Established in 2008, BASIL CANTEEN has been serving South of Market area of San Francisco (SOMA). Setting in a historical landmark building of Jackson Brewery, a loft-style high ceiling with a mezzanine seating as well as our grand communal table on our main floor. Come enjoy our unique dish like steam tapioca dumplings, a mochi-like texture but surprisingly savory! Our Chiangmai curry noodle (Kai Soi) is also people's favorite. Try some of our signature cocktails while you are here, Basil Bliss is an excellent choice.
Happy Hours every day 5-6:30p
I’ve been back here many times. I try new dishes almost every time, and I’ve never been disappointed! The pork belly brussel sprouts and yellow curry are my favorite though. I also LOVE the coconut ice cream, but I love coconut. They have a great selection of drinks.
We’ve also ordered to go many times and are always satisfied. I recommend ordering directly from the restaurant’s website if you can instead of through a third party app.
Restaurant was good and almost great! Service was really friendly and we loved the atmosphere. The menu was diverse and offered a lot of variety. We ordered a noodle dish (pad sew) and a curry (duck curry). Both were fantastic, the duck being just full of amazing flavors. The pad sew was good, but nothing stand out. Overall, we had a great experience here, though we had to walk through some rougher neighborhoods (South of market/tenderloin adjacent) to get here.
Lovely Thai resturaunt, has quite a bit of seating, but can get quite busy here. Be aware that you may be seated at communal tables if the place is packed! The service is quick and efficent. And the food comes out hot, fresh, and packed with flavour! I would say a great place if you want to experience upscale Thai cuisine!
Oh man, I'll be going back again. Excellent chicken curry with tasty vegetables like eggplant. I ordered it spicy, and it came deliciously spicy hot. The dish was warm and held its temperature through the meal. I got some dessert, too, would you believe it. Some coconut ice cream and fried banana balls. The thin fried crust on the balls was perfect with the fruity juicy core. And the ice cream was a great combination, with some excellent and pronounced coconut flavor. The service was on point: attentive, friendly, helpful.
Nice atmosphere/ambiance but food was just middle of the road and prices were high. It was about $15-$20 for a basic Thai dish such as pad Thai, pad kee Mao, tom yum soup, pad Krapow etc.
The Basil Canteen is convenient and close. I had my food delivered to the hotel and it came within the right time frame, so I don't know what the atmosphere is like in the restaurant. I ordered Pad Thai & Pad Kee Mao. The Pad Thai was tasteless and the Pad Kee Mao was delicious. Oh, and the Thai iced teas were tasteless too. Bummer!
This place is seriously good. I haven't ordered anything a thing I don't like. The steak dishes and pad Thai will really hit the spot. I always have Asian lagers because of my past adventures in SE Asia but see a lot of cocktails being pumped out by the staff. No nonsense decor and staff is ok for the most part.
Nice atmosphere/ambiance but food was just middle of the road and prices were high. It was about $15-$20 for a basic Thai dish such as pad Thai, pad kee Mao, tom yum soup, pad Krapow etc.
The Basil Canteen is convenient and close. I had my food delivered to the hotel and it came within the right time frame, so I don't know what the atmosphere is like in the restaurant. I ordered Pad Thai & Pad Kee Mao. The Pad Thai was tasteless and the Pad Kee Mao was delicious. Oh, and the Thai iced teas were tasteless too. Bummer!
Friendly staff, nice cozy atmosphere, great food selection.
Today I went to have lunch at basil like so many many times. I ordered the chu chee salmon and it was sooooo spicy. I told the server and she didn't pay to much attention to my comment. We order another plate asking to be mild and it was also very much spicy. It's sad that Basil used to be my go to place in the neighbordhood but the service and the quality have declined.
Upscale Thai food in a modern atmosphere.
I ordered the Thai boat noodles, but found them to be very salty, so I wouldn’t recommend this soup. On the other hand, the Pad See Ew dish was delicious. My rating reflects the disappointing noodle dish and not the environment or service.
Great service and excellent food.
a very attractive restaurant that's well set up for a business lunch. Service and food are courteous and efficient and vegan options are understood and delicious.
A beautiful and special, not to mention delicious and well serviced establishment. I went for the happy hour beer and apps, (btw, very fairly priced) and I was not disappointed by the service, ambiance or quality taste and presentation of food at all. The tables and chairs were nice and clean. The floor didn't stick to your shoes. The service was fast. The music was good. The waiter and service and food was really great. Also their were not to many people there on the Friday at 6pm when I went. Definitely a 5/5 star place that I'm going back too again.
Food is delicious and service very kind, you will want to come again after you leave!
Hands down! This was the best Thai food I have ever had. The spicy beef was complex and generous portion. The Tom yum soup was beautiful. The server was knowledgeable and helpful with suggestions. We ate in at lunch. Seated immediately, offered drinks and food was out quickly.
I’ve been back here many times. I try new dishes almost every time, and I’ve never been disappointed! The pork belly brussel sprouts and yellow curry are my favorite though. I also LOVE the coconut ice cream, but I love coconut. They have a great selection of drinks.
We’ve also ordered to go many times and are always satisfied. I recommend ordering directly from the restaurant’s website if you can instead of through a third party app.
One of the worst Pa Kee Mao I have ever had in my life and it was $19 per order. The noodle was over cooked and it was too sweet. I feel uncomfortable after eating the food.
The food was really yummy and very reasonably priced. The owner is sweet, but the drinks were kinda mid and weak :/ I would come back for the food and the quit cozy vibe
Being well traveled in Asia and a lover of its different cuisines, this is a great rock to turn over. Delicious, authentic and consistently good Thai food from drinks to dessert. I’m a regular. Recommend the Larb Gai.
This place has been my go-to when I have friends visiting me. Excellent food, nice vibes, and exquisite drinks.
Great everything, food is tasty!
Lovely Thai resturaunt, has quite a bit of seating, but can get quite busy here. Be aware that you may be seated at communal tables if the place is packed! The service is quick and efficent. And the food comes out hot, fresh, and packed with flavour! I would say a great place if you want to experience upscale Thai cuisine!
Fantastic surprise: we found it by chance while walking down Folsom St. The staff was very friendly and the food delicious and innovative. Not your usual Thai, starting from traditional recipes. Will call again !
Delicious! Excellent, fast service. We had the drunken beef and pumpkin tofu. Both are so flavorful and loaded with fresh veggies. The coconut brown rice is great. This place is great for a work meal, a date, or eating solo.
Very Tasty 😋 and most helpful staff!!
Always great food and service - and awesome happy hour!
My faves: Sri-ra-cha, garlic green beans, corn fritters, gai gra proactive, pad see ew
Really bad customer service
Terrible service. The waitress forgot to put in our order for appetizers, she came to our table 10 minutes after we had first put in the order asking if we wanted to order anything!! The evening countinued with sloppy service from giving us the wrong food to forgetting to bring our drinks. Food was ok. Wouldn’t go back.
Beautiful space in an historic building and the food was delicious, but very pricey for the portions given.
Waited over half an hour for my food after ordering with two tables next to mine order afterward and getting their food before me. Asked three times about my order. When the food finally came out, the waiter waved his hand, saying "sorry, busy night". To additional insult, the waitress came out and refilled water for a friend who had finished her food, left without refilling anyone else's water, then never came back.
Food itself was OK, but doesn't stand out among the many other Thai options in SF and the East Bay.
One of the best restaurants I’ve been to in San Francisco!! Great service , amazing drinks and great food !!! I had a party of 17 at 7:30 pm and they close at 9 everything was above and beyond they didn’t rush the service ! Very professional! Love the vibes definitely coming back !
Always delicious. The service is 5 star and the atmosphere is really soothing. A very special place ❤
Me and my besties shared some frues
Service was abysmal. No need to elaborate other than I was ignored for most of my experience.
I've eaten in and ordered delivery. Food is always delicious, and good service inside. They have a few bar chairs along a wall/window, large and small table seating, and upstairs dining (for busy days).
Stopped in for lunch. Pad thai was delicious, generous serving, too. When I'm in town again I'll keep this in mind for sure.
Super cuisine Thaï
Bonne ambiance
The food here is so flippin good I wanted to lick the plate clean. The overall vibe of the place is pretty hip and trendy, and the service was quite reasonable despite the place being packed. Would def eat here again.
The spicy is real spicy. Service is okay, I've had better and it's expensive.
The ambiance, lighting, and overall experience is very nice. A great place to go with friends or on a date or in a small group.
I attended as part of a large group dinner and set aside a table for eight people but once we got there they were unable to accommodate us, so it took away from the experience. We were forced to sit at a table and at the bar, separate from each other.
The food however, is absolutely delicious. We had some of the lemongrass fried chicken and spring rolls as an appetizer and then had the cashew chicken and a couple of other plates for dinner. It was absolutely amazing.
Pre-covid this place was fine. Totally acceptable, but they knew they didn't have to try very hard.
Since they reopened something changed for the better. Give them a shot if you're in the neighborhood, now I'd call it one of the better Thai places in SF
Great staff, lovely ambiance, fantastic food. Would definitely patronize again!
Great food and drinks.
Good quality Asian
Very good food. Friendly staff.
Love the food, favorite is the Wok-fried Wild Caught Squid. The drinks are awsome, and the staff is efficient friendly and kind!
Good happy hour. $8 drinks and $6 apps. The drinks were tasty and the food hit the spot. Friendly staff. I’d go back for happy hour.
LOVE THIS SPOT. I have been coming here for about 2 years and the food is always amazing, service is great and their prices are too good to be true. Happy hour is from 5-7 and they have $4 beers and $5 appetizers. Neighborhood staple. Hope they stay here for a long long time.
So good!!..the best Thai food in the city!
Great outdoor seating during covid, and happy hour beers and house wines from 5p-7p.
Love the ambiance and the food is good.
Attentive service. Tasty cocktails and wonderfully flavorful fresh food. The garlic green beans are an excellent appetizer.
The waiter was friendly, very knowledgeable about the dishes, and the food was spot on delicious. 🍴
Delicious food (Pad Thai and Pad Kee Mao) and great customer service!
Great flavors. A bit spicy for me but that's to be expected for anyone not used to it in this kind of food.
We had a great dinner for restaurant week. The ceviche was great, although small, the shrimp & mushroom soup had an incredible broth, and the salmon in red curry was very good and then topped it off with the fresh mango for a great dinner.
This is one of my favorite spots for Thai in SOMA. The red curry with catfish is to die for! I sometimes make the trek over from other neighborhoods just because I’m craving this dish, it’s that good. They have a nice set up with seating upstairs for busy evenings and private events, and a fun drink menu for when you host an after work happy hour.
Good food and decent service. Portions are on the small side, but that's probably a good thing. Feels like going back to the 90s.
Garlicky green beans!!
Good customer service
I really wanted to like this place as the reviews were great. However, both the spring rolls and the Roti, were dripping with oil that it was just inedible. The spring roll especially looked like it was double fried, and tasted only of grease. We had to send it back. It took me two tissues to dab against one piece of roti and remove some of the oil. Both our entrees, the red curry and the stir fry veggies tasted good.
Great food and service
One of the best Thai eateries in SF. First off, their cocktails are amazing! I would come here just for HH if i wasn't always running late. My favourite is the Siamese-Kaze. As for the food, you can taste the quality in every dish made. Highly recommend the Gaeng Ped Bpet Yang (red curry with roasted duck & pineapple), Pad Ke Mao (wide rice noodles w/ green beans & skirtsteak), & Sakhoo Sa Mu appetizer (tapioca dumplings w/ pork & lettuce cups). Lastly, don't forget to save room for some thai tea ice cream & roti. You won't regret it! It's a rare dessert special.
Tables too small, this made serving dishes and eating plates difficult to maneuver
Drinks too small for the price
Food was tasty but overpriced
Decent place
Rude service. Restaurant was 70% empty at 7pm on a Weds, yet they insisted that all people needed to be present to seat us.
But - Food smells great!
Great location for SF Folsom Street fair as a lookout spot. Nothing fancy but decent food and beer selections 👍🍻🌈🤸
Nice place but the food lacks the spices and taste. Had the pad Thai which was very disappointed. Hardly any Thai spices nor they used Thai oil. This place is just for gathering than their food.
Food was ok. Drinks were small and over priced. My thought are if you choose to charge top dollar you should provide top quality. My calamari was overcooked and rubbery and my drink was 3 sips and gone. Not worth it at all.
Clean, responsive service and food is delicious and fresh! Great cocktail and wine list and my fav - Thai iced tea! Looks like my boyfriend and I will be regulars here!
Excellent food.
Pad tofu was outstanding and they had great cocktails!
Excellent gluten free options here. The atmosphere is awesome here
OMG this food is amazing!!
Amazing Thai food! Drunken beef for the win! Duck curry is also amazing.
This place is seriously good. I haven't ordered anything a thing I don't like. The steak dishes and pad Thai will really hit the spot. I always have Asian lagers because of my past adventures in SE Asia but see a lot of cocktails being pumped out by the staff. No nonsense decor and staff is ok for the most part.
Precise execution of thai food in a relaxed atmosphere.
Tasty food though some the dishes could use a little more pop and zest on the lime and chili side. Service was a bit scattered but attentive once you flag someone down. Overall a good experience.
Awful service. Didn’t even order food after the way I was treated.
Good food, nice settings
Great food and the service is lovely, if a bit tentative. The space is very loud and the ambiance is not as cozy as it could be with the beautiful exposed brick walls.
The food here is awesome... This is my favorite Thai place by far. The staff is also very friendly. I used to live in the neighborhood but I moved recently. I still come back almost every time I'm around. This place is a must try, I highly recommend it.
Oh man, I'll be going back again. Excellent chicken curry with tasty vegetables like eggplant. I ordered it spicy, and it came deliciously spicy hot. The dish was warm and held its temperature through the meal. I got some dessert, too, would you believe it. Some coconut ice cream and fried banana balls. The thin fried crust on the balls was perfect with the fruity juicy core. And the ice cream was a great combination, with some excellent and pronounced coconut flavor. The service was on point: attentive, friendly, helpful.
Great food, attentive service. Very reasonable pricing. My new favorite Thai restaurant in the city.
Finally a Thai spot I really enjoy. Great food here
Food is ok, decor is pretty. I wish it was better experience.
The food was average. I ordered the wok fried duck which came out to be 60% onions. People at my table ordered curry pork and stir fried rice noodles. All very inoffensive but also a bit insipid.
Okay, but noise
- 10 photos
- 200 reviews
- 4.4 Health Rating
- Contact: +1 415-552-3963
- Website: http://www.basilcanteen.com/
- Location: 1489 Folsom St, San Francisco, CA 94103, United States
- Map: 37.7718998, -122.4137423
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- Thai restaurant
- Monday: 11:30 AM–2 PM–5–9 PM
- Tuesday: 11:30 AM–2 PM–5–9 PM
- Wednesday: 11:30 AM–2 PM–5–9 PM
- Thursday: 11:30 AM–2 PM–5–9 PM
- Friday: 11:30 AM–2 PM–5–9 PM
- Saturday: 5–9 PM
- Sunday: 5–9 PM
- Kerbside pickup: Available
- Delivery: Available
- Takeaway: Available
- Dine-in: Available
- Fast service: Available
- Great cocktails: Available
- Great tea selection: Available
- Lunch: Available
- Dinner: Available
- Solo dining: Available
- Wheelchair-accessible seating: Available
- Wheelchair-accessible car park: Available
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance: Available
- Alcohol: Available
- Beer: Available
- Cocktails: Available
- Coffee: Available
- Comfort food: Available
- Happy-hour drinks: Available
- Happy-hour food: Available
- Healthy options: Available
- Small plates: Available
- Spirits: Available
- Vegetarian options: Available
- Wine: Available
- Lunch: Available
- Dinner: Available
- Catering: Available
- Dessert: Available
- Seating: Available
- Bar on site: Available
- Toilet: Available
- Casual: Available
- Trendy: Available
- Groups: Available
- Dinner reservations recommended: Available
- Accepts reservations: Available
- Credit cards: Available
- Debit cards: Available
- NFC mobile payments: Available
- Credit cards: Available
- High chairs: Available