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Sweet Basil Bistro, Big Bear Lake, CA

Sweet Basil Bistro

4.7
4.7
340 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian

Make a reservation

2 people
9:00 PM
Booked 1 time today
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
Sweet Basil Bistro is Big Bear's original Italian Bistro, family owned and operated for more than 17 years. Located within walking distance of Big Bear's downtown Village, Sweet Basil Bistro offers lunch, dinner, wine, craft cocktails and more, in an intimate atmosphere. Join us for a date night or family celebration, or just treat yourself.

Our menu includes pastas with homemade sauces, salads, steaks, seafood dishes, appetizers, homemade desserts and so much more. All of our meals and sauces are prepared in house.

Online ordering for pickup and takeout are available at SweetBasilBistro.net

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Bistro, Contemporary Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch and Dinner Menus Wed–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm Sat, Sun 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Menu Wed–Fri 3:30 pm–8:30 pm Sat, Sun 2:30 pm–8:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (909) 866-9212
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Alison Faust
  • Neighborhood
    Big Bear Lake
  • Cross street
    Below the Bowling Barn. Big Bear Blvd between Lynn Road & Bonanza Trail
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Public transit
    Big Bear has a free Trolley! Check their website for times and availbility! https://www.mountaintransit.org/routes-schedule/
  • Additional
    Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 340 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Inland Empire

    Neighborhood gem

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Sweet Basil Bistro is a charming gem in Big Bear, consistently praised for its "amazing food" and "exceptional service." Guests adore the flavorful Italian dishes, with standout mentions for the lobster lasagna and Italian meatloaf. Reservations are recommended for this "hidden jewel" due to its cozy atmosphere and popularity.

340 Reviews
  1. Paul

    Las Vegas

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing dining experience. Food and service is great.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Yian

    New York City

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 17, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    The service was fair, very friendly staff. However, the food so bland and underwhelming, I wonder if they didn’t have their regular chef during this off-ish season. The daily special soup was watery and lukewarm. Fried calamari had more fired flour than actual calamari, which were tiny. The clam linguine had the most flavor, and good portion, but again not enough seasoning. My 30 dollar lobster lasagna, a top-reviewed item on Google maps, was so disappointing. It tasted like a cake that was going bad, weirdly sweet with a hint of sour flavor. It was so pasty and dense that as someone who hates wasting food, I couldn’t take more than three bites. I really tried to find one dish that salvaged the whole experience, but unfortunately found none.

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  3. Monique

    Orange County

    13 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Service was SO slow. Took forever to get our food. Eat before you go. Have tried this restaurant several times and always slow service with backed up kitchen.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Bill

    Orange County

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 15, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful food. Was so crowded at 6:30 on a Thursday night that the staff had a hard time keeping up, but were friendly and attentive. Best value in Bug Bear

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  5. Alex

    Las Vegas

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on November 11, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, great service. One of Big Bear’s best.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Ruth

    Palm Springs

    30 reviews

    4.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on November 10, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    We had made reservations and were seated immediately. Even though the space is small. All the food was excellent and wait staff very responsive.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Mary

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on November 7, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great meal with good gluten-free options and great service. Highly recommend!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Amanda

    Las Vegas

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 27, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Best dining experience we have had in Big Bear, every employee has nice, professional, helpful and accommodating. The food was really good. They split our parties check without complaining or seeming inconvenienced. Very accommodating for our friends gluten allergy. Nice and pleasant experience thank you.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Matthew

    San Diego

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on October 26, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Have come to Sweet Basil Bistro multiple times and have always received consistently excellent food, wine/cocktails and service… our family really enjoys this Italian spot in Big Bear!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Annabel

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 25, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Went for a special occasion and we’re so glad we did! The food was excellent, portions were large and a great value, and Megan, our server, was outstanding.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Sweet Basil Bistro offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (909) 866-9212.

Sweet Basil Bistro is rated 4.7 stars by 340 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
9:00 PM
Booked 1 time today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Sweet Basil Bistro

40629 Big Bear Lake Blvd, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Below the Bowling Barn. Big Bear Blvd between Lynn Road & Bonanza Trail
  • Neighborhood
    Big Bear Lake
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch and Dinner Menus Wed–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm Sat, Sun 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Menu Wed–Fri 3:30 pm–8:30 pm Sat, Sun 2:30 pm–8:30 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Bistro, Contemporary Italian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Public transit
    Big Bear has a free Trolley! Check their website for times and availbility! https://www.mountaintransit.org/routes-schedule/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Alison Faust
  • Additional
    Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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