Reviews - Cool Basil
Reviews summary
Cool Basil offers a diverse menu featuring Thai, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine, making it a unique dining experience. The restaurant's aesthetics are pleasing both inside and out, with indoor seating and an outside patio. The service quality varies, with some customers praising the attentive and friendly staff, while others have had negative experiences with rude waiters. The food receives mixed reviews, with some diners enjoying the dishes, such as the pineapple highlight with roasted tofu and the spring rolls, while others find some items bland or disappointing. Cool Basil accommodates vegan and vegetarian preferences, offering a wide range of options. Overall, prices are affordable, and the atmosphere is comfortable. Despite some inconsistencies in service and food quality, Cool Basil remains a favorite for many patrons.
Reviews from various users
Last update : 24.02.2025
Used to be a great place at their old location, the crab Rangoon was out of this world. But at their latest location, things have changed. The last 2 times I've been there in the past month or so, both the pad see ew and pad Thai have been terrible.. smelling something awful, not supposed to smell rank! Ate them anyway, the pad see ew tasted better as I ate more thankfully, but the pad thai was worse. Having a stomach ache all day today, not feeling the best.. most likely food poisoning.. do not go here! I'll make the drive to iron wok in west des moines, loads better than this!
Their food is consistently good. Love their sticky rice and chicken with vegetables. Just a yummy place to eat Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $10–20 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5
Service: Dine in Meal type: Lunch Price per person: $10–20 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Recommended dishes: Pad Thai Noodles Without Meat, Tom Yum Soup, Cool Basil
Food: 5 Service: 1 Atmosphere: 1
Over-charged by $3 (or 21.5% on my dish, which also increased my tax and tip amount. If I can’t trust you with your prices, how can I trust you with your food?! Service: Dine in Meal type: Lunch Price per person: $20–30 Food: 1 Service: 1 Atmosphere: 1
Last update : 19.10.2024
I've seen them show up on Grubhub for awhile but finally tried today. Yum!! We did the app combo where everything was delicious. Not just good but delicious. We did one of the curries with crispy chicken. Yum!! We also got the side of cucumber salad. Only complaint was it was silly small for $3 otherwise amazing. Very sad it was not a decent size. Some of our order did not make it but got refunded immediately. I can not wait to try more of the menu. I'm sure it is all on par. Excuse me while I go back for seconds.. BTW, portions are huge. Definitely leftovers to enjoy another meal.
OH MY GOSH!!!! The mango delight was insannne, beef teriyaki amazing, crab Rangoon delishhhh!!!!! This is the best Asian fusion I've had EVER
Love the pad thai here. Favorite in town. My only gripe is the chicken they use. It always has a slight off-taste. Ive never gotten sick so its not like its spoiled but it just doesnt taste right. Anymore i just order the pad thai with no meat.
The food was great. The service could be a bit more serious. I definitely plan on going back.... F Panda express with their mediocre food and worse excuse, making management.
We've eaten here many times before but I always forgot to take pictures of our food before diving in! Food is always fresh and delicious, service is courteous and friendly, and the atmosphere is relaxing (unless you sit at the bar during football season . Props to Cool Basil for keeping the quality of what they do at such a high level for so many years! As always, we'll be back!
Last update : 17.06.2023
I've eaten here many times. Good food with many vegan options. For many meals it is just a question of choice tofu for your protein. The Panang with Tofu was good. Level 2 was exactly right. Updated by previous review on 2022-11
Cool Basil is one of our faves. The pineapple highlight with roasted tofu is AMAZING! The staff is usually very knowledgeable what items are vegan and what does not contain fish sauce to ask fear!
They can make all their dishes vegan or vegetarian. They have tons of options. Even when it’s crowded you don’t wait very long. Very nice coloring papers to keep the kids busy!
Tofu is one of the protein options, so you can stir one of the Friys with Tofu. Not many vegan sushi options, but there are a few!
Last update : 27.05.2023
The food at this restaurant was excellent. We tried the tofu pot stickers, red curry, and sweet basil stir fry, and all of them were delicious. I would definitely return. The fortune cookies were also a favorite, unique and tasty. The service was fast and our waitress was very attentive, checking on us frequently and providing us with extra chili sauce and spices for our food. The ambience was also pleasant. I highly recommend this place.
My favorite restaurant in Des Moines, fresh and delicious food, friendly service, affordable, and always clean. I love spending time with my family over there
My absolute favorite Asian restaurant in the Des Moines area. It’s a hidden gem! Friendly and knowledgeable staff. I eat here probably every 2 weeks. They have a huge menu and probably about half or more can be made gluten free. I recommend the Bubble Teas, Chicken Satay, and of course gluten free fried rice. I get takeout too and it’s very fast.
The restaurant was clean and pleasant. The food was delicious overall. I tried the white creamy Tom Yum soup with chicken for the first time. It was good, but I still prefer the traditional clear chicken broth. The Pad Thai had a nice kick to it, and the Chicken Satay was tender and went well with the satay sauce. However, I wasn't a fan of the spring roll; the skin was thick and chewy, as it didn't seem fully fried. The red beef curry was excellent, especially when paired with rice. One thing that surprised me was when the waitress reached out for my credit card without showing me the bill first. Whether it's high-tech or not, I prefer the formality of confirming my purchase.
I absolutely love this restaurant for its amazing food! The Tom Yum soup and garlic egg noodles are indescribably good, and they consistently make it into my order every time I visit. The dining experience is also fantastic, with beautiful private spaces available. Plus, the service is incredibly fast!
