found it and was very happy. I must admit I didn't care much for the soup and the salad had a few big leaves that were impossible to pick up with chopsticks. The place gets super packed during lunch so arrive early so you wont miss out on the specials. Most of all stay warm beantown! Brrrrr!!! Glad to be back in LA.

    (3)

  • Andrea P.

    Food is amazing! But the service is ehhhh. My friends and I got there 5 minutes before opening. Instead of letting us wait in the waiting area (completely out of the way), the waiters made us stand outside in the freezing cold. AND they refused to let us look at their menu while we waited...like...what?! These people could use some customer service training.

    (3)

  • Wu P.

    Pho sate, great, sup hoanh thanh, amazing.. com chien ca man, order additional spicy, even good when it's cold! Good place!

    (4)

  • Aaron D.

    This is some of the best Thai in Boston (and I think I've been to most of them). As a appetizer I recommend the curry and roti, and as an entree I highly recommend the Cinnamon Beef Curry. The wait staff was friendly, efficient, and accurate. Seating is a bit cramped, but for food this good, I will put up with a table near me. Overall, A+. Love it.

    (5)

  • Mamta B.

    Ordered food tonight from them. I was quoted 1 hour wait for delivery. I called at 1.5 hrs and was told I would get a phone call. No phone call was made. I called back and was told the driver would be on his way next. I've been waiting now for almost 2 hours. Have not tried the food. Would not recommend delivery services.

    (1)

  • Kemberli P.

    It's alright but won't be trying it again. Had take-out with a group of friends so we tried a few things...I was looking forward to the pad thai after all the rave reviews but I honestly don't understand ... Not that great at all. Bland and lacking in flavor. Also tried the green & yellow curries and drunken noodles. They were better than the pad thai but still only so-so compared to other thai places I've been. Curries were better than the noodle dishes. Not impressed.

    (2)

  • Rachel G.

    Love this place for a yummy bowl of Pho Ga- my favorite! So hearty and flavorful, and the fresh mint in there is divine. Easy on the wallet too- I almost always leave with leftovers that are just as delish when reheated for lunch the day after.

    (4)

  • David V.

    The previous review was written by my wife. I recently dined at Pho Basil with her, and I just had to write about my own experience! Our server was very friendly and taught us how to say "thank you" in Thai. For our appetizer, we had the veggie/tofu spring rolls which were delicious. I had the crispy chicken pad Thai, and I must say that the chicken was "crispy" and delicious. The pad Thai itself was also very tasty, and the portion was big. I almost could not finish, and I generally do not have left-overs. My wife had a ginger tofu dish (I cannot recall the name), which was also delicious. Our entire meal (before tip) came out to around $23! I look forward to eating here again in the near future!

    (5)

  • Danielle R.

    LOVE this place! All of the appetizers and dipping accompaniments are delicious! The fresh spring rolls (Goi Cuon), Gyoza and Veggie Triangles are particularly worthy. Pho is everything is should be and more, served with a variety of meats, in very generous portions. Curry dishes are worth ordering, as are the Pad Thai's, but I always come back to the Drunken Noodles... mmmmm. We typically order soda's, two apps, a small Pho to share and an entrée or two and the bill is always WELL under $50, often under $40 (with tip). Enjoy, this is one of my favorite places in town for a cheap, satisfying meal!

    (5)

  • Nick S.

    I'll start with the essential details first and then fiddly personal details later. This place is very good, and I prefer it to the other upscale Vietnamese/Thai places in the general area in the armpit between Fenway/Kenmore, Back Bay, South End and Northeastern. Being a recently graduated Berklee student, I come there so much (during the peak of a semester, maybe four times a week) that every employee there at least recognizes me and knows my usual order (a large Pho Thai with an avocado fruit shake - no extras) and some of them know my name and a bit more about me. It would be at odds with my behavior to give less than 4/5 for a place I habitually come to so often. When I have to make business stops back into the Berklee area, I don't think about where I'm getting lunch/dinner. I love pho, and I like their pho. I take people out to eat here regularly. It's worth your money. Everything on the menu that has been brought to me or a dinner partner has looked and tasted very good. Now the nitpickiness. This is not a criticism of Pho Basil, just a story about my personal expectations as they were leveled against Pho Basil. I am from the Seattle area, and I think both Seattle and Boston - from an objective comparison to other cities - have an enormous amount of Vietnamese places. This has only increased as we seem to now be seeing the same kind of boom in pho joints that mainstream America saw in teriyaki places over the previous half-decade before that. However, the places I grew used to in Seattle are uniformly cheap-o and dirty. With a few exceptions, my compass has been, the sketchier-looking the place, the huger a "large" size bowl of pho is, the cheaper it costs (sometimes like $3.25 for a bowl that is like the size of a salad-tossing bowl!) and the better it is, from broth to noodle to meat cuts. This rubric has failed me in Boston because it's totally inapplicable. Outside of Chinatown (of course), It seems every Vietnamese place here is dim, with fancy decor and uniformed employees. When this place first opened, I was quite excited that there was a place that served pho closer to me than Pho and I. So I first came when they had their initial business boom from opening and I was bummed out that it was "Boston expensive" for food that was "good but not great." But you will see this pattern across all of my reviews of New England businesses. Things are more expensive here and... "less good." Pho Basil's opening was one of my first times sort of noticing this pattern. But don't let the last three paragraphs of nonsense weigh down your choice to go here or not; pretend they didn't exist. This place is good. Dig the terrible muzak, too! Some of the arrangements they play really throw me for a loop.

    (4)

  • Zach W.

    Went back and had Bo Kho....some sort of Vietnamese spicy meat stew. Bought myself some Tiger beers (yeah I know it's from Singapore) and reminisced about my time in Vietnam and SE Asia. The Bo Kho was thick and hearty with great meaty flavor and spices. The meat chunks were a little too thick for my liking and there was only 1 giant carrot even though the description says there's scallions and onions.....either way it satisfied me and filled me up. Still satisfied, but not quite wowed.....I WANT MY WOW EXPERIENCE PHO BASIL!!!!! I'll keep coming back don't worry......and I'll keep posting worthless updates....

    (3)

  • Amy L.

    If you like cheap, good food and especially fast delivery, this place isn't for you. I'm actually really surprised this place has such good ratings and reviews. Delivery took forever and a day, the driver got lost several times, yelled at me over the phone, the food was really expensive and to top it off, they messed up 2/3s of my order. Also, after receiving my order, the driver texted me. Talk about unprofessional.

    (1)

  • Paul N.

    A bit pricey for pho but quick friendly service and an above-average recipe. I've had their rice dishes, and pho a few different ways, including their dac biet. All good!

    (3)

  • Jeff K.

    During my Boston trip, I decided to check out this place purely because of the positive reviews on Yelp. I was not disappointed. Viet or Thai, this place has it RIGHT ON THE SPOT. Service is friendly and quick and the interior is spacious and conservatively decorated without going overboard with the Asian theme. And yes, this food is delicious and uses a lot of basil.

    (5)

  • Risa Y.

    I have to give them a 5-star because I go there almost every weekend. Cozy and tasty restaurant! I love their summer rolls and phos. All the servers are nice, and affordable for students!

    (5)

  • Norwin E.

    Very solid Vietnamese restaurant. The Dac Biet was pretty tasty and fresh. Also ordered the Chicken Mango Curry which was also good--love the mango chunks. Wasn't too spicy though and the sauce isn't too thin or thick. I did take out and you still get a substantial serving. I noticed that service for sit-down customers seemed pretty attentive and the restaurant is nice and well-kept. Will come back for my next Vietnamese food craving.

    (4)

  • Humaira M.

    I was craving some pho due to yesterday's crappy weather and feeling a little sick, and needed a place that delivered. I chose this place due to yelper reviews. When I asked if they delivered to Cambridge, they said sure, but it would take over an hour. I wasn't that hungry so I said sure that's fine. All in all, it took just over two hours from when I ordered to when I got the food, partly because the driver first went to my address, in Boston. On to the food. The pho hit the spot but wasn't the best I ever had. The meat portion seemed meager - 4 slices of rare steak in the small? They also didn't include any jalapeno slices with all the trimmings. The summer rolls were pretty weak, I think summer rolls usually have cabbage and these had lettuce. You wouldn't think they'd be that different but it was definitely noticeable. And the shrimp to roll ratio was weak, I was definitely not getting shrimp in every bite. The roti and curry was good, essentially a flat scallion pancake with thai green curry sauce. And the kao soi (ordered based on a yelper's review) was a pretty interesting mix of flavors, i'd def get that again. Bottom line: I'd order from here only if I wasn't super hungry and desperate for pho delivery. But def not the spring rolls. For the meantime, I'll keep trying other pho places that deliver to cambridge.

    (3)

  • Joshua V.

    This place is hands down the best Viet/Thai fusion spot on Mass Ave. You can't beat fresh food, great service and cheap prices.

    (5)

  • Ryan R.

    Went here with friend to grab a bite to eat. The place was actually decently crowded but we were able to be sat right away at the last open table. For our meal, we decided to split the green curry and the spicy basil chicken. The green curry was decent, but not spicy enough for my liking. It did have pretty good flavor, though I wish there was more bamboo in it. The spicy basil chicken was also very good, and definitely packed a little more spiciness. Both dishes were a decent size and we took the leftovers home and had enough for one more meal. Overall, the food here is good, the service is fast and friendly and the atmosphere is intimate. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the mood for Thai.

    (4)

  • Quynh Nhu D.

    I desperately want to give it a higher score. TBH hate given 3. I like to passionately hate or love a place! I got the pad thai lunch combo; the combo portion was good. I mean the presentation itself was very nice and clean. The pad thai itself was ok. Pad thai is my defecto when I get lunch combo. It's my safe haven. This one is ok. It lack the necessary sweetness that I imagine all pad thai should have. If I would do a comparison, and I mean one of these days I should: this is an OK pad thai for a non-Thai-centric restaurant, and a bad pad thai when compared with some of the very best in Boston. I didn't inhale my entire plate. Thai ice tea was ok, lack the tea-depth, plenty of cream though. Two of my friends got the Chicken peanut sauce combo, it look absolutely beautiful. The sauce just glisten on that chicken and the peek-a-boo of those petite pineapple made it a beautiful look dish. If I come back, I will be getting that dish. I hate peanut butter but if you drown meat in peanut sauce than I'm all over that. My other friend got the Jungle Curry. She's O.G. from the land of the pepper so she expect this to be teary-fiery-hot and was left underwhelm with the spice level. The chicken looking a bit dry qq. She said it was flavorful but she was not happy with the dish. She also ordered a bunch of to-go dishes and commented on the tiny-whiny portion that is the Ca Kho To. Ouch! Maybe they made it in a tiny-whiny clay pot.. that would have look cute, but for the price...not so much. I shall comment though that they are very much willing to make my meal a pure vegetarian/vegan dish if I wanted: as in minus the fish sauce and the egg if wanted. I ordered tofu for yolo, and they were kind enough to ask if I was vegetarian! Very nice to have a place that care about your dietary need. I'm giving it a 3, but I still have hope for the place. I do want to give it another chance and hope next time I can be much more passionate with my score.

    (3)

  • Kia E.

    Literally one of the only places in the area that is reasonably priced, made with fresh ingredients, and served in a timely fashion with proper attention given to customer in a clean and cozy restaurant. This area of Boston has next to no standards for food and even the pricey places I've been to have been very disappointing. Thank god for Pho Basil because I can't cook every single meal... need a break from dishes now and again. Love the drunken noodles, fresh rolls, pad thai, wild boar basil, basil fried rice with crispy chicken, beef salad, chicken salad, and some of the pho's were good too. Tasty and rich thai iced tea as well.

    (5)

  • Emily P.

    Tasty, inexpensive, and friendly and prompt service. We'll definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Jess S.

    Small and crowded little thai restaurant. I ordered the veggie pad thai with tofu and it was enough food for dinner, lunch, dinner again, and another lunch. Such a huge portion (granted I don't eat a ton per sitting). It was really tasty but reheated it definitely lost a ton of flavor. Also got the fried veggie rolls. Three came in one order. They were pretty small and I would have preferred a spicy sauce over the peanut sauce they came with but still was still satisfied. Decent enough service. Chatty atmosphere. Good location.

    (4)

  • James W.

    The Pad thai was alright good. A little dry though. However, the Milk tea made up for it.

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 10

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : Yes
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Pho Basil

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