Basil’s Flame Broiled Chicken

The best broiled chicken in the Bay Area! Always delicious food and they aim to please. Good prices and centrally located.

Heard about place so on a whim, I tried it. Got rib/​chicken combo to kill two birds with one stone !
Chicken was tasty, ribs were fall off the bone because they tasted boiled first then thrown on the grill with some watery sauce. Mac and cheese was doctored up Kraft and «pasta salad» was rotini and cold bagged veggies! The dressing was water, no seasoning, no nothing! Thawed veggies on top of cold pasta! I liked the chicken though!

Last evening, Saturday ¼/​15, my wife and I wanted some Barbeque so we selected an unassuming resturant Basil’s. POOR choice worst I have ever eaten, left most on plate. Watery soggy ribs coated in diluted. BBQ sauce, watery cole slaw w. ith no seasoning, corn on cob so full of water the plate got flooded. The. Greek owners really need to decide what they are and then set a higher quality standard! There were only two customers including us!
Hard to find almost trying to hide this disaster from public scrutiny!

I am not a huge fan of bbq chicken or ribs, so I ordered a chicken salad on pita with a side of spanish rice. I was very pleased with my to-​go order. The chicken salad was plentiful and had a good flavor. I added some salt and it was perfect. The pita was a bit rubbery… but didn’t bother me too much. I also enjoyed the spanish rice alot. I would definitely return for a quick bite.

It was okay. Competent. I got the chicken, which was cooked well (not dried out), but was kind of bland. I expected bigger flavor based on the reviews. If you prefer lightly seasoned then you’ll probably enjoy it.

To be honest, I don’t really know what to make of Basil’s.
Is it a BBQ place or a Greek restaurant? Well, the food does not taste Greek or BBQ, so don’t get your hopes up. The Greek Salad does not taste Greek, and even the feta is missing a pungent flavor— and the olives and peppers are soggy and delicate from sitting in brine for too many years. The grilled chicken is also missing that smoky charred flavor. The prices are also quite high for the semi-​homemade flavor.
The location is really rundown looking and straight out of the 1970’s. The inside dining area reminds me of the family style restaurants that we frequent when visiting family in small Kentucky towns, that are stained from years of smoke (even the curtains turn yellow). The open grill smoke is absorbed into the dining carpet and everything in between.
Do you remember going over to your friend’s house for a backyard barbeque when you were little? Everything was served on Styrofoam plates with plastic utensils, and the food was mediocre at best. However, you still went over to see your friends and play outside. Basil’s reminds me of that past experience, minus the friends part.
The service is always excellent and the entire staff is very polite. Too bad that I value the flavor and quality of food over hospitality, because the hospitality is bordering on kin-​folk. So, as always, I am going to give Basil’s many more tries for lunch. My co-​workers just adore the place and they have many lunch specials to choose from that sound interesting. But, not everyone has the same taste as me, whether my taste is good or bad.
From the locals: Basil’s is known for their Sweet Tea and dry pita bread with honey butter. None of which go together well.

I look forward to trips home just to eat here! My favorite is the spinach pie with Greek salad. The chicken is also delicious and the portions are very large. The baklava (if you have room for it after the huge meals) is wonderful!

Best chicken in Bradenton! Cheap prices

I love flame-​broiled chicken and always tend to find some tasty independent source within my area. Thanks to the review of my latest Unilocal bud, I found this place today and tried it out.
The chicken was just right. The ribs were juicy and messy. Yum.
The price was right and the people were friendly as well.
What’s not to love?

My family LOVES this place! Why go to one of the blah chains when this savory, well-​prepared food is right in the middle of it all – support the independents! And eat better food!

AMAZING CHICKEN! This is like a fast food joint, order at the counter, grab your plastic tray and eat in a plastic booth. But the similarity to fast food ends there. Behind that counter is a big grill which holds whole split chickens and ribs. The chicken is marinated in something that penetrates the meat and is absolutely DELICIOUS. Similar to Mojo Criollo, not spicy just flavorful. The sides are also good, with the pita and honey butter ranking up top. Their baklava is also excellent. Worth every penny and more! You can’t find chicken this good anywhere but Basil’s. And it’s always reliable. Highly recommended.

Two words: BASIL’S SALAD (tender chicken chunks on a large bed of, if iceberg, lettuce with some tasty dressing @ $ 6.49). The chicken dinners are good, but I just love the Basil’s Salad because they are light, but filling. A friend swears losing weight from eating this salad often. Sometimes one little mini tub of dressing is not enough and you may want to ask for an extra one (and probably not if you’re intent on losing some weight). :-)
There are 3 locations in the Bradenton area and 1 location in Sarasota. It’s a less refined dining room at the 1^st street location (unless it’s been remodeled inside within the last year or so). The East Bradenton location is in a nicer plaza and drive thru service is available at these locations.

If you enjoy savory, mouthwatering, unforgettable chicken, go to Basil’s on your visit to Anna Maria Island. Get the pita bread as a side with honey butter and the house salad. Their chicken is addictive
Basil’s is family owned and and reasonably priced. Locals visit the place regularly. It’s walk in and casual… no reservations necessary.

Awesome I only had the chicken but now I know why it’s called basil’s. The flavor is outstanding if you like BBQ go here, you don’t need any sauce at all.
Great place take home a bucket !!!