Hidden Gem. Guys how is this place not more hyped? Tucked away in Burbank of all places is probably one of the best Viet spots i've had in LA. Decided to come through on a whim to support a local business since we were in the area, and wanted a quick bite, but ended up ordering everything while we were there, and yes, as of this review their dining room is open, and they keep it socially distanced while you dine in. We ordered a good amount of things so lets get it: Fried Tofu: Guys. THE BEST. I dunno how they do it but their fried tofu is like mochi balls. So fluffy with a nice crisp on the outside. So good we ordered a 2nd to go. Dont sleep on this and GET IT. Egg Rolls: Really Good and packed with meat. Plated nicely and they definitely dont skimp on the serving size. Get this. Tilapia Lettuce wraps: Great serving size and accompaniments. It was pretty good, but not great. Still a solid option if you want some fish for the day. Hit or miss. Beef Pho broth w meatballs: So Clean and full of flavor! Probably one of my favorite broths here in LA. Meatballs were on point too. Get this. Chicken Pho broth w veggies and chicken: Again, Super clean broth. Light and flavorful. Veggies and chicken were on point as well. Overall super impressive, and we'll definitely be going back. One of top viet spots on our list now if not the top. They have beers on tap here too, but we'll have to explore that next time. TLDR: Hidden Gem in Burbank. Magical Fried Tofu, and super CLEAN flavorful broths. Go here and support Local. read more

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I ordered shrimp spring rolls and a bowl of pho dac biet. The spring rolls came with crunchy big cucumber pieces and delicious peanut sauce. The meats that came in the soup were steak, meatball, and brisket. I was disappointed that it didn't come with soft tendon pieces. The side vegetables included bean sprouts, limes, basil, and red pepper slices. read more

I ordered the vegan pho and veggie egg rolls. I thought the broth was a bit mild and one-noted but I loved the amount of bok choy in it. The veggie egg rolls were a bit too oily for me. However, the staff is super nice and the space was really inviting. Worth a try if you're in the area. read more

I saw this place on Yelp and the pictures looked amazing so I had to try it out. I do really like the modern minimalistic feel of the restaurant and the service was quick as well. The food was alright, I enjoyed the spring rolls but felt the pho broth was too salty for me. Regardless I had a good lunch experience here. read more

Lotus & Light - Shrimp Springrolls (2 Pieces) - Vietnamese Near Me - Burbank, California

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What happened? This place is usually 4 and half stars to us. It was a regular place to eat, even through all the ownership changes. The food has always been really good. Then today, I went and picked up an order and...something had changed... 1) The pho noodle...WTH? IT was like chopped it into itty bitty pieces, and impossible to eat with chopsticks. The portion of basil/bean sprouts was really stingy. The broth was oilier then usual. 2) Chicken wing sauce was like normal, but this time the wings seemed overcooked? 3) The Boba....omg the boba we just poured straight down the sing. The boba it self was hard and rubbery. The tea didn't taste like tea at all, just like gross syrup. I'm hoping this a temporary lapse in quality due to whatever accident has happened to the ceiling collapse in the dining area. But honestly, if that's the cause its better to just close the restaurant until its repaired then to serve bad food. I'm actually quite disappointed. read more

I went based on a recommendation and let me tell you, it paid off! I wish I had more room in my stomach cuz I didn't want to stop eating everything LOL Obviously we're going back, and soon! read more

The food was amazing! Came for DineLA and everything was a hit. Service was the perfect level of attentive and friendly, and i love the aesthetic of the whole restaurant. We had the spring rolls, which were perfectly done--amazing dipping sauce. The lobster fried rice was SO delicious, the flavors were amazing and it was the perfect level of spiciness. We got to try the french fries on the Dine LA menu and they were so goooood. (fried rice and french fries were DineLA that i hope make it to the real menu). Also had the combo pho. you can tell how good pho is by the broth, and the broth was amazing--no extra sauce needed! I had the passion fruit drink which was amazing, and thai tea was perf. Ok we ended with the lotus cake (pandan butter cake) and hot take better than Mastro's. Wish I got pictures of the food but was too excited and dove right in so all I got was our drinks haha! read more

Lotus & Light - Vietnamese Near Me - Burbank, California

I like coming here for their pho, it taste a bit different than your normal pho for some reason but I like the broth. It's a bit on the pricier side but I guess it's hard to find pho in the valley. The owner is really nice and accommodating as well. read more

Lotus & Light - Salted plum Soda Xi Muoi and rare steak pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Burbank, California

I worked in a writers' room back in 2019 and got a fairly comprehensive survey of the take-out lunch options in Burbank. There were always too many salad spots in the rotation, and I was very happy when we ordered from Lotus & Light, the one Vietnamese restaurant to enter the mix. I tried both the shrimp and sausage spring rolls for lunch and looked greedily over the rest of the menu, anticipating my next order. We never took out from Lotus & Light again. Four years later, I was picketing Disney with my friend Shirin N., and we wanted somewhere good to eat after a couple hours of carrying signs and stomping around. We tried to go to Bea Bea's, but there was a wait at 12:30 on a Wednesday, and when I noticed Lotus & Light across the parking lot, it felt kind of like fate. The restaurant is in a giant strip mall with a busy parking lot, but it's a pretty cute place, small and well decorated, with high ceilings and a lot of white and soft light wood. I'm not sure why, but it was almost entirely empty, and we were able to sit and order right away. Service was fast and friendly. The food was great. We shared the shrimp spring rolls to start and these were fresh and tasty, shrimp wrapped in supple rice paper with lettuce, cucumber, and vermicelli noodles, served with house peanut sauce. I remember the pork sausage version being good, too. I got the shaken beef and this was super satisfying, wok stir-fried filet mignon cubes tossed with bell peppers and onions, served with lettuce, shallots, tomatoes, pickled carrots, daikon, and choice of rice or, for an extra $2, garlic egg noodles sprinkled with parmesan cheese. I obviously got the garlic noodles. The beef was tender and flavorful, and those cheesy, garlicky noodles really hit the spot. I also tried some of Shirin's beef vermicelli and that was nice too, a lighter option with charbroiled ribeye, vermicelli noodles, lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, pickled carrot and daikon, house fish sauce, green onions, and fried shallots. If I'm ever in charge of ordering lunch for a Burbank office, Lotus & Light will be at the top of my list. For now, I'm just happy I finally got to try the place and get it out of my drafts. read more

Updated: Foods tasted great! Fall in love at first sight. I am not local and found this restaurant on Yelp which offers veggie dishes. I ordered by phone and when arrived the person greeted me was so apologetic for not having one of our dish due to ran out of it which was veggie sandwich. He offered me substitute dish at free of charge. He offered me water/coffee while waiting for the new dish being made. That was a very nice gesture! I didn't expected it at all. I am operating a business and I know how it feels when it comes to customer services. This restaurant operation styles went above and beyond. Since it was an order for pickup and I can't leave tip, but this is all I can leave for this restaurant. Love your customer services! Not sure how your foods taste, but I will come back when I returns to the area. Ps: write the review while waiting for the substitute dish. read more

Lotus & Light - Very nice interior decor. - Vietnamese Near Me - Burbank, California

I love their Pho! A great place to pop into for a quick bite & and hearty slurp of delicious Pho. The wait staff is helpful and serves promptly to get you in & out for a weekday lunch, and never too busy. When we have more time to eat, it's a comfortable place to spend a little more time and never feel rushed.. Highly recommend! read more

I like the food, but the restaurant had a weird kind of smell, but the service was really nice. For their pho I would recommend get a lot of space because it taste so bland without it read more

We Have been coming here for years and tried avoiding this review bc overall the food is good but I finally had to do it. It never fails, they always are out of ingredients and/or leave all the dipping sauces and pho condiments (siracha, bean sprouts, limes etc) or your drink out of your order. Today no egg roll dipping sauce, no pho sauces or bean sprouts. I've called them and spoken to them in the past about the frequency of issues but they just aren't getting better. Best to eat there rather than take it to go. We live across the street but am tired of going back and forth getting missed items. From a fellow local business owner, Be better. Things like this are inexcusable reasons to lose business. read more

They're egg rolls are to die for! They're spring rolls are absolutely big and delicious as well

This is an amazing and very beautiful place. It's super clean has nice atmosphere has a big TV at the bar so you can watch football. We really like to come here for our basketball team but in the day I like to come here to have a cup of coffee and do my homework for school it is vera clean, peaceful and service here is really good food here is phenomenal and when I work as a food delivery they always give me a cup of water and I can use their bathroom. I highly recommend recommended as a business and as a personal date. read more

Lotus & Light - Vietnamese Near Me - Burbank, California

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really love this place. our go-to for good soup! Great ambiance, helpful staff, great great food

Food is great, they have a variety of selections including vegan/vegetarian options. Service is always great, the people are very accomodating and kind and the ambiance of the restaurant is very comfortable. It's also located in a convenient place. read more

first time there, recently Huge bowl of great soup and other small items, so we were pleased.

This is the second time I've gone in to order 30 minutes or more before they close and they won't take my order. This time it was about 10:16 on a Friday. If your kitchen is closed then change your hours. Food and service is good otherwise. Either the owners are no good or they hired a staff that isn't providing service for their posted hours read more

If I could give it 0 stars, I would. My husband and I really enjoyed dining here until tonight. Very odd that until this evening, all the workers were Vietnamese but tonight they had two new workers that we didn't recognize, and their service was horrible. Our extra noodles (which appeared to have been sitting out for awhile) came with a bug. She took it back and didn't even apologize. Actually, she just gave us a look of confusion and took the bowl and then gave us a new one without any other word. They never even gave us our drinks until the end when we asked. The table was filthy when we sat down. I am not sure what happened to the restaurant/workers but if they continue this level of horrible service, I fear they won't last long. Totally disappointed and won't be going back ever again. read more

I would give it 0 stars if I could! Waited over an hour! All they could say was I understand. No you don't I have to be somewhere so just give me my food or a refund. read more

It's all in the details! From the restaurant decor to the presentation of the food, you can tell that everything is well thought out. The chicken over rice along with the 3 different sauces gives the dish a unique taste that isn't found else where. The grilled pork and chicken is flavorful and cooked to perfection. Both the fresh and fried eggrolls are also a must. But don't leave there without getting the beignet with vanilla ice cream affogato, the perfect end to the meal. We can't wait to come back! read more

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Decided to try this place for DineLA. My server was helpful and very attentive. On his recommendation I tried the chicken street fries for the appetizer portion of the menu. While the toppings were tasty, the fries themselves were soggy and lukewarm, as if they had been sitting out for a while. For the entree I went with the oxtail pho. Very good broth and noodles, but even allowing for a protein with a high bone to meat ratio, almost all bone and no meat. The star was definitely the lotus cake dessert. read more

Lotus & Light - Chicken Chicken Street Fries - Vietnamese Near Me - Burbank, California

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Visited Lotus & Light a couple of days ago with a few of my friends. They're located right next to the Starbucks in that Vons plaza. We did show up in the late afternoon so it wasn't too crowded yet. It definitely got more full as we were wrapping up our meal. I went with the chicken over rice. It comes with a bowl of chicken broth soup and also three sides of ginger sauces. I love sauce so I pretty much was trying it with the different combinations and it was good. My friend had ordered it before on a prior visit and she explained that it was like their version of a hainan chicken rice. Overall, the portions were pretty big here. My friends that ordered the pho were up for the challenge of finishing it all. We ended our meal with the affogado. It also came with beignets that you could dip with the ice cream/espresso. It did take a while for them to create with so many elements to it, so plan for it to take some time for it to arrive. It was definitely a great way to end our meal. The beverage selection seemed pretty elaborate with a wide selection of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. Be sure to check those out. Parking: tons of parking in the plaza so it won't be an issue. read more

The server Saira is so sweet, and that's why I give it three stars, but lotus and light has gone downhill since changing ownership. I went in to get take out today and asked if I could have a glass of wine, their website shows pictures of wine and sake, and I know they have a bar area, but it turns out there's no license for them to sell it. No problem, I still order the vegan vermicelli to go. I took it home, and for $18 I got three tiny slivers of tofu in the dish. Idk, the service is so good at this location, but the food is not what it used to be. read more

Had been wanting to try this place for ages - and craving Vietnamese food, but was pretty disappointed. Since it was our first time, I figured I'd try a range of foods. The shrimp spring rolls were very fresh and tasty - plus they were very good value for the price. Comes with a dipping sauce that was just ok. Then we ordered a Vermicelli Salad with Chicken and Egg Roll - the salad part is very tasty, noodles were fine as was the sauce, but the chicken was hard and dry - looked nice but I can't see how it was cooked to order and neither of us could eat much of it. The Egg Roll wasn't good at all - no flavor and didn't taste fresh. Finally got a Pork Banh Mi - the roll was very tasty, but the pork was super salty and had quite a lot of gristle that couldn't be eaten. Overall, wouldn't try it again - didn't seem busy - so not sure why things didn't taste fresher. Maybe it's better if you're just going veggie with your order? read more

We were in the area and decided to come by this place to try for the first time. We came during lunch and was seated pretty quickly. We decided to get: -Pho filet dac biet (this was the least favorite of everything we ordered which was quite disappointing as it is a Vietnamese restaurant. The broth was so, so bland which just took everything away from the pho. Would not recommend this) -Bangkok noodle rolls (this was the favorite of everything. THE SAUCE was what made it. Whatever this green sauce is made this dish so tasty, would recommend) -banh mi thit nuong w/ egg (this was a decent banh mi) If you're used to the ma and pa shop Vietnamese restaurants, this restaurant may seem a bit overpriced, but the portions are pretty decent. For how not busy the restaurant was, service was incredibly slow. It took forever to put our orders, get our orders, and then wait for the check which isn't great if you were stopping by for a quick lunch. Our first visit was pretty disappointing , would probably not return. read more

Yummy and relaxing. The ambiance is lit and casual. Very comfortable and clean. Highly Recommended: Fried Tofu is amazing. The texture and dipping sauce is unlike anywhere else I had. The tofu is hallow inside, like a blown up bubble and the texture is like mochi firmness. I love it. The Summer Rolls are delicious and the sauce is everything. The sauce is so good that I put it on everything... rice, salad, cucumber-- anything dip-able, it will be sauced. The chicken rice flavor is good but not a fan of the rice. The rice is mushy and not what I preferred. The papaya salad is good. It has thin pork slices that was delicious and adds an extra elevation in taste. Would recommend coming here. read more

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The food is well priced, good quality, and generous portions. Service is pretty prompt and friendly.

So this is a hard review for me to write because 1 there was only one server running the show so I felt bad for her and 2 the food was decent but my first experience here was a bummer. It was 46 degrees outside and like 55 inside. The heater wasn't working although it was mentioned it was (it may have been on but no heat, just cold air coming out). The place was freezing, everyone was wearing a jacket over their sweaters. You can only pay with cash that night, not sure if that's a normal thing on the day to day. Very uncomfortable environment to be in due to the cold. I saw a couple walk out after being seated at the same time as me, 15-20 min later. Tables weren't bussed, there were dirty plates at at least 3 tables for over an hour (it was end of the night). There were some mess ups while the food was served, like actual food falling off the plate onto the table, the beef broth was unavailable, none of the desserts were available minus the ice cream. I can easily say tho the vegetable broth filet mignon pho was very good but it wasn't super hot and I blame the freezing room temp that couldn't keep my soup warm enough to finish. The spicy beef plate was good which my friend ordered. The mvp item of the night for me was the fried tofu, never had it this way and it was delicious. The papaya salad was good too, cleansed the pallet nicely. The spicy sausage spring rolls were underwhelming. Note: I asked the server if she can close the front door to keep the venue from freezing over she didn't and advised the "heats on full blast". Not sure what full blast means, but I'm sure the thermostat was reading 55. I can't and won't be coming back to this location unfortunately. The venue conditions including temp was not up to par. Also, they were out of a lot of key items which was odd to me. read more

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This place has the best pho and best egg rolls in all of Burbank. Literally, so glad I can just walk here. The broth is has such a wonderful oomph and umami, without being too salty, which is difficult to find. The steak is very high quality as well. I've ordered takeout and eaten there many times, and I can honestly say it's some of the best Vietnamese food I've had outside of Vietnam. The ambiance is adorable, they really redid it well. Super cute, perfect for a date night. The service is wonderful. Everyone is friendly and attentive. Also get yourself a Thai tea and fresh coconut. You won't regret it. read more

Came here for a DineLA lunch with my coworkers. Comes with an appetizer, main and drink for $20. I had the cha gio, pho tai, and a blended coconut. Solid egg rolls. The veggies you use to wrap were fresh and plenty. The pho tai broth could use a little more flavor. However the beef slices were very tender. Skip the coconut. Should have left it in its pure form. Skip the blending with ice. My Coworkers said the Thai ice tea was super sweeet. They needed to water it down. Service was great. Food needs a few fixes, but solid all around read more

This spot is a hidden gem! Nestled in a shopping center, it's small but has great food. The wings are absolutely fantastic.

Man this waiter Isaac is just still so GREAT. He's so friendly, moves at a quick pace, knowledgeable, patient, and very attentive. Love the sandwiches tho, and the taro ice cream. Drinks are great too!. Make this guy employee of the month! ‍ read more

First visit here and very pleased. Hoped to find vegan pho or hot soup on this cold rainy day in California and this was the closest spot that popped up near me, so I decided to give it a try. Immediately I was greeted by a kind smile. Tatyana was her name. She promptly took my order and offered me a seat and some hot tea while I waited for my order. The only strike was that upon requesting a Thai tea, they currently don't offer a dairy free vegan option. I'm hopeful though that will change soon . read more

Lotus & Light - Green tea to warm you up - Vietnamese Near Me - Burbank, California

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The design and decor of the restaurant is cute! The food is just okay I would say I've definitely had better. We had the beef combo and the charred beef spring roll. The spring rolls were the best out of the 2. The beef was unfortunately overcooked and very chewy and didn't have much flavor. I asked for the peanut sauce instead of the fish which was the best part of the meal. The beef combo pho was okay. The size of it is good but the broth left alot to he desired not much flavor. Alot of noodles though. The beef itself you can tell isn't not very good quality and the meat balls were under seasoned. The server said he would be right back with small plates for us to us for the spring rolls and never brought them... mind you we were the only people there so it's not like they were to busy he just didn't really try. They also show pictures of the wine menu and sake but they don't actually sell it anymore. I guess their license was taken away, but If that is the case you shouldn't keep the bottles of wine on display if you can't sell them its misleading. read more

Lotus & Light - Beef charred spring roll. - Vietnamese Near Me - Burbank, California

The food did not taste fresh at all. The spring rolls were OK but the ribeye was chewy. The chicken in my vermicelli plate came out cold. I was also shocked that the restaurant doesn't carry avocados or sparkling water. The only sparkling water offered was carbonated tap water. read more

Beautiful modern decor and space with some traditional Vietnamese accents to commemorate adds a nice cultural touch. I came here early this morning as I was having some cravings for some pho, and I've had this place bookmarked for awhile. My friend ordered the pork noodle salad w/egg rolls (bun this nuong cha gio), and I had the pho tai (rare mignon beef). We also got the summer rolls as appetizer, and Vietnamese style coffee and avocado smoothie as refreshments. My friend liked the peanut dipping sauce that came with the summer rolls as it had a little spicy kick to it, which isn't common in most Vietnamese pho joints. Both entrees were good, but I felt my big bowl of pho didn't have the right portion of beef to noodle/broth ratio, so I did mention this to our waitress when she came by to check on how the food was. She mentioned this was measured out standard and that if I wanted additional beef, she said it would be extra. I didn't want to pay extra for something that should be standard as I'm of Vietnamese heritage and know their standard isn't typical. Later, she remedied the situation by bringing out more beef from the chef without charge. I thought they handled this very professionally by listening to my little outcry. Afterwards, we happily ordered one of their desserts of the day which was coffee affogato with beignets. I am from the south, so traditional beignets are denser and fried. This was on the airy side and less oily, so it was a nice rendition. Overall, the service/food/ambience makes today's brunch a delight and it was nice to have been greeted by the manager, Ann, who was warm and welcoming. I shall be back!! read more

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Soooo ecstatic that yummy Vietnamese/Asian food exists in Burbank SO close to my work! After passing by this place time after time when going to the grocery, I finally made dinner plans to try it out the other week! My friend and I got the Nem Nurong Cuon (grilled pork egg rolls) and the charbroiled pork banh mi with a fried egg on top, as well as a Thai iced tea. Both dishes were absolutely delicious! The menu has some staples/Asian fusion dishes that has something for everyone. It's not super heavy, and there are also vegan/vegetarian items. The atmosphere is super casual and it was cool to see so many different people in one space. When we went, the crowd was quite diverse. Also, went on a weeknight and the place was pretty packed by the time we left -- and we had done an early dinner. Parking is plentiful as it's located in a shopping area that shares parking with the grocery among other places. The service was top notch -- our server was very knowledgeable and gave great recommendations! I definitely want to come back to try some of the recs as well as the chicken over rice. Bravo, Lotus & Light! read more

Lotus & Light - Grilled pork eggrolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Burbank, California

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A modern take on the ubiquitous pho restaurant seen all around the USA. This one had 3 craft beers on tap, Japanese bottled beer, sake and martinis.... not that I tried any of that, but considering how busy the bar service was, the alcohol options must have been good. What I did try was the pho - I ordered the combination. Theirs had a good amount of tripe and tendon, but the sliced beef pickings was slim. Just a couple of slices of filet. No brisket. The broth is excellent. Hearty and tasty. Not too salty. The best part, it was hot enough to cook the bean sprouts which I like. With excellent service, I would give them 4 1/2 stars if Yelp would let us award half stars. Nevertheless, for Lotus & Light, would tend towards 5. read more

Lotus & Light - Three beers on tap plus cocktail options! Not your usual pho. - Vietnamese Near Me - Burbank, California