Basi Italia

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811 Highland St
Columbus, OH 43215

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(614) 294-7383
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Basi Italia - Columbus, OH
Reviews
( 13 )
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( 4 )
( 4 )

Best

wonderful people and great food makes this resturant the best italian in the city. The valet was very kind and helpful in greeting me to the establishment. my favorite dish is the...

Worst

mussels were OK....could have done with some decent Italian bread to soak up the sauce, Couldn't find the lobster in the lobster pasta , the pasta was overcooked and had a strange...

best italian in columbus 10/17/2011

wonderful people and great food makes this resturant the best italian in the city. The valet was very kind and helpful in greeting me to the establishment. my favorite dish is the eggplant parm. yum! And when i was ready to leave the valet pulled our car up and wished us to have a good evening. well worth the price, for a great night out.. more
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Hidden Gem 2/11/2011

I've heard of Basi here and there. Always good reviews. It's been there 7 years or so and I finally got a chance to go. It was booked up a week in advance (dinner only place), so we had to take a very early reservation on a Friday night. It did'nt fill up, which was odd, but the place was just outstanding. The service was great, and the food was on point. The menu was incredible. i could not decide what to have. I went with the trout and it was out of this world. It's and Italian place, but very gourmet. I loved it. Small place..seats like 46! Great spot for a date. more
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pretentious food and atmosphere 7/29/2009

mussels were OK....could have done with some decent Italian bread to soak up the sauce, Couldn't find the lobster in the lobster pasta , the pasta was overcooked and had a strange sweet taste. The scallop special was 4 scallops sitting in a sweet fruit(peach?) sauce.....horrible. Did not stay for dessert.....felt as if we had already had it. Do not understand the hype....will definitely not return. We will be going back to Figlio for something tasty. Pros: decent service Cons: all the food tasted sweet! more
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great date spot 5/11/2009

I loved the wine and menu. The back patio is awesome and the atmosphere inside was super nice. The cannoli was awesome as well as the lobster pasta. Pros: cannoli Cons: tight space more
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Don't pay for valet service 4/25/2009

Premier Valet charges you $5 literally to pull your car around the corner. Do NOT pay -- just park in the neighborhood, which is what Premier Valet does, anyway. I have good friends who live around the corner from the restaurant, and it is totally ridiculous that the valet service charges to park your car 50 feet from the restaurant. Don't be fooled. The food is wonderful, but I recommend going either very early or very late. At ""rush"" hour the restaurant space is absolutely packed, and you feel acutely how very large some restaurant-goers are. It could be like a cozy French or Italian bistro, except that French and Italian people are not usually so fat. So definitely go when it's less crowded, and you can enjoy a lovely meal with some of the nice wines they have on their list. The food is a bit on the oily side, but very tasty. Pros: wonderful food Cons: PACKED more
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Mediocre food (at best) in a great atmosphere 10/22/2008

Service and atmosphere were great. Wine was delicious. more
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Very disappointing. 10/14/2008

After having been here a couple years back and being satisfied if not summarily impressed, we returned tonight to find a great patio, good service, and the most disappointing meal of our lives. We did not finish, nor did we accept a doggie bag. It just wasn't worth it. It is very sad to see such a cute little place fall so drastically. Pros: very cute patio Cons: food more
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On the decline 9/5/2008

I have heard great things about Basi, but I was extremely disappointed. The setting and atmosphere, especially for a date, couldn't have been better, but the food was definitely not good and completely ruined the Basi experience. I have heard similar reviews from my friends who comment that the food at Basi used to be good, but lately has drastically declined. Pros: Ambience, location, unique setting Cons: Food more
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Great Food, The worst service in the Universe-bad-aftertaste! 6/25/2008

Be aware that Basi Italian restaurant is capable of giving you the best and worst expirience in one dining event. Basi provides up to snuff italian cucina meals, fresh spices and unusual cooking procedures, but provides the Worst World Class Customer Care in the Universe. I cannot remember the last time I have expirienced such appalling, vile service. The wating staff, Dave and others response to customers request for drinks and bread appear to be a burden. The customer response rate and service adherence level is nil. Reservations were made in advance and we still had to wait by the bar, unattended, for 45 minutes to be seated. The food was exquiste, the service abominable washing away the good tasting food. We will settle for figlios, were the serivce makes it a real dining expirience. Pros: Food!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cons: World Wide Worst Customer Care more
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Overpriced, Overrated 3/26/2008

If you like glorified spaghetti (ground lamb with red sauce and pasta) or steak that tastes like liver, and paying high prices, then this place is for you! There were 4 in our party, and only one person liked what they chose. He let me try the duck, and I wasn't wishing I had ordered it after I tasted it--and I love duck. My friend ordered the ?steak.? She couldn't give it away, nor could she eat it. It was rare and she asked for medium. It had a very strong flavor of liver. The place is compact, so half of the restaurant gets seated by the door, and got reminded of the 20 degree weather each time the door was opened. There was no place to put my feet, except for the round table foot. Unfortunately, it was also the same and only place for my husband to put his feet. He could not move back because he was right up to the occupied chair behind him. The table rocked back and forth too. Absolutely NOT worth the money. We will not be visiting Basi-Italia again, nor would we recommend it. Pros: lightened our wallets considerably Cons: overpriced, overrated more
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Our favorite restaurant 1/3/2008

For starters, I should tell you that we live in Cincinnati, not Columbus--so a visit to Basi Italia involves a two-hour drive and sometimes an overnight stay. We have made that investment several times because Basi is THAT GOOD. Yes, it's small--but that's what makes it charming and unique. Owners John and Trish have created a memorable locale and dining experience. I can honestly say that we've never had a dish we didn't love--you simply can't go wrong here. The mustard-crusted trout, the boneless half chicken, the braised pork cheeks (don't let the name throw you), the to-die-for chocolate cake...the list goes on and on. We have always had excellent and helpful service and have never felt rushed. Pros: Everything. This is our favorite restaurant. Cons: Not a one. more
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Not a huge fan 7/17/2007

Have only been once, but I didn't think it was worth the price. I ordered a seafood dish and it was poorly cooked -- extremely chewy. The outdoor ambiance is great, though, so it might be worth another shot in the summertime. Pros: good ingredients, interesting dishes more
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Unbelievably good!! 4/17/2007

This place is amazing! Their outdoor patio is the kind of place that requires an ostentatious gesture--a proposal of marriage, at the very least. The food is guaranteed to be phenomenal--I know, I go there at least once a month. Pros: You will never forget this place. Cons: Other people might find out about it. more
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Great Italian, small atmosphere 11/29/2006

Simply put I have not had a bad meal here yet and I have eaten here a dozen times this year. The food is amazing and the menu changes periodically. Definitely try the eggplant and make sure you have reservations far enough in advance (a week should be reasonable). The restaurant is a renovated pizza shop so a little more cozy than some may be used to experiencing and also slightly off the beaten path but well worth it for the amazing food. Pros: Food Cons: Difficult to get weekend reservations more
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Perfection 8/18/2006

Do not bother reading this if you go to a restaurant to see or be seen. And don't bother reading on if you think the sum of Italian cuisine can be found in pasta. This place is for Serious Foodies, and once your waiter/waitress recognizes you belong to that group, you will be treated with discernment and genuine affection. Pros: The heavenly food. Cons: Not seeing any yet, baby. more
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Excellent food; HORRIBLE waitstaff 7/12/2006

First and foremost, the food was outstanding. It was creative and superb tasting. The chef does amazing things and for that reason we will return. HOWEVER, we had reservations for 7:30pm (made 2 weeks in advance) and we seated at 8:15. Despite the fact that there was less than half capacity in the entire restaurant, the waitstaff was terribly slow and borderline annoyed with having to work there. Wow. I'm really torn about returning knowing that how poor the service is even though the food is stunningly wonderful. Pros: THE FOOD, FOOD, FOOD Cons: the service and wait time even with advance reservations more
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User review by 679washington 5/4/2006

Great neighborhood location, wonderful patio. Decent, homemade, fresh, creative meals & nice wine selection. My only complaint was the waiter, terribly rude. Had to ask for more beverages, he never once came to ask how our food was etc. Seemed annoyed when I ordered coffee and did not thank us for coming. The Hostess was extremly friendly, so all employees do not have attitudes. Pros: locally owned, fresh. homemade food, great wine selectio Cons: rude service more
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A nice little place 2/6/2006

I heard a lot about Basi before we went. We had reservations for 8; however, we didn't get seated until 8:45. I was a little peeved about that. Lukily the food made up for my initial disappointment. The small dining room is burting atmosphere. The food was above average. I will return for a second visit. Pros: Atmosphere Cons: Lack of parking, Slow service more
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Pizza perfect! 12/14/2005

A new comer to the Columbus area Basi is top notch. The food is to die for! The wine selection is wonderful and the staff a breath of fresh air. I have made it my mission to keep them busy and to keep going back. Call ahead and make reservations or you won't get in. Basi was once a small local pizza place and offers only limited seating. The experience is well worth the wait. Pros: Food, Service, Patio Cons: Small interior, Waiting list more
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great LITTLE place - i love it! 11/11/2005

I'm surprised to see some reviewers ragging Basi for being small, crowded, and hard to find. Surprised because it's exactly those things -- plus clever dishes and strong service -- that make it such a memorable spot. Our experience was nothing but positive: New to Columbus, I had just stumbled upon Basi the night before a special event. Although it's true reservations should be made weeks in advance, the hostess was refreshingly helpful over the phone, even managing to find us a table that very night. I highly recommend this for a nice date. If you're not the valet type (like this poor grad student), just park a few blocks away and enjoy the walk through Vic Village to Basi's quaint alleyway location. Final thoughts: Incredibly intimate, hip decor, local artwork, attentive service, artistic presentation, and flat-out delicious. We'll be back often (although maybe not until I can afford it). Pros: Intimate, Ambiance, Artwork Cons: Pricey more
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Menu for Basi Italia


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Editorial

  • The Scene
    Located on a tiny side street in the Short North, Basi Italia is so small that it's easy to overlook. But plenty of local foodies have sniffed out the stylishly cozy spot, and...

  • 1/27/2004 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon. - Sat. 5pm - 10pm;Sun. CLOSED
  • Payments: Cash, American Express, Master Card, Discover, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Victorian Village
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