I have usually been in Sweet Basil on the weekend nights and it was always loud and crowded. Last night was a rainy Wednesday and it was very quiet. Food is always perfect and the staff always attentive. Perfect and thank you!
victoriad
The craft cocktails are the bomb! I love the ambience of Sweet Basil Waltham. It reminded me a bit of Cuchi Cuchi in Cambridge if you've been around long enough to remember this restaurant ?. Will definitely be going back!
Excellent food and service. Unfortunately the level of noise made it impossible to carry on conversation at our table of six. In addition there was loud music which forced us to speak even louder. In addition tables are very close together
MelissaR
Always a wonderful experience. The owner/chef takes pride in his restaurants and his food and it shows. And if he's at one of his restaurants when you are dining, you will see him graciously attending to all his guests and making the rounds. Staff is always kind and just the right level of attentive.
NormanG
very nice ambiance, friendly owner, who makes the rounds, and excellent wait staff. This was our 4th visit. We had a table of six and everyone enjoyed their meal and the experience.
Goldfred
Overall, our meals were fine. The pasta bolognaise tasted good but was a bit gloopy, thick with the sauce and pasta melded together. My wife's beet dish was not at all pleasant or, to our taste, good. My son's shrimp scampi was reportedly very good, as was the eggplant dish order by our daughter-in-law. Our round table was too small for the 6 of us, so it was crowded and uncomfortable. We were also seated at a main thoroughfare of waitstaff and patrons, which added to the discomfort. Our server was very nice should tried to be helpful, but she appeared new to the job and made some pretty basic mistakes. Oh, yes, the pesto served with bread at the outset of the meal was excellent. Given the many really good restaurants in the area, I'm not sure we will go to this restaurant again, but I won't totally rule it out either.
jeanned
The calamari was some of the best I have eaten. The chicken parmesan was not to my liking. The tomato sauce was thick and a bit spicy and the chicken was overcooked. The scallops were great. Atmosphere was very nice. I would go back, but would not order chicken parmesan.
Andrea
My friends and I met here for dinner on a Thursday night. Our server, Jeff, was very helpful and attentive. We ordered arancini and two salads to share- he advised us that would be too much food. We really appreciated that suggestion! We all loved our dinners- the lamb shank, the rosemary chicken and the buccatini.
RENEEC
Our waitress was fine other servers needed lots of instruction. Food was too garlicky, I couldn't eat my shrimp scampi. Decor was never changed from when the restaurant was Asian infusion, doesn't work for Italian. Likely will never go back.
BreeW
It was ok, but not as good as Needham location. Staff sort of rushed us, arancini app wasn't great, chicken in rosemary chicken dish was chunks of chicken that should have been discarded.
We went to Sweet Basil prior to some good music at the Museum of Industry. I had been to the Needham restaurant, but not the Waltham one. The ambiance is great- the art, the lighting, the decor. The food is delicious. I had the risotto special and the butternut squash bisque - both were amazing. My friend had the shrimp scampi, which smelled divine ( even though I can't eat shellfish!) One could conceivably eat the pesto on the table with a spoon, it is that good. Nice wine offerings and our server Karen was great! We had plenty of time to eat and get to the show. Maybe dessert next time!! Thank you!
MollyC
Delicious food and good cocktails and mocktails! As always the rosemary chicken was scrumptious. I always say I'm going to get something else but then I can't do it - so good. Meatballs were great! Calamari app and arancini were excellent too. The date cake is divine!
Suburbanite
Food, ambience, and vibe were all great, but puzzling why we needed to leave a cc to make a reservation on a weeknight when the restaurant was virtually empty. Our server's timing was all off, and to be honest kind of pestered us. Also, it was off-putting when I went to the bathroom and our server was the one cleaning the toilets :( !
Eric
My bucatini pasta was great with pasta cooked Al dente and a sauce that was flavorful with a good balance of chunky tomatoes and bits of meat (not ground beef). The ambiance is casual, comfortable and under-stated.
delp241
Food was good, service was good. No wow factor. We decided to try something new and have always enjoyed the sister restaurant in Wellesley “Juniper”. Wife had lamb shank and it was fall off the bone tender. I had chicken parm. More chunks of tomato than pasta. Parm was cooked perfect. Calamari app with spicy vodka sauce was good. Overall We wouldn't go out of our way to go back. We enjoy Juniper much more.
I have usually been in Sweet Basil on the weekend nights and it was always loud and crowded. Last night was a rainy Wednesday and it was very quiet. Food is always perfect and the staff always attentive. Perfect and thank you!
The craft cocktails are the bomb! I love the ambience of Sweet Basil Waltham. It reminded me a bit of Cuchi Cuchi in Cambridge if you've been around long enough to remember this restaurant ?. Will definitely be going back!
Excellent food and service. Unfortunately the level of noise made it impossible to carry on conversation at our table of six. In addition there was loud music which forced us to speak even louder. In addition tables are very close together
Always a wonderful experience. The owner/chef takes pride in his restaurants and his food and it shows. And if he's at one of his restaurants when you are dining, you will see him graciously attending to all his guests and making the rounds. Staff is always kind and just the right level of attentive.
very nice ambiance, friendly owner, who makes the rounds, and excellent wait staff. This was our 4th visit. We had a table of six and everyone enjoyed their meal and the experience.
Overall, our meals were fine. The pasta bolognaise tasted good but was a bit gloopy, thick with the sauce and pasta melded together. My wife's beet dish was not at all pleasant or, to our taste, good. My son's shrimp scampi was reportedly very good, as was the eggplant dish order by our daughter-in-law. Our round table was too small for the 6 of us, so it was crowded and uncomfortable. We were also seated at a main thoroughfare of waitstaff and patrons, which added to the discomfort. Our server was very nice should tried to be helpful, but she appeared new to the job and made some pretty basic mistakes. Oh, yes, the pesto served with bread at the outset of the meal was excellent. Given the many really good restaurants in the area, I'm not sure we will go to this restaurant again, but I won't totally rule it out either.
The calamari was some of the best I have eaten. The chicken parmesan was not to my liking. The tomato sauce was thick and a bit spicy and the chicken was overcooked. The scallops were great. Atmosphere was very nice. I would go back, but would not order chicken parmesan.
My friends and I met here for dinner on a Thursday night. Our server, Jeff, was very helpful and attentive. We ordered arancini and two salads to share- he advised us that would be too much food. We really appreciated that suggestion! We all loved our dinners- the lamb shank, the rosemary chicken and the buccatini.
Our waitress was fine other servers needed lots of instruction. Food was too garlicky, I couldn't eat my shrimp scampi. Decor was never changed from when the restaurant was Asian infusion, doesn't work for Italian. Likely will never go back.
It was ok, but not as good as Needham location. Staff sort of rushed us, arancini app wasn't great, chicken in rosemary chicken dish was chunks of chicken that should have been discarded.
Restaurantji Recommends
We went to Sweet Basil prior to some good music at the Museum of Industry. I had been to the Needham restaurant, but not the Waltham one. The ambiance is great- the art, the lighting, the decor. The food is delicious. I had the risotto special and the butternut squash bisque - both were amazing. My friend had the shrimp scampi, which smelled divine ( even though I can't eat shellfish!) One could conceivably eat the pesto on the table with a spoon, it is that good. Nice wine offerings and our server Karen was great! We had plenty of time to eat and get to the show. Maybe dessert next time!! Thank you!
Delicious food and good cocktails and mocktails! As always the rosemary chicken was scrumptious. I always say I'm going to get something else but then I can't do it - so good. Meatballs were great! Calamari app and arancini were excellent too. The date cake is divine!
Food, ambience, and vibe were all great, but puzzling why we needed to leave a cc to make a reservation on a weeknight when the restaurant was virtually empty. Our server's timing was all off, and to be honest kind of pestered us. Also, it was off-putting when I went to the bathroom and our server was the one cleaning the toilets :( !
My bucatini pasta was great with pasta cooked Al dente and a sauce that was flavorful with a good balance of chunky tomatoes and bits of meat (not ground beef). The ambiance is casual, comfortable and under-stated.
Food was good, service was good. No wow factor. We decided to try something new and have always enjoyed the sister restaurant in Wellesley “Juniper”. Wife had lamb shank and it was fall off the bone tender. I had chicken parm. More chunks of tomato than pasta. Parm was cooked perfect. Calamari app with spicy vodka sauce was good. Overall We wouldn't go out of our way to go back. We enjoy Juniper much more.