Welcome to The Basil Inn

“ I don't understand why this place has so many average/bad reviews. I'm came here with my family (which includes a 1 year old), and the service was superb. every server and cooks were extremely friendly! food is really great as well! no complains whatsoever. they even give you a return voucher for your next visit. ”

“ The Basil Inn is a great spot for Thai food, with flavors that rise above the average. Their steamed seabass with bubbling lemon juice is fresh and tangy, the green mango salad is crisp and refreshing, and the mango sticky rice makes for a sweet finish. Service is pleasant, and I’d happily return without hesitation. ”

“ I’m quite taken aback with their bad reviews. It seems like mostly revolving around bad service by one of the staff which we didn’t encounter. I was actually a customer from 15 years ago before they shifted upstairs, where the stalls were cramped up with just four tables along the alley of the old downtown east. Contrary to the reviews i felt that the food was great, not the best but it was great and living up to standards especially being at downtown east for so long! I felt that the price wise is the same/competitive as restaurant without the service charge and GST. The pork basil rice is $9 with runny sunny side up. Tomyum Gung with prawns that were very fresh, 5 prawns for $13. Food was very hot, we went during off peak at 4PM where there was only 3-4 other tables around. Recommended Thai food in the area. Probably will be good if they offered credit card services but that will mean it will incur costs to small businesses which I understand why some don’t offer. ”

“ This is one of the most authentic n affordable Thai food I had in a while locally! Service was great and attentive. Will be back for more dishes! ”

“ Today I heard a chef said that people wrote reviews when they wanted to complain but are usually lazier to review a good experience. There’s some truth in that for me so I decided to finally write about one of my favourite restaurants. Our family has been coming here for years for their Thai style steamed sea bass (Pla Neung Manow). I find most thai steamed fish to be overly sweet. I think the typical thai palate tended towards the sweeter side. However, the steamed fish with lime from this restaurant is NOT as sweet as the typical Thai or Msia versions. It is just right. If you had eaten those and found them too sweet, give this restaurant’s steamed fish a try. The fish is consistently fresh and gravy is to die for. Standard to me is higher than most restaurants and on par with hotel banquet dinner. I always end up eating more rice than I should with this dish. You can have a great meal just with plain White rice with the steamed fish. The Thai style crab omelette (Khai Jiao Poo) is also very fluffy and delicious. Spicy Kang Kong (Phad Pak Boong) is also a regular order as is Moo Ping. I think the flavours here are on point and consistent. Not sure about the rice dishes as we hardly order those. Try the Thai style steamed fish, (order more plain white rice) you will not regret it. Hope the chef maintains the consistent standard and not change. By the way aircon is a bit cold so you may want to sit outside if you’re afraid of cold. (Read about bad service from their staff but personally never encountered any rudeness or bad service in all my years patronising them. However if you’re the type who expects nicey smile and attentive service from the serving staff, this is not the place for you. Personally I dislike / hate too much attention / fake smile from service staff - yes hate American style “service” culture with / in expectation of the big tip. Just serve me good food. Period.) Update 14 Nov 25: the steam fish in lime is still so good. As you can see from the latest photo, nothing left of the fish after the family is through with it. Hope chef doesn’t change the recipe! ”

“ Basil Inn at Downtown East offers a delightful taste of Thailand with its flavorful and aromatic dishes. The menu features classic favorites like Pad Thai, Tom Yum Soup, and Green Curry, all prepared with fresh ingredients and authentic spices. The portions are generous, and the prices are reasonable, making it a great spot for a satisfying meal. While the ambiance is casual and cozy, the service is friendly and efficient. Some standout dishes include the crispy Pandan Chicken and the rich Massaman Curry. However, during peak hours, the place can get quite crowded. Overall, Basil Inn is a solid choice for Thai food lovers looking for tasty and affordable meals in the Downtown East area. ”

“ We ate here this evening and contrary to the reviews, we enjoyed our meals. I think the price is okay for a Singapore restaurant. Our prawn and squid dish had 5 small prawns and enough squid - is it expensive for $19, yea a bit. But the other 2 dishes were reasonably priced imo. Food was fresh for us. ”

“ Always enjoy the Thai food here. Hope more patrons will support so we can continue to enjoy these dishes for years to come. ”