Basta

Loved our meal at Basta! Great service, lovely atmosphere. Enjoyed the smoked olives, oysters (some of the best we have had!), and a pizza.

Get the whole fish and share it with someone. Reminded us of buying whole grilled fish from street vendors at the beach in Thailand. Nom nom mom

We went to Basta for my birthday dinner and got an app, salad, and pizza. The food was good but not worth the price. Our server was friendly and attentive. However, they have an automatic 22.5% service charge on all parties. I understand an automatic grauity included for larger parties however we were a party of 2 and the service and food was not close to justyfing a 22.5% tip.

Lobster was overcooked and tip is included for all parties regardless of size (and whether or not you actually had good service). Over priced for a “bib gourmand.” 2 stars.

Dinner at Basta is always divine. Basta is one of those places we always think about for a special occasion. Always try the specials, they are dishes that I remember for years afterward, such as a farro risotto smoked with its own chaff, or a smoky vanilla bean ice cream. This time, the "feast of the seven fishes" tasting menu had a hamachi with finger limes and a piada with herb butter and sardines that were both to die for. The vibe inside is quiet but hip and the service is always excellent. Kid-friendliness: We always see a few kids here, which surprises me. The food is fancier than my kids would really enjoy, and at a price point that makes unfinished food painful. I'd much rather get a babysitter to come here sans kiddos.

This is the kind of Michelin recognized restaurant that serves a $30 pizza with a side of cold marinara sauce

The reputation for Basta's food is well-earned - there are very few places in Boulder that offer this level of attention to flavors, textures, and details. Beware that by eating in you are slapped with 20% included gratuity, and like just about everywhere with included gratuity, the service suffers - or more accurately the customer suffers as a result of poor service, since there is no longer any motivating factor for good service. Basta's servers can be salty and mildly unpleasant, show little concern for customers' enjoyment of the meal, and don't follow up on drink pairings they suggested (and in my case suggested poorly, recommending a beer with an unmistakable coffee note when that is exactly what I asked to avoid). Also, if you have someone in your party with food restrictions, and they take those off a pizza and replace them with things they can eat, those should be included. Our server ran up the bill (no surprise) and we ended up with an individual-size pizza that cost us $35. In sum: order to go!

I would give this a 3.5 if I could but rounding down for Google purposes. The food was absolutely delicious. We got the Caesar salad, burrito, and Roberto Pizza and everything was fantastic. The service was also great and our waitress provided great recommendations. The reason this gets a 3 has to do with price and policies. While delicious, the food and drink are very expensive but that's not the worst part. They have a 22.5% service charge on all parties which is ridiculous. You are essentially saying you don't want to pay your staff more so customer will be forced to pay a certain tip. Even if the service sucks you still have to pay 22.5%. Get your priorities in line, pay your staff more and let the customers determine the tip they give