The Lotus Garden never disappoints. We are in town for a family service and had dinner here. We were able to make an online reservation for 8 through Google. Every time I go I always get the Sweet Lotus Shrimp and the ginger pear martini. We also enjoy the tempura vegetable appetizer, bang bang shrimp and the calamari. Our server was good and others assisted with making sure we all had our drinks. It was good to see the place busy. The dining room is dark. Parking is ample. Thank you Sam for always making delicious food!!!!! read more

See all

I have a one solid go to there. Chicken Pad Thai with chili sauce side. Everyone's pad Thai is different and I like what they do I just like more heat. They are always super friendly with me whether I'm at the bar, on the patio or grabbing it to go. The vibe is theirs. It's not contrived it genuine and the family shines there. read more

See all

Service is NOT their strong point. Single person at a table in an almost entirely empty restaurant shouldn't sit there for 5 minutes without seeing their server. Where are they. I'm almost the only business in the house. Prioritize the guest. They are the one tipping you. I would have sat at the bar, BUT the bartender made it very clear that I'm not welcome at the bar if I'm not drinking, not this time, but the last I was there. She was quite rude and implied if I'm not buying drinks and tipping her regularly, then I'm not welcome at the bar. read more

AWFUL SERVICE! Waited for sushi for 2 hours never even came, servers didn't check up on us, my poor wife's birthday dinner and she couldn't even get her food. The server brought out food for me and my daughter and had my wife watch us eat for an hour and half because they were "backed up on the sushi". Couldn't even give us money off for anything. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND, shitty place too. Only giving it a star because I have too read more

Loved my visit to the Lotus Garden . Was in town for a quick afternoon event and had a few hours to kill so stopped in. Had the Providence role and the Takoyaki and washed it down with some cold sake. read more

The Lotus Garden - Providence Roll and Takoyaki - Japanese Near Me - Utica, New York

The place looks like it's falling apart. There fish fry is indeed all crunchy batter. REALLY crunchy. I couldn't tell there was even fish in there. No seasoning at all. Servers were good. read more

Not clean Over priced Tom Ka soup large bowl thin broth forgot chicken Drinks pricey little to no booze Luckily just visiting for a night won't hurry back. read more

I had heard great things about The Lotus Garden and was not disappointed by the food. The environment is laid back and there's a really cute patio area. We ordered cocktails, an appetizer, lo mein and two sushi rolls to split and it was all delicious and tasted fresh, particularly the sushi. Service was on the slow side; it took quite a while to get our order taken and when it came out, we got half our food orders before our cocktails. But honestly, it all made it sort of feel like a 3 course meal so I don't want to discount that too much! There are so many tasty sushi options so I can't wait to go back and try more! read more

I never like writing this sort of review, but it has to be done. The good: The interior is nice. There's a lovely outdoor dining space, though it had no chair set out, so we didn't know we could sit there. The bartender did her best, though she had no front of house help whatsoever. The Cambodian fish curry- (Amok) was delicious. A bit sweet for my partner, but I loved it. The bad: sadly, pretty much everything else. The spring rolls- whoever made them was unable to roll them properly, as all of them split open and spilled everywhere, all down the top. Use bigger pieces of rice wrapping, maybe. The shrimp tasted off. It tasted old and fishy. I am honestly a little concerned that I may get sick. The XO sauce beef- Oh, this made me so sad. :( I found a few fragments of what might have been dried scallop in it, but it was mostly just a thin, watery, generic brown sauce with oddly sweet tones. The beef itself was WAY too sweet. I don't know what happened to it. I do know it wasn't tenderized in any way, however. It was incredibly tough, dry, overcooked, and grey. It's a shame. A cow died for that. The flat rice noodles (we got the Chinese style ones with shiracha, but I do not remember the menu name) seemed like they must have been really old. They're only good for about half a day after you make them. Either they were cooked and ended up dried out after spending time in a fridge, or they were just undercooked and not separated properly when being stir-fried from the start, as there was a very hard, dry chunk in the middle that seemed uncooked. Almost all the noodles were stuck together in a clump. Chow fun style noodles should be tender, not mushy, and not hard and dry. Two of the dishes we got were supposed to be Chinese food, and if you want to judge the quality of a Chinese restaurant, try their beef and try their flat, wide rice noodles. They are a bit of a challenge to get right, but if the chef cannot make them right, don't bother with anything else either. I was surprised by how good the curry was compared to the rest, but I haven't had Amok before, so I have no Cambodian dining experiences to compare it to. The menu is so incredibly eclectic that it is easy for one to get lost. I see the appeal in having a little something for everyone, and a wide variety of things to try from that you might not have access to anywhere else in central new york, which is not exactly a culinary Mecca. It's easy, however, for such a concept to fall apart in execution. So many different dishes prepared in so many different styles. I would advice refining the best dishes and letting the rest go. Make the menu smaller, and really work hard at making the things you do keep shine, as well as ensure that all the ingredients are fresh. read more

See all

First experience, when we got sat down the place is pretty dark with dim lighting, lowkey smelled like piss, utensils weren't the cleanest. I ordered a beef rice bowl, it was alright, nothing too special, wasn't too bad. My girl got sushi and she hated it, it tasted like if you had a sweaty shirt and used it to hold fish, then started chewing on the shirt, idk how to explain it, but the sushi was sus. At first I thought she was over reacting, I'm not a picky eater, but damn I couldn't digest that sushi. The end read more

I've been wanting to try this place for a long time. The interior is kind of weird... there's rugs in the dining area and it kind of looks like an old fashion home. It's very cozy though. We came for sushi around 7 PM on a Friday night. There were a few people at the bar and one other party in the dining area. The menu is huge with all types of soups, salads, sushi and Japanese cuisine. They also have beef, pork, chicken, Lo mein, and vegetarian options. I ordered the seaweed salad and it was so delicious. Honestly probably the best seafood salad I've ever had. We ordered two sushi rolls. I forgot the name of the one that I ordered but it was pretty much shrimp tempura with avocado, crab, and something else. To be completely honest the sushi wasn't the best I've ever had but it was good. They have an amazing cocktail list including piña colada's, daiquiris, and margaritas!!!! And they have outdoor seating in the summer!! The service was fast but the waitresses aren't super friendly. I will definitely come back to try other dishes! read more

See all

Amazing food at this place. You have to try!!! I mostly go for the sushi because it's Sushi is amazing and the menu seems to grow with new sushi rolls read more

I've never had a bad meal at the lotus garden. A hidden gem in Utica. Every dish is flavorful and unique. Sushi is fresh, noodle dishes are delicious, and the lemongrass dish is to die for. read more

The Lotus Garden - Pad woon sen with tofu - Japanese Near Me - Utica, New York

This place needs to be renovated. It's old, musty, and dark. Completely at odds with the Asian theme. And just has old tables, old carpet, old fixtures, etc etc. Time to invest in some upgrades. The service is not great. We went on a weeknight and were one of only a handful of tables. Took forever for the waitress to come over (15minutes at least) to give us the menus and get our drink order. Another 15 minutes waiting for our drinks. And then she didn't come back to take our food order for 30 minutes. I almost got up and looked for her. The food itself is delicious. Everything was hot and flavorful. Big portions. But we waited another long pause for the check to come. Why?! I could understand if the place was hopping but it was almost empty. What's the excuse? read more

Lunch was off the charts. Can't believe more people don't know about this place. Definitely going back

I had a near death experience here... Ordered the VEGETABLE TEMPURA.. and bit into a shrimp - and I have an anaphylactic allergy to shrimp. I spit it out immediately and ran to the bathroom. The waitress was unconcerned... While I was in the bathroom purging and rinsing my mouth to try and ensure nothing got in my system, she simply asked "is he going to be ok?" Grabbed benadryl from the truck (no epi-pen since none got in me). No apologies, no real concern, no manager... She gave us the bill and said "have a nice day"... The veggie tempura was still on the bill, but I was not in the mood to argue it. Went home to take more benadryl, will NEVER eat there again! read more

Travel through Utica every so often. This is my second time in a couple years to Lotus. Got take out. 1. Ask for chop sticks, napkins and soy sauce. Guess they think everyone is taking it home. 2. Way too much rice in the rolls. It took away from the rolls taste. So dinner was a lot of plain sticky rice w some sushi and a small packet of Soy sauce. read more

I'm shocked we've never been here before, but can guarantee will be back regularly. Had the Spicy Siem Reap noodles and it was excellent! The noodles were... whoa! Chewy and dense. Sauce was spicy and flavorful. read more

Wonderful hidden little paradise. Hard to find because it is hidden behind the Stanley theatre on King street behind Genesee. Parking is readily available with both front and back lots so no need to worry about parking. The atmosphere is definitely very hip and classy at the same time. There is a alcohol bar right after entering, and the tables are a little past the bar. Great Asian/Thai decor albeit great Japanese food. The sashimi plate is definitely very fresh and delicious! Just looking at it will make you drool. If you are up for it, should definitely try their lobster roll. Everything I tried here so far is great. Last but not least, the waitress and owners are great and caters absolutely to customer needs (choices of drinks and the way the food is prepared). The owner is Cambodian so you'll also find authentic Cambodian dishes here as well, besides Chinese, Thai and Japanese dishes. I'd especially recommend Junie, the most friendly and energetic waitress I've ever met. Excellent service. Bravo. Will definitely come back again to try more of their food! read more

See all

Bad. Went for sushi. Asked if they had Nigiri...they didn't know what Nigiri was. The food was not good and the service was not good. Don't go here. read more

Love this spot! Always satisfies allllll my cravings! Sweet lotus chicken is crispy with a delicious sweet and a tiny bit spicy sauce. read more

See all

The food is incredible and authentic. The service was friendly and impeccable. I saw a stray complaint about the service on Yelp -- from Karen, I think. read more

We stopped in for dinner on our way back from Lake George. We were seated immediately. The mixed tempura was huge, it served my family of 4 and could have probably served 5. I had the Noodle soup, or pho, it was delicious and I had enough to take home for a second meal. Would definitely recommend and return if in the area. read more

The Lotus Garden - Beef Noodle Soup (Pho) and an order of tempura in the background. - Japanese Near Me - Utica, New York

An incredibly delicious little hidden gem! I have to say I didn't expect the food to be so authentic and delicious. We now come here on a weekly basis! Sushi is very fresh and well prepared. The main dishes have a lot of flavor and you can tell with each bite that they are prepared with authentic recipes. Polite and friendly service. Very pleased overall and we will continue to return! 5 stars! read more

Hidden gem in Utica. My mother and I were exhausted and starving after a long day of driving around with our dogs. Honestly, we sorta chose this place out of desperation and also because they had a sufficient patio for our large pack (3 dogs). Maybe it was the low expectations combined with extreme need, but both food and service blew us away. We ordered two sushi rolls (one was a spicy tuna with crunchy stuff and I think hers was a regular tuna) to start. It was fresh, made with care and really just as good as any I've had elsewhere. Then she had some type of shrimp lo mein and I had the beef bugogi. Both dishes were just terrific. Both proprietors were serving us and hanging out and they were very kind and personable. Really glad I came here. It's funky, to be sure, which matches the town (no offense). However, food and service would hold up anywhere. read more

The Lotus Garden had delicious food that was beautifully plated and wonderful service. I really enjoyed my experience dining here.

I would give zero star if i could. It was a date night with my husband. We got our seats, she took our order and she left. Later, i got up and wanted to order a takeout for my kids. I went to the bar where she was and ordered. The waitress told me rudely to go back to my seat. I was offended with her tone. I went to ask another staff for my order. He looked new. She heard it and told him rudely to tell me to take my seat. What kind of service is this? Never again will i go back there. Horrible experience. I went to order my takeout elsewhere. read more

Excellent food and service, we have a great experience ever time we come here. The food is always fresh and prepared to perfection. This is a great place to come and eat if you are looking for authentic Asian dishes. Also a great place to try if you are looking for something different outside of the Utica norm. read more

My mom and I were driving in the area and found Lotus Garden on Yelp. We arrived and were greeted so pleasantly - a perfect beginning to our perfect dining experience. Our server gave my mom her entree recommendation, the Sweet Lotus Shrimp, which she really enjoyed. I ordered the Chicken Amok, a mild curried chicken dish that was unforgettably delicious. The national dish of Cambodia is one of my new favorites - I loved it! Just when it doesn't get any better, it does! The appetizer course we ordered was the Chicken Pho. The broth was so well made and the noodles were cooked to perfection. So hard to find good Pho where the noodles aren't overcooked, but we found it. Don't miss this restaurant - a big city caliber gem in Utica. read more

Food is absolutely amazing, however their staff is awful! It takes them a long time to serve you and ask for drinks. You are better off ordering take out then dining in! read more

We were hesitant to try this restaurant due to several bad reviews regarding their service but we found the exact opposite- the service was amazing! The waitress and bartender were both friendly and attentive. Food was delicious, nicely plated and served hot. I will definitely return. read more

I hate to leave bad reviews but I think this place needs to have a visit from the health department. We went to have dinner last night, staff is very friendly, our waitresses name was Silver, sweet girl nothing wrong with the staff BUT let me suggest that you stay away from their sushi. We were a party of 5 and my husband ordered the Monster Roll, he was the only one that ate it (Thank God) he woke up feeling dizzy and has vomited for at least 10 times. Wasn't his night to say the least he ordered a lychee martini, it was more like a blue lemonade, again, I feel bad to leave this review BUT I suggest you stay away from this place. I sure hope that the owner(s) see it and do something about it to make this place safer to eat. To say the least, my family and I will never go back. It's a shame since we don't have that many options to eat ethnic food in this area. read more

The food and service here were both AMAZING. The atmosphere is also comfortable while still being attractive. If you like spicy foods, the drunken noodles are wonderful. read more

I can't in good faith give this place more than one star. The service took forever and a table of 6 that sat down after us got their meals before us. In addition, I received the wrong meal (shrimp) instead of chicken. I said I'd eat it but they should have at least apologized or taken some portion of the bill. They clearly need to work on staffing. The food was decent but how can I rate a chicken dish when I got shrimp? Then when asked to split the bill the lady said "you should have told me before sorry." No I'm sorry that I'll never be back and I'm sorry how embarrassing it must be to operate a business this way. read more

The food was excellent! What made me decide on four stars is the interior is nice but not very well kept. There is dust and cobwebs and the chandeliers, there is a musty smell when you first walk in and it seems there is only one person acting as the waitress and hostess for everyone dining, which caused for slower less tentative service. The prices are a bit on the high end but you can tell they are top quality ingredients and they take their care in what they do. We will likely go again but hope they address the atmosphere. read more

I went hear for my sisters birthday and the food was very good. The service was excellent and very nice staff. and at the end of our meal they gave us a big birthday celebration! read more

The Lotus Garden - The inside review! - Japanese Near Me - Utica, New York

I really loved this place. Our waitress was really attentive and took notice that we liked the presentation of some of the things we saw on Yelp. We got their lobster roll and two other sushi rolls on the boat. At first it didn't seem doable but she insisted the chief would find a way to make it work and it came out gorgeous. I also got the Thia tea and fried ice cream as well, both were great. The place was well decorated and felt very warm and intimate. I highly recommend it. read more

The Lotus Garden - Our lobster roll with shogun roll and an eel roll - Japanese Near Me - Utica, New York

Had a wonderful meal at this restaurant on Saturday evening. The food was absolutely delicious. Service was great! Our server was Taylor and he couldn't have been more attentive and helpful! We will definitely return and recommend it to our friends. Had a very memorable meal! read more

Wasn't far from where I stayed about a 45 min wait for our food. Didn't really like my fried fool way to thick over priced and rice fell apart as I was eating it. Overall had better sushi wasn't the best. read more

See all

Recently enjoyed a delicious meal here while in Utica for work. It was pretty quiet on a weeknight (It seemed most of downtown was), so we were seated right away and enjoyed attentive service from the waitstaff. I ordered thick noodles with tofu and it was all delicious. I was surprised to get a salad to start, as I didn't see it on the menu, but maybe since all of my dining companions were getting one, they gave me one too? I enjoyed the light rice wine vinegar dressing and the salad was the right size before my huge bowl of noodles came out. Food was all good, prices seemed fair, I'd definitely eat there again if in the area. read more