diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 380a8450b19..0a200c0e771 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 - `EuiForm` and `EuiFormRow` now accept nodes for `errors` prop ([#685](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/685))
 - Removed the default `max-width` from `EuiText`. This can still be applied by setting `grow={false}` ([#683](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/683))
 - Added support for text alignment with `EuiTextAlign` ([#683](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/683))
+- `EuiBasicTable` added the `compressed` prop to allow for tables with smaller fonts and padding.  ([#687](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/687))
 
 **Breaking changes**
 
diff --git a/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/props_info.js b/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/props_info.js
index b2889297828..941d5e8a30a 100644
--- a/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/props_info.js
+++ b/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/props_info.js
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ export const propsInfo = {
           required: true,
           type: { name: 'object[]' }
         },
+        compressed: {
+          description: 'Makes the font and padding smaller for the entire table',
+          type: { name: 'bool' }
+        },
         columns: {
           description: 'Defines the table columns',
           required: true,
diff --git a/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.js b/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.js
index 2e9e0ef761f..f26e5128063 100644
--- a/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.js
+++ b/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.js
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ const BasicTablePropTypes = {
   error: PropTypes.string,
   loading: PropTypes.bool,
   noItemsMessage: PropTypes.node,
-  className: PropTypes.string
+  className: PropTypes.string,
+  compressed: PropTypes.bool,
 };
 
 export class EuiBasicTable extends Component {
diff --git a/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.js b/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.js
index cc7146396d8..7725daa2b02 100644
--- a/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.js
+++ b/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ const InMemoryTablePropTypes = {
   loading: PropTypes.bool,
   message: PropTypes.node,
   error: PropTypes.string,
+  compressed: PropTypes.bool,
   search: PropTypes.oneOfType([PropTypes.bool, PropTypes.shape({
     defaultQuery: QueryType,
     box: PropTypes.shape({
@@ -255,6 +256,7 @@ export class EuiInMemoryTable extends Component {
       selection,
       isSelectable,
       hasActions,
+      compressed,
       pagination: hasPagination,
       sorting: hasSorting,
     } = this.props;
@@ -302,6 +304,7 @@ export class EuiInMemoryTable extends Component {
         error={error}
         loading={loading}
         noItemsMessage={message}
+        compressed={compressed}
       />
     );