Lotus Asian Grill in Redondo Beach

I live nearby and was initially excited about the opening of Lotus Asian Grill, but after dining there twice, Im hesitant to go back anytime soon.FOOD:I opted out of getting the fancy lobster/truffle/filet mignon dishes because I believe a great Pan-Asian restaurant should be able to nail traditional dishes. I also wanted to order dishes I would normally place considering my proximity to this location and Im likely not going to be ordering take-out lobster once or twice a week. Heres my review of the dishes I ordered (in the order they were brought to the table).First visit (8/26/2023):Mapo Tofu (4/5): Tasty but not as spicy as requested.Mongolian Beef (3.5/5): Good, but the dish was basically half onionsFried Calamari (2/5): They use large squid cut in big pieces so it was chewy; batter was thick so the calamari was overly oily; the sauce (ketchup+mayo?) was also heavy and didnt help cut the oilinessPad Thai (5/5): Outstanding, generous portions of noodles and protein. Id say one of the best in the areaBraised String Beans (4/5): On par with similar dishes Ive had; nice sweet soy flavor; string beans cooked perfectlyCrispy Crabmeat Cream Cheese Wonton: Never served, removed from bill.Second visit (8/31/23):Salmon Carpaccio (3/5): Labeled as carpaccio but served room temperature instead of cold; didnt have microgreens but tasted good though.Crispy Honey Shrimp (2/5): Had high hopes for this - batter was soggy; nice sweet taste but the shrimp was suspiciously VERY salty leaving a bad finishSpicy Seafood Soup (2/5): Good except for overly salty shrimp. Just like the dish above, the shrimp tasted like they were sitting in a salt brine for so long that it penetrated throughout the protein. After biting into them, it altered the taste of the dish entirelySpicy Garlic Chicken (3/5): Not extra spicy, as requested; basic sweet-savory chicken dish with veggies. ***I actually ordered this after being told that the Spicy Peppercorn Fish Fillet and the Spicy Peppercorn Beef were no longer being served. I was advised that most spicy dishes kept getting sent back because guests said they were too spicy. This is a bummer since I am a fan of spicy [traditional Chinese] food.Crispy Crabmeat Cream Cheese Wonton (4/5): On par with similar dishes Ive had.Garlic Brussel Sprouts: Never served, removed from the bill.SERVICE:Terrible service, wrong orders on both visits, server never checked on us, slow, and disorganized. Dishes were brought out one at a time in weird sequences and times where entrees came out before apps. It felt like there was no person in charge - servers and bussers were in chaos and always needed to be flagged down. For the level of class I believe Lotus is trying to portray, the service is bad, if not, one of the worst in the area. If not for their social media managers (Daniela?) energy, Id give it a 0. Yes, it was that bad.VERDICT:Lotus Asian Grill needs improvement. The food had some hits but was overall slightly underwhelming, and the service was exceptionally poor. I agree with a review on Yelp and dont know where all these 5-star reviews (Google/Yelp) are coming from because I heard so many similar complaints from other diners around me. Ill wait and see if things change before considering another return.

Stopped in to newly opened Lotus Asian Grill (LAG) on Friday, two days after it opened. It now occupies the space where W’s used to be. The layout of the interior of the restaurant hasn’t changed much, but the bar in the back has been replaced by a long bench seat. The restaurant appears brighter inside than before. The service was excellent. The entire staff was friendly and efficient. They seemed genuinely interested in ensuring we had a good experience. My girlfriend ordered the Mongolian Beef and I decided to try the Kung Pao Chicken. We both upgraded to a full dinner and got Hot and Sour soup, a house salad and white rice. There was a small token charge for the upgrade. The soup and salad were both outstanding. The soup had a deep, rich flavor and the salad was crispy and refreshing. My girlfriend really enjoyed her beef dish. My Kung Pao came with asparagus and squash. Very tasty. Caution…….the red peppers in the dish were nuclear hot!!! The portions were more than ample and my girlfriend brought home enough of her beef to have for lunch. I would say they provide tasty, high-quality food at a good value price point. I recommend you give them a try ASAP before word gets out and they become swamped with diners!!! We will surely be going back again soon!!! Thanks Lotus Asian Grill!!

My favorite dishes tonight are sweet and sour pork, honey shrimp, hong kong style lobster and garlic noodles. Restaurant is nice and clean, with good service. There are 11 of us, and they gave us a long table that fit is all.

We ordered takeout last night. We got a variety of typical Chinese dishes plus the pad Thai. I thought everything was really good. I was particularly impressed by the quality of the shrimp in the pad Thai and how well it was cooked. The service was quick and friendly and everything was exactly as ordered. We will definitely be ordering from here again, looking forward to trying other dishes.We also loved W’s but are happy to have a very good alternative and are happy there is once again some good Chinese food in the area.

Third time visiting since the soft opening. We continue to enjoy the staff, ambiance and food. Cream cheese wontons, spicy steamed wontons, chicken chow fun, sweet/sour pork. All delicious!

This place doesn’t come close to China Bistro that used to be here. The lights are so bright it’s like being in an operating room, food is just OK, and the best is that you have to pay extra to get rice with your entree!!! I have never heard of a Chinese restaurant that charges extra for rice. I wish China Bistro would come back

I’m not sure why others did not rate this restaurant as high. This is the best Chinese food I’ve had since I moved here from the East Coast. Outstanding quality and generous portions. We were thrilled to discover this restaurant. The staff is very kind. Highly recommend!

Great family friendly Asian restaurant with a mix of favorite foods from Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisine. Everyone you invite will find something they want to eat. Personally, I think this is the best orange chicken in town and a great place for casual Asian food in a wonderfully clean restaurant with great music and ambiance.

Take out delivery. Had family in town. What a waste of money. Food was awful. Quality was very poor. Very greasy. Ended up throwing over $130 worth of food in the garbage. Never again. No comparison to the W that was there before.

Wonderful grand opening cocktail party. Great job, Daniella, for organizing this a keeping to fun alive. Food was excellent and the servers were great. Will go back for dinner and bring others.