Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Lotus Thai Bistro in Palo Alto

4 (121) 425 California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306, United States

Categories

Thai restaurant
Asian restaurant
Caterer
Southeast Asian restaurant

Location on the map

Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California, US

Phone: +1 650-289-0907
Site: https://lotusthaibistro.com/...

Opening hours

Monday:11 AM–3 PM
Tuesday:11 AM–3 PM
Wednesday:11 AM–3 PM
Thursday:11 AM–3 PM
Friday:11 AM–3 PM
Saturday:4–9:30 PM
Sunday:Closed

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4

121 Reviews for Lotus Thai Bistro 2024:

Review №1

2023-11-22 04:15:30

Delicious Restaurant on Cal Ave. I definitely recommend the fresh spring rolls & the yellow curry chicken. A bit spicy, but tolerable. Service was also great & super fast.

Review №2

2023-04-08 03:54:40

You MUST try the Pad Thai Popcorn Chicken! It’s one of the most delicious foods I’ve ever tried. I’ve ordered this multiple times and it’s always at a great temperature (I order delivery) it pairs excellently with their brown rice too.I’ve had their calamari as well and it’s so good! Highly recommend this place as a frequent customer.

Review №3

2023-10-20 20:12:39

The best Thai food I have ever eaten, period . Very delicious and flavorful.

Review №4

2023-04-17 09:24:54

So delicious and flavourful. Khao Soi and lemongrass mango salad were incredible. Medium spicy is well enough heat in these two dishes in our opinion and we typically like spicy. The mango sticky rice was also super tasty!

Review №5

2021-12-19 02:00:52

Best Thai food ever!*Please support small biz! Please call to order directly so they don’t have to pay ridiculous fees w door dash or whoever…The display was beautiful, but I didn’t catch a photo till it was too late, so please excuse the pics here for not effectively resenting all the TLC they put into making the presentation and delicious taste and quality of the food!The order: chicken pad Thai (peanuts on the side!), fresh rolls (vegetarian with an amazing sauce!), pumpkin curry, brown rice, samosa.It was really nice to have so many gluten free and vegetarian options so everyone was satisfied!We had about 15-20 people. Everyone had seconds and had enough leftovers to take home, too. Well worth the price and everyone is grateful for quality leftovers!Thank you Lotus Thai Bistro in Palo Alto! Our expectations were well exceeded!

Review №6

2023-06-24 04:45:32

The ingredients used in the food and the fruits seemed fresh. We ordered medium and spicy dishes but even the spicy version wasnt as spicy as other Thai restaurants. The service was good with friendly servers. If youre looking for proper ambience then youll be disappointed but if you dont mind the small Asian restaurant ambience then itll be all good. On the whole, I was pleasantly impressed with the joint and would come back to the place.

Review №7

2023-08-20 05:16:20

After years of enjoying their lunch specials, we finally visited for dinner. At dinner, the chicken satay skewers and yellow curry were both fantastic. For a lunch special, the chicken & broccoli stir fry is great as well. Definitely recommend for a casual Thai spot.

Review №8

2023-02-18 01:30:40

Taking to-go and trying a new place. We got the fresh rolls, crispy rolls, roti, spicy fried rice, panang curry with side of white rice.

Review №9

2022-11-06 23:57:10

Very solid Thai place. I like the green curry with chicken more than the kang pa curry, which had a tad too much peppercorn for me. To go orders were packed well.

Review №10

2023-06-04 17:12:44

Oh dear, let me tell you about this restaurant experience I had! So, I went to this place expecting some tasty Thai flavors that would make my taste buds dance with joy. But alas, my hopes were dashed! The food lacked that distinct Thai essence, and the beef and chicken dishes were overwhelmed by chilli. Can you believe it? Chilli is great, but not when its the only thing you can taste! To make matters worse, we tossed more than half of our meal. It was just not up to par, my friend. The only saving grace was the rice, which we managed to salvage. But let me tell you, it was far from the best Thai meal Ive ever had, and I definitely wont be ordering from there again. No way, no how! But wait, theres more. The server brought me a Thai pad dish with shrimp instead of chicken. Can you imagine the disappointment? I politely let them know about the mix-up, expecting a replacement dish to be offered. But, alas, all I got was a measly $1 discount. Talk about underwhelming! Although the noodles didnt quite hit the spot, I appreciated the servers effort to rectify the situation. At least they tried, right? And heres another kicker: the yellow curry chicken lacked the necessary saltiness for my liking. I also brought this to their attention, hoping they would offer a replacement. But no, nada, zilch! They didnt even bat an eye. Sigh. Its like they didnt care about my taste buds at all. Overall, my experience at this restaurant fell far short of my expectations.

Review №11

2023-06-27 02:53:55

Looks like I missed with my order. Tried the Pad Khee Mao which they called flat spicy noodles. It was bland and tasteless and quite disappointing. The fish cakes were nice.

Review №12

2020-10-12 00:18:33

Ordered the fried tofu pad Thai and was very impressed that their prices on DoorDash are the exact same as the regular menu. I do wish they were on Uber eats though. The pad Thai itself had a good portion and was impressed that they included some carrots and lettuce as vegetable garnish alongside the standard bean sprouts. Wish they offered fried bean sprouts as a garnish option instead. The fried tofu was nice and crispy and creamy on the inside. Portion sizes are pretty good and the spicy option was perfect for my taste buds. Did wish there were some bolder traditional Thai flavors of sweet and sour.

Review №13

2020-11-19 01:08:03

Pad Thai and fresh roll were really tasty. Great price at lunch. Doordash pickup was super fast and owner was very friendly.

Review №14

2022-06-24 02:22:35

Got the tofu pad Thai, medium spice, and a Thai tea. Tasted great, the portion was fairly good sized, and the medium spice was relatively hot (only order spicy if you’re really tolerant of spice). Thai tea was really nice as well.Staff was kind and attentive, and the presentation of the food was a nice touch — I appreciate the attention to detail. Also in a great location. Well worth the money.

Review №15

2022-10-25 02:25:22

Was nervous to go because of some lackluster reviews, but tried it anyway. Sadly it was not very good, lacking in flavor. The pad Thai didnt have lime or peanuts and the broccoli had a weird burnt flavor despite being undercooked. If you have had good Thai food you will not be impressed.

Review №16

2022-05-30 21:44:31

I simply dont understand the hate this place is getting from some of the reviewers. It almost looks a little fishy to me, as if someones trying to hurt this place on purpose.In the past two years Ive eaten here a dozen times and not once had a bad experience. Yeah, the spicy is really too spicy for me and they dont serve rice with their dinner plates (restaurants stopped doing that a while ago, for some reason) - but the food here is consistently good and the service efficient.

Review №17

2022-02-28 15:21:42

Hands down my favourite Thai restaurant in the area. Great food and great service. The Panang curry with fried tofu and Pad Thai with shrimp are so flavourful and always hit the spot. Its the little things too, like the banana leafs on the plate or the plastic mug because why do we need to lift weights when we drink beer!

Review №18

2017-01-27 02:27:55

Fairly good tasting food, decent portions, and fair priced! Parking can be a bit annoying here at times.

Review №19

2021-10-28 04:55:39

Very poor. Beef and chicken dishes very tough, spicy means heavy on chili, but almost no other Thai spices and flavors, very little lemon grass, Thai basil, galanga, kfir lime leaves, in short nothing distinctive. We ate less than half, and threw the rest away (we kept the rice). In short very disappointing, all around, one of the worst Thai meals I ever had, I won’t be ordering from there again.

Review №20

2022-09-01 21:19:53

We had a lovely meal at this restaurant Last nightFirst time I’ve ever posted a review For anythingTwo thumbs up!We’re going back again tonight that’s how good it was:)

Review №21

2016-09-14 03:44:03

Great little spot! Green curry was a little saltier than some other Thai curries Ive had, but the veggies seemed fresh and it tasted great. No wait on a Tuesday night. Service was average, no complaints. Definitely will come back!

Review №22

2018-05-31 03:06:17

Lotus Thai Bistro Palo AltoLocated at 425 California Ave, Palo Alto, CA, this is a good choice for Thai food. A large variety of typical Thai dishes are on the menu for eating there, takeout, or delivery at very reasonable prices. I enjoyed the Sticky Rice with Mango, delicious and generous portion. Wife had Pad Thai $8.95 and we shared sauteed eggplant $8.95. These were not the usual recipe weve had at other places, but were enjoyable and unique. The layout is long and narrow making seating a little inconvenient. There was enough for lunch the next day, still good.

Review №23

2018-05-11 20:46:26

Had a sautéed bamboo with chicken. The food was delicious and the price was reasonable. The service was slow.

Review №24

2021-10-19 22:47:45

Located near palo alto train station. Recently we revisited this place. The time before that was almost 3 year ago. Food tastes the same, same spicy, same authentic. Several family run Thai food places I loved did not survive the covid. We are lucky we still have Lotus. Although I have to say the entire street near the train station is yet to recover its business. It is not as busy, metro-like, summer sit out like three years ago. So, enjoy as we can, and full heartily support this neighborhood business.

Review №25

2022-05-08 04:14:46

I just wanted a nice night with my girlfriend but instead I ordered what has got to be the second worst Thai food of my life. The first worst Thai food gave severe dihearra and I felt like my Assh*le had to be hospitalized. This is a tiny tiny step above that. Though it is unknown whether my stomach will be ripped out my. The least they could is provide napkins when I’m bleeding on the floor.Yours truly, a constipated one time customer

Review №26

2022-08-21 02:47:37

This is my favorite Thai restaurant in the Bay Area. Their presentation is delightful and the food is perfect. I haven’t had a dish there that hasn’t been excellent.

Review №27

2022-11-12 06:20:23

Normally decent enough but on this occasion very disappointing. Both pad Thai and Pad See Ew did not taste great which will make me hesitant to go back in a hurry.

Review №28

2019-08-08 05:07:26

Food here is quite good. Try the yellow curry or the pumping curry. The coconut soup is great too. Service not so good, dont expect friendly faces, but overall the place has character. Youll definitely go again after trying it once. You can take good to go.

Review №29

2019-03-19 15:09:55

What a gem! This restaurant is hidden in some of Cal Aves vibrant parts (where the farmers market usually takes place on Sundays) and it is a must try.Almost every place on this street is on the pricey side, not Lotus in my opinion!The food is amazing and it gets to your table in no time at all... I am always baffled by how fast the produce the food.Great take out service too for those days where you dont feel like cooking.Must try their Pad See Ew.

Review №30

2017-06-03 15:34:14

WORST THAI FOOD IN PALO ALTO. horrible service. too loud. ordered pad Thai with chicken. server brought it with shrimp once asked to change it he said eat it I will give you $1 off. wow. really? so I just ate the noddles as this was a Business lunch and I didnt want to waste other people time by arguing with this guy. even noodle sucked. will never go back. dont waste your time and money with this place. there are plenty of much better options in Palo Alto.

Review №31

2022-08-27 21:51:03

Family run business that has pretty good Thai food. Wouldn’t say it’s impressive but it’s definitely worth it if you’re craving for Thai food!

Review №32

2021-06-30 02:30:18

Lotus Thai is a women owned, family run business and our favorite local Thai food place!Our go tos are- Chicken pumpkin curry- tofu pad thai (or their pad thai pancake 😋)- stir fry eggplant- brown riceand if we are feeling indulgent and splurge-y- mango and sticky rice- banana palatha

Review №33

2022-08-01 21:55:50

Food was ok but way too overpriced for what was given. About $14 for 5 slices of eggplant, cut pieces of tofu. The rice was the biggest serving.

Review №34

2017-11-07 15:58:16

The #64 (Lard Na) with chicken was tasty and reasonably priced ($10.95), and was a great portion size. My server was friendly and responsive, and the atmosphere is cozy. Everyone in the restaurant seemed to be in good spirits!

Review №35

2013-02-11 16:05:15

Inexpensive and really decent quality Thai food (pad thai reminds me of US East Coast Pad Thai -- sweet!) ; they really need to change their gargantuan serving plates -- if 2 people order 2 dishes theres no room on the table and lots of stranded ceramic. Small, modular bowls for everyone would let customers order more and worry less about physics.

Review №36

2013-06-19 21:07:34

Enjoyed the service, but the food wasnt on-par with other Thai restaurants Ive been to. That said, it was still a good restaurant. The Chicken Satay was actually very good! I just wish the other food had been a bit tastier.

Review №37

2014-11-26 22:11:21

I have never written a review for a restaurant before but after my experience today at the Thai Lotus Bistro I felt it would be an injustice if I did not. I entered with high hopes of being a great whole in the wall family style Thai restaurant, took my seat and was immediately presented with water and the daily soup but did find it strange that the waiter didnt say a word to me. I looked over the menu and not 30 seconds later the waiter asked if I was ready to order, I asked for one more minute hurried myself and decided on a something basic, the Pad Thai, said please and thank you and he walked away, again without a word. Having ordered my food I decided to try the soup which was absolutely terrible, yet I was hungry and ate what I could while my food arrived. Thats when I noticed a fly land on the table and fly off and out of the corner of my eye the waiter, was glaring at me. Strange I thought, had I done something wrong, I certainly hadnt responded to any food with a grimace in fact I had been smiling since entering the restaurant. The food arrived and I still had high hopes despite the soup being bad, but what I received was not worthy of being padthai, besides the lack of flavor and soggy noodles, it was poorly mixed and all around lazy, I had a hard time finishing it but I was hungry and am not one to waste food. I paid without a single word of thankyou from the waiter, and on my way out a nice manager who asked if everything was alright, this might have saved me from writing this, but the absolute rudeness from my waiter and the terrible food has made me write this. I have never left a restaurant ofeeling so displeased. Let me say all of the staff was thai except for my waiter who was a white guy. I hope the management will do something about this because they have lost a customer and there is no way I will return, in fact I will tell others not to go there. All in all, horrible waiter, bad food.

Review №38

2023-04-16 18:14:59

Amazing khao soi! Mango salad was so good too.

Review №39

2022-01-12 23:42:08

Almost $20 for a medium larb, almost no flavor. Asked for low spicy, but that means no lime, chili, toasted rice.

Review №40

2022-03-27 03:39:40

Just tried for first time. Very very Yummy pad Thai chicken and such friendly staff ! Thank you for high quality food

Review №41

2016-02-15 18:21:25

Food is 5 stars, everything tasted great. Will go back again and again.Service is 3 stars, needs minor changes like short staff when busy and it also help to interact and smile to customers.

Review №42

2019-03-20 07:57:10

I ordered pineapple fried rice and Pad see ew. Pineapple fried rice was quite bland. Pad see ew was a little better but still not great. I would recommend siam royale over this place for sure.

Review №43

2018-04-29 14:28:15

Every dish had great presentation and was delicious. Not over priced like most restaurants in the area. High recommend!

Review №44

2019-03-02 03:47:37

Food was just ok, ambience was a bit run down. The fried calamari was soggy and the fried rice was a bit greasy, but the grilled salmon was really good.

Review №45

2021-07-30 19:59:58

Excellent food, great service very pleasant staff . I love this place. I hope you try and it, they take pride in their food and well they should!!

Review №46

2021-08-27 04:29:53

Nice local restaurant which is a bit more affordable than the other restaurants in Cal Ave. We usually enjoy their food.

Review №47

2022-07-07 22:57:25

Great wide noodles (pad see ew, pad kee mao). Good vegetarian fresh rolls (has mango!)

Review №48

2017-08-18 00:52:41

Been to this restaurant for lunch. I ordered duck curry, it was decent. Prices are in decent range. Interior is that great for dine in.

Review №49

2020-09-16 04:19:05

Ok but fresh rolls fell apart and curry way spicier than I ordered. Rice Thai on el camino better option

Review №50

2021-04-14 14:04:50

Curries are really good. Pad thai average. Hosts are nice. The place looks very home-like.

Review №51

2019-10-08 18:09:35

Vegan and Vegetarian friendly.Really nice and friendly staff. Small and narrow restaurant, but it makes it cozy and comfortable.Loved it.

Review №52

2017-02-21 05:49:14

I quite like this Thai place! Ive seen cheaper elsewhere, but their curry is reliably good, and I love stopping by here for dinner on my way to the train.

Review №53

2022-03-12 07:00:07

The staff here are very nice! I worked in neighborhood, we were taken care of so warmly by them!Thanks!

Review №54

2022-06-11 05:03:42

Amazing food and friendly service! Small and unassuming store but worth it.

Review №55

2019-06-25 21:56:55

I was there today for a yello curry chicken which is my favorite food by the way, so for the very 1st time in this location I had it, but it was so salty and when I called the waitress to let her know what happened, she came to me with and spun to give it a try, and to confirm that it was so salty, so I thought they will offer me to replace the dish, but they never offer me to replace the food, so a had to pay for it, even that I did not eat it, so I will never come back to this place and I dont recommend it all.

Review №56

2022-09-26 05:55:31

Flavors are good! Meat can be reay fatty. I stick to tofu.

Review №57

2019-04-27 02:00:31

Best Thai restaurant ever! (OK, I admit Ive never been to Thailand. But the food is great.)

Review №58

2019-05-02 01:02:46

Good curry. Prices are reasonable. Spiciness level can vary quiet a bit so be prepared.

Review №59

2020-02-17 20:18:44

The rice we were given was quite rough and dry. The pad thati was nothing really out of the ordinary, but I would be willing to give this place another try.

Review №60

2021-11-03 17:14:13

Excellent Thai food at a really good price if you come for lunch.

Review №61

2014-04-02 17:48:58

Been going here for years. Has a great price-satisfaction ratio. Its not too fancy but the food is great.

Review №62

2020-06-18 03:14:48

I would not recommend eating here especially during times like covid because people are preparing and serving food without wearing gloves and not maintaining basic hygiene.

Review №63

2021-12-25 03:43:59

The food here is delicious. Love their pumpkin curry.

Review №64

2022-02-13 02:27:29

One of the worst restaurant you can go to. Food is the worst. And the server doesnot even understand english well.

Review №65

2017-05-05 02:54:54

Bad service, average food. They dont understand that spicy doesnt mean they throw every red pepper they can find.

Review №66

2022-06-22 05:56:16

Pleasant service. Reasonable portions. Tasty food.

Review №67

2020-01-10 17:20:33

Beware!! Found cockroach in dish. Server did nothing about it. We left. Family had severe food poisoning. Never again!

Review №68

2022-08-17 02:45:58

Very underrated based on google reviews - best place I’ve found in the area!

Review №69

2022-09-04 02:28:39

We walked past and my wife liked the smell.

Review №70

2017-02-18 01:07:25

The food is super deliciousWe love Thai & this one is closest to the real thing from BangkokFriendly

Review №71

2021-12-02 17:29:32

Panang Curry with tofu is tasty! typical Thai style

Review №72

2021-10-14 20:52:08

Delicious red curry and so fast! Would definitely enjoy again

Review №73

2016-05-28 19:11:16

Good, basic, Thai food. Usually no wait, and more affordable than a lot of places on California Avenue.

Review №74

2012-07-08 19:49:56

Best Thai food on the peninsula. Great for takeout or dining in. Really friendly owners.

Review №75

2010-08-27 17:14:48

This is my favorite cheap place to eat. The Pad Thai is amazing (and the best in Palo Alto)

Review №76

2016-05-03 05:50:56

Pretty good, the space is a bit small and old, but with a pretty authentic feel and good menu choices.

Review №77

2021-12-15 01:56:48

The Chef personally came to inquire about the food. Food was good.

Review №78

2015-12-12 03:19:32

Fine value, nothing special. Food was very sweet. Not very Thai like.

Review №79

2021-03-06 18:25:30

I have been dinning here for years. I love the yellow curry.

Review №80

2018-03-13 23:23:28

The roti was great, but my friend found a hair in their soup.

Review №81

2021-10-15 03:46:06

Nice cozy place in Palo alto. Green curry is must try

Review №82

2016-11-11 01:47:39

Serves great Thai food. Usually quiet and not much crowded.

Review №83

2016-10-19 21:26:16

Tasty food. Not that pricey. But staffs arent that excellent.

Review №84

2019-12-02 05:31:26

My favorite Thai restaurant. Has the most delicious Roti.

Review №85

2019-05-05 02:42:48

Awesome thai cuisine, specially yellow and panang curry with Cod.

Review №86

2016-12-26 23:43:20

Very decent place if youre in a hurry for quality take out!

Review №87

2017-09-08 21:25:36

Food was three stars, service and atmosphere were one star

Review №88

2019-06-01 01:43:50

No rice for curries. No instructions to order rice. Pad see Ew doesn’t taste authentic.

Review №89

2014-10-26 16:51:53

Pretty authentic Thai food. The pad see yew is a must.

Review №90

2012-05-14 21:47:08

I had not had such bad Thai fried rice.

Review №91

2022-05-30 21:45:46

Just perfect Thai food.

Review №92

2019-03-10 09:33:39

Not expensive and delicious thai food.

Review №93

2016-09-16 02:30:41

Quick lunch spot. Its not bad, but nothing to write home about.

Review №94

2016-11-23 21:30:45

Good food and usually pretty quite with no wait

Review №95

2017-01-08 20:30:57

Go here for lunch a lot. Very good food!

Review №96

2020-08-27 04:35:28

Quality food, beautiful presentation.Thank you!

Review №97

2019-08-18 22:30:00

Fantastic red curry.. rich and spicy.

Review №98

2021-07-21 02:51:29

Great appetizers, great entrees, great rices, great service.

Review №99

2020-01-30 01:53:38

Good and quick lunch. 4.5 rating

Review №100

2017-06-07 02:33:36

Fantastic food. Excellent prices.

Review №101

2021-04-30 20:44:51

Woon sen (glass noodle) soup is salty.

Review №102

2020-05-26 02:49:04

Awesome flavorful food. Always.

Review №103

2016-08-30 05:43:57

Love this tiny cozy spot for Thai dishes

Review №104

2022-11-06 21:03:13

Great Thai with fast service

Review №105

2019-02-19 08:17:04

Friends liked the duck curry a lot

Review №106

2018-08-09 01:16:31

My favorite Thai food in PA.

Review №107

2018-03-17 00:07:31

Tasty food and great service!

Review №108

2023-02-20 16:01:57

Delicious pad thai

Review №109

2016-06-18 04:08:00

Ok but nothing extraordinary. Small place.

Review №110

2019-10-01 21:27:36

Good lunch deal price

Review №111

2021-07-12 06:02:45

Found a metal staple in my food…

Review №112

2021-05-10 02:50:02

Excellent service and food!

Review №113

2017-01-30 17:17:44

On of the best food, loved it

Review №114

2020-07-04 06:39:51

Nice duck curry!

Review №115

2014-02-09 06:15:44

Horrible service, mediocre food

Review №116

2022-06-04 01:05:50

Amazing food!

Review №117

2020-02-08 17:06:32

Quite place, good food

Review №118

2016-03-14 23:41:15

Great Thai food.

Review №119

2017-02-20 00:33:01

Nice thai food.

Review №120

2023-05-24 04:24:24

Five minutes after being served, they told me that they were going to close and that I had to go out because they were packing the food to take away and immediately I had to stop eating and just eat outside in the cold. The truth is that it seemed a little bad to me. taste.

Review №121

2018-01-27 00:05:39

The roast duck is particularly delicious