Thai Basil Express is dedicated to bring you home-style cooking, exotic Thai spices, and our freshest ingredients in a casual dining atmosphere or at the comfort of your home. Exit on Tassajara off 580, left on Dublin Blvd, at Ulferts Center Building next to Bank of America. Thai Basil Express is a family owned and operated restaurant that is based on the legendary Thai food of Thai Basil in Berkeley.
The restaurant in Berkeley is well known among UC Berkeley students and its residents for its affordable and respected Thai food. The restaurant was founded by two sisters and their families in 1997, and soon became loved by the people of Berkeley. Our concept is to provide the same award-winning food in a casual dining atmosphere except faster.
The restaurant in Berkeley is well known among UC Berkeley students and its residents for its affordable and respected Thai food. The restaurant was founded by two sisters and their families in 1997, and soon became loved by the people of Berkeley. Our concept is to provide the same award-winning food in a casual dining atmosphere except faster.
Reviews (23)
Obaid A.
Jan 30, 2022
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Suri M.
Jan 29, 2022
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I called this evening for a pick up order and got the rudest service. The lady who attended the phone did not understand the order, neither did she have the patience to let me correct her.
She tried to cut me off saying that there was another call on hold, while I was only halfway through the order.
Her attitude and tone were extremely rude, I politely told her that I would rather not eat from her restaurant and asked her to cancel the whole order.
They have messed up my orders a couple of times but being rude to a customer is a totally inexcusable.
She tried to cut me off saying that there was another call on hold, while I was only halfway through the order.
Her attitude and tone were extremely rude, I politely told her that I would rather not eat from her restaurant and asked her to cancel the whole order.
They have messed up my orders a couple of times but being rude to a customer is a totally inexcusable.
John L.
Jan 22, 2022
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I'm not an expert in what Thai food should taste like, but overall i think its okay. But the portions of pad ki mao they give have kept getting smaller and smaller over the years while the price remains the same, and my family has found multiple eggshells in our food. You should probably think about going to a different place.
Susannah L.
Jan 05, 2022
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In spite of some reviews, I actually like this Thai restaurant. It's nearby my new office and I have ordered take out for lunch several times.
My favorite so far is their Pumpkin Curry with Fried Tofu and 8 level heat. It is really good. The make it spicy enough for me. The flavors are strong. The veggies and tofu are cooked well. They add a generous amount of pumpkin. Their complementary rice is cooked well.
The staff are friendly. They always have had my order ready when I go to pick it up, for me really critically when grabbing lunch and rushing back to the office.
Is it my favorite
My favorite so far is their Pumpkin Curry with Fried Tofu and 8 level heat. It is really good. The make it spicy enough for me. The flavors are strong. The veggies and tofu are cooked well. They add a generous amount of pumpkin. Their complementary rice is cooked well.
The staff are friendly. They always have had my order ready when I go to pick it up, for me really critically when grabbing lunch and rushing back to the office.
Is it my favorite
Charles Teng
Jan 04, 2022
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Arun R.
Dec 23, 2021
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We ordered food today. It was fast beyond that food was terrible. Never disappointed with this bad Thai food ever before.
roti & curry --- took 2 bites, it was horrible. Went straight to trash.
Chicken Chow Mein -- soggy with and kids didn't like it after few bites and went to trash.
Pineapple fried rice with shrimp-- too much turmeric and this is the first time ever I ate friend with no taste.
Spicy Res Curry with Salmon-- this was okay. Still too much coconut milk and was more sweet than spicy!
White rice -- cannot go wrong.
1 star for faster service.
roti & curry --- took 2 bites, it was horrible. Went straight to trash.
Chicken Chow Mein -- soggy with and kids didn't like it after few bites and went to trash.
Pineapple fried rice with shrimp-- too much turmeric and this is the first time ever I ate friend with no taste.
Spicy Res Curry with Salmon-- this was okay. Still too much coconut milk and was more sweet than spicy!
White rice -- cannot go wrong.
1 star for faster service.
Ling C.
Dec 22, 2021
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Not happy with the service. The waitress needs training.
When we walked in the restaurant, there were not many customers, only 2-3 tables, plenty empty tables. I would like to sit in a place away from other customers. However the waitress insisted that I had to sit in one right next to another group, so close the chair could bump to each other. I decided to leave for another restaurant.
When we walked in the restaurant, there were not many customers, only 2-3 tables, plenty empty tables. I would like to sit in a place away from other customers. However the waitress insisted that I had to sit in one right next to another group, so close the chair could bump to each other. I decided to leave for another restaurant.
Amritpal Bhagat
Nov 20, 2021
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Jason G.
Oct 20, 2021
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Sabrina L.
Oct 09, 2021
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Every time I'm craving Thai food, I go here. Something about the flavor -- the right amount of sweetness and saltiness -- the color and variety of this Thai place makes me come back for it. As of October 2021, they offer dine in and take out if you order ahead. Although not pictured, the Thai tea here is ALWAYS good!! It is not watered down or too sweet which might be the case when ordering at other places.
Aman B.
Oct 03, 2021
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I used to love this place but I met a buddy here for lunch on a weekday and it was quite mediocre, unfortunately. I even called to see if it was under new management which they said it was not so I am not sure what happened. I got what was my favorite dish which is the Thai basil eggplant with chicken. It was not at all well seasoned. The usual exceptional flavor was lacking. I may not be back though may try them one more time to see if they just need more time to recover from Covid.
Jay S.
Sep 20, 2021
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Been ordering from here for a little over a year now and it's definitely a favorite. The spice level isn't that high so if you like spicy food ask for the Thai spicy. I feel the quantity has decreased during covid but that's understandable, quality is still really good tho! My all time go to is pad see ew, fried rice, and Sambal chicken!
Alex J.
Sep 18, 2021
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Rudest service I've encountered. Ordered food by calling them, they took the order and an hour later when I showed up to pickup, order can't be found. Called again and they said, "No it's impossible that I took your order" and hung up! What kind of people hang up on a customer like that? Anyway I come back home they call again, apparently they found my order. "Do you want your food?" Wow. I'll never order again from these rude and senseless folks.
Maria
Aug 04, 2021
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The service was good. We liked the Tom Ka chicken coconut soup. The sweet &sour chicken was horrendous. There was no sweet or sour flavor. I have no idea what was that! It looked and tasted as if someone had mixed a little chicken stock with catsup and a lot of TURMERIC!!!!? I hate turmeric.
My husband ordered the cashew chicken. He said was average. I ordered the coconut drink and they gave me 1/2 glass ???
I may go back for the soup and to try a different dish to see if it redeems the place.
My husband ordered the cashew chicken. He said was average. I ordered the coconut drink and they gave me 1/2 glass ???
I may go back for the soup and to try a different dish to see if it redeems the place.
Rachel L.
Jul 31, 2021
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Ordered takeout from here for the first time on a Sunday afternoon! We called about 10-15 minutes in advance, and when we arrived, our order was packaged in a plastic bag ready to go by the door.
We ordered a vegetarian pad thai with tofu and no egg! The peanuts were packaged (conspicuously) in a small plastic baggie, which was rather nice as you're able to control how much of the peanuts you'd like to add.
The pad thai was very delicious, but nothing amazingly mind-blowing. I will say that their portions are decently sized, and there was a great serving of the vegetables (bean sprouts
We ordered a vegetarian pad thai with tofu and no egg! The peanuts were packaged (conspicuously) in a small plastic baggie, which was rather nice as you're able to control how much of the peanuts you'd like to add.
The pad thai was very delicious, but nothing amazingly mind-blowing. I will say that their portions are decently sized, and there was a great serving of the vegetables (bean sprouts
Shanta K.
Jul 20, 2021
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We are regulars at Thai Basil Express, and while the food is fantastic, the service does leave us disappointed frequently, so we've stopped dining in and opt for takeout instead which runs on a much better system. All we had to do was order online and within 15 minutes, our order was sitting on a shelf right by the door, neatly packed and with my name neatly printed on a label so I could find it easily.
The food was still warm even though my party and I came about 10 minutes late -- it even burned my thigh a little! This time around we all got the pad thai with tofu and no egg. They pack
The food was still warm even though my party and I came about 10 minutes late -- it even burned my thigh a little! This time around we all got the pad thai with tofu and no egg. They pack
Daisy T.
Jun 20, 2021
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This is our usual go to spot for Thai Food. While the customer service always leaves much to be desired, we always just tell ourselves that the food is decent and we shouldn't complain.... Until tonight.
Our daughter has a severe peanut allergy and we always like to double check to see if there are any peanuts or if the food is cooked in peanut oil. My husband placed a call beforehand and when he picked up the food, he also asked the front staff. To his dismay, the woman working in the front was INCREDIBLY rude and said, "Why are you asking a question if you already know the answer
Our daughter has a severe peanut allergy and we always like to double check to see if there are any peanuts or if the food is cooked in peanut oil. My husband placed a call beforehand and when he picked up the food, he also asked the front staff. To his dismay, the woman working in the front was INCREDIBLY rude and said, "Why are you asking a question if you already know the answer
Sera Y.
Mar 31, 2021
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Loved the flavor! I thought the noodles and the sauce were great together, just the perfect amount of spicy. The shrimp was also great, but unfortunately the chicken was kind of dry to me.
Thai Basil is conveniently located in a generously spacious asian plaza, which makes it really easy to find parking even during lunch/dinner hours. There were also good choices for boba and snacks afterwards in the plaza!
Thai Basil is conveniently located in a generously spacious asian plaza, which makes it really easy to find parking even during lunch/dinner hours. There were also good choices for boba and snacks afterwards in the plaza!
Hurjane V.
Dec 26, 2020
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Pretty solid spot for some Thai food! I can see this plaza getting busy during peak lunch times. This plaza is located near residential and commercial office buildings, so it's kind of quiet on a weekend.
We ordered:
Pineapple fried rice: the best thing we ordered! Rice was delicious, well flavored, and lots of chicken and shrimp. I would get this again!
Chicken pad Thai: noodles a bit too soggy for my
Liking, and peanut flavor not strong enough. Still, a good amount of food for the price.
Chicken and broccoli with peanut sauce: Justin likes this dish, and says it's supposed to
We ordered:
Pineapple fried rice: the best thing we ordered! Rice was delicious, well flavored, and lots of chicken and shrimp. I would get this again!
Chicken pad Thai: noodles a bit too soggy for my
Liking, and peanut flavor not strong enough. Still, a good amount of food for the price.
Chicken and broccoli with peanut sauce: Justin likes this dish, and says it's supposed to
Rajiv Radhakrishnan
Nov 09, 2020
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Consistently excellent Thai food and kitchen. However, the indoor seating is not plush nor is the service. It very well could be, but clearly not a focus or priority. In any case, the kitchen staff does a fabulous job churning flavorful fresh entrees. During the current COVID related take away, it's only the food that matters, so 5 stars
Robert Schaaf
Oct 25, 2020
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Neil Snyder
Sep 13, 2020
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My first time visiting. I came in to order takeout. The young lady who took my order had a very hard time understanding English. They charged my credit card 10 cents for a cheap plastic bag to carry my order home. They did so without telling me. This is both poor customer service and unethical.
I ordered chicken wing very spicy and they were mild. The pad thai shrimp still had their tails on. I ordered Basil chili with chicken. Basically small pieces of chicken with a few green peppers and onions. Nothing special.
Overall, very mediocre food and unethical policies.
I will not return.
Wrong
I ordered chicken wing very spicy and they were mild. The pad thai shrimp still had their tails on. I ordered Basil chili with chicken. Basically small pieces of chicken with a few green peppers and onions. Nothing special.
Overall, very mediocre food and unethical policies.
I will not return.
Wrong
Lisa H.
Aug 31, 2019
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They do very good business here! It's always packed and the takeouts are popular as well. It's a small, crammed place so it's easier to just do takeout. The food, price, and customer service is good too. I like the quality of the food. It's not as greasy compared to other Thai places in the area, which I appreciate. If I had to get my Thai fixing if I'm too tired to cook and wanna just do takeout, this is my preferred Thai place in the Pleasanton and Dublin area.
