Basil Bistro — Restaurant in Lynnwood

Basil Bistro in Lynnwood is an absolute gem—one of those rare spots that perfectly balances exceptional food, generous portions, a warm and stylish atmosphere, and the kind of genuine hospitality that makes you want to return again and again. Whether you're looking for a laid-back weeknight meal, a place to grab drinks with friends, or a cozy date night spot, Basil Bistro fits the bill effortlessly.

Let’s start with the food: incredible. The inspiration for the food is Vietnamese-American with some Chinese influences. We ordered the Basil Beef, Mongolian Beef, Beef Fried Rice, and Mussels with Lemongrass—and every single dish blew us away. (We are already familiar with Basil’s strong Pho presentation). The Basil Beef in particular is a standout, not just for the flavor but for the quality. At just over $20, you’re getting what feels like a steakhouse filet mignon-level cuts of tenderloin, so soft and tender, seared to perfection and paired with all the components that fans of Basil in Everett know and love: pho broth, pickled and julienned vegetables, cucumber, and perfectly steamed rice. It's a dish that feels both familiar and elevated—comfort food done at a seriously high level.

The Mussels with Lemongrass were fragrant, fresh, and bursting with flavor. The Mongolian Beef and Beef Fried Rice were also excellent, with generous portions that are perfect for sharing or for enjoying leftovers the next day (if you can resist finishing everything at the table). This is food that’s made with care, precision, and obvious passion. The food comes out fast too, because they are using Wok’s and fast cooking techniques in their kitchen.

And speaking of passion—you can feel it from the moment you walk in. The owners have created a space that feels welcoming and refined without ever being pretentious. The dining room is clean and well-maintained, with fascinating interior touches: lush natural plants, warm lighting, a sleek bar area, and super comfortable seating. The decor calls to mind the kind of approachable yet elegant atmosphere you’d find at places like Din Tai Fung or P.F. Chang’s. You’ll see people dressed casually, and that’s totally fine—but the vibe also totally works if you’re out on a date or looking for a slightly elevated night out.

Another thing that sets Basil Bistro apart is the intent behind it. The owners clearly love food and hospitality, and they’re building something special here—a place that’s not just a restaurant, but a true gathering spot. They’re open past midnight on weekends, making it ideal for late-night hangouts, catching up over drinks, or grabbing one more round of incredible food before calling it a night.

The service? Friendly and eager. You can tell the full-service side is still finding its rhythm—there are some newer servers learning the ropes—but everyone is working hard and clearly wants to provide a great experience. Any small hiccups are overshadowed by the kindness, enthusiasm, and attentiveness of the staff, and it’s only a matter of time before the team fully hits its stride.

And finally, a huge shout-out to Martin, Ann, Tuan, Kevin, and notably, the owners, your warmth, hospitality, and hustle truly make this place shine. You’re building something amazing here, and it shows in every detail.

One thing I’d love to see in the future is the addition of some made in-house desserts. Something classic and comforting—like flan—would be such a fun and fitting addition, especially since the menu already blends Chinese-American flavors. Why not sprinkle in a little Filipino-American inspiration to round out the meal with a sweet, cultural twist?

Bottom line: I want nothing more than for this restaurant to thrive, because it’s just that good. If you're anywhere near Lynnwood, do yourself a favor and check out Basil Bistro—you’ll be planning your next visit before you even finish your...

We went for the Grand Opening! This is a sister restaurant to Basil on Everett Mall Way. This is the third restaurant for the owners. (The second being in Smokey Point.)

This restaurant has basically the full menu we're used to at Basil plus some Chinese food (American Chinese food), appetizers and a full bar. The decor is modern and fresh, the vibes are more "date night" and there is a separate bar area that was HOPPING! It was standing room only in there! I didn't take pics because there was no way to do it and preserve folks privacy.

Basil has always had good pho and that's what hubby tried. I had a pork chop dish with rice. We also tried shrimp toast for an appetizer. All the food was good and very affordable! My favorite thing at any Vietnamese place is the Bun (vermicelli) dish so I'll probably get that next time. This entree was good, but the bun dish with pork I've had at Basil in Everett is better, so I'll get that next time.

We had the chance to speak with the owner for a moment as he was making the rounds. His goal for the new place is to have a more service oriented place that's open later at night and feels like a night out. We did feel the servers were trying super hard to make sure we had great service, almost too hard because I think everyone who worked there stopped at all the tables multiple times😁 but in a cute way like they were excited to be there and be delivering a higher level of service.

I'm super stoked to have a place like this nearby that's affordable, has quality food and still has ambience and a night out vibe. We don't really go out to bars any more, but I'm also glad they plan to be open later because we are late...

We went here on a Sunday afternoon with all group of about 8 people. We were seated right away, no wait time. This is a new place that just opened a few months ago.

Plenty of parking on the lot, this restaurant is located in a strip mall next to the grocery outlet. Let's start with the food, the food is good, the prices are fair for the location. Their Pho soup are good and they have good quality noodles and meat. They also put a good amount of meat for their special. We can share this bowl with our kids.

The Bo Tai Chanh was also very good and flavorful. The mussels and chicken wings were flavorful as well. The mussels were not fishy at all. I ordered the combination rice. The flavor was good but I usually expect more meat or fishcake or the pork floss/skin or something more than the shrimp and eggs. They were good, but more items on it would make it worth it.

The service was okay. This is a new restaurant, so let them get their service up to par. The people were all very nice, and their service will only get better with time!

Overall, I would recommend visiting this place if you are...