My husband and I were in Cannon Beach for a 4 day getaway and The Wine Bar became "Our" spot. Â Our first night we didn't try the food just had a flight and Shelly the Sommelier was friendly and knowledgeable. Â We had lunch there the next day both having sandwiches and loving them. Â Most nights we came in for a nightcap but constantly drooled over the other patrons plates. Â Two of the nights we were able to enjoy life music. Â We can't wait to go back again and take friends
Review Source:The food here is very disappointing and way too pricey for what  you get. The chef seems quite inflexible -- as in they will charge you $3 to put chicken in the side of a salad. Really?  The pot pies are actually vegetables in a gravy with a puff pastry thing on top. There is no 'pie' at all. And the veggie reuben lacks imagination. It is mostly sauerkraut with a piece of tofurkey. Trust me, there are a lot of ways to make that a more inventive dish. Unlike other reviews that I read, we had good service. Our wait staff was very helpful.  I will say that the wine list was good and we enjoyed the bottle of wine we ordered. Unfortunately we won't be going back on our next visit to Cannon Beach.
Review Source:Wow. The owner just responded to my review. All I can think of to say is...WOW! He insulted me for pointing out the truth. He is so incredibly unprofessional. I am stunned.
First off, he misrepresented and misquoted what I originally said. Second, I used/use proper adjectives to accurately describe to my fellow yelpers who I was dealing with and to give an honest review to reflect my experiences.
In his response, he mentioned they had to close early because they ran out of multiple items. Somehow he thinks admitting they were ill-prepared defends his business practice. Further, in my review, I never mentioned which day we were there so unless they run out of items often, he is lying & making excuses. Finally, it is just plain mind-boggling to me that he insults people for having a bad experience at his restaurant.
I'm so happy we didn't get to eat there. I would not want to give any business to such horrible people.
I just read other responses the owner has given to negative reviews. Apparently he loves to insult people who have had negative experiences at his restaurant.
My husband and I just returned from a weekend in Cannon Beach and ate two out of our six meals at Sweet Basil's. Saturday we wandered in for lunch and I ordered the creole red bean soup and it was delicious! Perfect amount of heat and very filling. Along with the soup I ordered the veggie wrap and thoroughly enjoyed it, however I thought it lacked a little kick. I added the coleslaw to it though and it was perfect. My husband ordered the clam and (cod, I believe) chowder and it was really pretty phenomenal. One of the best chowders either of us has ever had, there was such a depth of flavor! He also enjoyed his turkey wrap. Neither of us could finish our entire meal, the portion sizes are very generous.
We were so delighted with lunch that we went back for dinner and ordered the bacon wrapped dates, smoked salmon bruschetta, crawfish etoufee, crab cakes and we shared the chocolate pecan pie - ya we went a little nuts ;) The  bacon wrapped dates were very rich, but that was to be expected, however, the cheese was not melted in the center and when I have had them in the past that was the best part. So, a little disappointed on those. The salmon bruschetta was absolutely amazing, my crawfish etoufee came out a little cold, but the flavors were out of this world. The crab cakes were great, very heavy on the crab and light on the breading and we were very thankful for that. The chocolate pecan pie was sinful, and a great way to end our dinner. After that we took a long stroll on the beach and it was a wonderful evening! Overall, this was a great spot. The wine suggestions were great and a delicious accompaniment to our meal, we just wished the dates were a little more on-point and my dinner was piping hot. Food does take quite a while to get to your table, but you can tell it's because he's spending quality time on each plate and it IS worth being patient.
We'll be back :)
I'm so glad I found this restaurant in Cannon Beach! I was dreading having to find a decent place to eat that would offer healthy options. My boyfriend and I came across this place and were impressed with their menu. Loved the customer service, super friendly and we didn't have to wait long for the food to arrive.
Will definitely visit again.
The open-faced The Sweet Basil Crab & Artichoke Melt sounded so tasty and warm on a cold, windy, rainy afternoon in February, that we both ordered it. We were not disappointed. The crab was incredibly flavorful, and the greens on the side were the perfect accompaniment. True, we had a to wait a little longer for the food than we would have in most restaurants, but literature on the table told us of how this was because our food is actually prepared upon order. Well, it was worth the wait. Also, the older female waitress was adorable, asking us if she added our bill correctly!
Review Source:The food here is great, and the atmosphere is amazing! However, I felt that the prices were a little high for how small the portions were. You're looking at about $20 per plate, and don't expect to take any leftovers home. I do also understand that it is organic and natural, though, so that's probably where the price comes from. Having organic food doesn't matter to me at all, but it was still very tasty!
Review Source:The Cafe is an a-la-carte type establishment. Â Soup, bread with butter, and main dishes are ordered separately. Â Tapas are not on a counter, Spanish style, but rather are ordered from a menu. Â We had the World Famous Portabello crab stuffed mushroom and Shrimp Creole. Â The shrimp Creole was outstanding. Â Fairly expensive items are pushing $$$. Little short on water closets. Â Not what would be called an "eating place" Â In fairness, it is a different type place than is usually found on the Coast.
Review Source:Sweet Basil's doesn't take reservations so we just showed up a little after six on a Friday night. Â We were able to be seated right away at a table for two in the main seeting area. Â We were the last to be seated, those arrived after us waited for seating. Â It is a small venue with seating for about 10-12 small tables. Â
We were interested in sitting in the main seating area which had seating for about 4 or 5 tables. Â We ordered from the menu for diiner.
I ordered the chicken and my partner ordered the pork osso bucco. Â Both meals were good. Â The osso bucco was tendlr, favorful and a genrous portion. Â The chicken was also a generous portion and flavorful. Â There was no free bread or appetizer. Â The bread and butter was $2. Â Normally I would expect bread and butter complimentary with an entree.
The service for the meal was slow.  I was surpised given the small size of the seathing area.  We did have to ask for  water and wine refills. Â
After dinner, we moved to the wine bar section of the restaruant. Â Kudos for Sweet Basils for letitting us move from the restaurant to the wine bar after dinner when we wanted to have dessert with the Friday night music. Â
The band was surprisingly good for a small venu. Â It wasn't so loud that it drown out our conversation. Â It as great entertainment for a Cannon Beach evening.
This place has Amazing food! Â The Chef is an unbelievable cook and his recipes are so unique! Â WOW! Â I had the Thai Coconut Curry Salmon Filet, my husband had the Chicken Tchoupitoulas, we also had their Crab Cakes for an appetizer, a house salad to share, and of course a nice glass of wine. Â Plenty of food, and everything was like a taste treat! Â YUM! Â We will definitely come back each time we go to Cannon Beach. Â Oh, and I forgot to mention that most nights they have live music in the lounge. Â We sat in the dining room but from our table, we could see a little of the band. Â A very romantic and relaxing evening for us both. Â We just sat back, took our time and enjoyed every bite!
Review Source:Sweet Basil's Cafe is one of the gems of Cannon Beach. The decor is a charming shabby chic, with the space split between the cafe portion, which includes the open kitchen area and the more intimate wine bar. Â Service was prompt and friendly, and the live music (flamenco guitar) complemented the evening well.
Dishes are well-thought through with the Cajun-based items and tapas being areas where the Cafe particularly shines. Â The Chicken Tchoupitoulas was complemented by the Andouille sausage and a wonderful Bearnaise. The Crab Cakes were delightful, and solidly crab as opposed to what might find elsewhere. Â Vegan and vegetarian items dot the menu as well, making it friendly for groups.
This is solidly one of the best values in Cannon Beach, where the chef truly knows his art, puts care and love into the food and keeps that his priority. Â Highly recommended.
My wife and I visit here for lunch mid week. Being vegetarian we sometimes find it challenging to find good options dining out. Finding a restaurant in this little coastal town that offers a good variety of options that do it right was a great find! Yelp led us here and the reviews are right. This place is not strictly vegetarian as they offer meat dishes too. We ordered the soup special of the day, a cabbage potato carrot celery soup that was excellent.
Review Source:This was one of our top two favorites in Cannon Beach (Stephanie Hotel being the other)
My wife enjoyed the healthy vegan and organic choices.
The dishes were creative and tasty. Â They do not skimp on the portion size either. Â I consider this place to be a great value.
Only reason it's not a five star place is that it's a bit 'cozy'...which certainly adds to the charm, but it does feel a bit cramped.
The food is good enough that I expect that they'll do well enough to be able to move to a bigger location in the years to come.
We look forward to a return trip our next time in CB.
In Portland, I'd give this four stars, but for being in Cannon Beach, it deserves five stars for having multiple delicious vegan options!
Actually I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place before. I try to come here every time I'm in the area. My favorite item on the menu is the vegan Italian panini, and I've been very impressed with their soup each time I've had it. The place is small, but the atmosphere is nice and the service is very friendly and welcoming. I have nothing bad to say about this place. I guess the seating isn't super comfortable. But it won't stop me from returning. Can't wait to go back!
Yes there is quite a wait. Expect it, it even says to on the menu.
The ingredients are fresh and tasty, but some of the dishes aren't put together all that well or are missing some pzazz. I'd love to love it, but it was just okay. Not the friendliest staff. One could say downright pissy.
We stopped by on a drizzly September day after walking around Cannon Beach. They informed us of a 10-15 minute wait, but we were sitting inside within 5 minutes. The menu was mostly sandwiches and the place was fairly cramped. The service was slow given the size of the place, but they were quite busy to be fair. We got the pulled pork sandwich as our waitress recommended, as well as the crab louie wrap. Both were good but didn't wow us. The portion sizes were quite big and each sandwich came with pickled cabbage and tortilla chips. It was fine for what it is, but I'll try somewhere else if I'm ever in the area again.
Review Source:OVERALL
I'd actually like to give 3.5 stars. The food was inconsistent. Pricing was fair for the quality/quantity. The waitress couldn't have cared less. Â Extremely small venue. Live music. No reservations. GET THE DUNGENESS CRAB STUFFED PORTOBELLO if you go.
FOOD
Veggie & hummus plate: fresh veggies. horrible hummus. I'm not sure how they managed to screw this one up, but they did! The hummus was extremely bland and the texture was really oily. Sad faces all around.
Bokchoy & wild mushroom soup: simple. delicious. perfect for a cold night.
Salumi plate: mediocre. lackluster presentation.
Dungeness crab stuffed portobello: devine. would have loved it with a little less mayo.
Salmon w/ Thai curry: large fillet. spicy. hearty. good.
SERVICE
Our waitress was borderline patronizing. She checked on us infrequently and never asked how the food was. She didn't explain any of the dishes (would have been nice with the salumi platter) and was constantly trying to upsell even though we ordered a fair amount of food for two!
Good place for a lighter, organic lunch. We would have missed this tiny space if this wasn't recommended to us. Service is a little awkward because they are a bit too laid back  and slow but it wasn't a big deal to us. The food is very fresh. We tried the tomato basil soup, which was smooth and perfectly seasoned, not too acidic like a lot of tomato soups can be. For my lunch I tried the crab roll which was PACKED with crab. It was lightly dressed and fresh tasting. Not heavy at all. Their coleslaw was also very good, one of the more unique coleslaws i've had. If you want to get away from fried food in this area, I recommend coming here!
Review Source:Sweet spot for lunch in Cannon Beach! My family ate here for lunch before exploring downtown Cannon Beach. There is outdoor and indoor seating. We sat towards the back of the restaurant, near the bar. The booth was a little cramped, but not uncomfortable and we eagerly waited for our food, which wasn't too long. I had the Veggie wrap, while my parents had pulled pork sandwiches. Our food came with chips that tasted of thyme. (Yum!) My sandwich was fresh and natural. I took the other half home with me!
The service was good and people were friendly. If I'm in the area again, I'd eat here again!
Let's start with the food.... Â Well, we would have loved to have started with some food, but alas, it was not to be.....
We put in an order for our toddler, with the statement that we wanted to get it out ASAP while we perused the menu. Â After a long wait, the server reappeared and took the rest of our order. Â And then we waited. Â And waited. Â And WAITED. Â AND WAITED!!!!
Okay, first off, sandwiches (hot or cold) should not take over one hour! Â No one came by to check that we had not collapsed from hunger or ennui. Â The Donner Party had more attentive service (although fewer vegetarian options).
Finally, mustering up the last few molecules of glucose coursing through my veins, I walked up to the counter to ask about the status of our nourishment. Â After figuring out that we were the folks with the constitution to wait out this gastronomic game of chicken, I was told our sandwiches were in the oven and in a short (compared to the prior hour or so) amount of time, our food arrived.
I was vainly hoping that the food would be worth the wait (although how could it?). Â As we wolfed down the food, we realized that all we got was mediocre food we could have made at home in about 3 minutes....
And they had the audacity to ask us if we wanted dessert! Â This from a place were the service is measured by time-lapse photography!
Only go if you have nothing to do and no where to go.
I'm really bummed to say that our experience was less than stellar. We were greeted by a rude bar tender who would not allow us to sit at a table due to it being reserved, however when we called we were told "no reservations". After being seated in the kitchen side of the restaurant we observed the bar tender seating a couple, obviously his friends at the table we were refused. I'm confident they were friends by the hugs that were exchanged.
When we were seated we were immediately brought water but not greeted or informed of who our waiter/waitress was. When she arrived we were given our menus and had our questions answered. Our appetizers arrived with one of our entrees. I didn't receive my entree until well after my wife had finished hers. Big faux paw in my opinion. I ordered the Crawfish Étouffée, good but no variation of flavors. Kind of a one note meal.
We did enjoy watching the chef prepare meals and the music was a nice background albeit a little loud. I was very thankful that the bartender was not our server, I watched him "primp" his hair multiple times...imagine the fonz from happy days...and then grab drinks and food without washing his hands!! This may be ok at home but not in a restaurant.
This is NOT a place for a large party. Most seats are 4 tops with a couple of 2 seaters
Maybe dinner is better, I went for lunch and I could make at home what I ordered better! Â I ordered a crab melt. Â What I got was a thick piece of toast with canned crab meat on top and a slice of melted cheese! Â It was dry and I didn't eat the entire meal. The staff seemed uninterested we were even there and I had to "ask" for another glass of wine in order for anyone to offer. Â I will not eat here again.
Review Source:We stopped here for lunch the minute we got to Cannon Beach. Â We wanted to order our food to go, but were told we had to stay to order that day because they were out of to-go boxes...errr...or something. Â So, we ordered and decided to sit outside and go get the dog out of the car. Â Luckily, the weather was perfect on the coast(a rarity) so it was wonderful to sit out and enjoy a meal. The woman who served us was really kind and eager to please. Â She even gave a biscuit to our pup who was being good, but not feeling particularly sociable that day. Â
We ordered the Crab Louie Wrap and the Garden Sandwich. Â Both were served with sides of their house-made coleslaw and some natural corn chips. Â The sandwiches were great, but I could eat their coleslaw all day. Â It was made with more of an oil and vinegar dressing rather than creamy with mayo. Â And the dressing was seasoned really well with the sweet/salty factor that makes any proper slaw great.Then there was plenty of celery seed too, which brought it up to my number one slaw ever eaten(sorry Mom). Â I enjoyed the Garden Sandwich, delighted in the Summer squash that was included in the layers upon layers of veggie magic, and even dipped the sandwich in the remainder dressing in my slaw cup. Â I tried a bite of the Crab Louie Wrap and it tasted good, but it smelled more fishy than I like. Â Minus the mild confusion at the beginning, I really enjoyed my visit to Sweet Basil's.
My boyfriend and I had the BEST night here. Â The menu was inventive, but familiar and every plate we chose was spot on! The waiter (who I assume was the owner) was knowledgeable and funny. Â He really worked the room.
A few highlights: shrimp cocktail with a banana chili salsa. Â It sounds strange but was amazingly good. Â The sweetness of the bananas worked so well with the spicy chilis. Â Like everyone on YELP says, the pulled pork sliders were ridiculous and yummy. Â But, the highpoint were the dungeness crab cakes. Â They were packed with crab and didn't appear to have any "fillers." Â With just the slightest panko breading, we really felt like we got what we paid for with the crab. Â They were served with some amazing remoulade sauce or something. Â SUPER SUPER yummy.
We are planning on making Cannon Beach a common vacation for us, and will certainly stop at Sweet Basil when we go back.
I must have been there on an off night because the reviews on Yelp led me to believe this place was one of the better eateries in Cannon Beach and I found it to be one of the worst dining experiences ever. Â Seriously. Â Maybe Sam (reviewed on 3/28/12) and I were there when they were out of fresh and local ingredients.
We arrived shortly before 6pm on a Sunday night when there was live music in the Wine Bar, so we chose to sit on that side. Â They were about 1/2 full, including the two of us when we sat down. Â It is a small place, so there was only one server who is also the manager/wine steward. Â He told us about the special for the evening and we ordered a few wines by the glass while we looked over the menu. Â The table next to us placed their order a few minutes later which we were also ready to do, evidenced by the fact that our menus were no longer in our hands, but on the table, kind of the universal sign to an observant server that the patrons are ready to order. Â Sometime later, he returned to take our orders. Â We are slowly sipping our wines (nothing special in those glasses so no reason to hurry through to get another), hearing our bellies rumble louder as the table next to us is served and makes it 3/4 of the way through their meals when the server returns to tell us our food is almost up. Â 10 minutes later he returns again, unfortunately though, not with our food but to tell us the food is almost ready. Â He returns yet again to tell us our food is almost ready and sensing our discomfort, asks if we are upset, to which we reply, "kinda, we're really hungry". Â He explains that it is taking so long because we did not order until everyone else had already put their order in and it is a small kitchen. Â Oh, so it is my fault that the kitchen is slow and you lack the forethought to offer even a slice of bread?
My dining companion says "If it hits 7:30 and we don't have food, we are out of here".  It's not like we got to the restaurant before 6... oh wait, yeah we did.  At somewhere between 7:20 and 7:25, our first of two tapas arrives.  Really, first of two?  So we dive into the "fried eggplant" to find it is tepid, limp, slimy and lacking any seasoning whatsoever.  After prying the bottom off the salt shaker because nothing comes out the top, spanking a giant clump of salt onto the side of the plate and then reaching in for a pinch, I season my "fried eggplant", and eat my 1/2 - not because it is mouth watering, fresh or even hints of local, but because the wine has started to eat a hole in my empty stomach and I need to put something in there.  Server/manager returns to take away the not empty plate and returns again a few minutes later with the second of our two tapas; the shrimp and artichoke dish.  While I expected the shrimp to be from the freezer, I was not expecting the canned artichokes that accompanied them.  I guess it was again my fault for presuming a restaurant that serves "fresh and local" would actually use something like the artichokes as  I saw at the PSU Farmer's Market that same weekend from Tillamook,  when in fact the cook informed me that they always use canned artichokes.  My bad.  But that was the last straw. Â
We had waited close to 1.5 hours to be served slimy eggplant and canned artichokes. Â I approached the served at the register and asked to pay so we could leave. Â He fully charged me for both tapas and the wine while the defensive cook/owner exclaimed that artichokes are always from the can. Â When I tried to bring up the fact that they are actually in season and available in Tillamook, he waved me off and put the fish that he was about to cook (the final part of our order) back in the fridge. Â Yeah, the fish hadn't even been started yet. Â I was flustered and eager to get out of there, so I paid. Â
We went to the Lumberyard to get a burger, but as I sat there and got AMAZING service from the bar tender, who offered us nuts as we waited for our burger because we were  HUNGRY, I got up and walked back over to Sweet Basil's to ask for my money back.  Never in my life have I been treated the way they treated me.  I started my conversation with the server/manager with "I am here because I would like to respectfully request a refund" to which he responded "NO, you were never going to be satisfied, no matter what we did".  I was taken aback, then requested he at least refund my tip, to which he also said "NO" then he opened to door to get me to leave.  Which I did not do.  After he accused me of doing "this" all the time (meaning I make it a habit of going to restaurants, staying 1.5 hours without eating and then leaving and asking for my money back) I was quite upset.  The cook/owner got involved and finally had the manners to give me my money back.  Customer service fail. Â
Try the Lumberyard or the Irish Table, they at least deliver on what they advertise and know how to treat their customers.
Ahhhh....sweet, Sweet Basil's Cafe. Â This is my "go to" place in Cannon Beach for several reasons. Â First, is the amazing organic, ultra FRESH and DELICIOUS food! John Sowa, owner and chef, has a passion for serving up the tastiest and most unique creations ever to grace a porcelain plate, and does so on just a few little burners in his petit kitchen. Â Small kitchen...big results! Â And, with so many people hitching up to the gluten free bandwagon, it is wonderful to be able to order any sandwich with that option. Â And don't get me started on the pizza...also gluten-free to order.
All the other reasons are as follow:
Ted, the friendly, witty and knowledgeable restaurant manager and wine purveyor extraordinaire, is delighted to answer the most annoying inquiries, (from wine ignoramuses, such as myself), with a smile and a wink. He is sure to keep your wine glass full and a smile on your face, and is magically adept at choosing just the right beverage to accompany John's cuisine.
Carol, the beautiful and oh-so helpful server, will gladly assit anyone struggling with that mind-boggling decision of whether to have the Pork Shank Osso Bucco, my personal favorite, or the Dungeness Crab Stuffed Portobello. Â Imbedded with an overly active hospitality chip that is always on auto pilot, Carol was born to serve guests and direct them on the path to food nirvana. She will also generously share her favorite local shopping haunts, galleries and other cozy and fascinating "must see" places in and around Cannon Beach. Â Trust me...She knows!
Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, knee high in creative juices, we find Steven. Â Quietly standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his mentor, Steven is deftly sous chef-ing his way into the Sweet Basil history books. Â Someone has to chop the onions and make the dressings...and Steven does so with panache.
Lastly, and much like the delicious and sumptuous array of desserts she creates to enjoy at the end of a Sweet Basil's meal, there is Shirley. Her desserts are famous for defying the fact that they are gluten-free and/or vegan. Â Once you treat your taste buds to her mouth-watering sweet potato pie, you will be hooked for life. Â
All that to say you cannot and will not go wrong lunching, dining, imbibing or loitering at Sweet Basils. Â And, should you have the good fortune to partake of one of John's celebratory events, such as the most recent Fat Tuesday, you are in for a treat for the palette as well as the ears. Â Live blues music mingling with John's perfectly spiced Creole food, which includes alligator, (tastes just like chicken) is the perfect combination to lift your spirits, soggy or otherwise! And don't be surprised if the chef himself makes an impromptu appearance playing the "lid and spoon." Â I have photos to prove it!!!
Cheers!
Bison and Bacon Meatballs: everything that is hearty and meaty, doused in a saucy trilogy.
Now that I got your attention with those balls, allow me to introduce Sweet Basil's Cafe: a natural, organic, wild and soon to be certified gluten free restaurant on the Oregon Coast. What's even more interesting is they have a tapas thing going on and Chef John Sowa definitely has a Creole thing going on. Just off the main drag in Cannon Beach, this restaurant is unassuming, unpretentious and dainty. There is a bar connected that often plays live music. Justin and I showed up late (late for Oregon Coast hours, around 8:45) and were welcomed without being guilt tripped for our past-curfew tendencies.
We tasted a few wines that night, thanks to our gracious wine server, Ted. We enjoyed the two pictured above immensely. Chemistry White Wine - a bright, fruity blend from the Willamette Valley. However, the La Velle Chardonnay from Columbia Valley was the star of the night. One of the best stainless steel chardonnays I've ever tasted: stone fruits on the nose, lots of mineral, and a refreshing finish. I will buy a case of this. Â
I had to order the Dungeness Crab Stuffed Portobello, a massive portobello, topped with a slice of organic tomato, then mounded with Dungeness Crab, parmesan, mayonnaise (yes, mayo!) finished with provolone cheese. Â The combination was sweet, earthy and delightfully rich.
The Chicken Tchoupitoulas Justin ordered was something of a mystery. A New Orleans style dish involving pan seared chicken breast topped with a creamy, tarragon flecked Béarnaise sauce, accompanied by pan roasted potatoes and squash. Neither of us were blown away by this dish but it was still tasty due to the high quality ingredients involved.
Justin also ordered the Sweet Basil's Plentiful House Salad consisting of organic greens, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers  and sunflower seeds. Â
Would we return? Definitely if were living la vida gluten free and probably, if not for a glass of wine and round of bacon wrapped dates and/or something with crab
We just ate at Sweet Basil's last night, and it was a great experience!
Service was excellent. Â Our very friendly, knowledgeable waitress had plenty of detailed information for us. Â She was happy to spend a few minutes talking with us so that she could tailor her advice to our own interests.
Guitar music back in the wine bar was pleasant but not overpoweringly loud, so we were still able to relax and hold a conversation at our table.
We were there for a late dinner and the staff welcomed us to stay for another glass of wine while they finished up their service and got closed up. Â
Food was very tasty. Â We had:
Cheese plate -- A variety of 4-5 cheeses. Â The quality and amount were well worth the $9.95 (unlike some places).
Crab Cakes -- Delicious and absolutely packed with crab!!! Â I had this as my entree and was pleased as punch. Â Definitely worth the $18.50 pricetag.
Crawfish Etoufee -- The crawdads were cooked to tender perfection. Â My boyfriend said the sauce was tasty, but not his favorite thing ever. Â He described the dish as "one-note" because it was crawfish, sauce, and nothing else (no vegetables or additional flavors). Â He agreed that my crab cakes were the better choice.
Wine -- Great choices, and our waitress helped us pick a nice pinot. Â We also enjoyed a dessert wine and a glass of a different pinot before leaving.
We will definitely return!
This place is so great. Went for a late dinner, and walked in only a few minutes before they were closing. The waitress was so nice to us and pretty much made us feel like she wanted to make our dinner experience the best ever. Friendly, down to earth service and atmosphere but there was actually very fancy and unique food. I like the mom and pop feel, but if you want more of a wine bar feel go next door and get the same food.
Food was delicious. Fun menu items!
Tucked away at the beginning of the main drag in Cannon Beach, Sweet Basil's Cafe is unknown to a lot of people. We selected it based on the bulk of positive Yelp reviews and my fellow Yelpers steered us correctly again!
The restaurant is small and is adjacent to a bar area that has occasional live music. However, if you get a seat in the restaurant portion, you will be happy you did.
The appetizers are excellent and the food - much of it Cajun/Creole inspired - is much better than most establishments in Cannon Beach. Their food is worthy of competing in a big city and not just a sleepy beach town.
Appetizers:
We had the Bison/Bacon Meatballs and the Bacon-Wrapped Dates. The meatballs were a savory delight. The dates were rich and decadent. I would put both dishes up against upscale Portland locations like Tasty N Sons.
Entrees:
Longing for New Orleans cuisine, I went with the Shrimp Creole. It was nice and spicy with well-cooked rice and above average shrimp. My wife chose the Pork Shank Osso Buco and it was succulent. She couldn't finish the entire shank, so I was happy to stuff myself silly with the remaining fall-off-the-bone meat.
Drinks:
They had a few beers on tap, including Ninkasi Total Domination, one of the best beers in Oregon. They also had a nice wine selection.
Service:
Average at best, but the owner stopped by and chatted with us for a while. That was nice and unexpected.
Ambiance:
Sort of rustic on the inside, but warm and inviting. The live music from the bar and the canned music over the speakers was a bit too loud for dinner, but the food made up for the noise.
Sweet Basil's Cafe is a great place to dine in Cannon Beach.
Out of all the places I had tasty gluten-free food this weekend Sweet Basil's was the only place that actually had Udi's Gluten-free bread. I would give them five stars for that basic gesture toward the gluten-free community. Huge score for that!
I had a crab and artichoke melt on one slice of Udi's, and a very basic organic greens salad for $14.95. There wasn't any color to the salad except for the various greens. I had two small pieces of artichoke and a small mound of crab on my melt, not sure what kind of cheese it was as I don't think the menu shared that information.
The language on their lunch menu was confusing to me and it said that all sandwiches and melts came with cole slaw and their home made corn chips. Corn chips are my favorite and my lunch didn't come out with them. In fact, I ordered that melt so that I would get the corn chips. I didn't care about the cole slaw but I would have eaten it. The friend that I was with also had a melt and he got the cole slaw and the corn chips so I ate some of his chips. I felt deprived by not receiving what said would come with my meal. Also, the price was really expensive for what I actually was served so I most likely wouldn't choose seafood next time I visit Sweet Basil's. My meal was $6 more than my friend's meal and I actually got less food.
Service was really slow for the food to come out but the Manager was quick to bring us more water. It would be really cool if their menu was easier to read for people who are vegan, gluten-free, etc. If there had been a little "GF" next to the items I knew were absolutely safe I would have loved that so much. Maybe next time.
something very odd about this place. Went there for lunch on Sunday. Cook looked like he wanted to chop up the guests. Waitress was by far the slowest waitress ever. Took 15 minutes to take our order, and after waiting another 30 minutes for our food, we left. Which I've never done before.
Can't say how the food is, but not a place to go when you're hungry.
This time I went for the ham & cheese panini; a safe choice. Himself had the chicken salad sand and we split the soup of the day, a curry veggie thing. The soup was pretty good, though the veggies were a little...firm.
My sandwich included a jalapeño sweet jam, as described, though only the sweet came through. SO thought that it seemed like the chicken salad ingredients just got put together and did not have a chance for the flavors to marry. OK, maybe so.
Ultimately, I give Sweet Basil an A for creativity C- for execution this time and last time. Consistency is good, isn't it?.
Maybe I am just predisposed to not care for a restaurant that makes big issues about organic foodstuffs and healthy dining. I always feel such places are lecturing me. I go out to eat to enjoy, I save the guilt for home cooking when I lash my soups with heavy cream.
Service was pretty potty this time.
I didn't mention it last time, but since it happened again this time, I will let loose. I totally love the fact that the staff all sneak out the back behind the restaurant to smoke between duties. You see these things when you eat out in the garden. That makes me feel a little better about hating the organic/healthy thing they have going...
When you follow your passion and create an out of the ordinary establishment, you are going to thrill some, but shrink your overall customer base. Â So, for me, this is going to be a qualified endorsement.
This place could and should be charming, but I think we caught it a bit on an off day. Â They opened about a 1/2 hour late and were preparing a very large to-go order at the beginning of service. Â Combined with a hiring sign in the window, it meant that the service portion of our meal wasn't great.
It was a little too cool to sit at the outdoor tables, so we grabbed one of the indoor booths by the kitchen. Â And what I observed, is that more than most places in Cannon Beach, much of their clientele appeared to be locals. Â And this is a good thing, because you feel like you are dining in a secret garden that is a bit tucked away from the main street. Â I also loved the shabby chic Southern style decor.
The owner, John Sowa, was trained as a cajun/creole chef who decided to focus on local, organic, vegan and vegetarian fare. Â I couldn't pass up the Javanese coconut curry vegetable soup and it was one of my favorite soups of the year. Â For the entrees, we chose the "Mojo" shrimp po-boy and Sweet Basil's crab and artichoke melt which we were told is one of their most popular items. Â Both were excellent.
So they cover their bases well for the non-vegetarian crowd. Â Unfortunately, this isn't really a place to take most kids. Â They have three items on the kids menu, but the grilled cheese sandwiches were left mostly untouched. Â We tried them too, and I have to say I agree with their assessment. Â But this problem was managed by a trip to Pizza A'fetta down the street after our meal.
So while our first visit didn't win raves from everyone in our family, I think many diners would find this to be a local gem.
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