LOTUS BISTRO

Do not judge a book by its cover! The parking lot reconstruction masks a hidden gem. This seems like a popular pickup place, but we chose to dine in and we were the only customers sitting. Met the owners who were very kind. The real magic is the broth. This is one of the cleanest, more memorable broths we have had. A very slight hint of sweetness. All three of the items we ordered were great. # 2 - Spring Rolls (appetizer) #19 - Seafood Pho #23 - Beef Pho Deluxe Highly recommend and would go back again!

Hidden behind construction, but I would say this place has the best Vietnamese food I’ve ever had — especially being in the OC area. The fella taking our order was attentive and patient. The food was delicious.

I totally forgot to take a picture because I was so focused on eating, but the shrimp spring rolls had a dipping sauce that was different and better than other restaurants.Also, the shrimp pho soup had a different color broth(little red color), but the flavor was rich and deep, which I really loved.The food comes out in just 10 minutes, so if you're really hungry, you should definitely check it out.

We have the beef banh mi sandwich, and the Vietnamese beef stew w/baguette......delicious broth, great sandwich. Flavorful. The app combo was just the right amount of all three rolls. The Thai iced tea and Vietnamese coffee were nice!!

New location! This one has the same vibes as the previous location but with a taller ceiling so it’s much brighter inside. I got their chicken salad (goi ga) and the wonton soup. The chicken salad was super fresh with crunchy cabbage, carrots, and mint. The addition of fried shallots and peanuts added a fun texture too. The fish sauce mixed with their fried chili oil was a killer flavor combo. The wonton soup definitely hit the spot on such a cold day like today. The wontons themselves had flavor and the broth really warmed up the body. Definitely coming back!

Parking lot all dug up in front of the business, not funny. Massive delay It's a complete project due to city negligence

Their vegetable crepe is crazy good. Lots of vegetarian options and veggie broth. Staff is very friendly and attentive.

Great food, great service! We were visiting from out-of-town with friends and had to have Vietnamese food. So glad we went to the Lotus Bistro! The pho was delicious and the bun too!

Hey, Y'all! I forgot to post this review on yelp but I gave this place a raving review on Google maps the first time I came. I put a screenshot of my Google Maps review. Anyways...I came back and got the rare steak and well done brisket pho. First thing to note, the broth is SOOO fragrant. Second, the meat was really tender and even though it says "well-done brisket", it wasn't chewy or anything. As it was last time, the place was really pleasant to have dinner at because the service was great and the atmosphere was clean and relaxing. Definitely bringing my friends here the next time I'm in town!

New Lotus Bistro, westside Costa Mesa. We very much enjoyed the pad Thai combo, best I ever had, and a large bowl of egg noodle and dumpling wonton soup, also delicious. Sizes of dishes were generous. At its Harbor Blvd location the outside ambience may be humble, but inside is a warm happy charm with zen simplicity. We also met the friendly proprietor, Cam, and could tell he has put a lot of love into the place. His chefs make the dishes with a unique flavor that is different from usual Viet food, with more personality. Definitely making the new Lotus restaurant one of our favorites in our neighborhood in westside Costa Mesa.

Don't let the area or outside fool you- inside is something worth your time. Food was solid and we would probably consider coming back to try again. The chicken pho was good- thanks to the quantity and everything for it tasted fresh. The chicken Banh mi was pretty good- the quality of everything inside was good and the amount was fair. It wasn't the best bread though- we would want to try again to see if it could be better. We have had better ones with better quality bread. The vibe inside was cozy. Has a friendly touch to it for how small it is. We will probably try again and if you are debating to try- try it.

The food under cook and pricy. Pho Lantern is way better. If you Asian and want try Pho. Don't come here. Worst Pho I ever taste.

Family was visiting and we were trying to find a good spot to meet up and Lotus Bistro seemed to be the best Vietnamese place in town. I suggested this spot, and it did not disappoint. My in-laws loved the food and were surprised at how good it was. The owner had to downsize and we filled up the whole restaurant. He was really nice and staff was quick and friendly. As a vegetarian I tried their tofu banh mi and tofu bowl which actually was really flavorful and delicious. I loved that here were veggie options as well. It's a mom and pop shop, and the restaurant business is so hard. I felt moved by the owner's story. This place is worth a try and I'd definitely be back if I'm in the area again.

Husband ordered from here for Uber Eats delivery. 1) filet mignon pho - decent 2) egg rolls (4) - it was ok 3) shaken beef with rice - succelent beef 4) grilled pork banh mi sandwich - decent, a bit too much mayonnaise Place is more of a 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

This is the best place I've been to for their vermicelli. And the other food is great as well. It is the same owner as the one previously at Newport Beach. Nice ambiance inside. Do not be turned off by the outside plaza. The food is amazing and the price is not bad for the economy that we're in now. Go give it a try. The owner is super nice and accommodating.

We came in after a rainy day at the coast. I was really craving Pho and was highly disappointed. The spring rolls were fresh, but the pho was bland and overpriced. Not worth the cost.

I've been obsessed with fresh rolls and these are so good! A lot of protein ( I get the pork ones) and delicious peanut sauce, highly recommend!

From the spring rolls to the rice dishes to the pho I was hooked. Fresh and flavorful don't do the dishes justice. I was so happy with my meal. But what was even better was the warm way we were welcomed and guided on what to order. The owners were loving and gracious. I felt like I was eating at my friend's house. I will definitely be coming back!

I was not expecting the interior to be so charming and beautiful. We should've ordered to eat in but either way the food quantity was good for all day eats. Definitely recommend.

I love this place. We order take out and it's always delicious. We love the marinated pork but you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Everything is made so fresh. Definitely worth ordering from!

Came here last night for the first time and ordered takeout. Vegetable pho (regular size) and a tofu bahnmi sandwich (one size only)...the food was delicious. I really liked the soup. The sandwich was off the charts and huge. I will be eating leftovers tonight.

Got the egg rolls and filet mignon pho and both were fantastic. Highly recommend eating your food there for the amazing service!

Nice quite and. It too busy place to get some Vietnamese food in Newport. Food quality and taste doesn't come close to the all time favorite bamboo bistro in corona Del Mar but you also don't have to wait for an hour for a table. Their pho is good and hearty. The Vietnamese spring rolls are ok although the peanut sauce was very runny. Ambiance is nothing to right home about. Also on a Friday night they pretty much close any around 9:30. No alcohol served but you can bring your own beer which is really nice.

Great service, calm place, very consistent Pho- even the rare beef take out! I was so bummed I thought they closed but they just moved up the street!

Wow!wow and super wow lovvvvvvvvvve their menu everything looked appetizing. I got some pork spring rolls so yummy the sauce is amazing the taste is exquisite. Definitely returning and not to mention the ice coffee was so creamy and strong. The gentleman was so sweet and mentioned I would not be disappointed let me tell you I'm not thank you so much.

Honestly 10/10!!! Thoroughly enjoyed every single thing ordered. Fried rice is exceptionally good! Came for the Bò Kho and it was AMAZING!

the restaurant is small now and the portions seemed small too. ordered shrimp spring rolls and a chopped pork meal with fried rice. the peanut sauce is good with added chili oil. kind of overcooked and had an unfamiliar wood smoke taste. never was offered a refill of ice tea nor water. communication was a bit difficult with the server. not the same as when located in newport beach. darn

Very disappointing Banh mi sandwich, Especially for $10. Thought I would give this spot a go since my place closes early. Next time I'll wait, it seems like no place can beat THH sandwiches.

We order from Lotus all the time, the owner is very nice and the pho is excellent (I get the filet mignon pho). Def give it a try if you're in the mood for Vietnamese . Sad they were forced out of their old location, but no can't wait for the new one to open!

This place is my favorite for great Pho, spring rolls, and sandwiches. The owners are the absolute sweetest and always give great service. The best thing about this gem is the food is consistent and delicious every time.

Love this place... been coming here for years... they are moving in a few days over near the 99Cents store

First time here and would definitely come back and try all the other goodies here. The shrimp roll was delicious and went well with the peanut sauce. The #49 was also good. The chicken was tender and everything that went with it was on point. The service is very cute and traditional. It's a cute little spot hidden off old Newport blvd.

Amazing service with great food. Went in not feeling too good and asked if they made ginger tea. The owner stated no we do not, but I can make you one. With reciprocity, I ordered some seafood pho, and sat down and enjoyed it there. 1st time coming through and amazing food with an amazing service... Thank you I will be back and will recommend your restaurant.

First time here. Small place, big hit with the food. Fresh vegetables, cooked to order, excellent pho. Highly recommend.

My ass got a tiny bit poisonous from this palace. But they straight cold for serving me no nonsense. I reserve the right to refuse the rice. And I'll hold only anyone enduranced by the wind of the sea and thereby swept across my feet immediately. I shalt not return until my ass.

This place is so good! They moved from Newport blvd and glad they have a new location to share their delicious food. I've had a bunch of stuff here but I tend to get their pho and egg rolls. The staff is very nice. Young man at the front helped me right away and was able to get me my Togo order quickly. I'll be coming back more!

Some of the best egg rolls & broth you'll ever have. The definition of a great little hole in the wall family restaurant.

If you wondered what happened to Lotus Bistro, they moved up to Harbor Boulevard and Victoria. As you would expect, the food, service and ambiance were superb! Cam and Diane made us feel welcomed and cared for. We had the best Pho, as always, and got to chat with them before they closed for the night. They took the time to catch up with us and truly are the epitome of a neighborhood restaurant that cares about its clientele. We're so glad we found you, welcome home Lotus Bistro, we missed you!!

Yummy Pho and the shaken beef was excellent. Appetizer combination plate was really good.

1. Messed up our takeout order. (Chicken instead of beef) 2. Seafood Fried rice has two pieces of shrimp and like 5 huge pieces of fake crab meat. 3. Packaging for take out order not in right kinds of containers. (Those with Divided slots for vermicelli noodle and fried rice)

I had dinner here, and I cannot recommend this place enough. My top recommendation would be the curry, which I ordered with chicken. It's sensational. It's savory, sweet, with coconut undertones, the aroma of lemongrass, and a touch of heat. I shared some with the rest of my table, and everyone loved it. (Food geek aside: I appreciated that this curry was simmered with all its ingredients, rather than just assembled at the last second with the chosen protein, because the next day out of the fridge, it had solidified from the gelatin in the chicken! It definitely added to the flavor.) We also had the vermicelli bowl with pork and egg roll--another classic, although I found the dressing to be a bit tame, it didn't have enough fish sauce, in my opinion (your boy likes some stank in his dressing). Their pho was also very good, you can't go wrong with that one. Spring rolls were fabulous--dare I say the chicken ones bested the shrimp? As for the other specs, it's a cozier restaurant that has about ten small tables. There's plentiful parking in a private lot. Service was excellent. Curry is the winner! Try it today!

Such amazing food!! Everything is so fresh and delicious there. The owner is so kind as well. They had to change locations, but the new one isn't much further away, and the food so worth following them to their new spot!! Seriously can't recommend enough

Don't come here if you want good authentic Vietnamese food. It appeared that whatever was left in the kitchen is what is used to put together the entrees. I have never heard of an Asian restaurant that runs out of white rice! The flavors are wrong and just because you put fish sauce in it, doesn't make it goodI noticed more togo orders than actual diners. I don't know how they have remained opened charging what they charge and lacking quality and flavor in the food. I actually went here on accident thinking it was another Vietnamese restaurant called Lotus. My bad

Sadly, it wasn't love. Hankering for pho on a cold, gray day, I thought I'd give Lotus a try after all these years. And I was excited to skip the trek to Westminster for once, but after my visit to Lotus, maybe I should've trudged up there again that day. Thinking pho tai was the safest choice, I became excited for all things classic: rare, thin steak, that lengthily cooked bone broth and those mouthwatering rice noodles. But alas, the broth broke my heart. A bland tragedy-- even adding quite of bit of salt couldn't save my bowl. There was a total lack of depth of flavor, not even piping hot when it came out, just cloudy & gray in color like the day I ate it. "How old is this broth?" was the thought going through my mind as I slowly consumed the bowl. And it didn't help that the noodles were overcooked, just mushy & broken. The rare steak was tough; not the freshest and cut a little too thick. The egg rolls were mediocre at best but nothing to write home about. For Vietnamese food in Newport Beach, my hopes were definitely higher than my expectations. Still, I think Lotus & I are going to remain broken up for good. Perhaps Westminster will forgive me for my momentary lapse in judgement.

Came here for the first time with my husband. We both had the pho it was very fresh and flavorful. The service was great and the owner came by to say hello. We look forward to returning! Some of the best pho in Costa Mesa/Newport Beach area.

We wish we could give Lotus Bistro a higher rating and that it lived up to its hype, but sadly, it doesn't. We got the Filet Mignon Pho and the Chicken Pho delivered and everything came poorly packaged in styrofoam containers. The noodles and meat were in the same small styrofoam container and bc the filet was completely rare and the bag was opened, the blood had seeped all over on to the noodles and it just looked so unappealing. The filet mignon itself was soft as butter though. The chicken, on the other hand, was totally dry. I like the addition of fried onions for the soup, but really we just had broth and some noodles bc of how dry the chicken was. It was as if it had been made weeks ago and there was no way to save it and no amount of broth could have made it tender. No one wanted to eat it. The noodles were also on the hard side and not the freshest for either pho as well. There are just such better pho places in OC that there would be no reason to ever try this place again.

A lot of meat in the combo pho but could do better with the broth - a bit too sweet and not too deep I'd say. But definitely good portions and the spring rolls are a great choice too!

I was STARVING and needed to go for a walk so I ended up stopping here for a quick bite. I like the jazz playing (3 stars) and it's so cute inside! I ordered #32 which I think is chicken breast with veggies. I'll lyk how it is!I was absolutely famished so I ate the chicken with a few vegetables so fast I didn't even take a picture of it. It wasn't that great but it did the trick! I'm not wild about the ambiance at this place (zero) but the owner seems like he's really trying hard to be successful.

Don't let the small location fool you. The food is absolutely delicious. Everything is made to order. You can tell they are working hard back there. Will definitely come back again

All Pho The Noodz hehe glutenfree ricenoodles for me plz This spot has got me slurpin my way to Vietnamese food happiness Orange County may have a lot of Asian restaurants, but finding affordable & quality spots is rare. Accommodating all diets, from carnivores, vegan & pescatarian Personal faves are the seafood pho vegan broth w/ hearty portions of whitefish, shrimp, calamari, & krab yum! My love for Vietnamese food is so strong I always end up ordering 2 dishes- does anyone else do that?! vermicelli bowl is a must along side along side my unphogettable soup The kind owners/staff alone will have you coming back pho more I've turned my mom in to a Vietnamese addict like me PHO sho too hehe She especially loves this place & insists we always go back here she doesn't want to try anything else. I don't blame her, I'm hooked too! And if you're in a hurry, they got you covered w fast seating & quick food to table delivery- or you can get to go which many people tend to do.

Hmm, I'm torn between 3 stars and 4 but decided to round up. We thought some pho would hit the spot on a chilly night (by Cali standards at least lol) so we got takeout through DoorDash. I got the veggie pho (regular) and my husband got the chicken pho with an added upcharge of $2 for a large. When the order arrived, the restaurant quite annoyingly didn't label which broth was vegetarian and which chicken. I had to have my husband taste both to determine which was which. Plus they looked to be the same size so not sure what the extra 2 bucks was for (maybe extra chicken? Didn't look like it). Despite all this, the pho itself was pretty yummy and at least as far as the vegetarian pho goes there was a nice medley of veggies.

We love lotus bistro. This is our go to restaurant when we are craving PHO! I highly suggest the Chicken Noodle Soup, this broth is so flavorful and comes with garlic, onions, and shredded chicken. We're do dedicated that we literally drive from Costa Mesa all the way down to Newport just for this particular soup! Highly recommend

Wow! I didn't know this place existed. I came here today on 9/4 and ordered egg rolls and the large house special. There is enough meat and noodles in the bowl to fill me up. The pho tasted great and the egg rolls were crisp and full of flavor. My friend had the rice dish with grilled pork. He said everything tasted great and was fresh. The service was great. My friend used to live in this area and says this place is great for take out. I will be definitely back to try their other items on the menu.

This was my second time visiting Lotus Bistro and I got the same meal, Banh Xeo, because it's the best one I've had!!!! Perfectly crispy savory crepe with a lot of yummy fillings (bean sprouts, tofu, veggie chicken) and fresh crisp lettuce/mint on the side. The combination of the sauce, crispy crepe, and fresh veggies is perfection! The owner and staff are also super welcoming and kind! I'll definitely be coming back to try more meals. Highly recommend! :)

Although the food is still good, the new location is a major down grade. No bathroom. Lack of climate control. Seedy area. Overall a much less enjoyable experience. In addition, service is now very slow. Sad day, as I really enjoyed the previous location. Unfortunately, it's now a no from me dog.

This place is a good bet with one caveat .... the atmosphere is really not much, (unless you're okay with dining in abasement.) However, the food is excellent and the service is great as well. We come here occasionally as a "change up" from our regular haunts. Very competitively priced and authentic entrees. They have never disappointed us. Again, the food and service is "top shelf" the atmosphere not so much.

Not as good as I remember when in Newport. The beef I had was very tough. The vermicelli dish was pretty bland. We were disappointed but will give it a second chance.

The service and food are good! Sorry to hear they are moving.. up on harbor but I will still go there! My goodness the food is so good and the owners are so nice, enough to keep me coming back! You can leave the original place but under circumstances I will go there still for the good of the food!