The BEST Vietnamese you'll find west of the Mississippi and east hawaii. Friendliest owner and employees 10/10 everyone. Gam on

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. read more

Lotus Bistro - Interior - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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! read more

Lotus Bistro - 21. Rare Beef Noodle Soup - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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. read more

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First timers and we are definitely going back, the food was delicious service was great. The owners stop by our table to ask us how our food was, they were very attentive. We ordered the chicken noodle soup and seafood combo soup 10/10. The pork spring rolls were also 10/10. Highly recommended this restaurant read more

Great service and great food. Everything about the place is a delight. The black salsa is very spicy but is great

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! read more

Very good food and excellent service. Got the seafood fried rice and it did not disappoint.

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. read more

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Gave me the wrong sandwich and the beef was inedible, it was covered in fat and disgusting quality. Waste of money.

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. read more

Lotus Bistro - Bahn mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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! read more

Great pho and fresh rolls in an unassuming location. The staff were extremely attentive. The owner chatted with us, asking where we were from and what foods we liked. She advised on what dishes were best and not to add too much to their pho, as their broth was "different than others". She was not wrong. When we are in the area again, we will certainly try to make it back to Lotus Bistro. read more

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) read more

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. read more

It was a cold night, so we decided to get pho before seeing the Balboa Island Xmas lights. This place has good reviews, so we gave it a try. Friendly service and great food! They also give you some cookie straw things (sorry - no idea what they're called with looking it up) at the end for dessert, which was unique and appreciated. We split a chicken banh mi sandwich and each had our own beef and brisket pho. Both hit the spot. Lots of broth, but also lots of noodles. You could always use more meat, but can't really complain. read more

Lotus Bistro - Beef and brisket pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Amazing service from the staff. Delicious food. Definitely recommend if you are in Costa Mesa.

I got Pho Ga and pork spring rolls. Pho was great, but what happened to the spring rolls? They used to have smokey charred pork inside and now just bland. read more

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

Lotus Bistro offers super fresh, Vietnamese food with ample portions, attentive and friendly service, and a reasonable price point. It was a perfect place to grab dinner after a movie at the Triangle Square shopping center. I enjoyed my experience here at this family business. I highly recommend and will be back! read more

Great food! Met the owner - he was so kind to follow up and ask if we enjoyed our dinner. We will be back when we are next in OC!

I was actually surprised that the pho here tastes pretty good for not being in the heart of Little Saigon or Garden Grove. Being Vietnamese myself, I find many places are usually a miss or just mediocre outside of that realm. Ordered takeout via Postmates. Review is strictly for the pho. Have not tried anything else on the menu. The soup base was not salty and was clear. The meat here for the rare beef pho is very tender and soft compared to some other places I've done take out from. Very good. The herbs and veggies that came with our order were fresh. Also the restaurant was generous with the limes. A few cons. Portions were on the smaller size. Ordered a L size but felt like it was just regular size. Also we didn't get any utensils or napkins whatsoever. Perhaps they forgot. Not a huge deal this time as it was eaten at home. I was impressed by the quality, the soup base, and price even given the location. Will definitely order here again either via takeout or dine in for future cravings now that I know there's a place closer. Thanks for saving me the trek out! read more

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! read more

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. read more

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. read more

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. read more

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. read more

It is OK. The portion size is on the smaller end. The Pho was OK. It did not make me happy. The flavor was mild. The type and quantity of meat was little. NOODLES was most disappointing, dry and hard at first, eventually it got better to the point of... OK. Worst of all, the prices are a bit on the high end, but it is in Newport Beach. The rice with dry chicken pieces on top was tasty, but not sure if l liked it. A fan of the rice, but not the chicken. Service was Not OK... none of the staff was smiling or eager to serve. No refill on empty water glasses (it was empty in the beginning of the meal) nor any attempt to provide service after putting our food down. Half way thru the meal, I decided to not ask for water. I wanted if any one with come to our table for... anything. Nope. We did get two glances and an eye contact... but Nada. The dining room was small, stand in the middle, and you're only a few feet away from any of the tables. Overall, felt like the 4 star Yelp rating here was not justified and not be base in reality. Or just maybe Newport Beach natives have a different flavor profile... for PHO. read more

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Picked up a few items from here through Uber eats. They got the food ready earlier than was estimated which was nice. When I was waiting in the lobby, no one came to greet me for like 5 minutes and must have been back in the kitchen. The food was pretty good, but not the best Vietnamese I can get around here. We got the appetizer sampler that had the egg rolls and spring rolls which were pretty tasty. Also got the lemongrass chicken on rice. The chicken seemed very bland with not the flavor I was expecting. The bahn mi was also pretty good, hard to mess up one of those. Also got the pork vermicelli which was pretty good. But again not as flavorful as I typically expect from Vietnamese. read more

Best pho around. Our go to spot for dine in and take out. Can't go wrong with the rare beef pho or the rare beef combo pho

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. read more

Lotus Bistro - 16. Grilled Beef Sandwich - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Stopped here for a late lunch at 2pm on Mother's Day. The restaurant was empty and the staff were friendly. On ordering, the food was served promptly and we enjoyed all the dishes. Vermicelli noodles with grilled pork and egg roll was delicious. The salad was fresh and crispy. The pork was well spiced and grilled to perfection. I ordered an extra side order of the pork! The pork bahn mi sandwich was delicious too. I'll definitely be back. Plenty of free parking available at that time. read more

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Lotus Bistro is a quaint Vietnamese restaurant tucked away in Newport Beach. The restaurant has all of the signs of a hidden gem and I admittedly see its' potential but MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE fell short. They have their own private lot with plenty of parking specifically designated to Lotus Bistro. There were a couple of tables in front and a decent amount of tables and half booths inside. Upon entering you see a wall of awards and accommodations for the restaurant. On my particular visit, the scent of the restaurant was overwhelmingly like wet dish rag. Not even taking points away for that... some of the tastiest restaurants are not the cleanest so I was hopeful that their food would be good. We were told to sit at any open table and we decided on one of the half booths. The menus were warn with much love, signed of the chopstick décor probably re-glued multiple times, and extra pieces of paper taped throughout the menu as amendments and attachments. Once again, all signs of endearment and at this point I was still hopeful hat we were able to have a spectacular meal. Introduce the 22 year old waitress who was facing the wall texting the whole time and unable to service a restaurant of only 3 full table. Her terribly grumpy attitude ruined our entire experience and the main reason why this review can be no higher than a 3 star. She was just annoyed at me or at life the whole time. She was annoyed when I wasn't ready to order immediately when I barely sat down on my first visit to the restaurant and annoyed when I wanted to keep a menu after my order. Umm, what if I decide to order more food?? More details about her in a bit... Back to the food, we decided to start off with a side of the Egg Rolls ($6.95) to share. This came in a portion of 4 eggrolls, lettuce, mint and a small portion of fish sauce. It was a good amount of crispiness and it came out piping hot but it was so unbelievable how BLAND it was... even when I dipped the eggrolls into the fish sauce, I was still appalled by how lacking the flavors were. I would have liked sliced pickled carrots and more fish sauce for the portion of eggrolls. My dinner companion had the Beef Bird Best Crunchy Noodles ($12.95) which comes with your choice of shrimp, chicken, beef or combo and stir fried vegetables. The crunchy noodle base definitely looks premade and not made fresh to order. They probably just made the stir fry and topped the crunchy noodles. The portion was awfully dry and not saucey enough. We were trying to get the attention of our busy texting waitress, but after a while we had to go and tap her on the back to get her attention. She immediately got defensive that it was their style of cooking and to just throw in more soy sauce. WHAT TERRIBLE ADVICE!! That would just make it salty -_- She goes away into the kitchen and complains to the chef that these people want some sauce to pour on top and behold the chef DID have more sauce. I know she was complaining because I am Vietnamese too and I could hear her from my seat. So great that we did get the sauce, but initial reaction not great and the attitude was just draining my night. I had the beloved Vietnamese Style Beef Stew aka the Banh Mi Bo Kho ($12.95). I opted for the bread to dip into my stew instead of the noodles. I really liked the broth and the onions in the broth. I wish there was more carrots, as there was only 3 thin pieces in my stew. The meat was okay but not super tender as I expect in beef stew. Not bad but not something I would ever dare to buy for my parents, for fear of their criticism. Where's our check?? Umm, well... where did that grumpy girl go?? The struggle is real here. How hard is it to take care of three tables?? Not to mention the older Vietnamese lady, who was probably the owner, was taking care of some of the other tables. Honestly service would have been great if we had the owner since I saw her being really friendly and sweet to other tables. But no, we got stuck with the grumpy unattentive texter. Of course, we had to go ask for the check. Super reasonable prices for Newport Beach, but I did not have a good experience. I know other people like this place so maybe we just ordered all the wrong dishes and had the worst waitress they have ever hired... but I can only speak for my personal experience and I will DEFINITELY NOT come back. read more

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I remember the Banh Mi used to be smaller. They were only like $6. I used to order a small bowl of pho and a Banh Mi. Dipping your Banh Mi into the pho broth is a game changer. Now that the Banh Mis are closer to a foot long and still a great price at just $10 my pho/Banh Mi combo is no longer doable (too much foot). So now the hack is to order a side of broth (this is on the menu) for just $4 (broth is the most expensive part of a bowl of pho) and you're all set. So bomb! read more

Lotus Bistro - Pork Banh Mi with a side cup of pho broth. - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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

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. read more

Had a very yummy dinner with our group after visiting the Triangle Theater. We had all dishes with lemongrass and left full and happy with our leftovers. Generous portions for reasonable prices. Will definitely be back to this family run restaurant with very attentive and friendly service. read more

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!! read more

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. read more

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! :) read more

Lotus Bistro - Banh Xeo + vegetarian chicken - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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