Lotus Restaurant — Restaurant in Minneapolis

The reviews were so high for this restaurant so I wanted to give it a try. I was slightly worried when I arrived and saw that there were typical, what I call, "neighborhood Chinese food" dishes on there (general tso type entrees?). I said to myself, "Oh dear how can they serve authentic Vietnamese as well?".

I decided to definitely stick to the classic Vietnamese dishes rather than trying something else. I saw that their lunch special ($10.50) offered a list of entrees, a choice of side, and choice of rice, noodles, or steamed veggies.

I decided to go with a beef pho, a side of their Vietnamese egg roll (served with fish sauce), and a side of steamed veggies. The pho soup was definitely redeeming to their menu item varieties. The soup was hot and savory and tiny bit sweet which are all good qualities in pho broth. The beef was not my favorite cut. It was a bit thick so a little tough but not bad at all. The accompaniments were right; it included bean sprouts, jalapenos, Thai basil, and lime.

The sides came quite a bit after the pho arrived (which was fine by me but maybe not for others?). The veggie portion was pretty generous and included a mix of cabbage, broccoli, snow peas, and other things. I appreciated this option as a side rather than an additional carb just so I could feel like my meal was a bit more balanced.

The Vietnamese egg roll was much larger than I was accustomed to seeing (not complaining at all since the lunch entree only came with one, I just expected it to be smaller). I personally love Vietnamese egg rolls and this one came super hot and crispy. The fish sauce was a little more mild than I'm used to (maybe toned down for locals?) but still good. There was a woman behind the counter that looked like she was running the show who looked and sounded Vietnamese and it reassured me that the cuisine was being made by someone of a Vietnamese background. I'm not saying this HAS to be in all cases, however, for me, it's nice to know.

Payment is quick and easy at their register. They offer phone payment method which I loved. It was a quick in and out for a lunch hour. Surprisingly a...

To start: if you go in person, the restaurant is outstanding. The food is incredible, the service is typically speedy, and you're treated to a very wonderful atmosphere with cozy lighting and usually relaxing modern-day music. If this was the focus of my review, I'd easily give it five stars and say that it blows my standards away. Me and my partner still fully intend on eating here, and it's one of our favorite restaurants to visit.

The issue, however, is delivery. My partner and I have ordered on two separate occasions and each time something about our order is wrong. We typically order the Vietnamese Iced Coffee (btw, get this on your first visit, it's one of the best things there!), but every time we've ordered through delivery it's never arrived. On our most recent order, we ordered the House Lo Mein and were instead given an entirely different dish with fried rice. After asking the delivery driver why we received an incorrect order than what we paid for, he told us that these were the items he was handed. We received no communication that an item was unavailable to order, so I can only assume that the restaurant forgot. I can't really consider that acceptable, as I now have to wait on a refund for something I paid for and didn't recieve.

TL;DR: Food is amazing and it's an awesome place to eat. Go in person! Do not do delivery, however, because your order will likely be incorrect...

Lotus Restaurant has truly won my heart and praise! Everytime I come to a Lotus Restaurant, no matter if it's the Minneapolis location or the Maple Grove location, it's always an unforgettablely wonderful experience. The fresh taste and great quality of the food will send you to flavor town! I have tried the Vegetable Kung Pao, the vegetarian stew pho, and the Tofu Bahn Mi. Any choice will satisfy; you really can't go wrong. They have amazing options for appetizers too. The pork potstickers are served hot, the fresh spring rolls are refreshingly tasty too! My most recent visit at the cozy minneapolis location had me truly won over making lotus my absolute favorite restaurant. A gentleman whom I can only assume was the boss, was dedicating extra time with the customers. He brought us over cups of Vietnamese iced coffee to try completely for free! He brought a small bowl of noodle soup so that we could compare the different noodle types that they offer! As a self proclaimed food lover its needless to say that was blown away. My Tofu Bahn Mi did not skimp on the tofu and it paired perfectly with the crisp yet fresh baguette bread. Thank you to all the amazing staff and to the boss that served us! You make such an amazing difference to the food scene in Minnesota, and having tried other Vietnamese spots, none ever quite hit the same as...