Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Lotus Restaurant

    4.3 (964 reviews)
    ModerateVietnamese
    Closed • 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Lotus Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Lotus Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    LOTUS RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    More like Lotus Restaurant

    Recommended Reviews - Lotus Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Meatball Pho - split into two bowls for our two little guys
    Catherine Y.

    Lotus Restaurant is one of our family's favorite restaurants in Minnesota. My husband and I have been going here for amazing Vietnamese noodle soups for many years. We were excited to introduce the restaurant to our older son when we moved back to Minnesota a few years ago from New Jersey. Both of our boys love the meatball pho here. Now that they are a little older, they also like the chicken wings and spring rolls (they requested them for dinner when I went tonight). The seating area isn't very big so can get pretty busy/packed fast depending on time of day. The servers are nice and friendly and the food usually comes out pretty fast after order is placed. Parking outside of the restaurant is limited so it's not uncommon for people to park right behind someone else's car. There is also some street parking available but some of them have parking meter. Highly recommend visiting for some delicious Vietnamese food!

    Bahn Mi
    Bill H.

    We stopped here after a long run in Minneapolis and weren't disappointed! We had heard of it before, but never got around to making a trip in, now after having it we'll probably be adding them as a go-to. We ordered the Lotus Bahn Mi, the Beef Lo Mein, and the Eggrolls. The Lo Mein was delicious, the egg rolls were some of the best we've had in the Twin Cities, and the Bahn Me had such a refreshing taste paired with an amazing bread. I'd recommend all 3 dishes. The place is a little small, but very cute and cozy. Staff was extremely nice, and attentive. They were happy to talk about the options as well. We'll definitely be back, next time I'm going to try their Pho!

    Pho
    Kelvin N.

    If you and a coworker are craving for some Vietnamese cuisine during a boring, slow work day, then look no further. The Lotus Restaurant captured our curiosity when they're ranked 1 via Yelp for Vietnamese food. So naturally, we decided to give it a try. And it was entirely worth it. The lotus wings were very delicious, with each crunchy bite bursting with flavor, both tangy and spicy. Make sure to get them for any wings lover out there. I then got high expectations for the main star, pho (beef). It did not disappoint. Most important factor I look for is the broth. In this case, the broth was clear, which is a good, yet imperative, sign. Noodles were good and al dente. The richness and heartiness of the pho were evident as to why this restaurant has garnered high praise. They don't skimp out either (pictured was Small). Catch me coming back here for more food; I need to try the rest.

    Lemon Chicken
    George L.

    A long standing icon of the Loring Park neighborhood, Lotus is a fantastic Pho spot service Vietnamese food in a homey, casual setting. You can either park in the limited parjing space or take one of the buses from downtown to get there. Currently there's a lot of road construction this summer so getting parking will be tricky. I personally just walked. The space is not big, catering about half of the orders to takeout and half towards dine-in, seating goes from 1-4 people. Plan accordingly as it got every table filled at 4pm, which must be for a reason (It's good). I ordered the Large Beef Stew Pho and tried the 3 appetizer combo for $25 total ($14 for the bowl and $11 for appetizer). 3 appetizers included 4 Chicken wings, 2 Veggie Spring Rolls, and 3 Cream cheese wontons. Beef Stew Pho: 9/10 Delicous soup, broth was rich and flavorful. Love the nice tinge of sweet in it, wasn't expecting this to be excellent for a casual spot. Excellent pho, I have to compare it with other Pho restaurants as this is a great baseline. Only wish the large had more vegetables surprisingly. Chicken Wings: 10/10 Surprisingly good as well. Extra crispy interior and perfectly cooked inside. Usually other restaurants skimp out on the quality of this or mess it up but I actually enjoyed it. Spring Rolls: 10/10 Another delicious addition. These are actually some of the best spring rolls I've had in the state. Well made and crispy, as well as pairing well with the sweet and tart sauce that comes with it. Cream Cheese Wontons: 8/10 Probably the weakest dish on the lineup that I've had here, but still pretty good. Pairs surprisingly well with the pho and stays crispy. Overall I would highly recommend this spot to anyone looking for a relatively quick, casual Pho spot.

    Amanda J.

    Love this place !! I come here every year I am In town. Super delicious menu and friendly staff The food is so good. Once you try it you will be hooked. It is a family owned and run restaurant. Everyone on the staff is amazing And super customer satisfaction focused. The restaurant itself is kind of small so we usually eat once in the restaurant and twice we order to go. It gets crowded on weekend nights so plan accordingly!

    Oyster Wings
    Joseph T.

    Food 4/5! Service 4/5 Ambiance 3/5 I tried their house pho large bowl $15 4/5 overall Broth 5/5! Is it msg? Or was it that good? It was good broth. Loved the green onions and cilantro Plus you get to add the basil and bean sprouts! Looks like they put a little bit of everything in. 2 shrimps, some beef slices that looked like brisket chicken and some meatballs chopped into slice, and imitation crab. I think the imitation crab doesn't need to be there but maybe little bit more protein. Just my thoughts. Noodles was good. Normal as expected. The oyster wings 4/5, were strong flavored sweet n salty, crispy if you eat it fast enough. It also has some onions and basil leaves in it. They didn't have Vietnamese coffee today. Bummer. Wanted some strong coffee. I would come back and try other items! Portion pretty decent!

    Chicken Pad Thai
    Collin B.

    Did a pickup order for pad Thai. Had to wait at the restaurant for about 10-15 minutes after a 10 minute walk because they had to "find my order". I ordered through Grubhub and I don't think they had my order. I showed him the emailed receipt, with the order number. He did scroll down to see the itemized receipt which I believe is how he knew what I ordered. He told me after I waited that they did find my order, which I don't believe. I think they just fast-tracked my order. Do I have any proof? No, just assuming! The chicken pad Thai was not bad. I appreciated that they put the crushed peanuts on the side in a separate container. I used them, I just think it's thoughtful for those who may have peanut allergies to be aware of. I asked for medium spice and I believe it was at that level. I would go again. Ambiance is a cozy Thai restaurant. It's small and seating is very limited. They are popular and they are busy. Limited parking. No ranch dressing with this order so no rating.

    JiHae L.

    I've been wanting to visit Minneapolis for a while now--one of the reasons is to try their Pho. Yeah, I know it might sound random, but Minneapolis is actually known for having some solid Vietnamese food. One of the spots that kept popping up during my search was Lotus, so of course, I bookmarked it right away. When I finally made it there, I could tell right away it was a local favorite. There were a bunch of people coming in and out, which is always a good sign. For food, I tried the lunch special which I chose the options such as the beef pho, a shrimp spring roll appetizer, and a side of steamed veggies. The portion was satisfying and everything was fresh--the beef pho had a nice, clean broth, and the shrimp spring roll was crisp and flavorful. The steamed veggies were a healthy touch that balanced the meal out. Overall, it was an enjoyable lunch. That said, it didn't quite hit the mark the as my favorite pho spot in Queens, NYC, but still a solid option if you're in the area.

    Com Ga
    Jay S.

    For the most part, the economical food they provide can feed a lot of people, and I was no exception, because my partner, our friend, and I were able to finish six dishes while not sending a lot. Overall the food was pretty tasty with not a lot of highlight moments but really not much to complain about, either. I ordered the bun bo hue and I thought it was very similar to what I have been served in restaurants in general, some meat in a spicy broth with noodles, and overall I had a pretty good experience eating it. The pad thai was sweeter than I had expected, even if the same dish in the United States in general suffer from chefs putting too much palm sugar and not even tamarind in it. It was still too sweet. The Com Ga dish had dry chicken which could only be solved with a sauce on the side. My partner who ordered the banh mi had positive feedback about the sandwich. Since this establishment is kind of like a staple for Southeast Asian food, I think it is worth coming back and just in general grabbing a quick bite of some comfort food. Its location is also convenient enough for those who live in downtown or the Loring Park area to just drop by and grab a quick bite.

    Jas G.

    Love this place. Great lunch special! Yummy pho! The service was great and attentive.

    Wonton soup

    Stopped by after arriving in town for a conference. Nice little restaurant with plenty of seating. Staff were friendly and attentive. I ordered a small wonton soup. Good taste and good portion size!

    Mark M.

    Was working at the convention center and a local took me here for lunch. Great spot on the corner of the strip mall with ample seating inside. Setver took us to our seat and we quickly ordered before the lunch rush came in. The beef lo mein lunch special was phenomenal. Great sweet and savory sauce. Pork spring roll was so fresh and that peanut dipping sauce was . So happy to try Lotus.

    Two lunch specials
    Linnea T.

    At a recent conference at the convention center, I was hoping to find a quick, local lunch with better options than just a sandwich. Lotus was just the place! Lotus is a 5min max walk from the convention center, and clearly a well-loved, busy, family restaurant. Almost all the tables were in business on a Tuesday lunch, but we were seated quickly. Both of us ordered the lunch special, which comes with choice of a spring or summer roll, an entree, and rice/fried rice/veg. I also ordered an iced jasmine tea. The food was great! Light but filling, and flavorful. My special included a shrimp summer roll, Singapore noodles, and steamed veggies. I loved the curry sauce on the noodles. Portions were just right. Great spot for an easy workweek lunch!

    Lunch special: shrimp spring roll, imperial beef, chicken fried rice

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 2
    Love this 6
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 days ago

    Best Pho in the Mid West. Great ambience. Very Good service. Very good food. Would come again

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Anna S.
    0
    11
    21

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    24 days ago

    Good chicken pho. Eady location right outside downtown on Grant near LaSalle. Nice staff.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Excellent food, service is nice and friendly and it's a nice local place to eat for those visiting

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Y W.
    0
    6
    0

    4 months ago

    Food is ok, too much sauce and the boba is way tooooo sweet. The service is not very attentive either.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Had an incredible lunch here today. Service is amazing. Food unreal. Love coming here any time I am in town

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    Page 1 of 25

    Lotus Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Lotus Restaurant

    You might also consider

    HAI HAI - Bread pudding

    HAI HAI

    4.1(1k reviews)
    2.9 mi•Northeast
    •$$

    I was in Minneapolis for a work trip and found this spot while searching for some Asian food nearby…read moreand I am SOOOO glad I did. First of all, the restaurant is super cute. It has this tropical and airy vibe with a bunch of plants everywhere. It's partially open air with indoor seating too. I sat at the bar and they had all the windows open and the whole atmosphere was just perfect. It's a Vietnamese fusion spot and apparently a James Beard Award winner which I can definitely understand after eating here. To start the bartender recommended the shrimp toast so I ordered that along with the sweet corn wontons. The shrimp toast was SO interesting!!! It was like a shrimp mousse on toast. I honestly loved it but fair warning, it was reaaaally spicy with the fresh jalapeños on top. Still so good though I pushed through. The sweet corn wontons were AMAZING. They came in this super flavorful broth that I drank by itself after. For dessert, I tried their version of mango sticky rice, which was probably one of the most interesting things I had. They don't actually use rice and instead use this jell-o??? but somehow you still get all the flavors of mango sticky rice. So different and SO delicious. My fav of the night! For drinks I tried with the Life Aquatic which was a mezcal cocktail with cucumber and it was smoky, refreshing and overall just amazing. Then I asked for a lychee martini which wasn't even on the menu but they attempted to make one for me anyway. 10/10 execution because it was also amazing! I was genuinely impressed by everything...the food, drinks, atmosphere and the service. They even gave me a little taste of their slushies to try at the end which were super tasty too. Who knows when I'll be back in Minneapolis but I genuinely would come back just to have another meal here. That's how good it was!

    This is one of those places that if I lived in Minneapolis I'd be there all the time. Every time…read morethe food is prepared perfectly and there hasn't been one thing I haven't liked. The space can be a little cramped inside, but the service is great. This most recent time we ordered 6 dishes as a group of 4 and all left stuffed. I truly cannot pick a favorite, because I loved every dish.

    Photos
    HAI HAI - Interior

    Interior

    HAI HAI - Hanoi Sticky Rice Bowl (Classic)

    Hanoi Sticky Rice Bowl (Classic)

    HAI HAI - Inside

    See all

    Inside

    My Huong Kitchen - Beef Pho (my fav), Shrimp Spring Rolls, Egg Roll & Pork Bun, Bao, & Tapioca. Everything was wrapped really good for takeout!

    My Huong Kitchen

    4.6(570 reviews)
    1.2 mi•Whittier
    •$$

    Even today, I can't imagine chè đậu trắng Without my mom,…read morehaving half this heaven Of dessert, milked in coconut cream With a distant trail of its husk. One day And then for many other days, Tracy gave me this last course Whenever I tried to order it-- It's for you, it's for you. You can't order something that is for you.

    So I went to Eat Street to get lunch and Chinese groceries, and discovered that my go-tp Vietnamese…read moredive, Pho Tau Bay, is closed until fall due to construction. Well thinking I would go to Pho Hua instead, I pulled intonthe Shuang Hur Grocer's parking lot thinking I'd grab a few things before heading north on Eat Street. Then I saw signs on the Shuang Hur building for a (new to me) Vietnamese joint in the same building. Boy was I pleasantly surprised! My Huong is an 8-top hole in the wall across the parking lot from the rear of El Nuevo Mariachi Restaurant. The place is homely, small, but brightly lit and plenty of day light through the picture windows overlooking Eat Street. It's a big contrast to Pho 79 type places that are dim and short on ambience. The clientele shows. Instead of just a bunch of Asians throwing down Pho, it's a mix like you'd see at Quang or Eat Street Crossing. I was seated right away, was greeted by a cheery Vietnamese lady, and ordered Hu Tieu Bo Khu (Beef Stew Noodle Soup.) It was a dish I haven't seen before even though I have been to so many Vietnamese places (see my other reviews and lists.) The dish came very quickly, and I was shocked that they didn't bring it with a veggie plate. Oh well. Well the best way I could describe Hu Tieu Bo Khu, its basically a pot roast over noodles. So the beefy broth like a less spicey version of Bun Bo Hue, with flavors of lemongrass and star anise, nicely garnished already with what would have been on a veggie plate. The broth was delicious, slightly sweet with the carrots, and the beef was fall apart amazingly stewed with deep flavor. There were other menu items like Curry Chicken pho and a Stewed chicken rice dish I'd have to return and try!

    Photos
    My Huong Kitchen - The cozy dining area

    The cozy dining area

    My Huong Kitchen - Chicken curry soup

    Chicken curry soup

    My Huong Kitchen - Amazing Vietnamese coffee

    See all

    Amazing Vietnamese coffee

    Pho 79 - Braised catfish

    Pho 79

    3.9(421 reviews)
    0.9 mi•Whittier
    •$

    After craving Pho for a long time, and not wanting to make the drive to Pho400, we decided to check…read moreout Pho 79. It's exactly what I'd expect out of a family-run neighborhood joint. No-frills, wood panels for days, and the "casual" service your get at the best asian restaurants. My wife got the pho she'd been craving and it was decent. There aren't any "great" pho places in MN so can't be too picky. The hot and sour soup was huge. The picture doesn't do it justice,. That's a serving spoon in the picture! It didn't have much tamarind, was a bit sweet, and an interesting choice of okra; some of which were a bit slimy (as okra can get). The tofu was perfectly fried and had a nice bouncy texture. I much prefer Thanh Luong's version but for the price it's definitely worth it. Overall it's a great value and I will always prefer mom-and-pop operations over the sterile, corporate "industrial chic", neon-sign spots that are all the rage.

    The sweet and sour soup was too sweet with not much tamarind flavor, the fish didn't have much…read moreflavor from the soup and needed some fish sauce for dipping. I was able to get what I needed to eat my food such as a bowl and the fish sauce. It's been awhile since we've been here and it's a lot quieter than before with only one section of the restaurant is being used. It was nice to be able to order my comfort food and service was good.

    Photos
    Pho 79 - Catfish sweet and sour soup

    Catfish sweet and sour soup

    Pho 79 - Sauces

    Sauces

    Pho 79 - Vietnamese seafood udon noodles soup

    See all

    Vietnamese seafood udon noodles soup

    Que Viet - Rice noodle bowl with the eggrolls. Requested mint be added but they only had basil.  Still good!

    Que Viet

    4.0(268 reviews)
    3.5 mi•Northeast
    •$$

    Qué Việt became one of my staples almost immediately after moving into Minneapolis, and at this…read morepoint I can't separate the restaurant from my memories of living here. I've eaten here during transitional times, settled-in-and-part-of-the-community times, with my kids, and now during those increasingly nostalgic trips back to Minnesota. Somehow Qué Việt works for all of them. I love it. My kids love it. And I genuinely have a hard time imagining going wrong here. My formula is pretty simple: get the spicy chicken, add a rice or noodle dish, and drive the whole thing home with an egg roll. Especially the egg roll. Qué Việt has built a reputation around those things for a reason. The food is comforting, generous, consistently delicious and completely without pretense. It's the kind of neighborhood restaurant that eventually stops feeling like somewhere you decided to eat and simply becomes your place. That's what Qué Việt became for me. There's also something strange about returning to restaurants you depended on when you lived somewhere. You walk through the door years later on vacation, order familiar food, and for an hour you're not really visiting anymore. You're just back. I wish this place nothing but good things. Thanks for a lot of meals, a lot of memories, and for still being there whenever Minnesota brings us back. If I could DoorDash Qué Việt to New York, I'd probably have a problem. Until somebody figures that out, it'll remain a mandatory stop every time I'm back in Minneapolis

    This restaurant is very close to my son's school so we have had dinner here a few times. He likes…read morethe meatballs pho a lot and recently requested that we go for dinner there. The service is usually pretty good and we usually get our food fairly quickly.

    Photos
    Que Viet - Assortment of food (after we ate most of it)

    Assortment of food (after we ate most of it)

    Que Viet - Eggrolls

    Eggrolls

    Que Viet

    See all

    Thanh Luong Vegetarian - Vegetarian Bun Bo Hue

    Thanh Luong Vegetarian

    4.8(68 reviews)
    6.8 mi
    •$$

    So I went here on "accident" thinking it was a standard Viet joint. To my surprise, it was a vegan…read moreVietnamese restaurant. I decided to try it out anyways. I was so impressed by the menu at first site. They had some dishes you only find in home cooking or in Vietnam. I tried the Canh Chua and Hot Pot "Fish". I was blown away by the flavors! The textures were very close. It was a little hard to tell if I should order up at the front counter or wait for service. I did get good service when they came and waited on me. The atmosphere is quiet and inviting. I was impressed by the whole setting! By the way, excellent portions! I was given a huge bowl of rice to supplement both of my entree dishes. I can't wait to come back and bring family/friends with next time.

    Thanh Luong Chay was the perfect comfort meal after a long day at the office! I ordered takeout and…read moregot the spring rolls and spicy beef soup, and everything was delicious. I especially loved the crunchy wheat shred addition in the spring rolls - such a great texture and a unique touch. The variety of vegan meats is really impressive, and I enjoyed trying the different flavors and textures throughout the meal. Everything was so flavorful and satisfying. The staff was very friendly when I picked up my order, which made the experience even better. I'm excited to come back and try more dishes!

    Photos
    Thanh Luong Vegetarian - Inside seating

    Inside seating

    Thanh Luong Vegetarian - Chow mein

    Chow mein

    Thanh Luong Vegetarian - Spicy Veggie Beef Noodle (Bún Bò Huế)  Big rice noodles,veggies beef,tofu,Mushroom veggie ham and fresh vegetables.

    See all

    Spicy Veggie Beef Noodle (Bún Bò Huế) Big rice noodles,veggies beef,tofu,Mushroom veggie ham and fresh vegetables.

    Diane’s Place - Thai tea French toast

    Diane’s Place

    4.7(395 reviews)
    2.3 mi•Northeast
    •$$

    The service in Diane's place was immaculate! A special shout…read moreout to Chris, he made our experience wonderful. He was so attentive and thoughtful, paying attention to the little things and making sure we felt taken care of. He even surprised us with matcha ice cream because he noticed how much my cousin loved it. It's the little gestures like that that make an experience so memorable. We genuinely felt welcomed and we left with the biggest smiles. Thank you, Chris, for making our visit extra special! We'll definitely be back.

    We ended up going back the next day to pick up lunch for our group. They didnt pick up the phone so…read morewe weren't able to order ahead of time, but the food from their cafe/take out area came out quite quickly. The crab rangoo pastry was a slight disappointment as it lost some of that sinful simplicity of a typical deep fried crab rangoo. The passion fruit mango stuffed cube was the most popular among the group and we wished we had gotten two of them. The green salad was simple, but the dressing was tasty and the shrimp were plump and well cooked. We got the mild papaya salad which still has a bit of a kick if you're sensitive, but it was a generous portion and it was an enjoyable crunchy acidic and fresh dish. The pan fried noodles worked very well as a side dish, but would have been a less exciting main compared with the other dishes. The sweet and sour pork with the fatty and soft chunks of pork belly were delicious with the sticky rice. The greens weren't my favorite, but I generally don't enjoy collard greens of any variety. While you don't get the beautiful plating that Diane's place does when you get the dishes to-go, it's worth doing if you don't have time for a full meal.

    Photos
    Diane’s Place - Flowers

    Flowers

    Diane’s Place - DIANE'S HMONG SAUSAGE

    DIANE'S HMONG SAUSAGE

    Diane’s Place - Breakfast sandwich

    See all

    Breakfast sandwich

    Gai Noi - Pork belly lunch menu

    Gai Noi

    4.3(686 reviews)
    0.3 mi•Loring Park
    •$$

    We went to Gai Noi for dinner last Saturday, August 8, and had a wonderful time. We got to the…read morerestaurant around 7PM. The line outside looked intimidating but we told them any table would do. We were told that the wait is 20 min. but was seated after only 10 min. wait. We ordered the egg & basil fried rice, crispy tofu, Laab Seen (beef) , Fried Walleye, and Curry. Everything we ordered was delicious. I appreciate the added 18% reflected in the price so no surprise and the waitstaff earned their 18% tip. The dining room is cozy and clean. We loved our experience at Gai Noi.

    Stopped in for a little happy hour & some bites and was absolutely blown away! The happy hour deals…read moreare great and we started with some cocktails; all their cocktails are premixed and on tap and the flavors are balanced perfectly. We ordered some dishes to share and it was the perfect amount between 3 people. The laab seen was delicious and flavorful, paired well with the vegetables and house hot sauces that were provided. The curry fried rice packed a punch with its spice in the best way, and I definitely want to come back for more of it. We were huge fans of the basil wings, and these were the winners of the night. Served with deep fried jalepeno slices, these wings were to die for! They're perfectly crispy and seasoned to perfection. Can't wait to come back with more people so we can try more dishes! This is definitely a spot to do some family style sampling of all the different delicious plates they have. Our server was knowledgeable and very kind; they shared their recommendations with us and we are so thankful. We were also sat upstairs and what a gorgeous space it is! So many beautiful plants and the skylights make it into a lovely green haven.

    Photos
    Gai Noi - Private dining table

    Private dining table

    Gai Noi - Pork Fried Rice   Cost: $18  Rating:

    Pork Fried Rice Cost: $18 Rating:

    Gai Noi - Passionfruit cocktail

    See all

    Passionfruit cocktail

    Pho Mai Dinkytown - Grilled pork and egg roll noodle salad

    Pho Mai Dinkytown

    4.3(175 reviews)
    2.2 mi•Marcy-Holmes, University
    •$$

    One of the best spot you can go to grab some good pho! I ordered the brisket pho, egg rolls, cream…read morecheese wontons and Vietnamese coffee. They do a deal on Friday's where it's $5 pho, but you do have to order an appetizer. Still a great deal! Entree: The pho, egg rolls and wontons were very good! The broth itself was smooth and tasted great with some hoisin, siracha and lime juice. They provided various add-ins such as bean sprouts, fresh herbs, sliced chiles and sliced limes. The egg rolls were amazing! Crispy and the duck sauce was nice. The wontons were also good! They were crispy and paired well with the sweet and sour sauce. The viet coffee was amazing! I added more condensed milk to get more of a sweet flavor. The service was nice. Whenever our waters were low, they would come by to refill it and were attentive. Since this is in dinky town, expect it to be busy with college students. Parking can be difficult as well. Overall great experience each time I have went here!

    You HAVE to go during Pho Mai Fridays at this Dinkytown location! $5 pho on Fridays is such a…read moresteal, but you do have to order an appetizer or another entrée to get the deal. My go-to combo is the Pho Tai (Lean Beef) and the Banh Mi Thit Nuong (Grilled Pork). It is the PERFECT pairing. The pho is warm, flavorful, and exactly what you want on a freezing Minnesota day, while the bánh mì is the perfect crispy, savory side. Pho Mai was basically a winter staple for me and my friends during college. They redesigned their seating area so the ambiance feels very clean and modern. The service is quick which is perfect after a long school or work day. Definitely take advantage of the deal!

    Photos
    Pho Mai Dinkytown - Inside

    Inside

    Pho Mai Dinkytown - Banh Mi Thit Heo (Grill Pork)

    Banh Mi Thit Heo (Grill Pork)

    Pho Mai Dinkytown - Cream Cheese Wontons

    See all

    Cream Cheese Wontons

    Lotus Restaurant - vietnamese - Updated October 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...