We found this place online for date night for my wife and I. Didn't know what to expect as the reviews were here and there. We were blown away.. amazing food, service and enjoyed our candle lit wine/ dessert. Will definitely be back!
TONYS
Beautiful Italian restaurant in Boston. We enjoyed some creative pasta dishes and also the Basile house wine. Staff was attentive and professional. Great for a good Italian business dinner.
Pooh
Right from the moment I walked in, they were expecting me and the service was great. The food was perfectly seasoned and dessert was light and fresh. I enjoyed every moment of the evening.
Took too long to get our drinks waited about 20 minutes for a waiter to address us after sitting. Apps arrived before drinks about an hour after sitting. Did not order second round because it took too long for drinks to arrive first time.
Douaa Salama Aly
Basil - fine italian kitchen exceeded all expectations with its authentic Italian flavors and charming atmosphere. their basil special pasta is a masterpiece. Impeccable service and a cozy ambiance make it a must-visit for any Italian food enthusiast. Can't wait to return!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
A legitimate nightmare from start to finish. I hate posting these but wow this was a terrible experience. First of all the service was absolutely awful. Our waitor never once asked if wanted drinks, he didn't greet us when we arrived, and ignored us for the entire time we were there. I think we exchanged four words the entire time. I had called ahead for their Valentine's Day fixes menu and asked if it was alright if one of us had a gluten allergy. Of course the person I spoke to assured me this would be no problem at all. Well when we arrived and I reminded the staff of that conversation they were very confused, all running around behind the kitchen like chickens with their heads cut off. They finally (after 50 minutes of sitting with no drinks, empty glasses all over the table (wine glass, two water glasses each) the server dropped two plates of poorly cooked gluten free pasta in red sauce. I understand this is our problem - but it shouldn't have taken an hour to cook something that looked like spaghetti-os after I warned them about the situation beforehand. Anyways. We wait another 40 minutes for our main course which was beef tenderloin. It was fine - no real complaints but nothing to write home about. Meat was good but a very small size. I'm so fed up by this point I'm like hey can we just get out of here. Our server says I'll bring you a dessert to wrap up your dinner - we say yes - he brings over a little ice cream that we started eating and realize there's a bunch of bread in the ice cream. We started this whole thing with the warning of the gluten allergy. Tummy aches were experienced. After all of this, I paid over 300 dollars. Will not be returning.
SamR
It wasn't just the food that impressed me - it was also the impeccable service. The attentive staff anticipated our every need. From expertly paired wine recommendations to personalized attention to detail, every moment felt like a celebration of gastronomic indulgence. Basile ranks high for the fine dining excellence in the realm of Italian cuisine. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply craving an extraordinary meal, this establishment sets the standard for culinary perfection. Grazie mille for an evening of unparalleled culinary delight!
BrendenH
Food was excellent and ambiance is quite nice. I was a bit concerned based on previous surveys, but this spot is a gem. Only small issue was it took quite a bit of time to bget our drinks(app arrived before drinks). Restaurant was not busy at all.
outandaboutdiners
The restaurant was surprisingly very empty! We were a bit worried when we arrived, but then everything was wonderful! The service was great, the food was terrific! My sea bass was just delightful! Pasta dishes my family got were equally as good! The dessert sampler was amazing!! So fun to try a little of all their best! My family loved this! The wine was also well priced! We truly enjoyed the experience!
brad h
Updated: previously this review was rated 4 stars. I am updating it to 2 stars since my last review 2 years ago.This place has CHANGED. I’m not sure if it’s management, the chef, or something else but the service, menu, and food were all entirely off! We will not be coming back here ever again.Previous review:Chicken Parm and ravioli’s with shrimp were very good. Cocktails and wine was good. The soufflé was amazing but the tiramisu was just alright. We would go back if we’re ever in town again.
Tuscan Ribeye served on a hot iron plate was really great. Enjoyed it premium super Tuscan wine, which was ranked # 7 in 2023. They also have ARGIANO - ranked # 1 wine in the world in 2023. Great wine selection with equally great food and service. A great Italian restaurant in Boston.
Basile is never disappointing. Great experience and we like going there for a nice night out. Basile signature wines coming from their own vineyard in Tuscany are exceptional. We ordered Tuscan Ribeye which was served on a hot cast iron plate. Cooked perfectly. Enjoyed it with organic Sangiovese wine. Great food and service. Highly recommended.
We got the recommendation for Basile from our cousins who dined there on the Christmas Day. They enjoyed authentic Italian treat at Basile when not too many restaurants were open in Boston. We decided to check out and glad we did. Our experience was amazing. Its a hidden gem in a quiet section of the Boston yet close to everything. We started with the Appetizer Sample which was perfect with small portions of four different appetizers. . We ordered couple of pasta dishes and our favorite was the Butternut Squash Ravioli. Staff was friendly, attentive and happy. Overall great experience and we will be going back frequently.
Shirl
As I reread some of the reviews on Open Table I noticed that the more recent reviews were not very good. One even suggested that something has changed. Could it be the owner? Since this was my first visit I cannot make a comparison, all I can say is this was my first and last visit. The menu had some interesting mash ups that did not make sense to me when you are advertising yourself as a fine Italian restaurant. Such as Sea Bass with wild rice and orzo risotto, Indian spiced ravioli or shrimp with parmesan Alfredo sauce (sounds heavy but also do Italians put cheese on seafood, my relatives say no). The two little crescent rolls that came in an old style wooden bowl were tasty but they came with hummus. No thick crusty Italian bread with olive oil? My husband and I had the soup to start and that was quite good, flavorful and hearty. I settled on the tenderloin. The meat was excellent, cooked rare just as I ordered it. It came with veal Demi-glacé which did not have much flavor, “potato cakes” and spinach. The potato cakes were deep fried mashed potatoes with no flavor except salt, ditto for the wilted spinach. It did not have any olive oil or garlic as I would have expected from any self respecting Italian restaurant. My husband who had to maintain a vegan approach to his dinner selected a pasta dish “Fiori Alla Norma”. My husband who is generally positive about most things he eats thought it was just okay, again suffering from a lack of flavor. He could not tell if the past was homemade or not which says something. I do have to say the service was good, quite attentive. There were not many parties in the restaurant while we were there so it was easier to provide good service. Finally the bill came and I thought it was entirely too high, given what we ordered and the quality of the food. Since two of the best Italian restaurants, Sage and Cinquecento have closed, my hunt for a great Italian restaurant continues. It is not Basile.
JamieJ
This could have been a great restaurant experience. However, it turned out to be one of the worst ones. I ordered an appetizer sampler as my dinner, and my plate sat out for a while before it was brought to me. The cold food was fine, but the hot food was cold. No one came around to check on us to see how our food was. We had to stop one of the staff to get our server. When he came and told him that my rice ball and calamari were cold, he told me he would take care of them. Then, he came back to tell us he would bring me a new plate, which didn't come even when my BF finished his dinner, and he purposely took a long time to eat, about 20 minutes. I had to stop another person to get our server. When he came by, I told him I didn't want my food anymore. He said it was almost done. It was not done after 20 minutes. But it was done so quickly previously that my food stayed out until the other dinner was being made. We ran out of the Sparkling water we had ordered, but no one cared to ask if we wanted another bottle. *** The restaurant was not busy. The wait staffs were standing around at the time.*** We ordered Sorbet for dessert, which took longer than 10 minutes. Then, I got an email from OpenTable that the restaurant had canceled my reservation. I brought that to the host and manager, and they both said it's not an issue. When I got my bill, it included my canceled dinner, which they took it back. When I complained, I was told it was not their fault. The manager went around and asked questions, and then the server returned and told us he would take the Sorbet off the check which I was not complaining about. Any decent restaurant would have taken the dinner off the check and comped the dessert, at least the dinner, without a hassle. I WOULD NOT! NOT! NOT! recommend this restaurant to anyone. They ruined our Christmas Eve dinner.
We found this place online for date night for my wife and I. Didn't know what to expect as the reviews were here and there. We were blown away.. amazing food, service and enjoyed our candle lit wine/ dessert. Will definitely be back!
Beautiful Italian restaurant in Boston. We enjoyed some creative pasta dishes and also the Basile house wine. Staff was attentive and professional. Great for a good Italian business dinner.
Right from the moment I walked in, they were expecting me and the service was great. The food was perfectly seasoned and dessert was light and fresh. I enjoyed every moment of the evening.
Took too long to get our drinks waited about 20 minutes for a waiter to address us after sitting. Apps arrived before drinks about an hour after sitting. Did not order second round because it took too long for drinks to arrive first time.
Basil - fine italian kitchen exceeded all expectations with its authentic Italian flavors and charming atmosphere. their basil special pasta is a masterpiece. Impeccable service and a cozy ambiance make it a must-visit for any Italian food enthusiast. Can't wait to return!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
A legitimate nightmare from start to finish. I hate posting these but wow this was a terrible experience. First of all the service was absolutely awful. Our waitor never once asked if wanted drinks, he didn't greet us when we arrived, and ignored us for the entire time we were there. I think we exchanged four words the entire time. I had called ahead for their Valentine's Day fixes menu and asked if it was alright if one of us had a gluten allergy. Of course the person I spoke to assured me this would be no problem at all. Well when we arrived and I reminded the staff of that conversation they were very confused, all running around behind the kitchen like chickens with their heads cut off. They finally (after 50 minutes of sitting with no drinks, empty glasses all over the table (wine glass, two water glasses each) the server dropped two plates of poorly cooked gluten free pasta in red sauce. I understand this is our problem - but it shouldn't have taken an hour to cook something that looked like spaghetti-os after I warned them about the situation beforehand. Anyways. We wait another 40 minutes for our main course which was beef tenderloin. It was fine - no real complaints but nothing to write home about. Meat was good but a very small size. I'm so fed up by this point I'm like hey can we just get out of here. Our server says I'll bring you a dessert to wrap up your dinner - we say yes - he brings over a little ice cream that we started eating and realize there's a bunch of bread in the ice cream. We started this whole thing with the warning of the gluten allergy. Tummy aches were experienced. After all of this, I paid over 300 dollars. Will not be returning.
It wasn't just the food that impressed me - it was also the impeccable service. The attentive staff anticipated our every need. From expertly paired wine recommendations to personalized attention to detail, every moment felt like a celebration of gastronomic indulgence. Basile ranks high for the fine dining excellence in the realm of Italian cuisine. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply craving an extraordinary meal, this establishment sets the standard for culinary perfection. Grazie mille for an evening of unparalleled culinary delight!
Food was excellent and ambiance is quite nice. I was a bit concerned based on previous surveys, but this spot is a gem. Only small issue was it took quite a bit of time to bget our drinks(app arrived before drinks). Restaurant was not busy at all.
The restaurant was surprisingly very empty! We were a bit worried when we arrived, but then everything was wonderful! The service was great, the food was terrific! My sea bass was just delightful! Pasta dishes my family got were equally as good! The dessert sampler was amazing!! So fun to try a little of all their best! My family loved this! The wine was also well priced! We truly enjoyed the experience!
Updated: previously this review was rated 4 stars. I am updating it to 2 stars since my last review 2 years ago.This place has CHANGED. I’m not sure if it’s management, the chef, or something else but the service, menu, and food were all entirely off! We will not be coming back here ever again.Previous review:Chicken Parm and ravioli’s with shrimp were very good. Cocktails and wine was good. The soufflé was amazing but the tiramisu was just alright. We would go back if we’re ever in town again.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Restaurantji Recommends
Tuscan Ribeye served on a hot iron plate was really great. Enjoyed it premium super Tuscan wine, which was ranked # 7 in 2023. They also have ARGIANO - ranked # 1 wine in the world in 2023. Great wine selection with equally great food and service. A great Italian restaurant in Boston.
Basile is never disappointing. Great experience and we like going there for a nice night out. Basile signature wines coming from their own vineyard in Tuscany are exceptional. We ordered Tuscan Ribeye which was served on a hot cast iron plate. Cooked perfectly. Enjoyed it with organic Sangiovese wine. Great food and service. Highly recommended.
We got the recommendation for Basile from our cousins who dined there on the Christmas Day. They enjoyed authentic Italian treat at Basile when not too many restaurants were open in Boston. We decided to check out and glad we did. Our experience was amazing. Its a hidden gem in a quiet section of the Boston yet close to everything. We started with the Appetizer Sample which was perfect with small portions of four different appetizers. . We ordered couple of pasta dishes and our favorite was the Butternut Squash Ravioli. Staff was friendly, attentive and happy. Overall great experience and we will be going back frequently.
As I reread some of the reviews on Open Table I noticed that the more recent reviews were not very good. One even suggested that something has changed. Could it be the owner? Since this was my first visit I cannot make a comparison, all I can say is this was my first and last visit. The menu had some interesting mash ups that did not make sense to me when you are advertising yourself as a fine Italian restaurant. Such as Sea Bass with wild rice and orzo risotto, Indian spiced ravioli or shrimp with parmesan Alfredo sauce (sounds heavy but also do Italians put cheese on seafood, my relatives say no). The two little crescent rolls that came in an old style wooden bowl were tasty but they came with hummus. No thick crusty Italian bread with olive oil? My husband and I had the soup to start and that was quite good, flavorful and hearty. I settled on the tenderloin. The meat was excellent, cooked rare just as I ordered it. It came with veal Demi-glacé which did not have much flavor, “potato cakes” and spinach. The potato cakes were deep fried mashed potatoes with no flavor except salt, ditto for the wilted spinach. It did not have any olive oil or garlic as I would have expected from any self respecting Italian restaurant. My husband who had to maintain a vegan approach to his dinner selected a pasta dish “Fiori Alla Norma”. My husband who is generally positive about most things he eats thought it was just okay, again suffering from a lack of flavor. He could not tell if the past was homemade or not which says something. I do have to say the service was good, quite attentive. There were not many parties in the restaurant while we were there so it was easier to provide good service. Finally the bill came and I thought it was entirely too high, given what we ordered and the quality of the food. Since two of the best Italian restaurants, Sage and Cinquecento have closed, my hunt for a great Italian restaurant continues. It is not Basile.
This could have been a great restaurant experience. However, it turned out to be one of the worst ones. I ordered an appetizer sampler as my dinner, and my plate sat out for a while before it was brought to me. The cold food was fine, but the hot food was cold. No one came around to check on us to see how our food was. We had to stop one of the staff to get our server. When he came and told him that my rice ball and calamari were cold, he told me he would take care of them. Then, he came back to tell us he would bring me a new plate, which didn't come even when my BF finished his dinner, and he purposely took a long time to eat, about 20 minutes. I had to stop another person to get our server. When he came by, I told him I didn't want my food anymore. He said it was almost done. It was not done after 20 minutes. But it was done so quickly previously that my food stayed out until the other dinner was being made. We ran out of the Sparkling water we had ordered, but no one cared to ask if we wanted another bottle. *** The restaurant was not busy. The wait staffs were standing around at the time.*** We ordered Sorbet for dessert, which took longer than 10 minutes. Then, I got an email from OpenTable that the restaurant had canceled my reservation. I brought that to the host and manager, and they both said it's not an issue. When I got my bill, it included my canceled dinner, which they took it back. When I complained, I was told it was not their fault. The manager went around and asked questions, and then the server returned and told us he would take the Sorbet off the check which I was not complaining about. Any decent restaurant would have taken the dinner off the check and comped the dessert, at least the dinner, without a hassle. I WOULD NOT! NOT! NOT! recommend this restaurant to anyone. They ruined our Christmas Eve dinner.