Golden Lotus

Vegan restaurant · Downtown

Golden Lotus

Vegan restaurant · Downtown

1

1301 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94612

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Highlights

Flavorful vegan Vietnamese & Chinese classics; try the pho & spring rolls  

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1301 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94612 Get directions

goldenlotusvegan.co

$10–20 · Menu

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1301 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94612 Get directions

+1 510 893 0383
goldenlotusvegan.co

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 7, 2025

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James Li

Google
Everything on the menu is delicious with great drinks, wonderful rice and specialties, and good atmosphere and service! Highly recommend to any and all vegetarians! Extremely affordable too!

Vivian Bentley

Google
We tried several dishes from the menu and ate it family style. The dishes were very tasty, and their mock chicken dish was good. The whole table loved the spring rolls. I would definitely go back to try more of the menu. Everything looked very tasty.

Candy

Google
I went to eat with my family on Saturday. I had a great meal here. The restaurant has a cozy and warm atmosphere. I miss the taste of my hometown so much. I will recommend it to my friends. The best vegetarian restaurant I have ever eaten at the recommendation of my relative when I came to America.

Chicago Explorer

Google
Ordered House Rice Claypot, which was recommended by waiter--who was kind. Excellent dish. The only downside was menus provided weren't legible. Some words no longer showed. Recommend looking up menu online. It also wasn't clear what type of protein is used in every dish. Also, manager wasn't warm.

Cinde Salazar

Google
Was here twice for lunch, both on the weekends. I'm not a vegan, but loved this place! The staff were very welcoming, and service was great on both occasions. Also, I found the pricing to be very reasonable for the flavors and amount of food! On our first visit, my vegetarian GF introduced me to this place, and we ordered the Mushu Mushu Wrap, Crispy Chow Mein, Spicy Ginger Soy Perfection and a protein rice place with egg cake (can't remember the name). Everything was absolutley delicious and so flavorable. We had lots of leftovers too! The only thing I wasn't feeling was the Spicy Ginger Soy Perfection because the protein had a sweet like glaze which reminded me of "sweet & sour", and I'm not a fan of that flavor. However, one of the staff was having his lunch, stopped by and and said to try his version of his no glaze, and I love it! That was so sweet of him to offer. On my second visit, I took another GF, and we ordered again the Mushu Mushu Wrap, Crispy Chow Mein, but also the Curry Vegetable and Queen (Carmelized Chicken). Unfortunately, the Crispy Chow Mein didn't deliver like it did the first time. It was too crunchy and the sauce lacked flavor. However, the Curry Veggies was super delicious and we used the sauce as a dip for the Mushu Mush Wraps! The Queen was equally good, and we both loved that too! My GF also ordered the Spicy Mongolian Delight to go for her husband, and he loved it too! I've had vegan food before, but not often. This was such a great re-intro and experience, that I am now exploring other vegan restaurants. (One suggestion to the restaurant, please please please replace or clean your menus.)

Yuri Kye

Google
Pleasantly surprised to find a vegan Asian restaurant that serves very delicious food with whole ingredients. They do all the viet/chinese classics but healthier with a lot of flavor. I was so impressed with the Vietnamese coffee - all the flavor and body without any dairy! And I love the “queen” - like a vegan spin on caramel chicken - the protein has really nice texture and the sauce has perfect flavor of sweet and umami. Vegetables are crisp tender here and your fried rice comes to the table with a wok fired taste. Service is kind and just attentive enough - if I had to be really nitpicky i don’t care for the cutlery (low grade metal) and the restaurant *could be cleaner* but as this is a delicious and healthy alternative to my favorite Asian restaurants I’ll be ordering from here often.

Manthan Shah

Google
As a vegetarian, this is THE SPOT! My family and I have been here for years, and every single time we loved it so much! The people here make the food with so much care and attention to detail, and everything tastes so heavenly! This is all I could ever ask for. I was reminded of just how awesome it was when I went there yesterday after graduation. All the same, please support this place as much as you can!

K • a • t

Google
Much love for all the dishes! Fried rice , clay pot and noodle soups were most delicious to me ☺️ Pho is usual go to! great vibes will be back 🥰
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Ema G.

Yelp
Not much to say, this is a Top 3 vegan establishment in Oakland. The Staff go out of their way to make sure you feel welcomed. The spring rolls are phenomenal, i'll be back for more!
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Jaime T.

Yelp
Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Vibe: Big dining room and attentive staff. Located in downtown Oakland. Great place for lunch or dinner. Very full after our meal. Food: Filling and all vegan! Great place for tasty shared dishes or for yourself. My favorite was the curry vermicelli soup.
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Christine L.

Yelp
The space is large so good for groups and plenty of tables so there's never been a wait when I have visited. Clean and staff have always been super kind. As someone who easily gets hit with decision fatigue, it's definitely hard to narrow down what to order. Which is why I recommend bringing friends so you can order a bunch of things and share! Of the four things we ordered, my least favorite was probably the egg roll but everything was delicious overall! The clay pot rice is so simple but yet flavorful and delicious, probably one of the favorites. Great opportunity to try new things!
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Sydney J.

Yelp
I've been here numerous times, so this review covers many different dishes: Crispy chow mein: Generous portion of crispy noodles, and I enjoyed the texture of it. But overall I felt it was weak in flavor so I'd rate it 4/5. Sautee broccoli soy beef: I was not a fan of the zucchini or carrots, the broccoli was ok and tasted decently seasoned. I do like the soy beef, as a vegetarian who enjoys eating plant-based meat alternatives. The sauce gave it a good amount of flavor. I'd give it 4/5. 5-spice tofu over rice: The first time, I selected for brown rice in my order, and found that they gave me wild rice or purple rice, rather than standard brown rice (I see this as a good thing). The tofu was thin, almost tasted eggy like an omelette or pancake. The other cakey part of the dish had a lot of black pepper in it which I love. Overall it was delicious, I'm not sure what I was expecting but it was very filling. Not sure what the sauce was, it was a bit sour and kind of sweet. I decided to order this a second time, but unfortunately on my second time ordering ahead for takeout, it was only when I arrived at the store that they informed me they were out of brown rice and asked if white rice was okay - wish they would've told me ahead of time. But I'd still give this dish a 5/5 since it's very yummy and unique. Spicy sweet potato curry: I asked in the special requests to make it mild when ordering takeout online, since I am weak to spicy. Overall it is quite rich, thick, had quite a bit of carrots. I think it goes well with a carb, though I personally would prefer a crispier texture but I know that's practically impossible once the vegetables have already been cooked and soaked in the curry. I'd torn whether to rate this a 4 or 5. Sweet and sour chicken: They separately packed the sauce from the chicken so it wouldn't get soggy. I liked that it was crispy, fried, savory, had a good texture. I'd give this a 5/5. FYI, as of the last time I visited, they don't take Discover credit cards. Also, there is a small picnic table/bench which seems to just be open for the public, close to the restaurant, if you want to eat outdoors.
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Anna T.

Yelp
Has very good flavor! Got a clay pot fish and sweet & sour soup. The staffs are nice. The food came quick
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Kevin B.

Yelp
Golden Lotus has many unique, flavorful dishes! The protein substitutes are surprisingly tasty. Lots of different vegan Thai dishes to try.
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Ava E.

Yelp
Amazing food! We had Sunday lunch here and it was absolutely amazing! We had mushu wraps, papaya salad, spicy cha cha shrimp, brown rice and won ton soup....and wait are you sure this is vegan? The food was amazing, my friend and I think we have found a gem for sure!!! We will be back...the service was amazing too! We had a great meal and truly enjoyed it!
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Naty D.

Yelp
After watching You Are What You Eat we didn't have the appetite for meat. Ended up here after our daughter's warriors basketball academy. Food and service were just okay. Whenever there's papaya salad on the menu it always ends up on our table. This is the first time I've had it with protein and I'm not sure I like it. I wish it was just papaya. It was too saucy and sweet. I'm used to more spicy and acid. The tamarind dish was good but probably wouldn't order it again on its own. We needed some veggies to go with it. We ordered brown rice and noodles on the side for the little one. Would definitely order something different if we come back.
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Carina L.

Yelp
Oh gosh service and food quality have suffered since COVID19. I am forgiving but the last 4 times since the pandemic have been progressively getting worse or at least not improving so I hope they hear this feedback. Service seemed to be provided by newly trained and inexperienced servers. 1. Know before you go: The menu has been simplified. Some dishes we loved before are no longer served. 2. We got seated at a booth and the table was dirty. Asked the server to wipe it down. Seemed like it should've been cleaned before seating people. 3. I always order #35, a five spice rice plate. The first two times out of four the dish was served differently. On Tuesday, I ate in person and my colleagues's order came nearly 8 min before me so we awkwardly talked while she waited for my food to come. When my food finally arrived, you'd think that it would be HOT and worth the wait. EVERYTHING on my plate was cold including the rice! I overheard the table next to us say to the server: I thought you forgot about us. We were in a hurry to get back to the office but I told them at the end. No apology or accountability was taken.
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Taylor T.

Yelp
Embarrassed that it took us this long to try this place! Staff was quick to greet and seat us. Brought water immediately and menus. The menu is huge! We love the variety of dishes offered. We ordered orange chicken, chow mein, curry soup, potstickers, wontons, and Thai fried rice. No exaggeration when I say everything came out fast, piping hot, and full of flavor with all fresh ingredients! Really appreciate the fresh Lemongrass and cilantro on top. It was pretty busy on a Friday at lunch, yet we didn't feel like we had to wait long at all to get our food. 100000/10! We will be coming back soon & trying more of the menu! Staff was very friendly and very clean inside!
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Sam Z.

Yelp
The food here is good, but not particularly memorable. With COVID spiking again, we opted for takeout, but the service was so slow we might as well have stayed. It's got pretty good ambiance, but while we were sitting there a fight broke out on the street and a couple people called the cops to try to help. I think we had a noodle dish with fake beef and a curry dish with tofu, both of which were fine but neither made much of an impression. The servings were so large we had plenty leftover for a second meal, so I'd say it's pretty good value for the price. Will probably be back since they have such a large menu.
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Sunaal R.

Yelp
Very very slow. I noticed they prioritize people who haven't paid yet. If you do a pick up order and have already paid you will be waiting for an hour to get your food. But if don't pay, shit gets ready in 10 mins. People who came in after me already got their orders. This is some non sense
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Jamee S.

Yelp
I returned with my family so they could try vegan protein. I came back because I had a shrimp craving! All the dishes were delicious!! Everything tasted fresh. Golden rolls Spring rolls Spicy Cha Cha Royal fried rice Vegetable combo soup Eggplant curry claypot Sweet and sour chicken Fantastic meal! Great service!
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Kendra F.

Yelp
I've come once before and had the yellow curry vermicelli. Delicious. I decided to give it a go again when my best friend came to town. We started with a Thai iced tea, a Vietnamese coffee and mushu mushu wraps for the appetizer. The appetizer was recommended by our waiter and it was just right. The bread is a bit thick and almost reminds me of naan mixed with tortilla as far as texture goes. The bread/wrap is actually called Paratha, but I had to give a description. Anyway, it's good and is served with what seems to be a type of thick aioli like dipping sauce. Next up came our entrees. I ordered the sweet and sour chick'n, which i believe is soy based, and a side of rice. The bell peppers in the sweet n sour dish were julienne cut - I'm used to seeing just chopped vegetables in a lot of foods and I always find julienne to make a dish look better for presentation, so it was a nice touch and also pretty good. I'm not vegan, but I'm used to different textures in vegan protein dishes and it was fine by me. I'd order it again. The serving size was enough for leftovers, which may very well be due to having caffeine before my lunch, but it worked for me. The vegetable curry my best friend had was good too! I'm a sucker for anything curry, especially yellow, and I'll probably order that the next time I come in. I can't account for the Thai iced tea, but my Vietnamese coffee was as expected. Nice, iced, and not too sweet.
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Ashwini A.

Yelp
SERVICE - located near downtown Oakland - only street parking which can be difficult to find on a weekend evening - plenty of indoor seating - many people doing takeout orders - the servers let us in at 7:30 as long as we ordered by 7:50 which we did but then the food took almost 45 minutes to arrive by which time the restaurant wanted us to leave so they gave us to go boxes and the check before our last dish came out - servers very curt and do not try to make conversation - ambiance good for casual lunch or dinner MENU - Asian food with strong Vietnamese influence - all vegan - average price ($15 per entree) FOOD - mushu mushu wrap (7/10): Paratha wrap with lettuce, carrot, avocado, and soy protein with a side of mayonnaise. I had not seen Paratha used like this in restaurants so we wanted to try it. I liked how fresh the filling was and the Paratha was not bru oily. I would have preferred a peanut sauce or sweet and sour sauce to the mayonnaise. - curry vermicelli soup (6/10): coconut curry broth with thin noodles, sweet potato, tofu, and soy chicken. I liked the flavor of the broth as it had a good amount of warm spices. The sweet potato was cooked well. The noodles did not absorb any of the broth so were bland on their own. - pan fried vegetable chow fun (3/10): pan fried wide rice noodles with vegetables and tofu. This was my least favorite of the dishes we ordered. The noodles were clumped on one side of the serving plate and did not mix with the vegetables. Some of the noodles were also stuck together. The sauce did not have much flavor other than saltiness. - sesame eggplant tofu (5/10): fried eggplant and tofu in a sesame sauce. This went well with the claypot or some other rice dish to soak up the sauce. There was a good balance between the amount of eggplant and tofu cubes. The sauce was quite sweet and could have used more of the bitter sesame flavor. - house rice claypot (7/10): crispy rice layered with bean threads, onion, ginger, shiitake mushrooms, and tofu served in a hot claypot. This was from the specials menu and looked quite unique. When it comes to the table, the serving dish is still steaming so be careful when removing the lid. I liked how the flavors melded together with nothing overpowering the rest of the ingredients. The rice at the bottom of the pot was also crispy for added texture. WOULD I COME BACK? Probably not unless I was in the area and nothing else was available
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Heather M.

Yelp
Flavorful and fresh vegan food served hot and with quick service. They provide an assortment of sauces including chili, sriracha, ginger, hoisin and soy sauce, but most are packaged rather than made here. This isn't somewhere I'd recommend for desirable ambiance, but anywhere can be enjoyable when with loved ones.
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RS G.

Yelp
When I lived in Oakland this was my go to spot. I am glad it's still around. I just had lunch there and the food is STILL as tasty as it was. Get everything. But if you can't get the pot stickers and the cha cha "shrimp." You will NOT regret it. If you want to try vegan food come here and it might, just might change your mind. I want to say that there isn't really a specific type of Asian flavor, but if I had to guess I would say it leans towards Chinese and Vietnamese. I will always come back to this place when I go to Oakland.
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Michelle D.

Yelp
I love this place! Great food very responsible with quality good customer service. The selections are delicious and cooked to perfection. The egg rolls are freshly made not the new mushy ones restaurants are serving. The Pho is phenomenal and so so good. For a good bite to eat and Vegan stop by and give them a try! You will not be disappointed
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Jack R.

Yelp
Not sure why this place has five stars. Is it because it's the best vegan restaurant? Probably not. Is it because it's one of the only ones around? Probably. Slow service AND the waitresses didn't wear a mask. Not sure if not wearing a mask now is a thing, but not wearing gloves when you're cutting cheesecake or scooping ice isn't exactly great either. The food is okay. It is super expensive. I paid $7 for a small thai iced tea (mason glass jar full of ice) and every dish is like 30% more than other places I know of for no meat. Once again the food is average, the staff could care less (they tried to charge me twice by asking me to pay and sign another copy thankfully I kept my receipt and they said they forgot I paid), amd everything is overpriced. If you get the fresh spring rolls the rice paper tastes old. If you get the fried food like the "chicken" at least it's hot.
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Shonece B.

Yelp
Golden Lotus offers a variety of vegan delights, but the experience is a mixed bag. The halved fried wings lacked excitement, though the fried wontons were a taste explosion. The curried vegetables trended towards the soupy side, but the sweet and sour soy curl chicken was a definite winner. Thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing Thai iced tea. Prompt service, pleasant ambience, and a delightful vegan culinary adventure.
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Alycia H.

Yelp
Visiting the bay to see some family. When it comes to restaurants I usually just vote healthy, so uncle took me to this vegan food restaurant, veganese to be specific. We ordered the spring rolls, pineapple fried rice, the spicy "shrimp " and the broccoli "beef". I liked the shrimp, coz maybe anything fried just tastes good. I could not wrap my head around the faux beef though, for me it's a strong NO. It's not meat then wth is it? I couldn't eat it. First time with pineapple in my rice, it was ok. The Thai tea was the highlight of my meal, SO GOOD! The spring rolls were refreshing also. The service, ambiance were good--bathroom had cool art in it and it was clean. I'd go back especially if I ever backpedal and go vegan for health reasons. I don't know why I don't want to go vegan, which reminds me I want to watch bad vegan on Netflix... See you again.
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Brandi S.

Yelp
I recently went to Golden Lotus Vegan for the first time, and it did not disappoint!The service was excellent! The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.The ambiance was warm and inviting.10 out of 10!Here is a list of everything we had: * Golden Rolls * Sweet and Sour Soy Chicken * Spicy Cauliflower * Spicy Mongolian Delight * Indian Fried Rice * Spicy Battered Mushrooms
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Naomi H.

Yelp
I was saving such a difficult time finding a vegan-friendly restaurant open on Sunday that felt like a sit down restaurant. When we came in, the restaurant was busy with only a few open tables and one very busy staff person. Once we got settled, the male server was extremely helpful in giving us recommendations, going page by page through their extensive menu (which has pictures of almost every dish). We shared the dishes and really liked everything that we ordered - especially the moo-shoo wraps, the sweet and sour 'chicken', and the house riceclay pot. The food came out fast and seemed very fresh. I can't wait to go back and try other dishes! I also appreciated the eco-conscious reusable chopsticks and cardboard 'to-go' containers. Will definitely be back!
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Leicia W.

Yelp
WOW. AMAZING VEGAN FOOD. Kind servers and a quiet calm atmosphere. Their mushu rolls are unbelievably delicious. Also, get the avocado smoothie. CRAZY GOOD. The sweet and sour chicken was good, but I'm curious about their orange chicken. I even joked to my boyfriend that I'd come here for my 30th birthday next year. Successful vegan eateries bring joy to my heart. What's better than outstanding cruelty free food?!? Thank you Golden Lotus for existing. I'll %100 be back and I'll bring a friend too. Thank you thank you thank you.
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Arthur M.

Yelp
I stumbled upon Golden Lotus while taking a stroll with my doggie I like vegan entrees and I like Asian cuisine so this is a match made in heaven I started off with the fried potstickers. They were delicious. I also ordered the "chicken" wings. I wasn't too crazy about those. Later I ordered the spicy noodle soup. The broth was loaded with flavor,but I just wished it was a bit more spicy. The service was good. They were attentive and kind.
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Nina N.

Yelp
Wanted a healthier meal today, so I went by Golden Lotus for a late lunch. The food is always delicious - on a cold day, I love the spicy noodle soup. I'm usually wary of vegan broths, but this one was able to compass almost all the qualities I would expect in a spicy noodle soup. The service was definitely lackluster the day I went. There weren't many diners at that time, but it took us almost 15 minutes to have our order taken and that was only because we came up to the counter. Regardless, I still enjoyed the meal. The interior is lit well and has booths for you to sit in. It feels very homey.
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Max M.

Yelp
I went there today and was very disappointed by the food and price. I asked the waiter to bring me the most popular dish, and he obliged me with a large bowl of white rice with bits of tofu and dried Chinese mushroom. It was very mediocre, and made from the very cheapest ingredients. Price: $16. I also ordered a Thai ice tea, which was good, but cost $7 for a glass half filled with ice. Total bill: $24 plus $4 tip = $28 for a meal I could have made better at home for about $3. If you want to dine at a good vegan restaurant, skip this place.
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Candice T.

Yelp
This is a great place for vegan Chinese food. I liked the krange chicken and the chow Mein. Will definitely return.
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Jennifer W.

Yelp
Visited on a Friday for lunch. Was greeted and seated promptly by a friendly face. I ordered the house rice claypot. On top of the rice was tofu, shiitake mushroom, clear noodle, and ginger. I had my dish sans onion. The flavor was on point, not overly salty and everything felt very fresh. They have a lot of wonderful options on their menu with the average cost of an entrée being $15. There is a lot of seating in the restaurant, the service was attentive and efficient, and the menu is plentiful. I would certainly visit again and recommend to any veghead or omni any time!
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Jeanne T.

Yelp
growing up my grandma, mom, uncle, and i would walk all the way from Chinatown to here for lunch. it's been over 10+ years since ive order from here. walking into the restaurant was definitely a nostalgic experience. I'm not sure if this spot is still the same owners from when i went as a child but for the most part (with the interior design, menu options, and location) it's pretty similar. mango sticky rice ($8) spicy noodle soup ($15) fried potstickers ($8) i appreciate how they take a lot of staple Vietnamese dishes usually structured from meat-based to veggie based. i personally tried the spicy noodle (which is similar to bun bo hue) -- the soup base is super bomb and they also used the bun bo hue noodles. perfect for the cold days like now. as for the fried potstickers they were pretty bomb and had great flavor and texture but not something i'd regularly order as opposed to my spicy noodle soup and mango sticky rice. and something id highly recommend if you stop by. the last item i ordered was the mango and sticky rice. usually, I'm pretty picky when it comes to desserts as I don't enjoy them being too sweet. which is why their mango and sticky rice is perfect as the sweetness of the mango paired with the slightly sweetened sticky rice. tips: - perfect for vegetarians and vegans but also great for those who are interested in trying delicious vegetarian and vegan options - street parking available - walking distance to oakland chinatown, telegraph, broadway area/lake merrittt - family and kid-friendly - available for dine-in and take out
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Mike D.

Yelp
This place is wonderful!!! Don't believe the Naysayers! We ate there daily All Summer long ! Their steamed ginger chicken was heaven sent ! Rice paper rolls were just Mahhhvelousss! Can't Wait to go back !

Sachi ..

Yelp
Some of the best food and the worst service you'll ever receive! For real, these bitches will abuse and gaslight you but you truly won't care bc the food is so yummy. Ambiance of an awkward spa/dentist office. I love it here.
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Maria G.

Yelp
This is my go to vegan spot when I am in the bay. I will make the trek every time. From the wings app to the fried rice and noodle dishes my belly is always filled with goodness. It's the best spot for vegan Asian cuisine.
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Scott B.

Yelp
I'm tempted to give a 1-star review, but the food is still pretty good. Although not as good as nature vegetarian just a couple blocks down the street. Called in an order and was told 20 minutes. I showed up about 25 minutes later and it wasn't ready. No biggie, but after it had been 45 minutes I asked what was going on. Apparently the chef didn't show up and it would be another 15 minutes or so. They didn't feel the need to mention this to me 20 minutes earlier? My family including 2 hungry kids are waiting in the car this whole time. They refused to refund me and didn't even offer a discount or dessert. I suspect that if they treat their customers this poorly, they probably don't treat employees any better. Perhaps that's why their chef bailed on them. Needless to say, I won't be coming back.
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Steve D.

Yelp
I decided to try this restaurant after seeing the nice reviews on Yelp, and in the interest of trying a true vegan place. Around lunch time on a Saturday, I ordered for takeout: Crispy Chow Mein w/ Vegetables, and "Chicken" Drumsticks. The service was nice enough, friendly and cheerful. How was the food? Not alot of flavor.....a little bland, needs seasoning. -Crispy Chow Mein w/ Veggies, Grade (3/5), I like the crispy noodles, and I like the veggies. But the taste isn't there. I tried to add soy sauce and my own sesame oil, but they failed to bring out the flavor. Strange fried noodles too. More like a cake of noodles. They didn't smell like freshly fried noodles. -"Chicken" drumsticks, Grade(2/5): imitation soy chicken drumsticks. I guess when you can't eat meat, you have to settle for this type of food. It looks like fried chicken, but doesn't taste like it. My thought.....real fake food. I wonder why you can't deep fry it? Perhaps Vegan dishes are an acquired taste, and it's just not for me. I'm sure it's better for my overall health. I might return and try their soups, and update/improve my review. --------------------------------------- Support Local Business!
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Mike B.

Yelp
This Vegan place was busy, I thought I'd come here an hour to closing to get a table and was able to get a seat. The mushu mushu platha wrap was super tasty, I wanted to order another plate . The sweet and sour was on point, had to order the rice coz it didn't come with it, but if your vegan, this place is a must visit. If you do order the Mushu, get some chili sauce it just opens up the flavors. Hoping to come back here and try out the rest of the food!!
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Sabine M.

Yelp
I love this place and don't miss meat when eating here. They re-did the menu which now doesn't include pricing which is kind of weird but it's still a nice selection. The staff isn't super friendly but the food is really good band I like coming back! I like their lemongrass chicken, the clay pot and their beef dishes but pretty much everything is good there!
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Elaine T.

Yelp
I'm pretty skeptical of vegan spots but I was looking for a light and healthy dinner in Chinatown late Sunday evening and Golden Lotus was the only option--I'm so glad it was because it was incredible! The highlight for me was the lotus salad. The vinaigrette was tart and not too sweet and there was a good assortment of vegetables. It even came with snow fungus which has a ton of collagen and is super good for you. Highly recommend this dish and would 100% get it again. My sister got the Thai fried rice. I liked the flavour although I thought it would be spicier--it was as spicy as black pepper. The rice was also a little too wet for fried rice. Overall this spot is an absolute must-try for vegans, and I'd highly recommend non-vegans give this spot a try as well. We stayed away from the fake-meat dishes as normally I feel like places can never do a good job imitating the real thing, but our two dishes were really good that I'd be willing to order those next!
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Miguel Z.

Yelp
Let me just say that I'm not into vegan food. Yep, I'm that guy. Respect to those that have escaped the capitalistic meat industry, but I just can't do it. Not yet at least. This place blew my ignorant mind tho. If I was vegan, this would be my go to place.. This place is amazing and so many dishes are delicious. Just full of amazing flavors. Order hella food. Try everything. Can't recommend this place enough.

Karen C.

Yelp
The dishes I choose here are definitely memorable. I love this place. They have unique combinations of flavors and it is always fresh, veggies cooked perfectly. The people are very friendly and helpful. Yes there is sometimes a wait but I think it's totally worth it! If you are a bit spicy, the jalapeno tofu is amazing.
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Nyla S.

Yelp
The food was so delicious and the service was great! This is bookmarked as a Oakland goto for me, fam, and friends that embrace vegan dining! I'll definitely be returning!
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Elizabeth U.

Yelp
We walked in and ordered take out of Spicy noodle soup, a stir fry noodle option, and fried egg rolls. Everything tasted amazing. And the entree portions were enough for a second meal or to feed at least two hungry adults. Since we were waiting for our food, we got to see that they had an inviting interior. They also had vegan cheesecake options for dessert! Will definitely order from here again. Friendly staff and the food was ready within 15min of walking in and ordering. FYI Their website will only allow you to put in your order but payment is needed at pick up. They are doing it" this way to protect your information."
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Joseph F.

Yelp
I would have to say that Golden Lotus could be the best Vegan restaurant possibly in the country. We ordered take outs several times before deciding to visit them in person for a birthday celebration with 14 people during November 2022. We ordered every appetizer on the menu plus 10 or so entrees and several deserts. Needless to say the food was excellent and came in generous portions. The total bill was $371. The service was impeccable and the speed of delivery was truly impressive. The ambience as well was nothing short of simple but elegant. Followed up with another visit last night and their delivery was consistent with the previous occasions. All the dishes were so tasty but I must mention their shrimp and fish dishes were totally outstanding. The food style is Chinese and Vietnamese fusion. Thank you Golden Lotus for such innovative food and amazing service.
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Dana R.

Yelp
It's between 3 and 4 stars for me. The food was yummy and veg, and parking was east on a Sunday evening. Presentation was nice enough. But service was very very hit and miss (hot and cold?)... and maybe it's because I'm not as used to Bay Area prices, but I just didn't think the overall value was great.
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Hieyam A.

Yelp
Everything on the menu is delicious! I'm amazed that everything is vegan. As a non-vegan, I can usually tell the difference but you really can't! The flavors are so good, it tastes delicious consistently. Over the last three years I feel like every bowl of phó or plate of fried rice has been exactly what I expect each time! 5/5 stars for sure, but I want to give 10/10. Done in and take out are both fantastic options and recommend getting the fresh rolls (the rice paper wrapped ones) and phó!
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Arati U.

Yelp
Excellent food! Best fried rice ever :) Lovely customer service. No onion, no garlic option for all dishes. Gluten free option for many dishes. Yum!

Rochelle ..

Yelp
I was bummed that someone working in the kitchen was hacking the entire time. Also, I went the last hour. 10 minutes ahead of closure those of us dining inside were brought to go containers and the check and told that they they were closing. Customer service could be better. Oh, and my wonton soup flavor was ok. But the noodles were raw. I just ate the veggies and the broth and left the noodles in the bowl.
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rugbarn d.

Yelp
4.5 stars A friend and I came here, she recommended it since she'd come with co-workers before and liked it. Neither of us are vegan or even vegetarian. I actually love ribs and bacon and burgers. That being said, this is one of the best, most flavorful Asian vegan restaurants I've been to! The bad: The only reason I didn't give full 5 stars is because $7 for Thai Ice Tea?! Really? And there was no price on the menu and I didn't ask because I figured, it would be about $5/$5.50. A tiny bowl of rice with wasn't included with the entree was $3. So I was upset that together with tip and tax, that meal would've cost more than $30 for lunch??? The good: I ordered the crispy spicy chicken and friend ordered curry vermicelli soup. I tried some of the soup and went back for seconds! It was so good. My chicken was excellent! I kept looking at my food wondering, why is this so good? Lemongrass The service was really good too and overall very clean place. Would definitely come back again.
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J X.

Yelp
They're... all right... Got a very long hair inside my spring rolls, so at least they seem to be made in-house...? The food doesn't taste like much. It's just very meh. I would like to be more supportive of a vegan Chinese restaurant, but it just wasn't that good. The chow mein especially seemed like the noodles were overcooked and too soft with the whole dish being extremely bland. Everything else we ordered was about the same.
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Juicke C.

Yelp
Recently paid a visit, my girlfriend enjoys an occasional vegetarian meal. It has been a few years since my last visit. We shared an order of the vermicelli bowl with spring roll and curry eggplant and tofu with brown rice and Thai iced tea. I must admit I rarely visit vegetarian restaurants. The vermicelli bowl had grilled pork tasting tofu with all of the usual shredded vegetables, drizzle in the fish sauce. I couldn't tell the difference from the real melted vermicelli bowl. The curry eggplant and tofu was slightly spicy and welcomed. Together with brown rice, it was simply good with curry over the rice. Heavenly good. The Thai iced tea didn't taste as strong as those with dairy product, nonetheless nice. All in all, it was a good experience and I look forward to trying other vegetarian establishments nearby as a return visit. I recommend a visit, you will enjoy it.