Sweet Basil Bistro 40629 Big Bear Boulevard, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

"Wonderful dining experience! This little restaurant does not feel like it's tucked away under anything. We were seated right and our waitress was super friendly. I think her name was Jaime and she took great care of us. She recommended the grilled artichoke appetizer and it was so delicious we didn't even stop to take a picture! We followed it up with the penne with bolognese sauce. Added an extra Italian sausage because why the heck not? My fiance had the linguine with the pine nut pesto sauce and she loved it. And apparently she needed a ribeye on the side to round it out. The steak was cooked perfectly. We finished our meal with the house made doughnuts and they came with three sauces. Those take a few extra minutes as they fry them to order. This was a gem and we will be back. It has a classy feel for a date night but there were families in there too so don't worry about bringing the kids."

"The butternut squash soup is amazing! Probably the best soup I've eaten ever!! The olive oil that comes with the bread is so garlicky, which is my favorite flavor, so that was a huge delight!!"

"Absolutely impressed! I come from New York and let me tell you, this was hands down the best Italian food we’ve had on the west coast. Service was AMAZING, you need a reservation but we got lucky and we got a table walk in. The lady at the front of the house was so understanding, she took an order just cause it was past dinner time for our baby and we got his food as soon as we sat at the table. Their freshly made loaf of bread was so delicious and really set the tone for the rest of the dinner. We ordered their Chicken Parmesan, special of the day-chicken picatta and my mom had their lobster lasagne which was out of this world!! (It’s really hard to impress my mother since she’s Indian and won’t like anything but Indian food) So creamy and delicious, I definitely will try my best to replicate it at home. We live in Joshua Tree but safe to say like another review that I read, I’m ready to drive out here all the way just to have some great Italian food. This is your spot!!! Eat here now!!"

"This was the best dining experience I have had in Big Bear in a long time!! The food was phenomenal, the service was flawless. From the moment I walked in I already knew it was going to be good, the place was packed, and smelled so yummy! Every aspect of our meal was perfect, and really beyond my expectations. I had the linguine with creamy pesto sauce and the Italian sausage, which they slice and cook up so it’s crispy and delicious. My wife had the penne with the pink sauce and some meatballs, we both had food envy, so naturally I cannot wait to go back and try more. For dessert we had the crème brûlée, always one of my favorites, and they put a little candle in it for our anniversary. Honestly, not many places up here pay such good attention to the food, the quality, the experience, and the guests. 10s across the board!"

"Went on a Saturday night and I recommend making a reservation...it was busy and they were only seating people with one. Small little spot but the food and service was excellent. You have to order the artichoke appetizer...it was delicious! Everything vwe had was so flavorful and our waiter was always checking up on us. Also had a great drink menu...I recommend the old fashioned"